The “Cha Cha Slide” is a song often played at dance clubs, school dances/proms, parties, skating rinks and weddings in Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom (the song reached number one in the latter country in 2004), created by Chicago’s DJ Casper (Willie Perry aka Mr. C the Slide Man). The Cha Cha Slide is a line dance with called instructions. Writer: William Perry Producer: Men On Business.
Willie Perry Jr. wrote the lyrics for, and recorded his performance of, the original version of the Cha Cha Slide around April 1, 1998. The song was heavily inspired by the Chicago stepping movement.
Watching the opening ceremony…
enjoying the ballet portion.
Koch Group Drops Cash In Louisiana To Oppose Medicaid Expansion
Daniel Strauss – February 7, 2014, 3:41 PM EST2787
The deep-pocketed tea party group Americans for Prosperity is making a major push to stop an Obamacare Medicaid expansion in Louisiana.
Even Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), facing one of the toughest Senate re-election fights of the 2014 cycle, has embraced expanding Medicaid in her home state. Landrieu’s likely GOP opponent, Rep. Bill Cassidy, does not support a Medicaid expansion.
Specifically AFP, funded by the billionaire Koch brothers, is pushing all 144 state lawmakers to not support a Medicaid expansion, according to The Advocate of Louisiana.
AFP will also stage events across the state in the coming weeks to lay out its argument against Medicaid expansion.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/americans-for-prosperity-louisiana-medicaid-expansion
Keep an Eye on This
Josh Marshall – February 7, 2014, 10:10 AM EST5865
We haven’t focused much on this. But the White House stood down and forced AIPAC to cave in its efforts to torpedo the White House’s Iran nuclear diplomacy. That happens very rarely. (AIPAC is going back to the well and pouring money now into pushing the Senate into Republican hands next year.) Nobody has ever won anything betting on success from any sort of Israel-Palestine peace-making efforts. A bit of an exaggeration but barely
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/keep-an-eye-on-this–6
The next White House Correspondents’ Dinner will take place on May 3, 2014. Save the date!
http://www.whca.net/dinner.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myj-0dD3NsE
2 dead after police chase in Eden Prairie ends with shots fired
man and woman died Friday after sending police on a high-speed chase from Chaska to Eden Prairie, ending with police gunshots and tangling up traffic for thousands of morning and evening commuters.
The series of dramatic events started during the morning rush hour and led to the closing of several miles on Hwy. 212 both ways until 5 p.m. The stretch of road, between Hwy. 41 in Chaska and Dell Road in Eden Prairie, carries about 40,000 cars a day.
Around 7:30 a.m., authorities got a report that a red Saab was speeding and veering erratically on eastbound Hwy. 212 in far eastern Carver County, authorities said. The Saab then rear-ended another vehicle at 212 and County Road 43, then fled the scene with its front hood up.
The ensuing pursuit, which involved the State Patrol, Carver County sheriff’s deputies and Chaska police, reached speeds of 80 to 90 miles or more per hour, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Officers further down the road placed stosticks on the highway just east of Audubon Road. The sticks punctured at least two of the Saab’s tires.
The driver then lost control and crashed into a noise wall between Hwy. 101 and Dell Road. The driver and another person — a man and a woman — emerged from the Saab, the BCA said.
A struggle ensued and shots were fired, but the BCA declined to say more about what happened in those moments.
At 10:30 a.m., State Patrol spokesman Lt. Eric Roeske confirmed that two people were dead. No officers were hit, he said.
A State Patrol trooper, two Chaska police officers and a Carver County sheriff’s deputy have been placed on standard administrative leave as the shootings are investigated. The BCA is spearheading the investigation.
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/244232491.html
Breaking: Ft Lee Mayor: Christie Administration gave gifts to win endorsements
Riddle me this. What’s the difference between Christie & Corzine?
Decline to Sign Campaign
Decline to Sign the Demoralizing 25 Percent Contracts!
During the 2013 summer session, the NC Legislature (General Assembly) passed a law mandating that all NC School Boards decide which 25 percent of teachers (rounded down) who have been employed full-time by their district for at least three consecutive years and rated “proficient” or higher on all standards of a recent summative evaluation, will be offered a four-year contract that includes a $500 bonus, compounded each contract year (depending on available funding).
http://www.ncae.org/whats-new/decline-to-sign-campaign-in-full-swing/
OLYMPIC RINGS FAIL…LOL
http://youtu.be/y1AmAjaAO3Q
EXCLUSIVE: Alicia Keys on ‘Mister and Pete,’ Being Endorsed By Michelle Obama
By Yolanda Sangweni
In The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete, the coming-of-age story of two inner city boys surrounded by drugs and poverty and left to fend for themselves in New York City, Alicia Keys could see parts of herself.
“I grew up on 42nd street and everywhere you looked there was drugs, pimps and prostitutes—everything that could take you down the wrong path,” the Grammy winner, who executive produced the film, tells ESSENCE.com. The indie was a gentle reminder of where she came from, “who I could have been, and where I ended up,” she adds.
http://www.essence.com/2014/02/06/alicia-keys-mister-and-pete-michelle-obama
Bridal Bliss: Ressurrection and Deven
After losing her home and business, God lead Ressurrection to a homeless shelter. While living there she met Deven, a homeless veteran trying to rebuild his life. They overcame the odds together and after getting engaged they decided to marry at the Jefferson memorial on the 50th anniversary of the march on Washington. See their wedding day!
By Charreah K. Jackson
http://photos.essence.com/galleries/bridal-bliss-resurrection-and-deven/
Those sweaters are FUGLY!!
JORGE RAMOS @jorgeramosnews 30m
The majority of Latinos, no doubt, will blame Republicans and @SpeakerBoehner for blocking immigration reform this year. Lack of vision.
Oklahoma restaurant won’t serve ‘freaks,’ ‘f*ggots,’ the disabled and welfare recipients
By Scott Kaufman
Friday, February 7, 2014 9:13 EST
A restaurant outside of Oklahoma City is facing criticism after its outspoken owner made a series of inflammatory comments after one of his former customers, who is disabled, complained that he’d been banned from the establishment.
Matt Gard claims that the owner of Gary’s Chicaros restaurant, Gary James, banned him from the restaurant because of his wheelchair. James, however, says otherwise: “He created an issue. You only have one time here. You create an issue, you’re out forever.”
Gard claims that’s just “a weak excuse,” and that James’s real problem with him is that he’s on disability.
James doesn’t deny that he thinks some people shouldn’t patronize his restaurant. “Well if you work, you own a business, pay your taxes, you’re more than welcome here,” he told KFOR. “If you’re on welfare, stay at home and spend my money, there. I don’t deal with these people walking down the street with no jobs on welfare.”
Gard also claims that James has routinely turned away customers for decades. “He doesn’t like certain people of race, color, ethnicity,” Gard said of James.
James told KFOR that he’s owned Gary’s Chicaros for 44 years, so he “think[s] I can spot a freak or a f*ggot.”
The restaurant’s official t-shirt makes it clear that a “f*ggot” isn’t welcome in James’s establishment. It features that word, the N-word, and threatens violence against
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/02/07/oklahoma-restaurant-wont-serve-freaks-fggots-the-disabled-and-welfare-recipients/#.UvTzzIiZSm4.twitter
That pretty much sums up the citizens in OKLAHOMA, doesn’t it?
Who would want to eat there?
Decades of Greed: Behind the Scenes With An Angry Walmart Manager
“The root problem besides greed is that Walmart’s culture changed drastically with Sam Walton’s death and the departure of David Glass as our CEO and Tom Coughlin.”
http://gawker.com/decades-of-greed-behind-the-scenes-with-an-angry-walma-1517661634
The Stealth Campaign To Destroy Abortion Rights That You Haven’t Heard Anything About
By Tara Culp-Ressler on February 4, 2014 at 2:42 pm
A little-known lawmaker in Iowa, State Rep. Matt Windschitl (R), recently declared that he’d like to end abortion altogether. “If I could stop all abortion in this state, I would,” Windschitl said earlier this week. Although he likely won’t be able to accomplish that goal immediately, he’s inching closer to it — with potential implications that will stretch far beyond Iowa’s borders.
If you’ve never heard of Windschitl, and had no idea that Iowa is become a battleground for reproductive rights, you’re not alone. With national attention recently focused on high-profile battles in Texas, Virginia, and North Carolina, the unfolding fight in the Hawkeye State hasn’t captured as many headlines.
But Iowa’s current conflict over what’s called “telemedicine abortion” has actually stretched on for months, and the push to restrict this practice could end up having big consequences for abortion access across the country. If conservatives in the state are successful, they’ll further narrow the health care options for economically disadvantaged women in a society that’s already chiseled away at their right to choose. And Windschitl just filed a bill to take another step in that direction.
What’s telemedicine abortion, and why does it matter?
To understand what’s happening in Iowa, it’s important to backtrack to 2008, when Planned Parenthood of the Heartland began using telemedicine — essentially, video technology that allows doctors to interact with patients without physically being in the same place — to administer abortion care. As new technology continues to impact the way the health industry operates, telemedicine is becoming increasingly common, and is now used by about 10 million to 12 million Americans every year. And since telemedicine is especially advantageous for low-income and rural Americans who struggle to travel to a doctor’s office, it’s a natural fit for abortion patients — who are disproportionately poor and increasingly losing access to nearby clinics.
So the Planned Parenthood affiliate in Iowa piloted the new service, which allows doctors to prescribe the abortion pill (pictured above) to their patients over a video chat. The program has provided first-trimester abortion services to more than 3,000 women in the state since it began in 2008. It became a model for a few other states to start offering telemedicine abortions, too. Evidence mounted that this tactic was effectively expanding low-income women’s access to abortion care, and patients reported feeling satisfied with their virtual doctors’ consultations.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/04/3244841/iowa-attacks-telemedicine-abortion/
Why Beauty Salons Across The Country Are Joining The Fight To End Domestic Violence
By Carimah Townes on February 6, 2014 at 4:42 pm
Thanks to an innovative training program, thousands of beauty professionals are learning to identify signs of domestic abuse and encourage clientele to find help. Why? Because they’re uniquely positioned to help address the problem.
CUT IT OUT, founded in Birmingham, AL, seeks to capitalize on the bonds between women and their beauticians, teaching professionals nationwide — including “hairstylists, skin care specialists, makeup artists and other salon professionals” — about indicators of domestic violence. Professionals in the beauty industry have an advantageous platform from which to detect domestic violence because the focal point of their work is clients’ appearance. Moreover, beauticians frequently establish friendly relationships with customers, and are therefore perceived as trustworthy confidants.
The organization’s Manager of Leadership Operations and Charitable Programs, Rachel Molepske, told ThinkProgress that the program structures its curriculum on the “three R’s” commonly associated with domestic violence advocacy: recognize the problem, respond to it, and refer victims to appropriate outlets for assistance.
Once signs of abuse are recognized, trainees are taught to respond by approaching suspected victims discreetly and without judgment, after which they should refer clients to support services. Workers are encouraged to distribute business cards and educational materials, as well. The importance of upholding the privacy of victims’ experiences is always impressed upon CUT IT OUT participants.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/02/06/3259281/beauty-salons-fighting/?utm_content=bufferda4dd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Biden to decide on White House run by mid-2015
Washington (AFP) – US Vice President Joe Biden will make a decision by the middle of next year on whether he will launch a 2016 White House bid, he said in an interview broadcast on Friday.
“There may be reasons I don’t run, but there’s no obvious reason for me why I think I should not run,” Biden told CNN.
He added that his decision would come “realistically, a year this summer.”
Biden said his decision would be driven by his assessment as to whether he is “the best qualified person,” to run the country.
http://news.yahoo.com/biden-decide-white-house-run-mid-2015-131144309.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlmEIAsoooI
https://twitter.com/VP/status/431559048140709889/photo/1
https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/431583966823325696/photo/1
Too cute. This pic is priceless.
Too much cuteness!
Coal plant accident spews coal ash into North Carolina river – Posted February 04, 2014
Retiring a coal power plant in North Carolina wasn’t enough to prevent it from fucking up the environment. Tens of thousands of tons of coal ash and tens of millions of gallons of polluted water have burst out of Duke Energy’s shuttered Dan River Steam Station, severely soiling the Dan River[….]
The power plant operated from 1949 until 2012, and the coal ash being stored on site was residue left behind after coal was burned. Coal ash contains poisonous heavy metals including arsenic, mercury, and lead. A state agency and environmentalists have been suing Duke in an effort to force it to clear out 14 such coal-ash dump sites across the state, including the one that just ruptured. But Duke insisted that its dump sites were safe.[….]
http://rist.org/news/coal-plant-accident-spews-coal-ash-into-north-carolina-river/
https://twitter.com/wilxTV/status/431782870521102336/photo/1
https://twitter.com/Hendo_LSJ/status/431785701189758978/photo/1
The Republican Party Is A Corpse
BY OLIVER WILLIS
——————
The Republican Party, as we know it, has ceased to exist. To be sure, there is a national party with the brand “Republican” that fields candidates across the country for national, statewide and municipal elections, but at a real, practical level it is just a corpse that is pulled around by the real men (and they’re almost all men) with power and fat check books.
The Republican Party is Bernie, from Weekend at Bernie’s. It is effectively dead, propped up for convenience sake because some of its legacy assets – ballot access, mostly – are still of value.
.
.
Where Howard Dean designed and implemented a “50 state strategy” for Democrats, Priebus can just cross his fingers and hope the Koch Brothers can win enough races for him.
—————————-
http://thedailybanter.com/2014/02/the-republican-party-is-a-corpse/
another real life Obamacare helping real people story:
Obamacare is disproportionately hurting Republicans and conservatives
By Greg Sargent
February 6 at 5:03 pm
My Post colleague Sean Sullivan makes a very good point today: For all the certainty among Republicans that the collapse of Obamacare is a certain winner for them, a very small percentage of Americans say they’ve actually been negatively impacted by the law.
He points to a Gallup poll this week finding that only 19 percent of Americans say the law has hurt them or their family, while 64 percent say it has had no effect, and another 13 percent say it has helped.
But who are those 19 percent?
It turns out those telling Gallup the law has hurt them or their family are very disproportionately Republican and conservative. I asked Gallup for a breakdown of that 19 percent. The results:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/02/06/obamacare-is-disproportionately-hurting-republicans-and-conservatives/
Has debt limit hostage taking finally burned out?
By Ryan Cooper
February 6 at 12:14 pm
At a presser just now, John Boehner confirmed that Republicans had made no decision on how to move forward on the debt limit.
The latest is that Republicans have given up on extorting conservative priorities for a debt limit hike — they can’t agree on anything that would get 218 votes — and instead are looking at a plan to attach a restoration of recent cuts to military benefits, seemingly to entice House Dems to help get it passed. Today’s declaration that nothing has been decided suggests Republicans are still not ready to embrace a clean debt limit hike.
But it does seem very clear right now that the extreme right — after the total failure of the last debt ceiling skirmish — is losing its ability to force such hostage crises.
Even some Tea Partyers are losing their desire to go through this again, as Kevin Drum points out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/02/06/has-debt-limit-hostage-taking-finally-burned-out/
For Republicans, it’s now or never on immigration reform
By Greg Sargent
February 6 at 2:44 pm
The conventional wisdom holds that there’s no urgency for Republicans to act this year on immigration, because Latinos don’t matter in midterm elections and Republicans can wait until next year, when they may control the Senate and exert more influence over reform legislation. This is almost certainly wrong.
Today John Boehner said it will be “difficult” to move on immigration reform, because many Republicans distrust Obama. This is being treated as a big deal, but it isn’t even remotely surprising. It’s likely Boehner is just trying to calm angry conservatives, to give GOP leaders more space to develop House GOP proposals. That effort may founder later, but if it does, it will have absolutely nothing to do with anything he said today.
But since folks insist on pretending this is a major development, it’s worth reiterating that waiting may actually be worse for Republicans than acting this year.
Frank Sharry, the head of the pro-immigrant America’s Voice, sketched out one scenario that could be awaiting Republicans if they decide not to act now.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/02/06/for-republicans-its-now-or-never-on-immigration-reform/
Senate GOP again blocks jobless aid
02/06/14 03:13 PM
By Steve Benen
Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he still hoped to defeat a Republican filibuster on extending unemployment benefits, but he didn’t expect to succeed. “It seems Republicans are poised to block this important legislation one more time despite the fact that we’ve met every one of their demands,” Reid said. “I’m beginning to believe there is nothing that will get Republicans to yes.”
A day later, it appears Reid’s prediction was spot-on.
The assertion that this is some kind of partisan gambit is quite odd. Democrats are proposing an extension of jobless aid to help boost the economy and help keep 1.7 million unemployment Americans’ heads above water. Dems put together a bipartisan bill, which, unlike previous years’ efforts, doesn’t add to the deficit.
If this were about scoring points, the bill wouldn’t have been put together this way.
As for this afternoon’s effort, today’s bill came one vote shy of overcoming a Republican filibuster: proponents had 59 votes, but needed 60. (It technically ended up with 58 votes because Reid had to switch from “yes” to “no” for procedural reasons.) A similar bill garnered 56 votes a few weeks ago, so proponents can at least take some solace in the fact that they’re getting closer to their goal.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/senate-gop-again-blocks-jobless-aid
Christie’s evolving version of events
02/07/14 08:01 AM
By Steve Benen
One of the overarching challenges facing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) is not just his ongoing bridge scandal, but also the veracity of his claims about the scandal. If Christie’s version of events had been consistent and reliable throughout, it’d be easier to believe his arguments about what role, if any, he played in his aides’ misconduct,
But the closer one looks at the governor’s claims, the more one sees nuances, changes, and contradictions.
It’s not just what Christie knew and when; it’s also what Christie claims he did about the now-infamous incident in Fort Lee.
In December, the governor belittled reporters and lawmakers who took the bridge controversy seriously. Asked about false testimony his top aide at the Port Authority delivered to the state Assembly, Christie said his “curiosity is more than satiated.” Asked whether he look for additional information, the governor replied, “Why would I? … I have a lot of things to do. I know you guys are obsessed with this. I’m not. I’m really not. It’s just not that big a deal.”
Christie added during a mid-December press conference, “I’m not running around doing independent investigation…. If you’re asking me if I’ve done independent investigation, the answer is no.”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/christies-evolving-version-events
‘The 1 percent work harder’
02/06/14 04:25 PM
By Steve Benen
Venture capitalist Tom Perkins recently caused a stir when he wrote an item comparing contemporary liberals to Nazis, insisting liberal criticism of the wealthiest 1% has “parallels” to Nazi genocide. He later apologized for having used the word “Kristallnacht,” but defended his message.
The story ran its course and faded away, right up until yesterday, when billionaire Sam Zell, chairman of Equity Group Investments, decided to defend Perkins in a Bloomberg TV interview.
Oh dear.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-1-percent-work-harder
BIDEN: There’s No Good Reason I Shouldn’t Run For President
Vice President Joe Biden said in an interview with CNN’s Kate Bolduan that he can’t formulate a “good” reason not to run for president in 2016.
“There may be reasons I don’t run, but there’s no obvious
reason for me why I think I should not run,” Biden said in the
interview, which aired Friday morning on CNN’s “New Day.”
http://www.businessinsider.com/biden-running-for-president-in-2016-2014-2#ixzz2se3OvbWA
Since the CBC has nobody on their staff that can do statistics, The Obama Diary breaks it down about President Obama and his Judicial Nominees:
Here are the percentages of nominees:
Women?
Obama 42%
Bush 22%
Clinton 29%
Minority Women Judges?
Obama 16%
Bush 6.4%
Clinton 6.1%
Blacks
Obama 19%
Bush 8%
Clinton 16%
Hispanic
Obama 12%
Bush 9%
Clinton 7%
President Obama has already appointed more Hispanic Judges than in Clintons ENTIRE 8 YEARS.
Asian
Obama 7%
Bush 1%
Clinton 1%
http://theobamadiary.com/2014/02/06/rise-and-shine-738/
WHELP, there you go!
Bernice King at odds with brothers of sale of items
In a press conference Thursday in Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Bernice King – flanked by cousins, preachers and civil rights workers — told the media to “refrain from grouping me with my brothers.”
By Ernie Suggs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In what is arguably the hardest blow in the ongoing struggle between the children of Coretta and Martin Luther King Jr., their youngest daughter, Bernice King said Thursday that she is disassociating herself from her brothers.
In a press conference Thursday in Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, Bernice King – flanked by cousins, preachers and civil rights workers — told the media to “refrain from grouping me with my brothers.”
“I am not my brothers. I do love them, but we are different people and that should be respected,” Bernice King said. “I love them dearly. I love Martin and Dexter, but we are different people, with different minds and different ideologies and most importantly, different relationship with God.”
King’s emotional comments came at the heels of a lawsuit filed against her by her brothers who are demanding that she turn over their father’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize and personal Bible so that they could sell them.
http://www.ajc.com/news/news/bernice-king-at-odds-with-brothers-of-sale-of-item/ndFqY/
Pelosi Won’t Go On ‘The Factor’ Because Of O’Reilly’s ‘Disrespect’ For Obama
Catherine Thompson – February 6, 2014, 3:29 PM EST6333
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D) won’t be appearing on “The O’Reilly Factor” anytime soon.
…“Well, I didn’t make any commitment to him, we were having a social conversation,” Pelosi declined. “In fact, it was at the White House, the first time I ever saw him because I never see him on TV. But then Greta came along and I’ve known her for a very long time, so I did Greta.”
The minority leader had appeared on fellow Fox News host Greta Van Susteren’s program during the State of the Union address.
“One of these days, it’s open ended,” she added. “One of these days
maybe I will. I was not pleased with the disrespect that he showed to
the president, so that wasn’t a warmer upper.”
“What was disrespectful?” the reporter asked.
“It speaks for itself,” Pelosi said.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/pelosi_doesnt_want_bill_oreilly_interview
from the WHAT THE FUCK files:
“Democrats are known as having great policies (for minorities) on paper, but it’s harder to rise through the ranks,” said Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University. “The Republicans don’t have great policies on paper, but they are often more supportive of their minority candidates.” more here:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/06/politics/2016-republican-field/?sr=google_news&google_editors_picks=true
What alternate UNIVERSE did this fool come from?
Now, I think this issue of Essence is worth a buy.
AUBURN AND ALABAMA COACHES ATTEND FIVE-STAR RECRUIT’S GRANDFATHER’S BIRTHDAY PARTY
James Crepea, USA TODAY Sports
AUBURN, Ala. — The final push to land Rashaan Evans came at a birthday party Saturday night.
The coaching staffs of Auburn and Alabama were in full force at the 80th birthday party for Evans’ grandfather, held at a hotel in Auburn.
Attempts to reach Alan Evans, Rashaan’s father, on Sunday were unsuccessful, but he described the scene, which included coaches taking to the dance floor, to AL.com.
“We walked in and the first people we saw was the entire Auburn staff standing there on our left and to my right was Kirby Smart and the Bama staff. I was like ‘This has never happened in Auburn before and probably never will again,’ ” Alan Evans told AL.com. “As we went in, we were pulled left and right all night from Auburn to Bama.
“The coaches shook hands and talked, but you could tell they were there for one thing and one thing only. Then the live band started playing and the Alabama and Auburn coaches hit the dance floor. It was unbelievable. I just couldn’t stop laughing.”
http://www.usatodayhss.com/news/article/auburn-and-alabama-coaches-attend-five-star-recruits-grandfathers-birthday-party
US warships arrive in Black Sea to keep an eye on Sochi Olympics
Two United States warships were headed to the Black Sea just two days before the Winter Olympics were set to begin in Sochi, Russia. The USS Mount Whitney sailed into the Black Sea, and the USS Taylor was slated to arrive later on Wednesday, NBC News reported.
Pentagon officials told NBC the ships would act as support vehicles for American security operations there.[….]
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/europe/russia/140205/us-warships-arrive-black-sea-keep-eye-sochi-winter-olympi
New Harvard/CUNY Study: Thousands will die in states that don’t expand Medicaid (like NC) Posted by : Adam Searing
Friday, January 31, 2014
In a new study out today in the respected Health Affairs journal, Harvard and CUNY researchers estimate some of the health effects on lower-income working people who live in states that are refusing the federal government’s offer of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Most troubling is the following conclusion:
“We estimate the number of deaths attributable to the lack of Medicaid expansion in opt-out states at between 7,115 and 17,104.”
If there ever was a reason for NC Governor McCrory and legislators to change their short-sighted decision blocking Medicaid expansion, this is it.
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2014/01/31/new-harvardcuny-study-thousands-will-die-in-states-that-dont-expand-medicaid-like-nc/#sthash.9pYb8zzp.dpuf
I realized this morning that I bought my Eskimo coat 6 years ago, and I have worn it more this winter than the previous six winters COMBINED.
This is ridiculous.
Puxatawney Phil needs to be put in a stew.
BWA HA HA HA
LOL!
Good Morning, Everyone :)
Good Morning and Happy FRY-day!