Liberal_in_LA
Liberal_in_LA's JournalHillary Clinton’s Strong Start
That was partly spin, of course. There is no end in sight to the stories about the finances of the Clinton Foundation, the Clinton e-mails, or the activities of some of the Clintons’ associates. But as spring rolls into summer, Team Brooklyn has successfully accomplished its two initial goals: heading off the possibility of a serious challenge for the Democratic nomination and surviving a barrage of negative publicity that was inevitable at some stage, and which was, therefore, best confronted early on.
The entry into the Democratic contest by Bernie Sanders was welcome from a Clintonite perspective, because it filled a potentially dangerous vacuum. With his long record of service to progressive causes, Sanders is popular enough to garner a decent-sized following among liberal Democrats, but he’s almost certainly too far to the left to represent a serious threat to Hillary. So far, at least, his presence has been more of a problem for Martin O’Malley, the former governor of Maryland, who is set to officially announce his candidacy on Saturday. As I noted back in March, O’Malley is a serious figure who demands some respect. As governor, he eliminated the death penalty, legalized gay marriage, and championed various good-government initiatives. But with Sanders already out there on the stump, O’Malley has struggled to gain traction.
A new poll of likely Democratic voters conducted by Quinnipiac University illustrates the scale of the task that is facing Clinton’s challengers. The survey, which was carried out from May 19th to May 26th, showed her getting fifty-seven per cent of the vote. Sanders was in second place, with fifteen per cent. O’Malley got just one per cent, and so did two other possible candidates, Jim Webb, a former U.S. senator from Virginia, and Lincoln Chafee, a former governor and U.S. senator from Rhode Island. Of course, it is early in the process, and anything could happen between now and the end of the primaries. At this stage, though, Clinton is sitting pretty.
http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/at-this-early-stage-hillary-clinton-looks-strong
two anti-Obamacare repubs turn to Gofundme when faced with their own healthcare crisis
Obamacare Opponents Learn the Hard Way When They Faced Their Own Medical IssuesTwo Republicans who refused to buy health insurance launched GoFundMe initiatives after they had health problems.
Now Obamacare is in place. The hypothetical has become real. In the last few weeks we’ve learned of at least two Republicans who refused to buy health insurance and then launched GoFundMe initiatives when they encountered medical difficulties.
In November 2014, self-employed Richard Mack’s wife was hospitalized and then in early January he suffered a heart attack. His son launched a GoFundMe campaign. “It is difficult and humbling to say that we need your help but we do.” He’s raised $45,000 so far toward a $60,000 goal from a little over 1,000 donors.
Mack’s opposition to Obamacare is political. A former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona he is the founder of the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, a group he describes as “the army to set our nation free.” He serves on the board of Oath Keepers, a right-wing group made up of police and military veterans. He’s been an outspoken opponent not only of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) but of all federal authority. “The states do not have to take or support or pay for Obamacare or anything else from Washington, DC,” says Mack. “The states are not subject to federal direction.”
More widely reported is the case of Luis Lang, a 49-year-old self-employed resident of Fort Mill, South Carolina who always prided himself on paying his own medical expenses. He suffered a series of mini strokes earlier this year and ended up with bleeding in the eyes, a partially detached retina and a need for very expensive medical care to save his eyesight. He’s been out of work since December. His GoFundMe campaign has raised $26,000 toward a $30,000 goal from over 1,300 donors.
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/obamacare-opponents-learn-hard-way-when-they-faced-their-own-medical-issues
four kittens born in bird's nest to stray cat
The couple are watching the cats and will take them and get them adopted
When old enough.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/man-discovers-cat-gave-birth-kittens-birds-nest/story?id=31398728
Challenging India's prejudice against women: village plants 111 fruit trees for every baby girl
The Indian village of Piplantri aims to challenge prejudice against women
The former chief started a project to provide a sustainable future for girls
A quarter of a million trees have been planted in the eco-friendly initiative
The fruit trees provide food for the girls and their families for years
Aloe vera plants are harvested and used to make juices and gels for sale
As the woman blossoms into adulthood, so do the trees in a brilliant example of eco-feminism.
Not only have a quarter of a million trees been planted from this initiative, but the families have to pledge their daughters will not be married until they receive an education and reach the age of 18.
The incredible custom was started in 2006 by the former village chief, Shyam Sundar Palawal, following the tragic loss of his daughter, Kiran, to illness.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3102443/Village-India-plants-111-fruit-trees-baby-girl-born.html#ixzz3bk69fFak
Photo Raises Doubts About Police Shooting of Jermaine McBean
NEWS MAY 31 2015, 12:26 PM ET
Photo Raises Doubts About Police Shooting of Jermaine McBean
After Florida police shot Jermaine McBean to death as he walked home with an unloaded air rifle, they said there was no reason to believe he did not hear their orders to drop the weapon and that he pointed it at them.
But a newly emerged photo that shows headphones in McBean's ears immediately after the 2013 shooting raises questions about the police version of events, including why the white earbuds were later found stuffed in the dead computer expert's pocket.
And another aspect of the police account is also being contradicted — by a man who called 911 in alarm when he saw McBean walking around with the air rifle but who also says McBean never pointed it at police or anyone else.
Michael Russell McCarthy, 58, told NBC News that McBean had the Winchester Model 1000 Air Rifle balanced on his shoulders behind his neck, with his hand over both ends, and was turning around to face police when one officer began shooting.
"He [McBean] couldn't have fired that gun from the position he was in. There was no possible way of firing it and at the same time hitting something," McCarthy said. "I kind of blame myself, because if I hadn't called it might not have happened."
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/photo-raises-doubts-about-police-shooting-jermaine-mcbean-n366386
spelling bee officials confront racist reaction
The National Spelling Bee preliminary round is being held today, and its officials are confronting the racism that has accompanied it in recent years.
Indian American children have won the spelling bee for seven straight years and 11 of the last 15.
Paige Kimble, the Bee’s director, addressed the question last week, partly because of the racially charged tweets that have grown to accompany the spelling bee, the Washington Post says.
“We certainly followed the coverage last year,” Kimble said, “and we are aware of Twitter posts that are not nice, that indicate that we have a long way to go as a country in embracing all of our immigrant population.”
http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2015/05/spelling-bee-officials-confront-racist-reaction/
one third of critically endangered antelope have died in last two weeks
The saiga, a critically endangered Asian antelope species, has been decimated by a mysterious, fast-moving disease. In the past two weeks, more than third of all saigas have been killed, conservationists have found.
The cause of the outbreak is unknown, but scientists believe it is always fatal.
“I’m flustered looking for words here,” said Joel Berger, a senior scientist at the Wildlife Conservation Society. “To lose 120,000 animals in two or three weeks is a phenomenal thing.”
Before the end of the Ice Age, saiga lived over a vast range stretching from England to Alaska. After the climate warmed, they continued to thrive on the steppes of Central Asia.
http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/06/02/science/saiga-antelope-mystery-disease-die-off.html?referrer=
thousands of Californians getting felonies reduced to misdemeanors under new law
An answer came in November, when voters passed Proposition 47, an initiative that reduced drug possession and several other nonviolent felonies to misdemeanors. The ballot measure — one of the biggest criminal justice changes in decades — has prompted the release of more than 3,700 inmates from state prison.
Opponents of the measure said it would make California's streets more dangerous by releasing criminals and would strip away much of the incentive that got people into drug treatment — keeping a felony off their record. But another part of the law that drew less attention allows people who have already served their time to ask a court to reduce years-old convictions from felonies to misdemeanors.
Thousands of people, like Burton, have taken advantage. Since the measure passed, judges in Los Angeles County have received more than 6,660 applications to reduce old felonies to misdemeanors. Los Angeles County estimates that as many as 300,000 applications could be filed in cases stretching back decades. (A spokeswoman for the court said officials are not tracking the outcomes of the applications.)
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As a dishwasher studying to become an electrician, Reyes said the new law has given him a burst of energy. He no longer lies anxiously in bed every morning, trying to push away imaginary scenarios in which no matter how hard he worked or studied, an employer would skip over him for an electrician job because of his felony record.
"It's like I was born again," he said. "Right now, the way I feel is like…'Here, go start.'"
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-prop-47-reductions-20150531-story.html#page=1
Housing Authority Forces City Workers to Wear Orange Vests So NYPD Cops Don’t Shoot Them
In a testament to the “trigger-happy” nature of NYPD cops, the city Housing Authority has ordered all workers fixing elevators in NYC housing projects to wear construction orange vests.
New policies were enacted by the Housing Authority after officers pulled a gun on a maintenance crew and fatally shot an unarmed man in a stairwellin a separate incident.
According to a New York Post report:
“[The elevator workers] were basically told the reason was because of recent incidents where cops had pulled a gun on a caretaker and a supervisor on the roof of a housing project,” a source said.
“No one got shot, but they also referred to the cop shooting and were told, ‘We’re doing this for your protection. Your lives are in jeopardy, and we don’t want you to get hurt,’ ” the source said
Pulling no punches, one Housing Authority supervisor allegedly told his crews that the new policy was due to NYPD cops being “trigger-happy.”
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/housing-authority-forces-city-workers-wear-orange-vests-so-nypd-cops-dont-shoot
Holland America prioritized broken toilet over woman's cries for help
Those screams were heard by other passengers aboard the Holland America Line cruise -- for all the good that did.
Having filed a lawsuit against the Seattle-based cruise line, the woman’s attorneys contend 911 calls from other passengers were given a lower priority than reports of an overflowing toilet elsewhere on the ship. When a Holland America crew member did arrive, the front desk worker didn’t have a key to the woman’s room.
The woman, a Michigan resident, endured 45 minutes to an hour of abuse at the hands of Ketut Pujayasa, a room service attendant. Pujayasa, 29, is currently serving a 30-year term in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault.
Speaking Thursday, Hickey said Holland America could’ve stopped the attack all together or at least shortened its duration by creating reasonable security protocols. Instead, the woman was left with broken bones in her face and back, brain damage and enduring mental problems.
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She’s very athletic, which is the only thing that saved her life,” he continued.
The woman was able to fight her way out of the cabin, where she was helped by other passengers and the ship’s crew. The ship docked in Honduras hours later and the woman was flown by air ambulance back to Florida.
http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Attorney-Holland-America-failed-woman-raped-6293239.php
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