text:
"Of course not. It's not appropriate behavior. Unless the reporter deserved it." — Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) when asked if assaulting a reporter is appropriate behavior.
"In the eyes of God, a child on the other side of the border is no less worthy of love and compassion than my own child. We can't distinguish between them in terms of their worth and their inherent dignity and that they're deserving of shelter and love and education and opportunity." -- Barack Obama during a debate in Berlin with German Chancellor Angela Merkel 5/24/17
The day after the FBI and CIA held an emergency meeting with Donald Trump's adult sons over a possible foreign intrusion into Trump Organization servers, Trump fired FBI Director James Comey. -- #coincidence?
"Mr. Trump's determination to forge an anti-Iran alliance with the Sunni Arab states and isolate Iran could drift into military confrontation. The nuclear agreement negotiated between Iran and the United States could unravel, causing a split with America's European allies. These are consequences that Mr. Trump, in his enthusiasm for Saudi Arabia, seems to have thought little about." -- NY Times Editorial
"A hot theory is that Trump can't clean house because those inside know too much to be let go, and outsiders \can't be trusted with what they'd learn." -- Mike Allen in Axios
"When it comes to diplomacy, President Trump is a drunk tourist, loud and tacky, shoving his way around the dance floor. He steps on others without realizing it. It's ineffectual." -- State Department official to the Daily Beast
"The Germans are bad, very bad. Look at the millions of cars that they sell in the U.S. Terrible. We're going to stop that." -- Trump to EU officials in a closed-door meeting "
"Anyone who accelerates climate change by weakening environmental protection, who sells more weapons in conflict zones and who does not want to politically resolve religious conflicts is putting peace in Europe at risk. The short-sighted policies of the American government stand against the interests of the European Union." -- Sigmar Gabriel, Germany's top diplomat. 5/29/16
Trump was "the destroyer of all Western values. The U.S. president was undermining the peaceful cooperation of nations based on mutual respect and tolerance. One must stand in the way of such a man with his ideology of rearmament. -- Martin Schulz, a former president of the European Parliament and head of the center-left Social Democrats. 5/30/17
"Donald Trump has transformed the United States into a laughing-stock and he is a danger to the world. He must be removed from the White House before things get even worse." -- Der Spiegel, Germany's largest-circulation news magazine. 5/30/17
"If President Trump was hoping his foreign trip would shift the conversation away from scandals, he may be out of luck. Over the last week, support for beginning impeachment proceedings among voters rose from 38 percent to 43 percent." -- Morning Consult Co-Founder and Chief Research Officer Kyle Dropp. 5/31/17
1. Andy Borowitz: Trump Says He Does Not Know Jared Kushner Very Well
Donald J. Trump on Saturday accused the media of exaggerating his relationship with Jared Kushner, asserting that "I don't know him very well."
"He's someone I would see around the office and who, I guess, was working for me," Trump told reporters on the last leg of his foreign trip. "Beyond that, I couldn't tell you much about him."
Trump acknowledged that he had spoken to Kushner at times during the 2016 campaign. "I'd pass him in the hall and say hello," he said. "He seemed like an O.K. person. I never got much of a sense of the guy."
When asked whether Kushner might have had improper contact with Russian spies during the transition, Trump said, "I couldn't tell you if that's the kind of thing he'd do. You really should ask someone who knows him."
Trump refused to answer further questions about Kushner's possible legal difficulties, saying only, "I wish Garrett well." Read more at http://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/
2. Important points from the CBO report on Obamacare repeal
Here are some key facts and figures from the new CBO report on the American Health Care Act, the House-passed bill to repeal and replace Obamacare:
14 million fewer people will be insured one year after passage.
23 million fewer will be insured in 10 years.
Older Americans face much higher premiums
Repeals $664 billion worth of taxes and fees
Premiums will go up in 2018 and 2019
$834 billion in Medicaid cuts
5/24/17 Read more at https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/costestimate/hr1628aspassed.pdf
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/52752
3. Trump Turns First Foreign Trip Into a Disaster
President Trump "punctured any illusions that he was on a fence-mending tour of Europe, declining to explicitly endorse NATO's mutual defense pledge and lashing out at fellow members for what he called their 'chronic underpayments' to the alliance
On a tense day when Mr. Trump brought the "America first" themes of his presidential campaign to the very heart of Europe, he left European leaders visibly unsettled, with some openly lamenting divisions with the United States on trade, climate and the best way to confront Russia.
The discord was palpable even in body language. When Mr. Trump greeted Emmanuel Macron, France's new president, they grabbed each other's hands, jaws clenched, in an extended grip that turned Mr. Trump's knuckles white. When the leaders lined up to pose for the traditional photograph at NATO headquarters, Mr. Trump appeared to push aside the Montenegrin prime minister, Dusko Markovic, to get to his assigned place in the front. " -- New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/world/europe/donald-trump-eu-nato.html
4. Most GOP Voters Think Millions Voted Illegally
A new YouGov poll finds that 52% of Republicans "definitely" or "probably" think that millions of illegal votes were cast in the 2016 presidential election. 5/26/17 Read more at http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/nkn28k0m0p/econTabReport.pdf
5. GOP Senators Urge Trump to Exit Paris Climate Deal
"A group of 22 heavyweight Republican senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are sending a letter to President Trump today urging him to make a clean exit from the Paris Agreement to combat climate change," Axios reports.
"The letter applauds Trump for beginning the process of unwinding Obama's Clean Power Plan regulations, but says that goal is imperiled if he decides to remain in the Paris climate change deal." 5/25/17 Read more at https://www.axios.com/scoop-top-republican-senators-urge-trump-to-exit-paris-climate-deal-2421530161.html
6. GOP Turns Gloomy Over Obamacare Repeal
A feeling of pessimism settled over Senate Republicans as they headed into a week-long Memorial Day recess with deeply uncertain prospects for their push to repeal Obamacare. Senators reported that they've made little progress on the party's most intractable problems this week, such as how to scale back Obamacare's Medicaid expansion and overall Medicaid spending."
"Republicans have started writing the very basics of their repeal legislation, even though they've made few decisions about what it will say. Staffers will work on the bill over the break to try to increase the pace of negotiations, as well as haggle with the Senate parliamentarian over whether the chamber can even consider the bill because of procedural reasons. But in the meantime, frustrations are rising and confidence is diminishing. 5/26/17 Read more at http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/25/gop-obamacare-repeal-senate-recess-gloom-238839
7. American Voters Think Trump Is Abusing His Office
A new Quinnipiac poll finds American voters believe that President Trump is abusing the powers of his office by a 54% to 43% margin.
Voter opinions of most of Trump's personal qualities also remain negative:
59% say he is not honest;
57% say he does not have good leadership skills;
56% say he does not care about average Americans;
65% say that he is not level-headed;
62% say that he does not share their values.
5/24/17 Read more at https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2460
8. GOP Health Plan Backers Could Feel Pain At The Polls
Only 20 percent of American voters say they are more likely to vote for a Senator or member of Congress who supports the revised Republican health care plan, while 44 percent say they are less likely and 31 percent say this issue won't affect their vote, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.
American voters disapprove of the new health proposal 57 - 20 percent, compared to a 56 - 21 percent disapproval in a May 11 survey. […]
Among independent voters, a key bloc, only 17 percent are more likely to support an elected official who backs the health care plan, while 41 percent are less likely. Republicans are the only listed party, gender, education, age or racial group to support the health care plan, by a lackluster 42 - 24 percent, and the only group where more voters say they would support a candidate for reelection who backs the latest health care plan.
"Advisory to Republicans who support the replacement for Obamacare: Backing this bill could be very hazardous to your political health," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.
"What was heralded as a cure for a failing plan could have toxic side effects." https://poll.qu.edu/national/release-detail?ReleaseID=2461
"Just so you understand, I never mentioned the word or the name 'Israel,' never mentioned it in that conversation. And they're all saying I did. So you have another story wrong." — Trump's remarks at a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Trump is denying saying something that he wasn't alleged to have said in the first place. His comment steers around the issue that emanated from that meeting — that he divulged classified information about an Islamic State threat in his conversation with the Russians. -- AP Fact Check
"I don't know who the people are that would put us into a NAFTA, which was so one-sided. Both from the Canada standpoint and from the Mexico standpoint. So one-sided. Wilbur (U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross) will tell you that, you know, like, at the court in Canada, we always lose. Well, the judges are three Canadians and two Americans. We always lose." — Trump's interview with the Economist.
Trump mischaracterizes the system for resolving trade disputes under the North American Free Trade Agreement. When the U.S. and Canada are at odds over trade, NAFTA calls for five-person panel to weigh in. Each country picks two panelists, drawn from a list that consists largely of trade lawyers, economists and retired judges. The fifth comes from one of the two countries and usually alternates between them. -- AP Fact Check
"I'm proud to say that under my administration, as you just heard, we will be building the first new heavy icebreakers the United States has seen in over 40 years." — Trump's speech to Coast Guard Academy.
The icebreaker project he boasts about started under the Obama administration and Trump's budget would advance it only incrementally, spending $19 million to continue efforts "toward awarding a contract" for design and construction in 2019. "We all know that doesn't get us an icebreaker," Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska told a budget hearing, "but it gets us started." -- AP Fact Check
"I will tell you, a big difference over the last year, money is actually starting to pour into NATO from countries that would not have been doing what they're doing now had I not been elected, I can tell you that. Money is starting to pour in." — Trump in a speech to U.S. troops in Sicily
No money is pouring in and countries do not pay the U.S. Nor do they pay NATO directly, apart from administrative expenses, which are not the issue. -- AP Fact Check
10. From MEDIA MATTERS (They watch Fox News so you don't have to)
Everyone but Fox & Friends reported that the FBI is looking at Jared Kushner in the Russia probe. Fox's alternate reality on the Trump/Russia investigation continues https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/05/26/everyone-fox-friends-reported-fbi-looking-jared-kushner-russia-probe/216683
Another low for Roger Stone: Seth Rich's "parents should be charged with obstruction" https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/05/26/another-low-roger-stone-seth-rich-s-parents-should-be-charged-obstruction/216690
11. From the Late Shows
Late Night with Seth Meyers: Trump's Cruel Budget Breaks His Campaign Promises: A Closer Look: https://youtu.be/-dC2HvHhW5g
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Reince Priebus Has Comey Memo-Phobia: https://youtu.be/rcuaXu1oAx8
12. Late Night Jokes for Dems
Government officials confirmed this afternoon that a person of interest in the FBI's Russia investigation is Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. This comes at a bad time, because the Trump administration has just released its budget. Now they must be like, "Oh, we forgot to set aside bail money." -- James Corden
Meanwhile, Trump continues his trip in Europe. While visiting NATO headquarters today in Brussels, he was caught on camera rudely shoving another world leader out of the way. I mean, is he a president or a bridesmaid positioning to catch the bouquet. -- James Corden
Trump tossed that guy aside like one of his ex-wives. -- James Corden
Last night, a Republican congressional candidate named Greg Gianforte apparently body-slammed a reporter. Some Republicans are defending him, saying the body slam wasn't a big deal — which they might regret in three years when The Rock runs for president. -- JimmyFallon
The Republican congressional candidate for a special election in Montana yesterday reportedly body-slammed a journalist after he asked a question about the Republican healthcare plan. Now, to be fair, that basically is the Republican healthcare plan. -- Seth Meyers
During a NATO meeting today, President Trump was seen pushing aside the prime minister of Montenegro so he could move to the front of the group. You're a world leader, a world leader at a meeting of dignitaries and you act like they just called your number at KFC. -- Seth Meyers
Former President Obama reportedly received a rock star welcome at an event in Germany today, and President Trump was given a subway mariachi band welcome. -- Seth Meyers
This NATO summit was a chance for Trump to hobnob with a number of world leaders and flex his diplomatic muscles — sometimes literally. He kind of pushes his way past the prime minister of Montenegro, like a kid cutting the line for the ice cream truck. -- Jimmy Kimmel
President Trump addressed his fellow leaders today, he scolded them for not paying their fair share to support NATO and had one particularly harsh word for those who commit acts of terrorism. "All people who cherish life must unite in finding, exposing, and removing these killers and extremists. And yes, losers. They are losers." That'll learn 'em. He's fighting terrorists the same way he fought Rosie O'Donnell. It doesn't work. -- Jimmy Kimmel
13. Top Russians Discussed How to Influence Trump Aides
American spies collected information last summer revealing that senior Russian intelligence and political officials were discussing how to exert influence over Donald Trump through his advisers.
The conversations focused on Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman at the time, and Michael Flynn, a retired general who was advising Mr. Trump.
Details of the conversations, some of which have not been previously reported, add to an increasing understanding of the alarm inside the American government last year about the Russian disruption campaign. 5/24/17 Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/24/us/politics/russia-trump-manafort-flynn.html
14. Trump's Base Is Shrinking
There's been a considerable decline in the number of Americans who strongly approve of Trump, from a peak of around 30 percent in February to just 21 or 22 percent of the electorate now. (The decline in Trump's strong approval ratings is larger than the overall decline in his approval ratings, in fact.) Far from having unconditional love from his base, Trump has already lost almost a third of his strong support."
"And voters who strongly disapprove of Trump outnumber those who strongly approve of him by about a 2-to-1 ratio, which could presage an 'enthusiasm gap' that works against Trump at the midterms. The data suggests, in particular, that the GOP's initial attempt (and failure) in March to pass its unpopular health care bill may have cost Trump with his core supporters. Nate Silver: " 5/24/17 Read more at https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/donald-trumps-base-is-shrinking/
15. Florida GOPer Helped Russian Hacker Disseminate Dems' Voter Turnout Data
A Republican political operative in Florida asked the alleged Russian hacker who broke into Democratic Party organizations' servers at the height of the 2016 campaign to pass him stolen documents, according to a report Thursday by the Wall Street Journal.
In return, that operative received valuable Democratic voter-turnout analyses, which the newspaper found at least one GOP campaign consultant took advantage of the information. The hacker went on to flag that same data to Roger Stone, a longtime confidant of Donald Trump's who briefly advised his presidential campaign, and who is currently under federal investigation for potential collusion with Russia.
The Wall Street Journal's report presents the clearest allegations to date of collusion between people connected to Donald Trump's campaign and Russia. http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/anthony-nevins-roger-stone-stolen-democratic-voter-analyses
16. The Coat of Arms Said 'Integrity.' Now It Says 'Trump.'
At the Trump National Golf Club outside Washington the president's coat of arms is everywhere — the sign out front, the pro shop, even the exercise room.
Mr. Trump's coat of arms belongs to Joseph Edward Davies, the third husband of Marjorie Merriweather Post.
The Trump Organization took Mr. Davies's coat of arms for its own, making one small adjustment — they replaced the word "Integritas," Latin for integrity, with "Trump." https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/28/business/trump-coat-of-arms.html?_r=0
17. Trump the Outsider
Trump's image as an outsider continued in Italy at the G-7 meeting in Taormina, Italy, where the distance between Trump and the others was as much physical as political. The presidents, chancellor and prime ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom walked the streets of Taormina.
Trump followed in a golf cart. 5/27/17 Read more at http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-trump-europe-impressions-20170526-story.htm
18. Investigation Turns to Kushner's Motives in Meeting With a Putin Ally
Jared Kushner "was looking for a direct line to President Vladimir Putin of Russia — a search that in mid-December found him in a room with a Russian banker whose financial institution was deeply intertwined with Russian intelligence, and remains under sanction by the United States.
Federal and congressional investigators are now examining what exactly Mr. Kushner and the Russian banker, Sergey N. Gorkov, wanted from each other. The banker is a close associate of Mr. Putin, but he has not been known to play a diplomatic role for the Russian leader. That has raised questions about why he was meeting with Mr. Kushner at a crucial moment in the presidential transition."
Sergey N. Gorkov's bank is controlled by members of Mr. Putin's government, including Prime Minister Dmitri A. Medvedev. It also has long been intertwined with Mr. Putin's inner circle: It has been used by the Russian government to bail out oligarchs close to Mr. Putin, and has helped fund the Russian president's pet projects, such as the Winter Olympics in Sochi in 2014. May 29, 2017 https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/29/us/politics/jared-kushner-russia-investigation.html
1. Ezra Klein: Trump promised to protect the sick and the poor. He lied.
Make no mistake: Trump lied in public about the most consequential policy decisions he is now making as president. He lied on the trail, and he is lying again now from the Oval Office. His budget, released on Tuesday, is an assault on the poor and the vulnerable, and a repudiation of the economic populism that sent him to the White House. The CBO analysis of the Republican health care bill — which Trump has fought to pass, and promised to sign — reveals the proposal would cost 23 million people their health insurance and force millions more onto the stingy, high-deductible insurance plans Trump promised to free them from.
None of this is interpretation or inference — these are the facts of the budget he put his name on and the health care bill he begged Congress to pass. We are not waiting for any whistleblowers to reveal their secrets or investigators to issue their subpoenas. We have the evidence right in front of us.
He lied. And yes, I use that word advisedly. While calling Trump a liar occasionally gives some in the media vapors, there's no other word that fits. Trump is president now. His budget is a vetted document constructed by people appointed by Trump. The American Health Care Act and its likely effects have been exhaustively covered in the press. If at this point Trump doesn't know that he's breaking his promises, then it's because he doesn't want to know. If at this point Trump hasn't bothered to discover he is betraying his supporters, and the people his policies will hurt, then that is the most damning fact of all.
Either way, this is a political scandal of massive proportions. Trump ran promising to protect the sick and the poor, and he is governing in ways that will grievously harm them. We should be outraged. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/5/24/15685786/trump-promised-protect-sick-poor-he-lied
2. Gail Collins: Trump Can't Add Things Up
We're now getting a feel for what it was like to work in a business run by Donald Trump.
His budget is out, and it predicts we will have super-duper, excellent, great — no, huge — economic growth based on monster tax cuts for the rich and cuts in spending that will leave the poor with no money to buy anything.
It was produced in concert with that great health care bill, which the Congressional Budget Office now estimates would cost 23 million Americans their insurance coverage over the next 10 years.
On the plus side, in 10 years Trump will definitely not be president. Unless there's a coup.
We're being run like a bad Atlantic City casino. It's only a matter of time before the government will be trying to make ends meet by selling its name to golf course developers and marketing USA Steaks. 5/25/17 Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/25/opinion/donald-trump-budget.html
3. Joy-Ann Reid: Soak The Poor
Mulvaney and Ryan are proud architects of the deeply cruel, almost cartoonishly villainous Trump budget, unveiled this week amidst the ongoing swirl of Russiagate and Donald Trump's variously weird and awkward travels abroad.
But while many are attempting to label the budget a betrayal of the ideas Trump ran on, even a cursory inspection of his life proves that he does indeed buy into the Ryan-Mulvaney reverse Robin Hood fairy tale. And by the way, so do his voters, who almost to a person believe not only that the rich deserve more but that even the most draconian budget cuts will restore fairness to the system by cutting the undeserving—read "lazy minorities" and "illegals"—out of it.
These beliefs aren't new. They've been nurtured among generations of young Republicans who devoured Ayn Rand novels in high school and who revere Ronald Reagan—not just the Reagan of the 1980s, but the one who in 1965 declared Medicare to be the first horseman of the socialist Apocalypse. They're reinforced every Sunday by a conservative Protestant church that teaches that riches are a tangible sign of God's grace, and that prosperity, not charity, is what the believer should aspire to. They're backstopped by friends and neighbors and plumbers and store clerks who view wealth as a sign of intelligence, even when the tortured syntax of a rich man they revere renders that notion laughable. And they are redoubled by an American culture that almost since its founding has mistaken material success for achievement, and plunder for pluck. 5/26/17 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/05/26/trump-ryan-mulvaney-all-of-them-partners-in-plutocracy
4. Matthew Yglesias: Why Republicans can't fix health insurance
Health care is complicated, but the source of the big government price advantage is not. When the government acts as a giant health care buyer, it either formally through regulation or informally through purchasing power imposes price controls on the sellers of health care services.
The ordinary push and pull of consumer action in a marketplace isn't able to do nearly as well because patients neither can nor want to approach health decisions like ordinary commercial transactions. It's true that a free market approach works well enough for purely discretionary health services like Lasik or breast enhancement surgery, but these are exceptions that prove the rule — medical procedures that don't address core health needs function fine as consumer commodities. Essential health care doesn't.
There is a fundamental three-way tradeoff here between the amount of money that you spend, the number of people that you cover, and the extent to which you rely on market mechanisms. What conservative ideologues want to do is choose minimal government spending and maximum reliance on free markets, letting coverage wither in the wind. That's why Michael Cannon of the libertarian Cato Institute launched his "Anti-Universal Coverage Club" 10 years ago to try to rally the faithful behind the cause of letting tens of millions of Americans go uninsured.
Practical Republican politicians don't want to go there, however, because it's morally hideous. Nobody who has to face the voters wants to own up to favoring a free market system in which huge swathes of the population can't get care when they are sick. On the contrary, when GOP politicians need to make the case against Obamacare, what they normally do is complain that premiums are too high and coverage isn't generous enough. But there are only two ways to address those issues: lean less on government solutions, or spend more money backed up by higher taxes.
Neither option is acceptable to Republicans, so they're left with the AHCA solution — massive rollbacks in coverage that they try to paper over with a lot of handwaving. https://www.vox.com/health-care/2017/5/25/15688408/government-insurance-is-cheaper
5. NY Magazine Editorial: Exposing the Obvious About the GOP Health-Care Bill
Providing health insurance to more people, then, requires more money. A lot more. The Affordable Care Act imposed a range of taxes, including a special Medicare surcharge on high earners, to pay for these costs.
The Republican plan, the American Health Care Act, repeals those and other taxes, totaling some $662 billion over 10 years. It also cuts Medicaid funding by $834 billion over a decade.
The bill would provide some funding for tax credits and high-risk pools. But mostly it transfers money currently used to pay for care for the sick and poor to the nation's wealthiest taxpayers. (According to one estimate, the bottom 80 percent of income earners would see little or no benefit from the plan's tax cuts.)
Because that upward redistribution of money is politically unpopular, and literally deadly, House Republicans sought to camouflage the basic trade in which they are engaged -- reducing access to health care in exchange for tax cuts for the wealthy. The CBO report merely exposed what was obvious all along. https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-05-25/exposing-the-obvious-about-the-gop-health-care-bill
6. Andrew Sullivan: The Pope and the Pagan
The contrast between a grim-faced pope and the grinning president at the Vatican this past week was not lost on the press or late-night TV. But they missed the mark, it seems to me. They noted merely that the two leaders profoundly disagree on, say, the dignity of immigrants, the sanctity of heterosexual marriage, or the urgency of tackling climate change. While these disagreements exist, they are, it seems to me, merely symptoms of a deeper chasm — the vast, empty, and dark space that lies between Donald Trump and anything resembling Christianity.
I don't believe that there is a Christian politics as such — there is plenty of scope for disagreement about how to translate a Christian worldview into secular politics, or whether to translate it at all. But I do believe there is a Christian set of core human virtues and values, rooted in what we Catholics still think of as the truth, and that those virtues are rooted in the Gospels. We all fail the virtue test, of course, including yours truly, perhaps more than most. But Trump is a special case — because when you think about those virtues, it is very hard to see Donald Trump as anything but a living, breathing, shameless refutation of every single one. 5/26/17 Read more at http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/andrew-sullivan-the-pope-and-the-pagan.html
7. Graydon Carter: Trump's Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, And The Worst First 100 Days In Presidential History
As an executive, Trump is a shambles. Can you imagine a company in America that would hire Trump as its C.E.O.? (Enron doesn't count: it's no longer in business.) He's not a true leader in any proper sense of the word; he's a ringmaster of a heaving, leaking White House that is much closer to the Circus Maximus or a traveling carny show than any traditional government operation. When he told NBC News that Comey was "a showboat" and "a grandstander," what he really meant was that there was room for only one of those in this town. The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that's excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. A West Wing housecleaning may only make things worse for the top man. Releasing the likes of his chief strategist into the wild is a particularly dangerous move. When it comes to Visigoths like Steve Bannon, it's best to keep them inside the fortress peeing on the underlings, rather than outside with their torches and battering rams.
What the Kardashians are to authentic glamour the Trumps are to authentic executive acumen. To paraphrase Fran Lebowitz, Trump is an unsuccessful person's idea of a successful person. His son-in-law, the all-purpose Secretary of Everything, Jared Kushner, is cut from similar cloth. An heir to a sizable New Jersey real-estate concern, he has two signature business initiatives under his belt. In one case, he burdened his family with staggering debt by paying a record price for a badly located office tower at 666 Fifth Avenue. And he bought The New York Observer (a paper I ran at one point), and through boneheaded firing and hiring, and routine mismanagement, he ran this religiously read weekly right into the ditch.
From all outward appearances, Trump is not a well man, physically or mentally. He has the limited vocabulary and shockingly nonlinear sentence structure of an immigrant new to English. You can only imagine what mornings are like up there in the White House private quarters: the sleeping garments, the personal-grooming routine, the bronzer, the spray volumizer, and the careful hair placement, interspersed with continual tantrums over what the morning television shows are saying about him. Actually, put all those thoughts out of your mind. I'm sorry I even brought them up. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/05/graydon-carter-donald-trump-first-100-days
8. Todd Stern: Leaving the Paris Agreement Would Be Indefensible
The Paris Agreement is ambitious, universal transparent, and balanced. It brings China, India, and other developing countries fully into the regime. It combines strong, aggregate goals with a "bottom-up" structure in which countries decide their emissions targets for themselves and then continually update those targets on five-year cycles. Yet Paris boxes no one in; all are urged to aim high, but targets are not legally binding. It succeeded with strong U.S. leadership every step of the way. The entire world has signed on, save only Syria and Nicaragua. It appears that the president now means to expand that group of two to include the United States of America.
Pulling out of Paris would cause serious diplomatic damage. The countries of the world care about climate change. They see it as a profound threat. They recognize there is no way to meet that global threat without an effective global regime. And they understand that the Paris regime cannot work in the long run if the world's indispensable power has left the table. The president's exit from Paris would be read as a kind of "drop dead" to the rest of the world. Bitterness, anger, and disgust would be the wages of this careless act. As Ronald Reagan's secretary of state, George Shultz, said recently about Paris, "[g]lobal statecraft relies on trust, reputation and credibility, which can be all too easily squandered. …[I]f America fails to honor a global agreement that it helped forge, the repercussions will undercut our diplomatic priorities across the globe." https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/05/paris-agreement-trump/528621/
9. Eric Levitz: Trump Says His Trip to Europe Has Already Saved 'Millions of Jobs'
On his first foreign trip as president, Donald Trump touched a glowing orb with the leader of an Islamist autocracy that he'd accused of orchestrating 9/11; suggested Israel is not a part of the Middle East; signed a Holocaust Museum's "Book of Remembrance" as though it were a middle-school yearbook; accidentally admitted that he had leaked highly classified Israeli intelligence to an ally of Iran; shoved the prime minister of Montenegro; said that Germany is "very evil"; turned a handshake with the French president into a naked struggle for dominance; and, somehow saved "millions of jobs" in the process.
It's hard to blame Trump supporters for disbelieving reality-based media, given that the alternative would require acknowledging, on a near daily basis, that their hero is a con man. 5/26/17 Read more at http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/trump-says-his-trip-to-europe-has-saved-millions-of-jobs.html
10. Maureen Dowd: Trump's Hand-to-Hand Combat
Trump thinks the way to represent America is with a caricature of strength, without understanding it comes across as weakness and boorishness. Even with the weightiest job in the world, he can't seem to mature beyond the schoolyard bully. Where are you, Melania, anti-bullying spokeswoman and Donald-hand-slapper?
Summits are always elaborately choreographed, but never before have allies had pre-emptive plans on how to counteract an American president's handshake. Trump's are more like dominance tests than greetings. First Justin Trudeau in Washington and then Emmanuel Macron in Brussels prepared to out-grip him on his patented "I'll-rip-your-shoulder-out-and-show-you-who's-boss" handshake.
When Trump pushed aside Dusko Markovic, the prime minister of Montenegro, to get in front of the NATO pack in Brussels and then straightened his jacket with primate panache, J. K. Rowling tweeted: "You tiny, tiny, tiny little man."
Donald Trump is not a tough guy. He's a faux tough guy. That is not even in the American tradition. All of our famously tough icons, on screen and in life, were able to exude strength without using brute force. And they did it while standing up for people, not smacking them down. 5/27/17 Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/27/opinion/sunday/trumps-hand-to-hand-combat.html
11. NY Times Editorial: Trumpcare's Cruelty, Reaffirmed
Any doubts about the senseless cruelty underlying the health care agenda put forward by President Trump and Congress were put to rest last week by two government documents. The fantasy that Mr. Trump intends to fight for the health of long-suffering working people should be similarly interred.
One document was the administration's budget. The other was the Congressional Budget Office's detailed analysis of the Trumpcare bill passed by the House earlier this month. The budget proposes billions of dollars in cuts to programs that fund research into new cures, protect the country from infectious diseases and provide care to the poor, the elderly and people with disabilities. The analysis said that Trumpcare — formally the American Health Care Act — would rob 23 million people of health insurance while leaving millions of others with policies that offer little protection from major medical conditions. All of this would be done in service of huge tax cuts for the richest Americans.
Consider the fate of Medicaid, a program that provides health insurance to more than 74 million people, among them 60 percent of nursing home residents and millions of people with disabilities. Trumpcare would slash Medicaid spending by $834 billion over 10 years, according to the C.B.O. The president's budget would take a further $610 billion from the program under the pretext of reforming it. Taken together, this amounts to an estimated 45 percent reduction by 2026 compared with current law, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says.
Trumpcare, the C.B.O. says, would make it impossible for millions of people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease or diabetes to buy health insurance. That's because the law would let states waive many of the requirements in the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law known as Obamacare. It would also greatly increase the cost of insurance policies for older and poorer people, no matter where they live. By way of illustration, a 64-year-old earning $26,500 a year and living in a state not seeking waivers would have to pay $16,100 a year for coverage, nearly 10 times as much as she would under Obamacare.
Apart from inflicting hardship, what would Trumpcare and the president's budget achieve? Mainly a windfall for wealthy families. The administration has not provided enough information to make good estimates, so it's hard to say how much the rich would gain from the budget, although it would be a lot. We know more about Trumpcare. The Tax Policy Center estimates that almost all of the tax cuts in that legislation would flow to the rich: The top 1 percent would take home an average of $37,200 a year, while people with middle-class incomes would get a measly $300. 5/27/17 Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/27/opinion/sunday/trumpcares-cruelty-reaffirmed.html?ref=todayspaper
12. Charles M. Blow: Donald Trump: The Gateway Degenerate
When Republicans allowed themselves to vote for a man who insulted Mexicans and Muslims, who mocked a disabled reporter, who called for executing the Central Park Five and who had "a long history of racial bias at his family's properties, in New York and beyond," according to an extensive report by The Times, Republicans surrendered the mantle of morality.
Republicans sold their souls to this devil and now are forced to defend as right what they know full well is wrong. They must defend his incessant lying, clear incompetence and dubious dealings. What was once sacrilege among Republicans is now sacrosanct.
It is in that context that Gianforte could be charged with assault and Republicans would pat him on the back instead of rapping him on the knuckles.
Republicans, blinded by fear and rage, thirsty for power, desperate for a reclamation and reassertion of racial power, have cast their lot with the great deceiver and all their previous deal-breakers are now negotiable. 5/29/17 Read more at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/29/opinion/donald-trump-greg-gianforte.html
13. Molly Ball: Is This as Good as It Gets for Republicans?
Trump's troubles have cast a long shadow over the 291 members of his party in the House and Senate, who see their agenda going up in smoke in what is generally a presidential party's most productive year."
A flawed, unpopular health-care bill is stalled in the Senate, the president's budget proposal has been dismissed out of hand, and hope is fading for other priorities such as tax reform and infrastructure. 'How do you pack all that in?' Senator John McCain asked last week, adding, 'So far, I've seen no strategy for doing so. I'm seeing no plan for doing so.' One Republican congressman suggested that what was needed was for the president to throw 'a temper tantrum' to get lawmakers to act—this congressman happened to be named Brat."
Meanwhile Democrats sit back and watch it burn, with no small amount of schadenfreude, and the Republicans who never liked Trump see their worst predictions fulfilled. May 29, 2017 https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/05/trumps-washington-congress/528426/
14. Paul Waldman: How's that swamp draining going?
A Monmouth University poll released last week had some dispiriting news for President Trump: Only 24 percent of Americans said he had made progress "draining the swamp," as he promised so many times on the campaign trail.
How could such a thing be? Don't people understand that our nation's capital is now bathed in the cleansing light of Trump's integrity, renewed for a generation by the upstanding example of the president, his family, and his advisers? No?
It's curious, but we may be able to solve the mystery. Maybe it's the fact that Trump continues to refuse to release his tax returns. Or maybe it's the story about the family of Jared Kushner — who, among other things, is a cruel slumlord — seeking Chinese investors for their real estate projects by dangling promises of "investor visas" to those who pony up. Or maybe it's just the fact that Trump has stocked his administration with family members, business cronies, and Wall Street plutocrats. May 30, 2017 http://theweek.com/articles/701386/hows-that-swamp-draining-going
15. Jonathan Chait: Russians Think Trump Might Be a Russian Asset, and They Might Be Right
Over the last several days, the Russia scandal has taken a darker turn. Friday night, the Washington Post reported that Kushner tried during the presidential transition period to set up a secret communications channel with Moscow. Tuesday morning, CNN reported that, during the 2016 campaign, Russian officials discussed having leverage of a financial nature over Trump, which could be used to manipulate the Republican nominee. The exact nature of this relationship remains as yet unknown, but its parameters have shifted. The most innocent explanations of Donald Trump's shadowy relationship with Russia have grown increasingly fanciful, while the most paranoid interpretations have grown increasingly more plausible.
Indeed, in another one of dramatic juxtapositions that would have seemed ham-handed in a spy thriller, the latest scandalous revelations came out just as Trump could be seen carrying out what looks for all the world like his end of a pact with Moscow. If the president did have an objective on his trip to Europe — a premise that, it goes without saying, cannot be assumed — it was to crack up the American alliance with Western Europe. That happens to have been Russia's primary diplomatic objective since the end of World War II. In Brussels, Trump refused to publicly affirm the Article 5 guarantee of the NATO charter — the foundation of the anti-Russian alliance, and the basis for Europe's defense against Russian aggression. He directed his trademark wild diatribes against Germany, accusing it repeatedly of abusive trade relations, despite the fact that the United States does not have bilateral trade relations with that country. Amazingly, he kept up the abuse on Twitter after returning Stateside, while simultaneously defending Russia over its intervention in the American election. 5/30/17 Read more at http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/05/russians-think-trump-might-be-a-russian-asset.html


Your thyroid plays a major role in regulating your metabolism and many additional aspects of your health including your heart rate, body temperature, and your blood pressure. There are a number of thyroid problems that can compromise the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. A goitre occurs when the thyroid gland enlarges, often causing a noticeable lump in the front of the neck area.
If you have questions about the symptoms associated with thyroid nodules contact your local doctor, who will arrange for you to see a thyroid surgeon.


Inspiring tomorrow's great players, today.
At Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by Taylormade, our junior programs focus on long-term athletic development and extensive skill building that give all participants the opportunity to set tangible goals at multiple entry points based on experience. All of the programs are designed to be a feeder system to the newly introduced Reynolds Elite Performance program, which is led by three highly trained instructors and helps students achieve their full potential.
A fun, supportive, and positive learning environment for future players.
First Move Junior Golf blends physical movement with the skills needed to play golf well. Our approach to motor learning enables juniors to develop critical golf-specific athletic movements faster, while enjoying an action-packed non-traditional golf atmosphere. An established rewards system is in place to motivate and recognize improvement, skill mastery, and outstanding performance.
On-course instruction in a low-stress environment.
This program is designed to teach students of all abilities how to score from a "Green to Tee" perspective. The program includes on-course instruction in a low-stress environment, identifies areas of improvement, and tracks progression to help achieve the goal of shooting lower scores. With a maximum instructor-to-student ratio of 4:1, a skill-based scoring system that emphasizes short-game and putting as the fundamental building blocks, and bi-weekly on-course tests with continuous skill building to assess and correct technical fundamentals, this program is engineered to improve all skill levels.
The most complete junior program in Georgia.
Reynolds Elite Performance aims to provide comprehensive, elite-level training to the best junior golfers in the southeast. With a limited number of spots available, Reynolds Elite Performance fosters a competitive environment with a maximum instructor-to-student ratio of 4:1. The program uses advanced Trackman and elite level scoring systems to provide evaluative data to make timely, precise adjustments that will prepare our students for the next level.
Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by TaylorMade provides a unique golf venue for up-and-coming elite AJGA golfers. AJGA athletes have the opportunity to receive identical services and experiences from technicians who have fitted AJGA alumni Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Daniel Berger, Jim Herman, Jon Rahm, Jessica Korda, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis, Danielle Kang and many more.
AJGA members receive access to the most recent TaylorMade products. At Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by TaylorMade, there are over 500 shaft and 50 grip options available for testing. All clubs made here are customized to a player's personal swing specifications and can be built on-site in a TaylorMade/PGA Tour Trailer.
Reynolds Kingdom of Golf presented by TaylorMade now offers AJGA members access to test the performance characteristics of the TaylorMade Tour Preferred ball within our world-class short-game facility. With our full-fit experience, AJGA members will have the opportunity to experience the exceptional distance and control that TaylorMade TP balls provide to golfers.


Dogs sometimes develop problem behaviours that can be hard to curb with conventional training methods. Whether it be the speedy escape artist off their lead, or the working Kelpie nipping the cattle a bit too enthusiastically, most dogs have moments of "selective hearing" when your voice commands are completely ignored.
It is important to correct an unwanted behaviour immediately it occurs because a dog has a very brief short term memory span. A remote training collar allows you to communicate with your dog the instant it is needed, even at a distance, by means of a static pulse that your dog is unlikely to ignore. When used in conjunction with your normal training programme, it allows you to reinforce commands, correct problems, and deter dangerous habits such as chasing kangaroos and snakes.
Our range of dog training systems covers all breeds and sizes for use in the field or backyard, and have waterproof dog receiver collars. We use brands are from respected companies that carry genuine product warranties; no cheap models that last only weeks and have no customer support.


An Iron a gold quarter stater; a Kentish issue of Dubnovellaunos (VA 170, BM 2475). obv: plain with slight banding rev: horse facing right above tripets and two pellet-in-ring, below cresent x and ring, pellet.
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'Leysdown', grid reference and parish protected.
Gold stater of Dubnovellaunos with oval flan.
Gold quarter stater, of the Cantiaci, Dubnovellaunos. VA170, M.284. Obv. Plain with slight banding. Rev. Horse right, rings around. 'V' shape above, uncertain object below. Offcentre.
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'KENT WHITSTABLE', grid reference and parish protected.
Spatial data recorded. This findspot is known as 'KENT SNODLAND', grid reference and parish protected.


Dale Shipley was Director of the School of Early Childhood Education at Ryerson University from 2001 to 2006. Dale has had a varied career in the education sector, beginning as a teacher in the high schools of Ontario and England, and continuing for thirteen years as a professor in the early childhood education program at Algonquin College. Her career in early childhood education was interrupted on three occasions when she worked as a consultant or administrator for organizations affiliated with change in the Ontario postsecondary sector.


When I first started dating my husband you would not believe the stories I thought were true. I didn't know any better and chose to believe what others told me.
While this was very dumb of me at the time, I've learned quite a bit over the years. I hope after reading this post you will not make the same mistakes I did!
1. "You can visit your boyfriend/girlfriend anytime you would like."
You may have paid for a flight a month in advance to go visit, but the military can still say no. Believe me, it is one of the most annoying things about the military.
Just because you purchased a plane ticket does not mean they will make exceptions. Their pass can be taken away at any time.
You have to have a plan B, C, and D.
2. You cannot be involved in the FRG (Family Readiness Groups).
I already know that people will disagree with me on this. Oh well.
I HATE that people assume that military girlfriends cannot be involved in FRGs. I have felt the sting of not being included on email lists when my husband deployed to Afghanistan.
I've seen FRGs run by military girlfriends before. Please please please do not afraid to ask to be added to the FRG roster. You might not be in the area with your bf/gf.
3. There is a competition.
You know who cares what rank your spouse is? No one. It isn't your rank.
Yes, it is hard that your spouse is gone for nine months but other people are allowed to miss their spouse. Just focus on keeping your relationship healthy and strong. Do not worry or be concerned with what others are doing.
4. All military spouses are terrible.
Haven't been told that all military spouses are dependas yet? Wait for it. It will happen.
I'm not entirely sure who in their right mind would marry someone in the military for the benefits. I have yet to meet someone who has but apparently, that is the stereotype.
I have met some amazing military spouses and I have met some that are not worth my time. It is the same as the civilian world.
5. All the women your spouse works will be all over them.
I have seen this statement made so many times I need to address it. Not every woman your spouse works with will want to date them! This is the most annoying stereotype of women in the military.
If you take a step back, you will actually find that there are many women serving who are amazing people. I've been lucky enough to make friends with the women who worked with my husband. Why would you miss out on friendships because of your own biases?
6. Since you're just a girlfriend, your relationship doesn't matter.
Your relationship is absolutely important! You have no idea how much your love and support matters!
Every single married couple has been in the same place you were. You are being very brave to deal with the distance, deployments and overall craziness.
Do not ever let anyone tell you otherwise.
A freaking men! I have never agreed with a post more in my life! Thank you.
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Great post and so true. Especially #6, he needs you and you matter. Just like the post said, "You have no idea how much your love and support matters!"


text:
using System.Collections.Generic;

using Moq;
using NUnit.Framework;
using OnLineShop.Services.Data.Contracts;
using OnLineShop.Data.Models;
using OnLineShop.Web.Controllers;
using OnLineShop.Web.Models.Products;
using TestStack.FluentMVCTesting;

namespace OnLineShop.Web.Tests.Controllers.ProductControllerTests
{
    [TestFixture]
    public class LatestProduct_Should
    {
        [Test]
        public void ReturnPartialViewWithCattegories_WhenPassedPatameterIsNotEmptyCollection()
        {
            // Arrange
            var productService = new Mock<IProductService>();

            Product first = new Product()
            {
                Id = 5,
                Name = "Рокля на цветя",
                PictureUrl = "www.go.home",
                Category = new Category { Id = 2, Name = "Поли" },
                Brand = new Brand() { Id = 1, Name = "Levis" },
                Price = 55.20m,
                ModelNumber = "123",
                Quantity = 5,
                Sizes = new List<Size> { new Size { Id = 5, Value = "36" }, new Size { Id = 7, Value = "40" } }
            };
            Product second = new Product()
            {
                Id = 7,
                Name = "Рокля на цветя",
                PictureUrl = "www.go.home",
                Category = new Category { Id = 2, Name = "Поли" },
                Brand = new Brand() { Id = 1, Name = "Levis" },
                Price = 55.20m,
                ModelNumber = "123",
                Quantity = 5,
                Sizes = new List<Size> { new Size { Id = 5, Value = "36" }, new Size { Id = 7, Value = "40" } }
            };

            var productList = new List<Product>() { first, second };

            productService.Setup(p => p.GetLast12WithCategoryAndBrand()).Returns(productList);

            // Act
            var productController = new ProductController(productService.Object);

            //  Assert
            productController
                .WithCallTo(p => p.LatestProducts())
                .ShouldRenderPartialView("_ProductsPartial")
                .WithModel<IEnumerable<ProductsViewModel>>(); ;
        }

        [Test]
        public void ReturnEmptyPartialView_WhenPassedPatameterIsEmptyCollection()
        {
            // Arrange
            var productService = new Mock<IProductService>();
            IEnumerable<Product> productList = new List<Product>();

            productService.Setup(p => p.GetLast12WithCategoryAndBrand()).Returns(productList);

            // Act
            var ProductController = new ProductController(productService.Object);

            //  Assert
            ProductController
                .WithCallTo(c => c.LatestProducts())
                .ShouldRenderPartialView("_ProductsPartial");
        }
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


If you are looking to increase the look of your home with new siding, or a patio, you can count on us. We are committed to being your one-stop construction service company when it comes to quality exterior renovations.
Walkways and sidewalks and more!


text:
Former Pittsburgh Priest Accused Of Filming Boy In Target BathroomA former priest is accused of recording a 13-year-old boy in a bathroom at the Target in East Liberty.
Child Porn Found On Phone Of Man Confronted For Allegedly Taking Girls' Photos At South Hills TargetA man accused of taking pictures of girls in Target is facing multiple charges after police say they found child porn on his phone.
Fayette County Man Charged With Producing Child PornographyA Fayette County man is accused of making child pornography.
Owner Of RKB Electric And Supply Pleads Guilty To Child Pornography ChargesAn electrician from Carnegie will spend more than 7 years in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.
Crafton Man Accused Of Hiding Camera In Youth Center Bathroom Now Facing Sexual Assault ChargesA Crafton man is facing several new charges including possessing child pornography, sexual assault, and rape.
Crafton Man Accused Putting Hidden Camera In Youth Center Bathroom Held On $1M Straight Cash BailAnthony Fletcher, the man accused of putting a hidden camera in a bathroom at a Canonsburg youth center, has been extradited to Washington County.
Former Pirates Pitcher Felipe Vazquez Found Guilty Of Sexual Assault Of 13-Year-Old GirlFormer Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez has been found guilty on several charges.
Teen Accuser Takes Stand In Sexual Assault Trial Of Former Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Felipe VazquezThe trial is underway for former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Felipe Vazquez, who is accused of having sexual relations with an underage girl.
Washington Man Sentenced To Prison For Possessing Thousands Of Child Porn ImagesA Washington man who prosecutors said had thousands of images of child pornography will spend just over 8 years behind bars.
Former Band Director At Multiple Local Districts Arrested On Child Pornography ChargesA former band director at multiple districts in the Pittsburgh area is facing federal child porn charges out of West Virginia.
Man Sentenced To 18 Years For Sexually Exploiting Minors While On ProbationA man from McKeesport accused of pretending to be a teen girl online to get sexually explicit photos of minors will spend 18 years behind bars.
W. Va. Woman Sentenced To 20 Years For Recording Pornographic Video Of Child And Sending It To Another PersonA West Virginia woman has been sentenced to the maximum of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
Former Monessen School Bus Driver Sentenced To 6.5 Years For Possessing Child PornographyA former school bus driver in Monessen has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison for possessing child pornography.
ICE Raids Brownsville Home In Operation Targeting Alleged Child PredatorsICE Homeland Security Investigations officers raided a home in Brownsville as part of an operation aimed at arresting alleged child predators.
Police: Phone Sex Call Leads To Child Sex Abuse Charges Against Brackenridge ManAccording to police, a phone sex call now has a man facing several charges of child pornography.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Uber is not happy with the QLD government and the Katter's Australian party today.
The Katter's Australian Party's private member's Bill passed yesterday through parliament which now gives transport inspectors the authority to fine Uber drivers up to $2356 - and administrators could see fines up to a whopping $23,560.
So as a response to the government's new legislation, Uber have added a third option to their app.
Queensland users are also greeted by an option to have their say as they first open the app.
Definitely some attitude and sass in this message.
Thankfully once you've bypassed the first two opening messages, you can go back to using Uber as per normal.
Uber Qld's General Manager Sam Bool spoke to news.com.au about the vocal stand the company was making.
"We are astounded that a government that claims to be pro-jobs and pro-innovation has taken such a backwards step for Queensland," Bool said.
"They have undermined the credibility of their own review process to appease Mr Katter, who continues to threaten the state's leaders to get his way.
The uproar comes after other states in Australia are pushing towards legalising the ride sharing app.


text:
Q: script to restore/bring to front of a program, or open it if it is not active I am trying to develop a script that should do the following. For example, !W should:

*

*check if Word is active (can be open or minimized)

*if it is minimized, it should be restored to the size and location it had before minimization

*if it is open, but "hidden" behind other open windows, the script
should bring it to the front, making it the frontmost/active window

*if it is neither minimized nor open, the program should be freshly  started

I would like to do this for several programs: !W for Word, !N for Notepad++, !X for excel, !P for powerpoint, !F for Firefox.
If multiple instance of a program are running, or if multiple tabs are available, it should do the above for the most recent instance or tab. So, when multiple windows of Firefox are open, it should restore (or bring to the front) the most recently viewed window with the most recently opened tab. Similarly, if multiple word documents are open, it should do this for the one I was last working on. And, if no Word document is open or minimized, it should open a fresh word instance..
I can do some of these things, for some programs, but not consistently, nor in one hotkey (I am still learning the scripting language). How could I achieve this?

A: I see you already know of the magnificent Autohotkey language ;). I'd use:

*

*ifWinActive ; check if window active

*WinGet, output, MinMax ; check if window minimized

*ifWinExists ; check if window exists (but not active)

*Run ; run the program if no process associated

*Z-order / WinList ; those will help you list all of the instances / determine which instance is the first one

If you have more questions, you should definitely ask them on the autohotkey forum.
; The script activates a Word 2007 window
; The script uses 'winTitle' and 'winClass' variables to match the window
; so set those properly first.
; Press Shift + 1 + w to see how the script works.
;
winTitle := "Document1 - Microsoft Word" ; use Autoit Window Spy to get this
winClass := "OpusApp"
RunWait, winword
return

+1::
    KeyWait, w, D T1 ; KeyboardHook not needed
    if(errorlevel) {
        msgbox, % """Shift + 1 + w"" failed"
        return
    }
    Send, {Backspace} ; erase 'w'
    IfWinNotActive, %winTitle%
    {
        WinActivate, %winTitle%
        WinWaitActive, %winTitle%, , 3
        if(errorlevel)
            MsgBox, % "Failed to activate the window."
    }
    else ; Last Found Window set
    {
        MsgBox, % "Window already activated."

    }
return

F11::Reload

A: It may not be as complicated as some, but here is what I use to launch most of my programs.  The toggle allows you to minimize the window if it is already active.
^NumpadDot::ShowStart("Google Chrome", "chrome.exe")

ShowStart(title, exe, toggle = 0)
{
    If WinActive(title) and toggle
        WinMinimize %title%
    Else
        {
            IfWinExist, %title%
                WinActivate
            else
            {
                Run, %exe%
                WinActivate
            }
        }
}

A: My understanding of how Window Activation works is pretty simple.  It restores the most recently use window of that type.  That default behavior makes coding what you want very simple.  In fact, I do something almost identical to what you are after with two simple code blocks.
+#w::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2 ; approximate match
IfWinExist, - Microsoft Word
{
WinActivate, - Micrsoft Word
}
IfWinNotExist, - Microsoft Word
{
Run FullFilePathToMicrosoftWord
}
return

I created a bit of an interesting synergy to work with multiple monitors.  Note that on Windows 7, holding shift + windows key and using the arrows to navigate left and right will move the active window between monitors at light speed.  So I tried something a bit clever and mapped word to shift + window + w.  It restores word if already open or runs a new instance if not. The beauty of the approach is that I never let go of shift + windows key.  By doing so I can both active/start word and move it to exactly the position I want using left right arrow keys (up will maximize by the way and down will minimize). Map +#r to restore the active window and you completely control all windows that you normally use effortlessly without the mouse.  All you must remember is the first letter of the app you are trying to activate.
In answer to your query about making the script more generic:
1) Consider using
; Allows you to search for an approximate window title match
SetTitleMatchMode, 2

; For example, you could do the following to activate any existing window with
; "- Microsoft Word" as part of the title

WinWait, - Microsoft Word,
IfWinNotActive, - Microsoft Word, , WinActivate, - Microsoft Word,
WinWaitActive, - Microsoft Word,

; some other code here once you have the window active

Or another possibility:
;Active the window by finding its ahk_class
WinWait, ahk_class OpusApp,
IfWinNotActive, ahk_class OpusApp, , WinActivate, ahk_class OpusApp,
WinWaitActive, ahk_class OpusApp,

Note: The code above was just an adaptation of the autoscriptwriter's generic output.  It is somewhat redundant but effective.  To find something like a window's ahk_class consider using AutoIt3 window spy.
If you need to discover the title of a window you can get active title as shown in the ahk example help file
WinGetActiveTitle, Title
MsgBox, The active window is "%Title%".

Another trick you can use is to set the active title using WinSetTitle
Edit: Given that you have multiple instances of excel/word/powerpoint floating around, also consider solving that problem with officetabs free edition.  It will allow you to keep all open excel files in a single instance for example instead of strewn about the taskbar.

A: This is how I solved this issue for myself. https://superuser.com/a/1405409/997992
I did forget to mention in the original post that I am using a windows add on called actual windows manager which is why I have an extra check with WinExist in there for either the actualwindowsmanager OR explorer.exe.
Hope this helps.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Jennifer is co-owner and Clinical Director of Counseling Center of the Rockies. She is a Certified Addictions Counselor Level III and has been in the substance abuse field for 12 years. Jennifer is also recovering from substance abuse herself and has been clean and sober for 15 years. She is pleased to be a part of this great group of people and feels that we have a lot of experience, knowledge and hope to offer our community.
Jamie is co-owner and Administrative Director of Counseling Center of the Rockies. She has been with the company for seven years. She is excited to be a part of expanding the Counseling Center of the Rockies and working with a great staff to provide the opportunity for each client to achieve growth and change which will have a positive effect throughout their lifetime.
Stephanie is a Certified Addictions Counselor Level III and a Registered Psychotherapist. She has been working in the field for 17 years. Stephanie received her Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from CU Denver in 1997 and her Masters in Counseling from Regis University in 2007. She has been a Certified Addictions Counselor since 1998. Stephanie believes that everyone has the power to overcome personal and emotional obstacles and serves to provide support for her clients in doing this. She is excited and proud to be a part of the team here at the Counseling Center of the Rockies.
Mark is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Addictions Counselor Level II. He has been in the field for many years. He is currently providing Clinical Supervison, DUI Education and Therapy and Relapse Prevention Groups with Counseling Center of the Rockies.


LWP can offer Clients an "umbrella" service, organising and co-ordinating the design team and construction team to provide the Client with a "one-stop" approach.
Alternatively, we provide a project management service which slots seamlessly into the clients chosen design team and provides a co-ordination between all team members.
Good communication is the key to a successful project and at LWP we value good communication as an essential trait of all of our Project Managers.


The scenery is beautiful as the river winds its way north to James Bay, passing through the Canadian Shield. The river is remote and the access is limited, making wildlife viewing remarkable and the fishing fantastic. The Missinaibi has it all, flat water, moving water and class I-III rapids, a true paddler's paradise.
This is a great trip for those wishing to take the next step beyond lake paddling and/or Boundary Waters tripping.
Along the way, each paddler develops skills in whitewater canoeing, scouting, route planning, and river safety. Before each descent, paddlers practice their new skills in scouting and river judgment to make sure they are 100% confident in the routes and the maneuvers they will be using. Education and skill development have always been and will continue to be a corner-stone of all RiverSport Adventures trips.
The evening before our departure, we will meet at Missinaibi Lake to distribute and organize group and personal gear for our departure in the morning of the 9th. Over the course of our adventure, we will paddle, scout, instruct, camp, fish, view wildlife, and have lots of fun as we explore the Missinaibi.
Dates: No trips in 2018 – Sorry!
However, we would be glad to have you join us on our Fond du Lac River, Saskachewan in June or our Seal River, Manitoba in August.
Included: Whitewater tripping canoes, whitewater paddles, PFD's, helmets, experienced & certified- ACA level 4 Instructor/Guide, B/L/D + snacks, maps, tents, large and small dry bags & barrels, all group/kitchen equipment, safety gear, emergency satellite phone, Crown Land Camping Permit, shuttle service, and trip photo DVD.
Optional: For American Canoe Association members seeking L1-3 Canoe Instructor certification, updates or upgrades – INCLUDED, no extra cost!
**Once you sign up for our trip we will send you a packet containing a detailed gear list along with additional forms & pertinent information.


text:
Patients with Insurance Coverage
Non-Insurance Patients
Interesting Videos
Arthrostim Demonstration
Chiropractic Health Information
Stretches & Exercises
Stretches | Exercises for Shoulder Pain Relief
Amazing Shoulder Exercise For Shoulder Injuries
Stretch | Exercise for Shoulder and Back
Reasons to See a Chiropractor
Ankle / Foot Injury
Give your Child a Fighting Chance with Chiropractic Care
Pediatric Illnesses and Accidents: Preventive Measures
Why Chiropractic Works
Car Accidents / PI
Symptoms of Whiplash
Shoulder Injury After An Auto Accident
Headaches After An Auto Accident
Leave Us A Review: Google | Yelp
Senior Health >
Pushing Back the Clock
Created in Newsletter Library, Senior Health
Many people experience lapses in memory as they get older. Every so often, it may become frustratingly difficult or even temporarily impossible to recall a particular word or a specific person's name. A person might commit a phone number to memory and then immediately forget it. Of course, everyone is familiar with the sinking feeling associated with the critical question "where did I put my keys?" For most people these glitches are minor, nothing more. However, for a certain percentage of older persons (approximately 10-20%), these lapses represent mild cognitive impairment.1 And for a proportion of these people, mild cognitive impairment will progress to Alzheimer's disease.
Normal aging can include instances of subtle forgetfulness such as having difficulty recalling words, not remembering where you put an important document, or leaving a full milk carton on the kitchen counter overnight. But the memory loss associated with mild cognitive impairment represents an actual condition, i.e., an actual disease entity. Such memory loss is more prominent. People forget important information such as meaningful telephone conversations, recent events that would normally be of interest, and dates and times of appointments.
In the early stages it may be challenging to differentiate mild cognitive impairment from the effects of normal aging. Some suspected cases of impaired mental activity may in fact represent treatable conditions such as depression and an underactive thyroid. People experiencing the significant memory problems associated with mild cognitive impairment may be expected to decline by about 10% each year. Risk factors associated with more rapid decline include a low metabolic rate in regions of the brain associated with memory and processing of information. More rapid decline is also associated with reduced size of the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure located in the center of the brain which is important in memory, spatial memory, and navigation.
The good news is that people can take action on their own behalf to preserve and improve cognitive function. Numerous recent studies have shown that regular exercise provides a significant benefit in people with memory problems.2,3 For example, long-term improvements in cognitive function were obtained by walking for 50 minutes a day, three times per week. People exercising for 150 minutes each week had better delayed recall and they performed better on cognitive tests. Additionally, people doing moderate exercise had lower Clinical Dementia Rating Scores. In one study, a 6-month program of physical activity resulted in improvements which persisted over an 18-month period.
The message is clear. We want to have the opportunity to get older and we also want to live well. There are natural effects of normal aging, but we don't want other potential effects of aging to grind us down. Exercising is an important action step that has a wide range of benefits, including improved cardiovascular and respiratory function. We now know that exercise can also preserve and improve cognitive abilities. It's smart to do regular exercise to help us stay smart.
1Petersen RC: Clinical practice. Mild cognitive impairment. NEJM 364(23):2227-2234, 2011
2Lautenschlager NT, et al: Effect of physical activity on cognitive function in older adults at risk for Alzheimer disease. JAMA 300(9):1027-1037, 2008
3Prohaska TR, et al: Walking and the preservation of cognitive function in older populations. Gerontologist 49(Suppl 1):S86-S93, 2009
Our Regular Schedule: *Practice Will Be Closed Starting 8/28/19 at 1:00pm and Reopen On 9/3/19 at 3:00pm
The office is closed from 1:00 - 3:00 PM for Lunch Break and the doctor is out of the office from 9:30 - 10:30 AM.
Chiropractic of Bellevue


On his first full-length under his own name, Durham's Ryan Gustafson eschews the grungy modern rock of Boxbomb, the quartet he fronted for six years until it split a month ago. Don't eulogize too long: Now that Boxbomb's run its course, Gustafson can turn his full attention toward his affection for splendid Americana tunes tempered by classic pop/rock sensibilities. He hinted at all of these things with Boxbomb, and on Donkey LP he's finally landed squarely upon them.
Spirited opener "Soul Train" and penultimate comedown "Sunshine" flash the influence of Gustafson's collaborators in the '60s-obsessed Drughorse Collective, which includes Jeff Crawford, Max Indian leader Carter Gaj, Boxbomb guitarist Rob McFarlane and Beloved/Classic Case's Josh Moore. Though the former plays straight to those vintage pop leanings, the latter takes them for a psychedelic ride, guitars and keys swirling around Gustafson's distant, heavily manipulated vocals. Joe Troop's string play and Heather McEntire's harmonies lift the gentle rock shuffle and fingerpicked guitars of "Let Go" and "Hard Drugs and Long Relationships," respectively. With organ lines that inspect each of Gustafson's dark lyrics and bits of echoed guitar filling in the blank spaces, "Headlights" serves as moody centerpiece, a dark, resonant center of gravity.
Gustafson hasn't left the hard rock behind, though: "South America" forsakes the surfeit of restraint, building on Southern-rock-flavored guitar harmonies and climaxing with the twisting interplay of a dual guitar attack. The huge, soaring refrain of "Don't Sell Your Soul" comes backed by a big beat, which recalls Boxbomb's arena aspirations, had they come from the '80s. Gustafson was able to produce a fine debut on the back burner. Now that he can focus solely on his solo work, he's got a lot more of our attention.
Ryan Gustafson celebrates the release of Donkey LP with a show at Local 506 Friday, Sept. 11. Mount Moriah and Mandolin Orange open the 9:30 p.m. show.


I had originally planned on discussing the ups and downs of Discernment in the blog but I will be doing that on Friday Blog instead. Today I wanted to post the last of the Prayers from the U.S.C.C.B. I want to Thank You all for saying the prayers and keeping vocations in your prayers each day. I know there is a lot of things to pray for and about and for myself this has been a long standing prayer in my life. It is so important to pray for all vocations and to ask those questions in our lives on what is God's Will for us.
Until tomorrow, God Bless, and may our prayers be heard for vocations and may others ears and hearts be open to God's Will.
as priests, brothers, sisters and deacons.
men and women to be witnesses to your gospel.
after the example of Your Son, Jesus.
as a journey toward You.
with others who need our love.
We ask You through Christ, our Lord.
out our vocation in life.
of my life in service to others.
Brother, Sister, Missionary, Lay Minister? Is it I?"
to Your love, to Your call.
Religious. Keep them close to You.
to those who believe in Him.
for laborers in Your harvest.
to continue His mission in the World.
through priesthood and religious life.
in the hearts of many within our parish community.
as priests, brothers and sisters.
to your call to holiness through prayer & Christian service.
to listen to your voice and follow you without delay.
through our enthusiasm in your service.
that fills our whole world.
Take care of us, your Church, this day.
in the community of the Spirit.
will call us to the love of God and neighbor.
Fill us all with your Holy Spirit.