Greg Brown's Weekend Reading and Other Things.. 2/14/2016

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Why Do We Let Politicians Get Away With Lying?

Fact Checker Suggest That Politicians Don't Always Tell The Truth

Politician	Pants on Fire (%)	Half True (%)	True, Mostly True (%)
Ben Carson	84	12	4
Donald Trump	77	16	7
Ted Cruz	68	11	21
Dick Cheney	59	11	30
Carly Fiorina	55	20	25
Rick Santorum	55	23	22
Marco Rubio	41	22	37
Lindsey Graham	34	32	34
Chris Christie	33	28	39
Joseph Biden	32	30	39
Jeb Bush	31	21	48
Bernie Sanders	29	18	53
Hillary Clinton	28	21	51
Barack Obama	26	26	48
Bill Clinton	24	26	50
Martin O'Malley	24	58	18

Conor Friedersdorf has a sobering take on the current state of American politics:

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Politicians have always lied because they've always had powerful incentives to do so. Over time, some level of mendacity became an expected part of the process; for American voters, it only seemed pragmatic to accept some lies from candidates, else who would there be to support? Only particularly egregious mendacity was penalized under the evolving norm. But "particularly egregious" relative to what? For politicians, the incentive to lie just a bit more always existed, and so the expected level of lies kept getting ratcheted up to new levels.

It's now easier than ever to get elected despite telling brazen lies. But on some level Americans are aware of what's gone on, and so they accord decreasing amounts of respect to elected leaders. The conventional wisdom is that in order to be a successful politician these days, you've got to gradually compromise many of your core principles and perhaps your integrity.

Ask yourself this question: Can anyone become president without lying? Without misrepresenting their opponent? Without using people as a means to an end? I don't think anyone can. And I have no idea how a nation would go about reversing the ratchet effect successfully. I'll be voting for a third party this November, but I don't really expect it to make any difference.

Most Americans have grown so used to mendacity that it's taken for granted. I wonder if, despite its inevitability, we'd be better off if we raged against betrayals of what we believe is right a bit more.

It's worth noting that the idea that politicians lie is hardly new to American politics. It's an accusation that has been tossed around by political opponents since the nation's first truly contested Presidential election in i800 and, by the time we got to the era of people like Mark Twain and Will Rogers the mendacity of politicians was apparently such a common belief that it became the subject for humor and satire. At the same, though, there's always been a level of tolerance that the public has had for certain kinds of, if not lies at least misinformation and I'm not really sure the general public is any more cynical about politicians now than they were 5o or too years ago. Partly, I think, because there is in fact a sense of resignation among members of the public who realize that, in some sense, every politician is going to bend the truth in some sense so there's no sense in holding them to a standard they won't be able to meet. Partly, it's because there are some lies we want politicians to tell us.

There are still some bright lines, though when it comes to lies by politicians. Lying in order to cover-up a potential crime, for example, is still political suicide, as are the kind of lies that John Edwards told about his personal life. Fourteen years ago, Bill Clinton learned that lying under oath could lead to an Impeachment proceeding, though most Americans came to believe that his particular form of lying should not be punished by removal from office. But when it comes to telling a "lie" about a piece of legislation, or misrepresenting the facts for political purposes, which we have come over the last two decades or so to refer to as "spin," though, the American people do indeed seem to have just decided to accept the fact that politicians lie and there isn't a whole lot they can do about it.

There's another side to this, though, and I noted it above. Sometimes, Americans want their politicians to lie to them about certain things. Do voters really want to hear the truth about how painful it's going

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to be to fix our fiscal and entitlements crises? Do they want to hear that there are some problems in the world that America can't, or shouldn't fix, or that the economy isn't going to return to the boom days of the 9os any time soon? I'd argue that they most definitely don't want to hear the truth about these and many other subjects, so we let our politicians lie to us about them all the time.

I'm not trying to excuse lying and misinformation in the political arena at all, and there are problems that develop if the public becomes overly cynical about the political process. The good news, I suppose, is that we now live in a world where technology allows people to publicize the lies and half-truths that politicians tell far better than could be done in the past, and far better than the media even tries to do these days. From websites Politifact and Factcheck.org, along with things like Glenn Kessler's "Fact Checker" column for The Washington Post to ordinary blogs, Twitter feeds, and Facebook pages, people have the opportunity to learn about the truth of what their leaders tell them than ever before. What they choose to do with that information is their choice.

So True

This image is not a chart. It is a collage of photographs of children. The text associated with the image mentions "the parents of the twenty children gunned down at Sandy Hook," indicating these are likely the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The collage serves as a visual memorial to these children.

If you think gun safety laws are
an "inconvenience" to gun
owners, tell that to the parents
of the twenty children gunned
down at Sandy Hook. Hook. Occupy Democrats

The Hatred in the Trump Campaign

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WATCH: Black teen who volunteered for the Donald Trump campaign as an experiment describes his experience and the pervasive nature of racism.

This is not a chart.

The image shows James Patterson, a high school student, being interviewed. He is a Black teenager who volunteered for the Donald Trump campaign as an experiment and described his experience with pervasive racism. The interview appears to have taken place at a political event, with flags visible in the background. The "TYT" logo in the corner indicates the interview is from The Young Turks.

Web Link: https://www.facebook.com/RippDemUp/videos/10153807691452040/

Black high school teenager James Patterson volunteered for the Donald Trump campaign in Iowa as an experiment to see if what people were saying about racism in the Trump campaign was true. Realizing how the media often skews and miss-represents, as a young black man he wanted to see what was the truth. He describes his experience and the pervasive nature of racism. Pattison said while he was working with the campaign nobody used any racial slurs or called him the N-word, coon or anything but it was the micro aggressions, such as the way other workers looked at him, the way they talked about foreign-policy and the way they talked about oppressed groups when they didn't think he was listening. He witnessed normal people, who had resentments toward minorities and felt that they had no other way to voice them because of the enforcement of political correctness. But they still had those views and supporting Trump was their way to show this.

Patterson's job during the Trump campaign was making calls, calling people who thought that he was white. He said that he was the only black person working/volunteering in the Trump campaign out of twenty while he was there. In spite of the micro aggressions, he said that the people who he worked with were very normal and very nice to him. Yet they were openly advocating Trump's policies which were inherently exclusive to people who looked like him. It was a total disconnect — talking about banning Muslims, deporting 11 million immigrants and other xenophobia. Although Pattison felt that a lot of it was due to ignorance, he also believed that much was the acceptance of policies whether they come from Democrats or Republicans that fanned this type of xenophobia and enabling its acceptance.

The Micro aggressions included small slights, like the refusal of many Trump supporters to not make eye contact with him or moving out of his way or a joke here or there when they thought that he was not listening. The Trump supporters that he worked with in Iowa saw themselves as white Christians and the rest, including people who looked like him as something different. What's Patterson called "otherisms." Patterson's critique is that Trump believes that he can win because there are enough who hate the others to give him the GOP nomination, in a crowded mainstream Republican presidential primary field.

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Patterson pointed out that here is a real difference between hate speech and regular speech and because this is America everybody has the right to say whatever they feel, our leaders should have respect for all and that Trump is not respectful to other ethnicity and religions. Patterson says there is something wrong with our society when we can glorify someone who openly condemns Mexicans and Muslims with the basis of his campaign, "to make America white again." It speaks to fundamentalist Christian white Americans, who feel that the power has been taken by the others, even though that is a false accusation. They are angry because minorities on making strides while they are losing power.

Therefore, Trump supporters can't be pro Black or pro Hispanic or pro minority or sympatric, even though minorities and other religions are the fastest growing segments in American society. Pattison sums it up by saying this is the scariest thing about the Trump campaign is that every day people, people we work and people whose children go to school with minority children, and athletes who they love, still hold these resentments. And as a young African American this is very scary.... to know that you could be talking to somebody and realize that they hate you just because of the color of your skin.

The image is a logo for "TRAMP," a members-only nightclub in London. The logo features the name "TRAMP" in gold lettering against a blue background, with a yellow illustration of a man's head wearing a hat. The surrounding text describes the nightclub's discreet entrance, its features (bar, restaurant, disco, lounge), its "WOW Factor" and electric atmosphere, and its famous and infamous members.

The entrance to London's most famous members-only nightclub in Jermyn Street has always been discreet. A doorman standing under a canopy next to the delivery entrance of Fortnum & Mason is the only indication that you have arrived at Tramp, where members descend a staircase to the bar, restaurant, disco and lounge with its frescoed ceilings and 17th-century wood paneling. Like Studio 54 and Max's Kansas City, Tramp had the WOW Factor of an electric atmosphere including for the rich and famous, stars and socialites. Today it may be smoke-free but in the heyday of celebrity hedonism air-conditioning in the basement club was famously bad. As was the behavior of its famous and infamous members, including yours truly.

Having first gone there in 1971 and was given a membership by its famous founder and undisputed king of the nightclub scene, Johnny Gold in 1973, when I was in London I could be found in Tramp at least three to four times a week during the 1970s and 8os. During the many years that I lived in London or traveled back to it, although I went to Annabel's, Ronny Scott's, Speakeasy, Stringfellows, Chinawhite, Dial 9, Regine's and Monkberrys, my London club home has always been Tramp, where I celebrated two birthdays, including one host by Muhammad Ali and Marvin Gaye and the other hosted by my dear friend Jonathan Ker who at that time was the Head of A&R at Warner Records, with Ringo, Nilsson, Moon and Rod Stewart at the table singing Happy Birthday and welcoming me.

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It was where Mel Brooks got down on all fours and ran around under the tables barking like a dog, where Joan Collins reportedly filmed The Stud and where Keith Moon, the late and legendary drummer of The Who, arrived naked and strapped to the bonnet of a white Rolls-Royce. Ringo Star, Harry Nilsson, Michael Caine. George Best was shown the door after creating a scene when a woman he had been seeing arrived. "I banned him but I missed him terribly," recalls Johnny. He was soon back. "And I was as pleased as he was."

Gold was renowned as both "father confessor"and a shoulder to cry on for the rich and famous. But Gold had standards; to prevent it becoming an overt pick-up joint, male members — known as Tramps — were never admitted without a female guest. He also had a clear tipping point. When Keith Moon climbed up on to a 17th-century chandelier over his table and brought it crashing down, showering other members with chunks of plaster, he was banned for 48 hours. "He was so grateful [at not being banned for longer] he sent me a magnificent roulette wheel in a very handsome case," Gold once recalled.

Tramp — named by Gold after a television documentary about Charlie Chaplin that dubbed the little comedian "the greatest tramp of them all"- has hosted wedding receptions for Liza Minnelli, Joan Collins and Peter Sellers (who used to attend the club with Princess Margaret). It was also the setting of the first date for Prince Andrew and Koo Stark in February 1982. For more than 3o years, six nights every week, Gold held court at his small table in the wood-paneled drawing room that was also home to the club's tiny dance floor.

Like the time when Mickey Ruskin gave me at tab at Max's Kansas City and Elaine Kaufman gave me Woody Allen's table at Elaine's and Regine gave me a membership at Regine's -- I knew that I had arrived in London when Johnny Gold said to me, "come and sit at my table." And while, Annabel's had been the ultimate in style, sophistication and exclusivity, Tramp's dress code was smart but relaxed and guys didn't have to wear a tie. Yet despite its popularity with the younger royals, Tramp also had none of the air of snobbery associated with other members-only clubs, such as the painfully tasteful Annabel's run by Mark Birley. As a friend of mine once said, Annabel's was where rich men brought their mistresses and Tramp was where they brought their friends... And if you liked to dance, for me Tramp was the most fun place to dance. For these many memories and reasons, this week I would like to pay homage to Tramp and Johnny Gold.

Please Tell Me This Isn't True

Chicago Officer, Citing Emotional Trauma, Sues Estate of Teenager He Fatally Shot

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The image depicts a funeral service. In the background, a portrait of a young man in formal attire is displayed on an easel. In the foreground, two women are embracing, one of whom is identified as Janet Cooksey, the mother of the deceased, Quintonio LeGrier. The text accompanying the image indicates that a police officer who fatally shot Mr. LeGrier has filed a lawsuit against his estate seeking over $10 million for "extreme emotional trauma."

Janet Cooksey, embraced at the funeral of her son, Quintonio LeGrier last January. The police officer who fatally shot Mr. LeGrier in December filled a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million in damages from the teenager's estate for "extreme emotional trama."

How crazy is this? A Chicago police officer who fatally shot a black 19 year-old and an unarmed bystander in December has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million in damages from the teenager's estate, an unusual legal approach based on a claim that the young man's actions leading up to the gunfire were "atrocious" and have caused the officer "extreme emotional trauma." The lawsuit provides the first public explanation by the officer, Robert Rialmo, of what happened on Dec. 26 when he confronted Quintonio LeGrier, a college student who Officer Rialmo said was wielding a baseball bat. Mr. LeGrier and his neighbor Bettie Jones, 55, who the police said was an innocent bystander, both died after Officer Rialmo fired several shots.

The shooting, which is under investigation, further strained relations between the Chicago Police Department and AfricanAmerican residents just weeks after another Chicago officer was charged with murder and as the Justice Department was beginning a broad review of Chicago police practices. Basileios J. Foutris, a lawyer for Mr. LeGrier's estate, called the lawsuit "nonsense" and said Officer Rialmo's account of what had happened was "pure fantasy." "It's a new low for the Chicago Police Department," Mr. Foutris said. "First you shoot them, then you sue them. It's outrageous. I can't believe that this police officer has the temerity to turn around and sue the estate of the person who he killed."

Officer Rialmo's lawsuit, filed a week ago Friday in Cook County Circuit Court, was a counterclaim to a wrongful death case brought weeks ago by Mr. LeGrier's estate. The estate's lawsuit claimed that Officer Rialmo acted improperly and that Mr. LeGrier "never posed a danger or threat of harm to any Chicago police officer." And if I hadn't seen Mitch Smith's (attached) article in the New York Times, I wouldn't have believed it.

First of all, what happened to personal responsibility? Secondly why did a trained Chicago police officer feel the need to shoot two people, including an innocent middle age bystander? I am sure that more than 95% of police officers are decent human beings just trying to do their jobs of protecting society. But police department, politicians and the public have to stop trying to make excuses and protecting the bad apples who are far too quick to kill our children playing with toys in a park, teenagers who are probably too mouthy for their own good and the mentally ill who are almost always more of a danger than anyone else. And this is my rant of the week

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WEEK'S READINGS

How Quickly We Forget

Has there been one school shooting per week since Sandy Hook?

The image depicts individuals, some appearing distressed, in what seems to be a public gathering. Law enforcement officers or emergency personnel in high-visibility vests are present. The context provided by the surrounding text mentions school shootings, including Sandy Hook, Columbine, Virginia Tech, UC Santa Barbara, and Umpqua Community College, highlighting the tragic nature of these events and the loss of life.

When we think of school killings, we usually think of recent events, like the 2012Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 children (mostly first- and second-graders) and six adults. Or the 1999 shootings in Littleton, Colorado, where students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold terrorized their classmates and teachers at Columbine High School, killing 13 and wounding 20. The many killings on or near college campuses, from the shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007 that killed 32 and wounded 17, to the attack near the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2014 that killed six and injured ut, to the shootings at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, in 2015 that killed nine and hurt nine more. The list goes on and on.

The sad fact is that the United States, awash with guns throughout its existence, has a troubled history of school killings—by far more than any other country. The motivations behind modern shootings can be murky, and the lack of action on how to stop them remains frustrating. The vast majority of shooters (although not all) were white and male. Most acted alone, and by the second half of the loth century, these shooters carried at least two weapons. About half of the shooters were students. Many incidents early in the country's history involved one or two victims, often settling a personal grievance. Modern shootings, especially after weaponry grew more sophisticated, were more likely to claim multiple lives, although the mass shootings described as "rampage" shootings still remain rare.

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According to research conducted by the Academy for Critical Incident Analysis at John Jay College of Criminal Justice about school shootings and reported in a blog called The Media Transformation, 85 percent of shooters had a history of being bullied. It's also possible that many perpetrators had some form of mental illness. The motives for some killers may never be known, as more than 70 percent of the shooters kill themselves shortly afterward.

January 17, 2016 was the 27th anniversary of the Cleveland Elementary School massacre in Stockton, California, which was the first mass shooting of schoolchildren in U.S. history. It became the impetus for important state and federal legislation to curb gun violence, plus a presidential executive order against assault weapons. Five children were killed, and 29 children and one teacher were injured. All of the fatally shot victims and most of the wounded were Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrants. All but one of those killed were offspring of Cambodian refugees who had survived the Khmer Rouge. Some 71 percent of the school's population was made up of war refugees. And the shooter had a special hatred of Asians, whom he believed were taking American jobs.

Patrick Edward Purdy had a troubled childhood that included drug and alcohol addiction, stints in foster care, and homelessness. He also had a long criminal record: He spent time in prison for armed robbery, illegal weapons sales, and several drug crimes. While in prison, he apparently became a devotee of white supremacy. During one of his many arrests, he was carrying a book about the Aryan Nation and told the county sheriff that it was "his duty to help the suppressed and overthrow the oppressor."

On the morning of January 17, 1989, Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton received a phone call with an anonymous death threat. At about noon, Purdy drove to the school and parked his van, which was filled with fireworks, behind the school. He then set it on fire with a Molotov cocktail. The children were playing outside during their lunch break. Purdy started shooting randomly into the playground from behind a portable building. In three minutes, Purdy fired 106 rounds from an AK-47, killing the five children and wounding the others. He then shot himself in the head with a pistol.

Purdy wore a flak jacket that bore the words "PLO," "Libya," and "death to the Great Satin" [sic]. Purdy also had carved the words "freedom," "victory," "Earthman," and "Hezbollah" on his rifle. After the shooting, his co-workers said he had a special hatred for Asians, claiming that they had taken jobs from "native-born Americans." Purdy had attended Cleveland Elementary School 16 years earlier.

The image displays portraits of five children, identified as victims of the Stockton shooting:

Ram Chum
Thuy Tran
Rathanan Or
Sokhim An
Oueun Lim

The Stockton shooting victims. (Courtesy Cleveland
School Remembers)

The five children who lost their lives at Cleveland Elementary School on January 17, 1989, were Oeun Lim, Ram Chum, Rathanan Or, Thuy Tran, and Sokhim An. They ranged from 6 to 9 years old.

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The horrific shooting became national news. "Why could Purdy, an alcoholic who had been arrested for such offenses as selling weapons and attempted robbery, walk into a gun shop in Sandy, Oregon, and leave with an AK-47 under his arm?" Time magazine asked at the time, according to Cleveland School Remembers, a private organization run by survivors of the shooting that now works against gun violence. Although Purdy had a criminal record, he hadn't been convicted of a crime that prevented him from buying a gun. Nor had he been diagnosed as mentally ill.

The Stockton shooting became the incentive to pass a state ban on assault weapons in 1989 in California and a federal ban on assault weapons in 1994. It also motivated President George H.W. Bush to sign an executive order in July 1989 banning the importation of foreign-made semi-automatic assault rifles in an effort to limit their availability in U.S. markets. Imagine that! An executive order banning assault rifles by a Republican president! "The guy was obviously a dictator."

That 1994 assault weapons ban was in effect for ro years but expired in 2004 when Congress failed to extend it. A 2004 Justice Department study found that "the use of assault weapons in crime declined by more than two-thirds by about nine years after 1994 Assault Weapons Ban took effect," although the study said the full results were mixed. We all know what happened after that—assault weapons sales skyrocketed. The AR-15, the weapon used at Sandy Hook, has been described by The New York Times as "the most wanted gun in America." In some cases, demand for assault weapons has outpaced production.

There's no way to reach an accurate account of school shootings over the history of the country. Wikipedia, using multiple sources of historical newspaper reports and research studies, estimates that there have been more than 370 school shootings in the United States during its history. Its list excludes incidents during wars or police actions, and murder-suicides by rejected suitors or estranged spouses. Most of the shootings resulted in at least one death or injury. Other compilations give different totals. The Academy for Critical Incident Analysis at John Jay College of

Criminal Justice reports 294 attempted or actual school killings with at least two victims over 250 years in the U.S. and 37 other countries.

Although we will not be able to stop all of these tragedies, we can cut down on their number by ensuring that adults make themselves available to kids in completely confidential settings, reassuring them of their privacy when they take that risky step to come forward. ... In the end, though, there will be troubled boys, and some of them will become killers. To the extent that we can capture the warning signals they send out to their peers, we can do our best to stop them in their tracks, even if we do not always succeed.

In his last year in office, President Obama has decided to take some limited executive actions against gun violence. Specifically, he is ordering universal background checks in gun sales, including those at gun shows; he is seeking increased funding for mental health care, and malting sure the background check system includes information about mental health care; and he is ordering the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security to conduct or sponsor research about gun safety technology.

These actions should be no-brainers. Many of these proposals have been endorsed in past years by members of both parties and the National Rifle Association, and are backed by a two-thirds of

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Americans, including a majority of Republicans and gun owners, according to a CNN survey taken after Obama announced his actions. But the false Republican and NRA meme now continues to be nothing but "Obama will take your guns," just as it has been throughout his two terms.

Obama has called the Sandy Hook shooting "the worst day of my presidency." The Sunday after the shooting, before speaking to a group in Newtown, he spent time with the families of the victims, comforting parents and playing with siblings too young to understand. The President's Devotional: The Daily Readings That Inspired President Obama, by Joshua DuBois, gives an account of those meetings. DuBois accompanied Obama to Newtown in his role as White House spiritual adviser.

... The president took a deep breath and steeled himself, and went into the first classroom. And what happened next I'll never forget.

Person after person received an engulfing hug from our commander in chief. He'd say, "Tell me about your son. ... Tell me about your daughter," and then hold pictures of the lost beloved as their parents described favorite foods, television shows, and the sound of their laughter. For the younger siblings of those who had passed away — many of them two, three, or four years old, too young to understand it all — the president would grab them and toss them, laughing, up into the air, and then hand them a box of White House M&M's, which were always kept close at hand. In each room, I saw his eyes water, but he did not break.

And then the entire scene would repeat — for hours. Over and over and over again, through well over a hundred relatives of the fallen, each one equally broken, wrecked by the loss. After each classroom, we would go back into those fluorescent hallways and walk through the names of the coming families, and then the president would dive back in, like a soldier returning to a tour of duty in a worthy but wearing war. We spent what felt like a lifetime in those classrooms, and every single person received the same tender treatment. The same hugs. The same looks, directly in their eyes ...

Most of us will never understand how deep within himself Obama had to reach to comfort those grieving families. It's no wonder that speaking of those killings causes him to tear up. On a televised CNN town hall meeting days after announcing his executive actions, Obama shared that the meetings in Newtown were the only time he had ever seen Secret Service agents cry. Only a heartless bastard would dare to question whether Obama's reaction was real. And speaking of heartless bastards, the crew at Fox News reached a new low (as if that were possible) when some suggested that his tears weren't real, or that he must have had a raw onion at the podium to produce tears.

How many more before our leaders pass common-sense laws to prevent gun violence and save lives? Communities all over the country live in fear of gun violence. That's unacceptable. We should feel secure in sending our children to school — comforted by the knowledge that they're safe. When it comes to American children being exposed to gunfire, these shootings are just the tip of the iceberg. A report by the Urban Institute showed that in the single school district of Washington, DC, there were at least 336 gunshots in the vicinity of schools over a single school year. And school shootings have long-term impacts on the school community as a whole: a recent analysis of school shootings found that those involving a homicide reduced student enrollment in the affected schools, and depressed students' standardized test scores by nearly 5 percent. And with more than one school shooting occurring almost every week how many more of our children, educators and innocent bystanders have

before our political leaders stop cowering in fear of the NRA and pass meaningful gun legislation that hopefully helps stop this national scourge.

Half the World's People Live on 1 Percent of Its Land

Mapping population density around the world

The image is a world map illustrating population density. Yellow areas represent high population density, while dark purple areas represent low population density.

Key observations:

Asia: Densely populated regions are concentrated in East Asia (China, Korea, Japan) and South Asia (India, Bangladesh).
Europe: High population density is visible across much of Western and Central Europe.
North America: Population is concentrated along the East Coast and West Coast of the United States, and in southern Canada.
South America: Major population centers are located along the coasts, particularly in Brazil.
Africa: Population is concentrated in certain coastal regions and along major river valleys, with significant clusters in North Africa (Egypt) and Southern Africa.
Australia: Population is primarily along the eastern and southeastern coasts.

The text indicates that half the world's population is concentrated in just one percent of the Earth's surface.

In the simple map above lies a stark spatial imbalance: Half the people in the world cram into just one percent of the Earth's surface (in yellow), and the other half sprawl across the remaining 99 percent (in black).

Data viz extraordinaire Max Galka created this map using NASA's gridded population data, which counts the global population within each nine-square-mile patch of Earth, instead of within each district, state, or country border. Out of the 28 million total cells, the ones with a population over 8,000 are colored in yellow. That means each yellow cell has a population density of at least goo people per square mile — "roughly the same population density as the state ofMassachusetts," Galka writes in the accompanying blog post. The black regions, meanwhile, reflect sparser population clusters.

Take this close-up of South and East Asia. The region in this image alone contains about 46 percent of the world's population, which isn't all that surprising considering India and China are the two most populous countries in the world.

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This image is a map showing population density in parts of Asia. Yellow areas indicate high population density, while black areas indicate low population density. Key densely populated regions are visible in India, China, and Southeast Asia.

Asia's densest spots are mostly concentrated in the inland urban areas. Europe, on the other hand, is nowhere near as dense as Asia but has its population hotspots sprinkled more uniformly across its area.

This image is a night-time satellite view of Europe and parts of North Africa, showing urban population density through illuminated areas. The yellow and bright spots represent populated areas, with brighter areas indicating higher population density.

Key observations:

Europe: Shows a relatively uniform distribution of illuminated areas across the continent, indicating population centers are spread out. Notable concentrations are visible in areas like the UK, Netherlands, Germany, and parts of Italy and Eastern Europe.
North Africa: Largely dark, with a significant bright yellow cluster identified as Cairo in Egypt, described as containing a very high population within a small land area.
Asia (implied): The text mentions Asia's densest spots are concentrated in inland urban areas, though this is not the primary focus of the visible image.

North Africa is almost entirely dark except for Cairo, which contains the yellow cell with the largest population in the world — a million people within the nine-square-mile sliver of land.

This image is not a chart. It is a map of North Africa with yellow areas indicating population centers. The text mentions Cairo having the largest population in a densely populated area.

Key information:

The map shows North Africa.
Yellow areas represent populated regions.
Most of North Africa is dark, indicating low population density.
Cairo is highlighted as a major population center.

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A lot of the population clusters in the U.S., as the close-up of the map below shows, are located in many Northeastern, Southern, and Western cities. Overall, the U.S. mirrors the world in the way its population is divided: one half packed in the small yellow regions, the other half spread out across a black expanse.

This image is not a chart. It is a map of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, showing population density. The yellow areas represent populated regions, while the black areas represent sparsely populated or uninhabited regions. The text indicates that population clusters are located in Northeastern, Southern, and Western cities.

TANVI MISRA The Atlantic JAN 6, 2016

I Miss Barack Obama

Compared to the current crop ofpoliticians who would like to replace him.

This is a New York Time op-ed written by a conservative Republican

The image is a black and white photograph of a person in a suit walking towards a doorway, framed by trees and bushes. The doorway appears to be part of a building with columns, suggesting it might be a significant governmental or historical site. The text surrounding the image indicates it accompanies a New York Times op-ed by a conservative Republican.

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As this primary season has gone along, a strange sensation has come over me: I miss Barack Obama. Now, obviously I disagree with a lot of Obama's policy decisions. I've been disappointed by aspects of his presidency. I hope the next presidency is a philosophic departure.

But over the course of this campaign it feels as if there's been a decline in behavioral standards across the board. Many of the traits of character and leadership that Obama possesses, and that maybe we have taken too much for granted, have suddenly gone missing or are in short supply.

The first and most important of these is basic integrity. The Obama administration has been remarkably scandalfree. Think of the way Irancontra or the Lewinsky scandals swallowed years from Reagan and Clinton. We've had very little of that from Obama. He and his staff have generally behaved with basic rectitude. Hillary Clinton is constantly having to hold these defensive press conferences when she's trying to explain away some vaguely shady shortcut she's taken, or decision she has made, but Obama has not had to do that. He and his wife have not only displayed superior integrity themselves, they have mostly attracted and hired people with high personal standard. There are all sorts of unsightly characters floating around politics, including in the Clinton camp and in Gov. Chris Christie's administration. This sort has been blocked from team Obama.

Second, a sense of basic humanity. Donald Trump has spent much of this campaign vowing to block Muslim immigration. You can only say that if you treat Muslim Americans as an abstraction. President Obama, meanwhile, went to a mosque, looked into people's eyes and gave a wonderful speech reasserting their place as Americans. He's exuded this basic care and respect for the dignity of others time and time again. Let's put it this way: Imagine if Barack and Michelle Obama joined the board of a charity you're involved in. You'd be happy to have such people in your community. Could you say that comfortably about Ted Cruz? The quality of a president's humanity flows out in the unexpected but important moments.

Third, a soundness in his decision making process. Over the years I have spoken to many members of this administration who were disappointed that the president didn't take their advice. But those disappointed staffers almost always felt that their views had been considered in depth. Obama's basic approach is to promote his values as much as he can within the limits of the situation. Bernie Sanders, by contrast, has been so blinded by his values that the reality of the situation does not seem to penetrate his mind.

Take health care. Passing Obamacare was a mighty lift that led to two gigantic midterm election defeats. As Megan McArdle pointed out in her Bloomberg View column, Obamacare took coverage away from only a small minority of Americans. Sanderscare would take employer coverage away from tens of millions of satisfied customers, destroy the health insurance business and levy massive new tax hikes. This is epic social disruption. To think you could pass Sanderscare through a polarized Washington and in a country deeply suspicious of government is to live in intellectual fairyland.

President Obama may have been too cautious, especially in the Middle East, but at least he's able to grasp the reality of the situation.

Fourth, grace under pressure. I happen to find it charming that Marco Rubio gets nervous on the big occasions — that he grabs for the bottle of water, breaks out in a sweat and went robotic in the last debate. It shows Rubio is a normal person. And I happen to think overconfidence is one of Obama's great flaws. But a president has to maintain equipoise under enormous pressure. Obama has done

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that, especially amid the financial crisis. After Saturday night, this is now an open question about Rubio.

Fifth, a resilient sense of optimism. To hear Sanders or Trump, Cruz and Ben Carson campaign is to wallow in the pornography of pessimism, to conclude that this country is on the verge of complete collapse. That's simply not true. We have problems, but they are less serious than those faced by just about any other nation on earth. People are motivated to make wise choices more by hope and opportunity than by fear, cynicism, hatred and despair. Unlike many current candidates, Obama has not appealed to those passions.

No, Obama has not been temperamentally perfect. Too often he's been disdainful, aloof, resentful and insular. But there is a tone of ugliness creeping across the world, as democracies retreat, as tribalism mounts, as suspiciousness and authoritarianism take center stage. Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance that I'm beginning to miss, and that I suspect we will all miss a bit, regardless of who replaces him.

David Brooks — New York Times — FEB. 9, 2016

The Healing Power of Avocados

The image displays avocado toast. Key elements include:

A halved avocado with its pit.
Two slices of dark bread topped with fanned avocado slices.
Sliced lemons.
Sprigs of herbs (likely mint or thyme).
Scattered salt and pepper.

If you care about your health, you already know how important it is to eat nutrient-dense foods. Some people will choose foods to promote heart health, others to protect against cancer. Yet others, trying to lose weight, will choose filling foods that balance intestinal flora, stabilize blood glucose, and increase satiety. Remarkably, they may all be eating the same fruit — avocado ! You should join them.

How do avocados protect my heart and arteries?

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Avocado safeguards your circulatory system in several ways:

• Avocado is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated omega-9 fatty acid (MUFA) also present in olive oil. Avocado's oleic acid helps reduce blood pressure and increase heart-healthy HDL cholesterol (up to ii%). In addition, it helps cardiac muscle efficiently use dietary fat for energy.

• Avocado contains 7 grams of dietary fiber per 100 gram serving. The soluble fiber helps nourish intestinal bacteria, promote immune health, and reduce inflammation throughout the body, including the endothelium. Avocado's insoluble fiber promotes lower LDL cholesterol (reducing readings up to 22%) and triglycerides (reducing them up to 20%).

• Avocado's potassium — it's a much richer source than bananas (too grams contains 14% of the RDA) — helps keep blood pressure in check, thereby reducing the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and kidney failure.

• Avocado stabilizes blood glucose and reduces hunger, so eating it regularly will help you reach and maintain a proper weight, which in turn reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

• Avocado contains phytosterols and flavonoids that reduce oxidative stress on the heart specifically, and chronic inflammation systemically.

Amazing! What else can avocado do?

Avocado's health benefits extend far beyond the cardiovascular system. Avocado contains a broad spectrum of antioxidants:

- Vitamin C (17% of the RDA per 100 gram serving)

- Vitamin E (10% of the RDA in 100 grams)

• Lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids essential for optimum retinal health (thereby reducing the risk of macular degeneration).

• a- and p-carotenes

Avocado's fat content further boosts absorption of available antioxidants, in some cases more than 10- fold!

In addition to its antioxidants, avocado may help fight metabolic syndrome. In part, it's protective effect stems from its fiber, but that's not the whole story. Avocado also contains a sugar, mannoheptulose, which seems to down-regulate pancreatic secretion of insulin. Consequently, avocado's unique combination of satisfying fats, mannoheptulose, low carbohydrate content (and low GL and GI values), and fiber make it an ideal food for managing blood glucose, losing visceral fat, and improving body composition.

Avocado is also an excellent source of three important B vitamins — B5, B6, and folate — with lesser amounts of Bi, B2, and B3. A loo-gram serving also has more than 25% of the RDA of Vitamin K and trace amounts of several key minerals: manganese, copper, iron, zinc, and magnesium.

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If you seek optimum health (and we all should), then adding avocado to your daily fare will take you a long ways toward achieving your goal. Next time you have your spinach salad, dice an avocado and add it along with some blueberries, sweet potato, and garbanzo beans. Yum! Live well, live long!

Peter Benoit DietAnalytics - Aug 03, 2015

THIS WEEK's QUOTE

Quote: "YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO LEAVE THE TABLE WHEN LOVE'S NO LONGER BEING SERVED."
Attributed to: Nina Simone
Source: Wikimedia Commons/Roland Godefroy
Branding: attn:

THIS IS BRILLIANT

Miniatur Wunderland *** official video *** largest model railway / railroad of the world

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This image is a miniature model depicting a train on a bridge, with a village in the background.

Key elements:

Trains: A red and white passenger train is visible on the upper bridge. Another train with yellow and blue cars is on a lower track, labeled "JET". A third train with colorful graphics is also present.
Bridges: Two bridges are featured, one concrete bridge supporting the upper train, and a white arched bridge in the foreground.
Village: A detailed miniature village with buildings featuring red roofs and timber-framed accents is visible behind the lower bridge.
Landscape: The background shows a hilly landscape with trees and greenery, common in model railway dioramas.
Control Tower: A small control tower or signal box is situated near the lower tracks.

This image depicts a detailed miniature model of a town nestled in a mountainous landscape. Key elements include:

Architecture: A cluster of buildings with varying architectural styles, resembling a European town. There are multi-story structures, a prominent white building with a tall tower, and some more rustic-looking houses.
Transportation Infrastructure: An extensive railway network with multiple tracks, platforms, and trains. A bridge spans over some of the tracks, carrying road traffic including cars and buses.
Landscape: Steep, rocky mountains covered with miniature trees and greenery. A road winds up one of the slopes.
Construction Elements: Cranes and scaffolding are visible, suggesting ongoing construction or development within the model.
Scale: The overall scene is a miniature replica, indicated by the tiny trains, cars, and buildings.

This image depicts a miniature diorama of a city street scene. Key elements include:

Buildings: Various multi-story buildings with detailed architecture, some with red roofs and brick facades.
Vehicles: Several vehicles are present, including buses (some double-decker), cars, and a truck. Some vehicles appear to be in motion, indicated by motion blur.
Infrastructure: Roads with lane markings, streetlights, and traffic signals are visible. The road surface appears wet, suggesting it might be raining.
Scenery: Greenery, including trees and ivy growing on a building, adds to the realistic feel of the miniature city. Small figures of people are scattered throughout the scene.
Details: A water tower is visible near a large brick building, and a European Union flag is displayed.

This image depicts a miniature train set in a snowy environment. Key elements include:

Multiple train tracks and overhead catenary wires.
Several model trains, including a red locomotive and passenger cars with blue and red stripes.
Model buildings with red facades and snow-covered roofs.
Miniature figures and trees scattered throughout the scene.
A small model car on a road.
The scene gives the impression of a busy train station or railyard during winter.

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The image shows a group of people silhouetted in front of a wall of computer monitors. Many of the monitors display complex, grid-like diagrams that appear to be circuit board layouts or flowcharts. One monitor on the bottom left shows a blue display with scattered lights, possibly a map or surveillance feed. Other monitors display what looks like architectural renderings or city maps. The overall impression is of a control room or a space dedicated to intricate data analysis or game development.

Web Link: https://www.youtube.com/embed/ACkmg3Y64_s?rel=0 and https://youtu.be/UUg9_hsf9_M

As someone who grew up with Lionel, American Flyer and HO train sets, I could have never imagined this. Please enjoy both the 5 minute and 34 minute videos because they will amaze you whether you are a hobbyist or not.... Again.... Please enjoy....

THINK ABOUT THIS

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The image shows a group of people, some of whom are armed with rifles, gathered outdoors. A building resembling a capitol dome is visible in the background. One individual wears a jacket with an American flag design, and another has "Occupy Democrats" printed on the image.

AMERICA, THE ONLY COUNTRY IN THE
WORLD WHERE IGNORANT, PARANOID
CITIZENS ARMED WITH ASSAULT
WEAPONS CAN ROAM FREELY
WHILE CALLING THE PRESIDENT A
TYRANNICAL DICTATOR.

BEST VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The image is a still from a video titled "Jeff Gordon: Test Drive 2 | Pepsi Max". It shows Jeff Gordon in the passenger seat of a car, gripping the seatbelt with a surprised or distressed expression. Trees are visible through the car window.

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Web Link: http://1 funny.com/pepsi-max-test-drive-2/

Pepsi's first prank was criticized on the Internet to be a fake. So to prove the critics wrong, they did another one. This time the victim is with one of the most critical journalists that wrote about their first prank. This is a must watch. It's hilarious!

THIS WEEK's MUSIC

Maurice White

Drummer, Music Producer, Songwriter, Singer (1941-2016)

The image is a portrait of Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire. He is depicted as a drummer, music producer, songwriter, and singer, with a lifespan of 1941-2016.

As most of you know, music lost another great one when the founder of the super-group Earth, Wind

& Fire, singer, drummer, songwriter and producer Maurice White, known for his stagecraft and inventive compositions, died in his sleep in Los Angeles last week. He suffered from Parkinson's disease. His band had a series of hits including September, Boogie Wonderland, Shining Star and After the Love has Gone. The singer-songwriter was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1990 but his condition was reported to have got worse in recent months. Following a diagnosis with Parkinson's disease, the seven-time Grammy winner stopped touring in the 199os, but remained active as a producer and songwriter. Earth, Wind & Fire were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in2000, and Maurice was individually inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010.

Maurice "Reese" White was born on December 19, 1941, in Memphis, Tennessee. After studying at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, he found work in 1963 as a session drummer for Chess Records. Four years later, he began playing with the Ramsey Lewis Trio. In 1969, he formed his own band in

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Chicago, which was called the Salty Peppers. After a move to Los Angeles, White renamed his band as Earth, Wind & Fire (the name was a nod to his astrological chart, which had no water signs). He also invited his younger brother, bassist Verdine, to join what became a nine-piece group. When their first albums didn't break out, White shuffled the band's members. Newcomers included singer Philip Bailey and keyboardist Larry Dunn; soon guitarist Al McKay became a bandmate as well.

Along with its revamped membership — only Maurice and Verdine were holdovers from the group's first incarnation — Earth, Wind & Fire's music changed. The band began mixing jazz, R&B, funk, soul and pop music. They also used African sounds, such as White playing the kalimba (an African thumb piano). With a new style and a new record label, Earth, Wind & Fire's album Head to the Sky (1973) sold more than 500,00o copies. The group proceeded to put out a succession of gold and platinum albums throughout the 1970s and early '80s.

Many of the band's hit songs were ones that White helped compose, such as "Shining Star," "September" and "Let's Groove." White won six Grammys with Earth, Wind & Fire, and received an award of his own for arranging "Got To Get You Into My Life." As a musician and vocalist, White also participated in the group's spectacular concerts, which featured exotic touches such as pyramids and disappearing acts. Though he spent time on outside projects — such as an album for Deniece Williams — White remained with Earth, Wind & Fire until the band took a four-year break from 1983 to 1987. Popularly known by his nickname of Reese, he worked with various well-known recording artists such as The Emotions, Barbra Streisand, Cher and Neil Diamond. After reuniting, White toured with the group until 1995. Though he stopped touring, he continued to work with Earth, Wind & Fire as a producer and songwriter. He was also with the band for its 2000induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In 2000,White revealed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, thus explaining his decision to withdraw from performing. He has said that not going on tour gave him the benefit of having more time to work on other projects. These included building a recording studio and founding Kalimba Records, his own record label. He also collaborated on Hot Feet, a musical set to Earth, Wind & Fire songs. In 2010,White was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. With his health deteriorating in recent months due to his long battle with Parkinson's, White passed away in his sleep on February 3, 2016. He was74.

With Maurice as the bandleader and producer of most of the band's albums, EWF earned legendary status winning six Grammy Awards out of a staggering 14 nominations, a star on the Hollywood Boulevard Walk of Fame, and four American Music Awards. The group's albums have sold over 90 million copies worldwide. Other honors bestowed upon Maurice as a member of the band included inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, The Songwriters Hall of Fame, and The NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. Without a doubt, White was "an innovator" and "someone who has had a profound impact upon the music industry as a whole" by Chaka Khan, and Lalah Hathaway believes that "his contribution as both a musician and a producer has been immeasurable". White has also been cited as a main influence by artists such as Bilal and Lenny Kravitz, as well as almost everyone who loves great artistry and music. With this you are invited to enjoy the music of one of the greats, Mr. Maurice White and one of the greatest musk groups ever, Earth, Wind & Fire....

Maurice White - https://www.facebook.com/EarthWindandFire/videos/10153123610280989/

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Maurice White & EWF — After the Love Has Gone -- https://youtu.be/My7Zad2Kc4Y

Maurice White & EWF Kalimba Solo https://youtu.be/c_F6gE_v3kE

Maurice White & EWF — September -- https://youtu.be/k5z3wLOzCNk

Earth Wind & Fire — Boogie Wonderland -- https://youtu.be/NBd2NYKZSXA

Earth Wind & Fire — Let's Groove -- https://youtu.be/_E8MER7IauM

Earth Wind & Fire Got to Get You Into My Life -- https://youtu.be/cByrcn4-iAw

Earth Wind & Fire - Fantasy https://youtu.be/NMt5lvrKL60

Earth Wind & Fire — Devotion -- https://youtu.be/Qe7nfFTjcAQ

Earth, Wind & Fire — Reason -- https://youtu.be/X_XNUMfQyMY

Earth Wind & Fire — Would You Mind -- https://youtu.be/H7fMHXX1F20

Earth Wind & Fire — Keep Your Head To The Sky -- https://youtu.be/aTh5WhWzRsi

Earth Wind and Fire — That's The Way of The World -- https://youtu.be/5vIlZydXDqg

Earth Wind and Fire — Can't Hide Love -- https://youtu.be/wr0ekZ1cM8E

Maurice White — I Need You -- https://youtu.be/41Db_kwYerM

Maurice White & EWF — Be Ever Wonderful -- https://youtu.be/C1VU4PU5eTQ

Earth Wind & Fire — All About Love -- https://youtu.be/M-zp6LdIWh4

Earth Wind & Fire - -Imagination -- https://youtu.be/Sk14BHqskYE

BONUS

Earth Wind & Fire alongside Outkast and George Clinton — Shining Star - I Like The Way You Move - Turn This Mother Out -- https://youtu.be/EFN5TISuBRk

I hope that you enjoyed this week's offerings and wish you and yours a great week and a Happy Valentine's Day....

Sincerely,

Greg Brown

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Gregory Brown
Chairman & CEO
GlobalCast Partners, LLC

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