White House said to be close on transgender military ban
The White House is in the “final stage” of writing guidelines for a ban on transgender people serving in the military, although the policy could still change and there is uncertainty about when it will be completed, according to a senior White House official.
The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, reported Wednesday that the White House had finished its rules and would issue a guidance to the Pentagon in coming days on implementing the ban.
The Journal reported that the new policy would give Defense Sec. Jim Mattis latitude to kick out existing service members under the new policy. Its sources said he was expected to focus on “deployability” in weighing removal, a term that encompasses the ability to serve in a war zone, participate in exercises and live aboard a ship for long periods.
The senior White House official cautioned that the policy could yet be tweaked, but said the new guidelines for the Pentagon were expected soon. However, the broad outline, including giving Mattis six months to implement the policy, rings true, the senior White House official said.
News that final rules could be coming soon was met with immediate condemnation by opponents of the policy shift.
The American Military Partner Association, a group that represents LGBT military spouses, called the the new proposal a “vicious assault on transgender service members.”
“Despite the overwhelming bipartisan condemnation of his reckless tweets, President Trump is still pushing forward with his vicious assault on transgender service members,” said Ashley Broadway-Mack, the group’s president. “His foolhardy assertion that transgender service members are not able to deploy is simply not rooted in fact. Transgender service members are just as deployable as any other service member.”
Trumpannounced his intention to ban transgender service members in a tweet last month — with scant details. He made the decision against the advice of his lawyers, who were surprised by the announcement. Some conservatives have expressed support for the policy, with the administration receiving a number of letters urging the president to implement the policy. Trump’s decision was made in part to quell a congressional budget fight. A group of conservative Republicans vowed to keep taxpayer money from paying for gender transition and hormone therapies.
Proximity:
Hurricane Harvey poised to unleash flooding disaster on Texas into early next week
As Harvey continues to gather strength and moisture, the hurricane is poised to stall over coastal Texas and unleash life-threatening and disastrous flooding into next week.
Harvey is projected make landfall along the Texas coast as a Category 3 hurricane on Matagorda Island or San Jose Island, between Port O'Connor and Port Aransas, Texas, late Friday night into early Saturday morning. However, a slight northward jog may occur as the center nears the coast.
Harvey will have major impact in terms of dangerous surf, beach erosion, coastal flooding and damaging winds. However, Harvey is likely to be remembered for tremendous rainfall and days of flooding and gusty winds well after landfall.
The storm strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Friday morning. The last hurricane to make landfall in Texas was Ike as a Category 2 on Sept. 13, 2008. Wilma, in 2005, was the last major hurricane to make landfall in the southern U.S.
A state of disasterwas declared for 30 counties in Texas in advance of Harvey by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a statewide state of emergency on Thursday.
The decreasing forward speed of the storm will lead to long-duration rainfall and gusty winds. Harvey will cause much worse damage from flooding and wind than would normally occur from a swift moving storm of equal magnitude.
"Impacts from Harvey will be tremendous in terms of displacement of people, property and economic loss and travel and freight disruptions," according to AccuWeather Vice President of Forecasting and Graphics Operations Marshall Moss.
The event may be nothing short of a flooding disaster.
"Since Harvey is forecast to stall, we expect 10-20 inches of rain over a large part of southern and eastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana into early next week," according to AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski. "At the local level, more than 2 feet of rain may fall."
This amount of rain will lead to widespread flooding of streets, highways, bayous, streams and major rivers.
Because of the flat terrain, some areas along the major rivers and bayous may remain flooded well after Harvey weakens or crawls away later next week.
Soon after the storm begins, roads in low-lying areas may become flooded. For those in flood-prone areas, now is the time to gather personal belongings.
Prolonged gusty winds to topple trees, lead to power outages
Since there is the potential for Harvey to stall close to the coast, the storm may retain significant strength for an extended period of time.
"If Harvey remains reasonably close to the coast, it could be classified as a tropical storm through the weekend," Kottlowski said.
"In addition to ongoing heavy rainfall, strong wind gusts and saturated ground will likely cause widespread fallen trees," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Mike Doll.
From Friday night to Saturday, gusts near and northeast of the center of landfall will range between 80 and 120 mph.
Beyond Saturday gusts between 40 and 60 mph may continue into Monday and perhaps Tuesday.
When trees fall and catch utility lines, power outages will result. Power outages will be lengthy as the storm's effects last for days. Fallen trees and power lines will block some roads. Some gas stations may not have power to run the pumps. Some refineries may have to shut down.
"If the power goes out during the storm, it could take days and perhaps a week or more for crews to get to all locations, due to lingering flooding," Doll said.
There will also be the potential for brief, spin-up tornadoes.
Some of the worst coastal inundation on the storm's front side may occur along Lavaca Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Copano Bay and Aransas Bay, Texas.
South of the storm track, winds blowing offshore may cause flooding on the eastern part of Laguna Madre, on Padre Island, Texas.
"Very rough seas and dangerous rip currents will occur well away from where Harvey makes landfall, including northeastern Mexico and the northern Gulf coast of the U.S."
The long-duration storm is likely to cause extensive beach erosion and raise the risk of property damage along the coast.Eventually, Harvey may find a way well inland over the central or eastern U.S. as a tropical rainstorm later next week and into the Labor Day weekend.Only if the system moves inland and stays away from the coast will the storm diminish.
Prominence:
Patriot Foundation donates to Fort Bragg charities
FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- The Patriot Foundation held its 6th Annual Soldier Appreciation Dinner at the National Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C., Sept. 16, 2011.
The foundation provides support to the Families of Soldiers in the 82nd Airborne Division, XVIII Airborne Corps, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg Warrior Transition Battalion and the Survivors Outreach Program.
More than $500,000 will be donated this year to the various organizations, said Chuck Deleot, Patriot Foundation president and chairman of the board. He went on to say the mark of any person is what kind of impact they have on others.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno was recognized as the 2011 Patriot Honoree.
"The strength of our nation is our Army. The strength of our Army is our Soldiers. The strength of our Soldiers is our Families, and that's what makes us Army Strong, " said Odierno.
Distinguished military guests included Gen. Buck Kernan, the former commanding general of the Joint Forces Command; Lt. Gen. Bob Wilson, the former commanding general of the Army Installation Command; Maj. Gen. Rodney O. Anderson; the deputy commanding general of the XVIII Airborne Corps; Maj. Gen. James L. Huggins, the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division; and Brig. Gen. Kevin Magnum, the commanding general of the Army Special Operations Aviation Command.
http://greenlivingideas.com/2015/04/24/how-our-trash-affects-the-whole-planet/ Ever wondered what happens when you throw something away? In this post we’ll dive deep to learn more about how our trash affects the whole planet, to help understand what we do here, affects people, animals and the environment everywhere.
When we trash food, plastic, paper and everything else, it must go somewhere, right? But often that somewhere is a place we we choose not to think about. The true story is that somewhere is actually everywhere: this is the story of how our our trash affects the whole planet.
Learn more about how our trash affects the whole planet
Maybe you think your waste is going into a landfill, or to a recycling facility (most likely it’s not actually being recycled), and hopefully you compost your food waste to turn it into soil.
But unfortunately, even though some stuff is going to landfills or recycling, a majority of our waste ends up spreading itself around the globe, either by being transported by wind, water or human; by breaking down into smaller (even microscopic) parts, or by degrading into its chemical components. And these dispersal methods are damaging the health of the animals, people and ecosystems on this planet.
Some of the waste is accidental, no doubt. Whether it’s a hurricane that damages a city and sends debris across the ocean, which is what happened with the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster, or products falling off a shipping container in the middle of the ocean. But much of the problem lies in a corporate culture that is not responsible for waste or end-of-life concerns for products, and our need for continuously cheaper goods made from unsustainable, short-life expectancy products.
When companies make products, they are not required to think about how it will end its life. For example, there are hundreds of chemicals used in the production of computers, mattresses, shoes, fishing nets and plastic water bottles, but once the company produces the product and sends it off for sale, they are not responsible for the end of that products life.
This has led companies to create products with untested chemicals with little concern for the outcome of the chemical body burden (the collection of everyday chemicals that our body absorbs over a lifetime). Many of these chemicals are considered endocrine disruptors, which can impair reproduction by mimicking or changing hormonal activity in animals and humans. Additionally, most products, including their chemical components, are made within a framework of planned obsolescence, meaning that it is designed for the dump, with little concern as to how it might affect the environment.
So how does this corporate irresponsibility play out? There are dozens of examples of how trash and chemicals make their way into our ecosystems, but here are some of the worst ways our trash affects the whole planet. Conflict: Armed Conflict
https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2017/country-chapters/afghanistanThe United Nations documented 8,397 civilian casualties as of September 30, approximately the same as the record number set in the first nine months of 2015. The Taliban and other insurgents were responsible for 61 percent, most from IEDs and suicide attacks. Government forces, including unofficial militias, caused 23 percent of civilian casualties.
Kabul saw an increase in particularly deadly attacks, including an April 16 suicide truck bomb that detonated in a parking lot adjacent to the VIP Protection Force Directorate. The Taliban clamed responsibility for the blast, which killed 56 civilians and injured more than 300. On July 23, multiple suicide bombings at a large protest march made up primarily of ethnic Hazaras killed at least 80 and injured more than 250; groups affiliated with ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. On August 24, insurgents attacked the American Univeristy of Afghanistan in Kabul, killing 14 students and lecturers.
Throughout 2016 both ANSF and insurgent forces raided and attacked medical clinics and hospitals. Early on February 18, Afghan police special forces raided a clinic run by the humanitarian organization Swedish Committee for Afghanistan, assaulted medical staff, and shot dead two patients, including a 16-year-old, and a 15-year-old caregiver. Witnesses reported that international military forces accompanied the Afghan forces, although they did not enter the clinic. Wardak provincial authorities justified the raid on the grounds the clinic was treating Taliban. On September 12, Taliban fighters dressed as doctors attacked the Mirwais Hospital in Kandahar city, apparently targeting the deputy governor who was visiting the facility. In the ensuing gun battle, one patient was killed.
Civilian casualties from ANSF operations during ground offensives also increased compared to 2015; most were due to indiscriminate mortar and rocket fire in civilian-populated areas. Aerial strikes—most from attack helicopters—resulted in a 72 percent increase in civilian casualties—the highest since 2011. Most victims were women and children.
The number of people internally displaced due to the conflict surged as fighting intensified in mid-year. More than 300,000 new internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 2016 brought the nationwide total to at least 1.3 million people. Humanitarian organizations reported that many IDPs were living in informal settlements where they lacked access to safe water, sanitation, health care, and education. Many returning refugees and migrants, most from Pakistan, joined the ranks of the IDPs.
In late 2015 through at least early 2016, the Taliban stepped up their recruitment of child soldiers, particularly in northeastern Afghanistan. While the government criminalized the recruitment of Afghans under 18 years of age, the practice continued, most notably among the Afghan Local Police (ALP), a militia force. Government forces, including the Afghan National Army (ANA), Afghan National Police (ANP), and ALP increasingly occupied or used schools for military purposes in contested areas. The practice was particularly acute in Baghlan and Helmand provinces. The United Nations also reported a significant increase in attacks against schools by both Taliban and groups affiliating themselves with ISIS.
As fighting intensified in northern provinces, Afghan officials reactivated pro-government militias to bolster security. In Faryab, Kunduz, and other provinces, these militia forces were accused of killing and assaulting civilians.
These recent attacks on civilians added to decades of armed conflict and insecurity, which have taken their toll on the population’s mental health. Health experts have voiced concern about the high prevalence of mental health conditions among Afghans, and the lack of community-based mental health services for those with psychosocial disabilities.
Human Interest:
Longtime Friends Separated After Pearl Harbor Reunite 76 Years Later: ‘There Was a Fabulous Kiss’
When Carl Warner developed a crush on his high school friend, Abby Deutsch, he planned to ask her on a date— but just as he began saving money as a telegram messenger at Western Union, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and America entered World War II.
Warner enlisted in the Marines a few days after the attack, leaving their home in Miami Beach behind. It would be another 76 years before the two friends would reunite in-person, and, Warner, now 92, had some unfinished business to take care of when he laid eyes on his old crush on August 17.
“There was a fabulous, fabulous kiss,” Deutsch, 91, tells PEOPLE. “If this is the way you kissed somebody after 76 years, then I’m going away and coming back in another 76!”
The friends came into contact again over the phone about 10 years ago, but their reunion in Sherman Oaks, California, where Warner lives today, was the first time they had seen each other since the start of the war. While their phone calls over the years reinvigorated their friendship, plans to visit were difficult bring into fruition. Thanks to a partnership between Wish of a Lifetime, a foundation that helps seniors fulfill their goals, and Brookdale Senior Living, the residential home where Deutsch lives in Florida, the two were finally able to make their reunion happen.
“My favorite part was the anticipation and finally getting together with him,” Deutsch says.
When Deutsch arrived, the two spent hours talking and taking in each other’s presence, as they had wanted to do for so long.
“We hugged and we kissed, as I knew we would,” Warner tells PEOPLE. “We renewed our friendship and talked to each other about what our life was like during those many years when we were apart.”
During the time they were separated, Deutsch made it a point to remain active and find joy in each day. She worked at the University of Miami as a secretary to the school’s vice president and raised children with her husband of 60 years before he passed away in 2012.
Warner spent years working as a foreign correspondent for UPI after his days in the military, where he covered dangerous stories which led to him being jailed in Cuba and shot in Venezuela. Walter Cronkite, the legendary CBS Evening News anchorman, twice reported that Warner died on assignment. Though he lived a life of exhilaration, Warner experienced heartbreak along the way. He has been widowed twice — his second wife of 22 years succumbed to chronic lung disease in 2015.
While much time had passed, the two friends instantly remembered each other when they were reconnected over the phone by a mutual friend about a decade ago. Though Deutsch says they were only friends in high school, Warner says that Cupid came for him at the worst possible time.
“I didn’t have a car, I didn’t have a job, I didn’t have any money, how are you going to take a girl out?” he says. “I desperately wanted to date her and I just took too long to ask, because right after I turned 17, I was off to the Marines.”
Warner remembers Deutsch (whose maiden name is Silverstein), as a kind person with a great personality. She is still that sweet girl he knew so long ago, he says.
Before Deutsch departed to her home in Florida, the two friends took a tour of the Warner Bros. Studio Facilities in Burbank and had dinner at Warner’s home (and he promised he would sneak in some more kisses before she left). Deutsch says their reunion was beyond her dreams, and she is delighted they were able to make it all happen.
Warner says their visit brought him back to a time when things were simpler. He admits he’s having a hard time with old age, and he misses his career and the exciting things he was able to do. But, his few days with Deutsch made that disappear, if only for a moment.
“I’ve had a wonderful life, and whatever happens from now on, it’s okay, though I’m struggling,” Warner says. “But meeting Abby again was a delightful, wonderful and terrific interlude.
A crowd of 100 stunned stargazers brought a town centre to a standstill when five mysterious UFOs were spotted hovering in the sky.
Drinkers spilled out of pubs, motorists stopped to gawp and camera phones were aimed upwards as the five orbs, in a seeming formation, hovered above Stratford-Upon-Avon for half an hour.
The unidentified flying objects lit up the otherwise clear night sky above Shakespeare's birthplace in Warwickshire on Saturday.
Although Air Traffic Control reported no unusual activity, some witnesses were convinced they were witnessing an extra-terrestrial spectacle.
The strange episode started just after 10.30pm, when the lights were seen hovering slowly over the town before three of them formed a triangular shape with one positioned just to the right.
A few minutes later a fifth came into view travelling towards the others at breakneck speed before slowing down and stopping a short distance away.
Sceptics dismissed the UFOs as nothing more than hot air balloons, fireworks or even lanterns which had broken loose from a local rugby club.
Others, however, claimed the speed and agility of the objects was unlike any known aircraft and said the odd movement, lack of noise and the length of time in the air discounted any man-made explanation.
Tom Hawkes, who captured these amazing images, spotted the lights during his girlfriend Kate Lyall's birthday at the One Elm pub.
He and the 15 other revellers were in the bar when they spotted some commotion outside.
Tom, 30, said: "We walked outside and there was at that time a growing crowd of about 60 people looking up at something in the sky.
"I saw this light appear, then three others. They came over our heads in formation but then manouvered into different positions.
"Three had formed a triangular shape and one was to the right. Then another one came hurtling towards the rest at what looked like a very fast speed. But as it neared them it suddenly slowed and stopped altogether.
"By this time more people had poured out onto the street. Two pubs had emptied, some people had come out of their houses and drivers slowed their cars
"The objects were there for about half an hour. It was very eerie because they didn't make any sound and they stayed still before moving slowly beyond the horizon. There were no stars in the sky, just them.
"It was the most extraordinary thing I've ever seen and the way in which everyone gathered in the street to watch them reminded me of a scene from Independence Day."
The extraordinary scenes were also witnessed by some of the staff of the One Elm pub.
Chef Kern Griffiths, 26, said: "I saw five lights, we all thought they were hot air balloons at first because the glowing spheres looked like a burst of flames. But I couldn't see any outline of the balloon itself and they were travelling far too fast.
"Suddenly someone shouted 'look' and there were these bright dots fizzing across the sky.
"It was weird, they way they moved did look alien. Some people reckon they're fireworks but they were lit up in the sky for far too long, the local rugby club say they were lanterns that blew loose over the weekend but these objects were far too fast and too high up.
"They were unlike any aircraft I've seen. It's a mystery."
Hillary Potter from The British Earth Aerial Mystery Society (BEAMS) said they were being inundated with similar calls from across the country but said it was rare for such phenomena to be witnessed by so many people.
She said: "Such incidents have been on the increase recently. There are reports at the moment coming in from all over the country.
"We've had many reports of people seeing quite large unidentified objects in the skies. It's not going away, It seems these incidents are becoming more bold.
"People don't know what to do when they witness such sights and that's what we're here for. We take the reports very seriously."
A Mod Spokesman said: "The MoD does not have any expertise or role in respect of UFOs or flying saucer matters or to the question of the existence of extra terrestrial life forms, about which we remain totally open minded.
"I should add that to date the MoD knows of no evidence which substantiates the existence of these alleged phenomena. The MoD examines any reports of unidentified flying objects it receives solely to establish whether what was seen might have some defence significance.
"Namely whether there is any evidence that the UK air space might have been compromised by hostile or unauthorised foreign military activity.
"Unless there is evidence of a potential threat to the United Kingdom from an external military source, and to date no UFO report has revealed such evidence, we do not attempt to identify the precise nature of each sighting reported to us.
"We believe that rational explanations such as aircraft lights or natural phenomena could be found for them if resources were diverted for this purpose but its not the function of the MoD to provide this kind of aerial identification service."
Frankie Spray, from Wellesbourne Airfield, just outside Stratford, added: "The lights were nothing to do with us. None of our aircraft fly at night at this time of year.
"It's very bizarre but I've got no explanation as to what the lights were."
Birmingham Air Space which covers the skies over the town said they had not heard of any unusual activity showing up on the radar.
Over the years the topic of hot vampires and were wolfs has been very publicized, in movies books, and tv shows. The book Evermore by Alyson Noel has taken a new turn, on the same sort of topic. Evermore has the perfect sense of fiction and reality, with a perfect captivating twist around ever corner. Each chapter leaves you with a good cliffhanger, and a small piece uncovering what is going on with her new mysterious life. Ever had the perfect family, and was the most popular girl in school, until it was all taken away. Her family and he got into a near death experience in a car crash. She was the only one to live, but was dead for minutes before she was brought back to life. Ever was brought back with physic powers, being able to read minds, see the dead, see auras, and know everyones deepest darkest secrets with the touch of you hand. Ever missed her family more than anything, and all she wanted was for her life to go back to normal. She has a little piece of it retur
Short Response: 1. What percentage of the Dow Jones industrial average was lost in Thursday's market trading? (I don't want a pure number, but the percentage). Page A1 "Dow plunges another 1,000 points" 10% of the Dow Jones industrial average was lost in the marketing trade. 2. What hashtag are many teachers and their supporters using to fight back against Empower Texans? Page A1 "Teachers use Twitter to swat...." The hashtag that many teachers and their supporters are using to fight back is #blowingthewhistle. 3.What does "net zero" mean? Page B1 "Habitat builds 'net zero' homes" Net Zero homes means that the homes are built out of the most sustainable materials, which will include thicker insulation, higher quality windows, and solar panels. 4. What will Pe psi start selling in an attempt to grab more sparkling water sales? Page B6 "PepsiCo takes on Lacroix..." A new drink called Bubly is what Pepsi is going o start
Commentary : First: write a two sentence summary of the story. The story I read is Arming teachers is not the solution. This story talks about how guns should not be placed with teachers for defense. Second: answer the following questions: 1. Who was quoted in the story? No one was quoted in the story, because it was talking about a opinion. 2. What quote was the strongest in your opinion? "Teachers are trained to teach , not to shoot and kill others, especially children." 3. Did the lead sentence make you want to keep reading? Yes, the lead sentence did make me want to continue reading. 4. Was the conclusion a quote or a statement?\ It was a statement. T hird: 1. What is your favorite photo in the entire paper? 1A. Why is this your favorite? My favorite photo was the picture on Mental Stigma, even though it wasn't necessarily a photo. I found this demographic to be very informational and well put together. My
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