News Friction Delivering The Latest News Stories

For The Risks They Take, Transit Workers Deserve More Than A Token Raise

Transit Workers

MTA executives believe that transit workers should get a series of big fat zeros when their contract is up for negotiation late this year.  How about some questions for the six-figure MTA executives when they try to convince people of the notion?

Ask them, when was the last time someone tried to burn down their office when they were in it?

Two punks streaked gasoline on a Prospect Park station token booth in Brooklyn before morning dawned last week then set it on fire with a female clerk inside.

It was an act of stupidity and depravity, an apparent attempt to get the clerk – who put out the flames with a fire extinguisher – to open the door so the young men would be able to scoop up whatever cash was inside from the MetroCards sales during the overnight shift. However shocking, it was hardly extraordinary.

Back in 1979 two clerks were killed as two teenagers sprayed gasoline through the change slot in the booth at the Queens’ Broad Channel station, then ignited it.  The act was for revenge because one of the teens received a summons for jumping a turnstile just the night before when a clerk alerted a police officer.

In 1988, another 39 year old clerk was killed when a robber torched her booth at the Brooklyn Halsey Street L-train station.

In 1995, another clerk who was working overtime to pay for his son’s college tuition got burns on over 80% of his body in another robbery attempt by subway predators armed with gasoline and matches.  He survived an agonizing two weeks before he passed away.  He left behind his wife Stella and a 17 year old son named Adrian.

Crews Working to Contain ExxonMobil Oil Spill Under Yellowstone River

ExxonMobil Oil Spill

Near Billings, Montana crews are working diligently to contain the damage caused by an oil spill from a ruptured ExxonMobil pipeline which runs under the Yellowstone River.

The company is sending clean-up crews to mop up the wide band of oil at the banks of the Yellowstone River near Laurel, Montana.

“We’ve shut down the pipeline and the segment where the release occurred has been isolated. And, obviously, we’ve been working in concert with all appropriate state and federal authorities on this,” Kevin Allexon, ExxonMobil Pipeline spokesman said.

“Obviously we are very, very, regretful that this has happened and we are working hard, in collaboration with all the local authorities to make sure we mitigate the issue,” Allexon added.

Allexon added that ExxonMobil does not know what has caused the pipe to break.

“That’s obviously subject of an on-going investigation at this point,” Allexon said.

The break in the pipeline which is twelve inches in diameter has released an uncertain amount of oil in the river before ExxonMobil workers could shut it down.

Teams are now placing booms in spots to stop the leaked oil from spreading any further.

Oil is washing up on shore from Pompeys Pillar to Laurel and caused a temporary evacuation on Saturday morning.

The fire chief of Laurel which is about twelve miles east of Billings has said that the break in the pipeline happened on late Friday night nearly a mile south of Laurel is what Brent Peters told The Associated Press.

Peters continued to say that there were concerns about possible explosions and overpowering fumes caused 140 people to be evacuated in the district.  The evacuations started about 12:15 AM on Saturday.

Evacuees were allowed to return around 4 AM once instruments showed that fumes had decreased.

Since the cause of the break in the pipeline is still unknown, Peters told The Associated Press that speculation is being focused on the possibility of high water levels in the Yellowstone River could have gouged the river bed and exposing the oil pipe and it could have been hit by debris.

“I haven’t seen it this high for at least 15 years,” Peters commented.

The affected area has been going through widespread flooding recently as they experienced record rainfall amounts as well as melting snowpacks from the mountains.

Maria Shriver Seeks Joint Custody As She Files For Divorce

Maria Shriver Joint Custody

Maria Shriver filed for divorce against the former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday, with the divorce outlined as “irreconcilable differences.”

The couple who have been married 25 years announced that they were separated in May.  Maria separated from Arnold shortly after she learned that Arnold was the father of a child who was born more than a decade ago with a member of their longtime household staff.  She moved out of their Brentwood mansion upon learning about the child.

Maria Shriver’s attorney, Laura Wasser, filed the petition for the dissolution of their marriage in the Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Ms. Shriver’s petition requested that her and her estranged husband share joint legal and physical custody of their two sons, ages 13 and 17.

There is some property that will be considered separately which includes jewelry and personal items as well as earnings that Shriver accumulated after the couple separated.  There are additional separate assets that have not even been determined yet.

The former Governor told the media last month that he was the father of a boy that he fathered over a decade ago with one of their household staff.  The lady had worked for the famous couple for 20 years and retired in January.  She now lives in Bakersfield with their son.

“After leaving the governor’s office, I told my wife about this event, which occurred over a decade ago,” Schwarzenegger announced in a statement that he was the child’s father. “I understand and deserve the feelings of anger and disappointment among my friends and family. There are no excuses and I take full responsibility for the hurt I have caused. I have apologized to Maria, my children and my family. I am truly sorry.”

Can Obama Win Over Donors With The Big Dollars?

Obama Win Over Donors

As the Presidential election inches closer, White House aides are pulling out all stops to attempt to win over the wealthy donors who may be possible Obama supporters if nudged in the right way.  This is especially true in the battleground states.

Along with the wealthy, Obama’s network of aides and campaign officials are trying to find ways to coax the small Internet donations which helped produce the landslide victory that occurred four years ago.

Some of the events which have happened recently are aimed at specific groups.  Some of these groups including Jews, gays and other community and business leaders are angered over the current administration’s policies.

Many of these activities almost resemble the Clinton-style traditions including presidential phone calls, Whitehouse overnights and various other enticements.  Right now, they are doing anything they can to overcome Obama’s ratings which are low and the bad economy.

It seems as if the Presidential campaign has come to life recently.  Campaign officials are in an aggressive mode during this time frame of an approaching Presidential election of staffing up various offices around the key states. This is unusually early considering this type of activity is normally seen only months before an election.

Former bank executive and White House Chief of Staff, William Daley has been seen recently with the big players on Wall Street and other business leaders in Chicago, Washington, and New York.

Jewish donors are frustrated at the Obama Administration’s Middle East policies and Daley along with other officials is trying to address these concerns.  Along with Daley, Valerie Jarrett has visited with a major pro-Israel donor and was found to also be a possible Obama financial supporter.  Jim Messina, Obama’s campaign manager, also approached several Wall Street executives in New York this spring.  It is still too early to tell how effective this new campaign push is going to be.

Iowa Woman Joins the Race for the Presidency

Michele Bachmann Presidency

In Waterloo, Iowa Michele Bachmann used her home state to formally announce that she will be running for President.  She believes that this country can’t afford for more Barack Obama years with him as President.  .

“I do so because I am so profoundly grateful for the blessings that I have received both from God and from this country, and not because of the position of the office, but because I am determined that every American deserves these blessings and that together we can secure the promise of the future for America,” Bachmann spoke outside the historic Snowden House, which used to be the home of the Waterloo Women’s Club.

Michele Bachmann lived in Cedar Falls and Waterloo until she was 12.  Then her family moved to Minnesota.  It was in Minnesota where she became the first Republic woman elected to Congress.  She has been serving in federal elected positions for four years now.

Bachmann listed problems that she sees the country facing, including: an unconstitutional health plan, unemployment, debt, jobs which do not pay enough for people to support their families as well as a housing crisis which is devaluing homes.

“We can’t afford four more years of Barack Obama,” Bachmann told a crowd of more than 300. “As a constitutional conservative, I believe in the founding fathers’ vision of a limited government that trusts in and preserves the unlimited potential of the American people.”

Bachmann mentioned on a new campaign website that her priorities are to “create millions of new jobs,” repeal the federal health care reform law and its mandates she believes are unconstitutional, make deep spending cuts to reduce federal debt, and to “defend marriage.”

Bachmann believes in a federal constitutional amendment which would overturn states where they have same-sex marriage laws.  She is also against black-robed masters on Iowa’s Supreme Court who in 2009 legalized gay marriage.

Throughout New York’s Gay Marriage Bill are Religious Exceptions

New York’s Gay Marriage Bill

Friday night with a vote of 33-29 the state senate passed New York State’s Marriage Equality Act.  This made the Empire State become the sixth U.S. state to make same-sex marriage legal.

For most of the week the bill had been stalled because the lawmakers were debating what extent that religious beliefs on the homosexuality topic might be protected under the new state legislation.  Being debated was what might happen when the right to exercise religious freedom would class with equal rights for gay citizens.

Many people were celebrating inside the Stonewall Inn after the bill passed to legalize gay marriage in the state of New York on June 24, 2011.  New York is the most populated state to pass such a bill.

Included in the bill are the fact that if a minister or clergyman defined by the section of religious corporations law refuses to honor the gay marriage ceremony that there would not be any civil claim or any action which would cause a state or local government to penalize them or withhold benefits or discriminate against such ministers and clergymen.

The religious exception verbiage did not please the Catholic bishops of the state.  They issued a statement that marriage’s “definition cannot change.”

Over the coming days New Yorkers are expected to see many protestors against the act as well as many marriage ceremonies taking place for those supporters of the new law.  With New York being so heavily populated it will be interesting to see how many people do get married and how many protests will follow the passing of this new law. 

Self-Help Guru is Guilty of Deaths in a Sweat Lodge

James Ray Negligent Homicide

On Wednesday a jury found James A. Ray, who is a self-help guru, guilty of negligent homicide in deaths of three of his followers which occurred during a failed sweat lodge ritual done near Sedona, Arizona in the fall of 2009.

After close to a four-month trial that took place in the Yavapai County Superior Court in Arizona the decision was delivered.  The courthouse is in Camp Verde, Arizona and the verdict means that Mr. Roy is at fault for the deaths of James Shore, 40, of Milwaukee; Liz Neuman, 49, of Prior Lake, Minn., and Kirby Brown, 38, of Westtown, N.Y.  Although the decision did not say that Mr. Ray had recognized the risk he had put the victims through.  He is looking at anywhere from probation up to over 30 years in prison when the court proceedings continue through next week.

Shelia Polk, the prosecutor wanted a much more serious charge of manslaughter while she argued that Mr. Ray knew how he ran the ceremony which lasted for two hours and where hot stones were piled right in the middle of the boiling lodge which risk death.  Shelia Polk believes that Mr. Ray disregarded the known risk.

This case was the center of international attention mostly because the bizarre situation and also because the deaths occurred at an immaculate campground just within sight of Sedona’s red rocks which is a famous New Age meeting place.

Mr. Ray is known as an author and a motivational speaker.  He breathed a sigh of relief as the not guilty verdict on the first manslaughter charge was rendered.  Just moments later he appeared to be stunned when the guilty verdicts starting coming in.  In the courtroom for the verdict were Mr. Ray’s relatives and some of victims’ family and friends.  The victims’ family and friends could be found holding hands while the decisions were rendered.

Once the verdicts were rendered, the prosecutor asked Judge Warren R. Darrow to place Mr. Ray into custody but the Judge did not agree with this recommendation and so he ruled against it.

During the trial Ms. Polk portrayed Mr. Ray as an irresponsible man because he continued his ceremony without care for those who fell ill and those that became unconscious.

Mr. Ray’s defense included a statement that Mr. Ray did not coerce the three victims and that they could have died from unknown toxins throughout the sweat lodge.  The sweat lodge is a rounded wood-frame construction covered with tarps and blankets.

In addition to the three deaths there were also numerous participants who were injured at the ceremony.  The ceremony’s intent is to push people to overcome their personal limits.  Everyone that participated in the ceremony had signed waivers that stated that death was one of the risks and this was noted by Mr. Ray’s lawyers.

“You will have to get to a point to where you surrender and it’s O.K. to die,” Mr. Ray said in a recording

Walk Not Talk To Protect Our Kids Health Food Industry

Healthy Foods For Kids

Federal guidelines which would help support healthy foods for kids are under attack.

Voluntary rules proposed by the FTC, FDA, USDA, and other agencies last April will, if companies follow them, make sure that foods marketed to kids contain real food ingredients including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. They’ll also minimize harmful nutrients such as added sugars, sodium and saturated fats.  Though voluntary, these guidelines help move our food system in a direction that makes sure foods available and promoted to kids are whole and minimally processed–fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Our kids deserve this option.

Although there are comments on the new standards, the Industry has been pulling double-duty to overcome the comments and they are making claims in their attempts to stop these voluntary recommendations.

Unhealthy eating is damaging our kids’ health, our economy and our future. Even companies such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Burger King, Kellogg and Nestle want to be a part of the solution.  Big food companies say they also want to be part of the solution. If that’s the case, why are so many people crying wolf instead of agreeing on a consistent set of fair, reasonable standards that will do a much better job protecting our kids than they have? We cannot let them backtrack, especially with such a common sense resolution on the table. We can’t let get with their congressional buddies to delay such a critical step for children’s health.

Every parent wants their child to grow up strong and healthy, but food companies have stacked the cards against them.  The food industry spends over $2 billion per year marketing foods to kids. An average eleven year old sees over 4,000 food ads a year–and that’s just on television. Our kids are also seeing junk food promoted in movies, at school, on toys, at sports events and in virtually every part of their lives.  The worse news is that almost 100 percent of the ads they see are for foods that are high in fat, sodium or sugar.

Are these techniques effective at swaying our children on what to eat? The Institute of Medicine says yes, as does the American Academy of Pediatricians. The realistic question is: would food companies spend two billion a year on them if they weren’t?

Lack Of Prevention & Protection For Children -Prevention Does It Work?

Prevention Does It Work

The problem with prevention is… it works. Prevented health situations simply don’t exist. Nobody sees them and no one mentions them. Anchors on TV don’t rant on and on about diseases that are not killing children. There are never news articles about teenagers who didn’t crash their family’s car and die on prom night. Even cavities that never happen find no place in the daily conversation at the office’s water cooler.

But the fact is… prevention does work. Vaccines have saved countless lives, immunizing children against disabling or fatal illnesses like measles, Hemophilus influenza and polio. Injury prevention programs like Children Can’t Fly have protected children from window deaths in urban centers, cutting the rates of death in half. Lead screening and abatement interventions have radically reduced lead blood levels and are boosting children’s health and development. These and many other programs are tried and true, but often go underreported and underfunded. We must provide continued support to these very important programs so that all children and youth can take advantage of them.

As a nation, unfortunately, we have never taken a prevention strategy seriously. This is what distinguishes us from so many of our developed nation counterparts. We wonder why it is that we spend so much money on health care – 16% of our Gross Domestic Product to be exact — and get such poor results. A large part of the reason is that other nations invest in prevention, public health infrastructure and primary care.

Information is piling up in public health, medical and even economic studies to show that prevention in childhood is the best way to avoid costly, long-term health consequences as well as economic consequences. James Heckman won the Nobel Prize in Economics for demonstrating this theory. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Adverse Childhood Events study documents that a lack of prevention and protection for children in early years predicts heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer in later years.

Dartmouth Grads Listen to Commencement Address By Conan O’Brien

Dartmouth Grads Listen

Conan O’Brien was at Dartmouth College on Sunday delivering the commencement address to the Dartmouth graduates of 2011.

The comedian, whose career includes a seven-month stint as “The Tonight Show” host before he left  NBC and the show, talked about what he learned from the failure and his experience.

“There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized,” said O’Brien. “Whether you fear it or not, true disappointment will come but with disappointment comes clarity, conviction and true originality.”

O’Brien’s run as “The Tonight Show” host hit a big speed bump in 2010 when Jay Leno hosted a new talk program that aired earlier. Following mediocre ratings and local affiliate disagreements, NBC had proposed that both of their programs be shown later, pushing “The Tonight Show” back a half hour from 11:30 p.m. to midnight.

O’Brien declined NBC’s proposal and he chose to leave the network in March 2010. The time slots of the shows remained unchanged and Jay Leno, who hosted “The Tonight Show” between 1992 and 2009, regained that position in March.

The comedian O’Brien, graduated from Harvard University and quickly had a new talk show, “Conan,” which aired first in November 2010.

“My first job as commencement speaker is to illustrate that life is not fair. For example, you worked tirelessly for four years to earn the diploma you will be receiving this weekend,” O’Brien poked at the young graduates. “And Dartmouth is giving me the same degree for interviewing the fourth lead in ‘Twilight.’ Deal with it.”

O’Brien, who was on the same stage beside President George H.W. Bush, also joked, “I must point out that behind me sits a highly admired president of the United States and decorated war hero, while I, a cable television talk show host, has been chosen to stand here and impart wisdom.

O’Briend added, “I pray I never witness a more damning example of what is wrong with America today.”