text:
Lana Del Ray is a singer/Internet lightning rod, a prematurely experienced internet lightning rod, a lightning rod. (However, "Video Games" was the perfect lightning rod, a viral sensation.) [Emphasis mine.] Lana Del Rey is a starlet to music bloggers, a YouTube sensation turned Billboard chart-topper, Enya for the Twitter set, a comment-section-stoking singer, an internet sensation, an Internet sensation, an Internet phenomenon, an Internet singing sensation, a singer of songs that are very popular on the Internet, a person who makes music that is much discussed online, a tabula rasa, a punching bag, a reflection of our collective nightmares about American cynicism and disingenuousness. The divisive Internet sensation was, well, divisive: bloggers are obsessed with her. She is the new singer music bloggers love to hate, the Internet's most hated singer, a sacrificial lamb, 2k11's #1 human meme and 2012's buzziest artist you need to know, in one. Lana Del Rey is an important search term to refer viewers to a website.
"Video Games" hit the 1 million mark on YouTube. It attracted almost a million and a half page views. Two million views. Viewed 2,644,000 times. Nine million. 13 million. It currently has a staggering 20 million views on YouTube. No, more than twenty-one million views on YouTube since it was posted, last August.
What went down from 1 to 21 million views generally is agreed upon, sometimes in different words.
The Gospel according to Vulture:
The visual for "Video Games" — edited by Del Rey herself — makes the most of her aesthetic, splicing sultry webcam shots of Del Rey in with video clips of Paz de la Huerta falling down. Predictably, it garnered some attention. After receiving a "Best New Music" designation for the track, Del Rey gave a selective interview to Pitchfork, avoiding questions about her management and volunteering her thoughts about sleeping with the boss ("It doesn't get you anywhere"). Then came a second webcam video ("Blue Jeans") and last week, an industry secret show at which Del Rey was photographed dreamily, cementing her status as indie music lust object. Next came the backlash.
The Gospel according to Gawker:
Have you heard of singer Lana Del Rey? Well, probably not, because she doesn't even have an officially released single yet, but the hipster music blogs are all abuzz about her. Her music is great, but they still hate her because she's not "authentic." But that's not the problem at all.
The Gospel according to Idolator: A lot of people listened to it (us included), and a lot of people hated it (us not included).
The Gospel according to Business Insider:
At some point this year, through some mixture of her own design and the hivemind at Interscope Records, Grant was reborn as Lana Del Rey, who is basically the musical equivalent of a smoke-filled room… A cocktail of submissive sex-object and mid-20th-century American vamp, Del Rey's manifesto might be the first of her two commercially released songs, "Video Games"… [which] along with B-side "Blue Jeans" has sparked an arms race on the Internet over questions of authenticity and appropriation in Del Rey's music.
The Gospel according to The Awl:
You see, Del Rey is no regular old buzz beast. Plucked from obscurity in record time and with a boarding-school pedigree, she is a breathing projection of the most sensitive issues in navel-gazing today, chief among them authenticity, popularity and the intersection between the two. Given all of the wild imputations, interpretations and polarized reactions—again, despite Del Rey having done little more than release a very popular YouTube video—a more accurate "gangster" likeness may well be Hillary Clinton.
The Gospel according to the Village Voice:
The Internet went to work debunking Lana Del Rey, and the story of Lizzy Grant, sometime pop star wannabe and the secret identity behind this strange visitor's studied glamour, emerged. Along the way, her saga picked at some old, barely grown scabs, unraveling fans' and blogs' neuroses regarding cosmetic surgery, label duplicity, theatricality, the presentation of female pop singers, and the glib misogyny of online "bros."
The Gospel according to Liz Phair:
Lana Del Rey seems to be bothering everybody because she allegedly "remade" herself from a folk singing, girl-next-door type into an electro-urban kitty cat on the prowl (of course I like her), and they feel she is inauthentic.
The Gospel according to Spinner:
The singer has divided the indie-rock community, striking some as an icy-cool purveyor of vintage style and modern ennui, others as a prefab pop princess posing as a more substantive artist.
The Gospel according to Hitfix:
She's already been run through the hipsters' meat grinder and they've largest dismissed her. Except for the few who love a tale of reinvention, most indie rock writers who were on to her when she still went by her birth name Lizzy Grant have vilified Del Rey and branded her a creation, who based upon last night's look, is part Jessica Rabbit, part Veronica Lake, part Kate Bush (that's the good part) and, to the haters, all parts artifice.
The Gospel according to the Telegraph:
Interest in the artist – who has only two songs to her (current) name – is propelled by the charge against her: that she is a big fat phoney. Let me explain. The 24-year-old New Yorker is actually called Lizzy Grant – she admits the name Lana Del Rey was made up by "a series of managers and lawyers". She tried to make it as a mainstream artist in 2009, releasing a three-track EP. This failed, so she went away, wrote some more songs and returned transformed. Bigger hair, bigger eyes, bigger lips, bigger tunes.
The Gospel according to Spin:
The myth, as it is presently understood: Lana Del Rey is an extended vanity project bankrolled by her dad's money and honed, over the years, by a series of lawyers and managers who have shaped her image and plotted her career path. She is merely a canvas of a girl, and a willing one at that. Bloggers and journalists take pains to note that her real name is Lizzy Grant, that Lana Del Rey is "fake," as are her lips.
The Gospel according to Spin, as witnessed by Rob Harvilla:
Yes, Internet, and God bless you for devoting most of the past half-year exclusively to pointing this out, Lana Del Rey is a pose, a persona, a version 2.0, at least, the contrivance of a messy, wayward, unformed, aspiring pop star rummaging through closets and clutching at borrowed pearls.
The Gospel according to Grantland:
An army of bloggers, rushing to something too inchoate to really be called judgment, spent the rest of 2011 putting Lizzy's past on that Summer Jam screen. Down with the Great Deciever! Occupy that crazy frescoed-out church from the "Born to Die" video!
The Gospel according to Blockhead:
The thing is, I've read a ton of shit about people saying this character was manufactured but that's bullshit. Sure, it's not her real name but the idea behind that person was in Lizzy before I even met her. Hell, just how she was dressed coming into the studio was enough for me to know that. She looked like a pinup model straight out of the trailer park. She always seemed to have to idea of this throwback Nancy Sinatra meets "Madmen" meets current white trash thing as her entire theme. She was obsessed with images of swimming pools, drinking tab soda and just a certian low brow elegance that wasn't common in music.
The Gospel according to the Internet according to NPR:
If you read music blogs or magazines like the The New Yorker, you know her story: singer-songwriter transforms herself in model fashion, takes a new name, signs to a major label, has a viral hit, fails on national television, is crucified by critics, comes to embody all we hate/love/worry about when it comes to young women/popular music/the Internet.
(This is me talking now, because the thing is, in my world where not a lot of stock is put into YouTube comments or Hipster Runoff, the discourse about the discourse is much louder than the supposed discourse, which I'm not even sure actually exists in such a neatly summed up package. The frequent moralistic air that accompanies the hand-wringing over what people say can come off as tone deaf, as the hand-wringing still perpetuates what people say. Talking shit isn't very nice, but neither is the shit-talk relay. And check out that race track! What race track? Some posts at Vulture and the Voice attempted a link trail, but for the most part, this backlash is as nebulous a concept as Lana Del Rey is to her alleged detractors. It is a useful device, something to springboard off and measure her against, her Joker and straw man in one.)
One thing the Internet did to Lana Del Rey (two times):
The Internet hype machine thrust her into the spotlight before she'd had a chance to work out kinks in her live performance, sharpen the fuzzy contours of her persona—in short, put her face on.
The huge backlash to Del Rey is happening before her first album has even been released. This reveals a cultural obsession with the "authenticity" that fans, artists and corporations all prize above all else.
One thing Lana Del Rey did to the Internet:
Lana Del Rey started kicking up a ton of controversy on music blogs before she even had a single out.
A moral:
This is how efficient our online music press is now: With a slow enough connection, you might actually see how the sausage was made (and marketed) before you even smell it cooking.
One thing Lana Del Rey did to the Internet, one thing the Internet did to Lana Del Rey, and a moral:
Anyone who lives online understands intuitively how to create a recombinant persona out of selective self-revelation and carefully chosen old-movie screen grabs; Tumblr being a not-for-profit enterprise for most people, it's no wonder that the notion of some rich girl leveraging those same tricks to get her sad-eyed fuckdrone avatar a deal with Interscope drove the blogosphere batty and compelled the target market to shoot back. We won't get into the irony of the Instagram Generation carping about authenticity — Check it out, I made this picture of me writing a snippy tweet about Lana Del Rey look like I took it with a light-leaky plastic camera in 1973! — or the long and noble tradition of pop musicians doing a little punch-up on their biographical details in order to set their work in an imaginary context; the point is that Born to Die, Lizzy Grant's second debut album, arrived in stores today, under a cloud, and I've spent four paragraphs reviewing the buzz because talking about the music feels like pretending the case isn't closed.
A moral, one thing the Internet did to Lana Del Rey, one thing Lana Del Rey did to the Internet:
The Lana Del Rey-bashing economy moves faster than the actual Lana Del Rey economy, a reminder of how free people feel to clobber someone, especially a young woman, for the crime of art.
Two things the Internet did to Lana Del Rey, three times:
In posts and comment sections on many of the same blogs that had helped Del Rey take off in the first place, listeners lashed out as though they'd been betrayed, expunging the abject corporate product they'd accepted so trustingly into their hearts. In this blood sport, the blog Hipster Runoff played the (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) head cheerleader: "She was basically a failed mainstream artist who is being 'rebranded' behind major label dollars," one post sniped.
The social-media hive immediately savaged her shaky [SNL] performance for the very qualities that initially sparked interest in the singer.
One thing with a moral:
As the buzz built, Del Rey unfairly got thrown into the lion's den, although it's hard to pity someone who so clearly craves the limelight.
Some more things the Internet did to Lana Del Rey:
LDR was a blogosphere 'passion project' that we incubated, and got to 'tear down' for the sake of generating, controlling, and commenting our own content. We enjoyed it, sorta like while u r stroking ur peen, but then u finally 'effing blow', and you are not sure whether you should admit 'how good' it felt.
The Twitterverse reaction was swift and not at all kind.
Comment boards and social networks expressed their shock and dismay at Del Rey's gossamer [SNL] performance.
Article after article, tweet after tweet, the witch hunt grew.
The Internet has not yet killed Ms. Del Rey. But oh, is it trying, with a combination of skepticism about her motives and skepticism about her appearance and skepticism about her identity.
Some things Lana Del Rey did to the Internet:
She nearly [ripped] the Internet apart.
She caused the Internet to explode a couple weeks back.
She makes the buzz over Nikki Minaj seem like a shrew's fart.
Lana Del Rey finally marginalized 'the decently-enough-thought-out opinion piece' into a worthless meme that any one could poop out.
#LDRSNL marked another maturation/retardation milestone for 'online indie journalism', bringing the indie blogosphere from a humble place that posted MP3s with generally positive/neutral commentary, and flung us right into the generalist meme-blurb content farm spotlight.
She gave internet blogs tons of hits.
Some things Lana Del Rey did (but it's not very much):
Ms. Del Rey generates so much anger precisely because she does so little. People don't know what to do with this unformed thing they've been told they need to care about; crushing it is easy, almost humane.
Del Rey has managed, like a slow car in the left lane, to make everyone around her angry and over-invested, despite doing relatively little.
Some wisdom:
The comment-thread-stoning culture of the Web always favors early renouncers; as long as you're dubious about everything, you never end up feeling like a mark.
The arguing about The Meaning Of Lana Del Rey was one of the Internet's most wearying pastimes this year, with nearly every ugly behavior that could be manifested by the Internet's anonymous hivemind coming up at least once.
Some wisdom on exposure:
The Internet, as always, is a double-edged sword.
When success is measured in YouTube views, all publicity is good publicity.
Social networking didn't change the old rule that all publicity is good publicity.
If you printed out every word that was written on the Internet about Lana Del Rey by the time her debut album, Born to Die, leaked earlier this week, the resulting stack of paper would reach from the lowest point on Earth to the moon. OK, that's probably not true.
The last song on Lana Del Rey's debut album, Born to Die, could probably fuel enough comments-box arguments to keep a feminist pop-culture blog afloat for a good six months.
Cultural criticism on the internet is dying because we finally realized that the voices behind blogs, twitter feeds, and authentic writing outlets are as fat, bored, uninspired, and jealous as the fat, bored, uninspired, and jealous voices that we thought we had escaped from.
Twitter now helps define—not demolish—pop cool.
Some wisdom on hatred:
It's not the intense, seemingly inexplicable hatred towards Del Rey that's surprising; it's that we're surprised by her at all.
For all the nasty Internet comments written about her, nobody hates her (or "her") as much as she ("she") does. There, I've solved the Internet for you.
There's something weirdly mean about all the negative press Del Rey has received before Born To Die was even released. It's like high-school level meanness, directed at someone who wants to be a star and is really going for it. It's like being punished for ambition.
Del Rey has started to reveal herself as a real girl, and the Internet musters only unconsidered hateration.
But then again:
Music bloggers agree almost unanimously: the voice, lyrics, arrangements, melody – it's all there.
But then again again:
As it happens, blogs don't really affect popular success, at least not as far as the mainstream is concerned.
Some wisdom on velocity:
This fear of being fooled is hardly a new phenomenon, but it's one of many things that Web discourse amplifies and accelerates.
The internet has allowed figures like her to come rapidly to the fore of the cultural landscape, whether or not their emergence is planned by a record executive or happens spontaneously from someone's bedroom. It has speeded up the fame cycle.
Everyone rips off everyone else, intentionally or otherwise. The internet just makes it easier to figure out who is ripping off from whom (if there is, in fact ripping happening).
Some feminist morals:
Maybe Del Rey is the victim of a few unimpressed music writers and her own good looks.
The conversation surrounding Lana Del Rey has underscored some seriously depressing truths about sexism in music. She was subjected to the kind of intense scrutiny-- about her backstory and especially her appearance-- that's generally reserved for women only.
(Grant says she's undergone no surgical procedures.) Surely no equivalent male star would be subject to the same level of examination.
Some wisdom from Lana Del Rey in October:
I think people got really bored on the Internet.
Authentic or not, her words are true. She wins.


text:
China discourages fasting for Uighur Muslims
By ALEXA OLESEN, Associated Press – Aug 3, 2012
BEIJING (AP) — China is discouraging some Muslims in the far western region of Xinjiang from fasting during Ramadan. The government says the move is motivated by health concerns, but others said Friday that it's a risky campaign to secularize the Muslim minority that will likely backfire.
Several city, county and village governments in Xinjiang have posted notices on their websites banning or discouraging Communist Party members, civil servants, students and teachers from fasting during the religious holiday. Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink from dawn to dusk during the 30-day period.
Regional spokeswoman Hou Hanmin was quoted in the state-run Global Times newspaper Friday as saying authorities encourage people to "eat properly for study and work" but don't force anyone to eat during Ramadan.
Xinjiang is home to the traditionally Muslim Uighur ethnic group. Long-simmering resentment among Uighurs over rule by China's Han majority and an influx of migrants has sporadically erupted into deadly violence.
Those familiar with the region say attempts to restrict participation in Ramadan are not new, but this year's campaign is more intense.
There is "a much more public and concerted effort" than in previous years and in some cases Communist Party leaders are delivering food to village elders to try to get them to break their fast, according to Dru Gladney, a professor of anthropology at Pomona College in California and an expert on China's Muslim minorities.
"I think it is a misguided effort to try to secularize the Uighurs and my feeling is it will backfire," said Gladney. "It makes the Uighurs even more angry at the party for not honoring their religious customs."
Separatist sentiment is rife in Xinjiang, with some Uighurs advocating armed rebellion. A smaller fringe has been radicalized by militant calls for Muslim holy war and trained in camps across the border in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
In July 2009, rioting between Uighurs and Han Chinese killed nearly 200 people in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi. Uighur activists say the riots were the result of decades of pent-up frustration with Chinese rule.
China has responded by boosting police presence and restricting the practice of Islam — moves that have ratcheted up tensions.
Over the last few months, authorities in Xinjiang have stepped up a campaign against illegal religious schools, which they believe are fomenting extremism and separatist thought.
Hou, the regional spokeswoman, said battling religious extremism and terror in the region remains a priority.
"Religious extremism is closely related to violence and terrorism, and cracking down on these is one of our top priorities," Hou was quoted as saying.
Ilham Tohti, a Beijing-based Uighur economist, said this year's campaign against participation in Ramadan was being more strictly enforced, with officials in some areas requiring people to sign pledges that they won't take part in religious activities.
Tohti said the campaign appeared aimed solely at Uighurs in Xinjiang, noting that Kazakh and Hui Muslims in Xinjiang and Uighurs outside the region face no such restrictions.
At the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing, where Tohti teaches, there have been no warnings against taking part in Ramadan and up to 70 Muslim students, including about 10 Uighurs, gather nightly at a local restaurant next to campus to break their fast, he said.
He said officials may be particularly nervous about potential unrest in Xinjiang in the lead up to a once-a-decade leadership transition that will kick off in Beijing in the fall.
"As a result they are tightening control measures in many areas, not just religion, but this could give rise to new problems and they may end up with an outcome that is the opposite of what they were seeking," he said.
On Monday, the U.S. State Department released a global report on religious freedom that criticized authorities in Xinjiang for their "repressive restrictions on religious practices" and failure to "distinguish between peaceful religious practice and criminal or terrorist activities."
China's Foreign Ministry dismissed the U.S. report as biased and called it interference in Chinese affairs.
Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
SAWYER v. U S(1906)
[Messrs. [202 U.S. 150, 151] The writ of error in this case brings before this court a judgment of conviction of murder, rendered in the circuit court of the United States for the eastern district of North Carolina.
The plaintiffs in error were indicted at the fall term, 1905, of the United States district court for the eastern district of North Carolina, Wilmington division, for the murder, by shooting, on the 28th day of October, 1905, of E. R. Rumill, captain, John T. Hall, mate, John Falbe, cook, C. L. Smith, engineer, and John S. Coakley, seaman, committed on the high seas and within the jurisdiction of the court wherein the indictment was found, and on board of the American vessel called the Harry A. Berwin. The indictment alleged that after the shooting the deceased were thrown into the sea. Upon the trial of the plaintiffs in error in November, 1905, in the United States circuit court for the eastern district of North Carolina, to which court the indictment had been duly transferred for trial, they were convicted of the murder of the first four named in the indictment. The court told the jury that the defendants were not charged with killing Coakley, and, if charged in the bill, there was no evidence to support the charge. [202 U.S. 150, 152] There is no question made as to the sufficiency of the indictment or of the jurisdiction of the court.
It appeared on the trial that the plaintiffs in error were part of the crew, and, together with one Henry Scott, who was also one of the crew, were the only living persons found on the Berwin when they were arrested by the crew of a small boat, that was put off from a schooner called the Blanche H. King, which was then proceeding on a voyage up the coast from Brunswick, Georgia, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and had arrived at a point about 32 miles southwest from Cape Fear bar. The attention of Captain Hohn W. Taylor, of the schooner, was directed about 9 o'clock in the evening in the month of October, 1905, to a vessel just ahead of him, on account of the manner in which she was carrying her lights, and because she was right in the track of his own vessel. He sent a small boat, manned by several seamen, to the vessel (which proved to be the Berwin), and the boat brought back the plaintiffs in error and Scott, who, on being brought to the deck of the vessel and telling their story, were put in irons by direction of the captain, who then steered his vessel for the nearest port, which was Southport, North Carolina, where the men were delivered to the Federal authorities. Upon the trial of the indictment which was found against the plaintiffs in error, the man Scott was called as a witness, and swore to the murder by the plaintiffs in error while the vessel was at sea, and on or about October 28, 1905
Scott was subsequently indicted alone for the murders, and was also convicted, the plaintiffs in error being witnesses against him, and they testified that he committed the murders. He has been reprieved by the President, so that he may be again used as a witness against the plaintiffs in error in case of a new trial being granted to them.
Corcoran Thom, George Rountree, and Henry P. Blair for plaintiffs in error.
[202 U.S. 150, 154] Solicitor General Hoyt for defendant in error.
Mr. Justice Peckham, after making the foregoing statement, delivered the opinion of the court:
The first question to be noticed in this case arises by reason of these facts: When the case was called for trial the clerk proceeded to call the names of the jurors, and the record shows that: [202 U.S. 150, 158] 'While the jury was being impaneled several jurors were called, and as each juror appeared he was told by the district attorney to stand at the foot of the panel, without any challenge on the part of the government, and without an opportunity given to defendants to accept, challenge for favor or cause, or to peremptorily challenge any and all of said jurors so stood aside.
The inquiry is whether the court had the power to permit such conditional challenge by the government.
The origin of this practice is stated by Mr. Justice Field in delivering the opinion of the court in Hayes v. Missouri, 120 U.S. 68 -71, 30 L. ed. 578-580, 7 Sup. Ct. Rep. 350, 351, It is there said:
The question here involved was not directly before the court in that case, but the accuracy of the statement is not questioned. It is not disputed that the practice has prevailed in [202 U.S. 150, 159] the state of North Carolina ever since the foundation of the state, and it has also prevailed in South Carolina and Pennsylvania.
In 1790 Congress provided for granting certain peremptory challenges to the defendant (1 Stat. at L. 119, chap. 9), but no peremptory challenge was allowed to the government.
While the government was thus situated in regard to peremptory challenges, the case of United States v. Marchant, 12 Wheat. 480, 6 L. ed. 700, came before the court. The question directly involved was whether persons jointly charged in the same indictment for a capital offense had a right by law to be tried separately without the consent of the prosecutor, and it was held that persons so jointly charged had not that right, but that such separate trial was a matter to be allowed in the discretion of the court. In the course of the opinion, however, which was delivered by Mr. Justice Story, it was stated as follows:
It is true that the matter involved in the Marchant Case did not call for this statement, as the direct question was not in issue. It was made argumentatively, as one reason for denying the right claimed by defendant in that case. Subsequently the circuit court of the United States in Pennsylvania, in 1830, followed the views expressed in the Marchant Case. United States v. Wilson, Baldw. 78, Fed. Cas. No. 16,730. In that case the right was claimed by the district attorney and denied by counsel for defendant, but was allowed by the court upon the ground that it considered the opinion of the Supreme Court as a recognition of the qualified right of the United States to challenge, and directed the juror to be put aside until the panel was exhausted, declaring that if that should happen and the juror be again called, the United States could not then challenge him without showing cause.
Again, in the case of United States v. Douglass, 2 Blatchf. 207, Fed. Cas. No. 14, 989, which was decided in 1851, this qualified right of challenge was conceded to exist by Mr. Justice Nelson, who presided on [202 U.S. 150, 161] the trial in that case, but was denied by District Judge Betts, who sat with him. The case was tried in the southern district of New York, in which state no such right of conditional challenge existed. A motion for a new trial was made before the same court, and Judge Nelson said in his opinion, in denying the motion, that 'this qualified right of challenge without cause is the settled doctrine of the common law, and has been recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States in the case of United States v. Marchant, supra, and has been practised upon in some of the circuits.' The judge then said that the doubt as to the right of the government arose by reason of the passage of the act of July 20, 1840 (5 Stat. at L. 394, chap. 47), providing for the designation of jurors to serve in the Federal courts, and empowering those courts to make rules and regulations for conforming the designation and impaneling of jurors to the laws and usages of the states as they may exist at the time. A rule to that effect has been adopted in the southern district of New York. The justice further stated in his opinion that the act of 1840 applied only to the mode and manner of drawing or selecting the jury,-that is, by ballot, lot, or otherwise,-as prescribed by the state laws, and that it did not affect the questions involved in the right of challenging the jurors called, whether peremptorily or for cause; and that those questions stand upon the common law, except where regulated by the act of Congress. Judge Betts, in his opinion, which is set forth in the report, held that no such right existed, certainly not in the states where such practice was not recognized.
In 1855 the case of United States v. Shackleford, 18 How. 588, 15 L. ed. 495, came before the court. It arose on a certificate of difference of opinion between the judges holding the circuit court of the United States for the district of Kentucky. The question was whether the defendant, who was indicted for a misdemeanor, was entitled to any peremptory challenges, and, as the judges were divided in opinion, they certified the question of difference to this court. Mr. Justice Nelson, in delivering the opinion of the court, stated that the power conferred upon [202 U.S. 150, 162] the Federal courts under the act of 1840, supra, enabled those courts to adopt rules and regulations for conforming the designation and impaneling of jurors to the laws and usages in force at the time in that state, and that by virtue of that act the courts were enabled to adopt those laws and usages in respect to challenges of jurors, whether peremptorily or for cause, and in cases both civil and criminal, with the exception therein stated. It was further held that, as the act of 1790 (1 Stat. at L. 119, chap. 9) gave persons indicted for treason a certain number of peremptory challenges, etc., that act expressly recognized the right of peremptory challenge, and the right should be regarded as excepted out of the power of the courts to regulate the subject by rule or order under the aforesaid act of 1840. Mr. Justice Nelson further observed as to the common law that it 'gave to the King a qualified right of challenge in these cases, which had the effect to set aside the juror till the panel was gone through with, without assigning cause, and if there was not a full jury without the person so challenged, then the cause must be assigned or the juror would be sworn.' Continuing, he said:
In the case before us the laws or usages of the state permitted this qualified right of challenge by the government. No case in this court has been cited, nor have we found one, that decides the question now before us. Those which we have referred to, whether of this court or the circuit courts of the United States, were, at any rate, decided before the passage of the act of Congress of 1865 (13 Stat. at L. 500, chap. 86), amended in some particulars by the act of 1872 (17 Stat. at L. 282, chap. 333). These statutes gave peremptory challenges to the government, and the ques- [202 U.S. 150, 163] tion now presented is whether, after Congress has dealt with the subject of such challenges, the former qualified right of challenge on the part of the government still exists in those states where such practice obtains, and the practice has been adopted by a rule of court in the courts of the United States. Section 800 of the Revised statutes of the United States (U. S. Comp. Stat. 1901, p. 623) in substance reproduces the act of 1840 above referred to, so that the subject must be considered with reference to that section as well as the statute which gives challenges to the government.
The question arose in United States v. Butler, 1 Hughes, 457-467, Fed. Cas. No. 14-700, The trial was held before Chief Justice Waite and Judge Bond in the United States circuit court for the district of South Carolina in April, 1877. Upon the impaneling of the jury a juror was called and was examined on his voir dire, and was then told by the counsel for the government to stand aside. The defense objected, and insisted that the prosecution must either exercise the right of challenge or waive it entirely and at once. The court held that this rule was in force when the government had no right of peremptory challenge, but as the right of peremptory challenge had been given to the prosecution, it should be given the same right with the defense and should exercise the right at once or not at all.
This decision of the Federal circuit court is the only one brought to our attention that has been decided since the passage of the acts of Congress, giving the right of peremptory challenge to the government. It was by virtue of the act of 1840, already mentioned (Rev. Stat. 800), that the Federal courts have been enabled to adopt the laws and usages of the state in respect to the challenging of jurors, whether peremptorily or for cause. United States v. Shackleford, supra.
When the Federal statute granted the right to a certain number of peremptory challenges to the defendant in criminal cases, it was said that such right must be regarded as excepted out of the power of the court to regulate the same by rule or [202 U.S. 150, 164] order under the act of 1840. As the statute prescribed the number of challenges to the defendant, the court could not, therefore, proceed under the act of 1840, and by rule or order prescribe any other number, or none at all, in accordance with the practice of the state courts in that respect. The Federal statute was held to be exclusive of any other regulation on the subject, because to give any other number of challenges to the defendant would be inconsistent with the provisions of the Federal statute, even though the matter of peremptory challenge was provided for by the state practice. In such a case the power to provide by rule of court was to be regarded as excepted from the provisions of the act of 1840.
But, in giving by statute the right of peremptory challenge to the government in certain cases, it does not necessarily affect the exercise of the power of the government to challenge in this qualified manner. A conditional or qualified right of challenge is not inconsistent with the existence of the right of peremptory challenge given by statute. The two may co-exist, and the government may exercise the right of peremptory challenge given by statute and in the same case exercise the qualified or conditional challenge, as in the case at bar.
It was stated in the opinion in the Shackleford Case that unless the laws or usages of the state (adopted by rule by the Federal courts under the act of 1840) allowed it, the right should be rejected, and the practice conformed in that respect to the state law. But in North Carolina the state law permits such qualified right of challenge, and the court in this case made the order to follow the state practice, there being no United States statute on the subject.
In Pennsylvania, which is one of the states where the practice has always obtained, the supreme court held that a statute giving peremptory challenges does not take away this right of the government. Haines v. Com. 100 Pa. 317, 322; Com. v. O'Brien, 140 Pa. 555, 560, 21 Atl. 385.
To the same effect are the decisions in North Carolina. The [202 U.S. 150, 165] right remains notwithstanding the enactment of a law giving peremptory challenges to the state. State v. Benton, 19 N. C. (2 Dev. & B. L.) 196- 203; State v. Hensley (1886) 94 N. C. 1021.
The courts of Georgia and Florida are of a different opinion. Sealy v. State, 1 Ga. 213, 44 Am. Dec. 641; Mathis v. State, 31 Fla. 291, 315, 12 So. 681.
We are of opinion that the passage of the acts of Congress, granting peremptory challenges to the government, has not taken away the qualified right of challenge under discussion in this case. As we have said, there is certainly nothing in the statute granting peremptory challenges to the government to prevent its exercise of the other kind of challenge when permitted in the state, and where it has been adopted by the Federal court as a rule, or by special order, as in this case. The exercise of this right is under the supervision of the court, and it ought not to be permitted to be exercised unreasonably, or so that the interests of the defendant might be unduly prejudiced. The court should take special care to that end.
In this case it appears that neither the goverment nor the defendants had exhausted all their peremptory challenges when the jury was obtained. We think it plain that the government's right of qualified challenge was not unreasonably exercised, and the rights of the plaintiffs in error suffered no injury by the course permitted by the court.
Another question argued arises upon the cross-examination by the district attorney, of the plaintiff in error Adams, who voluntarily became a witness on the trial on his own behalf and in behalf of his fellow plaintiff in error. The cross-examination referred to the conduct of the witness on a previous voyage and on a different vessel, in regard to which nothing had been said on the examination of the witness in chief.
It has been held in this court that a prisoner who takes the stand in his own behalf waives his constitutional privilege of silence, and that the prosecution has the right to cross-examine him upon his evidence in chief with the same latitude as would [202 U.S. 150, 166] be exercised in the case of an ordinary witness, as to the circumstances connecting him with the crime. Fitzpatrick v. United States, 178 U.S. 304 , 44 L. ed. 1078, 20 Sup. Ct. Rep. 944.
It is contended on the part of the plaintiffs in error that within this rule the cross-examination was improper, as the subject-matter of the cross-examination had no tendency to connect the prisoner with the alleged crime for which he was on trial.
The district attorney, on his cross-examination, began with questions relating to the experience which the witness had had as a seaman, and asked him in regard to the vessels that he had sailed on. It appeared that he had been one of the crew, among others, of the schooner Benefit, for some fifteen months, whose captain was a man named Falkner. He was then asked if during the latter part of the fifteen months he was on the schooner he did not have trouble and try to create insubordination on board that vessel. This question was duly objected to by counsel for defendants, and the objection overruled by the court and an exception allowed. He answered that he was not logged, and then stated that the trouble arose from the cook giving them molasses to make tea, which he said was not right, and he and three other men went to the captain and asked him if he thought it was right, and the captain said they did not have sugar and would have to use molasses. The witness took the tea and threw it overboard; that he never went among the men and tried to create dissatisfaction among them; that the captain never threatened to put him in irons, and when he left the Benefit he shipped on another vessel named the Benj. Russell, where he stayed for over three months.
It is unnecessary in this case to inquire whether the cross- examination was within the prescribed limits, because the witness denied that he had any trouble, or that he had ever tried to create any trouble, or that there was any insubordination on his part on board the vessel named. What he said in regard to the facts showed that there was neither trouble nor [202 U.S. 150, 167] insubordination. The government made no attempt to contradict the evidence of the witness on this subject, and hence there could have been no harm arising from the cross-examination. There are some state authorities which hold that the error, if any, is not cured by answer of the witness denying the charge. But we think the better rule is where, as in this case, it is plain that there is no injury, the exception is not available.
The plaintiffs in error also ask for a new trial because of the remarks made by the district attorney in summing up to the jury, and the action of the court thereon.
In the course of his remarks, and in speaking of the fact that during the time these murders were being perpetrated, one of the plaintiffs in error had testified that he drank some coffee, the district attorney said, 'A man, under such circumstances, who would drink coffee, ought to be hung on general principle.' This remark the counsel for the plaintiffs in error objected to, and, after hearing counsel on the objection, the court directed the district attorney to confine himself to a proper argument, and thereupon the district attorney expressed his regret if he had made an improper argument, and withdrew the remark.
When the objection was first made by counsel for the plaintiffs in error the court asked if he wanted to cut the district attorney off from making any argument, but thereupon the court immediately directed the district attorney to confine himself to a proper argument, as above stated.
Counsel for the plaintiffs in error objected to both the remarks of the district attorney and the comments of the court as made, and counsel asked to be allowed to file an exception. Upon this request the court replied, 'I will give counsel the benefit of a statement that he has made an exception which the court considers frivolous.'
The remark of the district attorney was not appropriate argument and should not have been made, but we see nothing more that could have been done than was done by the court as soon as the objection was made by the counsel for the plain- [202 U.S. 150, 168] tiffs in error. Counsel, in summing up to a jury, are under some excitement, and may naturally make a remark or statement which is improper. But there is not, on that account, any ground laid for setting aside a verdict where, as in this case, the court held it was improper, and the counsel withdrew and apologized for it. Dunlop v. United States, 165 U.S. 486 -498, 41 L. ed. 799-803, 17 Sup. Ct. Rep. 375. Under such circumstances it does seem as if the exception were frivolous, and the court, in stating its opinion to that effect, is not open to censure.
The error assigned that the court said the plaintiffs in error were not charged with the murder of Coakley, when in fact the bill contained his name, has not been pressed, and we think there is no merit in it. The court said that if charged in the bill, there was no evidence to support such charge. Certainly no harm was thereby done the plaintiffs in error.
Upon full consideration of all the objections urged by counsel for the plaintiffs in error, we think no ground appears for granting a new trial. The judgment is affirmed.
Mr. Justice White dissented.


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In a country this battered, fractured, dysfunctional – how much can she really hope to achieve?
The issue of female education in Pakistan has exploded after Malala Yousafzai was attacked by the Taliban for publicly advocating for girls to receive more schooling. This attack has lead several media outlets to take a more serious look at the gendered cultural and economic opportunities (or lack thereof) for girls within Pakistan. This NPR podcast also speaks of the real options in front of so many girls like Malala and the cultural and political contexts within which they navigate their lives.
Tags: gender, South Asia, podcast, culture, Islam, development, unit 3 culture.
See on www.theglobeandmail.com


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Pork producers participating in the National Production and Financial Database want to make sure their software conforms to the database standards.
To ensure this compatibility, software vendors were challenged to identify a set of requirements for all suppliers.
Additionally, they were asked to develop a vendor certification process that will ensure producers' data entry is as efficient as possible. The process has two steps — compliance and certification.Production Software Providers
Production-based software vendors can certify their breeding herd software and grow/finish records software separately.
To simply attain compliance, the software must collect the standard data. Data element compliance means Pork Office can read the data files directly and assemble the information needed. This allows the software to produce the standard production-stage and productivity reports by combining standard production data elements with the corresponding NPPC standard financial data elements provided by Pork Office.
To attain the certified status, the software must meet all compliant standards, including the optional requirements. The software also must have full documentation explaining how to use it, and all terminology and definitions must match the standards.Financial Software Providers
Financial software will have two compliant levels and a certified level.
To attain "level one" compliance, the software must produce the data elements and reports at the Total Pork level. The data elements are produced from date range reports and must be exported in an ASCII file format. The inventory adjustments at this level can be done manually.
At the "level two" compliant status, the software must meet level-one compliance plus generate cost/profit center reports and data elements.
For a software program to be certified, it must meet both compliance levels plus do all inventory and allocations electronically. Likewise, vendor documentation must meet NPPC standards for explanation and instructions.
Table 1 is a display of the functions and features production and financial software providers offer. The functions will likely broaden over time. Additional features will likely be offered as compatibility issues are solved.
For additional contact information for the software providers, click here.
Daniel Uthe, National Pork Producers Council
To request a printed copy of this article and accompanying sample reports and educational spreadsheets, please click here to e-mail Jenny Felt or call (800) 767-6888.


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Last month Apple filed a lawsuit accusing Samsung of copying its iPhone and iPad design, most specifically with its Galaxy lineup. Samsung responded with a countersuit, claiming it was Apple and its iPhone and iPad that infringed on various patents, and that the company must stop doing so as well as compensate Samsung.
Samsung lost, and now it appears that it will be required to pony up to Apple for future products. A court document filed May 18 reveals that federal judge Lucy Koh has given the company 30 days to hand over the Galaxy S II, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 10.1 (all three of which are unreleased), Infuse 4G, and DROID Charge to Apple so that the Cupertino giant can decide if it wants an early injunction. Koh also said that since Samsung has begun advertising these products, it cannot argue that giving Apple access to them is unacceptable. She also quoted a Samsung executive who earlier this year said, "We will have to improve the parts [of the Galaxy Tab 10.1] that are inadequate. Apple made it [the iPad 2] very thin" as a reason that Apple may be justified in believing its competitor is imitating its own devices.
Koh did attempt to stay neutral however. "Although the Court expresses no opinion on the merits of Apple's claims, the Court notes that Apple has produced images of Samsung products and other evidence that provide a reasonable basis for Apple's belief that Samsung's new products are designed to mimic Apple's products.
The court document says that this access will give Apple time to "take early action to stop the allegedly infringing activity before Samsung's new products become established in the marketplace." It also says the court agrees that Apple deserves "limited expedited discovery" – something Apple had not requested, but authorities granted.
It isn't only the devices themselves that Samsung is being accused of copycatting: The packaging is also being called into question and called "directly relevant to Apple's trademark, trade dress, and design claims" which can create "consumer confusion." But the court doesn't want to appear one-sided, and goes on to acknowledge these actions will seriously aid Apple, and that it understands Samsung's concerns about "the sensitive nature of the information sought." Because of this, the court will not require a Samsung executive to testify, despite Apple's request. It also will not ask Samsung to produce "documents relating to any copying of design elements, or attempts to design around Apple's intellectual property relating to, the iPhone 4, iPad, and iPad 2," calling this request "broad and somewhat vague" on Apple's part.
While it's keeping any concrete, insider company information out of Apple's hands, granting the company access to arguably its most able competitor's forthcoming devices is a huge coup for Apple. Suppose that Apple is unable to find any evidence that Samsung has been using its' innovations as a blueprint – which is a big, big "suppose." Given the accusations and evidence Apple has produced thus far, we're certain it will. But if not, the company is being given even the slightest of slight edges over Samsung by getting the first look at its newest technology, although Apple's legal team will be denied access to the devices.
It's an interesting complication for the two companies, who have a business relationship: Apple could potentially spend $7.8 billion on components from the manufacturer.
Editors' Recommendations
- Forget Apple's newest iPad — the Galaxy Tab S8 should be your next tablet
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus vs. iPad Air 4
- Apple iPad Mini, Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.0 prices slashed for Black Friday
- Camera shootout: Can Huawei's P40 Pro Plus beat Apple, Samsung, and Google?
- Best Buy discounts iPad 10.2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e for Father's Day


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Words escape me on this one. I came in late to the game but devoured the Twilight books in about two weeks. I can't say that Stephenie Meyer is a great writer, but she can certainly write a compelling story. This trailer raises one big question for me: Where will part one end and part two begin? The Twilight series is like a drug, you either have a bad reaction to it, or can't get enough – whether you want to or not. Me? I wish this movie didn't excite me, but it does. I wish I had anticipated Star Wars Episode 3 as much as Breaking Dawn, but I don't. I wish I could read Madame Bovary as fast, but I can't!
See you on November 18.


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Yahoo mail configuration generator
smtp and pop3 configuration for Outlook and Outlook express
POP3/SMTP account for Yahoo mail - generate Outlook configuration
This online utility generates configuration for Outlook and Outlook Express. Simply fill your
Yahoo mail
address (and optional password and display name) and this online tool generates complette configuration for Outlook Express. Save the file to your computer, go to Outlook Express, click Tools menu -> Accounts -> Import and select the downloaded file with configuration. (This tool for
Gmail POP3
Gmail IMAP
Yahoo mail
Yahoo mail address
E-mail address for outgoing and incomming messages
Optional. Password to access Yahoo mail -
you do not need to fill it
, you can fill the pasword after import this configuration to Outlook
Display name
Optional. Name of the user sending email - name you want to show as sender from the account.
Other optional parameters - SMTP for Yahoo mail
SMTP Server
Server for outgoing mail. Yahoo mail uses smtp.live.com
SMTP Port
Port for outgoing mail. The dafault Yahoo mail smtp port is 465, you can also use standard SMTP port 25.
SMTP Secure
Secure connection for SMTP server. Default is checked
Optional Yahoo mail pop3 setting, configure pop3
POP3 Server
Incoming mail Server for POP3, Yahoo mail uses pop3.live.com
POP3 Port
IP port for POP3 communication. The dafault Yahoo mail smtp port is 995.
POP3 Secure
Secure connection for POP3 Yahoo mail server
POP3 User Name
Login information for POP3 and SMTP, login name (Account name) - usually same as Yahoo mail address
File name
Name of the mail account (you will see the name in a list of email accounts in Outlook).
This utility is
online ASP demo
Outlook email configuration exporter
Another online samples (utilities, converting, upload)
On-line base64 decoder and encoder
- let's you convert text data and files from/to a Base64 string.
Punycode/IDN decoder and encoder
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URL Encoder, escape
with charset conversion
URL Decoder, unescape
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Online binary file to SQL field (HexString or base16)
- let's you create an SQL statement to insert/update binary or a text file to a SQL database field. You can also create whole WSH (VBScript) to do the action.
Online Codepage & Charset text and file converter
- let's you convert text, html and files between many code pages.
Live upload with progress sample
- simple upload of files to ASP with progress bar.
Live upload with image preview
- Upload with many additional features: image preview, size preview and file type checking (before upload), server-side checking for file type, file contents, file size and upload size and more.
IAF password recovery
- Recovery passwords from your IAF File.
Online IAF file generator
- Create email account configuration file for Outlook express online.
Online IAF decoder
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Gmail pop and smtp configuration generator
- Outlook config for Gmail.
quoted-printable encoder online sample
quoted-printable decoder online sample
Related links
Outlook email account exporter
Create an IAF file with POP3 account data
© 1996 - 2005
Antonin Foller
Motobit Software


text:
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kedon Slovis didn't grow up in the Los Angeles area, and Southern California's rivalry with UCLA doesn't yet loom as large for him it does for his fellow Trojans and Bruins playing against lifelong friends for yearlong bragging rights.
When USC's freshman quarterback got his first taste of the famed crosstown showdown Saturday, he still took one enormous bite.
Slovis passed for a school-record 515 yards and threw four touchdown passes in USC's 52-35 victory over UCLA in the schools' 89th meeting.
Slovis and four 100-yard receivers carried the Trojans (8-4, 7-2 Pac-12) to the Victory Bell with another landmark performance in the 18-year-old passer's shockingly impressive debut season. During his fourth 400-yard performance in the last five games, Slovis surpassed Matt Barkley's single-game USC records against UCLA and against any opponent in the fourth quarter while coordinator Graham Harrell's offense racked up 643 yards.
"It's obviously an honor to be up on that list, (but) it's just a testament to the players around me," said Slovis, who also surpassed the school's single-season freshman yards passing record. "Any of you (reporters) in here could probably throw for 100 yards with these receivers."
Michael Pittman Jr. caught two touchdown passes and Vavae Malepeai rushed for two scores as the Trojans wrapped up their regular season with their 16th win in the last 21 meetings with UCLA. Drake London and Tyler Vaughns also caught TD passes while USC survived a tumultuous second half at the Coliseum and eliminated the rival Bruins (4-7, 4-4) from bowl contention.
A year after UCLA's Joshua Kelley broke the crosstown showdown's rushing yardage record, Slovis broke its passing record while leading USC to its 10th win in the Bruins' last 11 visits to the Coliseum. Slovis also had his third consecutive 400-yard passing game — another first in USC's lengthy history.
Not bad for a freshman who only got a shot to play as a freshman because of J.T. Daniels' season-ending knee injury.
"No, I didn't see him becoming the new superstar quarterback of college football," Pittman said with a grin.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson passed for 367 yards with TD throws to Demetric Felton, Devin Asiasi and Chase Cota for the Bruins, who will finish with four consecutive losing records for the first time since 1921-24, shortly after the school was established in 1919. Asiasi finished with a career-high 141 yards receiving.
"They had very good quarterback play and many receivers that can beat you," Chip Kelly said. "It's a seasoned offensive football team."
After Kelly won his first game in the rivalry last year, USC beat the Bruins for the fourth time in five years under embattled head coach Clay Helton. After starting 3-3 this year, USC finished the regular season with five wins in six games.
"It means a whole lot, especially based off of last year and what happened, and wanting to change the narrative and fix that.," USC defensive end Christian Rector said. "I think we did that as a team."
With both teams wearing their home jerseys in accordance with rivalry tradition, USC scored 28 consecutive points after falling behind 10-7 early. The Bruins hung around with TD catches by Asiasi and Cota, but Slovis hit Vaughns with a 49-yard TD pass on the opening snap of the fourth quarter. On USC's final scoring drive capped by Stephen Carr's TD run, Slovis blew past Barkley's USC-record 493 yards passing against Arizona in 2012.
"It is frustrating, but we made a lot of mistakes," UCLA receiver Kyle Philips said. "We didn't take advantage of their mistakes. We put up a decent amount of points, but left a lot on the table."
Unless Pac-12 South leader Utah stumbles late in the season, the Trojans have likely earned a trip to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on New Year's Eve. Whether they'll make it with Helton remains to be seen.
Fan calls for Helton's ouster have remained strong this year, but new university president Carol Folt and athletic director Mike Bohn haven't announced a plan. A decision is expected, but not guaranteed, before USC begins its bowl preparations.
"USC is an extremely special place, and always will be," Helton said. "It doesn't matter if I'm the coach or you're the coach.
A school-record four Trojans topped 100 yards receiving, and two Bruins also hit the mark. No game between Power Five teams had featured six 100-yard receivers since 2012, when Baylor and West Virginia did it.
"This is Wide Receiver U here," Vaughns said. "At any point in time, we have great receivers coming in and out of here, so I mean just knowing that, we are Wide Receiver U."
UCLA: The Bruins will miss out on a bowl game in three of four years for the first time since 1989-92, and Kelly's rebuilding project still has little traction after two seasons, even after a strong second half by the offense in this rivalry game. UCLA has given up 101 points in its last two games, guaranteeing another long winter without a bowl in Westwood. Next season looms large for Kelly and his credibility as a coach.
USC: Helton's future will dominate discussion until it is resolved, but his Trojans showed impressive resilience after a brutal first half of the schedule. Going 8-4 would be enough to keep most jobs, but USC's weak recruiting traction and widespread fan dissatisfaction won't be resolved by this victory.
UCLA: Host California on Saturday, Nov. 30.
USC: Regular season over. Most likely headed to the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 31.
More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25


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Forum for organising and discussing Australian/Oceanic time-zone LOTRO raids on the Imladris server.
/aussieplayers, raiding, forum, #organising, discussing, time-zone, lotro, raids, imladris, server
A forum about My Lego Network (MLN) , LEGO Universe, and for LEGO enthusiasts. We are forum based on LEGO discussion and more, we now are organising gaming events on minecraft, Mario Kart and more!
team, lego, message, boards, mylegonetwork, network, my-lego-network, universe, legouniverse, lmbs, mlnteam, legos, games, game, tips, mlntips


text:
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Buy Samsung Galaxy Note 9 On Jumia KenyaOne of Samsung's biggest flagship device; Samsung Galaxy Note 9 was officially launched in August 2019 and it is certainly worth the hype. Before the release of this smartphone, the brand had given its customers a fraction of what they are most likely to enjoy with this new smartphone but the Note 9 has no doubt surpassed the expectations of Samsung fans. The new Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is everything beautiful and more. The device is an upgraded version of the previous Galaxy Note 8, so if you thought you had seen it all with the Note 8, you would be shocked at the amazing features that the Note 9 comes with. The new super powerful Note 9 packs lots of amazing features that would blow your mind away. From the excellent display to the latest DeX software, the impressive camera technology as well as the S Pen's new features. Simply said, everything is perfect with the new Galaxy Note 9. The device comes in purple, black, and silver. The Samsung galaxy note 9 is an awesome phone even in 2022 and you can get one at Jumia for a low price of sh38000 which is a bargain.
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 Features
Design & Display:
When it comes to the body design, the new Galaxy Note 9 has a lot of similarities with its predecessor; the previous Galaxy Note 8. Although, there are a few notable changes. At first glance, the smartphone portrays class, style, and excellence. What do you expect to get from a high-end device from Samsung? Nothing, but the best! The phone is quite attractive as it comes with a matte metal aluminum frame with stylishly cut edges and a front and black glass that differentiates it from other high-end devices. Even though it might be quite difficult to hold while operating it because of its large size, with the newly designed S-Pen and other features such as the 3D touch home button, it is a lot easier to navigate the phone without stress. The new Note 9 comes with slimmer bezels that automatically gives you a premium feeling when you hold it. One of the major differences between the Note 8 and the Note 9 is that the fingerprint has been moved from the side of the camera to below the camera. The dual camera can be found at the rear of the device. The loudspeaker, audio jack, USB port, and the S Pen dock are located at the bottom. The Bixby button is placed at the left edge. This time, it can be disabled if you do not want to use it. There is also the presence of a Water Carbon Cooling System that helps to absorb heat and enables the device to run smoothly under heavy usage. If you are a lover of large display screens, you should consider the new Note 9 is probably the perfect phone for you. This display is no doubt the largest and best display screen ever produced by Samsung. The new flagship device comes with a massive and super attractive 6.4-inch Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen with 16M colors. The device comes with a very large infinity display that offers you a great entertainment experience and an immersed feeling as you get to watch your favorite movies on the display. There is an impressive Quad HD as well as a screen resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels with 516PPI that gives you realistic, sharp and bright colors. The brightness of the screen is designed to adjust automatically depending on the amount of light in your environment. There is the Corning Gorilla Glass that protects the screen against damage in case of accidental falls. Samsung created the new inbuilt Dex mode feature that enables you to connect to a much larger display through the use of an HDMI adapter.
Battery Capacity:
The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 features a 4000mAh battery capacity. The high-end device is the first Galaxy Note to come with a battery capacity as large as this. With this battery capacity, you are confident that you can go through your day without having to worry about your battery level once it is fully charged. The thermal spreader is larger than that of the previous Note 8 and the 4000mAh battery is designed to be used under heavy usage. The phone supports a fast-charging technology as well as a fast new dual wireless charger that can be used to power your phone and Galaxy watch simultaneously. There is also the Samsung Wireless Charging Duo feature that is designed to power two Qi-compatible devices at the same time; one would be charged on a baked-in- stand while the other would be charged lying flat.
Samsung is known for the camera quality of their phones and the Note 9 is no different. The device features a better AI-powered dual-camera setup as well as a dual pixel feature. The smartphone comes with a dual 12MP rear camera that features the f/2.4 aperture mode that is designed to shift the lens during the day to allow your photos come bright and excellent while the f/1.5 mode functions mostly in a dark environment. It helps to pull in light, which, in turn, creates a bright picture. The 12MP back camera also has other amazing features like the portrait mode, optical image stabilization as well as the 2X optical zoom. If you are a selfie lover, get ready to capture amazing selfies without blemish with the 8MP front camera. Also, there is a flaw detection feature which is new. This feature detects when a picture is blurry and alerts to retake it.
Software and Hardware:
This phone is one of the most powerful phones produced by Samsung so you are sure not to experience any glitch while operating the new Galaxy Note 9. The device runs on an Android 8.1 (Oreo) that can also be upgraded to the Android (9.0)+ Samsung Grace UX + Bixby virtual assistant. The phone is also powered by an Octa-core CPU - 4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 so you can be sure that apps and games would run much faster on this flagship device. With the new Note 9, there is the absence of a memory card SD slot, but not to worry, the device features a 512GB internal memory storage that is large enough to store all your files, documents, and multimedia.
The All-New S-pen & Security:
Samsung Note phones are known to have Stylus pens. However, the S-pen that comes with Galaxy Note 9 has enhanced features. The new S-Pen has a Bluetooth technology that allows you to control over 7 devices at the same time from a distance. You can also control different apps, Youtube, Powerpoint, and a lot more with the aid of this pen. Charging the stylus pen is a lot easier this time. Simply insert it into the device and it can be powered from 0-100% in 1 minute and used for 30 minutes. This is one of the features that distinguish the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 from other smartphones. The phone sports security features like the fingerprint scanner, Iris scanner, face recognition and the software screen lock which includes the PIN, password, pattern.e.t.c
Samsung Note 9 Specifications
Operating system: Android 8.1 Oreo
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845
Front camera: 8MP
Rear camera: 12MP + 12MP Dual camera
Battery capacity: 4000mAh (Non-removable)
Design & Display: 6.4 inches; 1040 x 2960 pixels
Sensor: Fingerprint scanner, Iris scanner etc


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For Immediate Release
September 13, 2013
For Information Contact:
Lori Foley
(781) 259-8652
Advice for Saving Damaged Family Treasures
Follow these steps to halt further damage
As the threat of flash flooding persists in Colorado, residents in affected towns and cities are being urged to seek higher ground. When the flooding ends, residents will begin the long journey of recovery. With homes flooded and lives upended, treasured possessions such as family heirlooms, photos, and other keepsakes become more cherished. Unless they are contaminated by sewage or chemicals, these treasures can be saved. The Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a coalition of 42 national organizations and federal agencies co-sponsored by FEMA and Heritage Preservation, offers these basic guidelines from professional conservators for individuals who discover their family treasures have been damaged:
Safety First! With any disaster there may be health risks. Wear long sleeves, sturdy shoes, and plastic or rubber gloves during cleanup. Protective gear such as goggles and a fitted face mask is recommended if there is mold.
Prevent Mold. Mold can form within 48 hours; you will need to work fast. The goal is to reduce the humidity and temperature around your treasures as you proceed to clean and dry them. If you do encounter extensive mold, use protective gear such as gloves, goggles, and an N100 face mask, available at most hardware stores.
Air-Dry. Gentle air-drying is best for all your treasured belongings—indoors, if possible. Hair dryers, irons, ovens, and prolonged exposure to sunlight will do irreversible damage. Increase indoor airflow with fans, open windows, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.
Handle with Care. Use great caution in handling your heirlooms, which can be especially fragile when wet. Separate damp materials: remove the contents from drawers; take photographs out of damp albums; remove paintings and prints from frames; place paper towels between the pages of wet books.
Clean Gently. Loosen dirt and debris on fragile objects gently with soft brushes and cloths. Avoid rubbing, which can grind in dirt.
Salvage Photos. Clean photographs by rinsing them carefully in clean water. Air-dry photos on a plastic screen or paper towel, or by hanging them by the corner with plastic clothespins. Don't let the image come into contact with other surfaces as it dries.
Prioritize. You may not be able to save everything, so focus on what's most important to you, whether for historic, monetary, or sentimental reasons.
Can't Do It All? Damp objects and items that cannot be dealt with immediately should be put in open, unsealed boxes or bags. Photos, papers, books, and textiles should be frozen if you can't get them dry within 48 hours.
Call in a Pro. If a precious item is badly damaged, a conservator may be able to help. Be sure to collect broken pieces. Set your treasure aside in a well-ventilated room until you find professional help. If a precious item has been exposed to contaminated water, seek a conservator's advice on salvaging it; your health and safety, and that of your loved ones, is of utmost importance. To locate a conservator, click on the "Find a Conservator" box on the home page of the American Institute for Conservation, www.conservation-us.org.
A free, online video guide demonstrating how to rescue soaked photographs, books, documents, and other valued items is available from Heritage Preservation. This 10-minute streaming video provides professional advice that benefits families as well as museum and library staff. View and link to the video at:
Additional resources for salvaging flood-damaged materials as well as a copy of this press release and the Task Force logo can be found here: http://www.heritagepreservation.org/PROGRAMS/flood.html
These recommendations are intended as guidance only. Neither the Heritage Emergency National Task Force nor its sponsors, Heritage Preservation and FEMA, assumes responsibility or liability for treatment of damaged objects.
Heritage Preservation (www.heritagepreservation.org) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the cultural heritage of the United States. By identifying risks, developing innovative programs, and providing broad public access to expert advice, Heritage Preservation assists museums, libraries, archives, organizations, and individuals in caring for our endangered heritage.
Heritage Preservation is co-sponsor with the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, a partnership of 42 national service organizations and federal agencies created to protect cultural heritage from the damaging effects of natural disasters and other emergencies.


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Sustainability US EPA 1312 - Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure
SGS has years of experience providing practical Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) solutions to the mining industry.
We have a comprehensive range of ARD testing capabilities including the US EPA 1312 Synthetic Precipitation Leaching Procedure.
The major objective of the EPA 1312 method Synthetic Precipitation Leach Procedure (SPLP) is to determine the mobility of inorganic phases present in waste materials in acid conditions caused by acidic rain. The pH adjusted extraction fluid is made by adding a 60/40 weight percent mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids to reagent water. The pH is adjusted to a level considered comparable to that of acid rain expected in either heavily industrialized areas east of the Mississippi River, or lesser-industrialized regions west of the Mississippi River.
Initial sample preparation involves reducing the sample until 80% of it passes a 9.5 mm screen. A representative sample is weighed into a container and is extracted with an amount of extraction fluid equal to 20 times the weight of the solid. Following extraction, the sample is rolled end over end for 18 hours. Then, the leachate is separated from the solid phase by filtering through a 0.6 to 0.8 µm glass fiber filter. Both phases are then analyzed.
SGS has developed a reputation as an organization that has the tools and experience to handle ARD testing. Partner with us to be confident that you completely understand the scope of your ARD situation.
Discover Our Sustainability Solutions
Achieve your sustainability goals with our range of sustainability services.


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MIHTARLAM, Afghanistan: A bomb strapped to the back of a donkey killed one policeman and wounded three civilians in eastern Afghanistan on Friday, officials said.
The explosives were set off when the animal walked close to a police post in the volatile district of Alingar in Laghman province early in the morning, provincial spokesman Sarhadi Zwak told AFP.
"The bomb on the back of the donkey was remotely detonated, one policeman was martyred and three civilians wounded," he said.
Provincial governor Fazlullah Mojadidi confirmed the incident and casualties.
The officials blamed the attack on Taliban militants who have been waging an insurgency against the western-backed Kabul government since they were overthrown in a US-led invasion in late 2001.
Although donkey bombs are rare in Afghanistan, they are occasionally used by insurgents to get close to targets.
Last August, a bomb strapped to a donkey blew up in the central province of Ghor killing a local police chief and injuring three others.
Friday's attack came two days after nine Taliban gunmen and suicide attackers stormed a court complex in the western province of Farah, killing at least 46 people and wounding up to 100 more.


text: The easiest growing job in present time is nurses. The volume of nurse practitioners and also nursing jobs students from worldwide is raising. There are many available careers for nurses whether authorized, licensed practical or volunteer nursing staff. Gerontology is probably the job areas making the interest in nurse practitioners really substantial. This fundamentally handles… Continue reading Choosing the Best Nursing Home


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Feeding for the Future
February 9, 2014
Breastfeeding. It is a loaded word. It is powerful. Every piece of evidence says we should be doing it. Makes sense – we are mammals – what are breasts but mammary glands?
So why is it such a challenge? Why is it so loaded? My theory is that it is an integral part of mothering. Mothering is so complex, yet so simple.
In New York, in this newish millennium, life is complex – so many choices, so many options, so many acceptable variations on "the norm." What is the norm? Who knows anymore?
For many years breastfeeding was considered special, exceptional. Well guess what? It isn't – simply put, breastfeeding is normal. That's all – normal. Of course, anyone who has breastfed will tell you that they feel special, exceptional. Well, being a mother is special, exceptional and normal. Procreation has kept the human race going. Well, breastfeeding has also kept the human race going. Mothering and breastfeeding go hand in hand.
So, what happened? Breastfeeding was replaced as was much of our nutrition and where has that gotten us? Going back to whole foods, sustainability. We are shopping for organic foods, preparing fresh meals. What about those of us who don't know how to cook, who don't have time to cook, who choose not to cook? Do we go hungry? No, we go out! The trend in restaurants is to offer fare that is seasonal and locally grown. It is green, good for the environment. The people have spoken and we want our health back.
Many mothers truly need to work to support their family. Many mothers are very fulfilled by their jobs outside of mothering and make a commitment to the balancing act of mothering, working, taking care of herself. The babies of these mothers want and deserve proper nutrition.
Babies can't speak so obviously. Those of you with babies know better. They want their milk and they want what is theirs. What about the moms who don't have enough milk, don't want to breastfeed, have to work and don't have access to quality pumps, or pumping breaks? Shouldn't these babies still get human milk? These babies deserve access to appropriate nutrition, their mothers deserve informed choice and these babies deserve access to banked human milk. The people need to speak out on behalf of our future. There is nothing more sustainable or greener than breastfeeding.
How can we make this happen? Create a need – if you are pregnant tell your health care providers that you will be breastfeeding and you want to know how they will support you and your baby. Talk to nursing moms, attend a La Leche League Meeting, take a breastfeeding class. If you are nursing, share your joys and challenges. Avoid nursing in the closet. If breastfeeding is not going well, surround yourself with support, seek help from an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, tell your health care providers and pediatrician.
Mothers need support. Let us support one another in our mothering. Sometimes we make different choices from our peers. Sometimes choices are made for us. Mothering is about the future – our babies are the future. Let us celebrate the next generation and work toward a healthier future for our children.


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Cramer Picks Apple Over Google
Debra Borchardt:
Android is 75% of the market share now, Jim. I mean we all thought Apple (:AAPL) owned this market and now we've got Android coming up 75% of the market share. If you had to choose between Google or Apple, which one would you pick?
I prefer Apple here. I'll tell you why. Both companies reported disappointing last quarters. Okay? Apple has fallen precipitously. Google (:GOOG) has fallen, not as much in percentage. But Google is in a lot of things that don't make a lot of money. They don't make as much money on Android as Apple does on its phones, even though Android is taking a lot of share. And then this advertising business is not a good business right now. Facebook (:FB), I think, is doing a lot of creative things starting from ground zero to do well on mobile. I would have thought that Google is making more money on mobile, but the issue is that Google could be going flat out on mobile and it still just doesn't generate the money that desktop did. So Google has a higher multiple than Apple, and since Apple has had two bad quarters, Google has had one, I think you have to...I like Google, but I worry about...
Debra Borchardt:
But if you had to pick, your pick is Apple.
Yes. Exactly. If I have to pick between the two of them I'm going to pick Apple. I mean, let's say you make it easy Google, Hewlett-Packard (:HPQ), or Dell (:DELL) ...
Debra Borchardt:
That doesn't make it easy for you.
Well you didn't make it easy so I'll pick Apple.
Debra Borchardt:
--Written by Debra Borchardt in New York.
>To contact the writer of this article, click here: Debra Borchardt.Follow @WallandBroad


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living will
Common Mistakes Women Make in Estate Planning!
A large amount of women hold a substantial amount of wealth in this country, however, many do not take the correct steps to protect their assets. It's a simple fact that Women live longer than men! By the time a woman is 85+ she will outnumber men by 25% and she is 9 times more likely to live past 100 than a man. When the husband gets ill, becomes disabled or passes away, it is the WIFE who is left to deal with the couples finances. Therefore, it is necessary for women to get more involved in the couple's finances well before any of these life changing events occur. What should a Woman avoid?
Putting off Estate Planning. Probating an estate without a will takes longer, cost more money, requires more court involvement and the state law determines who gets your possessions. But the biggest reasons you should have a will is to keep the family harmony! There's no excuse for putting your family through the drama of trying to probate an estate without a will!
Trying to Do It Yourself! There are numerous ways to transfer assets upon death and a will is just one of them! There are also numerous documents you may need depending upon your own circumstances.
- Who gets your stuff once you pass?
- Who gets the responsibility of being your executor and what does that mean?
- Who makes decisions for you upon disability or incapacitation?
- Who makes burial decisions once you pass?
- Do you need a Special Needs Trust now or upon your death so your spouse or child doesn't lose disability benefits?
These are all good questions to iron out with a professional! The cost of preparing a will by using a professional should not prevent you from being prepared. You can spend a little now or a lot later! However, the main reason you should leave it to the professionals is because doing it your self means there is good chance that you will make a mistake! I have had small and large estates where the person used a computer form incorrectly and it left us trying to figure out what they wanted to accomplish and cost the beneficiaries additional unnecessary expenses. I have also had clients write their own will giving away each of their assets to a specific person, but they forgot about after acquired items or potential future litigation.
Failing to Understand your financial situation. Many women find themselves lost when their husband passes away or becomes incapacitated because he was the one that handled the finances. While you may not want to be the one to deal with the bills on a daily basis you should always know what assets you have as a couple, how those assets are disposed of upon death, and what your estate plan is as a couple.
Failing to Probating Husband's Estate. Women are more likely than men to put off probating their spouses estate. Many women think that they get it all so there is no need to probate, but this always causes problems down the road. It is necessary to probate the will to transfer assets such as, bank accounts, investment accounts and real estate. What happens when you want to sell or refinance your house and it is still in both names? What happens when you pass away and your children try to probate your estate and there are joint accounts or property?
In Texas, a Will can only be probated within 4 years of death unless there are extenuating circumstances and then it can only be probated as a Muniment of Title. So waiting to probate a Will seriously limits your options! Do you really want your children to have to deal with your husband's estate years down the road? Do you really want the Court to tell you that you now only own one-half of your house because you failed to probate?
If your husband doesn't have a Will, then it is important to probate now rather than later! The main reason is because you or your children may not be able to find witnesses in 10 or 20 years. So as you can see it is very important to consult an attorney after your spouse dies to discuss the ways you can go about making sure you preserve your rights.
Failing to Consider the Possibility of Incapacity. Women live longer and are more likely to be the caregiver of their husbands or parents, so it is likely that a woman is going to have to deal with long-term care during her lifetime. For this reason, it is important for women to be informed, involved and understands her financial affairs. Here are a few questions you need to discuss with your estate planning attorney are:
- Do I need a Guardianship Designation? It lets you chose now rather than allowing a Court to decide who will have control over your person and finances if you become incapacitated or the POA's are not enough.
- Do I need to provide for a Special Needs Trust for disabled or incapacitated spouses or children? If your spouse or child receives financial assistance, you would not want to leave them assets that would affect this assistance.
- Do you need a Lady Bird Deed? This tool could help preserve your home to be left to your children at your passing being used to pay your creditors.
Failing to Consider Burial Plans. Since you will likely outlive your husband, have you considered that it will be up to you to make the funeral plans after his passing. Many women are too upset about their loss to handle these arrangements so it is left up to the children or funeral home. But what if you and your husband could make these plans in advance of either's passing? This doesn't mean you have to purchase burial plots and pay for burial plans! This just means you have a written plan in place and designate an agent to carry out this plan after you are gone. It makes sense to have such a plan because it is easier on the remaining spouse who has to deal with the loss or with the spouse's other family members.
Do I need a living will?
This is a common question I get asked by a variety of different types of clients. The simple answer is YES! A living will is not really a will, but is a physician's directive (also known as an advanced directive or Do Not Resuscitate). An advanced directive is governed by the Texas Health and Safety Code to allow people to choose what type of care they want if they need life-sustaining treatment. I believe that everyone should have a Physician's Directive to ensure that they get to make the decisions about life support and not burden their family with such decisions.


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Tips For Choosing A Roofing Company What To Consider When Choosing A Roofing Company
There is some danger that the people put themselves into when they get a poor roofing contractor and some of the time they do not know it. The client has to choose who does their roof and also that will matter on what results they will get. The demand that is there is an attraction for most of the investors and that is why there are so many companies they have set up. There is a variety of options that the client should choose from and that causes them challenges when making a great decision.
The necessity of the roof will require them to take their time so that they can pick right. There are some factors that the client should consider so that they can make a choice. The option that will be of benefit to them the most is what they have to check and that is what this article is able to lead them to.
While choosing, the client has to ensure that they look at the past records. The jobs most of the time are about the past results and they go a long way in showing what they can deliver. The benefit of looking at the track record is because they can relate the results that they want and the ones that have been delivered in the past.
The referrals are the ones that the client should speak with as another consideration. They are the past clients of the roofing company and they are the ones that offer the details of what the client should expect. So that they can decide, the experiences that the past clients have when it comes to the roofing company should be what they have to look at. Sampling a number of their views will give them accuracy in the decision that they will settle on.
The billing is the other consideration that they have to look at when making the decision. This is all about looking at the charges that the hiring of the client's services will cost them. They have to start off with making sure that they get a free quote before they settle on the option that they see fit. The cost has to be affordable for them since they have a budget that they must check into. The available resources should be the ones that the client caters for and that is what they use when making the budget. There are the bills that they can settle with ease and that can only happen when they have a low cost guarantee.
Overwhelmed by the Complexity of ? This May Help
The 4 Most Unanswered Questions about


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Just What Do The Rich Have That's Taxable?
In a lot of ways, Nick Hanauer is just like many Americans. He lives in Seattle with his wife and two children, and he grew up working in the family business, manufacturing pillows and comforters.
But recently, Hanauer wrote an opinion piece for Bloomberg News that was a plea to the government: "Please tax me more."
These days, Hanauer is a venture capitalist who was one of the first big investors in Amazon. He's not quite a billionaire, but not that far off, either, and he insists his plea is all about self-interest.
"I reject the idea that I am advocating higher taxes for myself and other wealthy people because I'm a good person or because I love you," Hanauer tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz. "Let me just be very clear: I do not love you. I value you as a potential customer, and we have rigged the economic system in a way to destroy my customer base."
The top income tax rate in America is 35 percent. If you earn $380,000 or more a year, that is, in theory, what you pay in federal income taxes. Many taxpayers in this category do, in fact, pay that rate, but some do not.
The richest of us, billionaires, derive the bulk of their wealth from stock appreciation. Their income strategies often reap hundreds of millions of dollars from those valuable shares in ways the IRS doesn't always classify as taxable income.
No Income, No Income Tax
Bloomberg reporter Jesse Drucker recently found out that, for the most part, the richest people in America pay nothing close to 35 percent.
"Larry Paige or [Sergey] Brin at Google, these are men who are extremely wealthy," Drucker says. "They get salaries of a dollar a year."
I value you as a potential customer, and we have rigged the economic system in a way to destroy my customer base.
That's because the wealthiest Americans make their money from money; from stocks and investments. And from a tax perspective there are huge advantages to that.
A wage is taxed automatically, but capital gains from stocks are only taxed when you cash them in. So Drucker found that many of the so-called super rich don't sell their investments at all. To buy cars and houses and groceries and clothes, they borrow money — often at very low rates.
Since 2003, the richest investors have been able to do even more, thanks to a rule change from the IRS. To avoid paying taxes, wealthy clients can make deals with investment banks for something called a variable prepaid forward contract.
"It basically [says]: 'I agree to give you my stock at a certain point in the future in exchange for cash now,'" Drucker says.
Drucker says the IRS doesn't necessarily consider that a sale of stocks, even though the bank may pay that investor hundreds of millions of dollars to temporarily own his shares. It allows the investor to avoid paying capital gains taxes, which right now are 15 percent.
So it's not exactly a bending of the rules, but more a bending of the spirit of the rules. In recent years, however, the IRS has been less likely to let people bend the spirit of its rules.
A couple of years ago, a billionaire investor named Billy Joe "Red" McCombs made one of these deals. It made him $259 million, but because it wasn't officially a sale, he didn't report that $259 million as income and it never showed up on a tax return, Drucker says.
"Very wealthy people are pretty regularly figuring out ways to cash out appreciated shares and appreciated real estate in ways that do not show up on tax returns," he says. "And the result of that is that the 17 percent rate that we hear often cited by Warren Buffett ... is probably much too high. In reality there are many folks paying effective tax rates that are much lower."
Venture capitalist Nick Hanauer, who makes about an eight-figure income annually, says his tax rate this year was about 11 percent. Most Americans think that the tax rate on the very wealthy is 35 percent, but Hanauer says this is absolutely not true.
"If you're a small business person earning $350,000 a year, your tax rate is 35 percent," he says, "but if you're a hedge fund guy or an incredibly rich person ... all of your income is from capital gains or dividends or tax-free municipal bonds – these things are taxed at much lower rates."
Paying A Fair Share
Hanauer invests in companies that hire people, so he is someone who might be called a job creator. Some economists and most Republican lawmakers argue that if you increase taxes on these people the result would be devastating for the economy.
But Hanauer says the economy is like an ecosystem and that its lifeblood is the spending power of the middle class, not people like him. He says business people spend their time fundamentally on two things: creating sales and cost containment. Or, as he puts it, "how to not create jobs."
"The fewer jobs you can create, for the revenue you create, the more profit you make," Hanauer says. "The only time that businesses create jobs is when middle-class consumers essentially put a gun to our heads, in the form of orders for products that we can't make ourselves, and then we hire people and create jobs."
His basic argument is to make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share in order to give the middle class some tax relief. So what's a fair share?
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a conservative economist and former director of the Congressional Budget Office under President George W. Bush, says that fairness is in the eye of the beholder.
"The wealthy now pay the dominant fraction of income taxes and they fund the dominant fraction of our government, but they pay a lower fraction of their income in taxes," Holtz-Eakin tells Raz. "So [if] fairness is either measured by how much of your income goes away or how much of the government you pay, you get a different answer."
The top 5 percent of income earners pay roughly 60 percent of income taxes, Holtz-Eakin says. In the end, he says, taxing is not a way to make any economy stronger — it's a necessary cost of having government services.
"We have to distribute the tax burden in some fair way to pay for it," he says. "So I think it's misleading to say we're going to use the tax policy to somehow make the economy grow better. It's actually a price, not a benefit."
Letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire across the board, as some have suggested, would have a strong negative impact, Holtz-Eakin says. Even the Obama administration's suggestion, of letting tax cuts expire only on the higher end of the income scale, wouldn't solve the problem. He says that if we want to raise money from the wealthy, we have to ask how we're going to raise it.
"The least effective way to raise it is to raise marginal tax rates," he says. "Let's do tax reform; that's what the Bowles-Simpson commission said [and] that's what all the fiscal commissions have said. If you want more revenue, you have to talk tax reform, because how you get it from the rich matters."
Defining Income
Perhaps what matters most is how you define income. Your wage is easy, everything else is more complicated. And Bloomberg's Drucker says that complication creates an inaccurate picture of income equality.
"The top 1 percent controls something like 34, 35 percent of the net worth or net wealth in this country, but topped out at about 20 percent of the income," he says. "So that shows you right there that the income inequality that we're talking based on tax return data from the IRS isn't really giving a full indication of the real level of inequality."
Hanauer, who's also written a book about taxes and income distribution called The Gardens of Democracy, says the system, as it is set up now, is actually bad for the economy. It's simply widening the gap between the richest and the middle class, he says.
"If Jeff Bezos and I had started Amazon in a poverty-stricken corner of Africa, there would have been no job creation, because there would be no people to buy the stuff from Amazon," he says. "The difference here is the American middle class, which is by every measure the most extraordinary economic achievement in the history of the world — and there is only one of those."
It is that American middle class that Hanauer calls "incredibly precious," not just for the American economy, but for the world's economy.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.