APTN National NewsRCMP has withdrawn from the disputed area and seismic testing trucks have been driven away.But overnight someone tried to burn down the RCMP detachment on the Elsipogtog First Nation.APTN’s Ossie Michelin was in Rexton for APTN.
DETROIT — Even though unemployment is low, the economy is growing and U.S. auto sales are near historic highs, General Motors is cutting thousands of jobs in a major restructuring aimed at generating cash to spend on innovation.It’s the new reality for automakers that are faced with the present cost of designing gas-powered cars and trucks that appeal to buyers now while at the same time preparing for a future world of electric and autonomous vehicles.GM announced Monday that it will cut as many as 14,000 workers in North America and put five plants up for possible closure as it abandons many of its car models and restructures to focus more on autonomous and electric vehicles.CEO Mary Barra said as cars and trucks become more complex, GM will need more computer coders but fewer engineers who work on internal combustion engines.“The vehicle has become much more software-oriented” with millions of lines of code, she said. “We still need many technical resources in the company.”The reductions could amount to as much as 8 per cent of GM’s global workforce of 180,000 employees.The restructuring also reflects changing North American auto markets as manufacturers continue to shift away from cars toward SUVs and trucks. In October, almost 65 per cent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks or SUVs. That figure was about 50 per cent cars just five years ago.GM is shedding cars largely because it doesn’t make money on them, Citi analyst Itay Michaeli wrote in a note to investors.“We estimate sedans operate at a significant loss, hence the need for classic restructuring,” he wrote.The reduction includes about 8,000 white-collar employees, or 15 per cent of GM’s North American white-collar workforce. Some will take buyouts while others will be laid off.At the factories, around 3,300 blue-collar workers could lose jobs in the U.S. and another 2,600 in Canada, but some U.S. workers could transfer to truck or SUV factories that are increasing production. The cuts mark GM’s first major downsizing since shedding thousands of jobs in the Great Recession.The company also said it will stop operating two additional factories outside North America by the end of next year.The move to make GM get leaner before the next downturn likely will be followed by Ford Motor Co., which also has struggled to keep one foot in the present and another in an ambiguous future of new mobility. Ford has been slower to react, but says it will lay off an unspecified number of white-collar workers as it exits much of the car market in favour of trucks and SUVs, some of them powered by batteries.The GM layoffs come amid the backdrop of a trade wars between the U.S., China and Europe that likely will lead to higher prices for imported vehicles and those exported from the U.S. Barra said the company faces challenges from tariffs but she did not directly link the layoffs to them.GM doesn’t foresee an economic downturn and is making the cuts “to get in front of it while the company is strong and while the economy is strong,” Barra told reporters.Factories that could be closed include assembly plants in Detroit and Oshawa, Ontario, and Lordstown, Ohio, as well as transmission plants in Warren, Michigan, and near Baltimore.The announcement worried GM workers who could lose their jobs.“I don’t know how I’m going to feed my family,” Matt Smith, a worker at the Ontario factory, said Monday outside the plant’s south gate, where workers blocked trucks from entering or leaving. “It’s hard. It’s horrible.” Smith’s wife also works at the plant. The couple has an 11-month-old at home.Workers at the Ontario plant walked off the job Monday but were expected to return Tuesday.After the morning announcement, Barra headed for Washington to speak with White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow in what was described as a previously scheduled meeting.President Donald Trump, who has made bringing back auto jobs a big part of his appeal to Ohio and other Great Lakes states that are crucial to his re-election, said his administration and lawmakers are exerting “a lot of pressure” on GM.Trump said he was being tough on Barra, telling the company that the U.S. has done a lot for GM and that if its cars aren’t selling, the company needs to produce ones that will.At a rally near GM’s Lordstown, Ohio, plant last summer, Trump told people not to sell their homes because the jobs are “all coming back.”Most of the factories to be affected by GM’s restructuring build cars that will not be sold in the U.S. after next year. They could close or they could get different vehicles to build. Their futures will be part of contract talks with the United Auto Workers union next year.The Detroit-based union has already condemned GM’s actions and threatened to fight them “through every legal, contractual and collective bargaining avenue open to our membership.”Bobbi Marsh, who has worked assembling the Chevrolet Cruze compact car at the Ohio plant since 2008, said she can’t understand why the factory might close given the strong economy.“I can’t believe our president would allow this to happen,” she said Monday. Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown said the move will be disastrous for the region around Youngstown, Ohio, east of Cleveland, where GM is one of the area’s few remaining industrial anchors.“GM received record tax breaks as a result of the GOP’s tax bill last year, and has eliminated jobs instead of using that tax windfall to invest in American workers,” he said in a statement.GM, the nation’s largest automaker, will stop producing cars and transmissions at the plants through 2019. In all, six car models were scrapped, leaving the company with nine remaining car models for its four brands, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC.Among the cars that won’t be made after next year is the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable gas-electric hybrid. When introduced a decade ago, the Volt was meant to be a bridge to fully electric cars, the company said. It has a small battery that can take it about 50 miles, then it switches to a small gasoline engine.But since it was introduced, battery technology has improved dramatically, GM said. Now the full-electric Chevrolet Bolt can go up to 238 miles on a single charge.The United Auto Workers promised to fight any plant closures and criticized GM for cutting U.S. jobs while building full-size pickups in Mexico. It also recently announced that a new Chevrolet Blazer SUV will be built there. Also, GM imports the Buick Envision midsize SUV from China.___Associated Press writers Rob Gillies in Toronto, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed to this report.Tom Krisher, The Associated Press
OSU coach Urban Meyer stands during a game against Iowa Oct. 19 at Ohio Stadium. OSU won, 34-24.Credit: Lantern file photoAlthough he’s yet to win a National Championship or a Big Ten Championship trophy at Ohio State, Urban Meyer received an 8 percent raise following the 2013 football season. The football coach’s latest performance review also showed he needed to be engaged with various groups because of recent changes with the NCAA governance structure and consideration being given to new benefits for student athletes.After he amassed a 24-game regular season winning streak to start his tenure at Ohio State, Meyer received a raise of exactly $328,640 over his three areas of income — base salary, media payment and Nike payment — heading into the 2014 campaign. In a letter obtained by The Lantern addressed to Meyer from OSU vice president and athletic director Gene Smith, Smith congratulates Meyer on “another remarkable season” before listing the annual salary increase for the head coach. The letter was dated March 25.A university policy says a compensation package exceeding $350,000 — which Meyer’s does — must be approved by the president and the provost, according an OSU document. Joseph Alutto was serving as interim president and Joseph Steinmetz was serving as provost at the time Meyer’s raise was approved. Meyer’s base salary jumped to $818,640 from $758,000, his media payment went to $2.05 million from $1.9 million and his Nike payment increased to about $1.57 million from $1.45 million annually.The letter concluded with Smith informing Meyer that the change in his contract would become effective Feb. 1 and would be reflected on his March 31 paycheck.Smith told The Lantern that the raise was nothing out of the ordinary.“It was part of the normal evaluation process we have each year,” Smith said in a Saturday email.Meyer’s initial contract at OSU was signed as a six-year, $24-million deal, but has since undergone various revisions throughout his time with the Buckeyes. In 2012, the OSU Board of Trustees approved changes to Meyer’s contract that included bonuses of $50,000 for any Big Ten Leaders Division championships. Meyer’s initial contract also included bonuses of $100,000 for a Big Ten Championship, $150,000 for a non-national championship BCS bowl game and $250,000 for a National Championship Game appearance.Meyer’s latest performance review — which was sent to The Lantern on Nov. 12 to fill an open records request — was conducted by Smith on June 3 and was overall positive.Smith thought Meyer exceeded expectations (out of three possible categories, “exceeds expectations” is the best) in four out of eight core competencies. These included commitment to compliance, student-athlete welfare, leadership and public and donor relations. Click to enlarge.Smith thought Meyer met expectations (which is the category between “exceeds expectations” and “opportunity for improvement”) in the remaining four categories. These included academic success of the program, competitive success of the program, communication and budget management. The performance review also included an “overall rating” box that was left blank. Above the box read text that said an overall rating must be given for all employees.When asked about the blank box in a Wednesday afternoon follow-up email, Rebecca Dickson, a paralegal and program manager in the public records office who sent the original documents, said she would work on getting an answer. In a June 3 letter from Smith to Meyer attached to the performance review, Smith said he needed Meyer to “continue to focus on the academic initiatives” of the team. Smith also said Meyer needs to be engaged with his “national organization” and the Big Ten Coaches group, because of changes in the NCAA governance structure and consideration being given to adding benefits for student athletes, which potentially pays them outside of cost of attendance.Under the former NCAA governance model, athletic directors and student athletes did not have a voice in the legislative process, but under the new model they do. “We need to be sure our position is properly represented with these groups,” Smith said.Smith also praised Meyer’s approach to developing the “total student athlete,” calling it “one of the best.”He said Meyer has created an environment where players can strengthen their values, learn life skills and strive for excellence in all that they do. Smith said he was proud of the way Meyer led the coaching staff. He said there is “clarity” in the roles, expectations and value.
UPDATE 4.20pmUPC HAS SAID this afternoon that it will not give An Post access to customer information as part of a crackdown on TV licence evaders.Responding to comments from Minister Pat Rabbitte earlier today, a spokesperson for the company said, “UPC is not in a position to give An Post access to our cable subscription data because this would contravene our obligations under data protection.”Rabbitte had issued a statement, revealing that An Post was to be given access to cable and satellite subscription data in order to crack down on people who evade payment of the TV licence fee.In what may be one of his last acts as Communications Minister, he got Cabinet approval this morning for the proposal that he said will tackle the “ongoing scourge” of TV licence evasion.It’s estimated by the Department of Communications that over 15% of TV owners are not paying the €160-a-year fee with an estimated loss of revenue to the national broadcaster RTÉ of up to €30 million.Under new legislation – approved by government today – An Post will be allowed access the subscription data held by the likes of UPC and Sky to cross-reference their subscriber databases with its own data on TV licence fee payers.“As long ago as 2004 the Comptroller and Auditor General highlighted the fact there was no legal obligation on cable or satellite TV service suppliers to inform An Post of the names and addressed of persons availing of their services,” Rabbitte explained in a statement today.“Given the ComReg estimate that over 73% of ‘TV households’ have such services, this measure should significantly reduce the level of evasion.”The Labour TD insisted that An Post will have access to the information solely for its statutory functions as the body responsible for TV licence fee collection and said the confidentially of the information will be protected.It is hoped that the bill can be passed and will come into the force by the end of the year.Rabbitte said this proposal will bring the licence fee and inspection system into the 21st century and said his department will continue to work “on proposals to put the public service funding system on a permanently secure footing”.First published 1.53pmRead: ‘We don’t have cavemen here’: Property tax register may be used for broadcast chargeRead: The most common excuses Irish people give for not paying their tv licence
16-year-old Greta Thunberg met with Obama and chided senators, saying they’re not trying hard enough to fight climate change SpaceX is trying to buy a hamlet inside its Texas rocket-launch site because it ‘did not anticipate’ there’d be any ‘significant disruption’ to residents who live there The US is building a case against Iran in the attacks on Saudi Arabia, but Trump is in no rush to act A car plowed through the main hall of Trump Plaza in New Rochelle, New York 
FOR ALL OF us normals, just living in New York City is a pipe dream. But when the sky’s the limit, as it is for many celebrities, you’d expect that they’d have the best homes money can buy.With approximate estimates provided by AddressReport, Business Insider took a look at the priciest places owned by celebs in the Big Apple.Daniel Radcliffe Source: Stribling and associates Estimated value: $5.2 millionHarry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe majorly upgraded from the cupboard under the stairs. He purchased the three-bedroom corner apartment at 1 Morton Square for $4.9 million in 2008.‘The boy who lived’ resides in luxury, enjoying sunset views of New York Harbor from the curved windows, marble and granite counters, and a 500-bottle wine cellar.Co-star Alan Rickman, who played Professor Snape, is rumored to live in the building as well.Drew Barrymore Source: Roger Erickson Estimated value: $8.3 millionThis California transplant adds warmth and coziness to a two-story loft on the Upper East Side. The recently-renovated space provides a built-in stereo system, gallery, library, and plenty of room for entertaining.Barrymore recently welcomed her second daughter into the world. The four-bedroom duplex has plenty of room for mom, husband Will Kopelman and two girls.Judge Judy Source: Stribling and associatesEstimated value: $8.5 millionWhen not filming her courtroom reality show in California, Judge Judy Sheindlin escapes to her Midtown East penthouse in a 14-story Rosario Candela-designed building, says AddressReport. Amenities include 5.5 full- and half-baths, a wine cellar that holds 900 bottles and a rooftop terrace.Clearly, the courtroom isn’t the only venue she commands. The judge shaved more than a million dollars off the listing price.Cameron Diaz Source: Douglas EllimanEstimated value: $9 millionCameron Diaz beat out fellow stars for an ultra-private retreat in Chelsea. The luxury flat, located in a former New York Telephone Company call centre, is complete with 18-inch thick walls and soundproof floors.The SoCal native enlisted the help of West Coast design queen Kelly Wearstler to give her Chelsea apartment just the right amount of razzle-dazzle. The pair decided on a colour palette of burnished metals and illustrious minerals, giving the space warmth and shine.Chelsea Clinton Source: Douglas EllimanEstimated value: $9.25 millionFormer first kid Chelsea Clinton proved her sharp negotiating skills last fall when she and hedge funder husband Marc Mezvinsky purchased the fourth-floor, four-bedroom apartment for a full $1.25 million less than it was listed for. The Whitman building is a four-unit conversion that takes up the entire floor and overlooks Madison Square Park — a perfect setting for soon-to-be-mom Clinton.The Clinton/Mezvinsky family counts NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon, hedge-funder John Silvetz and model Wilda Deon Bray among its neighbours.Uma Thurman Source: Douglas EllimanEstimated value: $10 millionRomance novelist Barbara Taylor Bradford and her husband dragged this exclusive River House estate through the real estate market for three years before finding it a loving owner, Uma Thurman. The Kill Bill star scored the 13-room Midtown East spread for nearly $19 million below asking price.The River House building was once called the “grand dame of Manhattan real estate” for its elite co-op board that denied famous actresses and socialites. Thurman passed the test with flying colors.Leonardo DiCaprio Source: Delos LivingEstimated value: $10 millionThe Wolf of Wall Street locked down an apartment just a little north of the Financial District — a modest two-bedroom in Greenwich Village.The WELL-Certified building has insane green amenities — like vitamin C-infused showers, an aromatherapy air supply, “posture-supportive heat reflexology flooring” (whatever that means), and a wellness concierge.Keith Richards Source: Sothby’sEstimated value: $10.5 millionKeith Richards and wife Patti Henson scooped up this penthouse on Fifth Avenue to the tune of $10.5 million, according to AddressReport. It first landed on the market for $15 million in 2012.Three previously separate units combine to create this “masterpiece of form and function,” complete with three terraces on the first floor, custom white lacquer millwork, and a Sonos sound system throughout.Beyonce and Jay Z Source: Sotheby’sEstimated value: $12.5 millionQueen Bey and the Hov, the highest-earning celebrity couple in America, shelled out $6.85 million for the penthouse of this converted 1929 brick warehouse building in Tribeca. Its value has practically doubled over 10 years.While little is known about how the pair renovated the space, it made headlines a few years ago when it was rumored to be the setting for their nuptials.Julianne Moore Source: Street EasyEstimated value: $12.5 millionMoore bought her West 11th Street townhouse in 2003 for $3.5 million, according to AddressReport. She tried twice to sell it but was unsuccessful. The last listing price was $12.5 million.The six-bedroom, three-plus bathroom home dates back to the late 1800s and features French doors, original architecture and moldings, a large recreational media room, as well as a high-tech security system.Another perk: It’s right around the corner from Magnolia Bakery, so Moore and her family can snack on some cupcakes whenever it suits them.Hugh Jackman Source: Sotheby’sEstimated value: $26.5 millionThe X-Men star’s 11,000-square-foot, three-level condo is the largest unit in the building. The Wolverine purchased the triplex, overlooking the Hudson River, for $21 million in 2008.Previously owned by Sun Microsystems billionaire Bill Joy, who listed it for a staggering $40 million, the five-bedroom spread has a professional kitchen, gym, sauna, library and wine cellar.Sting Source: Sotehby’sEstimated value: $26.5 millionIn 2008, Sting bought his five-bedroom duplex condo at 15 Central Park West, one of Manhattan’s most exclusive addresses. His new home turned him into Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein’s next door neighbour.The Roxanne singer had previously lived just up the street in an apartment at 88 Central Park West, another celeb-loving luxury building, that sold for $26 million.Overlooking the rectangular expanse of green from the 16th and 17th floors, Sting enjoys an expansive terrace and 5,500 square feet of space.Jon Bon Jovi Source: Douglas EllimanEstimated value: $37.5 millionBon Jovi is hoping he can get the $37.5 million he reportedly put his SoHo place up for sale just two months ago.This isn’t the first time the rock star has put this very apartment on the market; in January the condo was purportedly up for $42 million with no takers at the time. Besides its stellar location, the apartment has six bedrooms, multiple fireplaces, a state-of-the-art media room, and sweet roof deck perfect for summer cookouts under the stars.Demi Moore Source: google earthEstimated value: $75 millionAfter renovating the place to the tune of $25 million, Moore’s gorgeous apartment is currently on the market for $75 million.Moore lives in the celeb-filled San Remo building, a beautiful, Art Deco-style icon overlooking the west side of Central Park. The $75 million price tag includes a two-bedroom unit that she owns on the ground floor of the building, in addition to her triplex.Tommy Hilfiger Source: Street easyEstimated value: $80 millionHilfiger purchased his beautiful Plaza penthouse back in 2008 for $50 million, and just listed it in October for $80 million — not a bad price, considering Hilfiger and his wife put nearly $20 million into renovating the place.Hilfiger’s four-bedroom pad spans 6,000 square feet over two floors, and offers sweeping views of Central Park and the city skyline. Rumor has it that the dining room walls are painted with a custom Eloise mural by the original illustrator of the book, which is set at the Plaza.And because the apartment was designed by a designer, you can expect that the place is nothing short of fabulous.READ: The 7 cheapest houses for sale in Ireland right nowREAD: €12m for a view of Dublin Bay? Sure, why not
Rumors have been swirling for some time about an LG-built Nexus device, and a new leak has shed plenty of light on what the Korean company might be planning to release. In addition to a pair of new photos, one excited tester has offered up details about his handet’s hardware specifications.The specs for the LG Nexus 4 look impressive, though they’re certainly in line with what you’d expect from a flagship Android phone at this stage of the game. There’s a quad-core processor clocked at 1.5GHz under the hood paired with 2GB of RAM. This particular prototype only carries 8GB of NAND, which will certainly be bumped to a more Nexus-like 32 or 64GB before the Nexus 4’s retail launch — especially since this Nexus (like its predecessors) doesn’t have a micro SD slot. The Nexus 4 also features an 8MP rear shooter, and its display reports a resolution of 1184 x 768. While it’s not specifically mentioned, the 320ppi it’s rated at means the Nexus 4 should feature a 4.6-inch display.Just days ago, another image of the Nexus 4 had leaked, and it appeared to show a rather sparkly back side — though it’s possible the bling was the result of a textured back panel and the protective plastic sheet applied to it. It’s also possible that LG has slapped a special backing on for Google employees who are testing the phone (as manufacturers have been known to do with previous Nexus phones). The new prototype device shown off by today’s informant shows a back that’s still textured, though it’s more like the one seen on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus %displayPrice% at %seller% .A separate leak from the Carphone Warehouse inventory system shows that the LG Nexus 4 will be available in both black and white, though no pricing or availability information was visible on the screen. For those details, we may just have to wait for an official announcement from Google and LG — unless, of course, the leaks keep up at their current pace.More at PocketNow and The Verge
Wales have announced that Aaron Ramsey will miss their Uefa Nations League clash with the Republic of Ireland due to “family reasons”The loss of the Arsenal midfielder will come as another blow for head coach Ryan Giggs after Gareth Bale returned to Real Madrid.Wales were handed a 4-1 thrashing by Spain at Cardiff on Friday after a brace from forward Paco Alcacer, along with goals from defensive duo Sergio Ramos and Marc Bartra.Ramsey, whose Arsenal future remains increasingly uncertain, played the full 90 minutes of the loss but could not make an impact with Sam Vokes grabbing an 89th-minute consolation goal.Now the 27-year-old will be replaced by Swansea City’s Daniel James for Tuesday’s game in Dublin.
Daniel James impresses Patrice Evra Manuel R. Medina – September 12, 2019 The Manchester United legend gave Daniel James a passionate speech after the youngster was voted Player of the Month for August.“Daniel James has been called up to the senior team from the under 21’s this morning. Aaron Ramsey will no longer travel with the squad to Dublin due to family reasons,” read a statement on the Wales FA Twitter.SQUAD UPDATE | DIWEDDARIAD CARFANDaniel James has been called up to the senior team from the under 21’s this morning. Aaron Ramsey will no longer travel with the squad to Dublin due to family reasons.#TogetherStronger pic.twitter.com/lYWOUUrI5M— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) October 15, 2018
SPRING HILL, FL — Michael A. Graves, 49, of Spring Hill, FL entered into rest on February 14, 2019. He was born November 3, 1969 in Wilmington, MA the son of the late Barbara and Sidney Graves. Michael grew up in Wilmington, MA then moved to Spring Hill in 2005. He was a devoted New England Patriots fan and loved fishing.Michael is survived by daughter Megan Graves of Spring Hill, FL, siblings Rosemary Smith and her husband Harold of Amelia,VA, Patricia McInnis of Acton, MA, Barbara Smith of Manchester, NH, Karen Ingaharro and her husband Walter of Candia, NH, Lenny Graves of Lowell, MA, Robert Graves and his wife Pamela of Ashburnham, MA, Cheryl Peters and her husband Michael of Groton, MA, two grandchildren Jayden and Briley Graves of Spring Hill, FL, 21 nieces and nephews, 39 great nieces and nephews and 8 great great nieces and nephews many cousins. Michael is also survived by his Ex-Wife and life-long friend Nancy Graves, his companion Sara Grasso and her daughters.Michael was predeceased by sister Maureen Graves, brothers in law Edward McInnis and Paul Smith and nephew Eric McInnis.Family and friends may gather at the Turner Funeral Home Spring Hill Chapel 14360 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, FL, on Saturday March 2, 2019 from 12 Noon to 2 PM. A celebration of life will follow at 2PM.Michael Graves(NOTE: The above obituary is via DigitalMemory.com.)Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedOBITUARY: Michael A. Graves, 49In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: Susan A. (McNeil) Roy, 49In “Obituaries”OBITUARY: Dorothy Sylvia Lowry, 84In “Obituaries”
Amaravati: Anna Canteens, which provide meals at Rs 5 to the poor and the middle class, were shut down across the state from Thursday. Daily wage labourers, beggars, other poor folks who thronged the canteens every day found the canteens locked. With the outsourcing agency stopping supplying of food following the state government’s orders, all 204 canteens downed their shutters. Also Read – Three of a family commits suicide at Amalapuram in East Godavari Advertise With Us YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government, however, has assured that this shutdown is temporary and that it would re-launch the scheme with certain modifications. Working since July-August last year, the canteens were proving a boon to the poor as they were getting breakfast, lunch and dinner at Rs 5 each. Alleging corruption in the scheme launched by the previous TDP government, the new dispensation has decided to streamline the canteens. Also Read – Saaho movie tickets pricey in Nellore Advertise With Us Akshaya Patra, which cooks and supply food for the canteens, supplied the last meal on Wednesday night. As the government has not announced alternate arrangements, the canteens were shut. TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh took to Twitter to slam the Jagan Mohan Reddy government for shutting down the canteens. Lokesh tweeted that the government shut down the canteens due to political vendetta. “Mr Chief Minister hunger doesn’t know politics. Should the poor go hungry for your political vendetta,” he asked.
More information: Hierarchical multiscale structure– property relationships of the Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) beak. N. Lee et al. Journal of the Royal Society Interface, 2014. rsif.royalsocietypublishing.or … .1098/rsif.2014.0274 (Phys.org) —A team of researchers at Mississippi State University has found that the beaks of woodpeckers are constructed in such a way as to help dissipate energy. In their paper published in Journal of the Royal Society Interface, the team describes their work in analyzing the beaks of several red-bellied woodpeckers and how they found that it has three layers that all help to absorb shocks as the bird pecks away at trees looking for insects inside. Most everyone knows that woodpeckers bang away at trees (or sometimes other structures) with their beaks to create holes that allow them access to insects hidden inside. Prior research has shown that woodpeckers have a variety of features throughout their heads that help absorb shock, preventing the birds from suffering brain or other damage as they hunt for their prey. In this new effort, the researchers sought to learn if there was anything special about their beaks that might also help soften the internal blow as the birds hammer away at a tree, between one and three hundred times a minute.Close inspection revealed that the beak’s outer or rhamphotheca layer was made of a keratin sheath, which was, like most birds, arranged in a scale pattern, with defined edges between each scale. There was one major difference however, the scale edges, which are not straight but follow a zig-zag course (and have been nick-named sutures because they resemble those used in surgery), were much more wiggly than other pecking birds, such as chickens. This, the researchers noted, would help deflect compressing forces as the beak hit the wood. They found that the scales were also thinner and more elongated than other pecking birds as well, which appears to allow for more sliding of scales over one another during pecking, serving as a shock-absorber.The researchers also found that the middle “foam” layer of the bird’s beak, was more porous than other pecking birds, which would of course allow for directing the energy from impacts into other parts of the birds head that are better able to handle the abuse.Taken as a whole, it appears a woodpecker’s beak offers a first line of defense against head damage when pecking, dissipating energy where possible and directing the rest to where it will do the least damage. © 2014 Phys.org Journal information: Journal of the Royal Society Interface A male Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus). Credit: Ken Thomas/public domain
Explore further Mechanical properties and microstructure of cranial and beak bones of the woodpecker and the lark Citation: Study reveals shock-absorbing ability of woodpecker beaks (2014, May 7) retrieved 18 August 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2014-05-reveals-shock-absorbing-ability-woodpecker-beaks.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.
Advertisement Where Colin was rightLaMar Jackson isn’t an elite NFL QB prospect – Colin has been taking heat for saying Jackson isn’t a top NFL quarterback prospect, but he’s 2-4 in his last 6 games, and relies too much on his freakish athleticism. He’s looked average when playing against top competition and was held in check last week against Clemson. In the NFL, QB’s need to win from the pocket, and Jackson hasn’t shown the ability to do it. He’s an incredible talent and Colin would take him in the later rounds, but not with a first round pick.Lamar Jackson throws a #picksix. Clemson is up 26-7. #CLEMvsUL pic.twitter.com/Fo2uwrHf4m— The Game Haus Sports (@TGHSports) September 17, 2017 Where Colin was wrongTrevor Siemian and the Broncos – Colin picked Denver to go 6-10 before the season, largely because he didn’t believe in Trevor Siemian. But he looked impressive in the Broncos destruction of the Cowboys, and is 10-6 in his career as a starter. He’s good enough lead the Denver offense to enough points to win games behind their dominant D..@trevorsiemian to @ESanders_10 for the 2nd time today! #BroncosCountry #DALvsDEN pic.twitter.com/6DvIX2GnnM— Chat Sports (@ChatSports) September 17, 2017 Every week, Colin makes a bunch of predictions. Some hit and some miss. Every Monday, he holds himself accountable in Where Colin was right, where Colin was wrong.Here’s where Colin was on the money, and where he was off the mark after 2 weeks of NFL games, and three weeks into the college season.Where Colin was rightBlazin’ 5 – Colin is certifiably on fire after posting his second straight 4-1 week to kick off the NFL betting year. The Cowboys dud in Denver was the game that blew up his perfect week, but 80% for the year isn’t bad. He’s coming for the house again this week. If you haven’t already, hop aboard the money train this Friday.? Blazin’ 5 went 4-1 in Week 1 ?@ColinCowherd makes his Week 2 picks? and they’re ? pic.twitter.com/2rlWjRWqxc— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) September 17, 2017 Where Colin was rightButch Jones is toast in Tennessee – Colin said before the season that no one was sitting on a hotter hot seat than Butch Jones at Tennessee, and after losing to Florida on an inexcusable Hail Mary, the only question is if he makes it through the entire season. Odds are he doesn’t.??? FLORIDA JUST BEAT TENNESSEE ON A HAIL MARY WITH NO TIME LEFT ??? pic.twitter.com/xtQ2MB3zqA— Connor (@McCartyConnor) September 16, 2017Where Colin was wrongCanelo/GGG less entertaining than McGregor/Mayweather – Colin thought McGregor/Mayweather would be a sham, but it was far better than expected. He thought Canelo/GGG would be the fight of the year, but it was boring and marred by a questionable decision. A draw? Weak. Where Colin was wrongKansas City Chiefs are for real – Colin didn’t have Kansas City in his Top 10 to start the year, but after a convincing 2-0 start, it’s clear they’re for real. Alex Smith looked like he regressed last year, but has been lights out to start 2017. The Chiefs have one of the best overall rosters in the NFL, playmakers at running back, receiver, and the best tight end in the league. Andy Reid gives them a coaching advantage almost every week. Wrong on KC.?https://t.co/NBBq5QS8wY?6′ 6″ 260 lbs. Travis Kelce leaps 5 yards for a TD#Sport #Football #Baseball #Racing #Basketball #Hockey #Soccer pic.twitter.com/bg9f0k9q4J— Sports World (@__SportsWorld__) September 18, 2017 Where Colin was rightEd Orgeron isn’t getting it done at LSU – Colin predicted the SEC would be down, and wouldn’t have another Top 10 team after Bama. He never bought into Ed O as the coach at LSU, and they just got smacked by 30 against Mississippi State. Orgeron was 10-25 at Ole Miss, so this isn’t surprising. The SEC and LSU are eroding. Colin was right.
Since its launch Magic Leap has always been in the limelight for its unique AR experiences. To take it one step further, Magic Leap has announced a tie-up with motion capture actor Andy Serkis and his UK-based The Imaginarium Studios. Source: Twitter Andy Serkis and his Imaginarium Studios are best known for innovative motion capture and performance capture roles such as Gollum, King Kong, Caesar, Captain Haddock and Supreme Leader Snoke. Magic Leap and Serkis’ The Imaginarium plan to create additional content for the Magic Leap platform, and support third-party developers with its production resources, including the motion capture stage at its London studio. Matthew Brown, CEO of The Imaginarium Studios, quotes, “In using performance capture, we have the opportunity to authentically portray the intent of the actor. With Magic Leap’s technology, that performance is pulled off the screen and into the world of the viewer. This is storytelling as it should be: immersive, personal, and integrated into our world.” As the first product of this partnership, Andy has created a performance-captured character for the Magic Leap One Creator Edition mixed reality headset. This character named Grishneck, is the first Magic Leap character played by Serkis. Grishneck is described as a 3D Orc-like creature that interacts with the viewer when wearing the Magic Leap One Goggles in their controlled environment. In the story, Grishneck is a character who was rejected from a project because he wasn’t scary enough. Andy has expressed enthusiasm for the potential of augmented reality. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “We now have a new way of experiencing story. What is thrilling is that with Magic Leap, the relationship of the performances to the real world can change hugely and they can be placed and manifested in countless ways.” Magic Leap’s executive creative director Andy Lanning confirmed that Imaginarium and Magic Leap have been in conversations for at least five years. Imaginarium is currently working on several Magic Leap projects. Read Next Magic Leap One, the first mixed reality headsets by Magic Leap, is now available at $2295. Magic Leap’s first augmented reality headset, powered by Nvidia Tegra X2, is coming this Summer. Understanding the hype behind Magic Leap’s New Augmented Reality Headsets.
TOKYO (AP) – A government panel will urge Japan to allow its military to help allies that come under attack, in a major reversal of the country’s ban on collective defense under its pacifist constitution.The panel on Tuesday discussed ways that Japan can improve its defense capability and said it will present its near-final draft recommendation in coming weeks, before its final report is expected after April. Men’s health affects baby’s health too Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants Japan to play a greater role in international peacekeeping and step up its defense posture, mainly because of potential military threats that Japan sees from China and North Korea. As China’s influence rises and that of the United States fades in the region, Japan is trying to expand its defense alliance outside of its “cornerstone” ties with Washington and has signed defense agreements with several other countries, including Britain and Australia.The 14-member panel, headed by former Ambassador to the U.S. Shunji Yanai, says the revision is possible if the government alters its current interpretation of the war-renouncing constitution. Formal constitutional change involves high hurdles, though Abe eventually hopes to achieve that.The constitution, written under U.S. direction after World War II, says the Japanese people “forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation” and that “land, sea and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained.” The government has interpreted those clauses as meaning that Japan cannot possess offensive military weapons such as ICBMs or long-range strategic bombers. Comments Share 4 must play golf courses in Arizona Top Stories Sponsored Stories Milstead says best way to stop wrong-way incidents is driving sober
Abe and other supporters of the change believe that restrictions should be removed from the military, and that Japan’s current self-defense-only policy is inadequate as the region’s security environment becomes more challenging. They say U.S. warships may come under attack while in or near Japan, or there may be instances in which Japanese troops have to fight for allies during international peacekeeping missions, even when Japan is not attacked directly.“Japan’s preparation for national security threats in the region is not sufficient,” Abe said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We must cover all the bases to protect the people’s lives and safety in any possible scenario.”Japan has repeatedly loosened restrictions on its military over time as it tried to raise its international profile and meet expectations from the U.S. and other countries. But its peacekeeping missions have been limited to noncombat roles because of its pacifist rules, and a change would allow its troops to do more.The draft report is also expected to urge Japan to relax its restrictions on arms exports, participate more actively in U.N.-led security operations, and prepare a legal framework for its military to counter intrusions on remote Japanese-held islands, apparently including territory in the East China Sea also claimed by China. It would also urge Japan to strengthen its defense ties with its allies, most importantly the United States. New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Former Arizona Rep. Don Shooter shows health improvement (Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 5 greatest Kentucky Derby finishes
0 Comments Share Top Stories Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is telling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that the United States’ international partners that negotiated the nuclear deal with Iran would “balk” if the U.S. asked them to continue to impose economic sanctions without implementing the diplomatic solution reached with Tehran.If that happened, Lew says, the U.S. would be left with neither a nuclear deal, nor any effective sanctions.He says it is “unrealistic to think that additional sanctions pressure would force Iran to totally capitulate.” And he says it’s impractical to think the U.S. could marshal a global coalition of partners to impose such sanctions pressure after turning down a deal that the other world powers in the negotiation “believe is a good one.”___Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz(moh-NEES’) is defending the Iran nuclear deal saying it is “pretty hard-nosed” and wasn’t what Tehran had envisioned in the final deal.Moniz tells the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “This is not what Iran wanted.”He says “the deal is not built on trust. It’s pretty hard-nosed.” He’s seeking to persuade skeptical lawmakers that the deal is in the U.S. national security interest. Moniz adds that the agreement substantially roll backs Iran’s nuclear program.He says, “The deal is based on science and analysis. I’m confident that this is a good deal for America”___10:45Secretary of State John Kerry is casting the choice on the Iran nuclear deal in stark terms — an agreement that would limit the Islamic nation’s nuclear program, or no deal at all.Kerry is testifying before a Senate committee as the Obama administration publicly defends the much-debated accord. The administration is facing unified Republican opposition and doubts among some Democrats.Kerry also argues that if the deal is rejected, the diplomatic support the United States has garnered in recent years would evaporate.He tells the panel: “It’s a question of how do you hold their program back.”___10:25 a.m.The Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tells Kerry point-blank that “you’ve been fleeced” by the Iranians in the recently completed nuclear agreement.Kerry was greeted with applause from anti-war demonstrators as a handful of members from CodePink rose in the hearing room. But the mood turned critical immediately as Sen. Bob Corker, who heads the panel, gaveled the hearing to order. Top holiday drink recipes Ex-FBI agent details raid on Phoenix body donation facility Boxer recited a list of nations around the world that back the deal and said her Republican colleagues were being disrespectful.Boxer told Kerry that if he were “bamboozled, the world was bamboozled.”Republican Sen. Bob Corker, the committee’s chairman, said in his opening statement that Kerry was “fleeced” and GOP Sen. James Risch of Idaho said he was “bamboozled.”Kerry praised members of the negotiating team and said nobody “pulled the wool” over their eyes.___11:28 a.m.Republican Sen. Jim Risch is slamming the Iran nuclear deal.The Idaho senator says that anyone who believes the accord is a good deal “really joins the ranks of the most naive people on the face of the earth.”Risch says it makes no sense to trust Iran to hold up its side of the deal. He addressed his comments to Secretary of State John Kerry, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, who were seated at the witness stand Thursday on Capitol Hill.Risch tells the Cabinet secretaries: “With all due respect, you guys have been bamboozled and the American people are going to have to pay for it.”___11:18 a.m. EDT Corker tells Kerry he’s “fairly depressed” after listening to the secretary answer lawmakers’ questions Wednesday about the agreement in a classified briefing.Kerry is testifying with Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz (moh-NEES’) and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew about the deal Congress is expected to vote on in September.___.Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Check your body, save your life Quick workouts for men Here’s how to repair and patch damaged drywall Sponsored Stories Mesa family survives lightning strike to home WASHINGTON (AP) — The latest in a hearing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is conducting on the agreement the United States and five other world powers struck this month with Iran to rein in its nuclear weapons program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions (asterisk)(all times local):11:54 a.m.Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer of California is chiding her Republican colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for saying Secretary of State John Kerry and representatives of the other world powers that negotiated or approved the nuclear agreement with Iran were “fleeced” and “bamboozled” by Tehran. New Valley school lets students pick career-path academies
The US Senate has confirmed the appointment of Judith Gail Garber as the new American Ambassador to Cyprus.The American diplomat is expected to be sworn in over the coming days. It is not yet known when she will be arriving in Cyprus.Garber’s nomination was announced on August 15 and was presented before the Senate’s Foreign Affairs Committee on October 4 last year.Garber is a career diplomat and served as the US Ambassador to Latvia from 2009 until 2012. She has also served as Director of European Affairs and Assistant Secretary for Northern and Central Europe, and Acting Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment & Science.She will replace Kathleen Doherty.CNAYou May LikeFreedom Debt ReliefPeople In Heavy Debt Are In For A SurpriseFreedom Debt ReliefUndoPlarium I Vikings: Free Online GamePlay this for 1 minute and see why everyone is addictedPlarium I Vikings: Free Online GameUndoPopularEverythingColorado Mom Adopted Two Children, Months Later She Learned Who They Really ArePopularEverythingUndo Pensioner dies after crash on Paphos-Polis roadUndoRemand for pair in alleged property fraud (Updated)UndoThree arrested in connection with hotel theftsUndoby Taboolaby Taboola
Categories: Chatfield News Under new legislation introduced by state Rep. Lee Chatfield, the state will play a more significant role in the oversight of interstate petroleum pipelines running through Michigan, including increased coordination with the federal government to ensure better preparedness and emergency response in the case of a spill.“The ultimate goal of this legislation is to protect the public health, safety and welfare of Michigan citizens, our natural resources and our economy,” said Rep. Chatfield, R-Levering. “Currently, the federal government is in the driver’s seat on our pipeline safety issues while Michigan officials are along for the ride stuffed in the trunk. My bill will see to it that we can play a greater role by establishing better coordination with the federal government to ensure our state agencies are fully informed and are better prepared to respond to emergencies.”Oil pipelines have requirements to meet under the Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 which requires the owners/operators of oil pipelines to develop detailed site-specific Spill Response Plans to detail chain of authority for spills, specify personnel and equipment capable of responding to a “worst case” spill from a pipeline or other facility, and describe training, testing, and unannounced drills.Neither the OPA nor the state of Michigan requires petroleum pipeline operators in Michigan to submit their spill response plans to the state for review and approval. Nor are they required to report spills directly to the state.“This legislation would not duplicate the existing planning process, although it will help to ensure that state and local agencies are in the loop as plans are tested and implemented,” concluded Rep. Chatfield.HB 5198 has been referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources for further consideration.### Bill ensures state agencies are fully informed and better prepared to respond in an emergency
01Feb Rep. Chatfield introduces legislation to strengthen pipeline safety
10May Rep. Howell’s jobs training data bill approved by House committee Legislation by state Rep. Gary Howell, which called for data sharing by the state government to colleges, job training agencies and intermediate school districts was approved by the House Workforce and Talent Development Committee Tuesday.Legislation introduced by Howell is part of a bi-partisan bill package to improve career training by requiring the state government to share employment information to evaluate programs and improve curriculums to better prepare Michigan residents for the job market. Current state law does not allow community colleges or job training agencies to access the information.“Job information is a valuable tool we have to combat our state’s unemployment and we should use it,” Howell said. “As Michigan continues to diversify its workforce, we will have more job options for our residents. However, we need to have the most up-to-date jobs training programs possible.”The legislative package includes a provision that requires community colleges and workforce development agencies not breach an individual’s confidentiality in using the information. Any violation is punishable as a misdemeanor.“These bills are an opportunity for us to make Michigan stronger and make better employment opportunities available to our residents,” Howell said.House Bill 4545, submitted by state Rep. Jim Ellison, and HB 4546, sponsored by Howell, advance to the House. Categories: Howell News,News
House approves legislation to safeguard students on school property Categories: Glenn News,News 08Mar Rep. Glenn votes to protect underage sex crime victims
State Rep. Gary Glenn today voted in support of legislation to help local school districts better protect students who are underage victims of sex crimes.The three-bill package requires schools to permanently expel students who are convicted of criminal sexual conduct against another pupil enrolled in the same school district; prohibit an expelled student from attending another public school in Michigan unless they go through a reinstatement process; and, if a personal protection order is ordered for the victim of sexual assaults, the offender would be prohibited from entering the victim’s school.“This is purely common sense legislation because it is unfathomable that sexual predators can be riding the bus or be in the same classroom with their victims, just because both are legally minors,” said Glenn, of Williams Township. “If the perpetrator and their victims were adults, the law allows judges and police to severely limit contact and protect the victims, if not putting that offender in jail. Unfortunately, that is not the case for underage victims and we must address it.”Currently, a school is only required to expel a student who commits a sex crime on school grounds. The legislation was prompted by a recent Livingston County case where a 16-year-old was convicted of criminal sexual conduct against multiple victims as young as 12.“School campuses and communities must be kept as safe as possible – these bills are another easy step toward that goal” Glenn said. “We have to work together to ensure we are safeguarding all our students.”House Bills 5530, 5531 and 5532 advance to the Senate for its consideration.#####
Share17TweetShare1Email18 SharesJanuary 20, 2016; CNNDarnell Earley, the man who “emergency managed” the city of Flint, Michigan, into a new water system that has poisoned thousands of children, is now emergency managing the Detroit schools where threats to the health and safety of children and staff have been exposed. This poses a serious problem of credibility for Governor Snyder. Curt Guyette, an investigative reporter with the ACLU, focuses on emergency management and its effects on democracy. In an interview with Amy Goodman, he discusses the ways in which emergency management and democracy do not easily co-exist. In emergency management, he says, the manager is given “extreme unchecked authority.”They were given the ability to come in, clean up the problems, and get out. And so there was an 18-month time limit put on their terms. Except that this governor is exploiting what amounts to a loophole in that law. So what happens is that these emergency managers serve for 17 months and 29 days, and the day before their term expires, they resign. A new emergency manager is put in place, and the clock starts ticking all over again. And they just shuffle them from one place to another. So Earley goes from Flint to run DPS. And it just perpetuates this control. It can go on, really, forever, if they want it to, denying people of their democratically elected representation, because the school board, which has been fighting emergency management every step of the way, gets completely marginalized. They have zero authority whatsoever. And that goes to the heart of the problem of this law. It eliminates the democratic checks and balances that make a democracy functional.NPQ has been following the situation unfolding in Detroit after public school teachers took to social media and the streets to protest what many consider deplorable building conditions. As a consequence of their protests, which involved mass absences on the part of teachers in the last two weeks, otherwise known as “sick-outs,” Detroit schools have been forced to stay closed a number of days during the week, leaving parents scrambling to manage their children. In response, the school district has filed a lawsuit asking for a restraining order and temporary injunction to forcibly stop the “sick outs.”The lawsuit is addressed against the Detroit Federation of Teachers, interim teachers’ union president Ivy Bailey, and 23 individual Detroit public school teachers.“It is regrettable that the Detroit Public Schools seeks to punish those who speak out about the deplorable conditions in our schools,” Bailey said. “It would be so much more productive to actually do something to fix Detroit schools rather than file restraining orders against those who expose the miserable conditions.”According to Reuters, Wednesday saw the closure of nearly all the public schools in Detroit: 88 out of 97. (The first time, on January 11th, 67 schools closed.) As accounted by district spokeswoman Michelle Zdrodowski, “44,790 of the district’s 46,325 students lost a critical day of instruction.”“There were, however, nine district schools that stayed open today. We appreciate the teachers and staff at those schools for being in their classrooms and ensuring that their students are learning today.”With the serious health concerns of neighboring Flint’s water system drawing so much attention, last week’s “sick out” made headlines when it drew attention to the seriously deficient conditions of Detroit’s school buildings. Speakers at a rally described the schools with such problems as “mold, leaky ceilings, busted windows, rodents, roaches, lack of heat and standing water.” The aggrieved faculty members were not shy in posting pictures to social media depicting the conditions under which they were teaching—and, consequently, students were trying to learn.Lacetia Walker, an instructional specialist in special education for the Detroit school district, told the Detroit Free Press, “Things have been happening for so long, and I think teachers felt like they had no voice. This has been a way for us to draw attention to the conditions of the buildings, the fact that teachers’ STEP pay has been frozen for years…. We realized that nobody is coming to save us, so we have to save ourselves.”A Twitter account, @Detroitteach, with the description “Teacher voice for Detroit” uploaded several images, presumably from Detroit schools.Classroom @Cody DPS #supportDPSteachers @DreaMcCoy @DetroitEducator @PedroniTom @ktwomeyMEd pic.twitter.com/mDg19aLHjG— Detroitteach (@teachDetroit) January 13, 2016Does your school look like this? #supportDPSteachers pic.twitter.com/jBGbkqoM4z— Detroitteach (@teachDetroit) January 15, 2016Even in the new schools. Missing soap dispensers and lack of repairs. #supportDPSteachers pic.twitter.com/9ulWk0harF — Detroitteach (@teachDetroit) January 15, 2016 Another classroom catching water from leaking roofs. #supportDPSteachers pic.twitter.com/6UurHpYEy1 — Detroitteach (@teachDetroit) January 12, 2016Last week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan described what he saw after touring just four schools: “There were some schools that were very well maintained. There were some other schools that would just break your heart, where students wore their coats in class until it was warm enough to take them off or where children couldn’t use the gym because of the water damage.”Despite the manifest health hazards, no quick fix seems to be in sight, and the school district doesn’t seem to have much of an explanation for the disrepair. However, as readers may remember, Detroit is only barely coming out of its bankruptcy from several years ago, and the school district is billions of dollars in debt. The bureaucratic labyrinth and lack of clear leadership reflects the complexity of a district which has been under state management for years, has a growing financial problem and little clear direction for a solution.But plans to reorganize Detroit’s public schools and increase funding continue to be stalled in the state’s legislature. A new proposal was introduced last week, and Gov. Rick Snyder urged legislators to move forward quickly; however, there is strong opposition to the bills as written because they do not include a prompt end to state control and a return of responsibility to the elected school board. While these wheels move slowly and deliberately, it’s the children and their teachers who will be trying to learn—and hoping to not get sick.—Martin Levine and Shafaq HasanShare17TweetShare1Email18 Shares
Share3Tweet3Share7Email13 SharesSeptember 15, 2016; PoliticoPress reports indicate that House conservatives and moderates have reached a deal to avoid a floor vote on impeaching IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. Under the arrangement, the privileged resolution introduced earlier this week would be withdrawn, and the House Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing next Wednesday with Koskinen as sole witness. The compromise allows GOP moderates to avoid an immediate vote on impeachment while giving conservatives the opportunity to grill Koskinen under oath about what they see as his efforts to obstruct Congressional and other investigations into the IRS scandal while giving him what moderates characterize as “due process.”With all House Democrats opposing impeachment and GOP members split on the issue, it was highly unlikely that the privileged resolution for impeachment would pass. This provided House GOP moderates with leverage to make a deal. On the other hand, a “no” vote on impeachment was being characterized as a vote in support of the IRS, a perennially unpopular federal agency. With elections only weeks away, supporting the IRS against GOP conservatives was unpalatable, thereby giving conservatives leverage to force a hearing.Any vote on impeachment would be delayed until after the November elections, meaning that the House would reconvene in a “lame duck” session in late November or early December.As NPQ reported on the impeachment prospects in a previous newswire, the impeachment vote is more symbolic than real, owing to its partisan nature and, especially, the near impossibility of an impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate resulting in Koskinen’s conviction and removal from office. The next president and a new Congress will take office in January, presenting the perfect chance for the 77-year old IRS Commissioner to resign his post for reasons unrelated to the scandal and impeachment threat and allow a new commissioner to take office and, we hope, allow focus to move to the IRS’s funding and programmatic needs—not least of which is addressing nonprofit regulation and oversight.—Michael WylandShare3Tweet3Share7Email13 Shares
