April 1, 2017
News and Views
IT’S CLEARLY SAUCE FOR THE GOOSE, RIGHT?
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pressure-builds-for-michael-flynn-to-testify-without-immunity/
Pressure builds for Michael Flynn to testify without immunity
CBS NEWS April 1, 2017, 8:33 AM
WASHINGTON -- Pressure continues to mount on former national security adviser Michael Flynn to testify before Congress about possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia even without protection from prosecution, CBS News correspondent Errol Barnett reports.
Flynn was fired from the White House in February for lying to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts with the Russian ambassador.
Flynn’s lawyer released a statement Thursday saying his client “has a story to tell,” but wants protection in order to tell congressional intelligence committees and the FBI what he knows. And that has all of Washington wondering what exactly that could be.
Trump: Mike Flynn should ask for immunity
Play VIDEO
Trump: Mike Flynn should ask for immunity
Even some Republicans like Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, are puzzled by Flynn’s request for protection from prosecution.
“Well, it doesn’t look good,” Chaffetz told Fox News on Friday. “I don’t know -- the witch hunt, I don’t buy that either. We’re just trying to get to the facts.”
Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, called Flynn’s immunity request “a grave and momentous step.”
Schiff went to the White House Friday to review the intelligence previously provided to Republican committee chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, who is facing questions about possible coordination with White House officials. Schiff called for the documents to be shared with the full intelligence committees.
On Friday, Mr. Trump refused to answer questions at the White House when CBS News chief White House correspondent Major Garrett asked about Flynn’s request. But Mr. Trump earlier encouraged Flynn to ask for immunity, tweeting that the ongoing congressional inquiries are nothing short of a “witch hunt.”
Press secretary Sean Spicer said Mr. Trump is supportive of Flynn testifying, but dodged questions about whether the president is trying to influence the investigations.
“He could have just said ‘testify,’” Garrett said during Friday’s press briefing. “He said he should get immunity.”
Sean Spicer says Trump thinks Michael Flynn should testify
Play VIDEO
Sean Spicer says Trump thinks Michael Flynn should testify
“The president is very clear that he wants Mike Flynn to go and be completely open and transparent with the committee and whatever it takes to do that he is supportive of,” Spicer replied.
Even if Flynn is granted congressional immunity, he could still face prosecution by the Justice Department.
During the presidential campaign, both Flynn and Mr. Trump said potential immunity for rival Hillary Clinton’s associates was tantamount to an admission of guilt.
“When you are given immunity that means you’ve probably committed a crime,” Flynn said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in September.
“If you’re not guilty of a crime, what do you need immunity for?” Mr. Trump said at a rally the next day.
NO, MR. PRESIDENT. THIS IS NOT A SCAM. YOUR FAKE UNIVERSITY WAS A SCAM!!
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-fake-trump-russia-story-a-total-scam-as-investigations-ramp-up/
Trump calls "Fake Trump/Russia story" a "total scam" as investigations ramp up
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS
April 1, 2017, 12:53 PM
Photograph -- President Donald Trump speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017 CAROLYN KASTER, AP
President Donald Trump singled out NBC “Meet The Press” moderator Chuck Todd on Twitter Saturday morning, asking when “Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd” and NBC will stop covering the “fake Trump/Russia story.”
Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
When will Sleepy Eyes Chuck Todd and @NBCNews start talking about the Obama SURVEILLANCE SCANDAL and stop with the Fake Trump/Russia story?
8:43 AM - 1 Apr 2017
17,847 17,847 Retweets 61,100 61,100 likes
Mr. Trump fired off two tweets Saturday, first asking when Todd and NBC will stop covering any Russian government ties to the White House, then vilifying NBC as the same network that perpetuated the theory he had “no path to victory” before the election. Mr. Trump dubbed NBC’s coverage a “total scam.” Todd discussed Russia Friday on NBC’s “Nightly News.”
Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
It is the same Fake News Media that said there is "no path to victory for Trump" that is now pushing the phony Russia story. A total scam!
9:02 AM - 1 Apr 2017
18,155 18,155 Retweets 66,670 66,670 likes
Todd wasted little time responding to Trump’s Twitter explosion.
Follow
Chuck Todd ✔ @chucktodd
For those wondering, I slept well even tho I stayed up late watching the #msstate upset of UConn. #cowbell. Don't feel sleepy at all though
10:08 AM - 1 Apr 2017
3,765 3,765 Retweets 23,060 23,060 likes
Mr. Trump didn’t stop tweeting criticisms of news outlets from there, saying the “failing New York Times finally” got something right and linking to a story about a lack of insurance companies under Obamacare.
Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump
The failing @nytimes finally gets it - "In places where no insurance company offers plans, there will be no way for ObamaCare customers to..
11:59 AM - 1 Apr 2017
8,111 8,111 Retweets 32,706 32,706 likes
Mr. Trump’s tweets comes after a week filled with Russia developments, including reports that his former national security adviser Michael Flynn is seeking protection before offering testimony. In addition, a pair of White House officials have been accused of helping provide the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee with reports showing Mr. Trump and his associates were swept up in surveillance of foreign communications by American intelligence agencies.
FBI Director James Comey confirmed two weeks ago that the FBI is investigating ties between Mr. Trump and the Russian government. CBS News learned Friday that the probe extends back earlier than previously reported, with investigators looking into connections between the Trump campaign and the Russian hack of the Democratic National Committee beginning in March 2016.
Mr. Trump has either criticized or ignored angles on the Russia story. On Friday, the president walked out of the Oval Office without signing planned executive orders on trade, dodging questions from CBS News’ chief White House correspondent Major Garrett about Flynn and any immunity offer. Pressure is building for Flynn to testify before Congress without immunity.
MAJOR DISASTER IN MOCOA, COLOMBIA DUE TO OVERFLOWING RIVERS
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/colombia-flooding-more-than-100-dead-after-rivers-overflow-and-sweep-through-city/
More than 150 dead as overflowing rivers rip through city
CBS/AP April 1, 2017, 1:42 PM
Photograph -- This handout photo released by the Colombia Presidential Press Office, shows an aerial view of a portion of Mocoa, Colombia, Saturday, April 1, 2017 AP
BOGOTA, Colombia -- An avalanche of water from three overflowing rivers swept through a small city in Colombia while people slept, destroying homes and killing at least 193 unsuspecting residents.
The incident triggered by intense rains happened around midnight in Mocoa, a city of about 40,000 tucked between mountains near Colombia’s southern border with Ecuador.
Muddy water and debris quickly surged through the city’s streets, toppling homes, ripping trees from their roots, lifting cars and trucks and carrying them downstream. Many of the residents did not have enough time to climb on top of their roofs or seek refuge on higher ground.
ap-17091626499293.jpg
Soldiers and residents work together in rescue efforts in Mocoa, Colombia, Saturday, April 1, 2017 AP
According to the Red Cross, 400 people were injured and 220 believed missing. President Juan Manuel Santos tweeted that 202 were injured.
Santos declared a state of emergency and said the death toll will likely rise but warned against speculating how many people remain missing.
“We don’t know how many there are going to be,” he said of the fatalities when he arrived at the disaster zone. “We’re still looking.”
Witnesses described feeling buildings vibrate and though an alarm reportedly went off to alert residents it could not be heard throughout the city. Videos residents posted online showed vast areas filled with wood planks and debris. Some could be heard calling out the names of people missing.
“In the middle of the night and this morning people lost loved ones,” Minister of Interior Juan Fernando Cristo said. “They lost families, boys, girls, young people, the elderly,”
ap-17091626393403-1.jpg
In this handout photo released by the Colombian National Army, soldiers and residents work together in rescue efforts in Mocoa, Colombia, Saturday, April 1, 2017 AP
The Red Cross planned to set up a special unit in Mocoa Saturday afternoon to help relatives search for their loved ones.
“In this moment, it’s chaos,” said Oscar Forero, a spokesman with the Colombian Red Cross. “There are many people missing.”
The slides washed away power stations, knocking out half of the electricity in the department of Putumayo, where Mocoa is located. The city’s water network was also destroyed.
Santos said that at least 200 people were injured, 22 of them seriously, for which they were being airlifted to nearby cities.
He blamed climate change for triggering the avalanche, saying that the accumulated rainfall in one night was almost half the amount Mocoa normally receives in the entire month of March. With the rainy season in much of Colombia just beginning, he said local and national authorities need to redouble their efforts to prevent a similar tragedy.
Herman Granados, an anesthesiologist at the local hospital, said he arrived early Saturday morning and worked throughout the night on victims. He said the hospital doesn’t have a blood bank large enough to deal with the magnitude of the crisis and was quickly running out of supplies.
He said some of the hospital workers came to help even while there are own relatives remained missing.
“Under the mud,” he said, “I am sure there are many more.”
IN THE ALMOST UNTOUCHED PARTS OF THE WORLD, LIFE DOES GO ON !! THESE DOGS ARE IN A PROTECTED WILDLIFE AREA, HOWEVER, THAT IS BEING COVETED NOW BY MINING INTERESTS. LOOK AT THE PHOTOGRAPHS. THIS IS A GORGEOUS ANIMAL.
https://niume.com/post/294307
New Guinea Wild Highland Dog Not Extinct After All
31 Mar 2017 in Interesting
I keep hoping that Tasmanian tigers and other extinct animals will be found in some remote place. That magical event has happened for the New Guinea Wild Highland dog that was thought to be extinct 50 years ago.
New Guinea's mountains and jungles apparently have provided hiding for this wild dog until now when it was rediscovered. At first glance, one might think it is a dingo (the wild dog of Australia) or a New Guinea singing dog. They are related to these other wild dogs.
Their golden color, pointed ears, and curved tail are distinctive features. About 15 of these rare highland dogs have been sighted by researchers from the New Guinea Wild Dog Foundation. You see the results displayed in the YouTube video above.
For comparison, here's a photo of a dingo. (photo from Pixabay)
DNA testing was done by the research team on the newly discovered wild dogs. the team took over 100 photos and some video of the rare animals using carefully placed game cameras. There were male, female, and some pups, which is promising for the future of this endangered wild dog breed.
Because New Guinea had placed restrictions on some mining operations previously, this created a sanctuary area where these rare animals have survived.
THEIR WEBSITE BELOW DOESN’T ASK FOR A DONATION, BUT I’M SURE THEY WOULD LIKE ONE IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT.
http://www.nghwdf.org/
New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation
WELCOME TO THE
NEW GUINEA HIGHLAND WILD DOG FOUNDATION
"SCIENCE FIRST"
I have been very fortunate to be blessed with good health and the opportunity to travel to some truly amazing places to conduct research over the past 35 years. Traveling on shoestring budgets, I have been witness to cultures and lifestyles few get to experience. My wanderlust, fueled by my love of field research, enabled me to take my "book" learning to levels I had never imagined.
I was in Vanuatu in the Southwest Pacific, continuing my studies of porcine intersexuality, when my colleague, friend and mentor, Dr. I Lehr Brisbin, requested I extend my trip to travel to the remote Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, where I was to search for the elusive Highland Wild Dog (similar to or the same as the New Guinea Singing Dog). 20 years later, after 3 1/2 years of persistence and perseverance, I was able to return to the island of New Guinea. This time the western side, Papua Province, to once again pursue Bris’ and my mutual passion - documenting the existence of New Guinea Highland Wild Dogs, which many thought to be extinct.
When traveling in third world countries, especially on the island of New Guinea, logistical challenges are an everyday occurrence. Nonetheless, with some luck and perseverance, I was able to take part in the documentation of Highland Wild Dogs for the first time in over 50 years. I have long realized the importance of the HWD as a key “missing link” canid that held the answers to so many questions that science has yet to reveal. Given the tremendous amount of work to be accomplished and the need to conserve this invaluable resource, Dr. Brisbin and I thought it important to create the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation. With our motto of “Science First”, the NGHWDF represents a resource rich, all inclusive platform for future pursuits regarding the HWD and NGSD.
I am personally honored and humbled to be party to the rediscovery of HWDs living in their natural environment and the sheer immensity of the science and research that is to follow. And I am so very pleased to have you join us on this journey.
A Science First
In their vision of what the NGHWDF would be, the founders knew they wanted an organization that would not only accomplish but nurture the research and science resulting from the re-discovery of the HWD.
To that end, the New Guinea Highland Wild Dog Foundation was born, with the hope of providing a unifying, resource rich platform to empower and bring together all those interested in the research, study and conservation of the Highland Wild Dog with focus on scientific discovery and conservation of the species.
The 3C Principle
In addition to our core value and motto of Science First, the NGHWDF embraces the 3C Principle. We proudly commit ourselves to Cooperation, Collaboration and Creativity in all that we do.
Cooperation
Collaboration
Creativity
UC Davis Dean's Circle Award
The NGHWDF is very proud of the relationships we've cultivated with universities and other institutions in pursuit of Science First.
We were especially proud and grateful to be named to the UC Davis Veterinary Medicine Dean's Circle Giving Society.
"Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions.
The more you express gratitude for what you have,
the more likely you will have even more to express
gratitude for."
Zig Zigler
The NGHWDF is honored by this recognition and we look forward to supporting and promoting science with our university partners in the future.
Ready to Jump In?
Click on the frog to make the leap to Science First 3C Discovery!
new guinea highland wild dog foundation, inc
NOTE: I did click on the frog, but nothing happened. Maybe it will for you. Do go through all the photos on this site, however. Don’t forget to look for the money tree!
FAKE NEWS? I WISH THAT WERE TRUE !!
http://www.pennenergy.com/articles/pennenergy/2017/03/coal-news-miner-killed-at-surface-mine-is-kentucky-s-2nd-coal-death.html
Miner killed at surface mine is Kentucky's 2nd coal death
By The Associated Press
March 30, 2017
ROCKHOLDS, Ky. (AP) — An accident at a southeastern Kentucky surface coal mine killed a 33-year-old miner, the state's second mining death this year.
Joseph W. Partin died early Thursday morning when a section of exposed rock fell on him at Green Hill Mining's No. 51 mine in Whitley County. Partin, of Williamsburg, was doing maintenance work on an auger when the 15-foot-tall rock section fell.
Kentucky's second mining death matched the state's total from last year. A release from Kentucky's Energy and Environment Cabinet says mining operations were shut down at the site and officials remained on the scene Thursday morning.
The mine was last inspected in December, and no unsafe conditions were found. A review of federal inspection records showed no serious violations at the site operated by Green Hill since 2005.
THIS SCENARIO IN THE NEXT ARTICLE IS UNDESIRABLE IF NOT DOWNRIGHT SCARY. I CAN'T DO THIS KIND OF THING FOR MYSELF, BUT I'M GOING TO ASK MY GOOD COMPUTER GEEK TO GET MY BLOG, ETC. PROTECTED WITH SOME ENCRYPTION UNLESS IT COSTS A FORTUNE. THIS MEASURE NOW COULD SAVE ALL KINDS OF TROUBLE LATER.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/your-online-secrets/201703/how-keep-your-web-browsing-private
How to Keep Your Web Browsing Private
Jennifer Golbeck Ph.D. Jennifer Golbeck Ph.D.
Your Online Secrets
Posted March 29, 2017
In the last week, both the House and the Senate passed a law that will allow your internet service provider (ISP) - the company that hooks your house up to the internet, like Comcast or Verizon - to sell your web history without your consent. Every search you do, every page you visit, is now up for sale. There is no privacy protection for this data anymore - you can't opt out of this data being sold. Using Incognito Mode or private browsing won't help with this, either. Because your ISP connects you to the internet, they see every request you make and page you go to and now they can sell this extremely sensitive data to anyone without your consent or knowledge. Personal surveillance has now become a big(ger) industry with an explicit legal stamp of approval.
Here's how you can fight back and, if you're not worried about this, more details on why you should be.
How to Reclaim Your Privacy
There are two steps to take to hide your browsing history from your ISP so they can't sell it:
Get a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Change your DNS settings
Don't worry if you don't know how to do that - we'll go through each one step by step.
VPNs
A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, creates a private encrypted link from your computer to your VPN provider. It's like a secret tunnel that all your network traffic goes through. It emerges from your house on the other end of the tunnel at the VPN, and from there it goes out to the internet. Responses go to the VPN who sends them through the tunnel to your house. Your ISP can see that you are connected to the VPN, but they cannot see the content you are sending back and forth because it is encrypted.
To get this protection, you need a VPN provider and then you have to set up your system. It's about as complicated as setting up a new email account and the process is actually quite similar.
First, you need to choose a VPN provider. There are free VPNs, but they usually monitor your traffic and add in ads. Paid services are affordable (~$40/year) and keep your data private. This article has recommendations for good VPN providers. If you're on a budget, I recommend Private Internet Access.
Once you are signed up with a VPN, you need to configure your system. I wrote an article for Slate in February that shows you how to do this, step by step, on your computers and your mobile devices.
DNS
The second step is to get a different Domain Name Servers (DNS) set up. The DNS is the part of your internet connection that turns the web address like example.com into the numeric IP address (like 127.0.0.1) that the internet requires. It's kind of like an internet phonebook. Your ISP provides you with their own DNS, but if your ISP looks up every domain name, they will have a record of everywhere you are going online. That means, to maintain your privacy, you need to farm out your DNS requests to someone other than your ISP.
Fortunately, there are hundreds of other options. All you have to do is configure your computer to point to a different service. The general way to do this is to go to your network settings, click on the advanced option, and in the spot for DNS, enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. Those are Google's public Domain Name Servers. The are fast and reliable. I use them on my computer. If you want a service that is totally independent (e.g. if you don't trust Google to keep your browsing private), you can browse a big list of other options here: http://public-dns.info/
If you need more direction to get your DNS settings configured, here is some more specific help:
For Mac
For Windows
Note: if you set this up on your system and then try to connect to a public wifi, like on an airplane, you may have difficulty connecting. If that happens, repeat this process and simply remove these DNS addresses from your settings. The public wifi will fill in their own DNS options. You can add them back in later. And every time you are on public wifi, be sure you activate your VPN for protection from snoopers and hackers!
Why You Should Worry
This privacy rule rollback is very concerning. Here are just a few things to be concerned about:
Your security is at risk - if you use passwords on sites that don't encrypt them, these may end up being stored. That means they could be revealed in the data that is sold or if someone hacks into the vast databases of information your ISP will collect.
Things like your medical history and financial history are at risk - Yes, that data is legally protected, but only when doctors or financial companies have it. It's not protected from sale if your ISP has it. If you are concerned about a medical condition or symptom and google it, your searches are now potentially public. If you check your bank balances and credit card statements, anyone can now find out which banks you use.
Your location is not private - If you get directions online or look up traffic, you reveal a lot about your location. Where you live is often included in these searches, and we can tell where you go. Your map search results will tell buyers where you live and where you go most often.
Other people may want this data - while advertisers are probably the main market, the police could come looking for this and get it from your ISP instead of getting a warrant for obtaining it from your computer.
This also is stepping up the level of surveillance we all face. And that can have real psychological impacts. If you are not free to search for information privately, you become less free in general to be informed and to care for yourself.
What can you do? Lobby your representatives to change their minds. This bill has already passed both houses, but enough pressure could get the law changed down the line. If your representative voted for the bill, look for an opponent who will support privacy regulations. And, in the meantime, protect yourself with these steps.
USING BERNIE’S PLAYBOOK TO BEAT TED CRUZ
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/beto-orourke-launches-texas-senate-campaign-against-ted-cruz/
This Texas Democrat thinks he can beat Ted Cruz using Bernie Sanders' playbook
By JACQUELINE ALEMANY CBS NEWS
April 1, 2017, 5:42 PM
Photograph -- Rep. Beto O’Rourke walks down the House steps after the finals votes of the week on Thursday, July 23, 2015 BILL CLARK, AP
The Democrat gunning to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas is ripping a page straight out of the playbook of Sen. Bernie Sanders, framing himself as an outsider who wants to harness the grassroots and eradicate the corrupting scourge of money in politics.
Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, a mop-haired 44-year-old El Paso native first elected to the House in 2012, embarked on a four-city tour of Texas on Friday to launch his underdog campaign against Cruz, who is up for re-election next year.
Throughout the day, O’Rourke talked up his “people driven” campaign for Senate, eschewed big money and party labels and emphasized job creation. He even dropped a few f-bombs in front of a crowd of beer-drinkers at a bar in Dallas.
As Democrats continue soul-searching over the future of a fractured party lacking a coherent message, O’Rourke is trying to present the image of a candidate who ignores the rules of conventional politics. The particulars of his Senate bid -- the site of his campaign headquarters, for example -- remain up in the air. But what is clear is that the Spanish-speaking Democrat is working hard to show voters he won’t take marching orders from the D.C. establishment.
gettyimages-162797662.jpg
O’Rourke in the Longworth House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 26, 2013 MANDEL NGAN/AFP/GETTY IMAGES
O’Rourke chatted by phone Friday as he boarded a commercial flight to Dallas, where he would meet supporters in the crowded backyard of a local brew house. No Democrat has won a statewide race in Texas in since 1994, but O’Rourke sounded bullish on his ability to connect with voters in a highly partisan environment.
“People want a full-time senator. Someone focused on this state -- not on running for President,” he said. “Someone who puts country before party and isn’t chasing big money, and believes public service is a calling and not a career.”
O’Rourke pledged to serve a maximum of two terms in the Senate, echoing the vow he made to serve no more than four terms in the House.
He didn’t hesitate when asked to say something nice about Cruz, a conservative provocateur who revels in eliciting scorn from both sides of the aisle. (Cruz’s chilly reputation among his Senate colleagues fueled joking accusations throughout the 2016 presidential campaign that he was in fact the Zodiac Killer.)
“I’ve met [Cruz] and I think he is a nice guy,” O’Rourke said. “I think he did a terrific job running for president and almost won the nomination, but did it at the expense of Texas and a Senate seat that should have been focused on the people of this state.”
“He’s a phenomenal campaigner and a smart guy,” he added.
Jeff Roe, Cruz’s 2016 campaign manager, wasted no time in attacking O’Rourke on Twitter after he announced his candidacy, calling him “more liberal than [Wendy Davis].”
Follow
Jeff Roe ✔ @jeffroe
Finally nat libs found a candidate more liberal than @wendydavis ! meet @RepBetoORourke will they sacrifice electability for liberalism?
9:25 AM - 31 Mar 2017
6 6 Retweets 7 7 likes
Davis, a former Texas state senator who gained national attention for filibustering an anti-abortion bill, ran for governor in 2014 with the backing of many national Democrats. She was crushed when voters went to the polls, losing to now-Gov. Greg Abbott by more than 20 points.
O’Rourke does have one thing in common with Cruz: He’s a social media obsessive who believes in the power of the internet to connect directly with voters.
Snow causes Texas Democrat and Republican to hit the road together
Play VIDEO
Snow causes Texas Democrat and Republican to hit the road together
His social media persona is part of his strategy. O’Rourke made headlines last month when he embarked on an impromptu 1,600-mile, 36-hour road trip from Texas to Washington with Republican Rep. Will Hurd after snow grounded their flights. The duo broadcast the bipartisan marathon on Facebook Live.
To follow him on social media is to become familiar with even the most mundane details of the congressman’s life. He’s an avid user of Instagram and Snapchat. On Friday, he snapped his morning run with his dog along the U.S.-Mexico border. Later, he boarded his flight and tweeted a grinning selfie from his middle seat in coach.
View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter
Follow
Beto O'Rourke ✔ @BetoORourke
Hola from seat 27B! Headed to Dallas and will see you tonight at Eight Bells Alehouse at 6:30!
4:46 PM - 31 Mar 2017
85 85 Retweets 528 528 likes
O’Rourke boasted that he has more Snapchat followers than any other member of Congress and says he’ll continue to be “the most accountable and transparent person in Congress,” using social media to connect with constituents and voters he would otherwise never get the chance to meet.
But O’Rourke, who once played in a rock band and lived in Brooklyn, plans to take on Cruz directly on the issue of money in politics.
Cruz raised nearly $90 million from super PACs during his 2016 presidential campaign, with $6 million going to a single analytics firm. O’Rourke has pledged not to take PAC money from wealthy donors, instead focusing on grassroots small-dollar fundraising.
To win a statewide race in Texas, O’Rourke will have to walk a tricky line. The Lonestar State still skews Republican despite perennial Democratic dreams of a growing Hispanic population turning the state blue. O’Rourke said he’s confident he can appeal to Trump supporters as well as Democrats.
“I can’t tell you how many Trump voters have approached me in Texas,” O’Rourke said. “It’s not a matter of buyer’s remorse. They are happy with their decision, would vote for Trump again. But they’re disappointed at how ineffective government is.”
“The road to effective government runs through Texas,” he added.
gettyimages-494470741-1.jpg
O’Rourke asks a question during a House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee hearing on May 29, 2014 ROD LAMKEY, GETTY IMAGES
This is not to downplay O’Rourke’s national progressive appeal. Shortly after O’Rourke formally entered the race, Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard academic who has carved out a side career fighting corporate money in politics, endorsed O’Rourke in a post on Medium.
“Beto O’Rourke wants to challenge one of the very few politicians in America today who actually openly and firmly defends this corrupt system -- Ted Cruz,” Lessig wrote.
“If a crazy man could be elected because he promised America he would ‘drain the swamp,’ I’m quite sure this incredibly-decent,-former-punk-rocker,-40-something,-takes-no-PAC$,-Congressman-willing-to-drive-1600-miles-in-a-car-with-a-Republican can be Texas’ next Senator,” he concluded.
O’Rourke isn’t the only Democrat with an eye on Cruz’s Senate seat. Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat whose district includes San Antonio, may also throw his hat in the ring. If he does, he’ll benefit from deep connections with national Democrats who could provide key support in the primary.
Castro has been busy with the House Intelligence Committee’s investigation into Russian interference in the U.S. presidential campaign, and has said he will decide by the end of April whether to jump into the race.
“He’s a friend and I think he’d be a great candidate,” O’Rourke said of the prospect of a matchup against Castro, which would immediately become one of the most watched primaries in the country. “I told him if he runs and joins me, I want to do this in a way we make Texas proud, and I’m confident we can do that.”
I HATE TO SEE THESE RACIAL ISSUES IN BRITAIN, BUT THEY ARE US, AFTER ALL.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/landlord-bans-coloured-people-curry-smell-racism-fergus-wilson-kent-a7653851.html
One of UK's biggest landlords bans 'coloured' people from renting properties 'because of the curry smell'
Fergus Wilson has previously told agents not to rent to battered wives, single parents, low income and zero hours workers... or plumbers
Charlotte England @charlottengland 4 days ago April 1, 2017 692 comments
VIDEO – FERGUS WILSON INTERVIEW
One of the UK's biggest buy-to-let landlords has instructed agents acting on his behalf, not to let his properties to “coloured people”, because the smell of curry “sticks to the carpet”.
Fergus Wilson's Kent property empire is thought to number around 1,000 homes in the Ashford and Maidstone areas.
The 70-year-old has form for "offensive directives" regarding who can and cannot rent his properties.
At the start of the year, he told agents not to rent to battered wives, single parents, low income and zero hours workers, or plumbers.
READ MORE
Landlords' immigration checks 'fueling discrimination'
Landlord bans domestic violence survivors and single mothers
Landlords charging renters extra fees for new passport checks
<b>In a second email to agents at Evolution Properties, the landlord — who evicted 200 tenants in 2014 for being on housing benefit — added: “No coloured people because of the curry smell at the end of the tenancy.”
His request was subsequently leaked to the media.
Defending the directive, Mr Wilson told The Sun: “To be honest, we’re getting overloaded with coloured people. It is a problem with certain types of coloured people — those who consume curry — it sticks to the carpet.
“You have to get some chemical thing that takes the smell out. In extreme cases you have to replace the carpet.”
Dozens of people responded on social media, condemning "vile" and "disgusting" Mr Wilson for racism, and speculating that he would be sued.
Anti-racism charity HOPE not hate told The Independent that the email was an "unacceptable throwback" to the 1960s.
“You simply cannot treat people like this and deny them a place to live due to their skin colour," a spokesman said. “This is the unacceptable face of the housing crisis. There is something broken in the system when such a powerful figure can get away with such an appalling policy. Fergus Wilson’s comments would seem laughably offensive, a throwback to the Alf Garnett era, if they weren’t so serious in their implication."
He added: “Mr Wilson should face the full legal implications of his actions. We’d encourage the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate further as a matter of urgency.”
VIDEO -- 0:00/4:26 Money roundup video: Bogus landlords' warning and pension freedom problems
It is currently not a criminal offence to ban any group of people from renting a property you own in the UK, but racial discrimination by landlords is against civil law, so a tenant or a tenants' rights group could take Mr Wilson to court, according to campaign group Generation Rent.
“Fergus Wilson’s words are a disgraceful throwback to a time when racial discrimination in housing was common in this country, and [although] his actions do not break criminal law, he could be challenged with a civil case under the Equality Act," the group's interim director, Dan Wilson Craw, told The Independent.
"The law needs to change," he added. “It shouldn’t be up to individual renters to have to proactively fight the worst landlords operating in the market," he said. "Robust landlord licencing that applied to all private lets would mean that the worst landlords could simply be denied a licence if found to discriminate – whether that be on grounds of race, gender, or other life circumstances.”
When asked by the Sun if he had told Evolution not to take “coloured” people, Mr Wilson confirmed he had issued the instructions.
“Certainly at one point we have,” he told the newspaper.
Approached for comment by The Independent an agent at Evolution Properties initially hung up the phone.
Roy Fever, the firm's manager, later said the company did not support the move.
“We don’t condone this at all," he said. “We would never implement a policy like that. We put through anyone to the landlord and it is up to the landlord who they take on.”
Only 30 mins cooking time, 15 min showers and no pork: landlord gives tenant ridiculous list of 31 rules
Mr Wilson, who is estimated to own properties worth £250 million has in the past, has been included in The Sunday Times rich list.
He previously defended his criteria for tenants by insisting he is not racist or homophobic.
“We have said nothing against lesbians and homosexuals or coloureds,“ he told local media earlier this year. "As long as they can pay the rent. We are in business to make money so we make a selection based on a sensible business plan."
He added: “If ever a person came in wearing pink socks and defaulted on rent, and it became a regular problem, then we would stop renting to people who wear pink socks.”
Mr Wilson and his wife Judith are currently in the process of selling off their empire, because they say buy-to-let is becoming less profitable, but they are still believed to own hundreds of properties in the south of England.
COULD THIS POSSIBLY BE TRUE? THE VIDEO DOESN’T LOOK DOCTORED THAT I CAN SEE !! HOWEVER, IT IS APRIL FOOLS’ DAY!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/badger-bury-cow-video-carcass-utah-grass-mountains-behaviour-food-cache-ranchers-a7660456.html
Badger caught on camera burying cow carcass in world first
'Watching badgers undertake this massive excavation ... is impressive'
Ian Johnston Science Correspondent @montaukian a day ago
April 1, 2017 17 comments
WATCH VIDEO!!
A badger has been filmed burying a cow by itself in the Grassy Mountains of Utah.
Astonishing footage captured by a camera trap shows the badger excavating a large hole to contain the remains of a calf carcass in behaviour never witnessed before.
Badgers were known to bury caches of food, such as mice and rabbits, and to scavenge meat from dead animals, but no one had thought they would take on a body that was about four times heavier than they were.
The researchers said that by burying the bodies of fallen stock badgers may provide a service for ranchers as this would help to stop the spread of disease.
Ethan Frehner, lead author of a paper about the discovery in the journal Western North American Naturalist, said: “This is a substantial behaviour that wasn’t at all known about.
badger2.jpeg
The badger dug a large hole around the body, then covered it over (Evan Buechley)
“Watching badgers undertake this massive excavation around and underneath is impressive. It’s a lot of excavation engineering they put into accomplishing this.
“They are an enigmatic species. A substantial amount of their lifetime is spent either underground or a lot of nocturnal behaviour, so it’s hard to directly observe that.”
Fellow researcher Evan Buechley, who is studying for a PhD, originally staked out seven dead calves with camera traps in the hope of finding out more about vultures and other carrion birds.
He went to check on the carcasses after a week to discover, to his disappointment, that one had gone missing.
“When I first got there I was bummed because it’s hard to get these carcasses, to haul them out and set them up,” Mr Buechley said.
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“I thought ‘Oh well, we’ve lost one after a week.’”
Thinking a mountain lion might have dragged it away, he looked around the area but found nothing so he decided to look at the camera trap.
“Right on the spot I downloaded the photos … We didn’t go out to study badgers specifically, but the badger declared itself to us,” he said.
After digging the hole and covering over the calf’s body to keep it safe from other scavengers and keep the meat for longer – “like putting it in the fridge,” Mr Buechley said – the badger sat on top of its work for a moment and seemed to stare straight at the camera.
“Not to anthropomorphize too much, but he looks like a really, really happy badger, rolling in the dirt and living the high life,” Mr Buechley said.
badger.jpg
'He looks like a really, really happy badger, rolling in the dirt and living the high life' (Evan Buechley)
And it had good reason to be pleased with itself.
“A large dead ungulate can provide a ton of resources. So far on the carcasses we've put out, we've had turkey vultures, golden eagles, many ravens, bobcats, kit fox and coyote, so there's a lot of animals that could be using this resource, and the badger just monopolises it,” Mr Buechley said.
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