[1/24/18] SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea sent a rare announcement addressed to “all
Koreans at home and abroad” on Thursday, saying they should make a
“breakthrough” for unification without the help of other countries, its
state media said.
It said all Koreans should “promote contact, travel, cooperation between
North and South Korea” while adding Pyongyang will “smash” all
challenges against reunification of the Korean peninsula.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
42 people = 50% of the population
Just 42 people own the same amount of wealth as the poorest 50 percent worldwide, a new study by global charity Oxfam claimed.
In a report published Monday, Oxfam called for action to tackle the growing gap between the super-rich and the rest of the world. Approximately 82 percent of the money generated last year went to the richest 1 percent of the global population, the report said, while the poorest half saw no increase at all.
Oxfam said its figures, which some observers have criticized, showed economic rewards were "increasingly concentrated" at the top. The charity cited tax evasion, the erosion of worker's rights, cost-cutting and businesses' influence on policy decisions as reasons for the widening inequality gap.
The charity also found the wealth of billionaires had increased by 13 percent a year on average in the decade from 2006 to 2015. Last year, billionaires would have seen an uptick of $762 billion — enough to end extreme poverty seven times over. It also claimed nine out of 10 of the world's 2,043 billionaires were men.
Booming global stock markets were seen as the main driver for a surge in wealth among those holding financial assets last year. The founder of AmazonAMZN, Jeff Bezos, saw his wealth balloon by $6 billion in the first 10 days of 2017 — leading to a flood of headlines marking him as "the richest man of all time."
Mark Goldring, chief executive of Oxfam GB, said the statistics signal "something is very wrong with the global economy."
"The concentration of extreme wealth at the top is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a system that is failing the millions of hard-working people on poverty wages who make our clothes and grow our food," he added.
The report, "Reward Work, Not Health," is based on data from Forbes and the annual Credit Suisse Global Wealth datebook, which has detailed the distribution of global wealth since 2000.
The survey assesses a person's wealth based on the value of an individual's assets — mainly property and land — minus any debts they may hold. The data excludes wages and income to determine what he or she is perceived to own. This methodology has attracted criticism in the past, as a student with high debt levels and a high future earning potential would classify as poor under the current criteria.
Nonetheless, Oxfam said even if the wealth of the poorest half of the population was recalculated to remove the people in net debt, their combined wealth would still be equal to 128 billionaires.
In a report published Monday, Oxfam called for action to tackle the growing gap between the super-rich and the rest of the world. Approximately 82 percent of the money generated last year went to the richest 1 percent of the global population, the report said, while the poorest half saw no increase at all.
Oxfam said its figures, which some observers have criticized, showed economic rewards were "increasingly concentrated" at the top. The charity cited tax evasion, the erosion of worker's rights, cost-cutting and businesses' influence on policy decisions as reasons for the widening inequality gap.
The charity also found the wealth of billionaires had increased by 13 percent a year on average in the decade from 2006 to 2015. Last year, billionaires would have seen an uptick of $762 billion — enough to end extreme poverty seven times over. It also claimed nine out of 10 of the world's 2,043 billionaires were men.
Booming global stock markets were seen as the main driver for a surge in wealth among those holding financial assets last year. The founder of AmazonAMZN, Jeff Bezos, saw his wealth balloon by $6 billion in the first 10 days of 2017 — leading to a flood of headlines marking him as "the richest man of all time."
Mark Goldring, chief executive of Oxfam GB, said the statistics signal "something is very wrong with the global economy."
"The concentration of extreme wealth at the top is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a system that is failing the millions of hard-working people on poverty wages who make our clothes and grow our food," he added.
The report, "Reward Work, Not Health," is based on data from Forbes and the annual Credit Suisse Global Wealth datebook, which has detailed the distribution of global wealth since 2000.
The survey assesses a person's wealth based on the value of an individual's assets — mainly property and land — minus any debts they may hold. The data excludes wages and income to determine what he or she is perceived to own. This methodology has attracted criticism in the past, as a student with high debt levels and a high future earning potential would classify as poor under the current criteria.
Nonetheless, Oxfam said even if the wealth of the poorest half of the population was recalculated to remove the people in net debt, their combined wealth would still be equal to 128 billionaires.
government shutdown 2018
[1/22/18] The Senate is now voting on final passage on a three-week spending bill Monday afternoon that would reopen the government.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote that he
had reached a deal with Republican leaders and that Democrats would vote
in favor of the bill.
Senators voted earlier in the afternoon 81-18 to end debate and move to a vote on final passage, which only requires a simple majority: 51 votes. Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul voted against ending debate, as did Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Mazie Hirono, Patrick Leahy, Ed Markey, Bob Menendez, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Jon Tester, Elizabeth Warren, and Ron Wyden. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, also voted against ending debate.
If final passage is approved in the Senate, the House will have to vote on the proposal. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy anticipated a House vote around 4:30 p.m. Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, signaled Sunday on "Face the Nation" that the House would pass the bill.
"We have agreed that we would accept that in the House, and so we will see sometime today whether or not they have the votes for that," Ryan said. "And that's really where we are right now."
It is unclear, however, if many Democrats will vote in the House for passage. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, is expected to vote "no."
After the House passes the legislation, it will be sent to President Trump's desk. Once Mr. Trump signs it, the government will reopen. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders expects that to be early this evening, she told reporters Monday.
Schumer said ahead of the procedural vote at noon that "we will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating" a global agreement with the commitment from GOP leaders that if there isn't a deal by the Feb. 8 deadline, the Senate will immediately proceed to legislation dealing with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Schumer said it will be "neutral and fair to all sides" that will get an up or down vote on the floor.
[1/20/18] A Senate attempt to move forward with a short-term spending bill vote failed Friday night, sending the government into a shutdown on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration.
Republican senators failed to capture the 60 votes they needed to even vote on the bill that would have funded the government for 30 days. Five Democrats voted with the Republicans to push a spending bill vote, and four Republicans voted with Democrats. The House passed the 30-day spending bill Thursday night. Debate over what to do next continued Saturday, with Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, saying he would be open to a three-week continuing resolution (CR), instead of a four-week one.
The Senate adjourned early Saturday and reconvened at noon. McConnell told senators they should expect votes on Saturday, "day one of the senate Democrats' government shutdown," as he described it Saturday. The House also reconvened.
"We do some crazy things in Washington, but this is utter madness," Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said on the House floor at noon.
The White House on Saturday indicated it would not negotiate on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program while the government is shutdown, but Democrats want a fix on that immigration issue, putting the parties at a seeming impasse.
After midnight, McConnell blamed Democrats for "the shoe-horning of illegal immigration into this debate." But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said he even offered full funding for the border wall in an earlier meeting Friday with Mr. Trump.
"Even that was not enough to entice the president to finish the deal," said Schumer, who also noticed that a handful of Republicans voted with Democrats and blamed "discord" on the Republican side.
The White House called a lid shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, meaning the president will not be speaking — unless he tweets. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
"Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown," she said. "Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiations on immigration reform. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the president and his administration will fight for and protect the American people."
Vice President Mike Pence, on board Air Force Two on his way to the Middle East, issued this statement.
"Our administration worked in good faith to put a bipartisan deal on the table that would strengthen our borders, end chain migration, eliminate the visa lottery, and deal compassionately with DACA," Pence said. "But rather than solve problems, Democratic leadership preferred a shutdown that has dangerous consequences for our national defense. Their action tonight — or lack thereof — is unconscionable. Our administration will do everything within our power to support the brave men and women in uniform who stand on the front lines of freedom. But as of tonight, due to a completely avoidable government shutdown, they'll stand their post without pay."
On Capitol Hill Friday night, the scene was one of uncertainty and chaos.
Shortly before the 10 p.m. vote, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said there was "no deal" reached among Republicans to ensure passage. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, announced he was a "no" on the 30-day deal, making a shutdown even more certain.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said blamed Mr. Trump, at least partially, for the failure to reach a deal. Blumenthal said that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Mr. Trump were close to reaching a comprehensive agreement earlier Friday, but the president walked away after talking to the hard right.
Senators voted earlier in the afternoon 81-18 to end debate and move to a vote on final passage, which only requires a simple majority: 51 votes. Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Rand Paul voted against ending debate, as did Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal, Cory Booker, Catherine Cortez Masto, Dianne Feinstein, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Mazie Hirono, Patrick Leahy, Ed Markey, Bob Menendez, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, Jon Tester, Elizabeth Warren, and Ron Wyden. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, also voted against ending debate.
If final passage is approved in the Senate, the House will have to vote on the proposal. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy anticipated a House vote around 4:30 p.m. Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, signaled Sunday on "Face the Nation" that the House would pass the bill.
"We have agreed that we would accept that in the House, and so we will see sometime today whether or not they have the votes for that," Ryan said. "And that's really where we are right now."
It is unclear, however, if many Democrats will vote in the House for passage. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, is expected to vote "no."
After the House passes the legislation, it will be sent to President Trump's desk. Once Mr. Trump signs it, the government will reopen. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders expects that to be early this evening, she told reporters Monday.
Schumer said ahead of the procedural vote at noon that "we will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating" a global agreement with the commitment from GOP leaders that if there isn't a deal by the Feb. 8 deadline, the Senate will immediately proceed to legislation dealing with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Schumer said it will be "neutral and fair to all sides" that will get an up or down vote on the floor.
[1/20/18] A Senate attempt to move forward with a short-term spending bill vote failed Friday night, sending the government into a shutdown on the one-year anniversary of President Trump's inauguration.
Republican senators failed to capture the 60 votes they needed to even vote on the bill that would have funded the government for 30 days. Five Democrats voted with the Republicans to push a spending bill vote, and four Republicans voted with Democrats. The House passed the 30-day spending bill Thursday night. Debate over what to do next continued Saturday, with Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, saying he would be open to a three-week continuing resolution (CR), instead of a four-week one.
The Senate adjourned early Saturday and reconvened at noon. McConnell told senators they should expect votes on Saturday, "day one of the senate Democrats' government shutdown," as he described it Saturday. The House also reconvened.
"We do some crazy things in Washington, but this is utter madness," Speaker of the House Paul Ryan said on the House floor at noon.
The White House on Saturday indicated it would not negotiate on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program while the government is shutdown, but Democrats want a fix on that immigration issue, putting the parties at a seeming impasse.
After midnight, McConnell blamed Democrats for "the shoe-horning of illegal immigration into this debate." But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said he even offered full funding for the border wall in an earlier meeting Friday with Mr. Trump.
"Even that was not enough to entice the president to finish the deal," said Schumer, who also noticed that a handful of Republicans voted with Democrats and blamed "discord" on the Republican side.
The White House called a lid shortly before 11 p.m. Friday, meaning the president will not be speaking — unless he tweets. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
"Senate Democrats own the Schumer Shutdown," she said. "Tonight, they put politics above our national security, military families, vulnerable children, and our country's ability to serve all Americans. We will not negotiate the status of unlawful immigrants while Democrats hold our lawful citizens hostage over their reckless demands. This is the behavior of obstructionist losers, not legislators. When Democrats start paying our armed forces and first responders we will reopen negotiations on immigration reform. During this politically manufactured Schumer Shutdown, the president and his administration will fight for and protect the American people."
Vice President Mike Pence, on board Air Force Two on his way to the Middle East, issued this statement.
"Our administration worked in good faith to put a bipartisan deal on the table that would strengthen our borders, end chain migration, eliminate the visa lottery, and deal compassionately with DACA," Pence said. "But rather than solve problems, Democratic leadership preferred a shutdown that has dangerous consequences for our national defense. Their action tonight — or lack thereof — is unconscionable. Our administration will do everything within our power to support the brave men and women in uniform who stand on the front lines of freedom. But as of tonight, due to a completely avoidable government shutdown, they'll stand their post without pay."
On Capitol Hill Friday night, the scene was one of uncertainty and chaos.
Shortly before the 10 p.m. vote, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said there was "no deal" reached among Republicans to ensure passage. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, announced he was a "no" on the 30-day deal, making a shutdown even more certain.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, said blamed Mr. Trump, at least partially, for the failure to reach a deal. Blumenthal said that Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, and Mr. Trump were close to reaching a comprehensive agreement earlier Friday, but the president walked away after talking to the hard right.
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
New California
SACRAMENTO -- With the reading of their own version
of a Declaration of Independence, founders of the state of New California took the first steps to what they hope will eventually lead
to statehood. CBS Sacramento reports they don't want to leave the United States, just California.
"Well, it's been ungovernable for a long time. High taxes, education, you name it, and we're rated around 48th or 50th from a business climate and standpoint in California," said founder Robert Paul Preston.
The state of New California would incorporate most of the state's rural counties, leaving the urban coastal counties to the current state of California.
"Well, it's been ungovernable for a long time. High taxes, education, you name it, and we're rated around 48th or 50th from a business climate and standpoint in California," said founder Robert Paul Preston.
The state of New California would incorporate most of the state's rural counties, leaving the urban coastal counties to the current state of California.
Saturday, January 13, 2018
never mind
State emergency management officials mistakenly sent out a missile threat alert at about 8:07 a.m. today, sending the state into a
short-lived panic until correcting the error about 20 minutes later.
The cell phone notification read: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT DRILL.”
Although the state emailed that the alert was a mistake at about 8:25 a.m., they did not issue a cell phone alert correction — the way many residents first learned of the bogus alert — until about 38 minutes after the initial mistake.
Gov. David Ige said at a press conference today that the false alarm was caused by human error during a change of shift when an “employee pushed the wrong button.”
***
Sean Shields suffered a massive heart attack minutes after saying his last goodbyes over the phone to his 10-year-old daughter and grown son following the false missile alert.
Shields, 51, started violently throwing up while at Sandy Beach on East Oahu and then drove himself, along with his girlfriend Brenda Reichel, who is disabled, to the Straub Hawaii Kai Family Health Center where she says he collapsed in the waiting room. Emergency medical technicians were able to perform CPR and transport him to Straub Medical Center, where he had emergency surgery and four stents inserted into his heart, she said.
“This whole thing just took him over the edge. There’s no doubt. The stress brought on a heart attack. What they did was so harmful,” said Reichel, adding that it felt like he flatlined for five to 10 minutes — long enough to get brain damage. “The doctors even agreed that the stress from the event did this. They told him he died. They told me he wasn’t breathing and he had no heartbeat. He had no heart problems ever. I’m just so upset at this.”
Miraculously, Shields survived and is recovering from his traumatic ordeal, she said.
“He’s talking, he’s lucid and cognitive,” Reichel said. “Thanking God for miracles. God is good.”
Honolulu attorney Sam King, a friend of Reichel, said he is investigating the matter and will make a decision shortly on whether there’s a claim to be made against the state or city.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said there were no injuries or accidents related to the ensuing panic and confusion following the false alarm. However, the Honolulu Police Department’s 911 dispatch system was overwhelmed with more than 5,000 telephone calls, “more than they could ever handle,” Caldwell said at a press conference Saturday. The state took 38 minutes to issue a cellphone notice that the missile attack warning issued at 8:07 a.m. was an error. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said about 2,500 callers to 911 could not get through to emergency lines.
“Mayor said no injuries from panic of bomb alert — total lie. My son had to get stitches from a falling light fixture,” Aiea resident John Nakauye told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, describing how he huddled with three children in a room after informing them that a missile was on its way to Hawaii. “It fell as I placed the mattress to cover the window.”
Nakauye said his 10-year-old son was seriously injured on his leg in the scramble to keep his family safe.
“It’s very traumatic for him. I mean, it was a pretty bad cut. Had we not had this false warning … we wouldn’t have been in that situation to huddle in the room just trying to protect ourselves as best as we can,” he said. “I was extremely infuriated when I read that (there were no injuries). I’m the one dealing with having to take care of this medically and financially now.”
Caldwell said the only incident he heard of occurred when a driver damaged his golf cart following the alert.
“Whatever the government is saying, this has caused major stress to everyone here,” Reichel said. “Sean’s life is never going to be the same now. This has been so horrendous. He told his daughter, ‘I love you.’ He told his son, ‘I love you,’ and he told me, ‘I love you.’ He thought he was never going to see his kids again and this is it, we were all going to die.”
***
Late night commentary
***
Ige didn't know his twitter password
*** [1/30/18]
The Hawaii civil defense employee who issued the false missile alarm that stirred panic across the state last month mistook an alert drill for an actual attack, confused by conflicting messages used in the simulation, investigators said on Tuesday.
The cell phone notification read: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT DRILL.”
Although the state emailed that the alert was a mistake at about 8:25 a.m., they did not issue a cell phone alert correction — the way many residents first learned of the bogus alert — until about 38 minutes after the initial mistake.
Gov. David Ige said at a press conference today that the false alarm was caused by human error during a change of shift when an “employee pushed the wrong button.”
***
Sean Shields suffered a massive heart attack minutes after saying his last goodbyes over the phone to his 10-year-old daughter and grown son following the false missile alert.
Shields, 51, started violently throwing up while at Sandy Beach on East Oahu and then drove himself, along with his girlfriend Brenda Reichel, who is disabled, to the Straub Hawaii Kai Family Health Center where she says he collapsed in the waiting room. Emergency medical technicians were able to perform CPR and transport him to Straub Medical Center, where he had emergency surgery and four stents inserted into his heart, she said.
Related:
• Button pusher not holding up well under multiple death threats
• Isle system fails to deliver warning to all cellphones
• Late-night hosts joke about Hawaii missile scare
• Button pusher not holding up well under multiple death threats
• Isle system fails to deliver warning to all cellphones
• Late-night hosts joke about Hawaii missile scare
“This whole thing just took him over the edge. There’s no doubt. The stress brought on a heart attack. What they did was so harmful,” said Reichel, adding that it felt like he flatlined for five to 10 minutes — long enough to get brain damage. “The doctors even agreed that the stress from the event did this. They told him he died. They told me he wasn’t breathing and he had no heartbeat. He had no heart problems ever. I’m just so upset at this.”
Miraculously, Shields survived and is recovering from his traumatic ordeal, she said.
“He’s talking, he’s lucid and cognitive,” Reichel said. “Thanking God for miracles. God is good.”
Honolulu attorney Sam King, a friend of Reichel, said he is investigating the matter and will make a decision shortly on whether there’s a claim to be made against the state or city.
Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said there were no injuries or accidents related to the ensuing panic and confusion following the false alarm. However, the Honolulu Police Department’s 911 dispatch system was overwhelmed with more than 5,000 telephone calls, “more than they could ever handle,” Caldwell said at a press conference Saturday. The state took 38 minutes to issue a cellphone notice that the missile attack warning issued at 8:07 a.m. was an error. Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard said about 2,500 callers to 911 could not get through to emergency lines.
“Mayor said no injuries from panic of bomb alert — total lie. My son had to get stitches from a falling light fixture,” Aiea resident John Nakauye told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, describing how he huddled with three children in a room after informing them that a missile was on its way to Hawaii. “It fell as I placed the mattress to cover the window.”
Nakauye said his 10-year-old son was seriously injured on his leg in the scramble to keep his family safe.
“It’s very traumatic for him. I mean, it was a pretty bad cut. Had we not had this false warning … we wouldn’t have been in that situation to huddle in the room just trying to protect ourselves as best as we can,” he said. “I was extremely infuriated when I read that (there were no injuries). I’m the one dealing with having to take care of this medically and financially now.”
Caldwell said the only incident he heard of occurred when a driver damaged his golf cart following the alert.
“Whatever the government is saying, this has caused major stress to everyone here,” Reichel said. “Sean’s life is never going to be the same now. This has been so horrendous. He told his daughter, ‘I love you.’ He told his son, ‘I love you,’ and he told me, ‘I love you.’ He thought he was never going to see his kids again and this is it, we were all going to die.”
***
Late night commentary
***
Ige didn't know his twitter password
*** [1/30/18]
The Hawaii civil defense employee who issued the false missile alarm that stirred panic across the state last month mistook an alert drill for an actual attack, confused by conflicting messages used in the simulation, investigators said on Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
9 ways the world got better in 2017
There has been a lot of bad news in America this year, and people are noticing: In December, 60 percent of US respondents felt the country was on the wrong track.
The angst isn’t unique to the US. Across 26 countries that are home to the considerable majority of the world’s population, an average of six out of 10 people thought their country was on the wrong track (as of the middle of 2017). That’s more surprising than the US result because, despite the threats posed by the world’s sole superpower going rogue — admittedly no small problem — the planet as a whole had a pretty good year.
Before 2017 recedes entirely into the rearview mirror, let’s take note of some of the good news.
The angst isn’t unique to the US. Across 26 countries that are home to the considerable majority of the world’s population, an average of six out of 10 people thought their country was on the wrong track (as of the middle of 2017). That’s more surprising than the US result because, despite the threats posed by the world’s sole superpower going rogue — admittedly no small problem — the planet as a whole had a pretty good year.
Before 2017 recedes entirely into the rearview mirror, let’s take note of some of the good news.
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