freedombunker--2019-08-07--Red flag laws drive a stake in the heart of our nations fundamental principles

The Firearms Policy Coalition, a nonprofit group dedicated to protecting and defending the Constitution and the fundamental rights of Americans, has issued a policy statement regarding the proposed “red flag” confiscation laws that are being bandied about by the political class.  It explains how red flag laws “drive a stake into the heart of our nation’s fundamental principles,” and why everyone who loves liberty must oppose them and oppose politicians who advocate for them. It’s been more than 150 years since our liberties have been as strongly under assault as they are now. Here’s the FPC’s policy statement:  August 5, 2019 – Firearms Policy Coalition issued the following statement regarding demands for new gun control, including so-called “red flag” confiscation laws:  This morning, President Trump stated that “Republicans and Democrats must come together and get strong background checks,” called for “real bipartisan solutions” that will “truly make America safer and better for all,” including ‘Minority Report’-style “tools that can detect mass shooters before they strike,” and so-called “red flag” legislation.  It is also being reported that Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has cut a deal with Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT) on legislation that President Trump “seems very supportive” of. Firearms Policy Coalition and our members are not.  FPC has been and remains strongly opposed to so-called “red flag” laws, also known as “Gun Violence Restraining Order” (GVRO) or “Extreme Risk Protection Order” (ERPO) statutes.  FPC also remains strongly opposed to expanding federal criminal statutes, including but not limited to those mandating “universal background checks”.  These proposed laws do not increase access to mental healthcare or improve public safety. They rely on expanding federal powers through further abuse of the Commerce Clause and are unconstitutional, as well as dangerous.  Red flag laws stand for the proposition that gun owners can have their rights and property taken from them – by force – on the basis of allegations without the government having even reasonable suspicion, let alone probable cause or constitutionally sufficient adjudication.  If the government does not have probable cause for an arrest or search warrant, a material basis upon which to subject a person to a mental health evaluation, or even “reasonable suspicion” to support the detention of an individual, then the government surely has not met its burden for taking away a person’s fundamental, individual rights and lawfully-acquired property.  So-called “red flag” laws require a respondent to hire expensive attorneys and spend thousands of dollars to defend against a petition, petition for or litigate appeals, and restore rights and recover seized or surrendered property, shifting the burden of the “red flag” scheme to the individual.  Most “red flag” respondents are unlikely to have the resources to engage specialized legal counsel, and thus “red flag” laws will disproportionately impact the poor. And even if they could afford to hire legal counsel, and even if they ultimately prevail, their attorney’s fees and costs are almost certainly nonrecoverable.  Firearms and ammunition are valuable personal property. But the interest at stake here is far more substantial than the deprivation of mere possession of such property: “[T]he right to keep and bear arms” is “among those fundamental rights necessary to our system of ordered liberty.” (McDonald v. City of Chicago, 561 U.S. 742, 130 S. Ct. 3020, 3042 (2010).)  By establishing statutory and regulatory schemes that prohibit an individual’s possession of firearms, and in some cases even require the seizure of firearms and ammunition,“red flag” laws strike at the core of the Second Amendment: the right to keep and bear arms in the home for self-defense. (District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570, 630 635 (2008).)  “Red flag” orders and their underlying statutes also drive a stake into the heart of our Nation’s fundamental principles. The Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause guarantees that “[n]o person shall . . . be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” (U.S. Constitution, amendment V.)  Indeed, “red flag” statutes often contain no notice requirement at all, and even where “red flag” laws provide that notice may be given, most do not require that the respondent be actually served with notice. For example, in California, “red flag” orders may be issued against someone who is completely unaware of the existence of a petition, let alone a hearing or an order. And even if a “red flag” order is issued, they are not required to be personally served on the subject unless “the restrained person can reasonably be located.”  Worse, some “red flag” laws even provide for secret ex parte proceedings. That means a petitioning law enforcement officer or person may present their arguments to a court without the subject of the petition being present—or perhaps altogether unaware of the petition and hearing on the future of their rights and property.  And under some “red flag” laws, a court can even “consider any other evidence of an increased risk for violence” including (but not limited to) “[e]vidence of recent acquisition of firearms, ammunition, or other deadly weapons.” In other words, if a person recently exercised their fundamental, individual Second Amendment rights, that in and of itself could be construed as “evidence” that they are an “increased risk for violence” and thus should have a “red flag” order and property seizure warrant issue against them.  If a person is an actual threat to themselves or others, or engaging in criminal activity, then there are thousands of existing federal, state, and local laws by which families, friends, or law enforcement can more appropriately and effectively respond to those facts and circumstances.  Moreover, “red flag” laws do not improve access to mental health care or address the important issues of untreated or under-treated mental illness. And “red flag” laws may even discourage or serve as a deterrent to those who might otherwise seek mental health treatment or counseling.  Red flag firearm prohibition and confiscation laws are unconstitutional, unsound, and dangerous policies. They should and must be opposed – not rewarded with millions of taxpayer dollars. FPC will grade all votes on federal “red flag” legislation, publish legislative history, and distribute this information to our members, supporters, activists, and the public.  FPC encourages gun owners and liberty advocates to immediately take action by doing the following:  Firearms Policy Coalition (www.firearmspolicy.org) is a 501(c)4 grassroots nonprofit organization. FPC’s mission is to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States, especially the fundamental, individual Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. Gun owners and Second Amendment supporters can join the FPC Grassroots Army at JoinFPC.org.  The post ‘Red flag’ laws drive a stake in the heart of our nation’s fundamental principles appeared first on Personal Liberty®.


freedomoutpost--2019-03-19--Democrats Use Nazi Policy To Get Registration Then Confiscation Of Your Guns

Democrats Use Nazi Policy To Get Registration, Then Confiscation, Of Your Guns

Happiness is a warm gun, sang the Beatles , but Democrats are singing registration, then confiscation, of your guns. A “Firearm Registration” bill was introduced in the Pennsylvania Legislature on March 8, 2019.  Safety is the mantra of anti-gun activists, but their claim of control is a means to their goal of a gun-free society. This progressive policy can be implemented only by compliant citizens. But political opponents, the “deniers,” must be eliminated by social shaming or civil and criminal penalties. There are historical lessons of totalitarian governments, which rule because citizens have been deprived of weapons.  In Nazi Firearms Law and the Disarming of the German Jews, page 537, Stephen P. Halbrook  observed:  take our poll - story continues below Should Joe Biden drop out of the Presidential race because of his inappropriate touching of women? Should Joe Biden drop out of the Presidential race because of his inappropriate touching of women?   Should Joe Biden drop out of the Presidential race because of his inappropriate touching of women? Yes, his actions were completely inappropriate. No, we should forgive and forget. I don't care. Let the left eat their own. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Completing this poll grants you access to Freedom Outpost updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to this site's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. “The record establishes that a well-meaning liberal republic would enact a gun control act that would later be highly useful to a dictatorship. That dictatorship could then consolidate its power by massive search and seizure operations against political opponents, under the hysterical ruse that such persons were ‘Communist’ firearm owners.” “It could enact its own new firearms law, disarming anyone the police deemed ‘dangerous’ and exempting members of the party that controlled the state. It could exploit a tragic shooting of a government official to launch a [sic] pogrom, under the guise that Jewish firearm owners were dangerous and must be disarmed.” “This dictatorship could, generally, disarm the people of the nation it governed and then disarm those of every nation it conquered.”  “In the 2008 case District of Columbia v. Heller, the Supreme Court held that the ‘Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and to use that arm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home.’” Reported by the Legal Information Institute of the Cornell Law School.  “The above experiences influenced perceptions of fundamental rights in both the United States and Germany,” Halbrook explained: “Before entering the war, America reacted to the events in Europe in a characteristic manner. Seeing the Nazi threat and its policies, Congress passed the Property Requisition Act of 1941 authorizing the President to requisition certain property for defense, but prohibiting any construction of the act to ‘require the registration of any firearms possessed by any individual for his personal protection or sport’ or ‘to impair or infringe in any manner the right of any individual to keep and bear arms.’” Nazi Firearms Law , pp. 536-37.  “Remember that registration of firearms is only the first step,” stated the Requisition Act’s sponsor, Rep. Paul Kilday (D-TX). “It will be followed by other infringements of the right to keep and bear arms until finally the right is gone.” Nazi Firearms Law , p. 537, fn. 289.  A secret Nazi Gestapo Order (1941) is compared to Pennsylvania’s Firearm Registration bill (2019) in this side-by-side chart. Pennsylvania’s bill has more requirements than the Nazi’s order. In Pennsylvania, if the bill becomes law, a gun owner will be required to provide more information than a person who registers to vote.  For the right of self-defense, a person would be required annually to self-report ownership of each gun and describe it in detail. A certificate or renewal is not guaranteed because the State Police could deny the application. Partisan bureaucrats may not appreciate an applicant’s conservative politics: Allegiance to the Bill of Rights and limited government. Far-fetched? Just ask Tea Party organizations who were delayed or denied non-profit status by Obama’s IRS.  The State Police’s database could be released for official or nefarious purposes: The Pennsylvania Legislature under the guise of oversight. Freedom of Information requests by liberal media and advocacy groups.  Anti-gun zealots could dox persons who own guns. New York’s concealed weapon permit holders were posted via a map on the internet. There was proposed a multi-state map. Liberal news agencies and the social media mob have harassed law-abiding, private citizens. Identification of gun owners is not likely to deter criminals, who may have a shopping list for gun collections.  An enemy could learn that you own a gun. A related “red flag” law may be used for a fraudulent claim against you. The police will confiscate your gun pending a court hearing. Meanwhile, an enemy has an opportunity to cause injury or murder of you.  Law-abiding citizens’ registration of guns will not prevent criminals from obtaining unregistered guns. No lives will be saved. Note the bill’s absence of “whereas” clauses of findings of facts to support unidentified benefits. Also, the absence of redeeming press releases of the bill being introduced by Democrats: Angel Cruz, Mary Jo Daley, and Mary Louise Isaacson; and Democrat co-sponsors: Joseph C. Hohenstein, Joanna E. McClinton, and Benjamin V. Sanchez. The bill failed in 2009-10, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2015-16, and 2017-18.  This proposed law could be enforced only if the government is aware that you own a gun. Will the police conduct a search for guns, literally door to door?  If you are forced to use a gun for self-defense, but fail to comply with registration, could your defense effectively be an infringement of the Fifth Amendment?  Fail to register a gun, then risk a criminal penalty of 90 days in jail. The government likely will confiscate your gun; You likely will not be eligible to possess another gun; and you likely will be limited to lesser forms of self-defense.  Gun registries will lead to gun confiscation, as illustrated by Australia, Canada, and Germany; as well as the United States: California, Illinois, and the heart of liberalism: New York City.  Admit it, liberals, you really do want a total ban on firearms.  Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, suggested that a Democrat President could declare gun violence as a national emergency.  Have we not learned the lesson of the Nazi policy to disarm, and then control, its citizens? Nazi gun laws facilitated the murder of political enemies, specifically the Holocaust of more than six million Jews.  What part of the Second Amendment’s independent status, “shall not be infringed,” did these legislators, some attorneys, not understand? The U.S. Constitution trumps a state statute. A first-year law student learns this principle.  Liberals ignore constitutional law in favor of an agenda of a gun-free society. Liberals use safety as subterfuge for registration leading to confiscation of guns.  I appreciate our Founding Fathers’ wisdom that the Second Amendment is a guard against tyranny, whether the enemy is foreign or domestic.  Since self-defense is a God-given right, I believe in the Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates : Should gun registration become law by an act of either a state or federal government, I will not comply. Such a law would classify this patriot as a criminal.  Gerald Lostutter is a Florida licensed attorney, college professor, journalist, and patriot life member (endowment level) of the National Rifle Association. This article does not create an attorney-client relationship. You should consult a licensed attorney for advice.


globalresearch--2019-01-08--Israel Seeks 250 Billion Compensation Related to Stealing Historic Palestine

Israel Seeks $250 Billion Compensation Related to Stealing Historic Palestine

The Jewish state gives chutzpah new meaning. It seeks $250 billion from seven Arab states and Iran in connection to its theft of historic Palestine – one of history’s great crimes.  It took 78% in 1948, the Palestinian Nakba, the remainder in June 1967, including the West Bank, Gaza, and Jerusalem, the UN-declared international city, illegally occupied by Israel, illegally declared its exclusive capital.  David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, set the tone during the Nakba for what followed, saying “(e)very attack has to end with occupation, destruction and expulsion” – forcefully eliminating resistance, assuring Israeli control over historic Palestine.  According to Israeli Hadashot TV news, Israel demands Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Morocco, Syria Tunisia and Yemen correct what it calls a “historic injustice” – a colossal perversion of truth.  It’s reinventing history, blaming countries it attacked and other regional ones for its illegal 1948 and 1967 land grabs – demanding they compensate Jews for the loss of property, assets and other possessions they left behind in Arab countries because of war the Jewish state waged against neighboring ones.  What Ilan Pappe described as “the ethnic cleaning of Palestine in 1948,” Edward Said called its “holocaust,” saying:  Occupied Palestinians “are as powerless as Jews were” under Hitler, devastated by “power used for evil purposes” subjugating them, denying their fundamental rights – compensation due to THEM from the Jewish state, NOT the other way around, NOT from countries harmed by Israeli high crimes, ongoing endlessly with full support and encouragement from the US and West.  Israel’s claim for $250 billion in compensation from other countries would be laughable if the high crimes leading to its creation and throughout its existence weren’t so serious – as pure evil as what Nazis did to Jews.  The Nakba was one of history’s great crimes, state terror on a massive scale against an entire population.  Israel’s 1948 war without mercy depopulated Palestinian cities, towns and villages, massacring innocent victims, raping their women, committing other atrocities – notably burning, bulldozing, blowing up, or stealing homes, property and other possessions, dispossessing around 800,000 Palestinians, preventing them from returning home.  Israel’s 1967 six-day war was planned “16 years in advance,” according to IDF general Mordechai Hod, saying “(w)e lived with the plan. We slept on the plan. We ate the plan. Constantly we perfected it.”  It was all about stealing the remaining 22% of historic Palestine not taken in 1948, including East Jerusalem.  It had nothing to do with self-defense to avoid annihilation, the falsified claim at the time – later debunked by PM Menachem Begin and IDF generals, admitting Israel faced no threats from Arab states.  The world community did nothing to intervene against Israeli aggression, nor at any time throughout the Jewish state’s existence.  Militarism, institutionalized racism, and apartheid rule define the state of Israel, its young (male and female) children indoctrinated to be warriors.  Militarized education begins in kindergarten, at home, and in all other aspects of society – the line between military and civil society blurred.  Children are taught to believe Palestinians must be subjugated, violence against them is OK, along with destroying their property and killing them – notions ingrained in developing minds before they’re able to understand how they’re manipulated.  They’re taught to believe Arabs are inferior and Palestinians are enemies, military service essential, wars and other forms of violence natural, peace unattainable.  The history of the Jewish state isn’t pretty. Over half a century of illegal occupation continues. Israel aims to steal all valued parts of Judea and Samaria.  Its plan calls for confining Palestinians in isolated cantons on worthless scrubland, militarized rule controlling virtually all aspects of their lives, endless war against them continuing without declaring it.  The world community remains dismissive about what’s been going on for decades. The lives, rights and welfare of millions of Palestinians don’t matter.  Israeli law demands any no-peace/peace deal with Palestinians must compensate the Jewish exodus from Arab countries as explained above.  Palestinians are the aggrieved, not Jews. They warrant major compensation for Israel’s theft of their homeland, private property, and other possessions – along with damages for loss of their fundamental rights, illegal occupation, and brutalized treatment.  For over half a century, Palestinians have endured institutionalized Israeli persecution with no power over their daily lives, along with virtually every imaginable form of indignity.  Living under brutalizing occupation, they face daily state terror, economic strangulation, collective punishment, denial of their fundamental rights affirmed under international law, arrest and imprisonment without just cause, torture, assassinations, bulldozing of their home, crops and orchards, along with daily assaults on their dignity for being Arabs in a Jewish state.  With no power to resist, they’re denied redress in international tribunals dismissive of their rights. Endless misery defines their daily lives.  THEY deserve compensation for over half a century of conflict, illegal occupation, dispossession, and forever immiseration, no end of it in sight – no justice unless and until their suffering ends, their fundamental rights restored.  The history of Occupied Palestine is the triumph of wrong over right, a festering injustice, an entire people harmed, no end to their suffering in sight, no interest in their rights and welfare by the world community.  Note to readers: please click the share buttons above. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc.  Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)  His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”  Featured image: Palestinian protesters clash with Israeli troops during a protest to show solidarity with Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike, Nabi Saleh, West Bank, April 21, 2017. (Flash90)


globalresearch--2019-01-21--Distinguished IranianAmerican Journalist Marzieh Hashemi arrested by FBI

Distinguished Iranian/American Journalist Marzieh Hashemi arrested by FBI

Distinguished Press TV journalist/anchor’s unlawful arrest, detention and mistreatment by the FBI, on the pretext of being a material witness regarding a case her family knows nothing about, gave the US another international black eye.  What happened captured world headlines, hopefully enough to help hasten Marzieh’s release. Press TV, the Tehran Times, and other Iranian media continue giving the case extensive coverage.  International print and electronic media have had feature stories on what happened – including RT, Sputnik News, the NYT, Washington Post, AP News, Reuters, CBS, NBC, and ABC News, CNN, Fox News, Al Jazeera, the BBC, London Guardian, Haaretz, and numerous other outlets.  They’ve elevated Marzieh’s status as a distinguished international journalist to an even higher level than before what happened – by highlighting her unacceptable arrest, detention, and mistreatment uncharged.  They explained what the NYT wrote as follows, saying “no reason (was) given for her arrest…(H)er Islamic head scarf (was) forcibly removed…(S)he was chained hand and foot, and…denied access to halal food and had eaten only crackers.”  Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said the following:  Tehran Times editor Muhammad Qaderi said her mistreatment shows the real face of the US to the world community.  The Iranian High Council for Human Rights called “her violent and humiliating treatment” a brazen example of arbitrary arrest and detention, accusing the US of “illegal, unjustifiable and anti-human rights measures” – a flagrant violation of her fundamental rights, how Washington operates domestically and abroad.  Program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Alexandra Ellerbeck expressed concern about Marzieh’s arrest and detention. She “call(ed) on the US Department of Justice to immediately disclose the basis for her detention…”  Her colleague and friend Nader Talevzadeh called her arrest a “concocted (US) plan,” part of its hostility toward the Islamic Republic. “This is intimidation and a provocation against Iran,” he stressed.  Marzieh is unlawfully held by the FBI at an undisclosed Washington location with minimal family contact and no legal representation for days.  Reportedly a lawyer has now been appointed on her behalf. Most so-called public defenders woefully ill-serve clients with little time available to present a proper defense everyone deserves in judicial proceedings.  According to federal authorities, Marzieh appeared twice before a US district judge on Friday, an appointed lawyer representing her.  A partially unsealed order for her arrest and detention provided no information about what happened and why, other than she’s held as a material witness to an unspecified criminal case her family knows nothing about.  She’s detained to give grand jury testimony. Witnesses before these proceedings are only present during their testimony to a prosecutor and grand jurors, no judge or legal representation present.  Conducted to determine if a crime was committed, proceedings are secret, a majority of jurors required for an indictment to be issued.  Witnesses are required to answer questions by a prosecutor and jurors, criminal suspect(s) usually not present during proceedings.  Prosecutors try to establish probable cause to indict. They manipulate grand juries, gaming the system to get judgments they seek, justice denied time and again. Proceedings often amount to a sword for injustice, not a shield against it.  Witnesses accused of nothing can be indicted if prosecutors claim they gave false or misleading testimonies. They’re not told of the risk, making them vulnerable if this was the prosecutorial intent for demanding their testimony.  Clever ones can manipulate witnesses to unwittingly mislead. Anything said under oath or otherwise can be used against them. Given extreme US hostility toward Iran, Marzieh is vulnerable to a gross miscarriage of justice – besides what she’s endured so far.  A US citizen working in Iran for the past decade, dividing her time between both countries, she explained her conversion to Islam as follows, saying she “was born in a religious Christian family, and since 26 or 27 years ago I have become Muslim,” adding:  “For me, embracing Islam is directly in relation to Islamic revolution of Iran and the characteristic of Imam Khomeini.” “When I was a student in America, I witnessed that the Iranian students are so active and I was so interested in political activities then, I used to ask them about their activities and purposes, why you protest?” “And they used to talk about the cruelty of the overset king and Imam Khomeini to me, and this was the first step for me becoming Muslim.” “I was looking for the truth and I wasn’t satisfied with my own religion, and I had no solution for the problem that the God has three parts of the Father, and the Son, and the holy Sprit, But still where one?” “I wasn’t convinced with answers when I asked from different people, when this issue happened to be in university, I started to study not only about Islam but about different religions, and simultaneously comparing them in theory and ideology, from Max Weber up to now, and thank God after I became Muslim.”  Explaining her career in journalism, she said  Marzieh’s son Hossein fears she’ll be detained for an indefinite period, hopeful things will turn out otherwise, saying “(i)t doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. (W)e’re waiting to hear more.”  In March 2011, Obama’s Executive Order 13567 authorized indefinite detentions and military commission trials – violating America’s Fifth Amendment, stating:  In December 2011, America’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) legitimized unconstitutional and international law prohibited indefinite detentions – everyone potentially vulnerable, including US citizens without just cause.  No proof is needed, no habeas, due process or equal protection afforded anyone targeted. The 1215 Magna Carta states the following:  “Due process of law” later substituted for “the law of the land.” It’s inviolable, breaching it flagrantly unconstitutional. The Fifth Amendment’s due process guarantee applies to US federal, state and local governance, no exceptions permitted.  Yet targeted individuals are extrajudicially arrested and detained at home and abroad, held indefinitely uncharged and untried, based on suspicions, hearsay, secret evidence, or any other pretext.  Constitutional law and Supreme Court rulings, affirming the inviolability of due process and equal protection rights, are breached by the US time and again.  Friday district court proceedings provided no information about Marziah’s detention, other than explaining she’s not accused of a crime – not so far.  What the Trump regime has in mind is unknown until things unfold ahead. Marziah is being used, a victim of US contempt for the fundamental rights of everyone, doing whatever it pleases unaccountably.  Reuters cited an unnamed US federal source, saying Press TV is being investigated as an Iranian “propaganda outlet.”  It’s a preeminent truth-telling news service, featuring distinguished guests, providing in-depth information on major world issues, explaining what everyone needs to know.  It’s polar opposite managed news misinformation and disinformation featured by US and other Western media, suppressing what should be featured.  It’s unclear what’s ahead for Marzieh. It’s very clear that her arrest, detention and mistreatment constitute flagrant constitutional and international law violations.  What happened to her and countless others in America can happen to anyone. Their struggle for justice is ours!  Note to readers: please click the share buttons above. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc.  Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)  His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”


globalresearch--2019-01-22--Indefinite Detention Uncharged and Untried a Crime Against Humanity

These are troubled times. Rule of law protections don’t help. The US does whatever it pleases, operating by its own rules, inflicting harm on nations, groups and individuals, including its own citizens.  The UN, world community nations, and international courts are complicit by failing to denounce and challenge flagrant US breaches of laws, norms, and standards.  Its authorities have a free hand to operate unrestrained, taking full advantage, at the expense of world peace, equity and justice – things worsening, not improving over time.  On January 13, Press TV Iranian/American journalist/anchor Marzhieh Hashemi was arrested and detained by the FBI without just cause.  She’s held at an undisclosed location in Washington uncharged and untried, given minimal contact with family members in America, afforded no legal counsel for days before assigned public defender representation for a Friday court appearance.  As of now, she’s scheduled to appear before a grand jury on Wednesday. True or false, the FBI claims she’s a material witness in a criminal case her family members know nothing about. Perhaps neither does she.  Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights affirms “the right to liberty and security of person,” adding “(n)o one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention.”  Anyone arrested “shall be informed at the time of arrest of the reasons” for this action “promptly…”  America’s Fourth Amendment prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures…” Marzieh was illegally seized without just caused.  The Fifth Amendment affirms the right of “due process of law” in any proceeding that denies a citizen “life, liberty or property.”  America’s Eighth Amendment prohibits “cruel and unusual punishments” – what Marzieh has been subjected to daily.  The nation’s 14th Amendment states “(a)ll persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof…”  “No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of (US) citizens..nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law…”  Supreme Court rulings affirmed Bill of Rights protections. Retired Justice Anthony Kennedy sided with a majority 2008 ruling, saying:  “Until such time as it can be definitively proven that citizens no longer require the protections provided by the Bill of Rights, it shall remain the principal legal guidance for the United States of America.”  High Court constitutional protections are supposed to be inviolable. Yet the rule of law in America is being systematically eroded, Republicans and undemocratic Dems operating the same way.  Marzieh’s arrest, detention, and mistreatment on what may be spurious grounds violates her international and constitutionally guaranteed rights.  What’s going on is likely connected to US hostility toward Iran, its abhorrence of truth-telling media like Press TV, Marzieh held hostage despite authorities admitting she’s not charged with a crime.  It permits America’s military to arrest and indefinitely detain anyone uncharged and untried at home and abroad, including US citizens – holding them on suspicions, hearsay, secret evidence, or none at all.  It denies due process, equal protection under law, habeas rights, and virtually all others. US authorities may order anyone arrested and imprisoned indefinitely without charge or trial.  Abuse of power replaced rule of law protections, a giant step toward full-blown tyranny in America.  Inviolable rights no longer apply. Opposition to imperial lawlessness, social injustice, corporate crime, government corruption, or authorities serving privileged interests exclusively can be criminalized.  So can speech, media, and academic freedoms, assembly, religion, or anything challenging America’s right to kill, destroy, pillage, and do virtually anything else it wishes with impunity.  Indefinite detention uncharged and untried is the hallmark of police state rule. The NDAA authorized military tribunals over civil courts at the discretion of authorities.  Supreme Court rulings are mixed on this issue. In Jennings v. Rodriguez (February 2018), it reversed an appellate court decision, stating that US immigration statutes do not authorize indefinitely detaining undocumented aliens.  The case was sent back to the lower court to consider statutory limits of detention. Center for Gender and Refugee Studies director Karen Musalo responded to the ruling, saying “the Court failed to recognize the statutory rights of immigrants in detention, including the many thousands of asylum seekers fleeing persecution and torture.”  The ruling potentially affects everyone arrested and detained in America. Holding anyone for any reasons uncharged and untried is a crime against humanity, violating statutes explained above.  Indefinite detention in America is longstanding. During WW II, loyal Japanese Americans were lawlessly detained without just cause.  Today, social justice protesters and others wanting responsible change can be arrested and detained charged or uncharged, tried or untried. America’s framers sought to prohibit what’s going on with Bill of Rights protections – what US ruling authorities ignore at their discretion.  The Supreme Court ruled that tribunals other than civil ones are illegal (Rasul v. Bush, June 2004). It granted Guantanamo detainees habeas rights – the ruling reversed by the 2005 Detainee Treatment Act.  In Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (June 2006), the Supreme Court held that federal courts retain jurisdiction over habeas cases, affirming constitutionally guaranteed rights.  In Boumediene v. Bush, the High Court again ruled that Guantanamo detainees (and everyone else held by US authorities) retain habeas rights.  Actions denying what’s affirmed under constitutional and international laws are flagrantly illegal, no allowed exceptions.  US citizens and numerous others have been detained, denied due process, habeas, and equal protection under law without just cause – dehumanized, tortured, and otherwise mistreated.  Post-9/11, legal protections in America greatly eroded on the phony pretext of national security concerns and global war on terrorism US authorities use to advance the nation’s imperium.  Like countless others in America and abroad, Marzieh’s fundamental rights were denied. It’s unclear how long she’ll be held or how the disposition of her detention will turn out.  Middle East commentator Rannie Amiri cited “the muted response” of high-profile human rights groups “whose primary purpose is to stand for” fundamental rights, denouncing abuses when occur.  The ACLU, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders, and other high-profile groups ignored Marzieh’s unlawful arrest and detention so far.  Responses of other human rights organizations were largely inadequate, failing to denounce the flagrant violation of her fundamental rights.  The ACLU ignored its own commentary on indefinite detention headlined: “No Charges? No Trials? No Justice.”  Former right-wing Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia once said  That’s precisely how Marzieh and countless others have been and continue to be mistreated by US authorities – police state injustice, pretending otherwise.  US statutes and actions violating international and constitutional law are flagrantly illegal.  On Saturday, the Inminds Human Rights Group and Islamic Human Rights Commission projected Marzieh’s image on the BBC’s wall in London with the tag line “FREE MARZIEH HASHEMI.”  The groups accused the state owned, controlled and run broadcaster of failing to explain her illegal arrest, detention and mistreatment, the same true for most other Western media.  They called her a “Journalist Abducted for Exposing US Crimes Against the Oppressed,” adding:  Western media and major international human rights groups failed to denounce her mistreatment. Everyone criticizing unlawful US actions is vulnerable to similar retaliatory abuse.  America’s self-styled exceptionalism conceals its dark side, threatening everyone everywhere.  That’s the deplorable state of things in the so-called “land of the free and home of the brave.”  Note to readers: please click the share buttons above. Forward this article to your email lists. Crosspost on your blog site, internet forums. etc.  Award-winning author Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG)  His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”


bbcuk--2019-11-21--Thomas Cook's new owner creates 1,500 new jobs

Hays Travel, which bought Thomas Cook after it collapsed, has announced plans to hire an extra 1,500 staff.  The travel agent has already taken on 2,330 former Thomas Cook employees.  But now Hays plans to hire another 200 people at its head office in Sunderland, an extra 500 to handle foreign exchange, and an apprentice at each of its 737 branches.  The move has been seen as a vote of confidence in the package holiday market.  Hays took on all of Thomas Cook's 555 shops in October after the travel agent spectacularly collapsed earlier this year. • Who are the family buying Thomas Cook shops?  Since then it has reopened 450 of those stores and hired a lot of its old staff.  But now it is expanding further.  John Hays, who runs the travel agent with his wife Irene, said: "We're further increasing staffing to ensure we have the highest customer service levels across all of our stores and our head office functions."  He said applicants didn't need experience in the sector "just an enthusiasm for travel".  The hiring spree will take Hays' workforce to 5,700 people.  "The former Thomas Cook managers have said the biggest difference for them is being empowered and valued - as an independent travel agent they are not tied to certain products or scripts and they feel trusted," Mr Hays said.  "This is a key principle of our business."  It is the latest sign of renewed confidence in the package holiday business.  Earlier this week, EasyJet announced plans to relaunch its own package holiday operation in a bid to fill the gap in the market left by Thomas Cook.  About 20 million people fly with EasyJet to Europe annually but only 500,000 book accommodation through it.


birminghammail--2019-06-04--West Brom pair wanted men as ex-boss is tipped for new job

Former West Brom and Aston Villa manager Roberto Di Matteo is the short-priced favourite to take over at Kilmarnock.  Di Matteo has been out of work since being sacked by Villa in October 2016 having previously led West Brom to the Premier League in 2010 and guiding Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2012.  Interestingly, the man he is now being tipped to succeed is one of his assistants at Villa Park - Steve Clarke.  Clarke, who also managed Albion between 2012 and 2014 and led the Baggies to an eighth placed Premier League finish (the club’s best to date), has left Killie in a great place after taking the Scotland job following Alex McLeish’s sacking.  It’s not even a month since the 2018/2019 season ended - and already time is starting to drag, writes Brian Dick.  The transfer window is already open, that happened on May 16 and teams have been able to trade since.  And of course Baggies supporters have already started buying the new Puma 2019/2020 home shirt .  So with no World Cup to distract us this summer here are some key dates for your West Bromwich Albion diary.  If Jay Rodriguez leaves this summer, West Bromwich Albion will be faced with the daunting task of replacing players who contributed towards over half of their overall goal tally last term, writes Gregg Evans.  Dwight Gayle's loan spell at the club has ended and Albion are not in a position to sign him permanently from Newcastle United.  And with Rodriguez attracting interest from Burnley once again, the Baggies may be left with Hal Robson-Kanu as the only senior striker.  Gayle and Rodriguez bagged 46 times between them last term, strikes directly contributing towards 52 per-cent of the Baggies' goals.  Now I understand it’s not the time to be asking West Bromwich Albion fans for patience, writes Gregg Evans.  But bear with me.  This game that we all love has plenty of ups and downs just like Norwich City, for example, have recently discovered.  From Premier League relegation in 2015/16 to Championship winners in 2018/19, their four-year journey has been a tale of contrasting emotions.  Despair in that fatal top flight campaign, angst in the two years that followed, and elation this term.  Football once again doing its very best to pull at the heartstrings.  Daniel Sturridge has refused to be drawn in on speculation regarding his future after Liverpool's Champions League triumph.  The 29-year-old was part of the Liverpool squad that lifted their sixth European crown in Madrid on Saturday night.  That marked a remarkable 12 month turnaround for the England international, after being relegated with West Bromwich Albion at the end of last season.  Sturridge was an unused sub during the 2-0 win over Tottenham and it is likely that it will be the final appearance for the Merseysiders.  Rekeem Harper is still ‘likely’ to join Celtic, as the West Brom midfielder ponders his future.  Neil Lennon, who has last week been re-appointed the Bhoys manager on a permanent basis after getting the club over the line in their ‘treble treble’ attempt, was spotted in attendance at Albion’s play-off semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to Aston Villa last month.  He and then assistant Garry Parker sat among the Hawthorns hordes as Harper came on in the 75th minute, and played through to the end of extra time.  Harper, 19, made 23 appearances for Albion this past season, and scored once - a thunderbolt in the win over Rotherham United at the end of the regular campaign.  Burnley could once again look to bring West Bromwich Albion striker Jay Rodriguez back to Turf Moor.  The Clarets did launch a bid for the 29-year-old last summer but were knocked back.  Burnley Express have now reported that Sean Dyche could re-ignite his interest with a much reduced offer.  Rodriguez and Craig Dawson were the subject of a £25m joint bid last summer that Albion chiefs rejected.  Twelve months on, with the Baggies need to tighten their financial belts after missing out on promotion, they could be prepared to cash in.


chicagotribune--2019-12-20--Ask Amy: Fiance's new job inspires high dudgeon

He is incredibly excited to have a job that, for the first time in his life, directly helps people. He's worked with epileptics whose seizures have stopped, and people with chronic anxiety who are able to manage their symptoms better. He gets thank you letters regularly from people whose lives have changed from this herb. (Note: there are many ways to use marijuana that do NOT involve smoking or vaping.)


cnsnews--2019-06-19--Lockheed Martin Announces 142 Million Expansion of Arkansas Plant More Than 300 New Jobs

Lockheed Martin Announces $142 Million Expansion of Arkansas Plant, More Than 300 New Jobs

(CNSNews.com) -- Lockheed Martin is investing $142 million in its Camden, Arkansas facility, which will add 326 new jobs by 2024, according to a June 17  Lockheed Martin plans to expand its facility to include two new production buildings that will support manufacturing long-range fires products and PAC-3 missile defense capabilities.  Currently, the company’s Camden buildings occupy a combined manufacturing and support function floor space that exceeds 1.9 million square feet spread out over more than 1,800 acres of land.  Approximately 650 employees work in the facility’s manufacturing and support buildings. The newly created jobs would growing the Camden facility workforce to more than 900 employees in the next few years.  The $142 million capital investment not only supports the new construction but also improves the existing facilities for production, new machinery, and equipment important to the defense of the United States and allies.  Frank St. John, the executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control said, “The facility has a long record of precision manufacturing and on-time deliveries, which is the reason we continue to invest in and expand our Camden Operations.”  “This expansion will help ensure the availability, affordability and quality of systems we build for our customers around the world,” he said.  “Lockheed Martin is a leading technology firm with facilities and clients around the world,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R). “Lockheed’s investment illustrates the fact that Arkansas continues to be a global player in the aero-defense industry.”


crikey--2019-01-30--Where will Morrisons 125 million new jobs go exactly

Where will Morrison’s ‘1.25 million’ new jobs go exactly?

Scott Morrison's commitment to 1.25 million jobs in coming years is great news for migrants in the health sector.  Yesterday, Scott Morrison committed to "see" 1.25 million jobs created over the next five years. If successful, that will represent one of Australia's biggest ever foreign aid programs, because tens -- perhaps hundreds -- of thousands of those jobs will go to foreign workers in service occupations in health and social care.  How do we know? Well, we know where these jobs are unlikely to come from. The hitherto buoyant business investment environment in Australia, it's becoming clear, began deflating in the final quarter of 2018 -- the victim of the replacement of Malcolm Turnbull with Morrison, the harm of persistent wage stagnation finally becoming apparent, the Sydney and Melbourne housing price moderation, a slowing global economy, Trump's idiocy and sharemarket gyrations. The closely watched monthly survey of business conditions and confidence from the National Australia Bank this week showed the conditions index falling under its long-term average for the first time in three years.


dailymail--2019-07-25--Ivanka boasts signing up businesses for 12 MILLION new job training opportunities

Ivanka boasts signing up businesses for 12 MILLION new job 'training opportunities'

Ivanka Trump boasted on Thursday she has created 12 million new job 'training opportunities' as the president bragged about his pride in his daughter.  The first daughter, speaking before President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and a slew of Cabinet officials, touted the one-year anniversary of her Pledge to America's Workers program.  'Over the last year more than 300 businesses - 300 businesses - have signed the pledge and today we celebrate reaching 12 million pledged agreements,' she crowed.  'I think I'm allowed to be proud of my daughter,' he said, 'but the fact is she's worked so hard at this.'  'Nothing like this has been done before,' the president said. 'So congratulations Ivanka. Congratulations and keep it up. When are you going to hit 24 million?'  'At this pace very soon,' she replied.  In her remarks, the first daughter echoed her father's talking points about the strong American economy.  'This campaign was born out of a tremendous economic surges happening across our country,' Ivanka Trump said.  'Today more Americans are working than ever before. Virtually every single demographic is achieving historically low unemployment rates,' she added.  The 30-minute event was designed to highlight Ivanka Trump's work.  She led a discussion with some of the workers and companies that have taken part in the program.  She also thanked the president and several of the Cabinet officials in the room, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, and White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow.  Ivanka's husband, White House Counselor Jared Kushner, was also in the audience.  Several CEOs joined the event including: Jim Lentz, CEO of Toyota North America; Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens; Jay Timmons, President and CEO of National Association of Manufacturers (NAM); and Marillyn Hewson, Chairman, President and CEO of Lockheed Martin.  The companies sign a pledge that promises to 'invest in both students and workers by providing opportunities for education and training that will help more Americans thrive in the modern workplace. Specifically, over the next 5 years, we pledge to create enhanced career opportunities for XX individuals, including through increased apprenticeships and work-based learning programs, continuing education, on-the-job training, and re-skilling.'  Ivanka Trump, who serves as counselor to the president, has traveled the country to promote the program and has bragged about it at events and campaign rallies with the president.  Earlier this month, the president defended his daughter after she was criticized for her role at the June G20 conference and said she had created 10 million jobs.  'Ivanka has worked on almost 10 million jobs training and going to companies and getting them to hire people. But the people, the foreign leaders really like her a lot,' Trump said of her.  The first daughter became the target of online memes after a video - posted by the French government - that showed her interacting with other world leaders went viral.  For Thursday's celebration at the White House, Ivanka Trump donned a light-grey, mid-length skirt that featured several long tassels, and a matching long sleeved peplum jacket from Los Angeles-based designer Brock Collection.  She also appeared to be sporting a fresh, blunt haircut.


dailyheraldchicago--2019-11-08--Elgin fire chief taking new job in North Carolina

Elgin Fire Chief Dave Schmidt grew up in a firehouse, hanging around where his father worked as a battalion chief in Rolling Meadows.  "I knew this (firefighting) is what I wanted to do," the 53-year-old said Friday, the day after he announced he was retiring.  Schmidt will leave Elgin Jan. 3 after 30 years with the department and start a new job Jan. 6 as chief of the Carrboro, North Carolina, fire department.  "The Elgin community and organization have greatly benefitted from Chief Schmidt's 30 years of service, particularly during his three years as fire chief," City Manager Rick Kozal said in a prepared statement. "The progressive operational and technical efficiencies Chief Schmidt implemented while leading the department will remain a hallmark of his tenure."  Schmidt became a lieutenant in 2000, captain in 2005 and assistant chief of operations in 2011.  "I wanted to be somewhere big," Schmidt said of his decision to apply for the Elgin job. "Elgin has been very exciting."  He is particularly proud of the changes in technology he helped implement.  When he started, he said, he was teaching firefighters what a personal computer was and how to use it. Now all Elgin fire vehicles -- including ambulances and fire trucks -- are equipped with mobile computers and Wi-Fi hot spots. Cardiac monitors, for example, can send reports wirelessly to paramedics' tablets for importation into reports rather than having to print out long strips of paper that would be taped to a piece of copy paper.  "It is just incredible how the technology has exploded and improved in our craft," he said.  Asked for an example of how he learned from a bad call, Schmidt recalled the April 2001 mass shooting at JB's Pub, in which a man shot 18 people, killing two of them. Schmidt's ambulance was the second on the scene and ended up taking the shooter to a hospital for treatment.  "But out of that (situation) grew our active-shooter response (training) with police," Schmidt said.  Both departments recognized that emergency scenes were changing, and that it behooved police officers and firefighters to have a coordinated response.  He is also proud of his 15 years of work with the department's academy, which trained firefighters for Elgin and other cities.  "I believe we are the best fire department in the region," Schmidt said.


delawareliberal--2019-05-14--ATT promised 7000 new jobs to get tax breakit cut 23000 jobs instead

AT&T promised 7,000 new jobs to get tax break—it cut 23,000 jobs instead

In 2017, AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson campaigned for Trump’s massive tax-cuts by promising that they would create 7,000 jobs with the $3,000,000,000 they stood to gain,  “every billion dollars AT&T invests is 7,000 hard-hat jobs. These are not entry-level jobs. These are 7,000 jobs of people putting fiber in ground, hard-hat jobs that make $70,000 to $80,000 per year.”  Stephenson also said that AT&T would invest in new infrastructure. But something happened on the way to the trickledown boon for workers. Instead of creating new jobs or investing in infrastructure, AT&T reduced its headcount by 23,328 workers while reducing capital expenditures by $1.4B  Don’t worry though, AT&T substantially increased executive bonuses over the same period.


drudgereport--2019-11-01--Tweets 303K job claim after report of 128K new jobs...

President Trump Donald John TrumpTrump says he would be willing to do 'fireside chat' reading the Zelensky transcript Krystal Ball: 'The weird obsession and freakout over Tulsi Gabbard has massively helped her' Trump says poor treatment and high taxes prompted permanent residence change MORE spurred confusion Friday after he tweeted about a "blowout" 303,000 jobs figure — minutes after an official government report said the economy added 128,000 jobs in October.  The estimate by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) was good news for the administration, as its report on last month's job gains was far greater than the gain of roughly 85,000 jobs projected by economists.  t’s unclear how Trump calculated the vastly larger jobs gain, or where he obtained that analysis.  In the Friday tweet hailing the report, Trump claimed the “blowout JOBS number” was actually a gain of 303,000 jobs if accounting for revisions and the temporary loss of jobs tied to the General Motors strike.  “Wow, a blowout JOBS number just out, adjusted for revisions and the General Motors strike, 303,000. This is far greater than expectations. USA ROCKS!” Trump tweeted  BLS revised the August and September job gains up by 95,000 workers, and most of the 42,000 auto manufacturing jobs frozen during the GM strike are likely resume in time for the November jobs report to be calculated.  White House spokesman Judd Deere told The Hill in an email that Trump’s figure also included an additional 18,000 GM workers not reflected in the BLS report, and 20,000 temporary Census workers who completed their work in October.  Economists say Trump’s calculations do not paint an accurate picture of an already-strong labor market.  “Those were wildly inaccurate,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief U.S. economist at audit and accounting firm RSM. “This is what we’d call ‘fake data.’”  Economists would not typically consider revisions to past jobs reports or the future return of striking workers to be part of a different month’s job gain. Accounting for the loss of 20,000 Census workers would double-count the initial addition of those workers to past jobs reports, as well.  Trump’s tweet about the jobs report also raised eyebrows because it violated the one-hour ban on White House commentary on sensitive economic data. Trump tweeted his praise for the report at 8:52 a.m., just more than 20 minutes after the jobs report was released.


eveningstandard--2019-12-13--Arsenal manager news LIVE: Pochettino linked with new job, Ancelotti 'free' to join Gunner

Arsenal manager news LIVE: Pochettino linked with new job, Ancelotti 'free' to join Gunners

Ljungberg in need of a favour from the Arsenal youngsters he mentored  Freddie Ljungberg is in his present position because of the relationship he enjoys with Arsenal’s young players. Thursday night offers a chance to examine just how far that could take him.  The Gunners arrived here in Liege with an experimental squad as a result of three factors: Arsenal needing one point to qualify, the proximity of Sunday’s League clash against Manchester City and a flurry of injuries headlined by Kieran Tierney’s three-month absence with a dislocated shoulder.  Ljungberg continues to play down the prospect of succeeding Unai Emery on a permanent basis but it is understood a run of impressive results would put him firmly in the frame.  The fact he is a cheap alternative is in Ljungberg’s favour but moreover his iconic status among supporters — enhanced if possible on Wednesday night with a Twitter message in support of popular Arsenal fan @TheGoonerholic who is suffering with serious illness — would make him a sentimental if not necessarily progressive appointment.  The fixture list has denied Ljungberg a prolonged period on the training ground to implement any significant tactical changes and so he is relying on building confidence to lift the fog, using the understanding built with some players during their formative years to instigate a turnaround in fortunes.  It was the bond he had forged with the youngsters under his stewardship with the Under-23s that prompted a change at the end of the season which saw him begin working with Emery in the first team.  “When they asked me to do that job in the summer, it was an honour,” he said.  “I’d worked hard and tried to do my best. It’s always nice to be recognised for the work you do. What I understood, it was for how I tried to make the Under-23s play, how we developed young players like the man here.”  Joe Willock, sat alongside Ljungberg fielding questions rather nervously at the Stade Maurice Dufrasne, described the interim boss as a “mentor” and there are a few others likely to be involved on Thursday night who hold him in similar regard.  Bukayo Saka spoke in September about the communication barrier Ljungberg was breaking down between Emery and the youngsters too inexperienced or shy to ask their head coach to repeat himself but the Swede was always more than a multi-linguist.  “I try to look at each player, see his strengths and weaknesses, see how can I develop that player to be better and not to just do the same to every player,” said Ljungberg.  “Every coach does the same thing. That’s what I try to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.”  As the translator finished relaying his words for the benefit of assembled local journalists, Ljungberg jumped in. “If I can add one thing, it is to say I try to see what players can do and not focus on what they cannot do,” he said.  On Thursday evening we will find out a lot about exactly what they can do.  Saka, Zech Medley and Emile Smith Rowe are among those to benefit from Ljungberg’s guidance and all three are set to feature as Arsenal go in search of a win which would secure top spot and guarantee avoiding the four best teams to drop down from the Champions League.  The game has greater significance for Standard, who need a win to progress, while Arsenal have considerable insulation in Uefa's head-to-head separation of teams on level points, courtesy of October’s 4-0 home victory against the Belgians.  All of which means only a five-goal defeat would jeopardise Arsenal’s progress to the last 32 and so, more realistically, Ljungberg is seeking a performance that builds on Monday’s win at West Ham and showcases his ability to inspire those below him.  More senior players need to respond, too. Alexandre Lacazette finds his place under pressure but he could even captain the side on Thursday night, while defender David Luiz is another set to be recalled after his omission in the only game Ljungberg has won to date.  “My job is to go from day to day, game to game, to try to help this fantastic club,” he said. “All of those [managerial] decisions are up to the top dogs.”  Ljungberg can make their job a little more complicated if the young guns deliver.


fortune--2019-08-02--Why Summer Is a Great Time to Find a New Job

Ah, summertime. The days are warmer and longer, the kids are out of school, and at any given moment, some of us are either taking a vacation or daydreaming about it. It's a great time to chill out and put your job hunt on hold for now, right?  Not so fast. "No one says to the chief financial officer or the head of IT, 'Hey, don't bother hiring anyone until after Labor Day'," says Marc Cenedella, CEO of Ladders, a career site for people making $100,000 a year and up. "Companies still have projects going on, goals to meet, and job openings to fill." What's more, he adds, "most of your competition for those jobs is kicking back and taking it easy until the fall."  Moreover, the slower, quieter pace means that "reaching decision-makers is often much easier," notes Brenda Stanton, a vice president at career management firm Keystone Partners. "Everyone is a little less rushed and distracted. So it's not unusual to call a hiring manager on a summer Friday afternoon and get an interview for the following Monday."  Here are five ways to make the most out of your summer job search:  Invest more time in a knockout cover letter. The seasonal quiet means that a cover letter —which ordinarily may or may not get a quick glance— might actually be read. "Take a little extra time to customize the letter for each job you're applying for," Stanton suggests. "Emphasize why you'd be a perfect fit for that particular job."  By her lights, this is just as important as customizing your resume, if not more so. "Most apps and websites now offer the option to send a cover letter, and most people don't bother," she says. So choosing to send one helps you stand out. "HR people and recruiters have told me that a good cover letter really does make a difference. It shows you went that extra mile."  Take someone out to lunch. What's your old boss up to these days? How about your office buddies from, say, two jobs ago? "At this time of year, it's usually easier to get on people's calendars for lunch or drinks," observes Cenedella. "It's a great chance to reconnect with people you may have lost touch with."  You never know. Former colleagues may now be, or have, friends in high places. Or they may have heard some industry scuttlebutt that could point you toward an opportunity you'd otherwise never know about. Even if not, pick people you recall having genuinely liked, and at least it'll be fun to get together and catch up.  Take advantage of summer parties. Job seekers often hesitate to mention their search at, say, Uncle Clyde's annual barbecue —even if this blowout is packed with local bigwigs and others who have stellar business connections. "People often feel awkward bringing up their search in a social setting that's not supposed to be a 'networking event'," notes Stanton. "But there are ways to do it gracefully, without seeming needy or pushy."  One surefire approach: Listen first. Ask someone what they do (or, if you already know that, how work is going these days), and listen carefully to the answer, perhaps summoning up a few further questions and a thoughtful comment or two. At that point, "the conversation will naturally come around to your own situation," Stanton says. "Then, when you briefly describe what you'd like to find in your next job, it's in the context of the conversation."  Not only that, she adds, but being a good listener —and coming across as "relaxed and approachable," as one tends to be at parties— "makes you someone that others want to recommend. People want to help people they like."  Buff up your resume. You may not have altered this document much recently, but "everyone really should do a 'resume check' at least once a year anyway," says Cenedella. "The summer slowdown is a good time to do that." Besides adding any recent achievements, a new title, or anything else that isn't on there yet, Cenedella recommends cutting "everything that's fifteen years old, or older."  That may seem draconian if you're particularly proud of having doubled your sales team's numbers from 2001 to 2002 or some such feat. Cut it anyway, says Cenedella. "Business is changing so quickly that whatever you did before 2005 just isn't relevant now." Detective novelist Raymond Chandler once remarked, "In writing, you must kill your darlings." That applies to resume writing, too.  Be ready to meet a stand-in interviewer. Let's say you've thoroughly researched online the CIO who'd most likely be interviewing you for the tech job you want. Then you get to the meeting and find out that that person is away on vacation —surprise!— and that you know nothing about the person sitting across from you.  Don't panic. "At the end of any job interview, you should always try to find out your chances of getting an offer," says Stanton. "So be bold. Ask the substitute interviewer, 'Do you think I'm a good fit for this position?' Try to get a sense of whether he or she is planning to recommend you."  If you really have your heart set on getting in touch with the person you expected to meet, Stanton adds, ask whether the stand-in would mind if you sent an email to say hello (and reiterate your interest in the job) when the CIO is back.  Getting the go-ahead does two things. First, "you don't want to seem to be sneaking around or going over the stand-in's head, which could easily backfire," says Stanton. "After all, the CIO chose that person for a reason." And second, "asking is courteous. Job hunting is basically a sales process, where what you're selling is yourself. So always be aware of who, besides the hiring manager, might be influencing the 'sale.'" Noted.  —These are the top 10 U.S. cities for tech jobs  —This woman went from Goldman Sachs to Blue Apron recipe tester  —How Fortune’s 40 Under 40 get stuff done: their favorite productivity hacks  Get Fortune’s RaceAhead newsletter for sharp insights on corporate culture and diversity.


mercurynews--2019-09-11--Judge in Brock Turner case lands new job tennis coach

Judge in Brock Turner case lands new job — tennis coach

SAN JOSE – More than a year after being [recalled by voters](https://www.mercurynews.com/2018/06/05/early-votes-brock-turner-judge- likely-to-be-booted-out-for-sentence-in-sexual-assault-case/), the controversial judge in the Brock Turner sexual assault case is now working as a coach at a South Bay high school.  In a statement Tuesday, the Fremont Union High School District confirmed Aaron Persky was hired to head the junior varsity girls tennis team at Lynbrook High School in San Jose. Persky applied for the open position over the summer and successfully completed all of the district’s hiring requirements, including a fingerprint background check.  “He was a highly qualified applicant, having attended several tennis coaching clinics for youth and holds a high rating from the United States Tennis Association,” the statement said.  Persky was ousted as a superior court judge in June 2018 after more than 60 percent of Santa Clara County voters who went to the polls agreed he should be recalled over his handling of the Turner case.  Critics launched the recall effort in mid-2016, immediately after Persky gave Turner what many considered a light sentence — six months, of which the ex- swimmer served three — for sexually assaulting an intoxicated, unconscious woman outside a campus fraternity party. Under state law, Turner must also register for life as a sex offender.  Persky is only the fifth judge in California history to be booted out of office before his term is up — and the first in 86 years.  Some community members have expressed concerns over Persky’s hiring, according to the statement.  “In response to concerns from some members of our community, we held a meeting with the parents of both the JV and varsity girls tennis teams on Sept. 9 to provide parents with background on the situation,” the statement said. “Our focus remains on ensuring that our students have the best possible educational experience – both academically and athletically.”  “As this is an ongoing personnel matter,” the statement continued, “we are unable to comment further at this time.”  Last week, the woman Turner sexually assaulted – known as “Emily Doe” – revealed her real name: [Chanel Miller](https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/09/04 /emily-doe-from-brock-turner-sexual-assault-case-reveals-name-and-face/). She plans to tell her own story in a memoir, titled “Know My Name,” due out on Sept. 24.


newsbusters--2019-09-05--CNN to Ax Relationship With Analyst With New Job Leading a Conservative News Outlet

Not long after it was reported that Politico White House reporter Eliana Johnson was named the new editor-in-chief of conservative news site The Washington Free Beacon, Buzzfeed News reported that CNN was no longer interested in renewing her political analyst contract.  “Eliana Johnson, a leading White House reporter for Politico, will not have her contract renewed for her CNN political analyst role after she accepted a new job running the neoconservative Washington Free Beacon,” Buzzfeed’s Matt Berman reported Wednesday night.  According to the report, “CNN confirmed her existing contract is due to expire in November and that the network does not plan to renew it…” The report went on to note that CNN also claimed: “The decision is being made because she will no longer be a White House reporter specifically.”  Berman pointed out how odd CNN’s move was considering how, in this case, they’ve extended contracts of other journalists with mobile careers in the past:  Other high-profile reporters have maintained contracts at the network as they’ve changed beats or news outlets — Ryan Lizza, a CNN political analyst, has been at the network since he was a Washington correspondent at the New Yorker, and then as he moved from being chief political correspondent at Esquire to chief Washington correspondent at Politico.  It was just a few months ago (May 5) when CNN media reporter Brian Stelter told Daily Wire founder and conservative thought leader Ben Shaprio that conservative journalists should get jobs at outlets like The New York Times and CNN so they could “be part of the solution” and stop “complaining” about the media’s liberal bias:  SHAPIRO: It’s why my critique of MSNBC sometimes is a lot less strident, I think, than my critique of CNN, because CNN purports to be objective. MSNBC really does not purport to be objective in the same way. STELTER: Part of me thinks that you and your colleagues at The Daily Wire should try to get jobs at The New York Times. If you don’t like the coverage, try to be part of the solution as opposed to complaining about it. SHAPIRO: I don’t know; would you hire me? I really doubt that, and not only that, STELTER: I wanted you as a guest for many months— SHAPIRO: I’m not sure you guys could pay me. I’ll be frank with you; I make a lot of money.  Just last month, CNN benched two of the strongest pro-Trump voices on the network. “Steve Cortes, a prominent surrogate for the Trump campaign in 2016 and ‘happy warrior’ for President Trump, has not appeared on CNN in the U.S. in more than a month. Ben Ferguson, a veteran Republican commentator, has not been on in more than four months, since Apr. 13,” The Hollywood Reporter discovered.  Despite suggestions that CNN boss Jeff Zucker wanted to “talk to all sides,” it’s become increasingly clear that’s not what CNN was interested in.


newsweek--2019-02-01--5 Things to Accomplish in Your First Six Months at a New Job

This originally appeared on Quora. Answered by Vicki Salemi.  Starting a new job is exciting for lots of reasons. You meet new people, learn new skills, and become part of a team. But there are a number of things you want to get under your belt before you can really show your new colleagues and bosses what you’re made of:  One of the most important things to do when you start a new job is to sit with your boss and set clear expectations and understand your responsibilities. Within the first three months, get a meeting booked on the calendar for a meaningful conversation related to the job description.  Get specific in terms of these expectations. If you’re in sales and part of your job relies on meeting quotas, find out what the specific quotas are. Whether it’s bringing in a specific amount of money, specific number of new clients, etc., it’s important to know how your performance is being measured.  Then, at the six-month point, meet up again with your boss to see how you’re performing in light of the established expectations. This will give you time to tweak certain things and/or seek out additional resources or tap into internal resources you may not have known existed. By year-end, you will have made adjustments to hopefully be on target with your goals.  Another thing to accomplish is solidifying relationships and trust with your colleagues. Make yourself available to have coffee with them, grab lunch and get to know them not only as colleagues but also as people. This will set the supportive, friendly tone that’s needed in order to work together and make your team a successful, productive one.  Ask for help—and offer it, too  If you don’t know how to do something, ask for help; when people start coming to you, be that helpful person as well. You’ll be flexing your soft skills to become known as that go-to guy or gal, that person everyone likes to be around, that person everyone wants to emulate. Especially within your first three, six, or even 12 months, this attitude and willingness to pitch in will get noticed, and your stellar reputation will follow you wherever you go career-wise.  It's also a great idea to find a mentor. This doesn’t necessarily have to be someone within the organization; oftentimes, your most beneficial advisor will be someone who’s outside the organization and can help you see things from a new perspective. You can find a mentor through networking, professional organizations, and asking your boss for recommendations.  Once you’ve found your mentor, meet with them regularly. Discuss your new role and brainstorm ways to not only be successful but also how you can continue to build your professional brand.  Lastly, strive to make your mark! Work diligently and demonstrate a remarkable work ethic from day one that others are easily impressed by. Approach new projects with enthusiasm and demonstrate a can do attitude. Then, when working on the projects, be thorough, articulate and excited to stamp your name on something that will be viewed as a job well done.


newyorkpost--2019-02-03--How do I land a new job at the age of 69

How do I land a new job at the age of 69?

My department closed at the end of 2017. I turned 69 on my last day, after being a successful manager for 40 years. I’ve since applied for many jobs, but never get an interview. Based on my resume, it’s easy to determine my age. How can I overcome this?  First of all, don’t lose confidence. That’s a career killer at any age. You’ve had a long, successful career and still have the energy and desire to keep going, so good for you. (My grandfather worked until his mid- 80s, broke his hip jumping over a puddle on his way to the office, recovered and then went back to work.) Now, I’m not going to lie — your age is a challenge, but you already knew that. It is one that can be overcome, though. Instead of trying to avoid it, play it up. Seniors often bring stability and maturity to a job, which is a plus for employers. Be flexible and perhaps consider a career change and/or part-time work to get you back into the game. And brush up on your tech skills if they are circa AOL dial-up. There are many resources dedicated for seniors looking for jobs. I’d start with the AARP Web site and go from there. Stay positive — and avoid using phrases like “in my day.”  I live in New York State and work full time as an hourly employee. My question is, if my employer decides to cut my salary and I refuse to accept the pay cut, can I collect unemployment?  There are several factors you need to consider before you jump ship even if you are eligible. First of all, unless there is some agreement in place stating otherwise, your employer has the right to set pay and make adjustments up or down for business reasons. If your employer reduces your pay, you may be able to collect unemployment benefits but there is no guarantee. It depends on the amount of the reduction and the reason why. You should speak to someone at your local unemployment office. You also need to consider how much your reduced pay is compared to what you would collect on unemployment, and what about benefits? Also, it is easier to find a job when you have one than when you are unemployed. So factor all of that in before you quit and file.  Gregory Giangrande is a chief human resources and communications officer in the media industry. E-mail your career questions to gotogreg@nypost.com. Follow Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande. His Go to Greg podcast series is available on iTunes.


newyorkpost--2019-04-10--AOC blasts Kirstjen Nielsen says she doesnt deserve a new job

AOC blasts Kirstjen Nielsen, says she doesn’t deserve a new job

If it were up to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, outgoing Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen wouldn’t ever find work again.  The freshman congresswoman tore into Nielsen on Twitter Tuesday night — saying the now-retired DHS secretary doesn’t deserve to get a “lucrative deal” or “prestigious” new post — on account of her role in last year’s family separation crisis.  “In stealing 1000s of children, deporting their parents,& refusing to provide info for reunification, Sec. Nielsen oversaw one of the largest-scale human rights violations in recent history,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “Awarding her a lucrative deal or prestigious post is to legitimize+celebrate that abuse.”  The New York lawmaker had been responding to a post from Rolling Stone writer Jamil Smith, suggesting that Nielsen “be a pariah for life.”  “No cable deals, no cushy college gigs,” Smith tweeted, attaching a link a New York Times column by Michelle Goldberg “on what should happen to the Trump foot soldiers who think that they can escape with their reputations intact simply because they were following orders.”  Nielsen resigned on Sunday following a meeting with President Trump. Scholars and media figures have been signing a petition to make sure she doesn’t quickly find work again.  “Jesse Eisinger at ProPublica thinks that Nielsen might quickly find a berth at a think-tank, university center or similar institution,” said petition writer and political scientist Henry Farrell, of Washington University. “Different people have different limits. Nielsen is some distance beyond mine. If she gets a position at a think-tank, university center or similar, I will not participate on any panel that involves anyone from that think-tank, center or other institution. I will not participate in any event where the institution plays an organizing role, nor will I associate myself in any way that might reasonably be seen as providing active support for that institution.”


prisonplanet--2019-01-15--Volkswagen Announces Additional Plant with 1000 New Jobs in Chattanooga Tennessee 800 Million I

Volkswagen Announces Additional Plant with 1,000 New Jobs in Chattanooga, Tennessee – $800 Million Investment in New Production Line

{{{snicker}}} Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. Oh, remember that White House meeting with the big four German automakers [back on December 4th, 2018] that mainstream media ignored amid the fury of the, well, more popular ‘resistance’ narrative?   Yeah, THAT one.  Well, combine that US/trade White House meeting with the details within the USMCA auto-sector; mix it up a little with the initiatives and incentives for Trump’s industrial vocational apprenticeship training; give the auto actuaries a little time to crunch the numbers; let the executives settle in…. Then, fast forward a month and currently the big Detroit auto-show is happening.  TENNESSEE – Volkswagen to create 1,000 new jobs in Chattanooga expansion: Volkswagen announces Chattanooga will be the home to the company’s first electric vehicle manufacturing facility in North America. This will be the company’s second U.S. facility.  The automaker made the announcement Monday morning at the Detroit Auto show. Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam, Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger were all in Detroit for the major announcement.  The project represents an investment of $800 million by Volkswagen and the creation of 1,000 jobs in Hamilton County.  “As one of Hamilton County’s top employers, these additional 1,000 jobs will have a lasting impact on the region. I thank Volkswagen for its partnership and also applaud the company for its ongoing commitment to education and workforce alignment, which helps Tennessee build a pipeline of talent for years to come,” Haslam said.  (read more)  This article was posted: Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 6:42 am


sottnet--2019-02-07--Top ex-WH economist reveals 94 of all new jobs under Obama were part-time

Top ex-WH economist reveals 94% of all new jobs under Obama were part-time

Just over six years ago, in December of 2010, we wrote " Charting America's Transformation To A Part-Time Worker Society ", in which we predicted - and showed - that in light of the underlying changes resulting from the second great depression, whose full impacts remain masked by trillions in monetary stimulus and soon, perhaps fiscal,one where the majority of new employment is retained on a full-time basis,where workers are severely disenfranchised, and enjoy far less employment leverage, job stability and perks than their pre-crash peers. It also explains why despite the 4.5% unemployment rate, which the Fed has erroneously assumed is indicative of job market at "capacity", wage growth not only refuses to materialize, but as we showed yesterday,When we first penned our article, it was dubbed "fringe" tinfoil hattery, or in the latest vernacular, "fake news."when a report by Harvard and Princeton economists Lawrence Katz and Alan Krueger , confirms exactly what we warned. In their study, the duo show thatThe two economists also found that each of the common types of alternative work increased from 2005 to 2015 - with the largest changes in the number of independent contractors and workers provided by contract firms, such as janitors that work full-time at a particular office, but are paid by a janitorial services firm.Krueger, who until 2013 was also the top White House economist serving as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Obama, was "surprised" by the finding.Quoted by quartz , he said "," said Krueger. "And over 60% was due to the [the rise] of independent contractors, freelancers and contract company workers." In other words,While the finding is good news for some, such as graphic designers and lawyers who hate going to an office, for whom new technology and Obamacare has made it more appealing to become an independent contractor. But for those seeking a steady administrative assistant office job, the market is grim.for this vast cohort which was hired over the past decade.Whether this change is good or bad depends on what kinds of jobs people want. "Workers seeking full-time, steady work have lost," said Krueger. He then added, perhaps sarcastically, that "while many of those who value flexibility and have a spouse with a steady job have probably gained."Yes, well, spousal support aside, it also confirms another troubling finding this website reported first earlier this month, namely thatNot surprisingly, the study found thatThe issue is particularly frustrating to employees in the entertainment industry where media conglomerates rely on freelancers for long periods of time without offering benefits, an arrangement frequently referred to as "permalance.""Since I signed Obamacare into law (in 2010), our businesses have added more than 15 million new jobs," said Obama, during his farewell press conference last Friday.He did not delve into the details of just what those 15 million new jobs were. Now we know; and we also know why the Fed is making a huge mistake in thinking it can hike rates and tighten financial conditions, to reverse engineer wage growth, when corporations are guaranteed to not increase wages even in response to higher rates, as the data above confirms that the amount of slack in the economy is vastly greater than virtually all economists are willing to admit.


theconservativetreehouse--2019-02-07--Ford Announces Additional 1 Billion Investment in Chicago Plant 500 New Jobs

Ford Announces Additional $1 Billion Investment in Chicago Plant – 500 New Jobs…

It’s an interesting exercise to consider just how much national economic policy shifts can impact U.S. workers and industry.  Only a few years ago the ‘best play‘ for auto executives was shifting manufacturing overseas or to Mexico.  Today, with the advent of a comprehensive energy policy, enhanced U.S. investment incentives, re-prioritized trade expectations, focused tariffs, lowered regulations, and expanded  economic freedom allowing consumer demand to drive investment decisions, the entire landscape of a massive industry shifts.  Now the ‘best play‘ is for multinational firms to focus on expanded investment directly in the U.S.A.  Simple, yet stunningly consequential:  The announcement comes on the heels of cross-town rival GM axing 4,000 workers, and is part of the $11 billion restructuring Ford announced last fall that includes dropping all passenger car models except the iconic Mustang. It is shifting resources to light trucks, like those it is building in the Windy City. […] The investment plan will allow Ford to expand capacity for the Explorer as well as the new Explorer Police Interceptor it is launching. Ford has traditionally dominated the market for police vehicles and expects the Interceptor — which debuted last month at the Detroit Auto Show — to expand its hold. Also scheduled to go into the Chicago Assembly Plant is the all-new Lincoln Aviator, a big, three-row sedan that is winning early praise and could become a critical part of Ford’s drive to revive the long-struggling luxury brand. The $1 billion investment will be used to add “advanced manufacturing technologies,” according to company sources, and also to train workers to both boost plant efficiency and improve quality.  (read more)  This decision by FORD actually becomes an example of what CTH was predicting prior to the 2016 election.  Specifically about FORD; and specifically about the auto industry.  FLASHBACK TO 2016: […]  This key distinction is the heart of the Economic Patriotism argument.  An argument that Bernie Sanders has made effectively, Donald Trump has also recognized, and one which through the course of time -and history has empirically evidenced- creates terrible long-term consequences for the rapidly diminishing middle class U.S. worker.  The economic patriotism distinction is also where traditionally minded conservatives, like myself, have reevaluated the bigger picture and accepted the following:  In a global world the concept of traditional economic models (for free-market capitalism) are no longer working on behalf of the United States of America – because there is no national pride or incentive attached to the end goal, profit.  Paul Samuelson, the Nobel laureate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, recalled that John Maynard Keynes once was challenged for altering his position on some economic issue:  While I have never agreed with Keynesian economic theory, Keynes attributed quote itself is never more apropos than today’s 2016 American economics argument amid various conservatives.   What good is Mark Levin’s definition of conservatism, when there’s no middle class America left to conserve?  What good are George Will’s free market theories when the end result is the outflow of American wealth into poorer, less economically developed countries, while we EBT ourselves into a national debt crisis because we are trying to sustain the diminished value of the American worker?  Not only is this historic approach now rapidly becoming the pathway into an unrecoverable American economic death spiral, it is also global wealth distribution done by Wall Street, not Main Street.  The result, our result, is an ever expanding, seemingly impossible to stop, wealth gap, creating an unnatural and profoundly unhealthy class system, in America, between the “Rich” and “Poor”.  We do not need socialism to fix the problem, we need economic patriotism from industrial giants, Main Street, who value the principles behind putting American-workers-First. (link)  Thankfully, two-months after writing everything above, the American electorate voted to put a Main Street President Trump into office.  Today U.S. jobs are plentiful, wages are growing, inflation is low and entire industries are recommitting to the U.S. worker.  Ironically, a few days ago that same economically patriotic president just said “We will never be a socialist country”…  Funny how that happens.


thedailybeast--2019-08-23--Trump Aide Who Floated Sending Migrants to Sanctuary Cities Gets Powerful New Job

A Trump administration official who pushed the idea of releasing undocumented immigrants into “sanctuary cities” has moved to the powerful Office of the White House Counsel, according to two sources familiar with move. She’s a rising star in the White House, and an ally of Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser.  In her new post, May Davis will work on immigration and domestic policy, giving top policy adviser and immigration hardliner Stephen Miller another ally in the counsel’s office.  “I can confirm May works and reports to the White House Counsel’s Office, and continues to be a very valued member of the White House,” a White House official told The Daily Beast. “We look forward to her contributing to the President’s agenda in a legal capacity in her new role.”  Davis, a Harvard Law graduate and immigration hawk, is poised to play an important part in helping guide some of Trump’s most consequential policy moves, particularly on executive orders that are screened and closely examined by the counsel’s office. On Wednesday, the president again claimed that his administration was “seriously” looking at ending birthright citizenship, a potential executive order that would likely fall under Davis’s portfolio.  Three administration officials described Davis as an ally of Miller, with one saying she was a staunch supporter of the “zero tolerance” policy that resulted in the separation of migrant families on the U.S. southern border. Since the early days of the Trump campaign, Miller has driven Trump’s hardline immigration stances and has helped craft some of his most controversial policies, including his travel ban on people from seven majority-Muslim countries.  “May is a total professional and one of the most level-headed people in the White House,” said a former White House official who worked with Davis. “She knows the ins and outs of the administration and will be a huge asset as the administration navigates various policy proposals in the upcoming months.”  Davis previously served as a White House policy coordinator and largely dodged media attention during her time in the administration––with one prior exception. In an email The New York Times reviewed, Davis floated to DHS officials that they release detained undocumented immigrants into so-called sanctuary cities.  “The idea has been raised by one to two principals that, if we are unable to build sufficient temporary housing, that caravan members be bused to small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities,” Davis wrote, noting the White House had not reached a final decision on the idea.  Her route to the White House Counsel’s Office has been circuitous. After the Senate confirmed Kelly Craft as Trump’s United Nations ambassador last month, Davis was apparently tapped as her chief of staff, according to the State Department directory viewed by The Daily Beast. (She was listed as chief of staff as recently as Tuesday.)  In the White House, Davis has participated in the Miller-led Immigration Strategic Working Group, according to White House communications reviewed by The Daily Beast. The group includes more than 30 Trump administration officials who gather regularly to work on immigration policy and enforcement. Participants include officials from the Justice Department, the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the National Security Council, and the State Department.  Davis will work alongside Steven Menashi, another lawyer in the White House Counsel’s Office who has also participated in Miller’s working group. Menashi is currently awaiting confirmation to be a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.  She previously worked in the office of the White House staff secretary, serving under Rob Porter, who left early last year after his ex-wives accused him of physical and emotional abuse. During that period, Miller felt Porter’s office interfered too much in the speechwriting process, according to a person familiar with the situation. In the time since, Miller and Davis grew to be allies in the Trump administration, particularly on immigration policy, multiple sources noted.


thedailyecho--2019-01-28--Openreach announces plans to create 450 new jobs across the south

OPENREACH today unveiled plans to hire more than 450 trainee engineers across the south as part of a huge recruitment drive.  The new roles being created in Hampshire and six other counties will help Britain’s biggest team of telecoms experts expand and upgrade the company’s national broadband network.  Trainees will be recruited mainly to deliver the Fibre First programme, which is bringing faster and more reliable technology to millions of properties.  Under the proposals Openreach will hire 93 young engineers in Hampshire.  Clive Selley, the company’s chief executive, said: “Openreach is determined to build full fibre as quickly as possible to ensure the country has a reliable broadband network capable of supporting data-hungry services and applications essential for boosting productivity.  “We’re making great progress towards our target of upgrading three million homes and businesses to full fibre by the end of next year.  “Our new apprentices will enable us to fulfil our commitments, with an ultimate ambition to deliver the best possible connectivity to everyone across the entire country.”  The national recruitment drive has been praised by a government minister.  Speaking at the opening of an Openreach training school Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said: “This is a huge expansion in high skilled, well paying jobs across the UK and yet another demonstration of the jobs success we have seen since 2010.  “Behind every employment number is a person whose self-esteem, mental wellbeing and life chances are all vastly improved by being in the workplace.  “Apprenticeships can help create opportunities for women in what are traditionally, male-dominated industries.  “Last year a record number of women moved into work, something reflected in Openreach’s record of hiring more female staff than ever before.”  Regional director David Jordan added: “We want people from all walks of life to apply for roles at Openreach, to build a diverse workforce that reflects the hugely diverse communities we serve.  “Last year we recruited more women than ever before and this year we want to go even further.”