U.S. Lawmakers Draft ‘CECIL Act’ to Curb Trophy Hunters

#firstworldproblems

(Time) - 07/31/15 U.S. lawmakers joined the chorus of outrage over the killing of Cecil the lion on Friday, announcing a bill that would stop people from importing “trophies” gleaned from hunting potentially endangered animals.

The bill, Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act, would make it illegal for trophy hunters to bring back parts of any species proposed or listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

“Let’s not be cowardly lions when it comes to trophy killings,” Senator Bob Menendez said in a public statement, adding that the legislation is “a necessary and prudent step that creates a disincentive for these senseless trophy killings and advances our commitment in leading the fight to combat global wildlife trafficking.”

The bill is co-sponsored by Senators Cory Booker, Richard Blumenthal and Ben Cardin.

The proposed legislation comes after an outpouring of rage against a Minnesota dentist who paid $55,000 to slay the lion during a hunting excursion in Zimbabwe. African lions are not considered endangered species, but last year the United States Fish and Wildlife Service proposed placing them on a list of threatened animals. 

Are India and Pakistan Sliding toward War?

(nationalinterest.org) 07/30/15- The ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan in November 2003 is now unrecognizable, with firing growing steadily since late 2012. Monday’s attack on a police station in the Punjabi town of Gurdaspur, signals a new uptick in violence. The Pakistani press has blamed Kashmiri extremists for the attack, but this could well be the work of a group like the Lashkar e-Taiba. Diplomatic overtures between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif have been high on visuals, low on substance, and limited to multilateral settings. Conditions are ripe for a crisis in this strained environment, even more so if a terrorist attack on Indian soil—such as Monday’s—is traced back to extremist groups supported by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). These rising tensions make crisis management more difficult and increase the risk of a conflict with nuclear dimensions.

Prime Minister Modi’s government has warned Pakistan that it would respond severely to provocations—whether along the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir or elsewhere. During the election campaign, Modi took a hard line on Pakistan, criticizing the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s “weak stand.” In May 2015, government officials were forced to downplay Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s comments on neutralizing “terrorists with terrorists only.” Regarding the Line of Control, in October 2014, then-Defence Minister Arun Jaitley threatened to inflict “unaffordable” costs on Pakistan. In December 2014, Parrikar said that if attacked, Indian forces would “react with double the force.” These deterrent threats—to respond manifold to violence—have failed to diminish violence.

Line of Control ceasefire violations were reported on 21 percent of days in 2013. Violence reached its highest levels since the 2001-2002 “Twin Peaks” crisis sparked by the December 2001 attack by Pakistani-based extremists on the Indian Parliament. This attack, accompanied by heavy firing along the Line of Control, nearly led to war. Almost one million soldiers mobilized. Violence in 2014 and 2015 has remained high, with ceasefire violations reported on 20 percent of days in 2014, and 23 percent of days in the first three months of 2015. By way of comparison, ceasefire violations along the Line of Control were reported on only ten percent of days in 2012.

In this strained environment, Monday’s attack is especially concerning. India and Pakistan have been unable to establish effective diplomatic channels to address outstanding issues. These channels are used only sporadically and in multilateral settings. Efforts to improve trade relations and visa liberalization are proceeding slowly, and there is no forward movement on confidence-building and nuclear risk reduction measures.

Violence migrating from along the Line of Control in Kashmir into Punjab not only poses a barrier to improved ties, but also makes crisis management more difficult and the risks of escalation greater. Terrorist attacks on Indian soil by Pakistan-based extremists sparked two recent crises: in 2008 after the Mumbai attacks, and the 2001-2002 “Twin Peaks” crisis. It remains to be seen whether Prime Minister Modi will show the restraint of his predecessors.

Recent events highlight nuclear risks associated with any India-Pakistan crisis and the wisdom of exerting greater effort to improve bilateral relations. The Line of Control is the only place on Earth where two nuclear-armed rivals regularly exchange fire. Nuclear dangers are reduced when the Line of Control is quiet; they are more worrisome when Indian and Pakistani troops exchange heavy fire.

Increasing violence along the Line of Control and near the India-Pakistan border is a clear and concerning marker of the deterioration of India-Pakistan relations on a broader scale, and makes substantive diplomatic progress between India and Pakistan less likely. Conditions are ripe for a crisis, and violence along the Line of Control will complicate crisis management. The ceasefire put into effect after the 2001-2002 “Twin Peaks” crisis has deteriorated badly. One way for India and Pakistan to stabilize relations would be to reestablish a ceasefire. India and Pakistan have not agreed to new confidence-building measures since 2007. Quieting the Line of Control would be a good place to start.

World population to reach 8.5B by 2030, UN report says

(foxnews.com) 07/29/15 - The world’s population is projected to increase to 8.5 billion by the year 2030, and exceed 11 billion within the next century, a United Nations report released Wednesday said.

The report also said rapidly growing Nigeria is expected to eclipse the United States to become the third most populous country within the next 35 years.

The "World Population Prospects: 2015 Revision" also predicted that India is expected to surpass China as the most populous country within the next decade. China and India, currently the countries with the largest populations, are home to more than 1 billion people apiece. Together, they represent 37 percent of the world’s population.

The report places the current world population at 7.3 billion, and projects it will increase to 9.7 billion by 2050 and exceed 11 billion by the year 2100.

The U.S. Census Bureau currently pegs the American population at over 321 million.

The African nation of Nigeria, which is currently the seventh-largest country in the world, “is growing the most rapidly,” according to the UN, and its population is projected to surpass that of the United States by 2050 to become the world’s third-largest.

Africa has the highest current rate of population growth of any continent and is expected to account for more than half of the world’s population growth between 2015 and 2050.

“Most of the projected increase in the world’s population can be attributed to a short list of high-fertility countries—mainly in Africa—or countries with already large populations,” the UNsaid in a press release describing the report.

“Understanding the demographic changes that are likely to unfold over the coming years, as well as the challenges and opportunities that they present for achieving sustainable development, is key to the design and implementation of the new development agenda,” Wu Hongbo, UN Undersecretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, said in a press release.

Global aging is also examined in the report. The number of people aged 60 and over should more than double by 2050, it said. The report projects Europe will lead the way in that category, with more than 34 percent of people there expected to be over 60 years old by 2050.

“The concentration of population growth in the poorest countries presents its own set of challenges, making it more difficult to eradicate poverty and inequality, to combat hunger and malnutrition, and to expand educational enrollment and health systems, all of which are crucial to the success of the new sustainable development agenda,” said John Wilmoth, Director of the UN’s Population Division.

Catalonia on a secessionist trajectory

(neurope.eu) - The Prime Minister of Catalonia, Arthur Mas, has pronounced the September 27 regional elections in Catalonia a de facto plebiscite on independence. He is warning that he will declare unilateral independence in the event of his reelection within six months of his elections. The longstanding Prime Minister is leading a secessionist bloc with the Catalan Republican Left (ERC).

In a poll published on Monday, the pro-independence camp in Catalonia is leading the polls, with 39% favoring a union and 47% preferring independence. This is a comfortable lead for secession.

54% of Catalans could live with a Federal Spain in the framework of greater devolution, an idea that is supported across Spain by merely 34%.

Across the country, a standoff between Barcelona and Madrid is thought to be inevitable by 60% of respondents whilst 73% agree that Catalan secession would be bad for Spain.

The standoff has already begun. Last November, the Catalan government held an unofficial referendum that yielded a pro-independence result. This set the region on a pro-independence trajectory ruining a 37 year governing coalition between the Prime Minister’s CiU (Democratic Convergence of Catalonia) and the Democratic Union of Catalonia (UDC). The new found ally for Mas, the ERC, has paradoxically been the longstanding left opposition to Mas.

UDC does not support outright independence, but merely greater Spanish devolution. The new emerging political force originating from Catalonia, Ciudadanos, are also largely pro-union. Whilst this is thought to be a minority position, it is gaining ground.

Being anti-independence is historically a taboo issue since unitary positions have for long been associated with the Franco regime. But, the pro-independence movement correlates with policies of severe austerity, thought to be imposed by Madrid, adding a “neoliberal” layer upon the Franco unitary legacy. Ironically, the champion of independence, the Prime Minister Arthur Mas, was the one who introduced most of the pro-austerity legislation and even had to be flown with a helicopter into the Catalan parliament to circumvent angry demonstrators in 2011.

The Prime Minister of Spain, Mariano Rajoy, has made clear that on his watch Catalonia is not going to leave Spain. King Felipe VI also called upon the Prime Minister of Catalonia to respect rule of law.
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Related: TheLocalEspana: King Felipe VI warns Catalonia over independence drive

No, North Dakota is not the Greece of the U.S.

(inforum.com) 07/25/15  FARGO -- Fargo doesn’t look much like Athens, but a recent report calls North Dakota the American version of Greece, the debt-addled Mediterranean nation.

Out of all the U.S. states, North Dakota, according to a report from CNBC, is the worst leech on the federal government. From 2011 to 2014, it took in an annual average of $31.4 billion in federal spending while paying far less -- $6.4 billion -- in federal taxes.

The report says North Dakota receives 71 percent of its gross domestic product in federal dollars. The difference between the federal taxes paid versus federal spending, as a percentage of the state’s overall economic activity, was lower in North Dakota that in any other state.

Minnesota, on the other hand, pays more in federal taxes than it receives in federal spending. By the same metric of taxes minus spending as a percentage of GDP, only one state ranked higher than Minnesota.

In other words, North Dakota gets a high proportion of its economic activity from the feds. And Minnesota has one of the highest rates of contributing to federal coffers.

Thus, the comparison between North Dakota and Greece. The latter, in the midst of a debt crisis, is looking to the European Union for cash.

“Just as in Europe, some U.S. states end up taking more and some states end up giving more,” the CNBC report states.

But is the comparison fair?

No way, said David Flynn, director of the bureau of business and economic research at the University of North Dakota.

“I don’t understand the equating of federal government spending with the situation in Greece, which is a debt situation with their country. Their debts are too high,” Flynn said.

A spokesman for U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., also smacked down the report.

“Obviously, there’s no comparison between North Dakota and Greece,” Don Canton said in an email. “We have a budget surplus and have prudently set aside a rainy day fund.”

North Dakota, a state with a low population and a pricy military presence, does receive more in federal spending than it pays in federal taxes, Flynn said.

“But the notion that the federal government is spending more in North Dakota than they get in tax revenue, and that is automatically bad, is silly,” Flynn said. “It’s a specious claim.”

Check out the CNBC report here: http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/21/if-greece-were-a-state-it-would-be.html

Brain Eating Amoeba Found in Louisiana Drinking Water

(foodpoisonjournal.com) 07/26/15 - Late Wednesday, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) confirmed the presence of the Naegleria fowleri amoeba in the St. Bernard Parish Water System at the site of a leaking sampling station. The water system, which serves 44,000 residents in St. Bernard Parish, was tested by DHH as part of the State’s new public drinking water surveillance program. DHH notified the water system and local officials Wednesday evening. The Department asked the water system to conduct a 60-day chlorine burn to ensure that any remaining amoeba in the system are eliminated. Parish President Dave Peralta confirmed that the system would conduct the burn out of an abundance of caution.

Based on current monthly chloramine residual compliance reports, the water system has met the requirements with Louisiana rules for chloramine disinfectant levels set forth by the 2013 by emergency rule and additional requirements in 2014 by the Louisiana Legislature. Five other sites on the system tested negative for the amoeba and one site did not meet the required level of disinfectant.

Tap water in St. Bernard Parish is safe for residents to drink, but the Department urges residents to avoid getting water in their noses. Naegleria fowleri is an amoeba that occurs naturally in freshwater.

As Naegleria fowleri infections are extremely rare, testing for this amoeba in public drinking water is still relatively new and evolving. Fewer than 10 deaths in the United States have been traced back to the amoeba, with three occurring in Louisiana over the last several years. The amoeba was identified in St. Bernard Parish Water System in the summer of 2013; the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that the system no longer tested positive for the presence of the amoeba in February 2014.

North Dakota oil hub defiantly boasts it is 'last great place' for growth

WILLISTON, N.D. - With oil prices falling, you wouldn't think Williston,North Dakota, was "the last great place for opportunity," but that is the slogan the state's oil hub has come up with to try to shake off its economic downturn.

Those lured by that promise will find apartment rents have begun to plunge in Willistonafter a 50 percent fall in the price of oil caused hundreds of layoffs and put off job seekers in search of the town's legendary six-figure pay packets.

In a state which expects six percent growth this year, largely on agriculture, Williston is trying to convince outsiders it has staying power and won't end up as another has-been boom town.

"We've moved from a boom economy to a more-steady business model," said Shawn Wenko, head of the local economic development office.

Steady growth could prove sobering to Williston, whose population has more than doubled to 30,000 in the past five years to service 12,700 oil wells that extract more than 1.2 million barrels of crude each day.

Savage Services Corp, one of the largest facilities in North Dakota that loads oil onto railcars, and Halliburton Co, are among the companies that have laid off hundreds in the town in response to the oil price decline.

Worse could be ahead as Wall Street analysts forecast further drops in crude later this year.

Williston is not the only oil hub to engage in boosterism in the face of the gloom: Houston, traditionally seen as the U.S. energy capital, is now marketing itself as "The City With No Limits." Previous slogans - including "It's Hot!" - failed.

For now, Williston's average annual wage tops $80,000 compared with a national average of $72,000, and there are 1,700 open jobs - many tied to construction projects years in the making. Starting pay at Williston's Walmart has stood at $17 per hour for the past year, more than double the $7.25 per hour minimum wage in North Dakota, which has the second lowest unemployment rate in the United States.

"Some investment decisions may be put on hold," said Scott Meske, president of theGreater Williston Chamber of Commerce. "But I can tell you: economic activity involves more than just the price of oil."

Amazon overtakes Wal-Mart as biggest retailer

(latimes) 07/24/15 = Amazon.com surpassed Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as the world's biggest retailer on Friday after reporting a surprise jump in profit in the second quarter.

The e-commerce giant said net income was $92 million, or 19 cents a share, in the three months ended June 30. That's compared with a net loss of $126 million, or 27 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Analysts were expecting a loss of 15 cents a share, according to FactSet.

Revenue also jumped 20% to $23.2 billion.

That news pushed Amazon stock up as much 20% on Friday. As of mid-afternoon trading, Amazon was up nearly 11% to $533.33. That boosted the company's market value to about $249 billion, more than Wal-Mart's market value of nearly $231 billion.

Amazon.com is trying to venture into areas beyond its domain of books and household goods. The company has gotten into grocery delivery and also offers free movies and TV shows for Amazon Prime members, who pay $99 a year for perks including free two-day shipping.

Amazon has been battling with Wal-Mart and other retailers for shoppers who continue to be reticent about spending.

Last week, the online retailer offered a one-day shopping event called "Prime Day," with more discounts than Black Friday.

Not to be outdone, Wal-Mart also offered a big sale on the same day with thousands of discounts. Wal-Mart is also testing out a similar free-shipping program to its shoppers for an annual fee of $50.

New York Plans $15-an-Hour Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers

The Horror!

(nytimes) - 07/22/15 The labor protest movement that fast-food workers in New York City began nearly three years ago has led to higher wages for workers all across the union. On Wednesday, it paid off for the people who started it.

A panel appointed by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo recommended on Wednesday that the minimum wage be raised for employees of fast-food chain restaurants throughout the state to $15 an hour over the next few years. Wages would be raised faster in New York City than in the rest of the state to account for the higher cost of living there.

The panel’s recommendations, which are expected to be put into effect by an order of the state’s acting commissioner of labor, represent a major triumph for the advocates who have rallied burger-flippers and fry cooks to demand pay that covers their basic needs. They argued that taxpayers were subsidizing the workforces of some multinational corporations, like McDonald’s, that were not paying enough to keep their workers from relying on food stamps and other welfare benefits.

The $15 wage would represent a raise of more than 70 percent for workers earning the state’s current minimum wage of $8.75 an hour. Advocates for low-wage workers said they believed the mandate would quickly spur raises for employees in other industries across the state, and a jubilant Mr. Cuomo predicted that other states would follow his lead.

Related: Raising the Minimum Wage Is the “Free Market” Thing to Do

Answering Arguments against the Living Wage

Five facts about the minimum wage.

McDonald's may offer all-day breakfast in U.S. from October: WSJ

(Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) could start offering all-day breakfast in its U.S. restaurants as early as October, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing an internal company memo.

The company started testing the idea in March and the tests were encouraging, the Journal reported on Tuesday, citing the memo sent by McDonald's to employees and U.S. franchisees.

McDonald's was not immediately available for comment.

The world's largest restaurant chain by revenue has been losing customers to newer rivals including burrito chain Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.N) as consumers switch to foods perceived as healthier.

McDonald's has also been testing other ideas, including custom burgers and healthier options such as breakfast bowls made with kale and spinach, to attract customers.

The company's shares closed at $97.32 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. (Source)

Nebraska sees jobs decline after minimum wage hike

(journalstar.com) - Nebraska was one of two states that raised its minimum wage in 2015 and saw jobs decline in the first half of the year.

Of 11 states that increased the minimum wage at the beginning of 2015 through either legislation or ballot initiatives, payroll gains through June exceeded the U.S. average in six, while five, including Nebraska, lagged behind, according to Labor Department figures issued Tuesday in Washington.

South Dakota had the largest growth in payrolls (2 percent) and was also the state with the biggest increase in its wage floor ($1.25). Of the two states in this group with the highest overall minimum wage ($9.15), Vermont had job growth just above the national average and Connecticut was just below. West Virginia and Nebraska showed declines in employment in the first six months of this year.

Nebraska voters approved a minimum wage increase last year. The state minimum wage increased from $7.25 an hour to $8 an hour on Jan. 1, and it will increase to $9 an hour on Jan. 1, 2016.

The mixed data do little to settle the debate on whether raising the minimum wage impacts employment. Some economists argue that increases have little or no ill effects on hiring and therefore will boost household income and spending. Others say raising the wage floor kills jobs and hurts unskilled and low-paid workers, the very people they’re meant to help.

Comparing the last six months of 2014 with the first half of this year, payroll gains accelerated in seven states and slowed in four. Still, employment only grew as fast as the U.S. average in Arkansas in the last half of 2014.

Legislated increases in the pay floor in Alaska, Delaware and Minnesota didn't take effect at the start of the year, so they were left off the chart. The minimum wage rose automatically in states such as Washington, Oregon and Florida where it is indexed to inflation, and they too were eliminated from the chart because the increases were modest in comparison.

Cuba and US to open embassies for the first time since 1961

For the first time in more than five decades, Cuba and the US will have embassies in Washington and Havana.

(BBC) 07/20/15 - Cuban President Raul Castro said the hugely symbolic step was the start of a long and complex road to normalisation.

The US State Department spokesman John Kirby said there were still "issues that we don't see eye to eye on."

The US and Cuba have had interest sections under the protection of Switzerland since 1977, but this move makes diplomatic business much easier.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is due to hold talks with his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez in Washington on Monday, another sign of the thawing of relations.

Despite the excitement surrounding closer ties, there are still restrictions on Americans wanting to travel to Cuba.

The wider US trade embargo banning most American companies from doing business in Cuba also remains in place.

Cuba says the embargo - which it calls a blockade - is hugely damaging to its economy.

President Castro has urged President Barack Obama to lift it, calling it the main stumbling block towards normalisations.

But the US Congress would have to vote on the issue.

Diversity is our strength in AU: Sydney ‘Reclaim Australia’ rally: ‘Spartans’ among protesters, ends in scuffles & arrests

(RT.com) July 19 2015 - Five people have been arrested over sporadic violence in Sydney, where right-wing activists from the ‘Reclaim Australia’ movement held a protest with police trying to keep them separated from a counter-rally by pro-tolerance protesters.

Some 150 Reclaim Australia activists gathered in Sydney’s Martin Place to protest against what they called the Islamization of the country, some of them wearing Spartan outfits and carrying Eureka flags, controversial symbols of rebellion in Australia.

Separated by a police-enforced buffer zone, a counter-protest standing for multiculturalism and against Islamophobia gathered.

The five were arrested over violent clashes between the two rallies, AAP reported. Police said at least two of the arrests may lead to charges.

"We respect your right to protest and police will facilitate that and work to support peaceful demonstration on every occasion. But those who wish to come and commit offences, intimidate or be offensive will be arrested," NSW Assistant Commissioner Alan Clarke told SBS News.

Similar pro and counter-rallies were held in other Australian cities on Sunday, including Brisbane, Perth, Hobart and Canberra, with no major incidents reported. In Mackay, Federal Coalition MP George Christensen addressed a Reclaim Australia rally, calling for action to defend the nation’s values.

"Our voice says we will not surrender, we will not sit idly by and watch the Australian culture and the Australian lifestyle that we love, and that is envied around the world ... we are not going to see that surrendered and handed over to those who hate us for who we are and what we stand for," he said.

Police said the Sunday rallies demonstrated a “good level of compliance” by the protesters, an improvement compared to the altercations of Saturday’s rally in Melbourne, when police had to use pepper spray to maintain order.

Related: Will Abbott clamp down on Reclaim Australia's racial hate rallies?

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We are the world Australia! We are the world!

US: Researchers Develop Bacon Flavored Seaweed

(thenextdigit.com) - Researchers from the Oregon State University have patented a new strain of seaweed that looks and tastes like bacon. The red seaweed is called Dulse, an edible seaweed that grows wild along the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines.

Dulse is eaten by people as a nutritional supplement, after it is dried. However, researchers have found a new variety that can be farmed and eaten fresh. The team at Oregon State University claim that it is not only heavy on protein — 16 percent by weight, and packed with minerals and vitamins like Vitamin A and C. The team had a tough task to develop the strain as they had worked for about 15 years. The actual plan was to develop a super food, to feed commercially grown prized mollusc called abalone.

“When you fry it, which I have done, it tastes like bacon, not seaweed,” said Chris Langdon, OSU fisheries professor.

The new strain of seaweed looks like translucent lettuce, and contains high amounts of protein and other nutrients. The abalone grew at an amazing rate, which led a Hawaiian abalone operating to produce them on a commercial-scale. Dulse is popular for its “umami” flavor, a Japanese word that describes the fifth flavor found in mushrooms, meat, cheese and bacon.

Researchers felt that the food could benefit humans, and the development team started to create new food using seaweed. The Oregon Department of Agriculture has awarded a grant to explore Dulse as a “specialty crop,” and officials mentioned that it is their first time seaweed has made to the list. Full Story

CVS and Walmart Canada Are Investigating a Data Breach

(nytimes.com)CVS and Walmart Canada said on Friday that a data breach at a Canadian information technology vendor may have leaked credit card information from their online photo processing websites, possibly compromising data on millions of users.

The two retailers have temporarily shut down their online photo processing services and related mobile services, and are investigating the scope of the possible breach, the companies said in separate statements. Both retailers urged customers to check their credit card records for any suspicious activity.

CVS and Walmart Canada said that a vendor based in Vancouver called PNI Digital Media hosts the photo sites, and collects customers’ payment information. The vendor is owned by Staples, which suffered an online attack of its own last year.

Neither retailer disclosed how many users may have been affected by the possible breach, which was first reported by Krebs on Security, a news site that focuses on online crime and other Internet security topics. Full Story

Texas Launches Gold-backed Bank, Challenging Federal Reserve

(thenewamerican.com) - 7/15/15 The State of Texas is setting up a gold-backed bank that will allow depositors to bypass the controversial Federal Reserve System and its fiat currency in banking and commerce, according to the state representative who authored the recently enacted law. Under the measure, passed overwhelmingly by lawmakers and signed in mid-June by Republican Governor Greg Abbott, Lone Star State officials will establish and operate the Texas Bullion Depository for anyone who would like to deposit and trade in precious metals. The implications are as big as Texas.

While some analysts have said the move may be another sign heralding Texas’ eventual secession from the union, or preparation for financial Armageddon, its advocates say the depository simply makes financial sense. Among other benefits, the institution will provide more options to consumers weary of the increasingly troubled traditional banking and monetary system, which is viewed by the public with growing suspicion. And experts say the effect of making it easier to use sound money in commerce could be far-reaching.

Among other immediate effects, the law creating the first state-level gold-backed bank in the nation, House Bill 483, will involve repatriating about $1 billion of Texas gold from New York. Conflicting news reports and official statements say the state’s precious metals stockpile is being held either by HSBC in New York, or by the powerful New York Federal Reserve Bank, a privately owned outfit cloaked in secrecy with immense power over the U.S. economy. First, though, officials will need to select a home for the Texas depository.

There will be many other benefits as well, according to supporters. While other states have in recent years passed legislation declaring gold and silver to be legal tender, analysts say Texas’ new depository could help supercharge the growing movement for an honest and sensible monetary system founded on real money rather than debt-based paper notes conjured into existence by a private banking cartel. Indeed, one of the chief aims of gold-and-silver-as-currency proponents is to restore sound money — and the Texas law could help pave the way. Full Story

UK: Pet dog pecked to death by seagull in 'horrific' garden attack

(Telegraph.co.uk) 07/15/15 - A beloved pet dog has been pecked to death in a "horrific attack" by a ferocious seagull in Cornwall.

The eight-year-old Yorkshire terrier, called Roo, was attacked in the garden of his owner's home at St Columb Minor near Newquay.

The tiny dog received a wound to his head and brain damage during the attack by the Herring gulls, which swooped down from the roof and pecked at the tiny dog's head. They are believed to have been protecting their nest.

He was later put down after a vet decided he could not survive his wounds.

Roo's owner Emily Vincent now fears for the safety of her four children and her two other dogs, Maltese Terriers Millie and Louis.

Ms Vincent said: "Jace [my son] was with Roo in the garden and then all of a sudden Jace started screaming that Roo is bleeding.

"I ran into the kitchen and saw Roo lying on his side and there was blood everywhere. Roo had managed to run indoors and then collapsed. Blood was coming out of his head.

"It was like a murder scene. I couldn't get any sense out of Jace initially but then he kept saying the big bird has got sharp teeth.

"Roo was still breathing so we rushed him to the vets.

"He was initially stable but he was not responding to anything the vets tried because of the brain damage, so he had to be put down.

"When we got back from the vets I wanted to take it further.

"I took pictures of the blood and contacted the council to find out what rights I had about getting rid of the nest. I could not get a straight answer from anyone but I was eventually told the seagulls are protected and that I must leave the nest alone.

"Jace has been totally traumatised and randomly bursts out crying.

"I have not stopped crying and now I've reached the angry stage.

"It could have been my child that was hurt and there is nothing I can do about it.

"My other two dogs are too scared to go into the garden and Jace is not himself.

"There should be more done to protect people and their pets.

"Roo was like another child to me. The whole family is grieving. It has been horrific.

"We will now not let the children or the dogs out in the garden unless we are with them."

Devon and Cornwall Police have warned that Herring gulls are a protected species, which includes the birds, their nests, eggs and chicks.

It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to intentionally kill, injure or take any wild bird or intentionally take, damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is in use or being built, and intentionally take or destroy the egg of any wild bird.

Wildlife Crimes Officer, PC Paul Freestone, said: "People need to be aware of the law. As soon as a gull lays down just a few bits of material to start a nest, that nest is protected."

It is the second time in weeks that gulls have killed pet dogs, with Nikki Wayne's Chihuahua Bella pecked to death in a garden in Honiton, Devon, in May. Full Story

Obama lays out a sweeping criminal justice reform plan

(BBC) - President Barack Obama has called sweeping reforms to the US criminal justice system including curbing the use of solitary confinement and voting rights for felons.

He said lengthy mandatory minimum sentences should be reduced - or thrown out entirely.

"Mass incarceration makes our entire country worse off, and we need to do something about it," he said.

Mr Obama urged Congress to pass a sentencing reform bill by year's end.

On Thursday, Mr Obama will be the first sitting president to visit a federal prison - part of week long focus by the White House on the criminal justice system.

Speaking to a gathering of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in Philadelphia, Mr Obama discussed investments in education, alternatives to trials and prison job training programs.

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch has been tasked with reviewing the overuse of solitary confinement, Mr Obama said.

"Do we think it makes sense to lock people up in tiny cells for 23 hours a day? It won't make us safer and stronger."

The union should not be tolerating overcrowding in prisons, gang activity or rape, which Mr Obama called "unacceptable".

Criminal justice reforms have been a subject of rare agreement between Republicans and Democrats in Congress.

He noted that African Americans and Latinos disproportionately make up most of the prison population.

On Monday Mr Obama commuted the sentences of 46 prisoners, many of whom were serving time for non-violent drug offences.

"If you're a low-level drug dealer, or you violate your parole, you owe some debt to society … but you don't owe 20 years," Mr Obama said.

Mr Obama said for what the US spends on keeping people in prison per year, $80 billion, there could be universal pre-school, doubled salaries for high school teachers or free tuition at US public colleges or universities.

This week's focus on criminal justice signals a renewed bid by Mr Obama's administration to tackle what he sees as a lack of fairness in the system.

"Communities that give our young people every shot at success, tough but fair courts and prisons that seek to prepare returning citizens to get that second chance...That's what we're here to build," he said.

The last significant changes to the criminal justice system in the US came in 2013 when US Attorney General Eric Holder dropped mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offenders.

Amazon, Walmart Hoping To Lure Summer Shoppers With Christmas In July Sales

(CBS) — With sunny skies, Christmas may be the last thing on your mind, but some online retailers are trying to cash in on your love for Black Friday sales by offering Christmas in July.

CBS 2’s Dorothy Tucker takes a look this latest marketing strategy that could be the start of anew summer trend.

The last thing these some beach goers want to think about Christmas shopping.

“It’s a little too hot for Christmas for me,” said Ann Stanwick. “Generally I don’t shop until a week or two before Christmas.”

But Amazon is trying to pry consumers away from the beach with the promise of a one-day sale, July 15, bigger than Black Friday.

Amazon is the first major online merchant to use the Christmas in July promotions as brick and motors stores have done it before. Experts say Amazon’s timing is good because the economy is recovering and we’re in between holidays,

“I wouldn’t be surprised to see other promotions from Best Buy, other merchants,” said R.J. Hottovoy, Morningstar retail analyst.

In fact, Walmart is already joining the trend. It’s offering 2,000 deals exclusively online that coincidently begin on Wednesday, like Amazon.

But unlike Amazon, Walmart officials say you don’t have to join any club. Amazon deals are only available with a Prime membership, offering free shipping but costing $99 a year.

“The idea of asking customers to pay extra in order to save money, that just doesn’t add up to us,” said Walmart spokesman Raul Jariwala.

However, Amazon is offering a 30 day free membership, so Walmart is reducing its shipping from $50 to $35 for 30 days. The competition for your Christmas dollar in July is good news for shoppers.

“I think it is worth checking out,” said Hottovoy.

Online retailers won’t release details on their deals. No teasers about a cheap TV or can’t miss camera. It looks like you’ll have to wait until the clock strikes midnight on Tuesday to fill your cart.

RELATED STORIES: Forbes: Amazon Says Prime Day Was Huge Success And Vows To Repeat It Despite Customer Criticism

Time: How Walmart Beat Amazon on Prime Day

Lack Of Education May Shorten Your Lifespan Study Reveals

(themarketbusiness.com) - A latest study found that lack of education affects the lifespan of individuals in the U.S. The researchers from the University of Colorado Denver, New York University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill mentioned that a 10-year reduction in lifespan, comparable to the effects of smoking, may also be true for those whose educational attainments are rather low.

In the U.S. and many other nations, premature mortality rates have been associated with lack of education and more improved survival rates with higher educational achievement in recent birth cohorts. However, the exact numbers or mortality rates due to low education in the U.S. are not precisely recorded.

The researchers collated data from the National Health Interview Survey from 1986-2004, particularly related to anticipated deaths through 2006, and specific-time survival models in relation to projected education and mortality rates among the different cohort groups. This information was studied alongside the American Community Survey data on the 2010 U.S. population to measure the attributable death estimates in a year.

Using the differences of educational attainment from the 1925, 1935, and 1945 cohorts, the researchers determined three main groups and predicted the deaths, which may be derived from those whose education is less than the high school level versus those who finished high school, those who have some college education versus those who have a baccalaureate degree and finally, those who have any education less than a baccalaureate degree versus those who have a baccalaureate degree.

The findings of the study, published in the open access journal Public Library of Science (PLOS) One, show that if the 2010 study population would have the same educational inequalities in mortality with the 1945 cohort group, 145,243 deaths could be connected to those with less than a high school degree versus those who finished high school; 110,068 deaths could be linked to those with some baccalaureate education versus those who graduated college; and 554,525 deaths could be associated with those who have any education less than a college degree versus those who finished a baccalaureate degree. The attributable mortality was doubled with the expanded educational disparities between the 1925 and 1945 cohort groups.

“In public health policy, we often focus on changing health behaviors such as diet, smoking and drinking,” says Virginia Chang, co-author and associate professor of public health at New York University’s School of Culture, Education and Human Development and College of Global Public Health. “Education – which is a more fundamental, upstream driver of health behaviors and disparities – should also be a key element of U.S. health policy.” Full Story

Survey: 75 percent of Americans want tobacco age to be 21

(CNN) - Most Americans want to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21.

A recent survey found that seven out of 10 smokers wanted the change - as well as three out of every four American adults.

Health experts say keeping tobacco out of teenagers' hands could keep them from becoming addicted.

The minimum age for tobacco purchases varies by state. In most states, it is 18.

Hawaii is the only state where you must be 21 to buy a tobacco product.

Bosnia: Srebrenica massacre 20th anniversary: Survivors prepare to bury recently identified victims

Thousands have turned out to pay their respects on the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, as 136 more coffins of identified victims were brought to a memorial centre to be buried the next day.

(abc.net.au) -  Bosnian soldiers in battlefield uniforms, survivors of the massacre, but also ordinary people carried the coffins, wrapped in green, several hundred metres from a hangar that served as a UN base 20 years ago to the Srebrenica memorial cemetery.

Women silently cried as the coffins were laid out on a lawn before being buried during the ceremony.

Among the 136 victims, identified last year by DNA tests, were members of families that lost all of their male members in the killing, according to the Bosnian institute for missing persons.

To date, 6,241 victims have been found, identified and buried at the memorial centre.

About 230 others have been laid to rest in other cemeteries at their families' request.

Some 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed by Bosnian Serb forces at Srebrenica, then a UN-protected Muslim enclave, in the worst atrocity in Europe since World War II.

The massacre has been qualified as genocide by two international courts.

The remains of victims that will be buried on July 11 have been found in several mass graves or in forests where men were killed in ambushes.

In most cases only parts of the remains were found as their bones were moved from mass graves to so-called "secondary" graves in an effort to hide the true extent of the massacre.

Some 50,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony on Saturday, including top international officials, among them former US president Bill Clinton.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic has also said he will participate in the commemoration.

Days after it vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution that would have condemned the massacre as a genocide, Russia called for all people responsible to be brought to justice.

"We strongly advocate that all persons who participated in these and other crimes in Bosnia and Herzegovina should face justice and be punished as soon as possible," Russia's foreign ministry said in statement.

On Wednesday, Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin, said the British-drafted resolution to call the massacre "a crime of genocide" unfairly singled out Bosnian Serbs for war crimes.

Russia exercised its veto when the resolution was put to vote.

China, Nigeria, Venezuela and Angola abstained. Full Story

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Related: USAToday: Serbian PM forced to flee ceremony marking Srebrenica massacre

Jobless Claims Jump to Highest Level Since February

(nytimes.com) WASHINGTON — The number of people seeking unemployment benefits rose last week to the highest level since late February, but the increase was probably more the result of temporary auto plant shutdowns than any underlying labor market weakness.

The number of people filing applications for unemployment benefits rose by 15,000 to 297,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That is the highest weekly total since 327,000 applications were filed in the week of Feb. 28.

Even with the recent increases, benefit applications, which are a proxy for layoffs, remain at levels that reflect a labor market that has been posting solid employment gains. The four-week average for claims, which smooths out some of the volatility, rose to 279,500, up slightly from 275,000 the previous week. It was the highest level for the four-week average since early May.

One of the states posting a large jump was Michigan, home to many U.S. auto plants, which typically shutdown in the summer to retool for a new model year.

Scandal: Ariana Grande Loves America, Hates Obesity, Silent on Donut-Licking Controversy

(Time) 07/08/2015- Singer Ariana Grande has apologized after a video emerged showing her apparently licking doughnuts and saying she hates America.

TMZ released footage of Grande touching random doughnuts with her tongue in a store, then saying she hates America when a store worker brings out a large tray of the treats. In a statement sent to Buzzfeed, the singer apologized for her language writing: “I am EXTREMELY proud to be an American…What I said in a private moment with my friend, who was buying the donuts, was taken out of context and I am sorry for not using more discretion with my choice of words.”

Grande adds that she is an advocate for healthy eating and that the obesity epidemic in the United States bothers her. “The fact that the United States has the highest child obesity rate in the world frustrates me. We need to do more to educate ourselves and our children about the dangers of overeating and the poison that we put into our bodies. We need to demand more from our food industry.”

Notably Grande did not comment on the licking.

Pope Francis, in Ecuador, Calls for More Protection of Rain Forest and Its People

(nytimes.com) QUITO, Ecuador — Pope Francis on Tuesday called for increased protection of the Amazon rain forest and the indigenous people who live there, declaring that Ecuador must resist exploiting natural riches for “short-term benefits,” an implicit rebuke of the policies of President Rafael Correa.

In his final stops of a busy day, Francis made environmental protection a central theme, invoking the biblical tenet for humans to be guardians of creation, while praising the way of life of indigenous peoples living in the rain forests. Several indigenous leaders attending Francis’ final event of the day have been fighting the policies of Mr. Correa to expand oil exploration in the Ecuadorean Amazon.

“The tapping of natural resources, which are so abundant in Ecuador, must not be concerned with short-term benefits,” Francis told a group of civil society leaders at his final stop of the day. “As stewards of these riches which we have received, we have an obligation toward society as a whole, and toward future generations.”

Francis had been expected to address the exploitation of the Amazon, after specifically including the issue in “Laudato Si’,” the environmental encyclical he released to worldwide attention last month. In the document, Francis warned against the perils of climate change but also highlighted the link between environmental destruction and the plight of the poor, including indigenous groups in South America. Full Story

Federal judge sentences two men to prison for selling meth in Wyoming

(trib.com) )7/06/15 - A federal judge sentenced two men to prison last week for selling methamphetamine in Wyoming, according to court documents.

U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on June 30 sentenced Steven Henry Kichelmann to 10 years in prison. Skavdahl also sentenced Casey Piburn to six years in prison.

According to an indictment filed Jan. 14 in the U.S. District Court of Wyoming, Kichelmann and Piburn conspired with other people to sell meth in Wyoming and elsewhere.

A judge sentenced a Lyman man in May to 10 years in prison in connection with the case. DCI agents orchestrated drug deals with Larry Shane Searle after a confidential informant told DCI she knew Searle was planning to pick up a large quantity of meth from Utah.

The confidential informant also told authorities she witnessed Piburn buying an ounce of meth from Searle for $1,800, according to court documents. The documents didn’t specify how Kichelmann was involved in the drug activity.

Kichelmann, 41, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was court ordered to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term and pay a $100 fine.

Piburn, 29, of Rock Springs, must serve five years of supervised release and pay a $300 fine.

The case was investigated by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as part of a national effort to reduce the flow of illicit drugs and drug proceeds.

A nationwide network, the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force was created to dismantle drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations. Its members also strive to find the people responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

Does too much testosterone make men behave irresponsibly?

(Telegraph.co.uk) 07/03/2015- Research published yesterday by Imperial College London suggests that hormones testosterone and cortisol may be having a negative and potentially dangerous influence on the decision-making processes of City workers.

According to the study, the naturally-occurring steroids have been found to markedly increase the chances of risk-taking and audacious behaviour in men whose responsibilities include commercial and economic transactions.

Whilst testosterone is also present in the female body, the concentration at which it can be found in men numbers almost 20 times that of the fairer sex. The study cites this concentration, along with the dominance of male traders in the financial industry, as a possible explanation for some of the less successful and more impulsive moves made by bankers and financiers in recent years.

There is even a suggestion that some of the miscalculated trades that have damaged our economy coud have been due to hormonal interference.

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US History: The Story of the Fourth of July

The Declaration of Independence

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

In contrast, we celebrate Constitution Day on September 17th of each year, the anniversary of the date the Constitution was signed, not the anniversary of the date it was approved. If we’d followed this same approach for the Declaration of Independence we’d being celebrating Independence Day on August 2nd of each year, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed!

How did the Fourth of July become a national holiday?

For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. It was too new and too much else was happening in the young nation. By the 1790s, a time of bitter partisan conflicts, the Declaration had become controversial. One party, the Democratic-Republicans, admired Jefferson and the Declaration. But the other party, the Federalists, thought the Declaration was too French and too anti-British, which went against their current policies.

By 1817, John Adams complained in a letter that America seemed uninterested in its past. But that would soon change.

After the War of 1812, the Federalist party began to come apart and the new parties of the 1820s and 1830s all considered themselves inheritors of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans. Printed copies of the Declaration began to circulate again, all with the date July 4, 1776, listed at the top. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may even have helped to promote the idea of July 4 as an important date to be celebrated.

Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years went on and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 to be a national holiday as part of a bill to officially recognize several holidays, including Christmas. Further legislation about national holidays, including July 4, was passed in 1939 and 1941.

Wild horses can’t be an endangered species, says the US Fish and Wildlife Service

(qz.com)
Maybe they’re just not Rolling Stones fans.

On July 1, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service posted its decision online not to grant endangered species status to wild horses.

A petition for the status had been filed by Friends of Animals and The Cloud Foundation in June 2014, which argued that 40% of American wild horses’ habitat had been lost since President Nixon passed the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act in 1971.

The groups requested that the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) recognize North American wild horses as a distinct population segment (DPS) of the species Equus caballus and protect them on all US federal lands. To qualify as a DPS, a petition must show that the population is both a discrete and significant part of the larger species’ population. If those criteria are met, the petition must then make the case for classifying it as endangered.

FWS found that the wild horses were not behaviorally or physiologically different enough from other horses to be considered “discrete” and therefore said it did not need to consider the other factors.

“These horses are different, they are treated different under the law, they behave differently and there’s some evidence they are genetically different,” Jennifer Barnes, a lawyer for Friends of Animals based in suburban Denver, told the Associated Press.

Passed in 1971, the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act states that “wild free-roaming horses and burros are living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the West; (and) that they contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.”

Possible Link Between Eye Color and Alcoholism Risk Revealed in New Study

abcnews.com) 07/02/15 - There's a new potential clue in the ongoing effort to understand the genetic links to alcoholism: eye colour.

People with lighter eye colors appear to be more likely to develop alcoholism, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Medical Genetics.

The study, published this week, examined genetic samples from 1,263 people with alcohol dependency and found that those with lighter eyes, especially blue eyes, appeared to develop alcoholism at a higher rate.

“This suggests an intriguing possibility -- that eye color can be useful in the clinic for alcohol dependence diagnosis,” Arvis Sulovari, study author and a doctoral student in cellular, molecular and biomedical sciences at the University of Vermont, said in a statement.

Neither Sulovari or lead author Dawei Li, professor of microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of Vermont, said they think there will be one genetic silver bullet to stop alcoholism. But knowing more about the genetics involved could mean that someday doctors might be able to identify from specific genes which people are most at risk for certain disorders, including alcoholism, by looking at their eye colour or hair colour.

“That would be the our long-term [goal], that it could be applied to the clinic,” Li told ABC News today. “For me as a scientist, there is still a long way to go.”

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Seems like profiling & racism to me.

U.S., Cuba restoring diplomatic ties after 54 years

(Reuters) 07/10/15- The United States and Cuba on Wednesday formally agreed to restore diplomatic ties that had been severed for 54 years, fulfilling a pledge made six months ago by the former Cold War enemies.

U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro exchanged letters agreeing to reopen embassies in each other's capitals, with the Cubans saying that could happen as soon as July 20.

"This is a historic step forward in our efforts to normalize relations with the Cuban government and people and begin a new chapter with our neighbors in the Americas," Obama said from the White House Rose Garden.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking from Vienna, said he would visit Havana later this summer to raise the U.S. flag outside the U.S. embassy, currently labeled the U.S. interests section under the protection of the Swiss government.

Obama and Castro seek to relegate to history 56 years of recriminations that have predominated ever since Fidel Castro's rebels overthrew the U.S.-backed government of Fulgencio Batista on Jan. 1, 1959.

"Cuba is encouraged by the reciprocal intention to develop respectful and cooperative relations between our two peoples and governments," Raul Castro, 84, Fidel's younger brother and Cuban president since 2008, wrote in his letter to Obama. Full Story