Category: Media and Culture,

What The Sanders vs. Warren Battle Is Really About

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Should progressive populism be wonky and detail-oriented and appeal to college-educated former Clinton voters? Or a more contentious outsider assault on the powers-that-be from the overlooked millions of the middle and lower-middle class?

…This salvo from Warren’s camp was seen as a response to reports that talking points for Sanders volunteers characterized Warren as the choice of “highly educated, more affluent people,” a demographic both key to Democratic electoral success and associated with Hillary Clinton’s supposed out-of-touch elitism.

…The other part of the controversial Sanders campaign talking points on Warren was that her supporters — the wealthy, well-educated ones — would already “show up and vote Democratic no matter what … she’s bringing no new bases into the Democratic Party.”

…Variations on this theme — Sanders as credible progressive curmudgeon and Warren as vaguely deceptive opportunist — popped up as I followed Sanders across the state. 

What The Sanders vs. Warren Battle Is Really About | FiveThirtyEight

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Warren demands probe of whether Trump resort guests traded on Iran tip

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Presidential contender Elizabeth Warren is demanding a federal investigation into whether President Donald Trump provided advance notice of the deadly strike on Iran’s Gen. Qasem Soleimani to stock traders who may have profited illegally from the tip.

…”It raises a number of troubling national security questions regarding President Trump’s handling of classified and other sensitive national security information.”

…Federal law bars trading stocks based on material, nonpublic information.

Warren demands probe of whether Trump resort guests traded on Iran tip

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Sanders camp admits anti-Warren script was deployed in multiple early states

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

Talking points attacking Elizabeth Warren that Bernie Sanders’ campaign deployed were given to teams in at least two early voting states.

…[The] campaign pulled back the script — which described Warren’s appeal as limited to the highly educated and financially well off — later on Saturday after the story published.

…[The script included] talking points for voters who said they were leaning toward other candidates. In Warren’s case, they stated that the “people who support her are highly-educated, more affluent people who are going to show up and vote Democratic no matter what” and that “she’s bringing no new bases into the Democratic Party.”

…Warren told reporters Sunday that she “was disappointed to hear that Bernie is sending his volunteers out to trash me.”

She added that the attack was reminiscent of the “factionalism” that broke out during his campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

…[In a move reminiscent of the 2016 cycle,] Sanders [took no responsibility for the actions of the campaign that bears his name and instead] appeared to blame the controversy on rogue employees.

“We have hundreds of employees. Elizabeth Warren has hundreds of employees. And people sometimes say things that they shouldn’t,” Sanders said.

…Warren responded later Monday night supporting the version of events reported by CNN. “Among the topics that came up was what would happen if Democrats nominated a female candidate. I thought a woman could win; he disagreed,” she said in a statement. [Which bears mentioning because, at the very least, his undeniably benefited from sexism that was being stoked by his supporters in 2016.]

Sanders camp admits anti-Warren script was deployed in multiple early states – POLITICO

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EPA is now allowing asbestos back into manufacturing

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Environment,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

 Asbestos is now legally allowed back into U.S. manufacturing under a series of loopholes by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

…The EPA’s recently released report detailing its new framework for evaluating the risk of its top prioritized substances states that the agency will “no longer consider the effect or presence of substances in the air, ground, or water in its risk assessments.” 

…The SNUR greenlights companies to use toxic chemicals like asbestos without consideration about how they will endanger people who are indirectly in contact with them. 

EPA is now allowing asbestos back into manufacturing – Archpaper.com

Jeezus Krrreyest….

Despite Election Security Fears, Iowa Caucuses Will Use New Smartphone App

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Local Interest,, Media and Culture,, Privacy,Leave a comment

The state party worked with the national party’s cybersecurity team, and with Harvard University’s Defending Digital Democracy project, but Price declined to answer directly whether any third party has investigated the app for vulnerabilities, as many cybersecurity experts recommend.

…Unlike many states in which local and state officials oversee the presidential primary election, in Iowa the state party is responsible for administering, staffing and funding the caucuses, relying primarily on trained but unpaid volunteers.

Cybersecurity experts interviewed by NPR said that the party’s decision to withhold the technical details of its app doesn’t do much to protect the system — and instead makes it hard to have complete confidence in it.

…A number of other potential vulnerabilities could also be introduced by using the technology, experts say.

If the app doesn’t work, either because a denial of service attack clogs the system or for any other reason, then there could be confusion at precincts across the state, and a potential delay on a winner being announced.

…Price did confirm that the app again would be downloaded onto the personal smartphones of the caucus precinct and party leaders, and not onto party-provided hardware.

That could make the system a more appealing attack target, according to Betsy Cooper, director of the Aspen Tech Policy Hub at the Aspen Institute, because peoples’ phones also may contain sensitive messages, emails and passwords.

…Jones, the University of Iowa cybersecurity specialist, says transmitting results from precincts to the state party through a smartphone app isn’t as insecure as the virtual caucus plan — but that it’s still insecure for the same reasons.

“The entire ecosystem of smartphones is extraordinarily poorly secured,” Jones said. “And resting security functions on that ecosystem is something I don’t trust at all.”

Despite Election Security Fears, Iowa Caucuses Will Use New Smartphone App : NPR

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St. Louis Prosecutor: Racist Interests Try to Force Her Out

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Local Interest,, Race,Leave a comment

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Monday filed what she called an unprecedented federal civil rights lawsuit, accusing the city, the local police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office.

Gardner, the city’s elected prosecutor, also accused “entrenched interests” of intentionally impeding her efforts to reform racist practices that have led to a loss of trust in the criminal justice system.

The lawsuit alleges civil rights violations as well as violations of the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871.

…The lawsuit cites a watchdog group’s report last year that identified several St. Louis officers accused of posting racist, violent or prejudiced messages on Facebook. Some of the posts highlighted by The Plain View Project included one in 2014 showing a black officer standing with two black demonstrators, calling the officer “Captain ‘Hug a Thug’” and “a disgrace to the uniform.” Another post in 2018 read: “If the Confederate flag is racist, then so is Black History Month.”

St. Louis Prosecutor: Racist Interests Try to Force Her Out | Time

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A Whole Lot of Water Goes Into That Milk

On By peanutgallerynhIn Environment,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

“Cows need to consume between 30 and 50 gallons of water per day,” said Donna Amaral-Phillips, extension dairy specialist for the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “That’s more than 415 pounds of water every day.”

That number may sound extremely high until the consumer realizes it takes up to 4.5 pounds of water to make just 1 pound of milk, and cows produce, on average, 70 pounds, or 8 gallons of milk each day, which is equal to about 128 glasses.

A Whole Lot of Water Goes Into That Milk | Dairy Herd Management

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Ocasio-Cortez won’t support the House Democratic campaign arm or any of her colleagues that rely on its assistance

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

“Sometimes the question comes: ‘Do you want to be in a majority or do you want to be in the minority?’ ” Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) told Fox News. “And do you want to be part of a team?”

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), who is facing a primary challenge from a progressive Democrat backed by Ocasio-Cortez, expressed frustration over what he described as efforts to “purify” the Democratic Caucus by ousting members who aren’t part of the party’s progressive wing.

“To have people try to purify the caucus because they don’t agree with them — 100 percent, I certainly don’t agree with that,” he told Fox News. “Hopefully, we will start to get away from this circular firing squad.”

Ocasio-Cortez defends decision not to pay dues to House Democratic campaign arm | TheHill

She either does want not progress or does not understand how it happens. Either way, she comes off a selfish little twit here.

And, not for nothing, she opens her own flank.

Graham, Paul rift deepens over Trump’s war powers

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Middle East,, Military,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

 Paul and Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) emerged from Wednesday’s classified briefing deeply critical of what they characterized as a warning from senior administration officials against debating Trump’s war authority

…Lee called the presentation “the worst briefing I’ve seen, at least on a military issue.”

Paul added that he found the briefing “less than satisfying” and that it was “absurd” and “insane” to use the 2002 Iraq war authorization as the basis for an air strike against an Iranian general.

“I see no way in the world you could logically argue that an authorization to have war with Saddam Hussein has anything to with having war with people currently in Iraq,” Paul told reporters.

Graham, Paul rift deepens over Trump’s war powers | TheHill

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Fifth Pentagon official announces resignation in seven days

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, International Affairs,, Military,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

Ambassador Tina Kaidanow, a longtime State Department official who began working in her Pentagon role in September 2018, resigned on Dec. 16, the Pentagon confirmed. Defense News first reported her departure.

…“The department will not provide anything further on this personnel matter,” the spokesman added.

…Kaidanow’s resignation follows four other announced departures within a week.

…Top Asia policy official Randall Schriver would leave after two years on the job, 
…[The] top official in charge of personnel and readiness Jimmy Stewart had resigned after taking the role in October 2018
…Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency leader Steven Walker
…Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence Kari Bingen

…[Kaidanow] worked with top weapons buyer Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to boost weapon sales with partner and ally countries. 

Fifth Pentagon official announces resignation in seven days | TheHill

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How Philadelphia Flipped: Second Chances for Youth

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Media and Culture,, Schools,Leave a comment

Bethel’s aha moment came after he went to a conference and heard terms like “trauma” and the “school-to-prison pipeline.” He said he had no idea what they were talking about. 

When he returned home, he pulled up the data on in-school arrests. And he was taken aback by what he saw.

“I thought, let’s take that back 20 years. Look at the thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of kids we had locked up for minor offenses. And where they are now?… And why were we doing that?” Bethel said. “I mean, thousands and thousands of kids for fighting in school. Stuff that I did as a kid in school.”

…Early studies by the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab at Drexel University show that even though school arrests are down, school safety hasn’t been compromised.

…She showed me on a white board a list of minor offenses that used to get students arrested.

“Scissors. Knives. Marijuana. Pills. Vandalism. Trespassing,” she said. “You know if the kid is fighting in school…they would actually charge him with disorderly conduct.”

…“I was in solitary confinement. So, I was in my cell like 22 hours a day,” Le said. She is 20, and one of the youngest staff members at YASP. Even if all the current reforms had been in place when she was arrested, they wouldn’t have applied to her. Because she had a gun charge, she was held in an adult facility.

There are rules saying that the youth jail population should never interact with the adult jail population, which is why Le was held in solitary by default.

How Philadelphia Flipped: Second Chances for Youth – YR Media

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