January 31, 2016


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-announces-stricter-policy-on-gun-sales/

Facebook announces stricter policy on gun sales
AP January 29, 2016

22 PHOTOS -- Death by gun: top 20 states with highest rates
Play VIDEO -- President Obama's "common sense steps" to curb gun violence


SAN FRANCISCO -- Facebook says it's cracking down on online gun sales, announcing Friday a new policy barring private individuals from advertising or selling firearms on the world's largest social network.

The new policy applies also to Facebook's photo-sharing service Instagram. It comes after gun control groups have long complained that Facebook and other online sites are frequently used by unlicensed sellers and buyers not legally eligible to buy firearms.

Facebook "was unfortunately and unwittingly serving as an online platform for dangerous people to get guns," said Shannon Watts of Everytown for Gun Safety, a group that launched a public campaign to convince the social network to change its policies two years ago.

Watts said her group has found numerous cases of felons and minors who were able to buy guns on the site, including two cases in which the buyers used the guns to slay others. Representatives of two gun-owner rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Facebook had announced some restrictions on gun sales and advertising in 2014, saying it would block minors from seeing posts that advertised guns. But the social network did not ban private sales at that time.

Licensed firearms retailers can still promote their businesses on Facebook, but they aren't allowed to accept orders or make sales on the site.

A Facebook Inc. spokeswoman said the new policy arose from the company's review of its rules following its recent efforts to encourage new forms of commerce on the site. Facebook expanded its digital payments service last summer, allowing users of its Messenger service to send electronic payments to other individual users.

"Over the last two years, more and more people have been using Facebook to discover products and to buy and sell things to one another," Monika Bickert, who oversees Facebook product policies, said in a statement. "We are continuing to develop, test, and launch new products to make this experience even better for people and are updating our regulated goods policies to reflect this evolution."

Watts, however, said her group had urged Facebook to take stiffer measures, during a series of low-key contacts.

"They were very, very open to our thoughts on policy and to the research we have been compiling," Watts said. "I think they definitely saw this was an issue, but an incredibly complicated issue. I think that's why it's taken two years."

Facebook, which is based in Menlo Park, California, cited the need to balance free expression with public safety when it announced the 2014 policy change in a blog post. At the time, some gun-control advocates complained Facebook didn't go further, while news reports quoted a spokesman for the National Rifle Association who declared victory over what he called a campaign to stifle constitutionally protected speech.

Everytown for Gun Safety was formed by the merger of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a group started by Watts, and another group founded by former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

A spokesman for a different group, the Brady Campaign and Center to Prevent Gun Violence, praised Facebook's move in a statement Friday.

"It is simply too easy for virtually anyone to buy any gun they want online without a Brady background check," said the group's president, Dan Gross. "Facebook just took an important step in addressing that challenge and we call on others to follow suit."



“Watts said her group has found numerous cases of felons and minors who were able to buy guns on the site, including two cases in which the buyers used the guns to slay others. Representatives of two gun-owner rights groups, including the National Rifle Association, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. …. "It is simply too easy for virtually anyone to buy any gun they want online without a Brady background check," said the group's president, Dan Gross. "Facebook just took an important step in addressing that challenge and we call on others to follow suit."


I just took a look on Google for connections between Facebook and prostitution. I did find one entry. There are more on child pornography and a child rape video. Meanwhile some compromising photos of kids find their way onto Facebook. Personally, I can’t resist it, but they do need to police their sites better. The selling and buying of guns on the Net, and obviously without a background check, is in the same category. All are technically illegal, or should be, yet it goes on. I won’t even mention enticing young idiots to go to Syria and join ISIS.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/boko-haram-accused-burning-children-alive-in-homes-near-maiduguri/

Latest Boko Haram massacres mark sad new low for group
CBS/AP
January 31, 2016

11 Photos -- A man walks past burnt out houses following an attack by Boko Haram in Dalori village, 3 miles from Maiduguri, Nigeria, Sunday Jan. 31, 2016. AP PHOTO/JOSSY OLA


ABUJA, Nigeria - A survivor hidden in a tree says he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children among people burned to death in the latest attack by Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremists.

Scores of charred corpses and bodies with bullet wounds littered the streets from Saturday night's attack on Dalori village just 3 miles from Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram and the biggest city in the northeast, according to survivors and soldiers.

The shooting and burning continued for four hours, survivor Alamin Bakura said, weeping on a telephone call to The Associated Press. He said several of his family members were killed or wounded.

The violence continued as three female suicide bombers blew up among people who managed to flee to neighboring Gamori village, killing many people, according to a soldier at the scene who insisted on anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to journalists.

It was not known how many scores of people were killed because bodies still were being collected, including from the surrounding bushes where the insurgents hunted down fleeing villagers, according to Abba Shehu, a security guard helping collect corpses.

Boko Haram has taken to attacking soft targets, increasingly with suicide bombers, since the military last year drove them out of towns and villages in northeastern Nigeria.

The new focus on more vulnerable targets picked up steam after President Muhammadu Buhari's declaration that Boko Haram has been "technically" defeated, capable of no more than suicide bombings on soft targets.

The 6-year Islamic uprising has killed about 20,000 people and driven 2.5 million from their homes. The Nigerian militants are now the world's deadliest extremist group, edging out the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to which it is affiliated.



I really don’t see how anyone can justify this type of thing by their religion. It’s purely primitive behavior. The Nigerian leader Buhari needs to keep sending in troops until Boko Haram is decimated, rather than merely “technically defeated.” He also needs to work on the economy, infrastructure, job opportunities, etc. so the people can have a better daily life and won’t be as likely to join a death cult like this.




http://www.cbsnews.com/news/former-walmart-pharmacist-wins-31-million-suit/

Former Walmart pharmacist wins $31 million suit
AP January 29, 2016


CONCORD, N.H. - A jury has awarded more than $31 million in damages to a former Walmart (WMT) pharmacist in New Hampshire who claimed she was wrongly fired after reporting safety concerns about co-workers dispensing prescriptions.

Maureen McPadden was a 13-year employee who reported her concerns to management while working in Walmart's Seabrook pharmacy. She was fired in 2012 after losing her pharmacy key.

The jury awarded most of the money Thursday based on gender discrimination claims, but also found Walmart's conduct was retaliation for her complaints about safety issues and/or privacy violations.

McPadden, 51, said she was confident she would prevail even before the jury announced its verdicts after about three hours of deliberations.

"I honestly feel the jurors listened intently," she told The Associated Press. "I really feel they wanted to send a message that the little guy has a voice, that Walmart did something wrong."

Randy Hargrove, director of media relations nationally the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, said Walmart will ask the court to set aside the verdict or reduce the damages.

"We do not tolerate discrimination of any type, and neither that nor any concerns Ms. McPadden raised about her store's pharmacy played a role in her dismissal," Hargrove said.

McPadden testified that she was disciplined twice in the year before her termination because pharmacy technicians did not file required reports on two occasions.

Her lawyers, Richard Fradette and Lauren Irwin, said a male pharmacist at a Walmart in Plaistow, New Hampshire, who lost a pharmacy key within the year after McPadden was terminated, was disciplined, but not fired.

McPadden said her mother and sister at times urged her to give up and move on in the three years leading up to trial, but said she was inspired by her late father to persevere.

"My father always told me that my job was very, very important, and that I had a real duty to keep my patients safe," she said. "The conditions in the pharmacy were not safe. It was really in my soul to do something about it."



“The jury awarded most of the money Thursday based on gender discrimination claims, but also found Walmart's conduct was retaliation for her complaints about safety issues and/or privacy violations. …. Randy Hargrove, director of media relations nationally the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company, said Walmart will ask the court to set aside the verdict or reduce the damages. "We do not tolerate discrimination of any type, and neither that nor any concerns Ms. McPadden raised about her store's pharmacy played a role in her dismissal," Hargrove said. …. "My father always told me that my job was very, very important, and that I had a real duty to keep my patients safe," she said. "The conditions in the pharmacy were not safe. It was really in my soul to do something about it.”


$31 million in damages!! I’m surprised a court upheld this amount no matter what the case. Firing a whistle blower is the kind of thing that businesses used to do all the time, and no court touched them, but in the last twenty years or so the Supreme Court and the general trend of thinking is now going much more toward protecting individuals in cases like this. It’s partly because we “liberals” have had an influence on the American psyche, but it’s also that the general public is seeing more and more of the dishonesty and unfairness which businesses do too often indulge in, generally just to save themselves a few dollars. I’m glad to see Walmart being issued a smack down. They have made so much money that I have no doubt they can raise this fine, while they paid their workers at minimum wage ever since the business started. They aren’t even much cheaper than other stores that do the same kind of thing, either. I have recently found a Roses store near me and I go there rather than Walmart.



PRIMARIES STATE TO STATE

The following NPR article is too long to summarize, so just read it over. The question is brought up by the writer as to why a lily white and rural couple of states, with their Republican skewed bias, get to go first. The fear is that those early victories will taint the public mind for states which are coming later. See also the “.gov” discussion of the matter below this article. It, too, is long, but very interesting.

According to the .gov article, who goes first is not mandated in the Constitution, but rather simply emerged over time, as the old style control by “party bosses” became unpopular and gave way to a jockeying back and forth for position between states. The present situation can be changed at will by whatever state wants to move its’ primary date. There is no rule saying that another state can’t move its’ primary day to the earliest spot. Democrats and Republicans have different methods of dealing with contestant selection issues. The Democrats do it from the National level down and the Republicans by state, which can lead to variances and therefore unfairness from state to state. I would question, however, the extent to which a candidate’s selection can be absolutely assured by a set of early victories, though people being what they are, the do tend to “follow the leader.”

I’ve seen a number of candidates who were “dark horses” at the beginning only to end up as the victor. Senator Sanders was the dark horse a few months ago, and look at him now. He was relatively unknown at that time, but his quotations on issues have established his even temperament, strength and intelligence. His lack of experience on foreign policy has been criticized, but he is mentally quick and will catch up easily. Many say his views are too idealistic to win, but I’m not at all sure of that. I think he is what many Democrats and even Independents have been waiting for since Johnson’s policies on aid to the poor and voting rights for blacks. Johnson was scorned by many for his rough manners in some cases, but his moves swept aside the Jim Crow laws, with the aid of Martin Luther King, of course. We need another “mover and shaker” so the far right will be stopped.



http://www.npr.org/2016/01/29/464250335/the-perfect-state-index-if-iowa-n-h-are-too-white-to-go-first-then-who

The Perfect State Index: If Iowa, N.H. Are Too White To Go First, Then Who?
ASMA KHALID
Updated January 30, 20169:21 AM ET
Published January 29, 201610:54 PM ET

Photograph -- Heather Johnson of South Portland, Maine, exiting a voting booth in November. Portland Press Herald/Press Herald via Getty Images


Every four years when the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary roll around, the critics and cynics question why such unrepresentative patches of America get to vote first in presidential nominating contests. Why is so much political power, they complain, given to states that are more white and more rural than the rest of the country?

So, we attempted to quantitatively evaluate the critique — and try to come up with which states actually were the most representative of the average of the entire country, in what we're calling the Perfect State Index. In creating the PSI, we looked at five categories race, education, age, income and religion. (We explain the methodology, how we arrived there and analyze each category in detail further down.)

Below is an interactive table, which you can sort the results by category. So, which states came out on top?

The Overall Winner: Illinois
Race: Illinois
Education: Delaware
Age: Virginia
Income: Pennsylvania
Religion: (tie) Florida, Indiana, Iowa, North Dakota

Methodology — why we chose these five factors?

It's complicated, and, true, our metrics, are somewhat arbitrary. There are a dozen ways (or more) you could slice and dice Census data to decide which demographic factors are most important. But, we felt that in terms of understanding political behavior — these five indicators were the most important.

We ran the data by Bill Frey, a demographer with the Brookings Institution, and he insisted that of all the factors we were considering, race was by far the most important indicator of political behavior.

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"Race is one where there's a sharp divide between how whites vote and how most minorities vote," Frey said. "The race classification ... is a really good indicator to understand something about how elections are going to turn out."

And, Frey encouraged us to place a higher priority on race, because it often correlates with income, education, and, perhaps even religion.

"By that I mean — in a state like Mississippi, which has a relatively high black population, that may also have some bearing on Mississippi's income rank, and on its education rank," Frey explained. (Mississippi has the lowest median household income in the country, as you can see from our table.)

So, with Frey's guidance, we decided to give a little more power to the "race" category. (All the other categories are not weighted).

For each of our five indicators, we compared every state in the country to either the U.S. median value or the percentage of the national population. That allowed us to see how far each state diverged from the quintessential American "middle."

So, for example, in the map below you'll notice that both California (38.5 percent white) and Maine (93.8 percent white) fared poorly on the race index, but for obviously different reasons. Our index looks at the absolute value — it doesn't matter whether a state is better or worse than the U.S. average; it matters how much a state differs from "mainstream" America.

For each category, every state received a ranking from 1 to 50. We then added the individual rankings together to give each state a final score.

Below, you'll see which state ranked the highest in the five individual categories.

Race

We analyzed 2014 U.S. Census data to compare the racial make-up of each state to the country as a whole. We included all the categories the Census uses: black or African-American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian/Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander; Two or More Races; Hispanic or Latino; and White Alone Not Hispanic or Latino.

And, the reason we used the Census subcategories is that it gives us a more accurate racial portrait of each state. If we had only looked at "minorities" compared to "whites," we would have gotten a skewed picture. For example, had we ranked solely based on "minority" population, combining all the racial subgroups, Alaska would have ranked near the top. But it has a disproportionately large Native American population, a group which has a relatively minor voting effect on American politics at a national level.

We wanted to find a state that more closely mirrors the country's racial portrait — and Illinois does that, almost perfectly. If you look at every group: Latinos, Asians, blacks — Illinois' respective populations are nearly identical to the country's at large.

That doesn't surprise Frey from Brookings. He points out that Illinois has mirrored the country's historical mass migrations.

First, white ethnic immigrant groups, such as those from Polish and Italian ancestry moved to the state. Then, during the Great Migration of the early 20th century, African-Americans from the South settled in Chicago. And, then, in the last 30 to 40 years, thousands of Hispanics, particularly Mexicans, moved to the city.

"And, all of that is due to that fact that Chicago has been this kind of central place that has been emblematic of these different kinds of movements," Frey explained. "I don't think there's any other metropolitan area, or any other state really, that has all of these elements. ... Different parts of the country have had pieces of these things. But, Chicago has had them all in different sequences. And, so right now, we have a snapshot of a metropolitan area that's a lot like the U.S. population."

And, as blacks, Latinos and Asians diversified the city, Frey said, old urban white ethnics moved to the suburbs and the rural farmlands. He added that the mix of urban and rural coupled with white suburbanization makes Illinois a good bellwether of what's gone on in the United States as a whole in recent decades.

Education

We looked at the percent of the population that was older than 25 in each state with a bachelor's degree or higher, as tracked by Census data between 2010 and 2014.

Minorities of all educational levels tend to vote Democratic, but, as we've written elsewhere, there seems to be a growing political educational divide within the white population.

In Delaware, 29.4 percent of the total population has graduated with bachelor's degree or higher. (In the U.S. as a whole, 29.3 percent has at least a bachelor's degree). Frey said Delaware's mainstream-level of education may be due to its geography.

"It's an important state, but it is considered to be kind of a suburb of Philadelphia writ large," he said, "and increasingly college graduates have been living and moving to the suburbs, and that's part of what Delaware is as well."

He was, perhaps, more intrigued by the next few highly ranked states. "You also see in this list states you might not have expected to see there — Montana, Nebraska, Oregon," Frey said. "It shows this median level of education is pretty pervasive in all different parts of the country, not just concentrated in a few places."

Age

We used 2014 Census data to compare the median age in each state to the U.S. median age of 37.7.

"It's good to know that Virginia is in the middle," said Frey, but he's skeptical that it means much, because there are a clump of states that roughly reflect the U.S. median age.

What's more important are the states toward the bottom of the list. "What you want to look at — is states that are kind of on the extremes," Frey added. "And, when you're thinking of the extremes, you're thinking of some of the New England states, Pennsylvania, West Virginia – those are states that a lot of the young people have left over the years."

And that brings us to New Hampshire. The early voting state is one of the oldest in the country (tied with Vermont for 47th on the age index). In fact, the aging population has even become a concern for voters in the state. At a recent campaign event, one woman described New Hampshire as going through a "silver tsunami."

For election purposes, Frey says the 65 and older population is key. "Those are the kinds of populations," he noted, "at least in recent elections [that] have tended to veer more toward Republican candidates in presidential elections."

And they vote.

Frey added that a state's median age is often indicative of recent regional migration patterns.

"A lot of immigrants have come to parts of the country and made their populations younger," he said, "a lot of it is in the South and the West."

And, indeed, immigration may help explain why Virginia did so well in the age category when its neighbor West Virginia did so poorly.

Income

There are lots of different economic indicators we could have used to measure the "wealth" of a state: the unemployment rate, the percent of people who own houses, or median household income. With the advice of our economics editor Marilyn Geewax, we opted to go with the 2010 to 2014 median household income (in 2014 dollars).

For the country at large, that is $53,482.

Income is a tough measure, because the cost of living differs wildly from Mississippi to Manhattan. But, it's also an important metric, because the economy is so often the most important issue for voters.

Pennsylvania's income levels are so incredibly average that it differed from the U.S. median by less than a percent. Frey points to Pennsylvania's geography and mix of urban, suburban, rural communities as a possible explanation for economic diversity.

"Pennsylvania ... has the average of those urban areas like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh," Frey said. "And then [in] the inner part of the state, it's a little more rural."

Interestingly, the first nominating state of Iowa also ranked high on the average-income calculator, coming in third. But Frey thinks Iowa fared well for different reasons — partly because it's an overwhelmingly white state and partly because it's in the middle of the country with an average cost of living.

The states that did poorly also tell us something important. New Jersey and Maryland were 49th and 50th, respectively. Both states are wealthier and largely overgrown suburbs of New York and Philadelphia (in New Jersey's case) and Washington, D.C., when it comes to the population center of south-central Maryland.

"It's suburban New York and suburban D.C., and some pretty rich suburbs," Frey said. "Some of the richest suburban counties in the country are in New Jersey and Maryland."

And so, even though New Jersey and Maryland did well on other metrics, such as race or age, they didn't do well in the overall PSI because of income.

Religion

There was a four-way tie for first place in the religion index. And, that's partly because the data isn't as nuanced. Statistics for all the other categories were collected and compiled through the Census Bureau.

But, the Census doesn't ask Americans about religion. Given the central role of religion in campaign politics, and the degree to which religiosity predicts political behavior, we thought it was an important metric to include.

To assess "religiosity," which can often be an amorphous attitude in itself, we used data from the 2014 Religious Landscape Study, a comprehensive survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, which interviewed more than 35,000 Americans from all 50 states. We looked at a one specific aspect of this study: the percent of adults in each state who said religion was "very important" in their lives.

In the U.S. as a whole, and in Iowa in particular, 53 percent of adults said religion was "very important" in their lives. As Iowa prays, so prays the country ... apparently.

Iowa's mainstream status on the religious index might seem surprising given the extent to which the white, Christian conservative vote is courted by GOP presidential candidates there. But, there two things to keep in mind:

The definition of an evangelical is murky, as NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben has previously reported, and the GOP caucus attracts religious activists, so the evangelical community's real numbers are over-inflated in media reports. On the Democratic side, religion is essentially a non-issue. And, in both 2008 and 2012, President Obama won Iowa in the general election.

So while people might think of Iowa as a religious state, it's only actually, as a whole, as religious as the country. In fact, there are many other states that are far more religious. Think: Alabama, where 77 percent of people said religion was "very important" in their lives.

New Hampshire, on the other hand, is far more secular. New Hampshire came in 46th in the category of people saying that religion was "very important" to them. Just 33 percent of adults in New Hampshire said religion was "very important" to them. And, 36 percent described themselves as "religiously unaffiliated," which means they don't identify with any organized religion.

It's one of the least religious states in the country, second only to Sen. Bernie Sanders' home state of Vermont.

Illinois — perfectly average

Illinois borders a traditional East-West divide in the country — the Mississippi River. It snakes across the state's western edge, separating it from Iowa. And it's a microcosm of the country in nearly ever category. Specifically, it ranked in the top 10 for race, age, and religion.

It's almost comical that the most perfectly average state neighbors Iowa, the state that gets to go first in presidential nominating contests.

In many ways, Illinois is geographically and demographically similar to Iowa, particularly in the southern and western regions of the state. The major difference is Chicago — an urban core the kind Iowa just doesn't have.

"It's as diverse as the country, but not overly diverse," Frey said. "It's probably a little more urban than the country as a whole because of the greater Chicago metropolitan area, but a lot of that is the suburbs and the suburbs are representative of much of America."

Plus, he added, Illinois also has a "rural component, which is important."

"[Illinois] ... may not be a swing state," Frey said, "but in terms of its demographics, I think people would do well to look at how the voting goes there to get a better understanding of what's going on in the country as a whole."

And, while people might think of Illinois as a blue state, it currently has a Republican governor and a Republican senator, albeit one who will be in a tough re-election fight in a presidential year.

Also, it's only fairly recently, since 1992, that the state started voting reliably for Democrats in presidential years. From 1968 to 1988, Illinois voted consistently Republican. In fact, Illinois' record is more accurate, than partisan. Throughout the 20th century, Illinois voted for the winner in every presidential election, with the exception of two: Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and Jimmy Carter in 1976.

If anything, Frey, says perhaps Illinois is a racial bellwether. In 2014, the country's under-age-5 population became majority-minority, and so, in years to come, Frey said the racial makeup of the rest of the country is likely going to look more similar to Illinois.

A reality check on Iowa and New Hampshire?

Iowa, the state that goes first in our current political system, according to the PSI, came in 16th place overall.

That's not too bad, considering it could have been worse. New Hampshire, for example, was 49th, nearly dead last.

To be fair, Iowa is representative of the country on most of our metrics, with the exception of race.

A number of states East Coasters derisively refer to as "flyover states" — Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri — actually all fared quite well on the PSI, especially if race was excluded.

So, in some ways, it seems the heartland is a fairly accurate portrait of average America, if it was more racially diverse. But, race is such an important factor that Frey thinks it outweighs Iowa's advantages. In the race category, Iowa was in the bottom 10, finishing 40th, with just a 3.4 percent black population and a 5.6 percent Hispanic population.

New Hampshire, though, is even more of an outlier. The only state that fared worse overall was West Virginia.

By every measure, New Hampshire is horribly unrepresentative of the country — people make too much money, they're graying, over-educated, overwhelmingly white and not nearly religious enough.

The question, of course, is whether these two states should continue to serve as litmus tests for candidates.

"It's for the parties to decide," Frey said, "but I have to say as a demographer, the more stock you put into these two states, as we become more diverse as a country, the more we'll be out of touch with what the rest of the country's going to be voting like."



http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/presentationsandactivities/presentations/elections/elecprocess2.html

Primary Votes Then
Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt, full length portrait, facing front, speaking at Carnegie Hall
I can picture ... the great Democratic convention of 1894 at the old coliseum in Omaha... right now I can hear the Hallelluiahs of the assembled. Oh how I wish I had back the youth and the enthusiasm I felt that night, I jumped on a chair and ask[ed] that by a rising vote the nomination be made unanimous, how the people yelled, how the packed gallories applauded, it cheers an old man now to think about it.

Mrs. [sic] J.J.McCarthy's enthusiasm for party conventions wasn't shared by all of his contemporaries. Even before 1900, many sought to reform these conventions that uniformly ignored the will of individual voters in their selection of presidential candidates. Though these conventions were attended by delegates sent from their respective states, delegates were often chosen by state and party bosses with sway over the delegates' loyalties, instead of by state-wide or majority elections, called primaries. Before the 1920s, party bosses were often accused of trading convention floor votes for power, patronage, or even cash! These problems kept the representational method of nominating candidates by sending delegates to conventions from being truly representational.

In the first decade of the 1900s, states began to hold primary elections to select the delegates that would attend national nominating conventions. The introduction of these primary elections mitigated the corrupt control of party and state bosses. But the widespread adoption of primary elections was not immediate and so they did not play the role of virtually determining a party's candidate as they do today. 1912 was the first year in which a presidential candidate, two-time President Theodore Roosevelt, tried to secure his nomination through primary elections. That year, nine states elected delegates that supported Roosevelt, while incumbent, William Howard Taft, won only one primary election. Despite Roosevelt's wholesale victory of the popular vote, Taft received the Republican nomination. This was because only 42% of the delegates who attended the nominating convention had been selected through primary elections. The rest had been selected by party bosses who supported Taft and succeeded in granting him their party's nomination.

Failing to win the Republican nomination, Roosevelt and his supporters formed the Progressive Party, or Bull Moose Party, with Roosevelt as its presidential candidate. Roosevelt failed to win the Presidency that year, but with the help of the Progressive party, our country's primary system began to change. Fed up with corrupt party politics, Americans demanded and won reforms that reduced the power of party bosses. The introduction of the secret ballot had led the way in 1888. By the 1920's, almost every state had loosened the grip of political bosses and placed candidate selection more firmly in the hands of citizen voters.

The excitement and corruption of party politics was not limited to the national arenas and big party players. E. R. Kaiser paints a picture of local party politics in the late 1800s:

Politics played a big part in the life of this town years ago. Campaigns were hot, and there was always a big celebration afterwards. ... Votes used to be bought -- that is before the secret ballot was adopted. Some sold 'em pretty cheap. I remember one old fellow who sold out to one party for a dollar -- then sold out to the other for the same price.

Because the Constitution gives no guidance for nominating presidential candidates, Americans continue to tinker with the primary process. Reforms led to party rules for choosing candidates and delegates. The Democratic party has established national rules for how candidates are selected. The Republican party allows each state to set its own guidelines for candidate selection. Other parties, such as the Reform party, have a less structured candidate selection process.

The advent of early primaries in New Hampshire, early caucuses in Iowa, and the Super-Tuesday block of state primaries is relatively new to the election scene. As primaries were universally adopted as the method for selecting delegates, they became a more consequential part of the election process. Early primaries have taken on added importance as setting precedence and influencing the elections that follow in other states. Today, state legislatures capitalize on the importance of primaries and jockey for influence by scheduling their states' primaries and caucuses as early as possible, forcing presidential candidates to cater to their states.

Unlike the heated back-room nominations of the past, there are few surprises at today's national party conventions. Today, in 48 states, individuals participate in primaries or caucuses to elect delegates who support their presidential candidate of choice. At national party conventions, the presidential contender with the most state delegate votes wins the party nomination. Our far-reaching American news media ensures that state delegate vote counts (and the apparent nominees) are well known before national conventions begin. As a result, modern national conventions don't select candidates. Instead, they launch nominees and election themes that carry through the race to the White House.

Bridge to the Future

'I want to build a bridge!' said one. October 21, 1996. From Oliphant's Anthem: Pat Oliphant at the Library of Congress Exhibit

President Clinton's speech at the Democratic National Committee convention on August 29, 1996 was entitled "Join Me to Build that Bridge to the Future," a theme that was played constantly for the next few months.

The perceived need for reform of the primary process continues today. Many feel that the influence of early primaries disturbs the balance of power exerted by the states upon the nomination of candidates, and thus the selection of the President. Proponents of campaign finance reform feel that the large sums of money required to run a political race deter many from seeking office. Indeed, the increased importance of primary elections and the increased media coverage of the race for the Presidency have added to the challenges facing a candidate. Prospective presidential candidates generally pay registration fees, collect a set number of voter signatures, and affiliate with a political party to qualify for state ballots or caucuses. That deceptively simple process is followed by the more onerous job of amassing a war-chest of campaign funds, then winning the hearts of voters in grueling and costly state races and in the general election.

Americans will continue to grapple with the primary and the electoral system. The beauty of our democracy is that citizens have the power to change the election process in the years to come.

January 30, 2016


News Clips For The Day


1. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-bible-last-minute-pitch-to-evangelicals-ahead-of-iowa-caucuses-election-2016/

Donald Trump shows off Bible in pitch to evangelicals
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
January 30, 2016

Photograph -- In a new video released January 30, 2016, Donald Trump shows off a Bible his mother gave him. FACEBOOK / DONALD TRUMP


Just two days ahead of the first nominating contest in Iowa, Donald Trump is making a final attempt to court evangelical Christians.

In a new video posted to Facebook Saturday, the billionaire businessman thanked evangelicals and promised to "never let you down."

"I really appreciate the support given to me by the evangelicals," Trump said. "They've been incredible. Every poll says how well I'm doing with them."

Trump then held aloft a worn Bible, which he said his mother had given to him "many years ago."

"In fact, it's her writing right here," he added, flipping to the first page of the book. "She wrote the name and my address and it's just very special to me."

This is not the first time the GOP front-runner has used the Bible as a prop on the campaign trail.

In September, Trump waved the same copy of the book while giving a speech at the Values Voters Summit hosted by the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C.

Trump has also repeatedly named the Bible as his favorite book -- though he has often faced criticisms for his inability to name his favorite Bible verses.

In the past, white evangelical voters have made up nearly half of Republican primary voters and caucus-goers. And in Iowa, conservative Christians make up an outsized portion of likely caucus attendees.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, whose presidential campaign kicked off at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University, has held a large lead among evangelical voters in Iowa throughout much of the primary season -- and he runs a close second to Trump in polls of the first caucus state.

But earlier this week, according to a CBS News battleground tracker poll, Trump has recently cut into Cruz's advantage among Iowa evangelicals. Whereas Cruz had 47 percent of the evangelical vote to 28 percent for Trump last month, Cruz now only leads 38-30.



“This is not the first time the GOP front-runner has used the Bible as a prop on the campaign trail. In September, Trump waved the same copy of the book while giving a speech at the Values Voters Summit hosted by the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C. Trump has also repeatedly named the Bible as his favorite book -- though he has often faced criticisms for his inability to name his favorite Bible verses. …. But earlier this week, according to a CBS News battleground tracker poll, Trump has recently cut into Cruz's advantage among Iowa evangelicals. Whereas Cruz had 47 percent of the evangelical vote to 28 percent for Trump last month, Cruz now only leads 38-30.”


One thing I firmly believe about Trump is that he is not a religious person of any stamp whatsoever. He’s a cynic and a con artist. Still, he has apparently said the right things during the last month, as he is now the frontrunner among Evangelicals according to this article. If there’s one thing that’s true about polls in general, however, it’s that they can suddenly go up and down like the stock market. I’ll say it again. I don’t see Trump getting the Republican Party nomination. If he does decide to split the party and run as an Independent (if he can change parties in mid-race), that would be great because it would give our two pretty strong Democrats a better chance of beating all the rightists in the Presidential election.



2. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/29/464579497/veterans-to-higher-ed-big-room-for-improvement

For-Profit Colleges Seeking Veterans' GI Bill Dollars Aren't Always The Best Fit
Eric Westervelt
Published January 29, 2016

Photograph -- Participants in a Georgetown University program for military veterans dine together on campus in Washington, D.C. Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post/Getty Images


Recent government sanctions against predatory for-profit colleges that preyed on veterans by using inflated job promises have opened the window on the wider challenges of helping veterans transition from service to higher education.

This week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against DeVry University claiming the for-profit deceived students with claims that its graduates make more money and that 90 percent of its graduates seeking work found jobs in their field within six months of graduation. In a statement DeVry vowed to "vigorously contest" the suit it calls baseless.

More than 1 million veterans and their families are taking advantage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill to attend college. But thousands are still attracted to for-profit schools. Are they aiming high enough? Are for-profits really the best fit for those who served?

The for-profit sector has marketed aggressively to members of the military and even enrolls them online while they're stationed overseas. A 2014 Senate report shows that eight for-profit college companies got about a quarter of all the funds spent on GI Bill benefits in 2012-2013. The report also says, on average, for-profit schools cost twice as much as educating veterans at public colleges.

One reason these schools target vets is that GI Bill funds help them comply with a federal rule that states that at least 10 percent of revenue for for-profit colleges must come from outside the Department of Education's Title IV financial aid programs. Some critics says this is a loophole and are calling for lawmakers to close it.

But others say traditional colleges and universities, as well, should be doing much more to reach out to help those who served reach their education goals. And that vets themselves need to shake off some education myths.

I reached out to former Army Capt. Tim Hsia to dig deeper. Hsia co-founded the group Service to School, which assists vets transitioning to higher ed with free application and school counseling help. He is a West Point and Stanford graduate who served two infantry combat tours in Iraq, including in Mosul and volatile Diyala province during the pivotal "surge" near the end of the American occupation.

Tim, the data show that there's a dearth of U.S. veterans enrolled, not just in Ivy League schools but really the top echelon of America's undergraduate colleges and universities. Is it fair to say that myth No. 1 might be veterans' own perceptions that they won't get into these top schools, in part because of their own lowered expectations?

There is definitely an aspect of where veterans are not setting their goals high enough. But there is also a lack of awareness of what they can reach if they strive and work hard. The VA has published data on veterans transitioning out. More than half of them will be first-generation college students. Many of them see the schools available to them as for-profit schools because they are the schools that most aggressively target them. There is no training or coaching for these veterans on what's best for them and how to make that transition.

That gets to another misconception that's hopefully changing following the scandal at Corinthian Colleges, once the nation's largest chain of for-profit schools, and at other for-profit institutions. That is the idea that these are the best fit for veterans.

It's a myriad of factors which are driving veterans to non-ideal schools. One is for-profits marketing to them and [the second] is service members' own, perhaps lowered, expectations. A third factor is that the top schools could do a much better job of reaching out to veterans. In my mind it's head-scratching given how vets come with the Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits. So their education, for the most part, is heavily subsidized if not fully covered by the government. Do veterans have the academic excellence to get into those programs? Some veterans do.

And the DOD and the VA do not offer many resources for vets in transition. There was a Rand report that said there really is limited support for veterans who want to pursue higher ed, while there are a lot of resources and nonprofits trying to help veterans get jobs. The last thing I think anyone wants is a veteran who is doing a job below their real potential.

The scandal at Corinthian got a lot of coverage. The issue of some of America's top, say, 100 schools, and the Ivy League not doing enough to actively recruit veterans less so.

There's a lot more that America's top 100 schools can do for veterans, and many like our VetLink schools are taking a big step in that direction by actively working with us to recruit, source, identify and admit qualified veteran applicants. Veterans have to be academically qualified for these top 100 schools. Full stop.

We also think schools could take a more holistic approach to veterans because right now the veteran perception is that getting into these top schools is unattainable and so uncertain. Schools can do more by leaning forward and taking a little bit more risk on student veteran applicants, meaning boosting enrollment and working with organizations in this space like us and Warrior Scholar Project to further attract veterans and educate them that they are veteran-friendly.

These vets are often labeled "nontraditional" students. And many are. Soldiers, marines, sailors, airmen and Coast Guard vets often come out of their service time with powerful and unique skill sets. Technical as well as leadership and organizational. Some of those are skills top schools should want in their undergraduates, no?

Totally. It's a win for the school. They get these veterans with leadership and who have this incredible experience who want to give back to their community and to the nation writ large.

Yet many vets are still attracted to for-profit colleges. Where is that disconnect, that cognitive dissonance coming from?

If you're a veteran, you're 24 or 25 maybe and married with a kid and maybe another on the way. If you're transitioning out you don't have much time to think, "What am I going to do 12 months from now?" You get out and you have barely a month to think about what's next. The last thing you want is to go back to your hometown and be that veteran who doesn't have a game plan. So you say, "OK, I'm going to get a job or I'm going to go to school." Most schools don't have admission cycles to accept veterans. Whereas these for-profit schools, it's turnkey. It's easy. They set it up that way. It's smart of them. For some veterans it can be helpful. And many veterans don't have that wait-and-see mentality.

And some for-profit schools are preying on that time crunch?

It's not just Corinthian Colleges. I think focusing on for-profits misses the wider context. There are others who can do more for veterans and veterans to do more for themselves to prepare themselves not to go to for-profits. Other schools in their marketing need to make it clear veterans are welcomed and accepted. It's also the VA and [Department of Defense] doing more. It's the nonprofits doing more. That's why Service to School and programs such as Warrior Scholar exist.

You raise a good point. Many from the Pentagon to higher ed need to do more to come up with plans and programs to advocate and attract veterans.

Totally. They need and can do more. As with every major social problem it's not just one, simple solution: "OK, we knock out the for-profit schools; what's next?" For some veterans, for-profits might be a good alternative. For some. I think it's a very, very small minority.

As you say, a for-profit school might be the right fit for some veterans. Do you and would you at Service to School recommend that route?

We have never endorsed or recommended an applicant to proceed with that route because we believe there are better alternatives. For example, if a veteran needs to beef up their academic credentials, then attending a community college is a great steppingstone that expands their academic horizons. Many of the veterans that we have placed into top undergrad schools have gone through a community college program. ... For people staying in the military, though, for-profits can be the easiest and most efficient way for people to get promoted in the military. The DOD, like other government agencies, doesn't distinguish between Yale and University of Phoenix when checking off the degree box. But it is a rude awakening for some veterans when they later transition out and realize that they often don't get academic credit for those for-profit classes when they're applying to nonprofit colleges, and that those for-profit degrees often don't count when applying to selective graduate schools.

You've mentioned a lack of higher-education role models for some service men and women. Aren't officer leaders in the field across the services role models?

I'm an officer. But I'll be candid. It's just a different mindset. For a junior officer who's gone to West Point or an ROTC program, that transition to higher education is very easy. They've got their service academy network, role models, they've got a well-worn path. But if you're an E5 sergeant from the Marine Corps or Army transitioning out, there's no model of, "How do I make a successful switch?" There's not a community, a program, a network to assist you with that transition. Compounding that is you're probably the first person in your family applying to schools.

What more, concretely, can the DOD, the VA and colleges do institutionally to help those enlisted men and women transition?

For the longest time the transition program for the military was centered on just getting them jobs. It really ignored the vast majority of veterans who were thinking of utilizing their GI Bill benefits. So providing more guidance and knowledge on how to make that transition is crucial: When you need to apply. What kind of credentials schools are looking for. How to package yourself as an applicant. Just a little bit of investment there, in the long run, will save taxpayer money.

In terms of the schools, it's outreach and getting them to be as aggressive as for-profit schools are in telling them how good of a program they have. That's part of what we do at Service to School. We partner with eight schools, some of the top schools in the nation, to help increase the number of veterans admitted. To society it looks very homogeneous: a veteran's a veteran. But it's very hard for admissions officers to pierce through that military veil. How do they efficiently, and at scale, reach out to veterans who are in Germany, Japan, the National Guard, Army Reserve, deployed veterans, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, etc.? It's a very fractured and heterogeneous demographic. And there's also a different vocabulary and culture we come from.

If schools did a better job of getting more vets into college, might it help lessen the post-Sept. 11 civilian military divide in America today?

That civilian-military divide is very real. It's especially real in an academic setting. Some of it goes back to the Vietnam era when a lot of the top schools decided not to have ROTC programs there. There's been a whole generation of veterans not at these campuses. Some colleges want to address that. And I think that would be great for the schools and for society.



“It's a myriad of factors which are driving veterans to non-ideal schools. One is for-profits marketing to them and [the second] is service members' own, perhaps lowered, expectations. A third factor is that the top schools could do a much better job of reaching out to veterans. . . . So their education, for the most part, is heavily subsidized if not fully covered by the government. Do veterans have the academic excellence to get into those programs? Some veterans do. And the DOD and the VA do not offer many resources for vets in transition. . . . . The last thing I think anyone wants is a veteran who is doing a job below their real potential. …. Recent government sanctions against predatory for-profit colleges that preyed on veterans by using inflated job promises have opened the window on the wider challenges of helping veterans transition from service to higher education. This week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against DeVry University claiming the for-profit deceived students with claims that its graduates make more money and that 90 percent of its graduates seeking work found jobs in their field within six months of graduation. In a statement DeVry vowed to "vigorously contest" the suit it calls baseless. …. Veterans have to be academically qualified for these top 100 schools. Full stop. We also think schools could take a more holistic approach to veterans because right now the veteran perception is that getting into these top schools is unattainable and so uncertain. …. Some of those are skills top schools should want in their undergraduates, no? Totally. It's a win for the school. They get these veterans with leadership and who have this incredible experience who want to give back to their community and to the nation writ large. Yet many vets are still attracted to for-profit colleges. Where is that disconnect, that cognitive dissonance coming from? …. Most schools don't have admission cycles to accept veterans. Whereas these for-profit schools, it's turnkey. It's easy. They set it up that way. It's smart of them. For some veterans it can be helpful. And many veterans don't have that wait-and-see mentality. And some for-profit schools are preying on that time crunch?”


“The DOD, like other government agencies, doesn't distinguish between Yale and University of Phoenix when checking off the degree box. But it is a rude awakening for some veterans when they later transition out and realize that they often don't get academic credit for those for-profit classes when they're applying to nonprofit colleges, and that those for-profit degrees often don't count when applying to selective graduate schools.” In other words, entering the average For-Profit college is not a win-win at all. It’s a scam. They simply aren’t academically oriented, but a quick and dirty program instead aimed at a specific job or non-academic skill set. In my view, the student should go to a community college, where health care or IT training are available at much cheaper cost, and it involves a real live teacher, a classroom and textbooks. I’m really not impressed by those computer-based courses, because the input from other students and professors is more valuable to me than memorizing some overly simplified information. There is an improvement of life scheduling for a student has a kid or is working at a job, however, but you can still get computerized courses through real colleges and probably for less money.

For-Profits of all kinds have taken over the country – colleges, hospitals, prisons, all have ostensibly a human-centered function. The higher goal of a prison is to reform the inmate and make him more ready to enter society. Throwing him into solitary confinement and making him subsist on “the loaf” don’t serve that purpose. Teaching him to improve his academic skills, work at a job, and get insight into himself by providing group therapy and AA/Na for those with addiction problems do. As for those For-Profit hospitals, medical care costs are as high as the sky already. Some of those for-profit hospitals have been charging the poor at the same high level as the wealthy, which is (usually anyway) against the law. They don’t tend to stop doing that, however, until complaints are raised, the hospital finds itself at the heart of scandal and as a result begins to lose “patients” (customers).

Being involved in a profitable business will pay the rent and membership at exclusive clubs, but it isn’t a reason for the adoration of the public, as the GOP leaning groups tend to claim, and it is certainly not the only real form of success. A businessman is very likely to be as dishonest as they come, and totally lacking in empathy with human beings or other life forms. If a woodland or meadow is destroyed and the animals that lived there have left the area, or worse have died, that just isn’t one of their concerns. I will hasten to say, of course, that many US citizens have the same callous viewpoint. Likewise, they don’t usually give a happy darn about paying their female employees at the same level as the men or giving them promotions as often as those of the male persuasion, which is generally based on sheer bias rather than real differences in expertise. Men are not really smarter than women. Intelligence ranges across all groups, from gender and race to poverty or even mental illness. Many mentally ill people have higher than average IQs, though they have mood disorders or other symptoms that require good, effective, non-addictive medication and talk therapy of some kind.

So what’s so wrong with a For-Profit business? Well, if it isn’t supposed to be a humanitarian enterprise, maybe nothing. If it’s goal is to make and sell widgets, however, it should make the best designed, useful and durable widgets so that the public is not, again, essentially cheated. See the definition below:


http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/for-profit-organization.html
Definition -- for profit organization

“A business or other organization whose primary goal is making money (a profit), as opposed to a non profit organization which focuses a goal such as helping the community and is concerned with money only as much as necessary to keep the organization operating. Most companies considered to be businesses are for profit organizations; this includes anything from retail stores to restaurants to insurance companies to real estate companies.”




3. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2016/01/27/464418078/lowering-the-bar-for-the-new-ged-test

Lowering The Bar For The New GED Test
ANYA KAMENETZ
Published January 27, 2016


Tens of thousands of GED test takers who barely missed the cut may soon receive a diploma, after the company that oversees the test said this week it's lowering the minimum passing score.

Since the new GED was unveiled two years ago this month, complaints have been rising. Students and teachers don't like that the high school equivalency test is now a for-profit venture, that it is more expensive than before and that it is solely computer-administered.

Most of all, they said, it's harder. So much harder, in fact, that pass rates reportedly plummeted in many states.

The GED Testing Service seems to have heard that last complaint. The testing service is a partnership between the American Council on Education, or ACE, and Pearson, the world's largest education company.

This week they announced that they are lowering the minimum passing score by 5 points, from 150 to 145. States are currently reviewing the change.

"Our recommendation is for each state to strongly consider making these changes retroactive," says CT Turner, a spokesman for the GED Testing Service. He adds that the changes aren't an admission that the test is too difficult, but a response to new information.

"We've gotten hard data back from a number of states showing that GED grads are not just performing on par, but better than high school graduates when it comes to college," Turner says. A passing score of 145, he says, puts GED holders more in line with a typical high school graduate.

In addition to the new lower cutoff score, the GED will have tiered pass rates for the first time. A score of 165-174 certifies readiness for college-level work without remediation. And a score above 175, earned by about 1 in 10 test takers, could make students eligible for up to 10 hours of college credit through ACE's Credit Recommendation Service.

"This is just one of many enhancements that helps adult learners," says Turner. It may also help the GED Testing Service reclaim lost market share. From what was once essentially a monopoly, 21 states so far have now adopted cheaper alternative tests — the TASC and HiSET.

About 20 million people have earned a GED since 1942, when the test was originally created as an educational passport for GIs returning from WWII. Today, more than ever before, a high school diploma is widely viewed as an economic necessity.

But the number of GED test takers dropped from 800,000 in 2013 to 248,000 who took the new test in 2014, the latest complete numbers. And the other two alternative tests are still much smaller: 42,000 took the TASC in 2014 and 38,000 completed the HiSEt.

Correction
Jan. 28, 2016
A previous version of this piece incorrectly stated that TASC and HiSET, alternative GED tests, were both not-for-profit. HiSET is administered by the nonprofit Educational Testing Service, or ETS, but TASC is run by the for-profit CTB, a division of McGraw Hill.



“Tens of thousands of GED test takers who barely missed the cut may soon receive a diploma, after the company that oversees the test said this week it's lowering the minimum passing score. Since the new GED was unveiled two years ago this month, complaints have been rising. Students and teachers don't like that the high school equivalency test is now a for-profit venture, that it is more expensive than before and that it is solely computer-administered. Most of all, they said, it's harder. So much harder, in fact, that pass rates reportedly plummeted in many states. …. In addition to the new lower cutoff score, the GED will have tiered pass rates for the first time. A score of 165-174 certifies readiness for college-level work without remediation. And a score above 175, earned by about 1 in 10 test takers, could make students eligible for up to 10 hours of college credit through ACE's Credit Recommendation Service.”


“This week they announced that they are lowering the minimum passing score by 5 points, from 150 to 145. States are currently reviewing the change. "Our recommendation is for each state to strongly consider making these changes retroactive," says CT Turner, a spokesman for the GED Testing Service. He adds that the changes aren't an admission that the test is too difficult, but a response to new information.” Yeah, right. I think it’s probably hard to really pin down what would be a reasonable passing score, as schools vary so much in what and how they pitch their courses at the students. One thing that may be the main problem is that too many high school graduates can’t read at grade level, or anywhere near it. That does mean that they can’t read the questions on the test or the multiple choice answers, not to mention the GED study materials. (See the article a week or two ago on the discouraging math and reading scores among modern American kids.)

I would like to know why the new GED is harder than before. What makes it harder? One complaint along the same lines as these concerning the Common Core tests is that they use a different form of math presentation and the kids not only didn’t understand it all too often, but their parents don’t either. Testing kids on something they haven’t been taught and which isn’t common knowledge is simply ridiculous. This emphasis on raising the academic level of high school would be approached better by more thorough teaching every day, that builds the less skilled student’s abilities gradually as the new material is being introduced, so that fewer kids fall behind on a day by day basis. Test those kids daily. There’s nothing like a pop quiz to make students perk up and pay attention. I took a music appreciation course that, we were warned, would involve a test on the new chapter every day and the prof did follow through on that. They weren’t hard tests, but I did have to read the chapter to pass them. That means you don’t slough off until the last week before exams without even reading the text. Young people do have a tendency to goof off as much as the teacher allows them to do.



4. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/escaped-inmates-hossein-nayeri-jonathan-tieu-caught-in-california-sheriff-says/

Sheriff: Remaining 2 escaped inmates caught
CBS/AP
January 30, 2016

Photograph -- When criminals are convicted and sentenced to time behind bars; most of the time, that's the end of it. Every once in a while, though, inmates pull off elaborate escapes that shock the world.On January 22, 2016, 43-year-old Tien Duong, 37-year-old Hossein Nayeri and 20-year-old Jonathan Tieu broke out of a Southern California jail by cutting their way through a steel screen and entering the prison's plumbing tunnels. Law enforcement says the group then rappelled off the roof, down nearly five floors, using a make-shift rope made of linens. ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT/REUTERS
Play VIDEO -- Escaped California inmate turns himself in, two others at large
Photograph -- duong3.jpg, Bac Duong, one of three inmates who escaped from the Orange County Men's Central Jail earlier in the month, turned himself into Santa Ana police, Jan. 29, 2016. KCAL


SANTA ANA, Calif. - Two inmates who had escaped from a Santa Ana jail more than a week ago were in custody, authorities announced Saturday.

Hossein Nayeri and Jonathan Tieu were taken into custody in San Francisco, the Orange County Sheriff's Office announced on its Twitter feed.

#OCSDPIO: Both outstanding jail escapees (Nayeri & Tieu) IN-CUSTODY by @SFPD. Details to follow at press conference - Sheriff's HQ 12pm
— OC Sheriff, CA (@OCSD) January 30, 2016

The news comes a day after Bac Duong, the third prisoner in the group, turned himself in. Duong walked up to a Southern California auto shop where a friend works, had her call police and stood and smoked a cigarette until he was arrested.

Duong, 43, then told investigators that a day earlier he had been in Northern California with the other two inmates before breaking off to turn himself in, authorities said. Nayeri and Tieu were believed to have been in San Jose and driving a van that the men stole a day after their escape.

The three men had all been jailed and awaiting trial for separate violent crimes. They were held in a dormitory with about 65 other men in the jail about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

The men escaped in the early morning hours after cutting a hole in a metal grate then crawling through plumbing tunnels and onto the roof of a four-story jail building.

They pushed aside barbed wire and rappelled down using a rope made of bed linen.

It took jail staff 16 hours to realize the three men were missing.

On Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English inside the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, Hallock said.

She was booked on suspicion of being an accessory to a felony and was being held pending a court appearance set for Monday. It wasn't clear if she had a lawyer.

Ravaghi and Nayeri also exchanged "personal and close" handwritten letters, but Hallock could not say if the two were romantically involved.

"It wasn't the relationship that you would expect between a teacher and an inmate in a custody setting," he said.

Duong, a native of Vietnam, has been held since last month on charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

It was the first escape in nearly three decades from the Central Men's Jail, built in 1968, that holds 900 men.

Tieu, 20, is charged with murder and attempted murder in a 2011 gang shooting. Nayeri,37, had been held without bond since September 2014 on charges of kidnapping, torture, aggravated mayhem and burglary.



“The news comes a day after Bac Duong, the third prisoner in the group, turned himself in. Duong walked up to a Southern California auto shop where a friend works, had her call police and stood and smoked a cigarette until he was arrested. …. The three men had all been jailed and awaiting trial for separate violent crimes. They were held in a dormitory with about 65 other men in the jail about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles. The men escaped in the early morning hours after cutting a hole in a metal grate then crawling through plumbing tunnels and onto the roof of a four-story jail building. They pushed aside barbed wire and rappelled down using a rope made of bed linen. It took jail staff 16 hours to realize the three men were missing. On Thursday, authorities arrested a woman who taught English inside the jail. Nooshafarin Ravaghi, 44, gave Nayeri a paper copy of a Google Earth map that showed an aerial view of the entire jail compound, Hallock said. …. Ravaghi and Nayeri also exchanged "personal and close" handwritten letters, but Hallock could not say if the two were romantically involved. "It wasn't the relationship that you would expect between a teacher and an inmate in a custody setting," he said.’


Well, this wasn’t a violent escape, but they were all pretty dangerous men, having committed murder and attempted murder, with the Middle Eastern doing the worst things – kidnapping and torture. This was certainly an exciting story. Bruce Willis should make a movie about it. It was a big waste of time, however, as they were caught and will now undoubtedly serve even more time.




5. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/analysis-finds-deliberate-disabling-of-some-chicago-police-dashcams/

Analysis finds "deliberate" disabling of some Chicago PD dashcams
By DEAN REYNOLDS CBS NEWS
January 29, 2016

Photograph -- Laquan McDonald, right, walks on a road before he was shot 16 times by police officer Jason Van Dyke in Chicago in this still image taken from a police vehicle dash camera video shot on Oct. 20, 2014, and released by Chicago police on Nov. 24, 2015. CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS
Play VIDEO -- Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke pleads not guilty in death of Laquan McDonald


CHICAGO -- On Friday, the lawyer for a white Chicago cop charged with murdering a black teenager said officer Jason Van Dyke has received death threats and he may seek to move the trial out of the city.

It was also revealed that Van Dyke's dashcam was not working the night the teen was killed, which has reportedly been happening a lot in Chicago.

There's something missing from a number of dashboard videos of fatal police shootings in Chicago: the sound.

And though almost all Chicago squad cars have video and audio recorders in the dashboards, an analysis of police maintenance logs by the website DNA Info Chicago indicates silent tape is not unusual.

The analysis -- which was not disputed by police officials -- found microphones stashed in glove boxes, batteries removed and antennas damaged. On purpose.

John Escalante, the interim superintendent of police, said technical problems or human error can happen at any time.

"But there are other times it's deliberate -- people deliberately trying to circumvent the system," Escalante said.

In the October 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald, none of the five cruisers on the scene recorded audio when officer Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times.

Escalante concedes that on any given day about 12 percent of the recorders need to be fixed but intentional destruction will be met with reprimands or suspensions.

Dean Angelo of the police union blames aging equipment -- not the cops.

"Some of those things have been in disrepair for a long time, and to now come down on the individual operators of the vehicle and say that they've done something to it, I think is a bit arbitrary," said Angelo.

When asked if Chicago officers feel as though the public is breathing down their necks, Escalante said "there is some concern that officers don't want to be the next viral video."

Their exposure is about to increase. This spring, police in several districts will be wearing new body cameras as part of a pilot program that, if successful, could spread to the whole force.



“There's something missing from a number of dashboard videos of fatal police shootings in Chicago: the sound. And though almost all Chicago squad cars have video and audio recorders in the dashboards, an analysis of police maintenance logs by the website DNA Info Chicago indicates silent tape is not unusual. The analysis -- which was not disputed by police officials -- found microphones stashed in glove boxes, batteries removed and antennas damaged. On purpose. …. "But there are other times it's deliberate -- people deliberately trying to circumvent the system," Escalante said. In the October 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald, none of the five cruisers on the scene recorded audio when officer Van Dyke shot McDonald 16 times. …. "Some of those things have been in disrepair for a long time, and to now come down on the individual operators of the vehicle and say that they've done something to it, I think is a bit arbitrary," said Angelo. When asked if Chicago officers feel as though the public is breathing down their necks, Escalante said "there is some concern that officers don't want to be the next viral video."


This does look like “the blue wall of silence” to me – purposeful silence. Dash cams wouldn’t have their sound turned off to avoid recording gun shots, but to prevent cries of pain or illegal and unethical conversations instead. As for the police department failing to keep those cameras in good working condition, that is shameful, and is at least partly the fault of “the brass.” When officers are inspected, their car should be also. The statement that body cams are to be tried out in some sections of the city is encouraging, but they can be disabled as easily as the others. The apparent lack of honesty among officers disturbs me no end. If they “don’t want to be the next viral video,” they should stop being abusive. I hasten to say that not all officers are abusive; but the fact that all six cars which recorded the McDonald shooting had no sound, that sounds a little like a majority are involved rather than a minority, as the police unions always say. We shouldn’t forget that police unions are made up of officers and not of supervisors.



6. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/election-2016-new-york-times-endorses-hillary-clinton-john-kasich/

These candidates just got endorsed by the New York Times
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
January 30, 2016

Photograph -- The New York Times logo is seen on the headquarters building on April 21, 2011 in New York City. RAMIN TALAIE/GETTY IMAGES
Play VIDEO - Who has Donald Trump targeted the most?
Play VIDEO -- Twenty-two Hillary Clinton emails labeled "top secret"


In a Saturday editorial, the New York Times threw their weight behind Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich -- but you might never know it if you had only skimmed its first paragraphs.

That's because the newspaper of record devoted its opening lines to lambasting the rest of the Republican field, with front-runners Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz featuring prominently in the attacks. Kasich's name, in contrast, first appears in the sixth paragraph of the editorial.

"The battle to be the Republican choice for president has been nasty, brutish and anything but short," the Times began, before going on to blast Trump and Cruz as "equally objectionable for different reasons."

"Mr. Trump has neither experience in nor interest in learning about national security, defense or global trade," the editorial board penned. "From deporting Mexican immigrants and barring Muslims to slapping a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports, Mr. Trump invents his positions as he goes along."

Of Cruz, the Times labeled his campaign one of "ambition," rather than "constitutional principles."

"Whether he's threatening to 'carpet bomb' Syrian villages or pitching a phony 'flat tax' that would batter middle-class consumers, Mr. Cruz will say anything to win," the editorial said. "The greater worry is that he'd follow words with action."

The Kasich endorsement went on to slap at the wrists of other GOP candidates trailing behind in the polls: Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has "failed to ignite much support"; Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has "forgotten his more positive 'New American Century' campaign" in favor of "embracing the alarmist views" of his opponents; and Ben Carson has shown a remarkable "inability to grasp the world."

The Times didn't even name Kasich in the editorial's headline, instead titling it an anodyne "Chance to Reset the Republican Race."

The Times spent just a scant few paragraphs enumerating the White House qualifications of the Ohio governor, who the paper acknowledged was a "distinct underdog."

The Times named Kasich a chief executive with conservative bona fides -- a man who has "gone after public-sector unions" and limited abortion and same-sex marriage rights, but is also given to compromise in the face of partisan fights.

The paper praised Kasich's position on a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigration, as well as his $13 billion expansion of Medicaid in Ohio.

"For Republicans tired of the extremism and inexperience on display in this race," the editorial board wrote, Kasich was "the only plausible choice."

During a Fox News interview Saturday, Kasich called the Times nod "fantastic."

"It's just really awesome," he said. "You want to have everybody for you. I think that what works for me is I've proven that I can attract voters across the board."

In the GOP primary season, however, the Times endorsement may be a mixed blessing for Kasich, entrenching him further as an "establishment" candidate when Republican voters are trending towards contenders that are anything but.

In the latest CBS News Battleground Tracker poll released earlier this week, Trump leads among voters in Iowa -- where the nation's first nominating contest will be held in just two days -- because of his ability to "shake up the system."

In a separate editorial, the Times also gave their endorsement to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: the "right choice for the Democrats to present a vision for America that is radically different from the one that leading Republican candidates offer."

The paper focused largely on Clinton's foreign policy experience and specifically applauded her economic platform.

"Her lifelong fight for women bolsters her credibility in this area, since so many of the problems with labor law hit women the hardest, including those involving child care, paid sick leave, unstable schedules and low wages for tipped workers," the Times wrote.

The editorial board questioned her "hawkish" stance on the use of military might in conflicts abroad, but still put their faith in Clinton to "use American military power effectively."

The endorsement also drew differences between Clinton and her rival Bernie Sanders on gun control, naming the former secretary a "strong advocate of sensible and effective measures to combat the plague of firearms." Sanders' record, meanwhile, was "relatively weak," according to the Times.

Sanders was also slammed for lacking the "breadth of experience or policy ideas" compared to Clinton. Of the Vermont senator's boldest proposals to tackle the financial sector and to reinvent the health care system with a single-payer alternative, the editorial board said "his plans for achieving them aren't realistic."

The newspaper backed Clinton in the 2008 presidential election and endorsed her twice during her two New York races for the U.S. Senate.



"Mr. Trump has neither experience in nor interest in learning about national security, defense or global trade," the editorial board penned. "From deporting Mexican immigrants and barring Muslims to slapping a 45 percent tariff on Chinese imports, Mr. Trump invents his positions as he goes along." . . . . and Ben Carson has shown a remarkable "inability to grasp the world." …. The Times named Kasich a chief executive with conservative bona fides -- a man who has "gone after public-sector unions" and limited abortion and same-sex marriage rights, but is also given to compromise in the face of partisan fights. The paper praised Kasich's position on a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigration, as well as his $13 billion expansion of Medicaid in Ohio. "For Republicans tired of the extremism and inexperience on display in this race," the editorial board wrote, Kasich was "the only plausible choice." …. The endorsement also drew differences between Clinton and her rival Bernie Sanders on gun control, naming the former secretary a "strong advocate of sensible and effective measures to combat the plague of firearms." Sanders' record, meanwhile, was "relatively weak," according to the Times. Sanders was also slammed for lacking the "breadth of experience or policy ideas" compared to Clinton.”


I’m not going to vote for a Republican, but if I did I would definitely prefer Kasich, not merely because his views are more centrist than any of the others, but because compared to the others he seems to be a pleasant, rational thinking individual. As for Clinton having a broader range of experience than Sanders, I agree, but she is not as strong on the economic front as he is, and I think that is the greatest and most commonly unmet need that we have in today’s America. As for being weaker on gun control and slow to react to the BLM movement, I think his main personal focus has been on the inequality between the wealthy and all of us who are (much) less well to do. He has quickly stepped up to the plate on both of those social issues. Our main problem is the wealth gap. The wealthiest in this country are in a position to buy the government seat by seat, and that is exactly what they are doing, not to mention the socially unfair laws being enacting around the states under the ALEX plan of action. Those things are a real threat to our national heritage and a prosperous, happy future for our citizens.



7. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/audio-cpr-started-11-minutes-after-staff-found-gynnya-mcmillen/

Audio: CPR started 11 minutes after staff found Gynnya McMillen
By GRAHAM KATES CBS NEWS
January 30, 2016

Photograph -- Gynnya McMillen LACHE SIMMS VIA FACEBOOK


A sheriff's deputy planning to transport 16-year-old Gynnya McMillen to court arrived at the Lincoln Village Juvenile Detention Center to pick her up at 9:55 a.m on Jan. 11.

When he arrived, staff at the small facility entered the cell where McMillen spent her one night at Lincoln Village alone. They realized she was "cold" and not breathing, according to emergency dispatch recordings obtained by 48 Hours' Crimesider.

Nine minutes passed between the deputy's arrival and the first call to 911, at 10:04 a.m.

About 1 ½ minutes later, the emergency dispatcher asked a Lincoln Village nurse if CPR was being performed.

"No it's not," the nurse said.

"They want us to start CPR," she can then be heard saying to someone at the facility.

"Do y'all have a CPR protocol or do y'all need it?" the dispatcher asked about 10 seconds later.

"I'm new, I can find out, I don't know," the nurse replied.

By 10:07, dispatch confirmed that CPR was beginning, and that McMillen was "cold to the touch." Eight minutes later, an EMS supervisor radioed dispatch and declared McMillen dead. It is not clear if a defibrillator was used at any time. McMillen's body was on the way to the county coroner by 11:33.

Since McMillen's death, officials have indicated she likely died in her sleep, though no cause has yet been determined. Members of McMillen's family have criticized the treatment she received from staff, both before and after her death.

"They have a duty to serve and perform. You start CPR. It doesn't take 11 minutes to assess whether one is breathing or not," said Dana McDuffie, whose fiance, Greg Mitchell, is McMillen's brother.

Officials initially released few details about the circumstances of McMillen's death, leading her sister to launch a social media campaign seeking answers.

gynnya_mcmillen2.jpg
Gynnya McMillen LACHE SIMMS VIA FACEBOOK

A state official said Friday that on Jan. 10, the day before McMillen's death, a Lincoln Village employee used an "Aikido restraint" on her. The martial arts technique was used because McMillen refused to remove her sweatshirt in order to be searched and photographed for booking.

"The staff performed an Aikido restraint hold to safely conduct a pat-down search and remove the youth's hoodie," Floden wrote. "The purpose of having multiple staff involved in a controlled restraint is to ensure the safety of the youth and staff."

The teen's "repeated refusal to cooperate with staff and remove her outer garment prompted the restraint," Floden wrote. A female staff member conducted the pat-down and removed the hoodie, she said.

It's not clear if the "Aikido restraint" factored into McMillen's death on Jan. 11. Her death is currently under investigation by the Kentucky State Troopers and the Justice Cabinet's Internal Investigation's Branch. McDuffie expressed frustration at the slow trickle of information released by officials since McMillen's death.

"As you try and grieve in a proper effective manner, you keep thinking, 'What's going to come out next? They said one thing before and now it's something else,'" McDuffie said Saturday.

Her sentiment was echoed by McMillen's sister, LaChe Simms.

"It's a lot to take in, it really is. It's a lot process," Simms said. "It still doesn't make sense."

Michele Deitch, an attorney and juvenile justice expert who lectures at the University of Texas at Austin, said Friday that youths in detention should only be restrained when there's a risk of physical danger to themselves or others. Deitch criticized the use of martial arts in particular.

"I've never heard that phrase used in the context of a corrections setting," Deitch said.

A chapter Deitch wrote in the National Institute of Corrections' guide to working with youth in confinement covers "crisis management" for juveniles in detention.

"Situations in which there is not active violence, but a youth simply refuses to comply with an order or is passively resisting do not constitute an immediate necessity of force; policy should clarify this," Deitch wrote in the the federal agency's guide. "The continuum of force must offer options for staff--including separation of the youth from peers, verbal de-escalation, or the involvement of mental health staff--that do not involve hands-on measures."

State police are not currently considering criminal charges in the case.

However, Reginald Windham, a Lincoln Village employee, was placed on paid administrative leave as a result of the internal investigation. Officials say Windham, who has been with the state's juvenile justice department for 10 years, failed to check on McMillen every 15 minutes, a requirement for those in isolation at the detention center in Elizabethtown.

McMillen was placed in a cell by herself on Jan. 10, at some point after the Aikido incident. Officials previously confirmed to 48 Hours' Crimesider that McMillen did not respond the next morning when food was offered at 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., or later when her mother called.

In the nearly 3 ½ hours between when McMillen was first offered food and when the deputy arrived for her at 9:55, she was not checked on.

It is not clear when exactly she died.

Staff said McMillen's failure to respond the morning of her death didn't raise red flags, because "her silence was consistent with her behavior" after arriving at the facility, according to Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet spokesperson Lisa Lamb.

Liz Ryan, a juvenile justice consultant, and founder of the advocacy group Campaign for Youth Justice, said in an interview Wednesday that when McMillen missed breakfast, it should have immediately been a cause for concern.

"It's common sense. It's a reasonable expectation. Somebody should have gone in to check to make sure that she's okay," Ryan said.

She and Deitch noted that juvenile detention centers are not supposed to be punitive in nature, in part because they're typically for youth who are pre-trial, and therefore not convicted of any crimes. Both said staff should seek to "engage" teenagers who are not communicative with staff.

McMillen was brought to Lincoln Village on Jan. 10 after she was charged with misdemeanor assault, following what police called a "domestic incident" at her mother's home in Shelbyville, Ky. Officials say a court-designated worker -- a Kentucky official who handles pre-court processing related to juveniles -- made the recommendation that McMillen be brought to a detention center.

It is not clear why McMillen was alone in a cell or how often she was checked on throughout the night. In Kentucky, youths in isolation must have video surveillance at all times. That footage has been turned over to investigators.

Last week, Kentucky Justice Cabinet Secretary John Tilley requested the investigations be expedited along with McMillen's autopsy.



The following is from the Wikipedia article below. “Ueshiba's [who devised this form of martial art] goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.[3][4] Aikido techniques consist of entering and turning movements that redirect the momentum of an opponent's attack, and a throw or joint lock that terminates the technique.[5].” A YouTube demonstration described as “aggressive” Aikido combat shows the potential for dangerous or even lethal injury. It looks like Bruce Lee stuff. Another shows a simple hold, however, that is probably harmless and effective in which the “attacker” hand is grasped tightly by the fingers and twisted. If the attacker strongly resisted that one he might be unable to use that hand for quite a while. A Daily Mail article stated that the restraint was used “because she refused to take off her hoodie”. See “http://www.stenudd.com/aikido/aikidobasics.htm.”

In other words, this Martial Arts hold, meant to merely immobilize an attacker, shouldn’t have caused death, although a sprain might be likely. See the photograph at the site above. I will be looking for more information on this story. A thorough autopsy, not merely a cursory examination for bruises, should be and probably will be conducted. If the press hadn’t become aware of the situation and published this story, perhaps that wouldn’t be true.

Police “holds” have caused injuries before. The infamous “rough ride” case began with a police hold which may have been the real cause for the prisoner’s back injury, and the case of a neck restraint on a large man who was not resisting arrest, but was in effect probably considered too large to tackle without the choke hold. He unfortunately suffocated, and again, was not given any kind of medical aid until he was unconscious, even though he kept saying “I can’t breathe.” That man’s crime was selling individual cigarettes on the street, probably for a dollar or so apiece. Big crime!



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido

Aikido
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


“Aikido (Japanese: 合気道 Hepburn: Aikidō?) [a.i.ki.doː] is a modern Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the way of unifying (with) life energy"[1] or as "the way of harmonious spirit."[2] Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to defend themselves while also protecting their attacker from injury.[3][4]

Aikido techniques consist of entering and turning movements that redirect the momentum of an opponent's attack, and a throw or joint lock that terminates the technique.[5]

Aikido derives mainly from the martial art of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, but began to diverge from it in the late 1920s, partly due to Ueshiba's involvement with the Ōmoto-kyō religion. Ueshiba's early students' documents bear the term aiki-jūjutsu.[6]

Ueshiba's senior students have different approaches to aikido, depending partly on when they studied with him. Today aikido is found all over the world in a number of styles, with broad ranges of interpretation and emphasis. However, they all share techniques formulated by Ueshiba and most have concern for the well-being of the attacker.”

January 29, 2016


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/zika-virus-at-pandemic-level-national-institutes-of-health-says/

Zika virus at "pandemic" level, National Institutes of Health says
By JONATHAN LAPOOK CBS NEWS
January 28, 2016

Photograph -- In this Dec. 23, 2015 photo, Dejailson Arruda holds his daughter Luiza at their house in Santa Cruz do Capibaribe, Pernambuco state, Brazil. FELIPE DANA/AP
Graphics -- zikamap-2-title.jpg, The CDC has issued a travel alert advising pregnant women to postpone travel to nearly two dozen countries -- mostly in Central and South America and the Caribbean -- where Zika transmission is ongoing. CDC/CBS NEWS
Play VIDEO -- NIH director: We don’t expect major Zika virus outbreak in U.S.
Play VIDEO -- U.S. doctors prepare as Zika virus spreads


NEW YORK -- The World Health Organization warned Thursday the Zika virus is "spreading explosively," and could infect four million people by the end of the year.

It's in 23 countries, including the U.S., where it is now being called a pandemic, with 31 cases in eleven states and D.C. since last year. All the patients here were infected by mosquitoes abroad.

The virus, first discovered in the Zika Forest in Uganda in the 1940s, is linked to serious birth defects.

"Questions abound," WHO director Margaret Chan said. "We need to get some answers quickly."

The organization will convene an emergency meeting on Monday to plan its response.

The Zika virus, which is linked to children being born with small heads, poses several challenges. Diagnostic tests are imperfect. There's no treatment and no vaccine.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the infectious diseases branch of the National Institutes of Health, says the outbreak is a pandemic.

"You have multiple countries in South America and in the Caribbean, so by anybody's definition that would be considered a pandemic," Fauci told CBS News.

There's concern the virus will eventually be found in mosquitoes in the U.S.

"If you have this much Zika in South America and the Caribbean, sooner or later we're going to see a local transmission," he said.

Fauci said controlling mosquitoes that could carry Zika is key, and the United States has one big advantage.

"Most of the United States goes through a real winter and that's very, very important in containing mosquito-borne viruses," he said.

Ana Palazzo, 35, is pregnant with twins. Two months ago, she cut short a trip to Brazil and returned to New York.

"I want my babies to be safe and I was very anxious about it," Palazzo told CBS News. "I didn't feel safe there."

There are still a lot of unknowns and the healthcare community is watching the virus carefully.



“It's in 23 countries, including the U.S., where it is now being called a pandemic, with 31 cases in eleven states and D.C. since last year. All the patients here were infected by mosquitoes abroad. …. There's concern the virus will eventually be found in mosquitoes in the U.S. "If you have this much Zika in South America and the Caribbean, sooner or later we're going to see a local transmission," he said. …. "Most of the United States goes through a real winter and that's very, very important in containing mosquito-borne viruses," he said.”


This article largely summarizes information from the past weeks, but there is information in it concerning the US. Luckily we haven’t found (I won’t say “don’t have”) any Zita infected mosquitoes in the US yet, but we have a long history of serious mosquito borne diseases here including yellow fever, malaria and the so-called “break bone fever,” now called Dengue fever. Many of our early forebears were killed by these diseases.

See “http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/history/elimination_us.html” and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3516305/. We are far from being safe here. We have half a dozen subtropical states with lots of swamps and river deltas. I’m interested in the article from several days back about a scientific experiment involving selectively breeding mosquitoes which have a lethal gene that takes effect before they are of breeding age. Those mosquitoes are then set loose in the wild to breed with the natural population and spread their lethal gene around. That should reduce the fertile mosquito population significantly.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-hallman-gay-veteran-kicked-out-of-army-receives-honorable-discharge/

Gay veteran, 82, receives honorable discharge after Army kicked him out
CBS/AP
January 29, 2016


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An 82-year-old Ohio veteran has received an honorable discharge a half century after the Army kicked him out for being gay.

Donald Hallman of Columbus requested a reversal of his 1955 "undesirably" discharged status after President Barack Obama repealed the military's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" rule in 2010.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, helped Hallman obtain the update. Brown says an estimated 100,000 Americans have been discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation since World War II and often lost benefits they had earned.

Brown co-sponsored federal legislation to help service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation correct their military records and receive reinstated benefits.

Hallman served from 1953 to 1955 and was stationed in Frankfurt, Germany.

In September, Hallman told the New York Times that he hid his sexual orientation "because it would have ruined my life."

In a YouTube video posted by Stonewall Columbus, Hallman said that he was discharged shortly after an encounter with a man on the sidewalk of Frankfurt.

"I was on an airplane back to New York and discharged almost immediately," Halllman said. "Just bang, bang, bang... no explanation, no conversation, no nothing."

Hallman said he eventually married and had three children.



“U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat, helped Hallman obtain the update. Brown says an estimated 100,000 Americans have been discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation since World War II and often lost benefits they had earned. Brown co-sponsored federal legislation to help service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation correct their military records and receive reinstated benefits. …. In a YouTube video posted by Stonewall Columbus, Hallman said that he was discharged shortly after an encounter with a man on the sidewalk of Frankfurt.”


“Hallman said he eventually married and had three children.” Some men who have sexual contact with men are also sufficiently attracted to women to successfully marry and procreate. They are usually called bisexual. Women are also bisexual as well. In the 1950s however, a very socially conservative time, it was a shocking scandal if it got out as common knowledge. I’m glad to see that the Army is redressing the wrongs done to soldiers in earlier years. Losing medals, rank and pension is no small injury.



http://www.cbsnews.com/news/walmart-stores-nationwide-closures-impact-small-towns-employees/

Walmart closures a "double blow" for many frustrated residents
CBS NEWS
January 29, 2016

Play VIDEO -- Walmart imports from China drain 400,000 jobs from U.S.


More than 100 Walmarts around the country shut their doors Thursday for good -- many in small towns and rural areas with few other shopping options.

The retailer cites a long-term strategy shift and financial performance. Company shares are down 25 percent over the past 12 months, and the nationwide closures will also impact thousands of employees, reports CBS News correspondent David Begnaud.

"It's maddening because Walmart chose to do this," said resident Retha Thompson, who feels betrayed by Walmart's decision to leave Whitewright, Texas just 12 months after its grand opening. "They chose to come here and then when they put the other grocery store out of business, they want to close down and leave. I'm mad."

She's talking about "Pettit's," the mom and pop grocery that was a mainstay in this small town for nearly 60 years.

"Business - it just quit coming," Larry Deeds, the store's co-owner said.

Pettit's closed about nine months after Walmart opened.

"It's almost enough to bring a tear to your eye to see all these shelves empty," said Will Pettit, who worked here since he was 16.

When Walmart moved in last year, Whitewright's Mayor Allen West said a little competition from Walmart was a good thing. But now that it's leaving, "it's going to hurt the city financially, it's going to hurt the citizens economically and not good for their mental status," the mayor said.

Walmart is closing 154 stores in 27 states, many of them in small towns. In a statement to CBS News, Walmart said:

"The decision to close some of our stores was not easy and we share in the communities' disappointment. We're always searching for opportunities to serve more customers throughout the country -- especially those in underserved communities. We're now focused on where we can help impacted communities through our plans for charitable giving and expediting the process to work with potential buyers for these locations."

"Communities are finally getting a look at not only the effects of when Walmart comes into town, but also when they leave," said Bloomberg news reporter Shannon Pettypiece. "And I think that is a double blow for a lot people."

But Deeds said Walmart doesn't deserve all the blame.

"I lost some customers that had been coming to me for 20 or more years," Deeds said.

And now that Walmart is closed, Retha Thompson will drive half an hour to the closest grocery store.

"It won't be Walmart. I'm done with Walmart," Thompson said.

Two of Thompson's daughters-in-law were Walmart employees. They were offered either a severance package or the opportunity to relocate to work at another store, as goes for thousands of other employees across the country.


“More than 100 Walmarts around the country shut their doors Thursday for good -- many in small towns and rural areas with few other shopping options. The retailer cites a long-term strategy shift and financial performance. Company shares are down 25 percent over the past 12 months, and the nationwide closures will also impact thousands of employees, reports CBS News correspondent David Begnaud. …. "They chose to come here and then when they put the other grocery store out of business, they want to close down and leave. I'm mad." She's talking about "Pettit's," the mom and pop grocery that was a mainstay in this small town for nearly 60 years.”


It would be really interesting if Pettit’s and the town of Whitewright were to sue Walmart for their persistent, overly aggressive and monopolistic business practices. It seems to me that this may be covered under the Antitrust Laws. Maybe all the towns where they have bullied their way in and basically destroyed the local economy like this could join the suit. It would be the most spectacular class action suit in years. A Walmart tried to force its’ way into a Jacksonville neighborhood a few years ago, but the citizens banded together and stopped the deal. We need more of that.

Unfortunately, antitrust protection for small businesses and communities is less inclusive, according to the article below, than is protection for private individuals. This, however, is a matter of legal argumentation and interpretation. The Wikipedia article below on antitrust laws, which is of considerable interest to me, shows a bias in favor of the larger businesses. It’s all a part of economic theory, as are so many things in this country which show unfair competition being held up as a good thing. The following excerpt shows that there is room for the Supreme Court, perhaps, to weigh in on it. It lays out the arguments on the subject of why small businesses often don’t get antitrust protection. Of course, the real reason is pure politics.

“One view, mostly closely associated with the ‘Chicago School of economics’ suggests that antitrust laws should focus solely on the benefits to consumers and overall efficiency, while a broad range of legal and economic theory sees the role of antitrust laws as also controlling economic power in the public interest. [1]”

The whole point of antitrust legislation was to break up huge companies, i.e. the “robber barons.” This “conservative” view on competition in business is ridiculous. Protect private citizens, yes, but protect small economic endeavors as well. Small towns often have no other way for their citizens to transact business, and the diversity that comes from an active participation by the local mom and pop shop is healthy for the overall economy – competition, ya know? It is sad to see our smaller towns which have been in existence for a hundred years or more simply die. They have emotional and historic value to many past residents.


See Wikipedia article excerpt below:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_antitrust_law

United States antitrust law
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“United States antitrust law is a collection of federal and state government laws that regulates the conduct and organization of business corporations, generally to promote fair competition for the benefit of consumers. (The concept is called competition law in other English-speaking countries.) The main statutes are the Sherman Act 1890, the Clayton Act 1914 and the Federal Trade Commission Act 1914. These Acts, first, restrict the formation of cartels and prohibit other collusive practices regarded as being in restraint of trade. Second, they restrict the mergers and acquisitions of organizations which could substantially lessen competition. Third, they prohibit the creation of a monopoly and the abuse of monopoly power.

The Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, state governments and private parties who are sufficiently affected may all bring actions in the courts to enforce the antitrust laws. The scope of antitrust laws, and the degree to which they should interfere in an enterprise's freedom to conduct business, or to protect smaller businesses, communities and consumers, are strongly debated. One view, mostly closely associated with the "Chicago School of economics" suggests that antitrust laws should focus solely on the benefits to consumers and overall efficiency, while a broad range of legal and economic theory sees the role of antitrust laws as also controlling economic power in the public interest.[1]”


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_school_of_economics

Chicago school of economics
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“The Chicago school of economics is a neoclassical school of economic thought associated with the work of the faculty at the University of Chicago, some of whom have constructed and popularized its principles.

In the context of macroeconomics, it is connected to the freshwater school of macroeconomics, in contrast to the saltwater school based in coastal universities (notably Harvard, MIT, and Berkeley). Chicago macroeconomic theory rejected Keynesianism in favor of monetarism until the mid-1970s, when it turned to new classical macroeconomics heavily based on the concept of rational expectations. The freshwater-saltwater distinction is largely antiquated today, as the two traditions have heavily incorporated ideas from each other. Specifically, New Keynesian economics was developed as a response to new classical economics, electing to incorporate the insight of rational expectations without giving up the traditional Keynesian focus on imperfect competition and sticky wages.

Chicago economists have also left their intellectual influence in other fields, notably in pioneering public choice theory and law and economics, which have led to revolutionary changes in the study of political science and law. Other economists affiliated with Chicago have made their impact in fields as diverse as social economics and economic history. Thus, there is not a clear delineation of the Chicago school of economics, a term that is more commonly used in the popular media than in academic circles.[citation needed] Nonetheless, Kaufman (2010) says that the School can be generally characterized by:[1] ‘A deep commitment to rigorous scholarship and open academic debate, an uncompromising belief in the usefulness and insight of neoclassical price theory, and a normative position that favors and promotes economic liberalism and free markets.’”


From Quora on economic theories --

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-neo-classical-and-the-Keynesian-approach

What is the difference between the neo-classical and the Keynesian approach?

Answers:

(NOTE: I have left grammar, spelling and capitalization errors as they were published. There are none here that prohibit understanding of the statement. Each one is informative and interesting.)


Dmitri Mehlhorn, Husband; father; school room parent; angel investor; Democratic donor & activist.
Written Jun 15, 2015

“I know you can Google the scholarly answers so will give you a blunt and simplistic take.

Classical says essentially that the market will clear itself. If prices drop and most of society is in a depression with limited activity, rational actors will take advantage and start buying and making stuff because inputs are so cheap.

Keynesian says that mass psychology doesn't work that way. When there's a depression it can keep on going because the massive desire to avoid risk overwhelms the few risk-takers. Thus we must have interventions (fiscal and monetary) to get the psychology in the right direction.”


Ranvijai Ravi
Written Jan 2, 2015

“Economics is qualitative and quantitative study on allocation, distribution and production of economic resources. . . . .

There are two school of thoughts: Neoclassical and Keynesian. Each of them take different approach to economic study of the monetary policy, consumer behavior and government spending.

Neoclassical economic theory is based on laissez-faire economic market. lasissez-faire means free market economy with no or little government intervention.

Keynesian economic theory relies on spending and aggregate demand to define the economic marketplace. It means supply and demand are controlled by government agencies.

Neoclassical economic theory does not depend on government's spending. It believes government spending can retard the economic growth by increasing in public sector and decreasing in private sector.

Keynesian economic theory relies on government spending to jump start economic growth during sluggish economic downturn.

Neoclassical economic theory focuses on long term solutions of economic problems. The effect of inflation, government regulations and taxes can play important role in developing classical economic theories.

Keynesian economic theory focuses on immediate effect of economic problem. During economic recessions, depressions individual players have not enough resources for creating immediate results. The government is seen as only force to end these downturns through fiscal or monetary policies.”


Kyle Samuels
Written Dec 18 417 Views

“classical economics believes that markets are flexible both up and down. Keynes believed that prices and wages where sticky downward. in the first case recession are temporary, where as in Keynes they can go on indefinitely because they are in an unemployed equilibrium. Neo clasiscal return to the belief that markets are more dynamic in modern era. Hence less stickness. This was somewhat born out during the 80's when the fed let unemployment rise to dampen down inflationary expectations. Neoclasicist believe in expectations more. The last recession showed that in s deep recession KeynesIan response is preferred. But neoclassicals have better model for high growth periods. Clinton policies where actually more neoclassical, where as ObAna more keynsian”



This last answer, though having less grammatical correctness and worse spelling, really sums it up and explains why I prefer the Obama and Sanders approaches to the Clinton view. Hillary and Bill Clinton were more from the Neoclassical view than the Keynesian, as are most moderate Republicans and Democrats, for that matter, in this country. People like me tend to view that as the result of Big Money, especially the Koch Brothers. The Tea Party group are more conservative and Bernie Sanders is more left-leaning. The above Quora question does not incorporate the “New Keynesian” philosophy, but the article on the Chicago School Of Economics does.

One of the few things I remember from my economics 101 course is that the term “liberal,” among economists, refers to the old Laissez Fair theory espoused only by Conservatives nowadays, so that is probably why Clinton chose to describe himself as a “New Democrat” and a “Progressive,” and most modern Democrats have picked up that usage as well. One reference to “Progressive” that I saw stated that it doesn’t mean the Keynesian economic theory that has been used for years in this country under that term “liberal,” but has instead a socially progressive emphasis -- referring to "progress" -- such as the promotion of civil rights, pro-unionism, poverty programs, etc.

In other words, the wealthy Republicans today, who mainly want to continue getting ever richer on a daily basis, as the old 1930s song said “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer”; but the blue collar and less well educated Republicans want White Power, a strong emphasis on the Fundamentalist Protestant religions, States’ Rights and “small government.” To me that is a code word for no help for the needy, strict segregation and other Jim Crow laws, freedom from federal legal control, etc. They want to turn the clock back 40 years or more. The Oregon anarchists from last week, while more extreme, are in the same trend of thought. “A pox on all their houses.”


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/solitary-confinement-lasting-toll-on-mental-health/

Solitary confinement takes lasting toll on mental health
By MARY BROPHY MARCUS CBS NEWS
January 26, 2016

Play VIDEO -- Obama bans solitary confinement for juveniles in fed prisons

President Obama's decision to ban the use of solitary confinement for juveniles and low-level offenders in federal prisons shines a spotlight on the deep mental scars such punishment can inflict.

In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, the president wrote that solitary confinement has the potential for "devastating, lasting psychological consequences." Mental health experts agree, saying it's traumatic and life stunting, especially for young offenders.

The president cited Kalief Browder's story. Browder was 16 years old in 2010, when he was accused of stealing a backpack. Unable to make bail, the Bronx, New York, teen was sent to Rikers Island jail where he spent two years in solitary confinement. In the end, charges were dropped and he was released without ever standing trial.

But Browder had been irreparably scarred by the experience and committed suicide at age 22.

"Life was a constant struggle to recover from the trauma of being locked up alone for 23 hours a day," Mr. Obama wrote.

Solitary confinement -- being placed in a locked room or cell with minimal or no contact with other people with the exception of staff -- is supposed to only be used as a protective mechanism, when a temporary emergency separation is required for medical reasons, or there's a need to separate prisoners who pose a threat.

But instead, solitary confinement is too often used as a form of discipline or punishment, Dr. Louis Kraus, chief of child psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, told CBS News.

Kraus previously worked for nine years at a maximum-security youth center in Joliet, Illinois. He has also served as a consultant to the Department of Justice on civil rights violations of youth in correctional facilities.

"What has become more and more evident in recent years is that it's progressively being used for punitive methods for kids," Kraus said. "There are still many states that use it for punitive purposes, for punishing kids, and that simply can not be allowed. There are examples of kids spending weeks on solitary confinement and that borders on cruel and unusual punishment."

Dr. Victor Fornari, director of the division of child and adolescent psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital, in Glen Oaks, New York, and Cohen Children's Medical Center, in New Hyde Park, said, "Solitary confinement is a pretty traumatic experience and often the individuals who are incarcerated, whose behavior warrants increased disciplinary action, have been very traumatized in their early lives."

He said solitary confinement can exacerbate traumatic memories of previous traumas, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse. "Or their startle response can increase, where they become hyper vigilant and have intrusive negative thoughts. It's very toxic for any age," said Fornari.

Kraus said the American Medical Association came out with a formal policy against solitary confinement for juveniles in November 2014, but even before that, in 1990, the United Nations prohibited solitary confinement of juveniles.

He said while the president's move is an important one, "It's amazing to think it took 26 years for there to be a policy on a federal level." He said more states -- where far more juveniles are incarcerated than in the federal prison system -- need to follow suit.

In the meantime, young people especially are continuing to be damaged by the practice, Kraus said.

"There's a tremendous negative impact on youth placed in solitary confinement. It can worsen anxiety symptoms and worsen post-traumatic symptoms. Many of these kids have already been subjected to prior neglect and abuse and this would only worsen that symptomatology -- depression symptoms and issues of acting out behaviors, and issues of hopelessness," said Kraus.

He said the majority of suicides that occur in juvenile corrections happen when kids are isolated from everyone else.

Kraus was the primary author of a 2012 statement by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry that said solitary confinement of juvenile offenders has the potential for a myriad of psychiatric consequences due to their still-developing and therefore vulnerable brains, including chronic depression and anxiety, and psychosis and long-standing changes in personality and development.

If an inmate has an existing mental health condition -- many have pre-existing anxiety, ADHD and PTSD -- when they entered, Kraus said solitary confinement can lead to an intensity of the disorders, which can then become more severe and chronic.

President Obama's op-ed detailed much the same argument. "[Solitary confinement] has been linked to depression, alienation, withdrawal, a reduced ability to interact with others and the potential for violent behavior," he wrote. "Some studies indicate that it can worsen existing mental illnesses and even trigger new ones. Prisoners in solitary are more likely to commit suicide, especially juveniles and people with mental illnesses."

"The adolescent brain is developing up until the early to mid 20s. Functional magnetic resonance imaging [brain scans] has shown this consistently. As long as you have a developing brain, you need to focus on a rehabilitative model. If you focus on a punitive model, you'll do far more damage in the long run," said Kraus.

"People are shocked when these kids get out of these scenarios and they start developing a stronger sense of suspiciousness and a lack of trust in people and a fear of authority figures," he said.

A study cited by the president estimates that 80,000 to 100,000 people were held in solitary confinement in U.S. prisons in 2014 -- including juveniles and people with mental illnesses. As many as 25,000 inmates are serving months, even years of their sentences alone in a tiny cell, with almost no human contact.

Kraus said research shows if juvenile offenders receive appropriate education and mental health and health care services, and are not further traumatized in a facility by means of solitary confinement, the majority can re-enter society successfully.

Funneling more funds into rehabilitation -- education and health services including specialized health personnel -- would help facilities for adults and children beef up services and reduce solitary confinement abuses, said Kraus.

Fornari said a lot can be learned from other societies that don't have solitary confinement and have much lower rates of incarceration.

"Many of the Scandinavian countries have found therapeutic methods where you're not harming, but rehabilitating. Ultimately, as we re-traumatize individuals with experiences like solitary confinement, we're really going to just increase the period of time they're incarcerated, and we're just going to guarantee their behavior will remain problematic," Fornari said.

He said there are humane and creative ways to help offenders become productive members of society.

"We're coming to appreciate that neural pathways are vulnerable and we know certain kinds of treatments can change brains in a positive way," he added.

He said therapies that include mindfulness, relaxation and deep breathing to help with coping skills, a lot of physical activity, marital arts, music lessons, writing, and art workshops can be rehabilitative.

Kraus said, "When a juvenile facility takes a child into custody, they have a responsibility to take care of the child -- meet their educational, medical and mental health needs consistent with societal norms. They're falling way short."



“In an op-ed published in the Washington Post, the president wrote that solitary confinement has the potential for "devastating, lasting psychological consequences." Mental health experts agree, saying it's traumatic and life stunting, especially for young offenders. …. is supposed to only be used as a protective mechanism, when a temporary emergency separation is required for medical reasons, or there's a need to separate prisoners who pose a threat. But instead, solitary confinement is too often used as a form of discipline or punishment, Dr. Louis Kraus, chief of child psychiatry at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, told CBS News. …. There are examples of kids spending weeks on solitary confinement and that borders on cruel and unusual punishment." …. He said solitary confinement can exacerbate traumatic memories of previous traumas, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse. "Or their startle response can increase, where they become hyper vigilant and have intrusive negative thoughts. It's very toxic for any age," said Fornari. …. He said solitary confinement can exacerbate traumatic memories of previous traumas, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse. "Or their startle response can increase, where they become hyper vigilant and have intrusive negative thoughts. It's very toxic for any age," said Fornari. …. He said while the president's move is an important one, "It's amazing to think it took 26 years for there to be a policy on a federal level." He said more states -- where far more juveniles are incarcerated than in the federal prison system -- need to follow suit. …. He said the majority of suicides that occur in juvenile corrections happen when kids are isolated from everyone else. …. Functional magnetic resonance imaging [brain scans] has shown this consistently. As long as you have a developing brain, you need to focus on a rehabilitative model. If you focus on a punitive model, you'll do far more damage in the long run," said Kraus. …. Kraus said research shows if juvenile offenders receive appropriate education and mental health and health care services, and are not further traumatized in a facility by means of solitary confinement, the majority can re-enter society successfully.”


Rehabilitation rather than mere punishment is supposed to be the goal of prison, but until more mental therapy is used it won’t happen. Group and one to one therapy, 12 step programs for those with drug/alcohol problems, GED classes, antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs, and the work related activities such as training dogs or holding jobs outside the prison are important. I think most people in prisons are lacking in personal development of a generalized kind, ranging from being able to form real friendships to the ability to read well enough to study school subjects. Improving their abilities in these ways can turn a “young hoodlum” into a decent young citizen with hope and vision for the rest of his life, ready to work, form a family, maybe even go to college. No more recidivism and related problems. Surely that is worth the effort.

Another thing we need to change is the fact that lots of states, especially in the South, do not allow felons, even after they have fully served their time, to vote without a complex system of state applications, and sometimes fees. That is one of the ways that “conservatives” have of keeping black people from voting against their rightwing policies and candidates.

Kalief Browder’s story above is truly shocking. Similar things were mentioned in the papers on the same theme from Ferguson, MO – jail when unable to pay a simple court fine, or in this case bail. He never got a trial, and after two years was set free without a trial, with the charges dropped. They probably didn’t have a case against him in the first place, and no one paid attention to the rule that he should get “a speedy trial.” Unfortunately the boy, just 16 years old at the time, was so broken mentally and emotionally that he killed himself.

The AMA and the UN have prohibited the use of solitary confinement on young people, and yet it is still done here in the US. We too often are not following basic precepts, no matter who has confirmed their validity. This doesn’t merely “border on cruel and unusual punishment,” it definitely is cruel, though not nearly as “unusual” as it should be. Our country is becoming ever more hard and mercenary as the hard core “conservative” views take hold. Who cares if a black kid who is (“too lazy”) to get a job with which to pay his bail slowly degenerates mentally over a crime so small or unprovable that the charges were finally dropped. Someone should make a movie out of his story so the public can see the horror of it. Maybe there would be a sufficient public outcry against the situation that prisons would be forced to stop the practice entirely, against people of any age.



http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/29/464856100/to-shine-a-light-on-salary-gaps-obama-wants-companies-to-disclose-pay-data

To Shine A Light On Salary Gaps, Obama Wants Companies To Disclose Pay Data
CAMILA DOMONOSKE
Published January 29, 2016

Photograph -- President Obama speaks about the gap in pay between men and women on Friday, as he introduced a new proposal that would require large companies to disclose data about employee pay by race, gender and ethnicity.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
Photograph: Lilly Ledbetter at a news conference on equal pay
Related -- From 2010: Despite New Law, Gender Salary Gap Persists
Related -- PLANET MONEY, How The Gender Pay Gap Has Changed (And How It Hasn't)
Related -- PLANET MONEY, The Jobs With The Biggest (And Smallest) Pay Gaps Between Men And Women
IT'S ALL POLITICS -- 5 Takeaways From The Equal Pay Debate


The Obama administration is proposing a new rule to address unequal pay practices by requiring companies with more than 100 employees to submit salary data by race, gender and ethnicity.

The announcement comes seven years after President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act — his first piece of legislation as president — which makes it easier for women to challenge discriminatory pay in court.

But a stubborn, substantial pay gap between men and women persists, and it affects black and Latina women the most, Obama said Friday as he introduced the proposal. The president said he would continue to work to reduce the gap as long as he was in office.

Gender Pay Gap

"Social change never happens overnight," he said. "It is a slog and there are times when you just have to chip away and chip away. ... It's reliant on all of us to keep pushing that boulder up the hill."

Collecting more data would assist in enforcing equal pay laws, the administration says, and "provide better insight" into the gender pay gap across industries and occupations.

The proposed pay data reporting requirement would cover more than 63 million employees, according to the administration. It's expected to be finalized by September, with the first reports due in the fall of 2017.

NPR's Scott Horsley explained to our Newscast unit that the proposed rule is an expansion of both existing data-reporting laws and a previous equal pay proposition:

"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission already collects data from big employers about the ethnic, racial and gender makeup of their workforce. Now, the EEOC wants employers to add pay information as well. ... The proposed EEOC rule is more expansive than an earlier proposal that would have applied only to federal contractors."

Obama is also once again calling for Congress to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would protect women from retaliation when they seek equal pay. Democrats have repeatedly introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act during the current administration, but it has always been defeated.

President Obama, pictured here with Lilly Ledbetter, and congressional Democrats are working the equal pay issue hard in a midterm election year when they will need as many women to vote as possible.

The White House also called for states and employers to take action on their own to promote equal pay.

Last year, for instance, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed an equal pay law that puts the burden of proof on an employer to prove a wage gap between a male and female employee is justified by seniority or merit. It requires companies to pay the same rate for "substantially similar" work, such as janitorial work and housekeeping.

In repeating the call for equal pay, the White House noted that the median wage of full-time female workers in America is 79 percent of a man's median earnings. That's a slight bump up from the 77-cents-on-the-dollar statistic, based on older numbers, that the White House has often alluded to before.

The comparison of median earnings is sometimes criticized as a crude metric for the gender pay gap. Economists have found that if you control for a host of factors, the pay gap is smaller — but persistent. The gap varies widely based on a woman's age and her race. It also shifts depending which industry you look at.

Requiring large employers to report their pay data, the administration argues, would allow "better insight" into exactly how the pay gap is influenced by industry and occupation.

Lilly Ledbetter, the namesake of the law signed seven years ago, introduced Obama on Friday and praised him for "not resting on his Ledbetter laurels."

Ledbetter sued her employer, Goodyear, over the difference between her pay and her male colleagues' pay.

"Almost two decades into my Goodyear career, I learned from an anonymous note that I had been earning thousands of dollars less than my male co-workers who were doing the same job as me," she said Friday.

"Nobody wants to be the poster child for unequal pay for equal work, but spurred on by that note, that's exactly what happened to me," she said.

Her suit against Goodyear made it all the way to the Supreme Court — where it was rejected because she didn't report the discrimination when it began, even though she didn't know about the disparity when it started. That was the impetus for the law that bears her name, which allows employees receiving unfair pay more time to bring a lawsuit.

"I may have lost my personal battle, but I will not lose this war," Ledbetter said Friday.



“'The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission already collects data from big employers about the ethnic, racial and gender makeup of their workforce. Now, the EEOC wants employers to add pay information as well. ... The proposed EEOC rule is more expansive than an earlier proposal that would have applied only to federal contractors." …. The proposed pay data reporting requirement would cover more than 63 million employees, according to the administration. It's expected to be finalized by September, with the first reports due in the fall of 2017. …. Her suit against Goodyear made it all the way to the Supreme Court — where it was rejected because she didn't report the discrimination when it began, even though she didn't know about the disparity when it started. That was the impetus for the law that bears her name, which allows employees receiving unfair pay more time to bring a lawsuit. "I may have lost my personal battle, but I will not lose this war," Ledbetter said Friday.”


Obama really is working to improve the economic and social situation in the US. I’m impressed with his awareness of the areas which need improvement. Most men really are not even interested in the subject of women’s issues. They just want to know that they won’t have a female supervisor. The fact that the EEOC collects all data except pay scale on every employee shows the “loophole” that is built into the law.

There have been improvements during my lifetime, of course. Not only are women able to do the same jobs in many fields, almost any way, but they are soon going to be able to agitate for better pay without being fired or demoted, if the Fairness act is passed. The right of a business to fire workers on such grounds is being openly championed, however, by the Republicans as the Fairness bill is to be put through for another vote soon. I really do hate the way too many men hang together in solidarity against women in so many ways, and seemingly for no other reason than status ranking competition. Add to that the stigma of being a black woman. It’s very likely that a black woman wouldn’t even be hired, unless it’s a housekeeper job.

This lack of data collection on women in the workplace is exactly like the situation in many police forces about the collection, publication and analysis of data on police use of force instances. Data is needed, presumably, to push new laws mandating change through on the overall need for new police tactics. So why isn’t there a federal law forcing state and local departments to fill out those data request forms and do it fully? The FBI said that their data is so poor because the data they get from the grassroots is extremely bad to nonexistent. Many city departments just don’t fill out the form.

If we can come to an agreement as a society that shooting a man over a traffic violation, or even over “disobeying an order” or “resisting arrest” by running from a police officer is immoral and should be illegal, our police/community relations would be much better. If officers who in effect murder “suspects” without receiving punishment themselves are allowed to continue to do that, black/white and rich/poor relationships will get worse and worse. If a suspect is actually armed and behaving dangerously, such as shooting a gun, assaulting a woman sexually, beating someone up to steal from him, that would be different in my view. There is a need for strong and even lethal force in many cases. That's why we have armed police. England does not arm their officers, at least in most cases. The good news is that MOST arrests do not involve police brutality, but the “bad apple” cops are still there. They need to be pulled out of the barrel and thrown to the hogs. Is that too graphic an image? You’re right. I’m sorry.