The MPAA movie ratings are supposed to provide information on a movie's content, so parents can decide whether or not it's suitable for their children.

 But what kind of information are they really providing? And what are they assuming we want to protect our children from?

 On Friday, "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For" will be released in a wide number of theaters. It features nudity, sexual situations and substance abuse. Every woman in it is a stripper, a prostitute or a murderer. There is violence and graphic gore, including one scene of a man having his eye plucked out and another of a man having his fingers broken with a pliers. It is rated R.

 That day, "Jersey Shore Massacre" also reaches theaters. It features nudity, sexual situations, substance abuse and ethnic and racial slurs. There is violence and graphic gore, including one scene of a woman being disemboweled, another of a naked woman getting her breasts sliced open and one of a man having his hands fed into a wood chipper. It is rated R.

 Also opening is "Love Is Strange." There is no nudity. There are no sexual situations. The drug or alcohol material mostly consists of adults having wine with dinner, or cocktails at a bar. There is no violence or gore. There are several scenes of men kissing, and two scenes of a gay couple sleeping together, fully clothed, in bed. It is rated R.

 If there's an equivalence among these three films, and their equal unsuitability for anyone under 17, it's lost on me — and, I suspect, on anyone but the censors at the MPAA.

 Not only is there nothing violent in "Love Is Strange," there's not even anything explicit. It is about as mild and mainstream a portrayal of gay life as you can imagine. Ben, played by John Lithgow, is a 71-year-old retiree. George, played by Alfred Molina, is a music teacher at a Catholic school. In the film, they have been together for nearly 40 years (until, in a unfair and sudden reversal of fortune, they lose their apartment).

 It's a simple human story. And it is very hard to imagine that — if it starred, say, Robert Duvall and Jane Fonda as a similar long-time couple suddenly facing homelessness — it would be lumped in with movies crammed full of queasily stylish sexism and sickening torture porn.

 (Oh, and by the way, that last "Transformers" movie — which memorably featured a man burnt to a crisp — was rated PG-13. So was "The Expendables 3," a film whose body count would require a calculator.)

 Yes, "Love Is Strange" features some vulgar words, as do all the other R-rated films here. (In fact, the only reason given for the rating assigned "Love Is Strange" is "language.")

 But in other films, on other subjects, the MPAA has sometimes shown considerable leeway on language , depending on context. And even this film's few strong words aren't spoken with violence, nor do they approach the wall-to-wall obscenity of some crime movies.

 This is a gentle, if often heartbreaking story about two loving men in a long-time committed relationship. What on earth is in it that so horrifies the MPAA?

 I'm sorry. I think I just answered my own question. ||||| The US film censor has been accused of homophobia after a film about two older gay men which features no sex, nudity or violence was handed a restrictive “R” rating, meaning people under the age of 17 cannot view it without a parent or guardian.

 Love is Strange, which opens in the US this weekend, stars John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as long-term partners forced to stay separately with friends when Molina loses his job after the couple marry.

 While the film is unlikely to be catmint for children, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has noted a number of uses of bad language in its decision to hand down an “R” rating. However, critics have pointed out that two other new movies that feature far more obviously adult themes – but which do not focus on a gay relationship – have received the same grading.

 Comic-book sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For features scenes of prostitution, extreme violence, nudity and drug use. Horror film Jersey Shore Massacre includes scenes of graphic gore and violence towards women, with one victim being disembowelled and another having her breasts sliced open. Both open on the same weekend as Love is Strange.

 “If there’s an equivalence among these three films, and their equal unsuitability for anyone under 17, it’s lost on me — and, I suspect, on anyone but the censors at the MPAA,” wrote Stephen Whitty of the New Jersey Star-Ledger. “Not only is there nothing violent in Love Is Strange, there’s not even anything explicit. It is about as mild and mainstream a portrayal of gay life as you can imagine ... And it is very hard to imagine that – if it starred, say, Robert Duvall and Jane Fonda as a similar long-time couple suddenly facing homelessness – it would be lumped in with movies crammed full of queasily stylish sexism and sickening torture porn.”

 J Bryan Lowder of Slate magazine added: “What is the ‘adult material’ in Love is Strange that might require “parental accompaniment” for moviegoers under the age of 17? Well, Lithgow and Molina do snuggle a lot. And they kiss and hug and express four decades’ worth of affection for each other. Ah, and there is some subtle intimation that one of the men’s nephews may be gay, too. Clearly, these offences are just as worthy of parental trepidation as the grotesquerie of watching a woman have her breast sliced open on screen – or at least that’s how the MPAA seems to see it.”

 The MPAA, a voluntary body set up by Hollywood studios to self-censor movies, has come in for criticism in the past for zeroing in on sexual themes but allegedly turning a blind eye to violence. The critically acclaimed 2006 documentary This Film is Not Yet Rated also alleged that censors viewed movies with homosexual themes more negatively than those with heterosexual ones.

 The MPAA has not yet made any public comment on the accusations of homophobia. Love is Strange has been rated a 15 in the UK, with the British Board of Film Classification also citing “strong language”, but the movie is a PG in Canada.

  ||||| This weekend, 16-year-olds across the nation will have to ask their parents for help if they want to watch women exploited, tough men murdered, and guts fly across the screen.

 If they want to watch a delicate, realistic story about two men in a long-term relationship, they will have a similar problem.

 Also read: ‘Love is Strange’ Review: John Lithgow and Alfred Molina Play Homeless Husbands in a Classic New York Story

 Once again, the MPAA is coming under fire for its arcane ratings system, which this time around, has given both ultra-violent comic book flick “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” and Ira Sachs‘ critically acclaimed Sundance drama “Love is Strange” R ratings.

 But unlike Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller‘s stylized neo-noir dystopia, “Love is Strange,” which stars John Lithgow and Alfred Molina, contains zero violence or nudity. Ostensibly, the film was given the rating for “strong language,” as it apparently exceeds the MPAA’s minuscule limit for curse words, though any audience member would be hard-pressed to remember a single instance of one being used in the Sony Pictures Classics release.

 Meanwhile, films like “The Expendables 3” scored a PG-13 rating, despite featuring violence as the one (weak) lure to come see it at all.

 See video: John Lithgow and Alfred Molina Discover ‘Love Is Strange’ in First Trailer

 The rating has drawn outrage from critics and bloggers alike, led in part by Newark Star-Ledger critic Stephen Witty’s excoriation of the industry group’s decision.

 “This is a gentle, if often heartbreaking story about two loving men in a long-time committed relationship. What on earth is in it that so horrifies the MPAA?” he asked, rhetorically. “I’m sorry. I think I just answered my own question.”

 Other writers were less veiled in their anger and accusations.

 “Let’s hope parents are smarter than this,” J. Bryan Lowder wrote at Slate. “There is nothing ‘adult’ or at all worrisome about a movie that quietly and gently portrays a gay couple and their struggles. To think otherwise is to participate in an insidious sort of homophobia that uses child-sized human shields to disguise basic prejudice.”

 See photo: This ‘Sin City’ Eva Green Poster Has Too Much Nipple for the MPAA

 Writers at Queerty, The Guardian and The Independent also voiced their objections; in the UK, the film was rated OK for 15-year-olds, while it’s a PG in Canada.

 The MPAA has a track record for being overly harsh on LGBT-themed films. Last year, Darren Stein, the director of “G.B.F.,” called out the organization in a widely-read Facebook post.

 “I always thought of G.B.F. as a PG-13 movie, but we were given an R ‘For Sexual References’ while not having a single F-bomb, hint of nudity or violence in the film,” he wrote. “Perhaps the ratings box should more accurately read ‘For Homosexual References’ or ‘Too Many Scenes of Gay Teens Kissing.’ I look forward to a world where queer teens can express their humor and desire in a sweet, fun teen film that doesn’t get tagged with a cautionary R.”

 A spokesman for the MPAA told TheWrap: “The descriptor that accompanies the film’s rating notes that it is rated R for language – as is any film that includes the same level of strong language, regardless of subject matter.”

 The MPAA has been challenged before; just last year, The Weinstein Company won a decision in which the R-rating for its Oscar-nominated “Philomena” was converted to a PG-13.

 That movie had one too-many F-bombs, but it only involved child abuse, not a loving, long-term relationship between a gay couple. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– You won't see any sex or violence in the new R-rated film Love Is Strange. What you will see is a love story between two men—which has critics wondering whether homophobia might explain the MPAA's rating decision. The movie is about a couple who must live apart after decades together. Yet critics have observed that it's received the same rating as the new Sin City movie, which contains violence, drugs, and nudity, and Jersey Shore Massacre, which is packed with gore, the Guardian notes. "It is very hard to imagine that if it starred, say, Robert Duvall and Jane Fonda as a similar long-time couple suddenly facing homelessness, it would be lumped in with movies crammed full of queasily stylish sexism and sickening torture porn," writes Stephen Whitty in the Star-Ledger. The MPAA tells the Wrap: "The descriptor that accompanies the film's rating notes that it is rated R for language—as is any film that includes the same level of strong language, regardless of subject matter." But the MPAA has been known to show "considerable leeway on language" in other instances, Whitty notes.


Article:

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 FDA NEWS RELEASE

 For Immediate Release: Sept. 22, 2009

 Media Inquiries: Peper Long, 301-796-4671, mary.long@fda.hhs.gov

 Consumer Inquiries: 1-888-INFO-FDA

 FDA: Philips Lifeline Issues Safety Alert for Lifeline Pendant Personal Help Buttons

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cautioned users of personal emergency response buttons worn around the neck of a potential choking hazard associated with this product.

 The FDA is aware of at least six reports between 1998 and 2009 of serious injury or death, including three deaths in the United States and one in Canada, from choking after the cord on the Philips Lifeline Personal Help Button became entangled on other objects worn around the neck.

 There are more than 750,000 users of these devices in the United States and Canada. By pushing the “help” button on the device when in distress, users can call for emergency assistance to their home. According to Philips Lifeline, the device is used primarily by seniors living independently, who feel they are at risk for falls or other medical emergencies.

 The Lifeline pendant button is intentionally designed to not break away when tugged, which prevents the button from accidentally falling off. However, because it does not break away, there is a risk of choking, including the possibility of serious injury or death. Risks are greater for those with mobility limitations or for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, beds with guard rails, or other objects that could entangle with a neck cord.

 Philips Lifeline is currently sending letters to its 750,000 customers and has changed the labeling of this product to include a warning against the potential choking hazard.

 The FDA recommends that users consult their health care providers to determine which style of emergency button, including those that are worn on the wrist, is most beneficial for them.

 These widely used devices provide critical and immediate access to emergency care for those at risk of falls or who may be more likely to need outside assistance. While the number of adverse events reported is small compared to the number of people who use this device, the severity of these events is of concern. It remains important that users, along with their health care providers, assess the options provided by each style of button, and choose the option that best fits their condition.

 Health care professionals and users may report serious adverse events or product quality problems with the use of this product to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail, fax or phone.

 Online: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/report.htm

 Regular Mail: use postage-paid FDA form 3500 available at: www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm and mail to MedWatch, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD, 20852-9787

 Fax: (800) FDA-0178

 Phone: (800) FDA-1088

 #

 RSS Feed for FDA News Releases [what is RSS?]

 - ||||| Roseann J. DiFrancesco, 86, of New Cumberland, died on Friday, February 12, 2016 in her home.She was a retired employee of the Federal Government with 25 years of service and a retired Clerk for the PA Dept. of Labor & Industry with 18 years of service; a member of the former St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, Steelton, and a member of Prince of Peace Roman Catholic Parish, Steelton.Roseann was the daughter of the late Antonio and Adelina Buccieri DiFrancesco and is survived by two sisters, Dolores D. Fitting of Steelton and Juanita T. Roberts and her husband, Richard A. of New Cumberland; one brother, Dominic D. DiFrancesco of Middletown; and numerous nieces and nephews.Private Graveside and Burial Services were held at the convenience of the family in Resurrection Cemetery with Very Rev. Robert M. Gillelan, Jr., VG officiating. Arrangements are being handled by Wiedeman Funeral Home, Steelton.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Daughters of our Lady of Mercy, 1009 Main Rd., Newfield, NJ 08344-5348. ||||| An 86-year-old New Cumberland woman died after she tripped and her medical alert necklace caught on her walker and strangled her.

 Roseann J. DiFrancesco was found dead in her bathroom on Feb. 15, according to the report from the Cumberland County Coroner's Office. Relatives had last spoken to her on Feb. 12.

 She was found after a visiting nurse, unable to summon DiFranceso by knocking on the door, entered her home and found her. It was unclear how long she had been dead.

 Cumberland County Coroner Charles Hall said the lanyard of the medical device, having caught on the walker, caused DiFrancesco's upper torso to be suspended above the floor level, and the resulting pressure on her neck cut off air and blood flow.

 Hall said the lanyard used by DiFrancesco apparently lacked a breakaway feature. But he didn't know whether it was the lanyard that came with the device or a replacement.

 Hall called the death a "freak accident."

 However, there have been injuries and a few deaths associated with such personal alert systems over the years. In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning, saying it was aware of at least six serious injuries or deaths related to one of the popular brands of the device between 1998 and 2009.

 Available from numerous makers, they often involve a pendant with a button the wearer can push to summon medical help in the event of a fall or medical emergency.

 Some have break-away lanyards to prevent choking or injury if the lanyard catches on something or is otherwise pulled.

 However, there has been disagreement over the benefits of breakaway lanyards, with some device makers saying the greater danger is that a lanyard will break and the alert device will be out of reach when needed.

 The FDA said the risks of a non-breakaway lanyards are greatest for people such as those who use wheelchairs, walkers or beds with rails.

 Noting that some alert devices can be worn around the wrist, the FDA advised people to consult a health care provider to determine which type of device is most appropriate.

 The FDA wrote, "These widely used devices provide critical and immediate access to emergency care for those at risk of falls or who may be more likely to need outside assistance. While the number of adverse events reported is small compared to the number of people who use this device, the severity of these events is of concern. It remains important that users, along with their health care providers, assess the options provided by each style of button, and choose the option that best fits their condition."

 Note: This story was edited to remove the slogan of one the companies that manufactures personal alert systems. The Cumberland County Coroner said he didn't know the brand of the device used by Roseann DiFrancesco. ||||| × 86-year-old woman accidentally hangs herself with medical alert necklace

 CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. – An 86-year-old Cumberland County woman is dead after she trips and is accidentally hanged by her medical alert necklace. It happened on February 15.

 County Coroner Charles Hall says Roseann DiFrancesco was found dead in her bathroom by a visiting nurse who entered the home after getting no response after knocking.

 Hall says DiFrancesco was using her walker when she lost her balance and fell. Her medical alert necklace got caught on the handle of the walker. She was left hanging by the necklace which led to her death.

 Her death has been ruled accidental.

 Medical alert devices are quite common. Most are worn suspended by a necklace. Hall says DiFrancesco’s necklace did not have a break away clasp. |||||
What is a summary?

– In what the Cumberland County, Penn., coroner is calling a "freak accident," an 86-year-old woman was strangled to death by a device that was intended to save her life. Roseann J. DiFrancesco apparently tripped and fell, causing her medical alert necklace to become caught on her walker, the Patriot-News reports. The result, says Coroner Charles Hall, was that her upper torso was suspended above the floor, creating pressure on her neck that cut off air and blood flow. Relatives had last spoken to DiFrancesco on Feb. 12. A visiting nurse found the woman dead in her bathroom Feb. 15, when the nurse entered DiFrancesco's home after unsuccessful attempts to summon her by knocking on the door. It is unclear when DiFrancesco died. Her death was ruled an accident, Fox 43 reports. The device (similar to the ones popularized by "I've fallen and I can't get up" commercials) did not have a breakaway lanyard, as some do, per the Patriot-News. The FDA has warned of potential choking with such devices, which typically include a pendant with a button to call for help, saying the agency is aware of at least six serious injuries or deaths related to their use between 1998 and 2009. "Risks are greater for those with mobility limitations or for those who use wheelchairs, walkers, beds with guard rails, or other objects that could entangle with a neck cord," the FDA says in a press release. DiFrancesco, who was retired, had worked for 25 years for the federal government and 18 years for the state, according to an obituary. (A freak accident claimed the life of a pregnant woman in Oregon this week.)


Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) Donald Trump acknowledged Thursday that he "could have" signaled support for invading Iraq during a 2002 interview with Howard Stern.

 "It was probably the first time I was asked that question," the GOP presidential front-runner told CNN's Anderson Cooper during a South Carolina town hall. "By the time the war started, I was against the war."

 He also noted he "wasn't a politician" at the time of the interview.

 Ahead of Saturday's South Carolina Republican primary, Trump has repeatedly blasted former President George W. Bush for launching the war.

 But Buzzfeed posted Thursday Trump's interview with Stern, given on the first anniversary following the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. When asked whether he would support an invasion, Trump responded: "Yeah, I guess so."

 "You know, I wish the first time it was done correctly," he added in the interview.

 Trump's criticism of the war could be a risky move in this military-dominated state. One man in the audience confronted Trump for saying that Bush had lied about the existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

 "I would probably say that something was going on," Trump said. "I don't know why he went in" to Iraq.

 Trump vs. Pope Francis

 Trump called Pope Francis a "wonderful guy" after the pontiff said Thursday the candidate is "not Christian" if he wants to deport undocumented immigrants and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

 "I don't think this is a fight," Trump said. "I think he said something much softer than was originally reported by the media."

 Trump added he would meet with the Pope "anytime he wants."

 JUST WATCHED Donald Trump rips Pope Francis: I'm a Christian Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Donald Trump rips Pope Francis: I'm a Christian 00:53

 Earlier at the town hall, Jeb Bush and John Kasich refused to be drawn into the debate between Trump and the Pope.

 Kasich simply said he was "pro-Pope."

 "This man has brought more sense of hope and more about the do's in life than the don'ts," Kasich said, referring to the Pope. "This guy has been so humble."

 Bush, who is a devout Catholic, didn't criticize the Pope's comments. But he said he personally wouldn't "question people's Christianity."

 "I think that's a relationship they have with their Lord and savior and themselves. So I just don't think it's appropriate to question Donald Trump's faith," Bush said. "He knows what his faith is."

 Dominating South Carolina

 Trump, who is dominating most South Carolina polls, continued to pound his closest competitor: Ted Cruz.

 The billionaire businessman said the Texas senator "has a problem with the truth."

 Trump appeared to side with Marco Rubio after the Florida senator's campaign accused Cruz's team earlier Thursday of photoshopping an image to make it appear as though Rubio is shaking hands with President Barack Obama.

 "Oh, it was totally photoshopped," Trump said.

 "They even made Marco a lot shorter than he is," Trump said, adding that this was "probably the thing that bothered him the most."

 He quipped that other tactics the Cruz campaign has used in this election were "disgusting."

 Trump has confounded many political observers with his propensity for colorful, unfiltered and inflammatory language as a candidate. When Cooper asked whether he would take on a different tone as president, Trump suggested he could easily switch back and forth between being politically correct -- and not.

 "I can be more politically correct than anybody you've ever interviewed," Trump said.

 He added: "I can do whatever I want. ...I deal with society. Society loves me."

 Trump also shed light on his habits on the road, including his propensity to consume fast food from big chains like McDonald's and Burger King.

 "I'm a very clean person. I like cleanliness," he said. "And I think you're better off going there than maybe some place where you have no idea where the food is coming from."

 He said he recently ate Kentucky Fried Chicken. His verdict: "Not the worst thing in the world."

 John Kasich

 Kasich opened the CNN event by reflecting on a campaign trail moment that's quickly gone viral. At a forum in Clemson earlier in the day, a tearful young man confessed to Kasich that after suffering personal losses, he had gone through a very dark period in life. Now, he had found hope in the message that Kasich was taking to voters, he said, prompting the governor to hug the man.

 "There are a lot of people out there who are lonely," Kasich told Cooper. "Could you believe that young man?"

 He expressed frustration with the frenetic pace of presidential politics and noted how important it is to "slow down" and listen to people in need.

 JUST WATCHED Kasich: Be present for others' wins and losses Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Kasich: Be present for others' wins and losses 01:36

 "We've got to slow down," Kasich told Cooper. "You've got to celebrate other people's wins, and sometimes you've got to sit with them and cry."

 Kasich is coming off a strong second-place showing in New Hampshire last week, but with his moderate message, there is little expectation that he will have a strong performance here during Saturday's GOP primary.

 When one woman in the audience asked whether he would consider appointing any of his fellow White House hopefuls to his Cabinet, Kasich lightheartedly reminded her that it was much too early in the race.

 "Well, look. I'm not going to be measuring like, the drapes. I've got a long way to go. We're really, really early," Kasich said.

 He did, however, call one former candidate a "terrific guy" whom he would consider appointing to his administration: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

 "I like him very much," Kasich said, before saying about the rest of the field: "They all deserve an awful lot of respect. I don't want to fight with them."

 JUST WATCHED Kasich: Losing parents to drunk driver changed my life Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Kasich: Losing parents to drunk driver changed my life 01:05

 At the conclusion of his time at the CNN event, Kasich opened up about how losing his parents in a car accident forever shaped his outlook on life.

 "They were at the Burger King because they got the second cup of coffee for free. That's the way the mailman and Mrs. Kasich lived," Kasich said about the day his parents died. "I went into a black hole."

 He soon found God, Kasich said, though "the pain still comes."

 "As a result of my parents' accident, it's allowed me to hug that boy," he added.

 Jeb Bush

 Bush shrugged off South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley's decision this week to endorse Rubio.

 "I'm marking her down as neutral," Bush quipped.

 Pressed by Cooper on how he can still convince voters here that he has momentum, Bush insisted that the momentum is there.

 "I do have momentum if you look at the polls and if you look at the crowd sizes of our town hall meetings," Bush said. He pointed to the endorsement he won from South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham as a sign of his readiness to be president.

 JUST WATCHED Jeb Bush: Embed U.S. troops to stop ISIS Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Jeb Bush: Embed U.S. troops to stop ISIS 01:38

 "He could have supported two of his colleagues, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio," Bush said. "He chose me because he believes that I would be ready to serve on day one as commander in chief and as leader of the free world."

 A University of South Carolina student told Bush that it seemed to him marijuana was one of the most frequently used drugs on campus, and asked the ex-governor for his stance on legalization.

 Bush said he took issue with the term "recreational drug."

 "The terminology is probably a little misleading," Bush said, "because of the potency of this generation of marijuana. It has major impacts -- neurological impacts."

 He briefly mentioned his daughter's struggles with addiction, and said he believes the government should "focus a little bit more on treatment and a little less on punishment" of individuals convicted on drug-related charges.

 One of the more personally revealing moments for Bush came when a questioner asked him to describe how his wife, Columba, has shaped him as a leader. Bush turned to his wife, who was sitting in the audience next to former first lady Barbara Bush, and said, "Sweetie, this is going to be your anniversary present."

 He recalled meeting his wife as a young man in Mexico.

 "Five o'clock. I can remember exactly where I was on the town square. I can remember exactly what she looked like to this day," Bush said.

 The experience of falling for Columba -- "the most beautiful girl I had ever met in my life" -- Bush said, was like being hit with a "lightning bolt." ||||| "We still don't know what Iraq is up to or whether it has the material to build nuclear weapons. I'm no warmonger," Trump wrote. "But the fact is, if we decide a strike against Iraq is necessary, it is madness not to carry the mission to its conclusion. When we don't, we have the worst of all worlds: Iraq remains a threat, and now has more incentive than ever to attack us."

 Trump's comments on Stern are more in line with what he wrote in his 2000 book, The America We Deserve , where he advocated for a "principled and tough" policy toward "outlaw" states like Iraq.

 "Well, I did it in 2003, I said it before that," Trump said of his opposition to invading Iraq. "Don't forget, I wasn't a politician. So people didn't write everything I said. I was a businessperson. I was, as they say, a world-class businessperson. I built a great company, I employed thousands of people. So I'm not a politician. But if you look at 2003, there are articles. If you look in 2004, there are articles."

 Trump has repeatedly claimed that he was against the Iraq War before it began, despite no evidence of him publicly stating this position. On Meet the Press , Trump said there weren't many articles about his opposition because he wasn't a politician at the time.

 For months, Donald Trump has claimed that he opposed the Iraq War before the invasion began — as an example of his great judgment on foreign policy issues.

 Trump added, "When you're in the private sector, you get asked things, and you're not a politician, and probably the first time I was asked. By the time the war started, I was against it, and shortly thereafter, I was really against."

 "I could have said that," Trump said. "Nobody asked me that. I wasn't a politician. It was probably the first time anyone has asked me that question."

 At the Feb. 6 debate in New Hampshire, Trump said, "I'm the only one up here, when the war of Iraq -- in Iraq, I was the one that said, 'Don't go, don't do it, you're going to destabilize the Middle East.'"

 Here is what Trump has said in the past about his opposition to the Iraq invasion:

 In another interview with Neil Cavuto in January of 2003, a transcript of which was obtained by BuzzFeed News, Trump given the opportunity to comment on the war did not say he opposed it but stated "it`s sort like either do it or don`t do it."

 CAVUTO: If you had to sort of breakdown for the president, if yo u were advising him, how much time do you commit to Iraq versus how much time you commit to the economy, what would you say?

 TRUMP: Well, I`m starting to think that people are much more focused now on the economy. They are getting a little bit tired of hearing, we`re going in, we`re not going in, the - you know, whatever happened to the days of the Douglas MacArthur. He would go and attack. He wouldn't talk. We have to - you know, it`s sort like either do it or don`t do it. When I watch Dan Rather explaining how we are going to be attacking, where we`re going to attack, what routes we`re taking, what kind of planes we`re using, how to stop them, how to stop us, it is a little bit disconcerting. I`ve never seen this, where newscasters are telling you how - telling the enemy how we`re going about it, we have just found out this and that. It is ridiculous.

 CAVUTO: Well, the problem right there.

 TRUMP: Either you attack or you don`t attack.

 CAVUTO: The problem there, Donald, is you`re watching Dan Rather. Maybe you should just be watching Fox.

 TRUMP: Well, no, I watch Dan Rather, but not necessarily fondly. But I happened to see it the other night. And I must tell you it was rather amazing as they were explaining the different - I don`t know if it is fact or if it is fiction, but the concept of a newscaster talking about the routes is - just seems ridiculous. So the point is either you do it or you don`t do it, or you - but I just - or if you don`t do it, just don`t talk about it. When you do it, you start talking about it.

 CAVUTO: So you`re saying the leash on this is getting kind of short here, that the president has got to do something presumably sooner rather than later and stringing this along could ultimately hurt us.

 TRUMP: Well, he has either got to do something or not do something, perhaps, because perhaps shouldn't be doing it yet and perhaps we should be waiting for the United Nations, you know. He`s under a lot of pressure. He`s - I think he`s doing a very good job. But, of course, if you look at the polls, a lot of people are getting a little tired. I think the Iraqi situation is a problem. And I think the economy is a much bigger problem as far as the president is concerned.

 CAVUTO: Are you still bullish on the markets or you have your doubts now?

 TRUMP: Well, I think you have to see what is going to happen with Iraq. I think you have to see what is going to happen with North Korea. I happen to think North Korea may be a bigger problem than Iraq. But you have to see what is going to happen with North Korea. And a lot of things up in the air. You have a lot of balls up in the air right now. And on top of that you have a lousy economy. |||||
What is a one-paragraph summary of the above article?

– Donald Trump is softening his rhetoric on Pope Francis after blasting the leader of the Catholic Church for suggesting the billionaire businessman's plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border made him "not Christian." Trump said during a town hall event on CNN that he now believes the pope's remarks were "probably a little bit nicer" than first reported. Trump said he believes the pope has only heard one side of the story, as told by the Mexican government, and isn't aware of the problems Trump claims are caused by a porous border. Trump also said he has great respect for Pope Francis. Still, he couldn't help but offer a dig, noting that, "He's got an awfully big wall at the Vatican." During the University of South Carolina town hall, Trump, who has long claimed to have opposed the invasion of Iraq, was also asked about BuzzFeed's unearthing of a 2002 interview in which Howard Stern asked him whether he supported the invasion. "Yeah, I guess so," he responded at the time, according to the audio. "I wish the first time in was done correctly." At the town hall, he told Anderson Cooper he didn't remember the conversation, but he said, "I mean, I could have said that. ... It was probably the first time anybody asked me that question," adding that his opposition was early, "even if it was a little bit after the war." More from the town hall: Trump said that if he's elected to the White House, he plans to send cease-and-desist letters or similar threats to countries he believes are giving the US raw deals. He said he would send letters "to China to stop ripping us off. I would be sending them to other countries to stop ripping us off. I'd send them to Mexico." John Kasich described how his life had been shaped by the day his parents were killed by a drunk driver. "They were at the Burger King because they got the second cup of coffee for free. That's the way the mailman and Mrs. Kasich lived," he said. "I went into a black hole" after they died in 1987, he added, but he recovered and soon found God. Jeb Bush insisted that he still has momentum "if you look at the polls and if you look at the crowd sizes of our town hall meetings," and he said the endorsement from Sen. Lindsey Graham signals that he's ready to serve from Day 1 as "commander in chief and as leader of the free world."


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– NYPD Officer Randolph Holder was shot dead Tuesday, and by Saturday Quentin Tarantino was in Washington Square Park, protesting "murderers"—not the ones going after cops, but the cops themselves. "When I see murders, I do not stand by … I have to call a murder a murder, and I have to call the murderers the murderers," Tarantino said during the "Rise Up October" rally, per the New York Post, adding too often it is cops who kill. The head of the NYPD's labor union wasn't impressed and responded by asking locals to boycott the director's films, including the upcoming Hateful Eight. "It's no surprise that someone who makes a living glorifying crime and violence is a cop-hater, too," Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, said in a statement, via the Post. "New Yorkers need to send a message to this purveyor of degeneracy that he has no business coming to our city to peddle his slanderous 'Cop Fiction.'" About 300 people gathered for the rally, chanting and holding up signs that said things like "Rise Up! Stop Police Terror!" and "Murder with a badge is still murder." Tarantino concedes that the timing so soon after Holder's killing was "unfortunate," but he also says people had already traveled to attend, the Post notes. "I'm a human being with a conscience," Tarantino says, per the AP. "And if you believe there's murder going on, then you need to rise up and stand up against it. … I'm on the side of the murdered." Not everyone sees it that way. "The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls 'murderers' aren't living in one of his depraved big-screen fantasies—they're risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime," Lynch continues in his statement. One of Holder's cousins tells the Post that the rally was "very disrespectful." "Everyone forgets that behind the uniform is a person," she says.

NEW YORK (AP) — Academy Award-winning filmmaker Quentin Tarantino joined hundreds of demonstrators waving signs, shouting through megaphones and marching along the city's streets on Saturday to protest police brutality nationwide.

 A demonstrator holds his hands in the air during a rally to protest against police brutality Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in New York. Speakers at the protest said they want to bring justice for those who... (Associated Press)

 Marion Gray-Hopkins, speaks about the death of her son, Gary Hopkins Jr. in 1999, during a rally to protest against police brutality Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Associated Press)

 Demonstrators participate in rally against police brutality at Washington Square park in New York, Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. Speakers at the protest said they want to bring justice for those who were killed... (Associated Press)

 Director Quentin Tarantino, center, participates in a rally to protest against police brutality Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in New York. Speakers at the protest said they want to bring justice for those... (Associated Press)

 Demonstrators chant slogans during a rally to protest against police brutality Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015, in New York. Speakers at the protest said they want to bring justice for those who were killed by... (Associated Press)

 Dr. Cornel West, right, participates in a rally in New York against violence by police on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2015. Hundreds marched up Sixth Avenue. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison) (Associated Press)

 "I'm a human being with a conscience," said Tarantino, who flew in from California for the event. "And if you believe there's murder going on then you need to rise up and stand up against it. I'm here to say I'm on the side of the murdered."

 The group gathered Saturday in Manhattan's Greenwich Village neighborhood at Washington Square Park before marching about 2 miles along Sixth Avenue. The protesters walked past lines of police officers who had cordoned off a lane of traffic for them. As they moved, those with megaphones shouted stories of the slain as others waved signs with photos of the dead, mostly young black men, and the dates and places of their deaths.

 The event was the last of three demonstrations the group RiseUpOctober organized in New York this week. Speakers at the protest said they want to bring justice for people killed by police.

 Temako Williams walked arm in arm with academic and activist Cornel West, one of the organizers. Her son, La-Reko Williams, was killed by police in 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. A federal jury ruled that a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, who did not face criminal charges, had used excessive force, and it awarded her $500,000.

 But, she said, the money is no substitute for justice.

 "It wasn't worth the price of my son's life," she said. "It's a wound that won't heal."

 While police were present all along the protest route, the day was peaceful. No arrests were reported.

 The protest came at a time of heightened awareness nationwide of the oft-contentious relationship between police officers and the people they serve. New York's mayor and police commissioner have said they're serious about enacting smart reforms to build trust between police and communities.

 But the protest also was days after a New York police officer, Randolph Holder, was shot to death while chasing a bicycle thief. A suspect has been charged with murder and robbery in the case.

 The Rev. Al Sharpton dedicated his weekly radio broadcast and rally at his National Action Network headquarters to Holder. Sharpton and others went to the Brooklyn neighborhood where Holder served to lay a wreath and pray for him and his family.

 Activist Carl Dix, who helped found RiseUpOctober with West, said that while he sympathized with Holder's family the officer's death did not affect the need to hold Saturday's rally as scheduled.

 "That's not what this is about," Dix said. "This is about all the people who are murdered by the police." ||||| The city’s police union is calling for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino films after the “Pulp Fiction’’ director took part in an anti-cop rally less than a week after an officer was killed on the job.

 “When I see murders, I do not stand by . . . I have to call the murderers the murderers,” the director — notorious for his violent movies — told a crowd of protesters in Washington Square Park on Saturday, adding that cops are too often “murderers.”

 Patrick Lynch, president of the Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, lashed out against the “Reservoir Dogs” auteur Sunday.

 “It’s no surprise that someone who makes a living glorifying crime and violence is a cop-hater, too,” Lynch said in a statement.

 “The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls ‘murderers’ aren’t living in one of his depraved big-screen fantasies — they’re risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime and mayhem.

 “New Yorkers need to send a message to this purveyor of degeneracy that he has no business coming to our city to peddle his slanderous ‘Cop Fiction.’ ”

 Tarantino acknowledged Saturday that the timing of the rally was “unfortunate.” But he said people had already traveled to be a part of the gathering.

 Relatives of Police Officer Randolph Holder, who was killed in East Harlem Tuesday night, were far from appeased.

 “I think it’s very disrespectful,” his cousin Shauntel Abrams, 27, said of the protest as she and other relatives gathered at the Church of the Nazarene in Far Rockaway ahead of Holder’s funeral Wednesday.

 “Everyone forgets that behind the uniform is a person.”

 Meanwhile, retired Police Officer John Mangan, who used to work at PSA 5, where Holder had been stationed, took to the streets on Sunday with a sign reading, “God bless the NYPD,” for a one-man march.

 He walked the 7¹/₂ miles from the East Harlem station house to City Hall in a show of support for the fallen cop. |||||


Article:

U.S.A. Gymnastics will face a hearing that could lead to the organization’s demise after it decided against surrendering its status as the sport’s national governing body, the United States Olympic Committee said on Wednesday.

 The Olympic committee filed a complaint 16 days ago, seeking to remove U.S.A. Gymnastics’ recognition as a national body after the sexual abuse of hundreds of female athletes by Lawrence G. Nassar, a former national team doctor.

 The Olympic body offered U.S.A. Gymnastics the option of giving up its recognition voluntarily.

 Yet in an open letter to the gymnastics community, the U.S.O.C. said U.S.A. Gymnastics had replied to its complaint on Tuesday and had chosen not to relinquish its recognition, instead asking questions about the matter and about the U.S.O.C. hearing process.

 “This is a situation in which there are no perfect solutions,” Sarah Hirshland, the U.S.O.C. chief executive, said in a statement. “Seeking to revoke recognition is not a decision that the U.S.O.C. came to easily, but we continue to believe it is the right action.” ||||| Simone Biles won the all-around final at the 2018 World Gymnastics Championships in Doha. (Photo: KARIM JAAFAR, AFP/Getty Images)

 USA Gymnastics has not voluntarily given up its status as the sport’s national governing body, triggering a hearing that could lead to the organization's demise.

 In a statement Wednesday, U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said she is moving forward with the process to revoke USA Gymnastics' NGB status. The next step is to select the three-person panel to hear the USOC's complaint against USA Gymnastics.

 The panel will be chaired by a USOC board member and have representatives from the NGB and athlete advisory councils. USA Gymnastics will have the opportunity to “present factual evidence and legal argument regarding the allegations of the complaint,” the bylaws state.

 After the hearing, the panel will issue a report and make a recommendation to the USOC’s board of directors. The board then makes the final decision.

 There is no timeframe in the USOC bylaws for the process, and Hirshland said it could take "several weeks, perhaps a few months."

 "As I’ve said before, the path is not crystal clear, but our motives are – put simply, to ensure the NGB for gymnastics in the United States is the type of organization each gymnast and the coaches, trainers and club owners who support them, deserve," Hirshland wrote in an open letter to the gymnastics community.

 The move does not come as a complete surprise. Despite being informed by the USOC on Nov. 5 that it was beginning the process to revoke its NGB status, known as a Section 8 complaint, USA Gymnastics has continued to operate as if it plans to be around for the long-term.

 Earlier this week, it announced it was seeking nominations for its board of directors. In an open letter published Tuesday, board chair Karen Golz said USA Gymnastics was progressing in its search for a new CEO.

 "As we’ve said before, this is a situation in which there are no perfect solutions," Hirshland said Wednesday. "Seeking to revoke recognition is not a decision that the USOC came to easily, but we continue believe it is the right action."

 USA Gymnastics will continue to operate as usual so long as the revocation process is ongoing. Should it be stripped of its NGB status, the USOC would take control of the elite programs until a new NGB is identified.

 USA Gymnastics could continue to exist, but its members would likely migrate to whatever new group becomes the NGB.

 The USOC is known to have revoked NGB status or cut off funding only three times, with taekwondo, team handball and modern pentathlon. But Hirshland said earlier this month that the USOC had no choice but to step in with USA Gymnastics because of its repeated missteps in trying to move beyond the Larry Nassar scandal.

 Nassar, the longtime team physician for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State, is serving an effective life sentence after pleading guilty to child pornography and sexual abuse charges. More than 350 girls and young women have said he abused them under the guise of medical treatment, including Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, Kyla Ross and Madison Kocian.

 USA Gymnastics has been through three CEOs since Rachael Denhollander told The Indianapolis Star in September 2016 that Nassar had abused her, prompting hundreds of other women to come forward. Steve Penny was forced out by the USOC in March 2017. Kerry Perry resigned under pressure in September after being roundly criticized during her nine-month tenure for being both aloof and inept.

 Mary Bono lasted just five days after heavy criticism from Biles and other gymnasts about her fitness to lead and what message her hiring sent to survivors. Bono previously worked at Faegre Baker Daniels, a law firm the IndyStar said had helped USA Gymnastics craft a cover story for Nassar after he was fired.

 Bono worked for the firm’s consulting arm and was not part of the discussions with Nassar. But the association was considered tone deaf.

 The federation also remains mired in mediation with survivors. It has lost all of its major sponsors, and its national championships were held in August without a title sponsor, almost unheard of for one of the premier Olympic sports in the United States.

 And in what was the final straw for the USOC, USA Gymnastics said it recently located medical records from the Karolyi ranch that two executives had told Congress were nowhere to be found. Penny, who ordered the removal of the records, was indicted in Walker County, Texas, in September, on a count of tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony.

 USA Gymnastics has defended itself by saying its board inherited “an organization in crisis” when it was seated in June, and said it is taking steps to reform. It finally parted ways last week with Ron Galimore, the longtime chief operating officer who, according to emails obtained by IndyStar, helped provide the cover story for Nassar.

 But the moves might have come too late. |||||
What is a summary?

– USA Gymnastics has refused to give up its status at the sport's national governing body, so the US Olympic Committee has started what could be a months-long process to force it out. The USOC first moved to decertify USA Gymnastics earlier this month, saying the organization had failed to make the right changes after the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal. The USOC says USA Gymnastics declined the option to voluntarily relinquish its status and instead asked questions about the hearing process, the New York Times reports. "This is a situation in which there are no perfect solutions," USOC chief executive Sarah Hirshland said in a statement. "Seeking to revoke recognition is not a decision that the USOC came to easily, but we continue to believe it is the right action." "The path is not crystal clear, but our motives are ... to ensure the NGB for gymnastics in the United States is the type of organization each gymnast and the coaches, trainers and club owners who support them, deserve," Hirshland said. Her next step will be to select a three-person panel with representatives from USOC's board of directors, the National Governing Bodies Council and the Athletes' Advisory Council to review the complaint and make a recommendation to the full USOC board, USA Today reports. USA Gymnastics, which is still seeking a new CEO, will remain the sport's governing body during the process. (A former USA Gymnastics president has been charged with evidence-tampering in the Nassar case.)


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Gov. Bill Haslam (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

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 By Erik Schelzig, The Associated Press

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Republican Gov. Bill Haslam has decided not to veto a resolution demanding a lawsuit be filed over the federal refugee resettlement program in Tennessee.

 The governor announced Friday that despite his concerns about the measure, he was allowing it to go forward without his signature.

 "I have constitutional concerns about one branch of government telling another what to do," Haslam said in a written statement to lawmakers.

 Haslam said he had asked state Attorney General Herbert Slatery to clarify whether lawmakers have the authority to hire outside attorneys to represent the state.

 Sponsors of the resolution have said that the Thomas More Law Center in Michigan has agreed to represent the state on a refugee lawsuit free of charge if the attorney general declines to sue.

 Immigrant and refugee rights organizations who oppose the measure say it makes the state look unwelcoming. They also have argued that the true intention of the law is to stop or limit Muslim refugee resettlement in Tennessee.

 Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said the group was disappointed the governor didn't veto the measure, which she called constitutionally suspect.

 "As the global refugee crisis persists, we urge Governor Haslam to act with greater moral authority and courageous leadership," she said in a statement. "We must counter fear and discrimination toward people fleeing persecution and provide greater investment in the life-saving work of refugee resettlement programs."

 Fears about refugees in Tennessee came into focus after terrorist attacks last year in Paris and San Bernardino, California. Supporters say the lawsuit is necessary because they believe refugees are not being properly vetted by President Barack Obama's administration.

 Alabama and Texas have sued the federal government over the refugee rights program.

 Tennessee pulled out of the federal refugee resettlement program in 2008, Andrea Helling, a spokeswoman for the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement, said in an email. Catholic Charities of Tennessee has been administering the program since that time, she said.

 "Since the passage of the Refugee Act of 1980, over 3 million refugees from more than 70 countries have been given safe haven in the U.S., along with the possibility of a new beginning, and freedom from persecution and displacement," Helling said.

 ___

 Associated Press Writer Sheila Burke contributed to this report. ||||| (Photo: WKRN)

 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A resolution that allows the state of Tennessee to sue the federal government over refugee placement has been approved.

 Governor Bill Haslam returned the resolution without his signature, saying he trusts the Attorney General “to determine whether the state has a claim in this case or any other.”

 Fears about allowing refugees into Tennessee came about after terrorist attacks last year in Paris and San Bernardino.

 The Paris attacks were claimed by ISIS and both Syrian and Egyptian passports were found near the bodies of two perpetrators.

 Despite Haslam deciding against a veto of Tennessee’s resolution, he said he has “constitutional concerns” about one branch of the government telling another what to do.

 He requested the Attorney General clarify “whether the legislative branch actually has the authority to hire outside counsel to represent the state.”

 “I also question whether seeking to dismantle the Refugee Act of 1980 is the proper course for our state,” Haslam added.

 Last November, a state representative requested Attorney General Herbert Slatery issue an opinion on the proposed lawsuit regarding refugees.

 Slatery said the state cannot refuse to accept people the federal government has admitted to the country as refugees.

 He explained that “such a refusal would impinge on and conflict with the federal government’s authority to regulate the admission of aliens to the United States and thus would violate the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.”

 The Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition responded Friday, saying while they are disappointed Haslam chose not to veto the resolution.

 “We agree with his assessment that the resolution itself is constitutionally suspect and that the legislature has overstepped its authority. We also agree that attempting to dismantle the refugee resettlement program will not make our communities any safer.” Click here to read their full statement.

 Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, also responded and released the following statement:

 We are disappointed that the governor has chosen to allow this discriminatory resolution to become law. We share his concerns that this measure allows an unconstitutional power grab by one branch of government, undermining the separation of powers that is at the very heart of the Tennessee Constitution. This fear-driven attempt to halt refugee resettlement in our state by targeting families who are themselves fleeing violence and terror does not make our state safer. We will monitor implementation of this resolution to ensure that all residents of our state are treated fairly, equally and compassionately. |||||

– Tennessee is poised to be the first state to sue the federal government to prevent the settlement of refugees, the Tennessean reports. On Friday, Gov. Bill Haslam refused to sign—but also refused to veto—a resolution passed resoundingly by the Tennessee legislature earlier this year. That lack of action allows the rest of the state government to move forward with a lawsuit against the federal government. The resolution calls on the state attorney general to sue the federal government. If the attorney general decides not to, the resolution says the legislature will hire its own lawyers to do so. Supporters of the resolution say they'll use a law firm that has previously challenged “abortionists, pornographers, those against school prayer, those against the Ten Commandments, those against God.” Haslam has expressed a number of concerns about the resolution in the past, including whether or not the legislature has the authority to hire outside counsel to represent the state and letting a branch of the government tell the attorney general what to do, the AP reports. The attorney general's office hasn't said whether it will follow through on the lawsuit. But attorney general Herbert Slatery has in the past said the state legally can't refuse to accept refugees mandated by the federal government, according to WKRN. Opponents of the resolution say it will make life harder for refugees already living in Tennessee. “Attempting to block refugee resettlement blames refugees for the very terror they are fleeing," the Tennessean quotes an ACLU executive director as saying. The resolution was supported through an online petition titled "Don't let potential terrorists come to Tennessee."


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– Following billionaire investor Carl Icahn's purchase of a 10% stake in Netflix, word is out that he may push the company to sell—so Netflix has opted for the "poison pill" approach. The company is giving shareholders the right to snap up more stock if any single shareholder acquires more than a 10% share of the firm, thus—in theory—diluting the value of shares, the Wall Street Journal reports. The plan would make it very costly to buy up a controlling stake. Also known as a shareholder rights plan, the poison pill is standard practice for companies fighting a takeover, the New York Times notes. "Adopting a rights plan is a very reasonable thing to do in light of the recent, and stealth, accumulation of stock and options by an activist investor," a Netflix rep says.

With Carl C. Icahn knocking on its front door, Netflix has put up the traditional first line of defense against a corporate takeover.

 The company announced on Monday that its board had adopted a shareholder rights plan, or poison pill, just days after Mr. Icahn disclosed he had acquired a 9.98 percent stake.

 Netflix said the plan was meant to protect the company and shareholders from “efforts to obtain control of Netflix that the board of directors determines are not in the best interests of Netflix and its stockholders.”

 In a statement on Monday, Icahn Capital said that “any poison pill without a shareholder vote is an example of poor corporate governance, and find the pill Netflix just adopted is particularly troubling due to its remarkably low and discriminatory 10 percent threshold.”

 “As one of the company’s largest shareholders we are concerned about the poor corporate governance at Netflix that these and other actions reflect,” the statement added.

 The poison pill is intended to make it more expensive for Mr. Icahn to accumulate more Netflix shares.

 Under the plan, the company is issuing one right for every common share. Each right enables a shareholder to buy one one-thousandth of a new preferred share at the exercise price of $350 per right. But these rights can be exercised only if an investor acquires 10 percent of the company without the approval of the company’s board. (Institutional investors can acquire up to 20 percent.)

 In its statement, Netflix added:

 In addition, if after a person or group acquires 10 percent (or 20 percent in the case of 13G institutional investors) or more of Netflix’s outstanding common stock, Netflix merges into another company, an acquiring entity merges into Netflix or Netflix sells or transfers more than 50 percent of its assets, cash flow or earning power, then each right will entitle the holder thereof to purchase, for the exercise price, a number of shares of common stock of the person engaging in the transaction having a then-current market value of twice the exercise price. The acquiring person will not be entitled to exercise these rights.

 The rights plan will expire on Nov. 2, 2015. ||||| Netflix Inc. said Monday its board adopted an antitakeover plan intended to block activist investor Carl Icahn from expanding his nearly 10% stake in the streaming video and DVD-by-mail company.

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 Netflix shot up in the market when billionaire investor Carl Icahn purchased 10% of the company's shares on Wednesday, Oct. 31. As MarketWatch's Rex Crum tells Dan Gallagher, Ichan is seeking ways to maximize Netflix's shareholder value. (Photo: AP)

 Under the plan, Netflix's shareholders will be given the right to acquire more stock if any individual investor acquires more than a 10% stake in the company, commonly referred to as a "poison pill." The plan is designed to dilute the value of the stock by flooding the market with additional shares, making it expensive for an investor to acquire a controlling stake.

 "Adopting a rights plan is a very reasonable thing to do in light of the recent, and stealth, accumulation of stock and options by an activist investor," said a Netflix spokesman. The company said its board members weren't available for comment.

 In a securities filing Monday, Mr. Icahn called Netflix's poison pill "an example of poor corporate governance" because the company didn't seek a shareholder vote. He also called on Netflix to allow for its full slate of directors to stand for election each year, rather than the staggered system it has today where only a portion of the board stands for election in a given year. Mr. Icahn didn't return requests for further comment.

 "Our board continuously reviews our governance structure," said the Netflix spokesman. "Its goal is to maximize long-term value for shareholders."

 Mr. Icahn on Oct. 31 disclosed he had acquired a 9.98% stake – roughly 1% directly and the rest in options—calling the company's shares "undervalued." In an interview with The Wall Street Journal at the time, he suggested he might seek buyers for the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company.

 Investors welcomed Mr. Icahn's move, sending Netflix's shares up 14% last Wednesday. Netflix had lost nearly three-quarters of its value following several missteps last year, including a jacked-up price for its subscribers in July 2011 and an ill-fated plan to split the company's DVD-by-mail rental business from its Internet video-streaming business.

 Enlarge Image Close Annie Tritt for The Wall Street Journal Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

 Netflix lost roughly a million of its customers following the announcements and said last month it was behind schedule toward a previous goal of boosting its subscriber base by seven million U.S. streaming-video subscribers this year.

 "If Icahn has a great deal of support from other shareholders, he may press ahead for policy changes or board members of his choosing," said Charles Elson, director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. "It becomes a game of chicken."

 Netflix is the second company to attempt to thwart Mr. Icahn in recent days. Specialty truck maker Oshkosh Corp. also adopted a poison pill late last month after Mr. Icahn, who holds about 9.5% of the company, floated a potential takeover.

 Enlarge Image Close Bloomberg News Carl Icahn, billionaire investor

 The Netflix poison pill would apply to shareholders as of Nov. 2, when the plan was adopted unanimously by the company's seven-person board, which includes Chief Executive Reed Hastings, who holds about a 4.5% stake. The poison pill plan will be in effect for three years.

 Netflix faces a growing list of competitors in its core U.S. market, including Amazon.com Inc., which has been adding streaming content to its Prime membership program, Hulu LLC, and Time Warner Inc.'s Home Box Office unit.

 Profits at Netflix have fallen as it expanded outside the U.S. into Europe, as well as South America. Overseas markets typically require content deals region by region, making it an expensive proposition.

 Mr. Icahn, who is known as an unrelenting activist shareholder, may not go away quickly. "We have something to say and I would say this is going to play itself out pretty well," he said last Wednesday.

 Write to Greg Bensinger at greg.bensinger@wsj.com |||||