.
5/23/15, "Pipeline that leaked wasn't equipped with auto shut-off," AP, Brian Melley, Los Angeles
"The pipeline that leaked thousands of gallons of oil on the
California coast was the only pipe of its kind in the county not
required to have an automatic shut-off valve because of a court fight
nearly three decades ago, a county official said.
The original owner of the pipeline skirted the Santa Barbara County
requirement by successfully arguing in court in the late 1980s that it
should be subject to federal oversight because the pipeline is part of
an interstate network, said Kevin Drude, deputy director of the county's
Energy and Minerals Division. Auto shut-off valves are not required by
federal regulators.
"It's the only major pipeline that doesn't have auto shut-off," Drude said. "For us, it's routine."
Federal regulators are investigating the cause of Tuesday's leak that
spilled up to 105,000 gallons of crude oil from an underground pipe
into a culvert and as much as 21,000 gallons into the ocean at Refugio
State Beach. The spill killed untold numbers of fish, at least five
pelicans and a sea lion. It also mired other wildlife, including an
elephant seal, in the muck.
Plains All American Pipeline was still draining the pipe and trying
to locate the leak Saturday.
Federal regulators ordered the company to
remove the damaged section and send it to a lab for tests on the metal,
along with a series of other steps before it could resume pumping oil
through the pipe to inland refineries.
Plains said the pipeline had one valve to shut it down if oil flowed
in the opposite direction and three valves controlled by operators in
its Midland, Texas, control room. Plains defended its people approach to manually shutting down the
system, saying it's the standard across the country for liquid
pipelines.
"It is much safer for operators who understand the operations of the
pipeline to shut it down following a planned sequence of steps than for
computer to automatically close a valve on oil that is traveling in
confined space at high pressure," Patrick Hodgins, the company's senior
director of safety, said Saturday. "This is all standard operating
procedures within our industry."
While it's not known if an auto shut-off valve would have detected
the leak and reduced the size of the spill, environmentalists have
criticized the lack of such a device, saying it could have averted or
minimized the disaster.
"Everyone is pretty mystified why the pipeline didn't automatically
shut down when the leak occurred," said Linda Krop, chief counsel of the
Environmental Defense Center.
Santa Barbara County regulations sometimes exceed state and federal
standards, requiring additional environmental analysis or imposing
conditions to further protect health and the environment, Drude said.
One additional requirement is a valve that can detect changes consistent
with a leak and automatically shut down.
The county successfully fought another operator that didn't want to
install automatic shutdown valves on a pipeline from an offshore
drilling platform, Drude said.
However, when there was a leak on that line in 1997, an operator
overrode the automatic shutdown, and it continued spewing crude into the
Pacific Ocean a couple miles from shore. The 10,000 gallon spill fouled
21 miles of shoreline and killed more than 150 birds.
Richard Kuprewicz, president of Accufacts Inc., which investigates
pipeline incidents, said such valves aren't always effective, though
newer, more sophisticated "smart" models provide more accurate signals
that can trigger shutdowns.
A Plains employee discovered the leak early Tuesday afternoon, about
three hours after mechanical issues with the pipeline, according to the
company. The pipe was restarted for about 20 minutes before a pump
failed and then it was shut down because of changes in pressure.
The company said it was looking into whether those earlier problems led to the leak. A surge in pressure from starting up a system could cause a leak or exacerbate one, but it's too soon to tell, Kuprewicz said.
"In the past, surge pressures have caused pipes to rupture. But there
were other failures, too," he said, speaking in general and not about
the Plains incident. "If that were the case, that would become fairly
evident ... pretty quickly."
Plains All American subsidiaries have reported at least 223 accidents
along their lines and spilled a combined 864,300 gallons of hazardous
liquids since 2006, according to federal records. The company has been
subject to 25 enforcement actions by federal regulators and tallied
damages topping $32 million.
The company has defended its record, saying accidental releases have decreased as its pipelines have increased to 17,800 miles." Hockey Schtick
.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Railway across Amazon rainforest planned by China, Peru, and Brazil will link Atlantic and Pacific oceans-BBC
.
5/23/15, "China, Peru and Brazil mull Amazon railway," BBC
.
The scheme would link Peru's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic shores. The decision came after talks between the Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, and Peruvian President Ollanta Humala.
If completed, the railway would stretch 5,300km (3,300 miles) but campaigners fear the impact on indigenous people.
Brazil, China and Peru will now begin feasibility studies into the railway. Mr Li secured Brazil's consent earlier this week, as part of his tour of Latin America.
The railway would "consolidate Peru's geopolitical position as a natural gateway to South America", President Humala said.
For China, it would reduce the cost of shipping raw materials and farm products. But campaigners are concerned it might destroy untouched parts of the Amazon rainforest, affecting hundreds of indigenous communities.
Mr Li sought to ease fears, saying "to create the infrastructure, it is necessary to protect the environment" in a declaration with Mr Humala, AFP reported.
It is likely to cost more than $10 billion (£6.5 billion). The route is still being examined, but would begin in the gigantic Brazilian port of Acu and ending at a Peruvian port.
The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, pledged earlier this year to invest $250 billion (£161 billion) in Latin America over the next decade."
.
5/23/15, "China, Peru and Brazil mull Amazon railway," BBC
.
"A Chinese scheme to build an
east-west railway across South America, cutting across parts of the
Amazon rain forest, has moved a step closer after Peru agreed to study
the proposal.
If completed, the railway would stretch 5,300km (3,300 miles) but campaigners fear the impact on indigenous people.
Brazil, China and Peru will now begin feasibility studies into the railway. Mr Li secured Brazil's consent earlier this week, as part of his tour of Latin America.
The railway would "consolidate Peru's geopolitical position as a natural gateway to South America", President Humala said.
For China, it would reduce the cost of shipping raw materials and farm products. But campaigners are concerned it might destroy untouched parts of the Amazon rainforest, affecting hundreds of indigenous communities.
Mr Li sought to ease fears, saying "to create the infrastructure, it is necessary to protect the environment" in a declaration with Mr Humala, AFP reported.
It is likely to cost more than $10 billion (£6.5 billion). The route is still being examined, but would begin in the gigantic Brazilian port of Acu and ending at a Peruvian port.
The Chinese President, Xi Jinping, pledged earlier this year to invest $250 billion (£161 billion) in Latin America over the next decade."
.
Saturday, May 23, 2015
Mexican gang ambushes police and soldiers, gunfight leaves dozens dead. 80,000+ killed, 22,000 missing in Mexico since 2006-Sky News
.
5/23/15, "'At Least 44' Killed in Huge Mexico Gunfight," Sky News
The incident happened in Tanhuato, in Michoacan state, after
a convoy of police and soldiers was ambushed, according to a government
official.
Almost all of the dead are suspected criminals, said the official - speaking anonymously, but several police officers are also thought to have been killed.
The gunmen took cover in a nearby ranch during the battle with police.
The area between Michoacan and Jalisco states is a stronghold of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's newest and fastest-growing cartel.
The gang has mounted several attacks on federal and state forces in recent months, killing at least 20 police.
Six military personnel also died when it shot down an army helicopter on 1 May.
On the same day, the cartel torched cars, banks and petrol stations around Mexico's second city, Guadalajara.
Violence in the region started to escalate in 2006 when the government deployed troops to take on the gangs.
More than 80,000 people have been killed nationally since then, and another 22,000 have gone missing
President Enrique Pena Nieto, who was elected on the promise to gain control of the cartels, is already under intense pressure to reduce the bloodshed.
Last year saw several incidents make headlines internationally - an alleged army massacre of gang suspects and the presumed slaughter of 43 students by a police-backed cartel in Guerrero state."
====================
.
Comment: Continuous acts of love from a loving culture.
.
5/23/15, "'At Least 44' Killed in Huge Mexico Gunfight," Sky News
"Police and soldiers were reportedly ambushed while in convoy, with a fierce gun battle leaving dozens of people dead."
"At least 44 people have been killed after a gunfight between police and suspected members of a notorious Mexican drugs gang.
Almost all of the dead are suspected criminals, said the official - speaking anonymously, but several police officers are also thought to have been killed.
The gunmen took cover in a nearby ranch during the battle with police.
The area between Michoacan and Jalisco states is a stronghold of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, Mexico's newest and fastest-growing cartel.
The gang has mounted several attacks on federal and state forces in recent months, killing at least 20 police.
Six military personnel also died when it shot down an army helicopter on 1 May.
On the same day, the cartel torched cars, banks and petrol stations around Mexico's second city, Guadalajara.
Violence in the region started to escalate in 2006 when the government deployed troops to take on the gangs.
More than 80,000 people have been killed nationally since then, and another 22,000 have gone missing
President Enrique Pena Nieto, who was elected on the promise to gain control of the cartels, is already under intense pressure to reduce the bloodshed.
Last year saw several incidents make headlines internationally - an alleged army massacre of gang suspects and the presumed slaughter of 43 students by a police-backed cartel in Guerrero state."
====================
.
Comment: Continuous acts of love from a loving culture.
.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Medieval beheaders of Saudi Arabia seek to head UN Human Rights Council in 2016. US taxpayers are forced to pay 22% of general UN budget and an additional 25% of its "peacekeeping" budget
.
5/21/15, "Saudi Arabia 'seeking to head United Nations Human Rights Council'," UK Independent, Roisin O'Connor
"Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to make a bid to head the United Nations' Human Rights Council, in a move that has been described as the "final nail in the coffin for the credibility" of the HRC.
Reports of the bid come just days after Saudi Arabia posted a job advertisement for eight new executioners. This year it has already put 85 people to death in what has been branded by Amnesty International a "macabre spike" from the 87 people it killed in total last year.
The country will move to assume lead control over the HRC after 2016 when the presidency is awarded to a new nation.
UN Watch, a non-profit human rights group that monitors the international body, disclosed Saudi Arabia’s intentions in a recent report
and urged the United States to fight against it.
Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said that the move was liable to be "the final nail in the coffin for the credibility of a body that already counts dictatorships like China, Cuba and Russia as members, and whose top advisor is co-founder of the Muammar Qaddafi Human Rights Prize".
"We urge US Ambassador Samantha Power
and EU foreign minister Federica Mogherini to denounce this despicable
act of cynicism by a regime that beheads people in the town square,
systematically oppresses women, Christians, and gays, and jails innocent
bloggers like Raif Badawi for the crime of challenging the rulers’
radical brand of Wahabbist Islam," Neuer added.
"Electing Saudi Arabia as the world’s judge on human rights would be like making a pyromaniac as the town fire chief."
The move in 2013 to elect Saudi Arabia to the UN's 47-seat Human Rights Council drew condemnation from campaign groups over alleged systematic violations of the rights of its citizens.
Germany currently heads the HRC, but its term will conclude in 2016. Elections will be held in early December 2015 for the 2016 term, according to a UN official.
Rates of human trafficking are high in Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom is currently designated by the United States as a "country of particular concern" regarding religious persecution.
The country also has come under fire in recent months for sentencing blogger Raid Badawi to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for publishing essays that criticised the government.
In January authorities drew global condemnation after publicly beheading a woman in Islam’s holy city of Mecca.
A State Department official told the Free Beacon that "as far as we know there are not yet any announced candidates for the 2016 Human Rights Council presidency"."
=======================
.
5/21/15, "Not Thursday Humor: Saudi Arabia Plans To Head U.N. Human Rights Council," Zero Hedge
"The fact that Saudi Arabia is on the U.N. Human Rights Council at all is more than sufficient to make a mockery out of the entire body. Nevertheless, it appears this ridiculous membership isn’t enough for the Saudis, and the Washington Free Beacon is reporting that the medieval desert monarchy is angling to take over the head position when the leadership position becomes available after 2016."...
====================
12/28/2012, "U.S. Taxpayers Will Continue to Pay More Than One-Fifth of U.N. Budget," CNS News, Patrick Goodenough
"In one of its last actions of the year, the United Nations General Assembly on Christmas Eve agreed to extend for another three years the formula that has U.S. taxpayers contributing more than one-fifth of the world body’s regular budget.
No member-state called for a recorded vote, and the resolution confirming the contributions that each country will make for the 2013-2015 period was summarily adopted. The assembly also approved a two-year U.N. budget of $5.4 billion.
The U.S. has accounted for 22 percent of the total regular budget every year since 2000, and will now continue to do so for the next three years....
Before 2000, the U.S. contributed 25 percent of the U.N. regular budget, but it was reduced to 22 percent in line with legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1999. The U.S. still pays 25 percent of the separate peacekeeping budget."
=======================
.
Comment: The entire US political class is fine with US taxpayers being slaves to beheaders. It's a crime that the US is even a member of this ridiculous group.
.
5/21/15, "Saudi Arabia 'seeking to head United Nations Human Rights Council'," UK Independent, Roisin O'Connor
"Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to make a bid to head the United Nations' Human Rights Council, in a move that has been described as the "final nail in the coffin for the credibility" of the HRC.
Reports of the bid come just days after Saudi Arabia posted a job advertisement for eight new executioners. This year it has already put 85 people to death in what has been branded by Amnesty International a "macabre spike" from the 87 people it killed in total last year.
The country will move to assume lead control over the HRC after 2016 when the presidency is awarded to a new nation.
UN Watch, a non-profit human rights group that monitors the international body, disclosed Saudi Arabia’s intentions in a recent report
and urged the United States to fight against it.Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch, said that the move was liable to be "the final nail in the coffin for the credibility of a body that already counts dictatorships like China, Cuba and Russia as members, and whose top advisor is co-founder of the Muammar Qaddafi Human Rights Prize".
"We urge US Ambassador Samantha Power
and EU foreign minister Federica Mogherini to denounce this despicable
act of cynicism by a regime that beheads people in the town square,
systematically oppresses women, Christians, and gays, and jails innocent
bloggers like Raif Badawi for the crime of challenging the rulers’
radical brand of Wahabbist Islam," Neuer added."Electing Saudi Arabia as the world’s judge on human rights would be like making a pyromaniac as the town fire chief."
The move in 2013 to elect Saudi Arabia to the UN's 47-seat Human Rights Council drew condemnation from campaign groups over alleged systematic violations of the rights of its citizens.
Germany currently heads the HRC, but its term will conclude in 2016. Elections will be held in early December 2015 for the 2016 term, according to a UN official.
Rates of human trafficking are high in Saudi Arabia, and the kingdom is currently designated by the United States as a "country of particular concern" regarding religious persecution.
The country also has come under fire in recent months for sentencing blogger Raid Badawi to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for publishing essays that criticised the government.
In January authorities drew global condemnation after publicly beheading a woman in Islam’s holy city of Mecca.
A State Department official told the Free Beacon that "as far as we know there are not yet any announced candidates for the 2016 Human Rights Council presidency"."
=======================
.
5/21/15, "Not Thursday Humor: Saudi Arabia Plans To Head U.N. Human Rights Council," Zero Hedge
"The fact that Saudi Arabia is on the U.N. Human Rights Council at all is more than sufficient to make a mockery out of the entire body. Nevertheless, it appears this ridiculous membership isn’t enough for the Saudis, and the Washington Free Beacon is reporting that the medieval desert monarchy is angling to take over the head position when the leadership position becomes available after 2016."...
====================
12/28/2012, "U.S. Taxpayers Will Continue to Pay More Than One-Fifth of U.N. Budget," CNS News, Patrick Goodenough
"In one of its last actions of the year, the United Nations General Assembly on Christmas Eve agreed to extend for another three years the formula that has U.S. taxpayers contributing more than one-fifth of the world body’s regular budget.
No member-state called for a recorded vote, and the resolution confirming the contributions that each country will make for the 2013-2015 period was summarily adopted. The assembly also approved a two-year U.N. budget of $5.4 billion.
The U.S. has accounted for 22 percent of the total regular budget every year since 2000, and will now continue to do so for the next three years....
Before 2000, the U.S. contributed 25 percent of the U.N. regular budget, but it was reduced to 22 percent in line with legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1999. The U.S. still pays 25 percent of the separate peacekeeping budget."
=======================
.
Comment: The entire US political class is fine with US taxpayers being slaves to beheaders. It's a crime that the US is even a member of this ridiculous group.
.
Half of jobs created since mid 1990s have been temporary or self employed work which per OECD leads to higher poverty and inequality-BBC
.
5/21/15, "Gap between rich and poor 'keeps growing',"
.
"The gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says.
The report says this is partly because there is a wider gap in education in the most unequal countries, which leads to a less effective workforce.
OECD member states include most of the European Union as well as developed economies such as the US, Canada, Australia and Japan.
One of the factors that the OECD blames for growing inequality is the growth in what it calls non-standard work, which includes temporary contracts and self-employment.
The OECD says that since the mid-1990s more than half of all job creation in its member states has been in non-standard work. It says that households dependent on such work have higher poverty rates than other households and that this has led to greater inequality."...
.
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Rubio and Cruz finish one-two in Central Florida Straw Poll, 5/19/15. Jeb Bush and Scott Walker tied for distant third-Tampa Bay Times
.
Rubio 33.7, Cruz 30.3, Bush and Walker 8.9
5/20/15, "Cruz ties hometown star Rubio in Florida straw poll," SteveDeace.com, by Todd Erzen
"Turns out we were preoccupied with the wrong GOP presidential grudge match in Florida.
Bringing up the rear in the Florida Straw Poll were Rick Santorum (6.7 %), Rand Paul (4.5 %), Ben Carson (3.4 %), Mike Huckabee (2.2 %) and Rick Perry (1.1%). Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal, and John Kasich failed to receive any votes."
======================
5/20/15, "Jeb in distant 3rd place in Fla GOP straw poll," Tampa Bay Times, Adam C. Smith
"Results from the Florida Family Policy Council's Republican primary straw poll last night. The significance of the social conservative group's unscientific and non-binding survey we'll leave up to you to decide:
Marco Rubio: 33.7 percent
Jeb Bush:(Tie) 8.9 percent
Scott Walker: (Tie) 8.9 percent
Rick Santorum 6.7 percent
Rand Paul: 4.5 percent
Ben Carson 3.4 percent
Mike Huckabee 2.2 percent
Rick Perry 1.1 percent
Donald Trump 1 write-in vote"
=============================
5/19/15, "Rubio wins Florida Family Action 2016 Presidential Straw Poll," Orlando Political Observer, Frank Torres
"Conservatives from all over Central Florida were in Maitland on Tuesday evening, to participate in the first Presidential straw poll in the region for 2016, and to listen to a panel of political experts forecast what they believe it will take to win, in the “GOP Battle for Florida 2016″ hosted by Florida Family Action, the legislative arm of the Florida Family Policy Council.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio captured the victory with 33.7% of the vote, second was Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 30.3% of the vote, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tied for third with 8.9% of the vote, next was former Pennsylvania Senator and 2012 GOP contender Rick Santorum with 6.7%, followed by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul with 4.5% of the vote, rounding out the field was Ben Carson (3.4%), Mike Huckabee(2.2%), and Rick Perry(1.1%).
Before voters casted their ballots FFPC President John Stemberger gave a 2016 political forecast, breaking down the pros and cons of each candidate and emphasized the importance of fundraising, grassroots, and messaging in the success of their campaign.
Next a panel of political experts gave their views on 2016 picture, and what the candidates had to do to win over voters in the crowded Republican field, and then how to transfer that success into winning the general election. The panelists included Brian Empric, Vice-Chair Florida Federation of Young Republicans, State Senator Alan Hays (R-Umatilla), Karin Hoffman, National Tea Party Leader, founder of “DC Works for US”, Carl Jackson, Host of Carl Jackson Radio Show, Sara Johnson, Millennial political leader and TeenPact Graduate, and Kurt Kelly, Former Florida Representative, recent candidate for RPOF Chair."...
*The organization will be putting the event on Youtube. When it’s available, I’ll update this post.*"
Image above from Orlando Political Observer
==========================
Cruz tally noteworthy in that "most of the Ted Cruz attendees received only three days advance notice of the event."...
5/20/15, "Ted Cruz 2016 : VICTORY at Florida FFPC Straw Poll (2015-05-19): GOP Beltway Pundits Amazed!" Ted Cruz 2016 Florida Grassroots Victory Campaign, Patton@Bastogne, Free Republic
"Ted Cruz SURPRISES the GOP Beltway Establishment Pundits at the FFPC (Florida Family Policy Council) Florida Straw Poll (May 19, 2015) in Orlando, Florida.
A virtual dead-heat between Ted Cruz (30.3 %) and supposed "Florida native son darling" Marco Rubio (30.7 %).
.
Jeb Bush and Scott Walker finished poorly in a third-place tie with a paltry 8.9 % each, barely passing an otherwise weak showing by Rick Santorum (6.7 %), Rand Paul (4.5 %), Ben Carson (3.4 %), Mike Huckabee (2.2 %) and Rick Perry (1.1 %).
GOP 2016 candidates Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal, and John Kasich each received "zero" straw poll votes....
Shown below (photograph courtesy of conservative political consultant Kevin Wright) are ten of the estimated twenty-five Ted Cruz Florida grassroots supporters who attended the FFPC event.
Their attendance was noteworthy in that most of the Ted Cruz attendees received only three days advance notice of the event."...
The Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) event was superbly moderated by John Stemberger (Florida attorney) who presented a comprehensive examination of individual candidate strengths and weaknesses prior to the straw poll vote."...
Above image, 5/19/15, Ted Cruz 2016 Florida grass roots campaign at FFPC presentation and straw poll
.
Rubio 33.7, Cruz 30.3, Bush and Walker 8.9
5/20/15, "Cruz ties hometown star Rubio in Florida straw poll," SteveDeace.com, by Todd Erzen
"Turns out we were preoccupied with the wrong GOP presidential grudge match in Florida.
It wasn’t a Bush/Rubio race of hometown heroes that is dominating the
narrative coming out of Tuesday’s Florida Family Policy Council Straw
Poll, but a dead heat between Sen. Marco Rubio and Texas product
Sen. Ted Cruz.
Both received roughly 30 percent of the vote while former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush weighed in at a paltry 9 percent along with nominal national front-runner Scott Walker.
Attorney John Stemberger moderated the event and presented a comprehensive examination of individual candidate strengths and weaknesses prior to the straw poll vote. It is notable that Stemberger is an active Rubio supporter.
Both received roughly 30 percent of the vote while former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush weighed in at a paltry 9 percent along with nominal national front-runner Scott Walker.
Attorney John Stemberger moderated the event and presented a comprehensive examination of individual candidate strengths and weaknesses prior to the straw poll vote. It is notable that Stemberger is an active Rubio supporter.
Bringing up the rear in the Florida Straw Poll were Rick Santorum (6.7 %), Rand Paul (4.5 %), Ben Carson (3.4 %), Mike Huckabee (2.2 %) and Rick Perry (1.1%). Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal, and John Kasich failed to receive any votes."
======================
5/20/15, "Jeb in distant 3rd place in Fla GOP straw poll," Tampa Bay Times, Adam C. Smith
"Results from the Florida Family Policy Council's Republican primary straw poll last night. The significance of the social conservative group's unscientific and non-binding survey we'll leave up to you to decide:
Marco Rubio: 33.7 percent
Jeb Bush:(Tie) 8.9 percent
Scott Walker: (Tie) 8.9 percent
Rick Santorum 6.7 percent
Rand Paul: 4.5 percent
Ben Carson 3.4 percent
Mike Huckabee 2.2 percent
Rick Perry 1.1 percent
Donald Trump 1 write-in vote"
=============================
5/19/15, "Rubio wins Florida Family Action 2016 Presidential Straw Poll," Orlando Political Observer, Frank Torres
"Conservatives from all over Central Florida were in Maitland on Tuesday evening, to participate in the first Presidential straw poll in the region for 2016, and to listen to a panel of political experts forecast what they believe it will take to win, in the “GOP Battle for Florida 2016″ hosted by Florida Family Action, the legislative arm of the Florida Family Policy Council.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio captured the victory with 33.7% of the vote, second was Texas Senator Ted Cruz with 30.3% of the vote, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, and Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tied for third with 8.9% of the vote, next was former Pennsylvania Senator and 2012 GOP contender Rick Santorum with 6.7%, followed by Kentucky Senator Rand Paul with 4.5% of the vote, rounding out the field was Ben Carson (3.4%), Mike Huckabee(2.2%), and Rick Perry(1.1%).
Before voters casted their ballots FFPC President John Stemberger gave a 2016 political forecast, breaking down the pros and cons of each candidate and emphasized the importance of fundraising, grassroots, and messaging in the success of their campaign.
Next a panel of political experts gave their views on 2016 picture, and what the candidates had to do to win over voters in the crowded Republican field, and then how to transfer that success into winning the general election. The panelists included Brian Empric, Vice-Chair Florida Federation of Young Republicans, State Senator Alan Hays (R-Umatilla), Karin Hoffman, National Tea Party Leader, founder of “DC Works for US”, Carl Jackson, Host of Carl Jackson Radio Show, Sara Johnson, Millennial political leader and TeenPact Graduate, and Kurt Kelly, Former Florida Representative, recent candidate for RPOF Chair."...
*The organization will be putting the event on Youtube. When it’s available, I’ll update this post.*"
Image above from Orlando Political Observer
==========================
Cruz tally noteworthy in that "most of the Ted Cruz attendees received only three days advance notice of the event."...
5/20/15, "Ted Cruz 2016 : VICTORY at Florida FFPC Straw Poll (2015-05-19): GOP Beltway Pundits Amazed!" Ted Cruz 2016 Florida Grassroots Victory Campaign, Patton@Bastogne, Free Republic
"Ted Cruz SURPRISES the GOP Beltway Establishment Pundits at the FFPC (Florida Family Policy Council) Florida Straw Poll (May 19, 2015) in Orlando, Florida.
A virtual dead-heat between Ted Cruz (30.3 %) and supposed "Florida native son darling" Marco Rubio (30.7 %).
.
Jeb Bush and Scott Walker finished poorly in a third-place tie with a paltry 8.9 % each, barely passing an otherwise weak showing by Rick Santorum (6.7 %), Rand Paul (4.5 %), Ben Carson (3.4 %), Mike Huckabee (2.2 %) and Rick Perry (1.1 %).
GOP 2016 candidates Chris Christie, Carly Fiorina, Lindsey Graham, Bobby Jindal, and John Kasich each received "zero" straw poll votes....
Shown below (photograph courtesy of conservative political consultant Kevin Wright) are ten of the estimated twenty-five Ted Cruz Florida grassroots supporters who attended the FFPC event.
Their attendance was noteworthy in that most of the Ted Cruz attendees received only three days advance notice of the event."...
The Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC) event was superbly moderated by John Stemberger (Florida attorney) who presented a comprehensive examination of individual candidate strengths and weaknesses prior to the straw poll vote."...
Above image, 5/19/15, Ted Cruz 2016 Florida grass roots campaign at FFPC presentation and straw poll
.
EU monitor is astonished at EU bias against Israel and reliance on lobbying from highly politicized fringe NGO's-INN
.
5/20/15, "NGO Monitor Unveils EU's Biased Role in the Peace Process," Israel National News, Elad Benari
.
The report also wrongfully identifies the Israeli restrictions and Egypt's closing of the smuggling tunnels to Gaza as the "primary obstacle for long-term economic development" in Gaza.
“This unsupported claim fails to acknowledge Hamas's violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, continuous terror attacks from Gaza, and the uncontrolled flow of arms that compelled an Israeli response in order to protect civilians from attacks,” noted NGO Monitor.
The report does not mention Hamas's grave violations of international law and human rights, including the use of UNRWA facilities, mosques, and hospitals to stockpile weapons and shield combatants. Simultaneously, the report does not address Israel's humanitarian commitment to the so-called "humanitarian windows" (cease fires to transport of civilians to in Israeli hospitals) during military operations, as Hamas repeatedly violated the cease-fires.
NGO Monitor also noted that Israel is the only ENP country that has an entire chapter devoted to responsibilities under international law, including other ENP countries involved in territorial disputes and/or armed conflicts.
“This deviation from the standard template of ENP reports highlights the EU's singling out of Israel and follows significant lobbying efforts from highly politicized NGOs,” the group said.
"Like previous ENP Progress Reports on Israel, the EU relies extensively on material provided by a narrow group of fringe NGOs, resulting in a distorted approach that has affected the reports' content and credibility," added Professor Steinberg.
The purpose of Mogherini’s visit is to hold discussions on a possible resumption of long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the PA.
Speaking Monday ahead of her visit, Mogherini indicated that the EU wants a more active role in seeking peace between the sides.
"My very early visit has a political meaning," Mogherini told a news conference following an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels where she discussed the Middle East.
"The European Union is ready and willing to play a major role in a relaunching of this process on the basis of the two-state solution," she added.
Mogherini took over as foreign policy chief for the 28-nation European Union in November and visited Israel and the PA shortly afterwards, saying she wanted to make a priority of pushing forward the Middle East peace process.
In January, she called for a “fresh look” at the moribund peace talks, saying that she was concerned “about the fact that a process that has gone on for so long, if we just restart the process and that's it, it might not be enough.”" via Free Rep.
.
5/20/15, "NGO Monitor Unveils EU's Biased Role in the Peace Process," Israel National News, Elad Benari
.
"Is the EU a fair mediator in peace talks between Israel and the PA? NGO Monitor's new analysis shows EU's bias against Israel."
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"The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, will arrive for a visit to Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday, and in advance of that visit, the NGO Monitor group has published an analysis of a key EU policy paper, showing the EU's flawed assessment and understanding of Israeli society.
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The EU's External Action Service 2014 Israel ENP Progress report,
published in March and addressing the EU-Israel relationship as part of
the "European Neighborhood Policy," uncritically relies on the claims
of political NGOs and all but ignores violence against Israelis, the
organization noted.
"It is astonishing to see a formal EU document, which is supposed to reflect developments in Israel and help set EU policy, that is so biased," stated Professor Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor.
"Mogherini's visit is an opportunity to begin fixing the failings of EU policy, which, if left uncorrected, will cause serious damage to the EU's credibility in the peace [process]. NGO Monitor's analysis indicates that the EU applies different human rights norms and international standards towards Israel, and omits events and terror attacks against Israeli citizens,” he added.
Examples uncovered by NGO Monitor include:
The ENP report fails to specifically mention violent attacks against Jewish targets, despite the steep rise in such attacks in 2014. In sharp contrast, the report discusses in detail actions done by individuals or groups that are identified by the EU as "extremist Israelis" or "far-right Jewish groups."
"It is astonishing to see a formal EU document, which is supposed to reflect developments in Israel and help set EU policy, that is so biased," stated Professor Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor.
"Mogherini's visit is an opportunity to begin fixing the failings of EU policy, which, if left uncorrected, will cause serious damage to the EU's credibility in the peace [process]. NGO Monitor's analysis indicates that the EU applies different human rights norms and international standards towards Israel, and omits events and terror attacks against Israeli citizens,” he added.
Examples uncovered by NGO Monitor include:
The ENP report fails to specifically mention violent attacks against Jewish targets, despite the steep rise in such attacks in 2014. In sharp contrast, the report discusses in detail actions done by individuals or groups that are identified by the EU as "extremist Israelis" or "far-right Jewish groups."
The report also wrongfully identifies the Israeli restrictions and Egypt's closing of the smuggling tunnels to Gaza as the "primary obstacle for long-term economic development" in Gaza.
“This unsupported claim fails to acknowledge Hamas's violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, continuous terror attacks from Gaza, and the uncontrolled flow of arms that compelled an Israeli response in order to protect civilians from attacks,” noted NGO Monitor.
The report does not mention Hamas's grave violations of international law and human rights, including the use of UNRWA facilities, mosques, and hospitals to stockpile weapons and shield combatants. Simultaneously, the report does not address Israel's humanitarian commitment to the so-called "humanitarian windows" (cease fires to transport of civilians to in Israeli hospitals) during military operations, as Hamas repeatedly violated the cease-fires.
NGO Monitor also noted that Israel is the only ENP country that has an entire chapter devoted to responsibilities under international law, including other ENP countries involved in territorial disputes and/or armed conflicts.
“This deviation from the standard template of ENP reports highlights the EU's singling out of Israel and follows significant lobbying efforts from highly politicized NGOs,” the group said.
"Like previous ENP Progress Reports on Israel, the EU relies extensively on material provided by a narrow group of fringe NGOs, resulting in a distorted approach that has affected the reports' content and credibility," added Professor Steinberg.
The purpose of Mogherini’s visit is to hold discussions on a possible resumption of long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the PA.
Speaking Monday ahead of her visit, Mogherini indicated that the EU wants a more active role in seeking peace between the sides.
"My very early visit has a political meaning," Mogherini told a news conference following an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels where she discussed the Middle East.
"The European Union is ready and willing to play a major role in a relaunching of this process on the basis of the two-state solution," she added.
Mogherini took over as foreign policy chief for the 28-nation European Union in November and visited Israel and the PA shortly afterwards, saying she wanted to make a priority of pushing forward the Middle East peace process.
In January, she called for a “fresh look” at the moribund peace talks, saying that she was concerned “about the fact that a process that has gone on for so long, if we just restart the process and that's it, it might not be enough.”" via Free Rep.
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Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Oregon still has the worst high school graduation rate in the US-KGW
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Oregon's graduation rate rose from 69% in 2013 to 72% in 2014 though it remains worst in US:
5/14/15, "Report: Oregon has worst graduation rate in the U.S.," KGW.com, Sara Roth
"A comprehensive U.S. report showed that Oregon not only has the worst graduation rates in the nation, but it's holding the country back from achieving its graduation rate goals.
The 2015 Building a Grad Nation report analyzed 2013 graduation rate data from every state in the nation. While the national average reached a record high of 81.4 percent, the four-year graduation rate in Oregon was only 69 percent.
Furthermore, Oregon hadn't improved from the year before, showing stagnation as the last remaining state with graduation rates lower than 70 percent.
"Oregon did not experience significant improvements and became the state with the lowest graduation rate in the nation and the last remaining state with an ACGR [Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate] in the 60s," the report said.
The Grad Nation report shows that overall, much of the country is on track to graduate upwards of 90 percent of seniors by 2020, and many states are already graduating more than 80 percent of students, including neighboring California. Washington State had a 76.4 percent graduation rate.
Also noted was the sharp decline in schools with extremely low graduation rates (the report called them "dropout factories"). African American students also showed steady improvement, although minority graduation rates were still significantly lower than Caucasian students.
To reach the 90 percent goal, the report said 310,000 more students would have to earn a diploma in 2020 than in 2013. The nation needs to concentrate on its low-income students and students with disabilities, English language learners, and minorities.
"The analysis of third-quarter progress shows that this rate of growth is obtainable. The challenge then is to spread what has worked in the states and districts that have improved to those that have not."
Oregon's graduation rate rose to 72 percent in 2014, thanks mostly to counting those who received a modified diploma or went to community college before graduating. It still had the worst rates out of any state in the country.".
"Released annually, by the Alliance for Excellent Education, America’s Promise Alliance,, Civic Enterprises, and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, shows detailed progress toward the GradNation goal of a national on-time graduation rate of 90 percent by 2020. Release Date: 05/12/15"
======================
Oregon has championed outcome-based education:
5/18/15, "Common Core Crowns OREGON ‘Worst Graduation Rate in the U.S.’," politichicks, Macey France
"This recent headline, Oregon Has the Worst Graduation Rate in the US, is perhaps shocking to those who don’t know what’s going on in education. However it comes as no surprise to those of us who study diligently.
=========================
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11/13/14, "What is the Common Core? A guide to Oregon's new education standards," oregonlive.com, Betsy Hammond
Oregon's graduation rate rose from 69% in 2013 to 72% in 2014 though it remains worst in US:
5/14/15, "Report: Oregon has worst graduation rate in the U.S.," KGW.com, Sara Roth
"A comprehensive U.S. report showed that Oregon not only has the worst graduation rates in the nation, but it's holding the country back from achieving its graduation rate goals.
The 2015 Building a Grad Nation report analyzed 2013 graduation rate data from every state in the nation. While the national average reached a record high of 81.4 percent, the four-year graduation rate in Oregon was only 69 percent.
Furthermore, Oregon hadn't improved from the year before, showing stagnation as the last remaining state with graduation rates lower than 70 percent.
"Oregon did not experience significant improvements and became the state with the lowest graduation rate in the nation and the last remaining state with an ACGR [Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate] in the 60s," the report said.
The Grad Nation report shows that overall, much of the country is on track to graduate upwards of 90 percent of seniors by 2020, and many states are already graduating more than 80 percent of students, including neighboring California. Washington State had a 76.4 percent graduation rate.
Also noted was the sharp decline in schools with extremely low graduation rates (the report called them "dropout factories"). African American students also showed steady improvement, although minority graduation rates were still significantly lower than Caucasian students.
To reach the 90 percent goal, the report said 310,000 more students would have to earn a diploma in 2020 than in 2013. The nation needs to concentrate on its low-income students and students with disabilities, English language learners, and minorities.
"The analysis of third-quarter progress shows that this rate of growth is obtainable. The challenge then is to spread what has worked in the states and districts that have improved to those that have not."
Oregon's graduation rate rose to 72 percent in 2014, thanks mostly to counting those who received a modified diploma or went to community college before graduating. It still had the worst rates out of any state in the country.".
"Released annually, by the Alliance for Excellent Education, America’s Promise Alliance,, Civic Enterprises, and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, shows detailed progress toward the GradNation goal of a national on-time graduation rate of 90 percent by 2020. Release Date: 05/12/15"
======================
Oregon has championed outcome-based education:
5/18/15, "Common Core Crowns OREGON ‘Worst Graduation Rate in the U.S.’," politichicks, Macey France
"This recent headline, Oregon Has the Worst Graduation Rate in the US, is perhaps shocking to those who don’t know what’s going on in education. However it comes as no surprise to those of us who study diligently.
All over the country folks are upset about Common Core, which is basically outcomes-based education. We are no longer providing the same
opportunities for all with the hopes that the outcomes will be good, but
ultimately will be what the kids do with those opportunities. We are
skewing the opportunities so that everyone has an equal outcome. Make
sense? That’s outcomes-based education.
Oregon has been doing this since the 1990s. We had the cim/cam (think certificate of mastery) debacle, which failed. Did we ditch it? No. We renamed/rebranded it.
For all the other states in the nation that are watching and see that Oregon is the worst across the country, take note. We will all be ‘tied for last’ if we move forward with the Common Core.
The federal government is working towards making all states like Oregon. We are simply ahead of the curve. Instead of pulling back on failed OBE policies and letting the teachers do their jobs, we continue to write legislation that entrenches it deeper. We double down on failed procedures."...via Junk Science
===================
10/28/2010, "Oregon State Board of Education Adopts Common Core Standards and Higher Interim Math Achievement Standards," Oregon Dept. of Education
. Oregon has been doing this since the 1990s. We had the cim/cam (think certificate of mastery) debacle, which failed. Did we ditch it? No. We renamed/rebranded it.
For all the other states in the nation that are watching and see that Oregon is the worst across the country, take note. We will all be ‘tied for last’ if we move forward with the Common Core.
The federal government is working towards making all states like Oregon. We are simply ahead of the curve. Instead of pulling back on failed OBE policies and letting the teachers do their jobs, we continue to write legislation that entrenches it deeper. We double down on failed procedures."...via Junk Science
===================
10/28/2010, "Oregon State Board of Education Adopts Common Core Standards and Higher Interim Math Achievement Standards," Oregon Dept. of Education
=========================
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11/13/14, "What is the Common Core? A guide to Oregon's new education standards," oregonlive.com, Betsy Hammond
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