Source: ABC News
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Theo E.J. Wilson: A Black Man Undercover in the Alt-Right
This video was published on YouTube on August 14, 2017.
Scroll
down below any viral video and you will find users waging war in the
comments section, dropping racial slurs and epithets from another time.
Curious about his haters, Theo E.J. Wilson did the only reasonable thing
– he went undercover and joined their ranks. In this insightful and
downright hilarious talk, Theo shares some surprising discoveries about
both sides of the aisle.
Slam poet Theo E.J. Wilson, a.k.a Lucifury, is a founding member of Denver’s SlamNUBA team, which won the National Poetry Slam in 2011. He began his speaking career with the NAACP at the age of 15 and has always been passionate about social justice. Theo is currently the Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, an organization that uses the barbershop as a staging ground for community dialogue and healing.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Slam poet Theo E.J. Wilson, a.k.a Lucifury, is a founding member of Denver’s SlamNUBA team, which won the National Poetry Slam in 2011. He began his speaking career with the NAACP at the age of 15 and has always been passionate about social justice. Theo is currently the Executive Director of Shop Talk Live, an organization that uses the barbershop as a staging ground for community dialogue and healing.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
Source: TEDx Talks
Oval Office Chat: Shinzo Abe
President Trump spoke today by telephone with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
of Japan. The two leaders confirmed their continuing, close cooperation
on efforts to address North Korea’s
launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile that overflew
Japanese territory earlier this week.
Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary
Robert Hartwig Discusses the National Flood Insurance Program
University of South Carolina’s Robert Hartwig on the current fiscal demands of the National Flood Insurance Program.
Source: C-SPAN
The 'I Am Woman' Series: Cynthia Rothrock
This video was published on YouTube on November 15, 2016.
Having
won the world championship in competitive empty-handed and weapons
forms five times in a row throughout the 80s', Cynthia Rothrock later became one of
the most famous westerners in Hong Kong action/martial arts cinema.
Displaying her wide variety of black-belt level training including
Wushu, Taekwondo, Tang Soo Do (8th degree black belt), Northern Shaolin
Kung Fu, Eagle Claw Kung Fu, and Pai Lum Tao Kung Fu in films like "Yes
Mad'am" ("Police Assassins") and "Magic Crystal", she is one of the more
highly underrated female movie martial artists of the late 20th
century.
Source: Jamyang Pelsang
Trailblazers in Black History: Ernie Banks
January 31, 1931 - January 23, 2015
This video was published on YouTube on April 3, 2014.
Source: Chicago Tribune
In ‘Pipeline’ Playwright Dominique Morisseau Examines Black Male Rage
Whether she’s on social media or scriptwriting for screen and stage,
Detroit-born playwright Dominique Morisseau doesn’t mince words.
Her most recent work, ‘Pipeline’ is an
intensely nuanced and provocative portrait of a single mother grappling
with raising her high school son, Omari, who’s on the possible brink of
self-destruction at the hands of his black teenage angst, an absentee
father and an unsupportive school system.
Eloquently portrayed by masterful actress
Karen Pittman, the mother has her own issues to work out including
trying to reconcile her past infidelity with the man she loves,
resolving deep-seated parenting guilt and working day to day in the
crumbling public school system.
Click here for the full article.
Chicago Changes Course, Wants Police Reforms With Court Role
CHICAGO — The city of Chicago changed course
Tuesday and said it now wants to carry out far-reaching reforms of its
police under strict federal court supervision, abandoning a draft deal
on reforms with the Trump administration that envisioned no court role.
The new approach led to the unusual sight of
Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan at a joint
news conference to announce that Madigan — with the mayor's full
support — had just sued the city seeking court oversight of the
beleaguered police force.
The 35-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago requests
extensive judicial oversight, including an independent court-appointed
monitor who would report regularly to a judge about whether the city was
meeting reform benchmarks.
Click here for the full article.
Trump to Talk Tax Reform, but Don’t Expect Specifics, Officials Say
SPRINGFIELD, Missouri — President Donald Trump will make his case
for tax reform in an address to manufacturing plant employees Wednesday,
outlining what White House officials called a "vision" rather than a
specific plan ahead of Congress resuming session next week.
"It’s a, 'Why we need tax reform,' not a 'How we’re gonna do it' speech," one administration official told NBC News Wednesday.
Another official, in a Tuesday call with
reporters, predicted "a very bipartisan speech" that would push for an
end to the "rigged system" and instead "work to build a tax code that
really allows all Americans to have access to the American Dream and
work their way up the economic ladder."
Trump is set to speak at the Loren Cook Company, one of the city's largest manufacturing plants, a day after his visit to storm-ravaged Texas.
In Pittsburgh, Voters Express Disappointment in Trump
First Read is your briefing from Meet the
Press and the NBC Political Unit on the day's most important political
stories and why they matter.
PITTSBURGH — A focus group of Pittsburgh-area
voters, conducted Tuesday night by pollster Peter Hart on behalf of
Emory University, revealed bipartisan disappointment in the tenor of
Trump's leadership during the first seven months of his presidency.
Asked to describe the president in a single
word, participants called Trump “outrageous,” “dishonest,”
“disappointing” “narcissistic,” “an abject disappointment,” “unique,”
“not ready to be president,” “off the scale,” “crazy,” “unbelievable”
and “contemptible.”
Five of the group's 12 members voted for
Trump, and each expressed concern about his failure to dislodge D.C.
gridlock — plus his habit of punching down on Twitter.
“What most disappoints me is he’s such an
incredibly flawed individual who has articulated so many of the values
that I hold dear,” said Tony Sciullo, a Trump voter who now calls the
president an “abject disappointment.” Sciullo added, “The messenger is
overwhelming the message.”
Click here for the full article.
Bad Landlords Poised to Profit on De Blasio Plan To Turn Rent-Stabilized Buildings Into Long-Term Homeless Shelters
By Emma Whitford
The Department of Homeless Services is quietly finalizing more than
$98 million in contracts that would turn five apartment buildings
currently part of the notoriously mismanaged cluster site program into homeless shelters, and maintain six more as cluster sites for at least the next three years.
These privately-owned buildings, located in Brooklyn and the Bronx,
have more than 300 apartments between them and are either partially or
entirely occupied by homeless families. Rather than convert them to
low-rental housing and provide residents with tenant protections, as
Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged last January, DHS is planning to maintain them as family shelters (a tactic referenced in the mayor's February homelessness game plan).
Advocates say this will reward negligent landlords who already benefit
from the cluster program's large payouts and lax oversight.
"The city is rewarding harassing behavior," said Scott Hutchins, a
member of Picture the Homeless who has been homeless himself since 2012.
There are currently 449 open violations across the eleven buildings, according to the city's shelter repair scorecard for July, 75 of which are immediately hazardous. A recent report
from the Department of Investigation found the Giuliani-era cluster
program to be the worst maintained in the shelter system. Yet the city
has paid as much as $3,000 per month to house a single family in a
cluster site apartment. When de Blasio announced his phase-out last
January, the City said it was spending $125 million a year on the
program.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Gothamist (via The Empire Report)
Sarah Palin's Defamation Case Against New York Times Thrown Out
A federal judge has dismissed former
vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's defamation case against the
New York Times newspaper.
Mrs. Palin had sued the Times after it published an editorial, which she claimed linked her to the 2011 shooting of 19 people.
The newspaper had previously apologised and corrected the article within a day.
"Negligence this may be; but defamation of a public figure it plainly is not," Judge Jed Rakoff wrote in his
decision.
The editorial in question was published earlier this year, after a gunman opened fire on Republican congressmen during baseball practice Washington DC.
Click here for the full article.
Source: BBC News (via The Empire Report)
Powassan Virus Found in 5 Upstate New York Tick Pools
By
ALBANY - An ultra-rare, sometimes-fatal
virus was found in 22 total ticks from five separate pools in upstate
New York, state Health Commissioner Howard Zucker said Tuesday.
State
health regulators boosted surveillance of ticks earlier this year after
confirming three cases in Saratoga County of the Powassan virus, a
tick-borne illness that has caused death in about 10 percent of cases
nationwide.
That extra surveillance turned up 2,700 ticks at 30 locations in Saratoga County.
Of those, five pools comprising 22 ticks tested positive for Powassan, Zucker said at a state Senate hearing Tuesday.
"The
enhanced surveillance will continue in the fall with collection of
adult ticks from many of these same sites, as well as collection and
testing of blood from hunter-killed deer, for previous exposure to
Powassan," Zucker said.
Click here for the full article.
Source: http://www.lohud.com
Sixty Days Into MTA's 'State of Emergency,' Critics Wonder What Happened to Review Plans
By Dana Rubenstein
Sixty days ago Monday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo took to the stage of the
Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan and announced a top-to-bottom review
of the calcified organization that runs the subway system.
Within 30 days, MTA chairman Joe Lhota, a Cuomo appointee, would
create a “reorganization plan for the MTA,” and nothing would be
sacrosanct, the governor said, declaring a "state of emergency." As if
redesigning a bureaucracy that employs 70,000 people
within 30 days weren’t enough, Cuomo said Lhota would also undertake a
capital review within 60 days, examining the beleaguered authority's
physical infrastructure from subway cars to signals.
That was June 29th, two days after a subway derailment in Harlem
injured 34 people. Sixty days later, the MTA says it has delivered on
both those promises. Observers aren’t so sure.
“Where are they?” asked Nick Sifuentes, deputy director of the Riders
Alliance, referring to the two reviews that the MTA contends are
already complete.
Shams Tarek, a spokesman for the MTA, said the two plans exist and can be found right here, in the singular subway stabilization plan released by Lhota in July.
Click here for the full article.
Source: Politico (via The Empire Report)
Senator Sanders Hosts Sexual Assault Prevention Event Following Rapes in Jamaica, Richmond Hill
Captain John Ganley, executive officer of the 103rd Precinct, left, and
Police/Domestic Violence Officer James Moongamakal, also of the
103rd Precinct, explained the different types of sexual assault and
offered safety tips.
In light of the recent rapes in Richmond Hill and Jamaica, Senator James
Sanders Jr. (D-Rochdale Village, Far Rockaway) held a Sexual Assault
Defense Training workshop on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 at Holy Unity
Baptist Church in Jamaica.
The event aimed to educate community members on how to protect themselves from becoming the victim of a sexual assault. Information on resources for survivors including support services, counseling, and legal rights were also presented. Some 60 people participated in the program, which was similar to a training Senator Sanders held in April 2016 in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“Sexual assault is a serious crime that affects the physical and emotional well-being of survivors long after the attack is over,” Senator Sanders said. “We are here to raise awareness of this type of violence and do our part to educate as many people as we can in an effort to prevent future incidents from occurring, and to encourage those who have been victimized to seek help.”
The event aimed to educate community members on how to protect themselves from becoming the victim of a sexual assault. Information on resources for survivors including support services, counseling, and legal rights were also presented. Some 60 people participated in the program, which was similar to a training Senator Sanders held in April 2016 in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“Sexual assault is a serious crime that affects the physical and emotional well-being of survivors long after the attack is over,” Senator Sanders said. “We are here to raise awareness of this type of violence and do our part to educate as many people as we can in an effort to prevent future incidents from occurring, and to encourage those who have been victimized to seek help.”
One in three women and one in eleven men will be the victims of sexual assault at least once in their lifetime, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, which cites data from the FBI and Journal of Traumatic Stress. It is estimated that there is one sexual assault every 90 seconds in the United States.
The attendees watched the live demonstration with intense interest.
When it comes to what constitutes a sexual assault, two of the biggest factors are consent and incapacitation, according to Captain John Ganley, Executive Officer of the 103rd Precinct. He explained that once a person clearly communicates that they do not want a sexual act to be initiated or continue it must stop, or it becomes illegal. Also, when someone is incapacitated to the point where they are not able to convey non-consent of a sexual activity either verbally or physically and it still occurs that is also illegal.
The centerpiece of the event was a live safety demonstration conducted by Avi Avramcheyiv, the founder and chief instructor of NY Self Defense Academy and a former hand-to-hand combat instructor with the Israeli military. He taught attendees how to fight off an attacker who is armed with a knife or a gun, as well as how to escape from a variety of other scenarios such as being choked, pinned to the ground or against a wall.
In this exchange, instructor Avi Avramcheyiv, the founder and chief
instructor of NY Self Defense Academy demonstrates how to confront an
attacker armed with a gun.
“It’s very simple to defend yourself,” Avramcheyiv said. “All you need are a pair of hands, a pair of legs, fingernails, teeth, and you’re fine.”
The fighting technique is known as Krav Maga, a military self-defense system developed in Israel. It has no rules and is focused on self-preservation in real world situations.
This is the third safety training where Sanders has collaborated with Avramcheyiv. The Senator presented him with a certificate of recognition for volunteering his time to help the community protect themselves from violence.
Also on hand at the event was Victoria Maiello of Safe Horizon, a victim assistance organization whose mission is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities.
Source: The Office of State Senator James Sanders, Jr.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Statement by First Lady Melania Trump on Hurricane Harvey
The
effects of Hurricane Harvey will be felt in Texas, Louisiana, and other
parts of the country for
many months and years to come. So far, 1.7 million people are under
orders to evacuate their homes, and, as the floodwater in Houston rises,
sadly, so will the number of evacuees.
I
want to be able to offer my help and support in the most productive way
possible, not through just
words, but also action. What I found to be the most profound during
the visit was not only the strength and resilience of the people of
Texas, but the compassion and sense of community that has taken over the
State. My thoughts and prayers continue to be
with the people of Texas and Louisiana.
Source: The White House, Office of the First Lady
Banks Send Warning Signs for Economy
By Aaron Back
U.S. banks are sending signals that the country’s economic expansion is getting long in the tooth.
Being
a key transmission mechanism for savings, investment and spending, the
banking sector is worth watching as a barometer for the health of the
overall economy. Lately it has been acting as one would expect toward
the end of an expansion phase.
Most glaringly, after strong lending growth for several years, momentum clearly is slowing.
In its quarterly report on the sector, the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corp. found that total loans and leases by banks and other insured
institutions rose by just 3.7% from a year earlier at the end of June.
That is the third consecutive quarterly deceleration and is down from a
6.7% pace of growth a year ago.
In a statement, FDIC Chairman
Martin Gruenberg
explicitly linked the slowdown to the fact that the economy is
now in its ninth year of expansion. But it is more than just a symptom.
Slower lending growth means less fuel for business investment and
personal consumption, potentially weighing on economic performance.
Click here for the full article.
National Guard Briefing on Tropical Storm Harvey
Major General James Witham, the National Guard’s director of domestic
operations, talked about Tropical Storm Harvey response and relief
efforts. The storm was downgraded from a hurricane over the weekend.
Click here for video.
President Trump Holds a Joint Press Conference with President Niinistö
This video was published on YouTube on August 28.
Oval Office Chat: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
President Trump spoke on the phone today with Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong of Singapore to discuss Hurricane Harvey response efforts.
President Trump thanked Prime Minister
Lee for his condolences and offer of assistance to support search and
rescue operations, including the use of a Singaporean Air Force Chinook
helicopter detachment that trains with the Texas Air National Guard.
President Trump also thanked Prime Minister
Lee for Singapore's support for the USS John S. McCain search, rescue,
and recovery efforts. Finally, the two leaders discussed the grave
threat posed by North Korea and its recent, unacceptable actions.
Trailblazers in Black History: Sister Rosetta Tharpe
This is part one of a complete series available on YouTube.
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