"Tomas Young, 34; veteran was critical of Iraq War" by Douglas Martin, New York Times November 21, 2014
NEW YORK — Paralyzed from the chest down, the Iraq War veteran is seen in a 2007 documentary film taking dozens of pills for spasms, pain, and depression. He speaks agonizingly about sexual problems. Viewers watch him marry and, eight months later, divorce.
In the film, “Body of War,” Tomas Young is the body. Codirected and underwritten by Phil Donahue, the film sought to show, through Mr. Young, the devastating human cost of a war the filmmakers argued should have never been fought.
Who was forced off MSNBC just before the war began.
Mr. Young died at 34 on Nov. 10 at his home in Seattle. When asked the cause, his mother, Cathy Smith, said, “His body just wore out.”
The film, praised at festivals, was not released theatrically.
That is one thing about video: you do live forever.
Images of Mr. Young’s agony are interspersed with shots of the congressional debate over the resolution giving President George W. Bush the authority to invade Iraq in March 2003. The film shows Mr. Young in the forefront of demonstrations and lobbying members of Congress to stop it.
Mr. Young recalls enthusiastically enlisting after the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. But he became disillusioned when he was sent to Iraq, not Afghanistan, where Osama bin Laden masterminded the attacks.
I'm not going to get into the whole 9/11 false flag and cover story this morning. I've got to try and act young on the basketball court this morning.
Tomas Vincent Young was born in Boise and grew up in Kansas City, Mo.
--more--"
Friday, November 28, 2014
Housekeepers Hold Out on Harvard Hotel
I'll bet the rooms are messy:
"Pro-union hotel housekeepers protest at Harvard" by Jack Newsham, Globe Correspondent November 20, 2014
Dozens of housekeeping employees at the Hilton DoubleTree Suites hotel in Allston held a one-day strike Thursday.
The housekeeping employees have tried for more than a year to persuade Harvard University, which owns but does not manage the hotel, to side with them in their effort to unionize. On Thursday morning, they rallied outside Harvard’s Science Center with the university’s unionized dining hall workers.
“There has never been a hotel workers’ strike in Boston that housekeepers have participated in,” said Tiffany Ten Eyck, an organizer with the Local 26 union that represents Boston hospitality workers at many other hotels. “We have a tremendously good relationship with the hotels in Boston.”
The group of housekeeping workers and their supporters are not picketing at the hotel, but Ten Eyck said many striking workers were scheduled to work today and chose to demonstrate instead.
About 700 students, religious workers, and hotel and food service workers from around the city showed up for a rally Thursday evening outside the Science Center to support the housekeepers’ unionization efforts....
Related:
"Harvard University will expand its computer science faculty by 50 percent over the next decade, a major campaign designed to position the university as a leader in the field amid surging enrollment in its computer science classes. The initiative, which aims to spur breakthroughs across a range of disciplines, largely is being financed by Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft chief executive who graduated from Harvard in 1977."
He is giving how much?
--more--"
And look at these stains I found on the sheets:
"In the fierce debate about campus sexual assault, Harvard University’s policy has come under particular scrutiny, assailed by some professors as a product of political correctness that stacks the deck against the accused. But a range of specialists who help colleges handle misconduct allegations say Harvard’s policy is decidedly mainstream.
By not including sexual-consent guidelines adopted by a growing number of schools, Harvard has taken a more conservative approach than many of its peers, they say.
In recent years, many colleges have adopted an “affirmative consent” standard, which states that sex is considered consensual only if both partners explicitly communicate their willingness to engage in sexual activity....
--more--"
"Newburyport police seek suspect in sexual assaults" by Trisha Thadani, Globe Correspondent November 06, 2014
Newburyport police are seeking a man in connection with a string of sexual assaults in that city over the past four months — the most recent on Monday night, police said.
In the Monday attack, a girl was walking to meet her boyfriend around 9:30 p.m., when a man came up from behind and sexually assaulted her near the intersection of High Street and Summit Place, said a spokesman for the Newburyport Police Department on Thursday.
The victim’s boyfriend, who was approaching, saw what happened and attempted to chase the suspect but was unable to catch up to him, police said.
The string of four attacks on four women and the girl since June appears to involve the same man, Newburyport police said in a statement Thursday.
The victim in Monday night’s attack did not require medical assistance, but police are still warning the public that the perpetrator is dangerous.
City Marshal Thomas Howard said the attacks were isolated, and it appears the victims did not know their assailant.
“This is a dangerous sexual predator who targets women with increasing audacity and violence, even striking women in well-lit areas,” Howard said in a statement.
“Newburyport continues to be a safe community, and the police department is working aggressively to identify and apprehend the individual behind these incidents,” Newburyport Mayor Donna D. Holaday said in the statement....
--more--"
"Pro-union hotel housekeepers protest at Harvard" by Jack Newsham, Globe Correspondent November 20, 2014
Dozens of housekeeping employees at the Hilton DoubleTree Suites hotel in Allston held a one-day strike Thursday.
The housekeeping employees have tried for more than a year to persuade Harvard University, which owns but does not manage the hotel, to side with them in their effort to unionize. On Thursday morning, they rallied outside Harvard’s Science Center with the university’s unionized dining hall workers.
“There has never been a hotel workers’ strike in Boston that housekeepers have participated in,” said Tiffany Ten Eyck, an organizer with the Local 26 union that represents Boston hospitality workers at many other hotels. “We have a tremendously good relationship with the hotels in Boston.”
The group of housekeeping workers and their supporters are not picketing at the hotel, but Ten Eyck said many striking workers were scheduled to work today and chose to demonstrate instead.
About 700 students, religious workers, and hotel and food service workers from around the city showed up for a rally Thursday evening outside the Science Center to support the housekeepers’ unionization efforts....
Related:
"Harvard University will expand its computer science faculty by 50 percent over the next decade, a major campaign designed to position the university as a leader in the field amid surging enrollment in its computer science classes. The initiative, which aims to spur breakthroughs across a range of disciplines, largely is being financed by Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft chief executive who graduated from Harvard in 1977."
He is giving how much?
--more--"
And look at these stains I found on the sheets:
"In the fierce debate about campus sexual assault, Harvard University’s policy has come under particular scrutiny, assailed by some professors as a product of political correctness that stacks the deck against the accused. But a range of specialists who help colleges handle misconduct allegations say Harvard’s policy is decidedly mainstream.
By not including sexual-consent guidelines adopted by a growing number of schools, Harvard has taken a more conservative approach than many of its peers, they say.
In recent years, many colleges have adopted an “affirmative consent” standard, which states that sex is considered consensual only if both partners explicitly communicate their willingness to engage in sexual activity....
--more--"
"Newburyport police seek suspect in sexual assaults" by Trisha Thadani, Globe Correspondent November 06, 2014
Newburyport police are seeking a man in connection with a string of sexual assaults in that city over the past four months — the most recent on Monday night, police said.
In the Monday attack, a girl was walking to meet her boyfriend around 9:30 p.m., when a man came up from behind and sexually assaulted her near the intersection of High Street and Summit Place, said a spokesman for the Newburyport Police Department on Thursday.
The victim’s boyfriend, who was approaching, saw what happened and attempted to chase the suspect but was unable to catch up to him, police said.
The string of four attacks on four women and the girl since June appears to involve the same man, Newburyport police said in a statement Thursday.
The victim in Monday night’s attack did not require medical assistance, but police are still warning the public that the perpetrator is dangerous.
City Marshal Thomas Howard said the attacks were isolated, and it appears the victims did not know their assailant.
“This is a dangerous sexual predator who targets women with increasing audacity and violence, even striking women in well-lit areas,” Howard said in a statement.
“Newburyport continues to be a safe community, and the police department is working aggressively to identify and apprehend the individual behind these incidents,” Newburyport Mayor Donna D. Holaday said in the statement....
--more--"
Lazarre Epiphanies
"A self-described pastor has received a sentence of up to 12 years in prison for raping a child under 14 years old in his Dorchester apartment, Suffolk County prosecutors said....
--more--"
Related:
"Framingham man gets 20 years for raping teen
A Framingham man who grabbed a 15-year-old girl after she got off her school bus and dragged her into the woods where he raped her at knifepoint has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The MetroWest Daily News reported that Nathan Williams was also sentenced Wednesday in Middlesex Superior Court to 30 years of probation after pleading guilty to child rape with force, indecent assault and battery on a person older than 14, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, and intimidation of a witness. Police said Williams, 20, also ordered the girl to stay in the woods for 15 minutes after the attack in April 2013, and told her not to tell anyone (AP)."
--more--"
Related:
"Framingham man gets 20 years for raping teen
A Framingham man who grabbed a 15-year-old girl after she got off her school bus and dragged her into the woods where he raped her at knifepoint has been sentenced to 20 years in prison. The MetroWest Daily News reported that Nathan Williams was also sentenced Wednesday in Middlesex Superior Court to 30 years of probation after pleading guilty to child rape with force, indecent assault and battery on a person older than 14, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, and intimidation of a witness. Police said Williams, 20, also ordered the girl to stay in the woods for 15 minutes after the attack in April 2013, and told her not to tell anyone (AP)."
State Inspector Was a Pest For EPA
"State inspector pleads guilty to lying to EPA
A former inspector for the state Department of Agricultural Resources admitted in court to falsifying federal inspection reports for the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, according to the office of US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. Paul Ricco, 54, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of making false statements in US District Court in Springfield, Ortiz’s office said. Between March 2010 and May 2012, Ricco produced 15 phony reports for the agricultural department’s pesticide program. He submitted the reports to the EPA without performing the assigned inspections, which were instituted to ensure that pesticide manufacturers were producing and packaging the chemicals securely, according to Ortiz’s office."
A former inspector for the state Department of Agricultural Resources admitted in court to falsifying federal inspection reports for the Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, according to the office of US Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz. Paul Ricco, 54, of Springfield, pleaded guilty to 15 counts of making false statements in US District Court in Springfield, Ortiz’s office said. Between March 2010 and May 2012, Ricco produced 15 phony reports for the agricultural department’s pesticide program. He submitted the reports to the EPA without performing the assigned inspections, which were instituted to ensure that pesticide manufacturers were producing and packaging the chemicals securely, according to Ortiz’s office."
This Post Not Worth Its Salt
"Worker dies in accident at road salt facility
An employee of a Westfield road salt manufacturing facility died in a work-related accident, police said. Captain Michael McCabe said emergency personnel were called to the Cargill Salt facility just before 11 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a person ‘‘seen in an awkward position on a conveyor belt.’’ The outdoor conveyor belt services a salt pile. The victim, identified by police as Robert Crossetti, 33, of Westfield, was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Local police as well as the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating (AP)."
An employee of a Westfield road salt manufacturing facility died in a work-related accident, police said. Captain Michael McCabe said emergency personnel were called to the Cargill Salt facility just before 11 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a person ‘‘seen in an awkward position on a conveyor belt.’’ The outdoor conveyor belt services a salt pile. The victim, identified by police as Robert Crossetti, 33, of Westfield, was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Local police as well as the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration are investigating (AP)."
Masked McKoy Attempted to Rob McDonald’s
"Boston police foil armed robbery at McDonald’s; Two masked men arrested" by Laura Crimaldi, Globe Staff November 06, 2014
It was closing time just after midnight Thursday at a McDonald’s across from Boston Common, and an employee was walking a co-worker to the front door. When he opened it, the two got a surprise.
Two men forced their way into the restaurant, bound the workers’ wrists with shoelaces, then repeatedly punched a manager while pointing a gun at his face, police said. They left carrying two backpacks stuffed with cash before dumping clothing and gloves in an alley behind the restaurant, according to police.
But the robbers did not get away with it, thanks to the work of a Boston police officer who confronted the men in the alley behind the restaurant, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans said.
“He was able to basically hold them at gunpoint and he . . . placed them under arrest,” Evans said in a phone interview.
Those two suspects, Mason McKoy, 27, and Andre Nesbeth, 26, were each ordered held on $100,000 bail during an arraignment Thursday at Boston Municipal Court. They face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon, officials said.
Police are also investigating whether the men are tied to a similar robbery at the same restaurant Oct. 4, when two assailants tied up employees and brandished a firearm during a closing-time robbery, said Sergeant Michael McCarthy, a Boston police spokesman.
“We’re looking at the possibility they could have been responsible for that one, too,” Evans said.
*********
In court, defense attorneys for McKoy and Nesbeth asked Judge Michael Coyne to fit them with GPS bracelets and order house arrest, saying they have minimal criminal histories. Coyne refused and set bail at $100,000 each, far more than the $10,000 sought by Suffolk assistant district attorney Susan Terrey. Both men are scheduled to return to court Dec. 4.
While waiting for their case to be called, the men sat together in court with their hands and ankles in shackles, laughing....
--more--"
It was closing time just after midnight Thursday at a McDonald’s across from Boston Common, and an employee was walking a co-worker to the front door. When he opened it, the two got a surprise.
Two men forced their way into the restaurant, bound the workers’ wrists with shoelaces, then repeatedly punched a manager while pointing a gun at his face, police said. They left carrying two backpacks stuffed with cash before dumping clothing and gloves in an alley behind the restaurant, according to police.
But the robbers did not get away with it, thanks to the work of a Boston police officer who confronted the men in the alley behind the restaurant, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans said.
“He was able to basically hold them at gunpoint and he . . . placed them under arrest,” Evans said in a phone interview.
Those two suspects, Mason McKoy, 27, and Andre Nesbeth, 26, were each ordered held on $100,000 bail during an arraignment Thursday at Boston Municipal Court. They face charges of armed robbery, kidnapping, assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon, officials said.
Police are also investigating whether the men are tied to a similar robbery at the same restaurant Oct. 4, when two assailants tied up employees and brandished a firearm during a closing-time robbery, said Sergeant Michael McCarthy, a Boston police spokesman.
“We’re looking at the possibility they could have been responsible for that one, too,” Evans said.
*********
In court, defense attorneys for McKoy and Nesbeth asked Judge Michael Coyne to fit them with GPS bracelets and order house arrest, saying they have minimal criminal histories. Coyne refused and set bail at $100,000 each, far more than the $10,000 sought by Suffolk assistant district attorney Susan Terrey. Both men are scheduled to return to court Dec. 4.
While waiting for their case to be called, the men sat together in court with their hands and ankles in shackles, laughing....
--more--"
Best Buy Friday
It's the first place I'm going this morning:
"Third-quarter profit nearly doubled at Best Buy, a positive sign going into the holiday season after last year’s dismal showing. Profit rose to $107 million, helped by cost-cutting. Revenue rose, yet Best Buy is still struggling with sluggish sales growth."
Gotta love that economic recovery.
"Third-quarter profit nearly doubled at Best Buy, a positive sign going into the holiday season after last year’s dismal showing. Profit rose to $107 million, helped by cost-cutting. Revenue rose, yet Best Buy is still struggling with sluggish sales growth."
Gotta love that economic recovery.
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Black Friday to Begin With a Bang
Consider this a preemptive post (especially since it all begins tonight) to prevent calamity at the mall as I do a little window shopping this morning before the afternoon festivities:
"Black Friday gun buys test background check system" by Matt Stroud, Associated Press November 27, 2014
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Black Friday isn’t just when shoppers rush to stores for holiday sales. It’s also one of the busiest days of the year for gun purchases.
Not as many as there used to be.
In the United States, there are nine guns for every 10 people. Someone is killed with a firearm every 16 minutes. And every minute, gun shops make about 40 new requests for criminal background checks on people wanting weapons.
I'm sorry, but this gun-grabbing agenda-pushing over the Thanksgiving table is not going down well at all.
On Black Friday, the rush accelerates to nearly two checks a second, testing the limits of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
‘‘We have a perfect storm coming,’’ says Kimberly Del Greco, a manager in the FBI division that helps run the system, known as NICS.
Then all the NSA data collection is worthless?
Much of the responsibility for preventing criminals and the mentally ill from buying guns is shouldered by about 500 men and women who run the system from inside the FBI’s criminal justice center, a gray office building with concrete walls and mirrored windows just outside Bridgeport, W.Va.
Granted a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the NICS, the Associated Press was able to see first-hand why 512 gun sales a day effectively beat the system last year.
Yeah, yeah, the overwhelmed officials of tyranny.
************
The problem is the data.
States voluntarily submit records, which are often missing information about mental health rulings or criminal convictions, and aren’t always rapidly updated to reflect restraining orders or other urgent reasons to deny a sale. It’s a particular problem on Black Friday, when so many background checks are done at once.
What we are seeing here is not only the agenda being pushed, but the ground being set for the next wave and series of psyop shootings, be they in schools or malls.
There are more than 48,000 gun retailers in the United States, from Walmart stores to local pawn shops. Store clerks can use the FBI’s online E-Check System, which federal officials say is more efficient. But nearly half the checks are phoned in.
What, a government website that works?
Three call centers — in Kentucky, Texas, and Wheeling, W.Va. — take these calls from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day but Christmas.
NICS did about 58,000 checks on a typical day last year. That surged to 145,000 on Black Friday 2013. They’re bringing in 100 more workers than usual for the post-Thanksgiving rush this year.
The call centers have no access to privileged information about buyers’ backgrounds, and make no decisions. They just type in their name, address, birth date, Social Security number, and other information into the system. On Black Fridays, the work can be grueling: One woman took a call that lasted four hours when a dealer phoned in the maximum 99 checks.
In the years since these background checks were required, about 71 percent have found no red flags and produced instant approvals.
But 10 factors can disqualify gun purchasers: a felony conviction, an arrest warrant, a documented drug problem or mental illness, undocumented immigration status, a dishonorable military discharge, a renunciation of US citizenship, a restraining order, a history of domestic violence, or an indictment for any crime punishable by longer than one year of prison time.
Any sign that one of these factors could be in a buyer’s background produces a red flag. FBI researchers then investigate, scouring state records in the federal database and calling state and local authorities for more information.
So when is murderous authority included in the numbers and or conversation?
‘‘It takes a lot of effort . . . for an examiner to go out and look at court reports, look at judges’ documents, try to find a final disposition so we can get back to a gun dealer on whether they can sell that gun or not,’’ Del Greco says. ‘‘And we don’t always get back to them.’’
The researchers must use their skill and judgment, striking a balance between the rights of gun owners and the need to keep would-be killers from getting firearms.
Researcher Valerie Sargo said outstanding warrants often come up when they examine a red flag, and that can help police make arrests. ‘‘It makes you feel good that this person is not supposed to have a firearm and you kept it out of their hands,’’ she said.
That shows a totalitarian and authoritarian mindset -- as authority is armed to the teeth with military surplus(?).
--more--"
Thankfully, there are not as many people out there as there used to be:
"Black Friday gets trampled in November rush; The once-vaunted shopping day is falling victim to its success, retailers’ overreach" by Taryn Luna, Globe Correspondent November 20, 2014
Black Friday, long considered the single biggest shopping day of the year and the ceremonial start of the holiday season, has died, succumbing to rampant competition and complications from the Internet. It was nearly 50 years old.
Gunned down, if you will (cue somber organ music).
Maybe you can get the gun through Amazon then.
Related:
Brighter economy driving up holiday hiring plans
UPS plans to hire 2,000 seasonal workers in Mass.
"UPS said it will hire up to 95,000 seasonal workers, has opened or expanded 47 facilities to boost capacity, and UPS expects to deliver more than 34 million packages on the busiest day of the holiday season."
What can brown do for you?
The proliferation of other days that offer blockbuster savings robbed the traditional Black Friday sale of its distinctive retail identity. Now, the Friday after Thanksgiving is no longer the only day shoppers can get a Samsung Galaxy S5 for a penny. Or a 50-inch LED TV for $218.
Well, whooooooo$e fault is that?
“It’s the end of an American shopping tradition,” said Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director at SRG Insight, a retail consulting firm in New York.
Black Friday fell victim to a “Darwinian destruction” in which retailers created an extended calendar of Big Shopping Days by combining the doorbuster deals that defined the day after Thanksgiving with everyday discounts, he said.
Then it was a suicide shooting, wasn't it?
Look, the dead victim has been robbed, says my corporate mouthpiece.
In states that allow retailers to open on holidays, shoppers will instead break down the doors for the traditional doorbuster bargains on Black Thursday — formerly known as Thanksgiving.
That's why you are getting this post this morning.
Black Friday will also be displaced as the biggest shopping day of the year by Super Saturday — the last Saturday before Christmas. And retailers are expanding the use of online specials they can offer throughout the season.
As an executive at Walmart quipped recently, the new Black Friday should simply be called “November.”
It's a never ending sell since they were promoting Christmas in July.
Since Massachusetts prohibits retailers from opening on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday here will maintain some of the midnight madcap rush atmosphere that many families and friends have turned into a tradition.
Let's hope no one is killed by the stampedes this year.
But long before they haul their turkey-stuffed bodies to the mall, many shoppers will have already launched their gift-buying at Target, which began hawking its holiday doorbusters on Nov. 10, or at Staples, which rolled out its deals a week later.
Hacking meant nothing?!!?
"Home Depot faces at least 44 lawsuits in the United States and Canada over a massive data breach earlier this year that affected 56 million debit and credit cards. The nation's biggest home improvement retailer said Tuesday in a regulatory filing that several state and federal agencies also are looking into the data breach and it may face more litigation from customers, banks, shareholders and others. Home Depot said the litigation and the investigations may distract management and affect how it runs its business. It also could lead to additional costs and fines. But those expenses aren't clear yet because the cases are in early stages, the company said in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Atlanta-based retailer disclosed the months-long breach of data in September. It has said that the hackers initially accessed its network in April with a third-party vendor's username and password. Hackers then deployed malware on Home Depot's self-checkout systems to gain access to the card information of customers who shopped at its U.S. and Canadian stores between April and September. Home Depot's breach surpassed Target's pre-Christmas 2013 data theft, which compromised 40 million credit and debit cards and hurt sales and profits. Since late last year, Michaels, SuperValu and Neiman Marcus have been among a string of retailers that have also reported breaches, though they were smaller."
Related: Home Depot faces dozens of breach-related lawsuits
Sorry, your card didn't clear.
"Staples Inc. says it will close more stores this year than previously announced as it tries to reposition itself to remain competitive. The office supply retailer also delivered a solid third-quarter performance and fourth-quarter forecast on Wednesday, which sent its shares sharply higher. The Framingham-based company has been struggling for some time with a shift in consumer habits toward online shopping, along with intense competition that has hurt its sales. In response, Staples has closed stores and cut costs to improve profitability, while increasing its online offerings and other features to draw shoppers. Staples said Wednesday that these moves have paid off to some degree. It earned $216.8 million for the quarter that ended Nov. 1 [although] total revenue fell."
I'll bet it was all the doing of ISIS!
At least you can still go to Walmart(?cuibono?):
And Walmart, which more than any other retailer elevated the one-day frenzy of shopping to a national pastime, unwrapped its first holiday deals Nov. 1
"Wal-Mart is doing whatever it takes to rope in holiday shoppers however they want to buy. For the first time, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is offering free shipping on what it considers the season's top 100 hottest gifts, from board games to items related to Disney's hit film "Frozen" items, starting Saturday. The move comes as rival Target Corp. began offering free shipping on all items, a program that started late October and will last through Dec. 20. Wal-Mart is also planning to offer discounts, or what it refers to as "rollbacks," on more than 20,000 items on a broad range of products, from groceries to TVs, starting Saturday. The timing is similar to last year, but the discounter said the assortment is broader. It's also pulling forward by nearly a month 15 24-hour online deals originally reserved for the Thanksgiving weekend and so-called Cyber Monday. The online deals are in addition to several hundred online holiday specials that start Saturday. Wal-Mart is trying to rev up sluggish sales in the U.S. as it battles competition from online retailers, dollar stores and drugstores. At the same time, it's also dealing with a slowly recovering economy that hasn't benefited its low-income shoppers. As a result, stores are being forced to step up their game for the holiday shopping season, which accounts for about 20 percent of retail industry's annual sales. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, forecasts a 4.1 percent sales increase to $616.9 billion for November and December from last year. But...."
And they called it a booming economic recovery.
In most states other than Massachusetts, many retailers are opening on Thanksgiving evening, or making their doorbusters available online that morning; some will start their specials on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
“The retailing community is so anxious about business that they are all trying to get headstarts on each other,” said Madison Riley, managing partner and retail analyst for Kurt Salmon in New York. “They are not really sure how the season will pan out, and they are continuing to do earlier and earlier offerings.”
Really?
The term Black Friday, which dates to the 1960s, appears to have been first used by police in Philadelphia in reaction to the hordes that flocked to the malls on the day after Thanksgiving.
What an authoritarian and militaristic prism I'm looking through.
Retailers later adopted and redefined the phrase to signify the day when their businesses turned a profit for the first time that year — as in from red ink to black.
For decades, retailers have dropped prices on Friday to kick off the holiday season, a period that typically accounts for about 20 percent of annual sales. An arms-race mentality soon took over as retailers vied to outdo their competitors with ever more outrageous discounts — DVDs for $1.99, or half off a Sony PlayStation.
Then I am reading the perfect vehicle for it, a war-promoting pre$$.
Black Friday had already begun to lose some of its pop in recent years; total sales in 2013 were down 14 percent from just two years earlier. But some analysts question whether retailers are solving anything by moving Black Friday to other days, particularly the Thanksgiving holiday.
“You’re incurring extra costs and you’re probably having to pay a bit more to bring people in for those holiday hours,” Riley said.
The main problem is the American middle class has been destroyed and all the wealth has accrued at the top.
On the other hand, getting people to spend more time in stores during a longer shopping period may result in more impulse purchases, increasing overall sales.
“You will spend more, the more times you’re out,” said Michael Tesler, a retail professor at Bentley University. “Retailers have to beat last year, so if they don’t have better merchandise or better deals they need more hours.”
The National Retail Federation expects sales in November and December to increase by a modest 4.1 percent this year, to $616.9 billion.
Among the one-day deals that Target Corp. offered earlier this month was $50 off the popular Beats Studio headphones. The Minneapolis-based chain is also making some specials available on its mobile shopping application during the week of Thanksgiving and in stores the Wednesday before the holiday.
As for Black Friday itself, the only deal that Target has this year for just that one day is a 10 percent discount on gift cards.
So the hacking really isn't something to take $eriou$ly, huh?
Walmart is using the long Thanksgiving weekend to roll out its deals in stages, beginning online Thursday morning and running through Cyber Monday. The best discounts are scheduled for stores outside Massachusetts that are open on Thanksgiving day: an iPad Mini for $199 and a $30 gift card.
Black Friday itself will feature deals on less-popular items like tires and jewelry.
Staples has also arrived early to the party, offering “Black Friday for Business” deals on Sunday that included $100 off a mesh desk chair. Traditional steeply discounted offers will go live on Thanksgiving and include an Asus laptop for $99.99 and a free Kindle with any laptop purchase of $399 or higher.
“It gives customers the chance to shop when and where they want, not just on one frenetic and frantic day,” said Alison Corcoran, Staples’ senior vice president of North American stores and online marketing.
“We want to give them access to deals that they can take advantage of on their own time.”
--more--"
I would stay away from the malls this weekend, what with all the guns being purchased:
"Forecasts cloudy for holiday shopping season" by Taryn Luna, Globe Correspondent November 19, 2014
Holiday sales forecasts are starting to sound like a broken record.
I understand the feeling.
Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, is “cautiously optimistic” — a phrase he used to define his outlook on the holiday season last year and something very similar to what he’s said since 2010.
The ho-hum forecast is echoed in national projections from analysts and economists.
“We have not yet fully escaped the economic challenge that we experienced even four or five years ago,” said Madison Riley, an analyst with Kurt Salmon in New York. “The economy is still improving and not where it was prior to 2008.”
But the 1% have made out unbelievably well as "incomes for the highest-earning 1 percent of Americans soared 31 percent from 2009 through 2012."
The state retail association predicts sales will climb 3.9 percent to $15.4 billion in November and December, which is just under the National Retail Federation’s forecast of 4.1 percent growth to $616.9 billion.
The forecasts are slightly better than last year, when sales climbed 3.3 percent in Massachusetts, and retailers are working hard to pursue every possible avenue for growth again this year.
Many are offering door-buster-like deals earlier than ever to extend the season, some have retooled warehouses, and others poured millions into credit-card security.
We simply do not have the money. Sorry.
Tricia Patrick, a principal at Bain Capital in Boston who focuses on the retail and consumer industries, said this season should be helped by lower gas prices and lower rates of unemployment.
“In general, if the consumer is a little bit stronger, it should be better for retail,’’ Patrick said. But, she noted, most Americans have not seen meaningful gains in their incomes in recent years.
It's like a broken record.
Another problem: There aren’t many must-have items this season other than the iPhone 6, introduced in September.
“There’s nothing new and exciting this year,” said Marshal Cohen, an analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm in New York.
It’s one reason why most Americans plan to stay home on Black Friday this year, according to a new report from Bankrate.com.....
Like me.
There are no good deals and I would just be wasting gas.
--more--"
So what gifts can we come up with for the kids?
"Consumer group lists ‘10 Worst Toys’ for kids" by Philip Marcelo, Associated Press November 19, 2014
BOSTON — A bow that shoots illuminated arrows its manufacturer says can fly up to 145 feet and the ‘‘Catapencil’’ — a pencil with a miniature slingshot-style launcher on its end — are on an annual list of unsafe toys released Wednesday by a Massachusetts-based consumer watchdog group.
World Against Toys Causing Harm, or WATCH, issued the ‘‘10 Worst Toys’’ list to remind parents and consumers of the potential hazards in some toys the holiday shopping season gets underway.
Here’s the full list of ‘‘worst toys’’ for 2014: “Air Storm Firetek Bow’’ by Zing; “Ziggle’’ four-wheeled cycle by Radio Flyer; “Catapencil’’ by Toysmith; “Alphabet Zoo Rock & Stack Pull Toy’’ by Skip Hop; “SWAT Electric Machine Gun’’ by Junxing Toys Industrial Co.; “Wooden Instruments’’ sold at Wal-Mart; “Bottle Rocket Party’’ by Norman & Globus; “Lil’ Cutesies-Best Friends’’ doll by JC Toys Group; “True Legends Orcs Battle Hammer’’ sold at Toys R Us; and “Colored Hedgehog’’ plush toy sold at Toys R Us.
Comes complete with cop uniform, too.
--more--"
Where else can one go to get toys?
"A 16-year-old boy driving relatives from Texas to a vacation in Disney World apparently fell asleep at the wheel, causing the sport utility vehicle to veer off the highway and roll over, killing three children and two adults, authorities said Thursday.... The success of Walt Disney Co. movies, including the animated tale ‘‘Frozen’’ and the Marvel movie ‘‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’’ lifted its fourth-quarter financial results. Overall revenue rose [while] fourth-quarter net income rose 8 percent to $1.5 billion."
"Hasbro helps kids with disabilities learn to play" Associated Press November 19, 2014
PROVIDENCE — Toy makers at Hasbro don’t want Mr. Potato Head to end up at the bottom of toy boxes, simply because children with developmental disabilities don’t know how to play with him.
Hasbro Inc. has partnered with The Autism Project, a group of parents and professionals who help people with autism to create instructional videos and tools to help children with developmental disabilities learn how to play with their toys.
I'm sensing some guilt.
Three engineers at the company thought of the idea, said Karen Davis, the senior vice president of global philanthropy and social impact at Hasbro, so every child can ‘‘experience the joy of play.’’
About 15 percent of children in the United States have a developmental disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Joanne Quinn, executive director of The Autism Project, said ToyBox Tools will have a ‘‘huge impact’’ because parents will feel more empowered to play with their children, and children will learn how to play at their own pace and learn important life skills.
Ever notice most kids instinctually share before being taught otherwise?
--more--"
That is what I got last Christmas.
What, were there no G.I. Joe's left?
Also see: Monopoly Money
Yeah, thanks for the idea.
"Barbie dethroned by Team Elsa" AP November 26, 2014
NEW YORK — For the first time in more than a decade, Barbie has been frozen out of the top spot on the holiday wish lists of girls.
The new champion in the hearts of little girls is Team Elsa.
The megahit ‘‘Frozen’’ has earned Disney more than a billion at the box office worldwide, and the gravitational pull of the animated film has now plucked Barbie from the throne she has occupied for 11 years, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
Barbie’s star has faded of late, with sales of the iconic doll dropping 21 percent in the third quarter, according to the toy company Mattel Inc.
Maybe she needs a boob job?
Dolls dominated the top five spots for girls in the poll. Monster High dolls took the fourth spot and American Girl grabbed the fifth position.
For boys, the federation said that the number one spot is again held by Lego. Cars and trucks came in second place, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were in third place.
--more--"
Related: Toying Around With Venezuela
No wonder they are giving them away.
Time to do some shopping for the adults:
"Budweiser’s Clydesdales get some time off" Associated Press November 25, 2014
NEW YORK — Ahead of Thanksgiving, Budweiser has been running ads for ‘‘Holiday Crates’’ that include 18-packs of Budweiser in crates that are replicas of those used to deliver beer after Prohibition.
The Clydesdales have been associated with Budweiser since 1933, when the company introduced them to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.
‘‘You look around, and we have this huge group of young drinkers, and almost half of them have never tried the brand,’’ said Eric Shepard, executive editor of industry tracker Beer Marketer’s Insights.
--more--"
Here is something else you can get them:
"Marijuana retailers in Colo. woo shoppers with holiday deals
DENVER — That’s not mistletoe. From new marijuana strains for the holidays to gift sets and pot-and-pumpkin pies, the burgeoning marijuana industry in Colorado is scrambling to get a piece of the holiday shopping dollar.
They don't want you there!
Dispensaries in many states have been offering holiday specials for medical customers for years — but this first season of open-to-all-adults marijuana sales in some states means cannabis shops are using more of the tactics traditional retailers use. Here’s a look at how the recreational marijuana industry is trying to spur sales:
Did you keep the receipt so I can return it?
--more--"
You also better check the label on that candy.
Black Friday Shopping Catches on in UK
Somehow I could not find anything there.
Well, this clip is empty. Will have to reload tomorrow.
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
‘Webrooming’ shoppers research online, then buy in stores
In many states, early-bird shoppers turn out on Thanksgiving
Overnight snowfall may make for slippery Black Friday
"Black Friday gun buys test background check system" by Matt Stroud, Associated Press November 27, 2014
BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Black Friday isn’t just when shoppers rush to stores for holiday sales. It’s also one of the busiest days of the year for gun purchases.
Not as many as there used to be.
In the United States, there are nine guns for every 10 people. Someone is killed with a firearm every 16 minutes. And every minute, gun shops make about 40 new requests for criminal background checks on people wanting weapons.
I'm sorry, but this gun-grabbing agenda-pushing over the Thanksgiving table is not going down well at all.
On Black Friday, the rush accelerates to nearly two checks a second, testing the limits of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
‘‘We have a perfect storm coming,’’ says Kimberly Del Greco, a manager in the FBI division that helps run the system, known as NICS.
Then all the NSA data collection is worthless?
Much of the responsibility for preventing criminals and the mentally ill from buying guns is shouldered by about 500 men and women who run the system from inside the FBI’s criminal justice center, a gray office building with concrete walls and mirrored windows just outside Bridgeport, W.Va.
Granted a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the NICS, the Associated Press was able to see first-hand why 512 gun sales a day effectively beat the system last year.
Yeah, yeah, the overwhelmed officials of tyranny.
************
The problem is the data.
States voluntarily submit records, which are often missing information about mental health rulings or criminal convictions, and aren’t always rapidly updated to reflect restraining orders or other urgent reasons to deny a sale. It’s a particular problem on Black Friday, when so many background checks are done at once.
What we are seeing here is not only the agenda being pushed, but the ground being set for the next wave and series of psyop shootings, be they in schools or malls.
There are more than 48,000 gun retailers in the United States, from Walmart stores to local pawn shops. Store clerks can use the FBI’s online E-Check System, which federal officials say is more efficient. But nearly half the checks are phoned in.
What, a government website that works?
Three call centers — in Kentucky, Texas, and Wheeling, W.Va. — take these calls from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. every day but Christmas.
NICS did about 58,000 checks on a typical day last year. That surged to 145,000 on Black Friday 2013. They’re bringing in 100 more workers than usual for the post-Thanksgiving rush this year.
The call centers have no access to privileged information about buyers’ backgrounds, and make no decisions. They just type in their name, address, birth date, Social Security number, and other information into the system. On Black Fridays, the work can be grueling: One woman took a call that lasted four hours when a dealer phoned in the maximum 99 checks.
In the years since these background checks were required, about 71 percent have found no red flags and produced instant approvals.
But 10 factors can disqualify gun purchasers: a felony conviction, an arrest warrant, a documented drug problem or mental illness, undocumented immigration status, a dishonorable military discharge, a renunciation of US citizenship, a restraining order, a history of domestic violence, or an indictment for any crime punishable by longer than one year of prison time.
Any sign that one of these factors could be in a buyer’s background produces a red flag. FBI researchers then investigate, scouring state records in the federal database and calling state and local authorities for more information.
So when is murderous authority included in the numbers and or conversation?
‘‘It takes a lot of effort . . . for an examiner to go out and look at court reports, look at judges’ documents, try to find a final disposition so we can get back to a gun dealer on whether they can sell that gun or not,’’ Del Greco says. ‘‘And we don’t always get back to them.’’
The researchers must use their skill and judgment, striking a balance between the rights of gun owners and the need to keep would-be killers from getting firearms.
Researcher Valerie Sargo said outstanding warrants often come up when they examine a red flag, and that can help police make arrests. ‘‘It makes you feel good that this person is not supposed to have a firearm and you kept it out of their hands,’’ she said.
That shows a totalitarian and authoritarian mindset -- as authority is armed to the teeth with military surplus(?).
--more--"
Thankfully, there are not as many people out there as there used to be:
"Black Friday gets trampled in November rush; The once-vaunted shopping day is falling victim to its success, retailers’ overreach" by Taryn Luna, Globe Correspondent November 20, 2014
Black Friday, long considered the single biggest shopping day of the year and the ceremonial start of the holiday season, has died, succumbing to rampant competition and complications from the Internet. It was nearly 50 years old.
Gunned down, if you will (cue somber organ music).
Maybe you can get the gun through Amazon then.
Related:
Brighter economy driving up holiday hiring plans
UPS plans to hire 2,000 seasonal workers in Mass.
"UPS said it will hire up to 95,000 seasonal workers, has opened or expanded 47 facilities to boost capacity, and UPS expects to deliver more than 34 million packages on the busiest day of the holiday season."
What can brown do for you?
The proliferation of other days that offer blockbuster savings robbed the traditional Black Friday sale of its distinctive retail identity. Now, the Friday after Thanksgiving is no longer the only day shoppers can get a Samsung Galaxy S5 for a penny. Or a 50-inch LED TV for $218.
Well, whooooooo$e fault is that?
“It’s the end of an American shopping tradition,” said Burt P. Flickinger III, managing director at SRG Insight, a retail consulting firm in New York.
Black Friday fell victim to a “Darwinian destruction” in which retailers created an extended calendar of Big Shopping Days by combining the doorbuster deals that defined the day after Thanksgiving with everyday discounts, he said.
Then it was a suicide shooting, wasn't it?
Look, the dead victim has been robbed, says my corporate mouthpiece.
In states that allow retailers to open on holidays, shoppers will instead break down the doors for the traditional doorbuster bargains on Black Thursday — formerly known as Thanksgiving.
That's why you are getting this post this morning.
Black Friday will also be displaced as the biggest shopping day of the year by Super Saturday — the last Saturday before Christmas. And retailers are expanding the use of online specials they can offer throughout the season.
As an executive at Walmart quipped recently, the new Black Friday should simply be called “November.”
It's a never ending sell since they were promoting Christmas in July.
Since Massachusetts prohibits retailers from opening on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Black Friday here will maintain some of the midnight madcap rush atmosphere that many families and friends have turned into a tradition.
Let's hope no one is killed by the stampedes this year.
But long before they haul their turkey-stuffed bodies to the mall, many shoppers will have already launched their gift-buying at Target, which began hawking its holiday doorbusters on Nov. 10, or at Staples, which rolled out its deals a week later.
Hacking meant nothing?!!?
"Home Depot faces at least 44 lawsuits in the United States and Canada over a massive data breach earlier this year that affected 56 million debit and credit cards. The nation's biggest home improvement retailer said Tuesday in a regulatory filing that several state and federal agencies also are looking into the data breach and it may face more litigation from customers, banks, shareholders and others. Home Depot said the litigation and the investigations may distract management and affect how it runs its business. It also could lead to additional costs and fines. But those expenses aren't clear yet because the cases are in early stages, the company said in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Atlanta-based retailer disclosed the months-long breach of data in September. It has said that the hackers initially accessed its network in April with a third-party vendor's username and password. Hackers then deployed malware on Home Depot's self-checkout systems to gain access to the card information of customers who shopped at its U.S. and Canadian stores between April and September. Home Depot's breach surpassed Target's pre-Christmas 2013 data theft, which compromised 40 million credit and debit cards and hurt sales and profits. Since late last year, Michaels, SuperValu and Neiman Marcus have been among a string of retailers that have also reported breaches, though they were smaller."
Related: Home Depot faces dozens of breach-related lawsuits
Sorry, your card didn't clear.
"Staples Inc. says it will close more stores this year than previously announced as it tries to reposition itself to remain competitive. The office supply retailer also delivered a solid third-quarter performance and fourth-quarter forecast on Wednesday, which sent its shares sharply higher. The Framingham-based company has been struggling for some time with a shift in consumer habits toward online shopping, along with intense competition that has hurt its sales. In response, Staples has closed stores and cut costs to improve profitability, while increasing its online offerings and other features to draw shoppers. Staples said Wednesday that these moves have paid off to some degree. It earned $216.8 million for the quarter that ended Nov. 1 [although] total revenue fell."
I'll bet it was all the doing of ISIS!
At least you can still go to Walmart(?cuibono?):
And Walmart, which more than any other retailer elevated the one-day frenzy of shopping to a national pastime, unwrapped its first holiday deals Nov. 1
"Wal-Mart is doing whatever it takes to rope in holiday shoppers however they want to buy. For the first time, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is offering free shipping on what it considers the season's top 100 hottest gifts, from board games to items related to Disney's hit film "Frozen" items, starting Saturday. The move comes as rival Target Corp. began offering free shipping on all items, a program that started late October and will last through Dec. 20. Wal-Mart is also planning to offer discounts, or what it refers to as "rollbacks," on more than 20,000 items on a broad range of products, from groceries to TVs, starting Saturday. The timing is similar to last year, but the discounter said the assortment is broader. It's also pulling forward by nearly a month 15 24-hour online deals originally reserved for the Thanksgiving weekend and so-called Cyber Monday. The online deals are in addition to several hundred online holiday specials that start Saturday. Wal-Mart is trying to rev up sluggish sales in the U.S. as it battles competition from online retailers, dollar stores and drugstores. At the same time, it's also dealing with a slowly recovering economy that hasn't benefited its low-income shoppers. As a result, stores are being forced to step up their game for the holiday shopping season, which accounts for about 20 percent of retail industry's annual sales. The National Retail Federation, the nation's largest retail trade group, forecasts a 4.1 percent sales increase to $616.9 billion for November and December from last year. But...."
And they called it a booming economic recovery.
In most states other than Massachusetts, many retailers are opening on Thanksgiving evening, or making their doorbusters available online that morning; some will start their specials on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
“The retailing community is so anxious about business that they are all trying to get headstarts on each other,” said Madison Riley, managing partner and retail analyst for Kurt Salmon in New York. “They are not really sure how the season will pan out, and they are continuing to do earlier and earlier offerings.”
Really?
The term Black Friday, which dates to the 1960s, appears to have been first used by police in Philadelphia in reaction to the hordes that flocked to the malls on the day after Thanksgiving.
What an authoritarian and militaristic prism I'm looking through.
Retailers later adopted and redefined the phrase to signify the day when their businesses turned a profit for the first time that year — as in from red ink to black.
For decades, retailers have dropped prices on Friday to kick off the holiday season, a period that typically accounts for about 20 percent of annual sales. An arms-race mentality soon took over as retailers vied to outdo their competitors with ever more outrageous discounts — DVDs for $1.99, or half off a Sony PlayStation.
Then I am reading the perfect vehicle for it, a war-promoting pre$$.
Black Friday had already begun to lose some of its pop in recent years; total sales in 2013 were down 14 percent from just two years earlier. But some analysts question whether retailers are solving anything by moving Black Friday to other days, particularly the Thanksgiving holiday.
“You’re incurring extra costs and you’re probably having to pay a bit more to bring people in for those holiday hours,” Riley said.
The main problem is the American middle class has been destroyed and all the wealth has accrued at the top.
On the other hand, getting people to spend more time in stores during a longer shopping period may result in more impulse purchases, increasing overall sales.
“You will spend more, the more times you’re out,” said Michael Tesler, a retail professor at Bentley University. “Retailers have to beat last year, so if they don’t have better merchandise or better deals they need more hours.”
The National Retail Federation expects sales in November and December to increase by a modest 4.1 percent this year, to $616.9 billion.
Among the one-day deals that Target Corp. offered earlier this month was $50 off the popular Beats Studio headphones. The Minneapolis-based chain is also making some specials available on its mobile shopping application during the week of Thanksgiving and in stores the Wednesday before the holiday.
As for Black Friday itself, the only deal that Target has this year for just that one day is a 10 percent discount on gift cards.
So the hacking really isn't something to take $eriou$ly, huh?
Walmart is using the long Thanksgiving weekend to roll out its deals in stages, beginning online Thursday morning and running through Cyber Monday. The best discounts are scheduled for stores outside Massachusetts that are open on Thanksgiving day: an iPad Mini for $199 and a $30 gift card.
Black Friday itself will feature deals on less-popular items like tires and jewelry.
Staples has also arrived early to the party, offering “Black Friday for Business” deals on Sunday that included $100 off a mesh desk chair. Traditional steeply discounted offers will go live on Thanksgiving and include an Asus laptop for $99.99 and a free Kindle with any laptop purchase of $399 or higher.
“It gives customers the chance to shop when and where they want, not just on one frenetic and frantic day,” said Alison Corcoran, Staples’ senior vice president of North American stores and online marketing.
“We want to give them access to deals that they can take advantage of on their own time.”
--more--"
I would stay away from the malls this weekend, what with all the guns being purchased:
"Forecasts cloudy for holiday shopping season" by Taryn Luna, Globe Correspondent November 19, 2014
Holiday sales forecasts are starting to sound like a broken record.
I understand the feeling.
Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, is “cautiously optimistic” — a phrase he used to define his outlook on the holiday season last year and something very similar to what he’s said since 2010.
The ho-hum forecast is echoed in national projections from analysts and economists.
“We have not yet fully escaped the economic challenge that we experienced even four or five years ago,” said Madison Riley, an analyst with Kurt Salmon in New York. “The economy is still improving and not where it was prior to 2008.”
But the 1% have made out unbelievably well as "incomes for the highest-earning 1 percent of Americans soared 31 percent from 2009 through 2012."
The state retail association predicts sales will climb 3.9 percent to $15.4 billion in November and December, which is just under the National Retail Federation’s forecast of 4.1 percent growth to $616.9 billion.
The forecasts are slightly better than last year, when sales climbed 3.3 percent in Massachusetts, and retailers are working hard to pursue every possible avenue for growth again this year.
Many are offering door-buster-like deals earlier than ever to extend the season, some have retooled warehouses, and others poured millions into credit-card security.
We simply do not have the money. Sorry.
Tricia Patrick, a principal at Bain Capital in Boston who focuses on the retail and consumer industries, said this season should be helped by lower gas prices and lower rates of unemployment.
“In general, if the consumer is a little bit stronger, it should be better for retail,’’ Patrick said. But, she noted, most Americans have not seen meaningful gains in their incomes in recent years.
It's like a broken record.
Another problem: There aren’t many must-have items this season other than the iPhone 6, introduced in September.
“There’s nothing new and exciting this year,” said Marshal Cohen, an analyst with the NPD Group, a market research firm in New York.
It’s one reason why most Americans plan to stay home on Black Friday this year, according to a new report from Bankrate.com.....
Like me.
There are no good deals and I would just be wasting gas.
--more--"
So what gifts can we come up with for the kids?
"Consumer group lists ‘10 Worst Toys’ for kids" by Philip Marcelo, Associated Press November 19, 2014
BOSTON — A bow that shoots illuminated arrows its manufacturer says can fly up to 145 feet and the ‘‘Catapencil’’ — a pencil with a miniature slingshot-style launcher on its end — are on an annual list of unsafe toys released Wednesday by a Massachusetts-based consumer watchdog group.
World Against Toys Causing Harm, or WATCH, issued the ‘‘10 Worst Toys’’ list to remind parents and consumers of the potential hazards in some toys the holiday shopping season gets underway.
Here’s the full list of ‘‘worst toys’’ for 2014: “Air Storm Firetek Bow’’ by Zing; “Ziggle’’ four-wheeled cycle by Radio Flyer; “Catapencil’’ by Toysmith; “Alphabet Zoo Rock & Stack Pull Toy’’ by Skip Hop; “SWAT Electric Machine Gun’’ by Junxing Toys Industrial Co.; “Wooden Instruments’’ sold at Wal-Mart; “Bottle Rocket Party’’ by Norman & Globus; “Lil’ Cutesies-Best Friends’’ doll by JC Toys Group; “True Legends Orcs Battle Hammer’’ sold at Toys R Us; and “Colored Hedgehog’’ plush toy sold at Toys R Us.
Comes complete with cop uniform, too.
--more--"
Where else can one go to get toys?
"A 16-year-old boy driving relatives from Texas to a vacation in Disney World apparently fell asleep at the wheel, causing the sport utility vehicle to veer off the highway and roll over, killing three children and two adults, authorities said Thursday.... The success of Walt Disney Co. movies, including the animated tale ‘‘Frozen’’ and the Marvel movie ‘‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’’ lifted its fourth-quarter financial results. Overall revenue rose [while] fourth-quarter net income rose 8 percent to $1.5 billion."
"Hasbro helps kids with disabilities learn to play" Associated Press November 19, 2014
PROVIDENCE — Toy makers at Hasbro don’t want Mr. Potato Head to end up at the bottom of toy boxes, simply because children with developmental disabilities don’t know how to play with him.
Hasbro Inc. has partnered with The Autism Project, a group of parents and professionals who help people with autism to create instructional videos and tools to help children with developmental disabilities learn how to play with their toys.
I'm sensing some guilt.
Three engineers at the company thought of the idea, said Karen Davis, the senior vice president of global philanthropy and social impact at Hasbro, so every child can ‘‘experience the joy of play.’’
About 15 percent of children in the United States have a developmental disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Joanne Quinn, executive director of The Autism Project, said ToyBox Tools will have a ‘‘huge impact’’ because parents will feel more empowered to play with their children, and children will learn how to play at their own pace and learn important life skills.
Ever notice most kids instinctually share before being taught otherwise?
--more--"
That is what I got last Christmas.
What, were there no G.I. Joe's left?
Also see: Monopoly Money
Yeah, thanks for the idea.
"Barbie dethroned by Team Elsa" AP November 26, 2014
NEW YORK — For the first time in more than a decade, Barbie has been frozen out of the top spot on the holiday wish lists of girls.
The new champion in the hearts of little girls is Team Elsa.
The megahit ‘‘Frozen’’ has earned Disney more than a billion at the box office worldwide, and the gravitational pull of the animated film has now plucked Barbie from the throne she has occupied for 11 years, according to a survey by the National Retail Federation.
Barbie’s star has faded of late, with sales of the iconic doll dropping 21 percent in the third quarter, according to the toy company Mattel Inc.
Maybe she needs a boob job?
Dolls dominated the top five spots for girls in the poll. Monster High dolls took the fourth spot and American Girl grabbed the fifth position.
For boys, the federation said that the number one spot is again held by Lego. Cars and trucks came in second place, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were in third place.
--more--"
Related: Toying Around With Venezuela
No wonder they are giving them away.
Time to do some shopping for the adults:
"Budweiser’s Clydesdales get some time off" Associated Press November 25, 2014
NEW YORK — Ahead of Thanksgiving, Budweiser has been running ads for ‘‘Holiday Crates’’ that include 18-packs of Budweiser in crates that are replicas of those used to deliver beer after Prohibition.
The Clydesdales have been associated with Budweiser since 1933, when the company introduced them to celebrate the repeal of Prohibition.
‘‘You look around, and we have this huge group of young drinkers, and almost half of them have never tried the brand,’’ said Eric Shepard, executive editor of industry tracker Beer Marketer’s Insights.
--more--"
Here is something else you can get them:
"Marijuana retailers in Colo. woo shoppers with holiday deals
DENVER — That’s not mistletoe. From new marijuana strains for the holidays to gift sets and pot-and-pumpkin pies, the burgeoning marijuana industry in Colorado is scrambling to get a piece of the holiday shopping dollar.
They don't want you there!
Dispensaries in many states have been offering holiday specials for medical customers for years — but this first season of open-to-all-adults marijuana sales in some states means cannabis shops are using more of the tactics traditional retailers use. Here’s a look at how the recreational marijuana industry is trying to spur sales:
Did you keep the receipt so I can return it?
--more--"
You also better check the label on that candy.
Black Friday Shopping Catches on in UK
Somehow I could not find anything there.
Well, this clip is empty. Will have to reload tomorrow.
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
‘Webrooming’ shoppers research online, then buy in stores
In many states, early-bird shoppers turn out on Thanksgiving
Overnight snowfall may make for slippery Black Friday
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Happy Thanksgiving From the Boston Globe
I had planned to post a lot today; however, with the nor’easter hitting my area pretty hard it is going to hamper my ability to do that, and with tomorrow filled with obligations to family and friends it looks like I won't be back until Friday at the earliest. Sorry.
"A wild nine-day stretch of weather that saw epic snow followed by spring-like temperatures, high winds, and flood fears came to a close Tuesday, and forecasters said the Buffalo area could expect an uneventful Thanksgiving. There were isolated reports of melting snow flooding basements and pooling in yards and roads Tuesday, but the region dodged the widespread flooding that residents had feared. Buffalo students returned to school Tuesday after burning through five snow days. Districts in at least four other hard-hit towns won’t reopen until Dec. 1. The lake-effect snow was blamed for at least a dozen deaths, including an Army veteran from northwestern Pennsylvania whose funeral is scheduled for Wednesday."
Well, at least we know whom to blame:
"Forecasters defended the National Weather Service after criticism from Governor Andrew Cuomo, who accused the agency of failing to anticipate how bad Buffalo’s epic snowstorm would be. At a news conference, the governor said he had not intended to upset forecasters when he said during the weekend that the Weather Service was ‘‘off’’ on its predictions. ‘‘[The snow] came down earlier than forecasted and it came at a higher volume than they forecasted,’’ he said. Al Roker of NBC’s ‘‘Today’’ show and The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore fired back, defending the Weather Service’s predictions as timely and accurate. In a tweet on Sunday, Roker said the agency’s meteorologists ‘‘did their jobs.’’
Besides, there is a "new threat."
"193 turtles to be sent to Fla. amid record-setting strandings" by Billy Baker, Globe Staff November 25, 2014
Each year, about 90 or so young Kemp’s ridley sea turtles get lost trying to go around Cape Cod, become stunned by the cold, and wash up on a beach, their bodies in a bad way.
The number of strandings has been increasing steadily, which could be a sign of growth in the population of the world’s most endangered sea turtle.
But what is happening on Cape Cod Bay this fall is unprecedented, “an outlier of outliers,” said Tony LaCasse, a spokesman for the New England Aquarium.
Three weeks into stranding season — just a third of the way — rescuers have picked nearly 400 turtles off the beaches of Cape Cod Bay, double the previous record....
--more--"
Thought I smelled something cooking:
"Amy Cohen, 46, who works at the Neighborhood Network Center on Blue Hill Avenue, said about 50 families with the center were registered to receive meals that day. As the food distribution grows each year, from 1,000 to more than 5,000 meals, it’s encouraging that they have the partnerships and resources to provide for those in need, organizers said. “You want to make sure that the line grows shorter every year,” said Michael Durkin, president of United Way."
As the line (along with wealth inequality) grows, and even my local news is the pushing Jewish charities taking care of us all (who cares if its ill-gotten loot?) narrative these days.
Looking forward to the meal, though:
"Giving thanks will be a little costlier this year, but consider this:
Grab your spoon and dig in!
Salmonella in 10 states linked to raw sprouts
Pass the olive oil, please.
Country of origin label for meat cuts endangered
You never know what might be in the package.
Passing the drumstick to a new generation
Fox may go dark on Thanksgiving
Not even Scott Brown can save them.
Ready for desert?
"Report: Global obesity costs hits $2 trillion" November 21, 2014
LONDON — The global cost of obesity has risen to $2 trillion annually — nearly as much as smoking or the combined impact of armed violence, war, and terrorism, according to a report released Thursday.
Pfffffft!
Oh, excuse me!
The McKinsey Global Institute consulting firm report focused on the economics of obesity, putting it among the top three social problems generated by human beings.
Ever see the girths on those in government?
‘‘Obesity isn’t just a health issue,’’ one of the report’s authors, Richard Dobbs, said in a podcast. ‘‘It’s a major economic and business challenge.’’
Any reason to take food out of your mouth and put it on their plate.
The company says 2.1 billion people — about 30 percent of the global population — are overweight or obese and about 15 percent of health care costs in developed economies are driven by it.
In emerging markets, as countries get richer, the rate of obesity rises to the same level as that found in more developed countries. The report offers the stark prediction that nearly half the world’s adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030 should present trends continue.
‘‘We are on an unfortunate trajectory,’’ Dobbs said. ‘‘We have to act.’’
Okay, why don't you fast first?
As for action, given all the fat f***s that rule over us while half the planet is starving, it must be the GMOs that are doing it to us.
--more--"
You know there are always leftovers, so go have yourself a second helping if you wish. I'm full up.
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
Amateurs learn how to clown around for parade
Native Americans to demonstrate in Plymouth on Thanksgiving
I'm full up on controlled opposition causes, sorry.
In Britain, US turkey dinner is big for business
Starting to feel like the original Thanksgiving with everyone at the table.
Colorado mastodon bones show ancient warmer Earth
Time to let out some more gas, as uncourtly as that may seem.
Well, time for me to fly. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are, beloved readers.
Thanksgiving Storm Plunges Hundreds of Thousands Into Darkness
Looks like cold turkey sandwiches for them.
:-(
FURTHER UPDATES:
Fee dispute leaves FIOS customers in Mass. without Fox 25
A bridge to somewhere: Tales of Thanksgiving
"A wild nine-day stretch of weather that saw epic snow followed by spring-like temperatures, high winds, and flood fears came to a close Tuesday, and forecasters said the Buffalo area could expect an uneventful Thanksgiving. There were isolated reports of melting snow flooding basements and pooling in yards and roads Tuesday, but the region dodged the widespread flooding that residents had feared. Buffalo students returned to school Tuesday after burning through five snow days. Districts in at least four other hard-hit towns won’t reopen until Dec. 1. The lake-effect snow was blamed for at least a dozen deaths, including an Army veteran from northwestern Pennsylvania whose funeral is scheduled for Wednesday."
Well, at least we know whom to blame:
"Forecasters defended the National Weather Service after criticism from Governor Andrew Cuomo, who accused the agency of failing to anticipate how bad Buffalo’s epic snowstorm would be. At a news conference, the governor said he had not intended to upset forecasters when he said during the weekend that the Weather Service was ‘‘off’’ on its predictions. ‘‘[The snow] came down earlier than forecasted and it came at a higher volume than they forecasted,’’ he said. Al Roker of NBC’s ‘‘Today’’ show and The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore fired back, defending the Weather Service’s predictions as timely and accurate. In a tweet on Sunday, Roker said the agency’s meteorologists ‘‘did their jobs.’’
Besides, there is a "new threat."
"193 turtles to be sent to Fla. amid record-setting strandings" by Billy Baker, Globe Staff November 25, 2014
Each year, about 90 or so young Kemp’s ridley sea turtles get lost trying to go around Cape Cod, become stunned by the cold, and wash up on a beach, their bodies in a bad way.
The number of strandings has been increasing steadily, which could be a sign of growth in the population of the world’s most endangered sea turtle.
But what is happening on Cape Cod Bay this fall is unprecedented, “an outlier of outliers,” said Tony LaCasse, a spokesman for the New England Aquarium.
Three weeks into stranding season — just a third of the way — rescuers have picked nearly 400 turtles off the beaches of Cape Cod Bay, double the previous record....
--more--"
Thought I smelled something cooking:
"Amy Cohen, 46, who works at the Neighborhood Network Center on Blue Hill Avenue, said about 50 families with the center were registered to receive meals that day. As the food distribution grows each year, from 1,000 to more than 5,000 meals, it’s encouraging that they have the partnerships and resources to provide for those in need, organizers said. “You want to make sure that the line grows shorter every year,” said Michael Durkin, president of United Way."
As the line (along with wealth inequality) grows, and even my local news is the pushing Jewish charities taking care of us all (who cares if its ill-gotten loot?) narrative these days.
Looking forward to the meal, though:
"Giving thanks will be a little costlier this year, but consider this:
Grab your spoon and dig in!
Salmonella in 10 states linked to raw sprouts
Pass the olive oil, please.
Country of origin label for meat cuts endangered
You never know what might be in the package.
Passing the drumstick to a new generation
Fox may go dark on Thanksgiving
Not even Scott Brown can save them.
Ready for desert?
"Report: Global obesity costs hits $2 trillion" November 21, 2014
LONDON — The global cost of obesity has risen to $2 trillion annually — nearly as much as smoking or the combined impact of armed violence, war, and terrorism, according to a report released Thursday.
Pfffffft!
Oh, excuse me!
The McKinsey Global Institute consulting firm report focused on the economics of obesity, putting it among the top three social problems generated by human beings.
Ever see the girths on those in government?
‘‘Obesity isn’t just a health issue,’’ one of the report’s authors, Richard Dobbs, said in a podcast. ‘‘It’s a major economic and business challenge.’’
Any reason to take food out of your mouth and put it on their plate.
The company says 2.1 billion people — about 30 percent of the global population — are overweight or obese and about 15 percent of health care costs in developed economies are driven by it.
In emerging markets, as countries get richer, the rate of obesity rises to the same level as that found in more developed countries. The report offers the stark prediction that nearly half the world’s adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030 should present trends continue.
‘‘We are on an unfortunate trajectory,’’ Dobbs said. ‘‘We have to act.’’
Okay, why don't you fast first?
As for action, given all the fat f***s that rule over us while half the planet is starving, it must be the GMOs that are doing it to us.
--more--"
You know there are always leftovers, so go have yourself a second helping if you wish. I'm full up.
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
Amateurs learn how to clown around for parade
Native Americans to demonstrate in Plymouth on Thanksgiving
I'm full up on controlled opposition causes, sorry.
In Britain, US turkey dinner is big for business
Starting to feel like the original Thanksgiving with everyone at the table.
Colorado mastodon bones show ancient warmer Earth
Time to let out some more gas, as uncourtly as that may seem.
Well, time for me to fly. I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving wherever you are, beloved readers.
Thanksgiving Storm Plunges Hundreds of Thousands Into Darkness
Looks like cold turkey sandwiches for them.
:-(
FURTHER UPDATES:
Fee dispute leaves FIOS customers in Mass. without Fox 25
A bridge to somewhere: Tales of Thanksgiving
You Can Feast on Ferguson Crisis
See: Government Fanning the Flames of Protest in Ferguson
And they have a megaphone of a mouthpiece to help:
Ferguson grand jury heard evidence for months in complex case
Protests roil Ferguson after grand jury decision
Michael Brown’s family, crowd vent frustration after decision
Protests against Ferguson decision grow across US
Hundreds in Boston protest Ferguson case
I don't see that many even.
Ferguson’s cry for justice still needs an answer
There will be more Fergusons
Bordering on incitement there, BG.
Across city, a sense of resigned anger toward Ferguson
Impassioned crowds take to the streets in Boston
Did they know Kenneth Howe?
Protests over Ferguson, peaceful and violent, continue for second day
Ferguson decision leaves city anguished, uneasy
Brown family blasts prosecutor; Wilson speaks
Darren Wilson explains why he killed Michael Brown
The media’s version of Ferguson
Michael Brown’s death was a failure of the Ferguson police
Sorry I'm not hungry for such fare.
Was Murdered Ferguson Man a Grand Jury Witness?
I hope that whets your appetite.
This whetted mine: ADL once again brags it trains American law enforcement
Avoid the cops at all costs in Massachusetts, and does it ever explain a lot.
Also see:
Florida State Shooting Was Fake
Stairway to Heaven Begins in New York City
Related: Police shooting in housing project ruled homicide
Chasing a Fusillade From Cleveland
"Cleveland police have video of officer shooting boy; 12-year-old was carrying pellet gun near playground" by John P. Coyne and Kantele Franko, Associated Press November 25, 2014
CLEVELAND — A Cleveland officer was less than 10 feet away when he fatally shot a 12-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun near a playground, and video of the shooting is clear about what happened, police said Monday.
Then he was just about next to him.
The boy was confronted Saturday by officers responding to a 911 call about a male who appeared to be pulling a gun in and out of his pants....
‘‘Our officers at times are required to make critical decisions in a split second,’’ Chief Calvin Williams said. ‘‘Unfortunately this is one of those times.’’
He killed a kid that had a toy gun.
***********
People representing the boy’s family viewed the video Monday, but police didn’t release it publicly because it is considered evidence and because they want to be sensitive to the family, the community and the officer, who is distraught, officials said.
The shooting has led to an investigation of the officer’s use of force. It also contributed to a state lawmaker’s plan to propose legislation requiring all BB guns, air rifles, and airsoft guns sold in Ohio to be brightly colored or have prominent fluorescent strips.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be presented to a grand jury to decide whether any criminal charges should be brought, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty said....
Uh-oh.
At least 100 people gathered near a recreation center at the playground Monday night to show support for the boy’s family. Some demonstrators carried signs that read ‘‘Danger Police in Area’’ and ‘‘Police Terror: This Stops Today.’’ They chanted, ‘‘Justice for Tamir!’’
***********
Candles and teddy bears were left Monday at a gazebo near the playground. At a home less than a block away, a man identifying himself as Tamir’s uncle said the boy’s family wasn’t commenting and referred reporters to an attorney.
The Associated Press left a message for the attorney, Timothy Kucharski, on Monday. He said previously that Tamir went to the park with friends Saturday afternoon, but he didn’t know the details of what led to the shooting and wanted to get more facts and talk to witnesses himself.
The Cleveland case is similar to one last year in northern California.
In that case, prosecutors didn’t file criminal charges against a sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a 13-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun the officer mistook for an assault rifle. The Santa Rosa boy’s parents were outraged by the decision.
In Cleveland, Mayor Frank Jackson said investigators and other officials are trying to be as transparent as possible to ensure the public can trust the outcome.
What a SAD statement!
Asked at a news conference to comment about the shooting with the context of the then-pending grand jury about the police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Jackson replied....
Cleveland’s website was hacked amid the investigation.
What?
The city couldn’t confirm who shut down the site and did not receive direct information about that, but officials were aware of a YouTube video purporting to be from the hacker collective Anonymous that references website shutdowns and the shooting, city spokesman Daniel Ball said.
Another self-serving false flag from authority.
Ball said extra security measures are being added before the website is restored.
State Representative Alicia Reece of Cincinnati said she will introduce legislation to require all BB guns, air rifles, and airsoft guns sold in Ohio to be brightly colored or have prominent fluorescent strips. It is modeled after a bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown of California.
Too late for the kid and his family.
--more--"
Just making my rounds again, readers.
"The mother of a 35-year-old woman who was fatally shot in the South End over the weekend decried the violence that claimed her daughter’s life, saying Wednesday that people must learn to “resolve their problems without picking up a gun.”
Now if only we could get Amerikan government to feel the same way!
"Roxbury man charged in brazen Dorchester shooting" by Evan Allen | Globe Staff November 06, 2014
The Vietnamese immigrant bought a Dorchester Avenue convenience store sixteen years ago as a fixer-upper, and ever since, he has worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, to build his business and support his family, friends say.
The 46-year-old was behind the counter on Tuesday night with his wife and young son when prosecutors say 21-year-old Jarris Charley burst inside, demanded money, grabbed cash, and then shot the storekeeper on his way out the door as his horrified family watched, police said. The bullet went through the shopkeeper’s torso, according to court documents. He survived and is expected to recover.
“It’s horrifying to think someone would shoot you in front of your child,” said Stuart Schrier, an attorney who has worked across the street from the store owner ever since he set up shop. “Even though he gave him the money, he shot him anyway.“
Charley was arrested a short time later on Savin Hill Avenue. On Wednesday, he was held on $100,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a host of charges including assault with intent to murder in Dorchester District Court.
The shooting of the clerk came in the middle of a violent eight hours in Boston that left four men wounded and one dead in four separate shootings across the city.
******
Police were able to use surveillance video and witness descriptions to arrest Charley....
Charley’s attorney, Alyssa Thrasher Hackett, said her client was a lifelong Boston resident who works full time and supports a one-year-old child. She questioned whether police had the right man, noting that none of the proceeds from the robbery were found on him or in the house where he was arrested, and he was not wearing much of the clothing the suspect was described as wearing.
“He’s simply in the area. He’s a six foot black male, which is consistent with a large group of people,” the attorney said. “And this stain that’s on the sweatshirt, I’m not sure it’s going to be sufficiently distinctive.”
They got the wrong guy?
--more--"
Related:
"Boston police were hunting on Saturday evening for a man suspected of killing the mother of his 5-year-old son after officers discovered the woman’s body inside the three-decker where the couple lived on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester. An arrest warrant was issued for Paulo Rosa, 30, in connection with the death of his girlfriend, who was the sister of a Boston police officer, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Authorities identified the woman only as being in her 30s....
A 19-year-old man was in critical condition after he was shot several times Saturday afternoon in a courtyard on Stratton Street in Dorchester, according to Boston Police....
A South Boston woman has been ordered to stay away from her ex-boyfriend, a Boston police officer, after she allegedly forced her way into his house and attacked him and his female friend while both were asleep early Monday, according to court records."
Also see: Suspect in Dorchester killing found dead in the woods
A dream undiminished by senseless shooting
"Law-enforcement officials in Suffolk County are pushing for more money to protect victims and witnesses of violent crimes who testify in court, saying the current funding levels leave them running out of money every year. One lawmaker says Boston legislators hope to double the budget next year, calling the witness protection program “vital” and deserving of full funding. Boston police say the program as it is currently funded leaves them unable to assist everyone who needs it."
Related:
Mayor Walsh hopes to drive agenda with data
Mayor Walsh vetoes creation of panel on men of color
Mayor Walsh fires eight longtime city employees
Walsh is having to clean up the mess made by Menino, the handmaiden to the elite.
Mayor Walsh defends firing of eight city workers
Mayor Martin J. Walsh fires another department chief
Mayor Walsh names top environmental manager
At least the valet will be union.
Man charged with brandishing shotgun near strip club
He's being held without bail.
Hey, look what I found!
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
Most Ferguson protesters in Boston have charges downgraded, dismissed
Boston police used ‘soft approach’ with protesters
Ferguson testimony shows seemingly unorthodox forensic practices
Ferguson grows calmer, but tensions remain
Holiday joy is elusive in Ferguson
Police ID officers involved in 12-year-old’s shooting
So the rookie(?) got out of the car and opened fire in seconds when he was only three yards away?
UPDATES:
Ferguson gives thanks after a quiet night
And they have a megaphone of a mouthpiece to help:
Ferguson grand jury heard evidence for months in complex case
Protests roil Ferguson after grand jury decision
Michael Brown’s family, crowd vent frustration after decision
Protests against Ferguson decision grow across US
Hundreds in Boston protest Ferguson case
I don't see that many even.
Ferguson’s cry for justice still needs an answer
There will be more Fergusons
Bordering on incitement there, BG.
Across city, a sense of resigned anger toward Ferguson
Impassioned crowds take to the streets in Boston
Did they know Kenneth Howe?
Protests over Ferguson, peaceful and violent, continue for second day
Ferguson decision leaves city anguished, uneasy
Brown family blasts prosecutor; Wilson speaks
Darren Wilson explains why he killed Michael Brown
The media’s version of Ferguson
Michael Brown’s death was a failure of the Ferguson police
Sorry I'm not hungry for such fare.
Was Murdered Ferguson Man a Grand Jury Witness?
I hope that whets your appetite.
This whetted mine: ADL once again brags it trains American law enforcement
Avoid the cops at all costs in Massachusetts, and does it ever explain a lot.
Also see:
Florida State Shooting Was Fake
Stairway to Heaven Begins in New York City
Related: Police shooting in housing project ruled homicide
Chasing a Fusillade From Cleveland
"Cleveland police have video of officer shooting boy; 12-year-old was carrying pellet gun near playground" by John P. Coyne and Kantele Franko, Associated Press November 25, 2014
CLEVELAND — A Cleveland officer was less than 10 feet away when he fatally shot a 12-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun near a playground, and video of the shooting is clear about what happened, police said Monday.
Then he was just about next to him.
The boy was confronted Saturday by officers responding to a 911 call about a male who appeared to be pulling a gun in and out of his pants....
‘‘Our officers at times are required to make critical decisions in a split second,’’ Chief Calvin Williams said. ‘‘Unfortunately this is one of those times.’’
He killed a kid that had a toy gun.
***********
People representing the boy’s family viewed the video Monday, but police didn’t release it publicly because it is considered evidence and because they want to be sensitive to the family, the community and the officer, who is distraught, officials said.
The shooting has led to an investigation of the officer’s use of force. It also contributed to a state lawmaker’s plan to propose legislation requiring all BB guns, air rifles, and airsoft guns sold in Ohio to be brightly colored or have prominent fluorescent strips.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be presented to a grand jury to decide whether any criminal charges should be brought, Cuyahoga County prosecutor Timothy McGinty said....
Uh-oh.
At least 100 people gathered near a recreation center at the playground Monday night to show support for the boy’s family. Some demonstrators carried signs that read ‘‘Danger Police in Area’’ and ‘‘Police Terror: This Stops Today.’’ They chanted, ‘‘Justice for Tamir!’’
***********
Candles and teddy bears were left Monday at a gazebo near the playground. At a home less than a block away, a man identifying himself as Tamir’s uncle said the boy’s family wasn’t commenting and referred reporters to an attorney.
The Associated Press left a message for the attorney, Timothy Kucharski, on Monday. He said previously that Tamir went to the park with friends Saturday afternoon, but he didn’t know the details of what led to the shooting and wanted to get more facts and talk to witnesses himself.
The Cleveland case is similar to one last year in northern California.
In that case, prosecutors didn’t file criminal charges against a sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed a 13-year-old boy carrying a pellet gun the officer mistook for an assault rifle. The Santa Rosa boy’s parents were outraged by the decision.
In Cleveland, Mayor Frank Jackson said investigators and other officials are trying to be as transparent as possible to ensure the public can trust the outcome.
What a SAD statement!
Asked at a news conference to comment about the shooting with the context of the then-pending grand jury about the police shooting in Ferguson, Mo., Jackson replied....
Cleveland’s website was hacked amid the investigation.
What?
The city couldn’t confirm who shut down the site and did not receive direct information about that, but officials were aware of a YouTube video purporting to be from the hacker collective Anonymous that references website shutdowns and the shooting, city spokesman Daniel Ball said.
Another self-serving false flag from authority.
Ball said extra security measures are being added before the website is restored.
State Representative Alicia Reece of Cincinnati said she will introduce legislation to require all BB guns, air rifles, and airsoft guns sold in Ohio to be brightly colored or have prominent fluorescent strips. It is modeled after a bill signed by Governor Jerry Brown of California.
Too late for the kid and his family.
--more--"
Just making my rounds again, readers.
"The mother of a 35-year-old woman who was fatally shot in the South End over the weekend decried the violence that claimed her daughter’s life, saying Wednesday that people must learn to “resolve their problems without picking up a gun.”
Now if only we could get Amerikan government to feel the same way!
"Roxbury man charged in brazen Dorchester shooting" by Evan Allen | Globe Staff November 06, 2014
The Vietnamese immigrant bought a Dorchester Avenue convenience store sixteen years ago as a fixer-upper, and ever since, he has worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week, to build his business and support his family, friends say.
The 46-year-old was behind the counter on Tuesday night with his wife and young son when prosecutors say 21-year-old Jarris Charley burst inside, demanded money, grabbed cash, and then shot the storekeeper on his way out the door as his horrified family watched, police said. The bullet went through the shopkeeper’s torso, according to court documents. He survived and is expected to recover.
“It’s horrifying to think someone would shoot you in front of your child,” said Stuart Schrier, an attorney who has worked across the street from the store owner ever since he set up shop. “Even though he gave him the money, he shot him anyway.“
Charley was arrested a short time later on Savin Hill Avenue. On Wednesday, he was held on $100,000 bail after pleading not guilty to a host of charges including assault with intent to murder in Dorchester District Court.
The shooting of the clerk came in the middle of a violent eight hours in Boston that left four men wounded and one dead in four separate shootings across the city.
******
Police were able to use surveillance video and witness descriptions to arrest Charley....
Charley’s attorney, Alyssa Thrasher Hackett, said her client was a lifelong Boston resident who works full time and supports a one-year-old child. She questioned whether police had the right man, noting that none of the proceeds from the robbery were found on him or in the house where he was arrested, and he was not wearing much of the clothing the suspect was described as wearing.
“He’s simply in the area. He’s a six foot black male, which is consistent with a large group of people,” the attorney said. “And this stain that’s on the sweatshirt, I’m not sure it’s going to be sufficiently distinctive.”
They got the wrong guy?
--more--"
Related:
"Boston police were hunting on Saturday evening for a man suspected of killing the mother of his 5-year-old son after officers discovered the woman’s body inside the three-decker where the couple lived on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester. An arrest warrant was issued for Paulo Rosa, 30, in connection with the death of his girlfriend, who was the sister of a Boston police officer, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the investigation. Authorities identified the woman only as being in her 30s....
A 19-year-old man was in critical condition after he was shot several times Saturday afternoon in a courtyard on Stratton Street in Dorchester, according to Boston Police....
A South Boston woman has been ordered to stay away from her ex-boyfriend, a Boston police officer, after she allegedly forced her way into his house and attacked him and his female friend while both were asleep early Monday, according to court records."
Also see: Suspect in Dorchester killing found dead in the woods
A dream undiminished by senseless shooting
"Law-enforcement officials in Suffolk County are pushing for more money to protect victims and witnesses of violent crimes who testify in court, saying the current funding levels leave them running out of money every year. One lawmaker says Boston legislators hope to double the budget next year, calling the witness protection program “vital” and deserving of full funding. Boston police say the program as it is currently funded leaves them unable to assist everyone who needs it."
Related:
Mayor Walsh hopes to drive agenda with data
Mayor Walsh vetoes creation of panel on men of color
Mayor Walsh fires eight longtime city employees
Walsh is having to clean up the mess made by Menino, the handmaiden to the elite.
Mayor Walsh defends firing of eight city workers
Mayor Martin J. Walsh fires another department chief
Mayor Walsh names top environmental manager
At least the valet will be union.
Man charged with brandishing shotgun near strip club
He's being held without bail.
Hey, look what I found!
NEXT DAY UPDATES:
Most Ferguson protesters in Boston have charges downgraded, dismissed
Boston police used ‘soft approach’ with protesters
Ferguson testimony shows seemingly unorthodox forensic practices
Ferguson grows calmer, but tensions remain
Holiday joy is elusive in Ferguson
Police ID officers involved in 12-year-old’s shooting
So the rookie(?) got out of the car and opened fire in seconds when he was only three yards away?
UPDATES:
Ferguson gives thanks after a quiet night
Remembering Reynoso
"Family of veteran killed by Lynn police seeks federal probe" by Milton J. ValenciaGlobe Staff November 22, 2014
The family of an Iraq war veteran from Lynn who was shot and killed by a police officer last year asked the US Department of Justice to investigate the controversial shooting a day after Governor Deval Patrick honored the officer for bravery.
The sister of Denis Reynoso asked the federal agency’s civil rights division to independently review the circumstances of how the 30-year-old father was killed, after a bystander had alerted police officers that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Yessenia Reynoso said her family was appalled by the governor’s decision to recognize the officer who shot her brother, and two other responding officers.
“They made our family relive the whole thing,” she said of Wednesday’s ceremony. “You deserve an award when you save lives, not when you kill.”
In the complaint filed Thursday, Yessenia Reynoso wrote: “The actions leading to his death seem to be caused by the lack of education and understanding by officers of the law and mentally ill.”
The family held a demonstration in September on the first anniversary of the shooting. Their civil-rights complaint was filed the day after Patrick awarded Lynn police officers John Bernard, Josh Hilton, and Paul Scali the state’s highest law-enforcement honor, the Trooper George L. Hanna Award for Bravery.
See: State honors 25 police officers, including Sean Collier, for bravery
Hilton has been identified as the officer who shot and killed Reynoso.
The three officers had been nominated by Lynn Police Chief Kevin Coppinger, who has defended the officers.
The state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security said in a statement Friday that the Hanna Award recipients “are chosen by a nine-member Selection Committee in accordance with the program’s criteria that this award be an acknowledgment of acts performed in addition to an officer’s regular course of duty.”
Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, who investigated the September 2013 shooting, cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing. But Blodgett’s finding, announced in January, did little to resolve controversy surrounding the veteran’s death.
The police officers had responded to Reynoso’s home after reports that he had been screaming and acting strangely, and yelling “[expletive] kill people.’’ A mail carrier told the officers that Reynoso might have post-traumatic stress disorder. He had served in the US Army National Guard for eight years, including a tour in Iraq.
After the officers entered his home, Reynoso reportedly managed to grab Bernard’s gun from his holster and put it at Bernard’s head. He fired two shots during the ensuing struggle, barely missing the officers, according to Blodgett’s review.
Hilton warned both Reynoso and Bernard five times that he was going to shoot before he pulled the trigger, Blodgett’s report said.
Blodgett found that Reynoso was able to gain control of the gun because Bernard’s holster was “somewhat worn” and missing a screw, which permitted the gun to be “easily removed with all safety devices engaged.”
Reynoso’s 5-year-old son was in the living room during the confrontation.
--more--"
Related: Patrolling the Beat With the BPD
The family of an Iraq war veteran from Lynn who was shot and killed by a police officer last year asked the US Department of Justice to investigate the controversial shooting a day after Governor Deval Patrick honored the officer for bravery.
The sister of Denis Reynoso asked the federal agency’s civil rights division to independently review the circumstances of how the 30-year-old father was killed, after a bystander had alerted police officers that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Yessenia Reynoso said her family was appalled by the governor’s decision to recognize the officer who shot her brother, and two other responding officers.
“They made our family relive the whole thing,” she said of Wednesday’s ceremony. “You deserve an award when you save lives, not when you kill.”
In the complaint filed Thursday, Yessenia Reynoso wrote: “The actions leading to his death seem to be caused by the lack of education and understanding by officers of the law and mentally ill.”
The family held a demonstration in September on the first anniversary of the shooting. Their civil-rights complaint was filed the day after Patrick awarded Lynn police officers John Bernard, Josh Hilton, and Paul Scali the state’s highest law-enforcement honor, the Trooper George L. Hanna Award for Bravery.
See: State honors 25 police officers, including Sean Collier, for bravery
Hilton has been identified as the officer who shot and killed Reynoso.
The three officers had been nominated by Lynn Police Chief Kevin Coppinger, who has defended the officers.
The state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security said in a statement Friday that the Hanna Award recipients “are chosen by a nine-member Selection Committee in accordance with the program’s criteria that this award be an acknowledgment of acts performed in addition to an officer’s regular course of duty.”
Essex District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, who investigated the September 2013 shooting, cleared the officers of any criminal wrongdoing. But Blodgett’s finding, announced in January, did little to resolve controversy surrounding the veteran’s death.
The police officers had responded to Reynoso’s home after reports that he had been screaming and acting strangely, and yelling “[expletive] kill people.’’ A mail carrier told the officers that Reynoso might have post-traumatic stress disorder. He had served in the US Army National Guard for eight years, including a tour in Iraq.
After the officers entered his home, Reynoso reportedly managed to grab Bernard’s gun from his holster and put it at Bernard’s head. He fired two shots during the ensuing struggle, barely missing the officers, according to Blodgett’s review.
Hilton warned both Reynoso and Bernard five times that he was going to shoot before he pulled the trigger, Blodgett’s report said.
Blodgett found that Reynoso was able to gain control of the gun because Bernard’s holster was “somewhat worn” and missing a screw, which permitted the gun to be “easily removed with all safety devices engaged.”
Reynoso’s 5-year-old son was in the living room during the confrontation.
--more--"
Related: Patrolling the Beat With the BPD
U.S. Troops on Alert in Europe
"US orders its Europe troops to keep low profile, Associated Press November 19, 2014
BERLIN — The US military’s European Command said Tuesday that it has ordered its troops to avoid wearing their uniforms when off base, and to ensure the security settings and geolocation functions on their social media pages aren’t ‘‘overly revealing.’’
A EUCOM spokesman, Navy Captain Greg Hicks, would not say what prompted the new directive for the roughly 70,000 US personnel serving in Europe. The order comes after high-profile attacks on soldiers of American allies Britain and Canada in their home countries.
The order came two days before three US sailors were assaulted in Istanbul near where their warship was docked.
That means we have lost Turkey, right?
Last month, a gunman shot and killed a soldier in Ottawa in an attack that Prime Minister Stephen Harper called an act of terrorism....
Related: ISIS Freezes Canada
As suspected, it was another false-flagging, mind-manipulating, narrative-reinforcing psyop.
--more--"
BERLIN — The US military’s European Command said Tuesday that it has ordered its troops to avoid wearing their uniforms when off base, and to ensure the security settings and geolocation functions on their social media pages aren’t ‘‘overly revealing.’’
A EUCOM spokesman, Navy Captain Greg Hicks, would not say what prompted the new directive for the roughly 70,000 US personnel serving in Europe. The order comes after high-profile attacks on soldiers of American allies Britain and Canada in their home countries.
The order came two days before three US sailors were assaulted in Istanbul near where their warship was docked.
That means we have lost Turkey, right?
Last month, a gunman shot and killed a soldier in Ottawa in an attack that Prime Minister Stephen Harper called an act of terrorism....
Related: ISIS Freezes Canada
As suspected, it was another false-flagging, mind-manipulating, narrative-reinforcing psyop.
--more--"
Sunday Globe Special: North Korean Diplomat Kidnapped in Northern France
"North Korean with regime ties avoids kidnapping in Paris" by Elaine Ganley, Associated Press November 23, 2014
PARIS — A North Korean student with family ties to the regime in his country escaped a kidnapping attempt in Paris, where he was studying, and is now in hiding, a French source with knowledge of the case said Saturday.
The architecture student, identified only as Han, avoided the kidnapping attempt at a Paris airport where he was to be put on a plane for Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly on the sensitive case.
The failed bid to capture Han occurred in the first week of November, and he has been in hiding since then, the source said. It was not immediately clear whether French authorities had played a role in the escape, how many kidnappers were involved, or where they are now.
Han is reportedly the son of an aide of the once powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The uncle, Jang Song Thaek, was considered the country’s second most powerful man before he was executed in December on treason charges.
South Korea’s spy agency thinks North Korea also used a firing squad to execute several people close to the uncle, South Korean lawmaker Shin Kyung-min said in October after attending a closed-door agency briefing.
Han has been attending L’Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture de Paris at La Villette, in eastern Paris.
He was presumably among about 10 North Korean architecture students who came to France in 2012 in a second wave of a student exchange.
France and Estonia are the only two European countries that have not established formal diplomatic relations with North Korea.
That seems strange considering that I am constantly being told it is an isolated and insular if not completely hermetic regime.
However, France and North Korea have opened offices of cooperation in each other’s countries to deal mainly with cultural and humanitarian issues, and France accepts a limited number of North Korean students and interns.
--more--"
PARIS — A North Korean student with family ties to the regime in his country escaped a kidnapping attempt in Paris, where he was studying, and is now in hiding, a French source with knowledge of the case said Saturday.
The architecture student, identified only as Han, avoided the kidnapping attempt at a Paris airport where he was to be put on a plane for Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly on the sensitive case.
The failed bid to capture Han occurred in the first week of November, and he has been in hiding since then, the source said. It was not immediately clear whether French authorities had played a role in the escape, how many kidnappers were involved, or where they are now.
Han is reportedly the son of an aide of the once powerful uncle of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The uncle, Jang Song Thaek, was considered the country’s second most powerful man before he was executed in December on treason charges.
South Korea’s spy agency thinks North Korea also used a firing squad to execute several people close to the uncle, South Korean lawmaker Shin Kyung-min said in October after attending a closed-door agency briefing.
Han has been attending L’Ecole Nationale Superieure d’Architecture de Paris at La Villette, in eastern Paris.
He was presumably among about 10 North Korean architecture students who came to France in 2012 in a second wave of a student exchange.
France and Estonia are the only two European countries that have not established formal diplomatic relations with North Korea.
That seems strange considering that I am constantly being told it is an isolated and insular if not completely hermetic regime.
However, France and North Korea have opened offices of cooperation in each other’s countries to deal mainly with cultural and humanitarian issues, and France accepts a limited number of North Korean students and interns.
--more--"
Closing the Gap With the Boston Globe
I didn't see anything, did you?
"Health system reveals hospital gown to cover rears" by David RunkAssociated Press November 19, 2014
DETROIT — A Detroit-based health system has unveiled a new hospital gown that aims to put the wraps on a big source of patients’ grumbles — a lack of rear coverage.
The gown was developed by the Henry Ford Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. A version was introduced in 2013 on a few inpatient floors, and the institute has since updated the design based on feedback from patients and staff.
‘‘Our No. 1 goal with this design was fixing the backside of the gown — patients’ biggest complaint — while still allowing the health care team full access to the patient,’’ Michael Forbes, a product designer at the Innovation Institute.
The gown’s Model G name is a tribute to auto industry pioneer Henry Ford and his Model T....
What's funny about all this is Ford knew all about the Zionist plot to run the world and was, even then, made to back down. I'm sure the covering of ass has something to do with it missing from mainstream discussion as Ford icons are all around us.
Of course, the Ford Foundation is notorious for being an adjunct of the CIA to facilitate funds to agenda-pushing controlled opposition on the "left."
--more--"
As for Detroit today, nothing about the water shutoff I'm looking for in my Globe, but you know....
"Health system reveals hospital gown to cover rears" by David RunkAssociated Press November 19, 2014
DETROIT — A Detroit-based health system has unveiled a new hospital gown that aims to put the wraps on a big source of patients’ grumbles — a lack of rear coverage.
The gown was developed by the Henry Ford Innovation Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. A version was introduced in 2013 on a few inpatient floors, and the institute has since updated the design based on feedback from patients and staff.
‘‘Our No. 1 goal with this design was fixing the backside of the gown — patients’ biggest complaint — while still allowing the health care team full access to the patient,’’ Michael Forbes, a product designer at the Innovation Institute.
The gown’s Model G name is a tribute to auto industry pioneer Henry Ford and his Model T....
What's funny about all this is Ford knew all about the Zionist plot to run the world and was, even then, made to back down. I'm sure the covering of ass has something to do with it missing from mainstream discussion as Ford icons are all around us.
Of course, the Ford Foundation is notorious for being an adjunct of the CIA to facilitate funds to agenda-pushing controlled opposition on the "left."
--more--"
As for Detroit today, nothing about the water shutoff I'm looking for in my Globe, but you know....
Thailand's Tyranny
"Thai Cabinet approves curbs on protests" AP November 19, 2014
BANGKOK — Thailand’s military-installed Cabinet on Tuesday approved in principle a bill curbing public gatherings following years of political demonstrations that led to violence and often paralyzed the country’s capital.
The bill, proposed by the police department, would require protesters to inform police about rallies at least 24 hours before they are held and would ban all such activities at night, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesman.
He said it would also ban all demonstrations at the prime minister’s office, other government offices, courts, airports, train stations, and bus terminals.
The military declared martial law and staged a coup earlier this year after months of often violent protests. Under martial law, all political gatherings of five or more people are banned, though enforcement is sporadic.
Thailand has had several massive rallies in the past decade that spread to government offices, Bangkok’s business district, and airports.
Sansern said the bill provides for the right to peaceful assembly under democratic principles.
Junta leader and interim Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said there may be some changes to the bill to make it fair in matters such as the time and place of rallies.
The bill must be approved by the government’s legal advisory board and the military-installed National Legislative Assembly before taking effect.
--more--"
Related: 7 senior officials arrested in Thai police scandal
Also see: Thailand
BANGKOK — Thailand’s military-installed Cabinet on Tuesday approved in principle a bill curbing public gatherings following years of political demonstrations that led to violence and often paralyzed the country’s capital.
The bill, proposed by the police department, would require protesters to inform police about rallies at least 24 hours before they are held and would ban all such activities at night, said Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a government spokesman.
He said it would also ban all demonstrations at the prime minister’s office, other government offices, courts, airports, train stations, and bus terminals.
The military declared martial law and staged a coup earlier this year after months of often violent protests. Under martial law, all political gatherings of five or more people are banned, though enforcement is sporadic.
Thailand has had several massive rallies in the past decade that spread to government offices, Bangkok’s business district, and airports.
Sansern said the bill provides for the right to peaceful assembly under democratic principles.
Junta leader and interim Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said there may be some changes to the bill to make it fair in matters such as the time and place of rallies.
The bill must be approved by the government’s legal advisory board and the military-installed National Legislative Assembly before taking effect.
--more--"
Related: 7 senior officials arrested in Thai police scandal
Also see: Thailand
Wednesday Chip Shot
"Fight over denim turns into uproar at Weston Golf Club" by Callum Borchers, Globe Staff November 19, 2014
Hollywood stars routinely sport jeans on the red carpet. President Obama and White House staffers occasionally wear denim in the Oval Office.
But if you want to stay out of the local police blotter, don’t even think about wearing jeans into the clubhouse at posh Weston Golf Club.
What began on a Saturday night in September as an attempt by the Weston GC president to enforce the dress code among a large group of members and guests having drinks in the clubhouse bar escalated into a scene fit for reality television. The resulting verbal altercation was so intense police were called to defuse the situation.
The club’s directors conducted an investigation into alleged dress code violations with all the seriousness of a grand jury, eventually handing out three-month suspensions to 10 members. The uproar triggered such a backlash the president resigned.
The episode offers a window into the culture of private clubs, where decorum and etiquette are essential to a sense of sanctuary....
--more--"
Also see:
Tuesday Golf Game
Saturday Golf Game
Getting in a Round of Golf at the G8
Hollywood stars routinely sport jeans on the red carpet. President Obama and White House staffers occasionally wear denim in the Oval Office.
But if you want to stay out of the local police blotter, don’t even think about wearing jeans into the clubhouse at posh Weston Golf Club.
What began on a Saturday night in September as an attempt by the Weston GC president to enforce the dress code among a large group of members and guests having drinks in the clubhouse bar escalated into a scene fit for reality television. The resulting verbal altercation was so intense police were called to defuse the situation.
The club’s directors conducted an investigation into alleged dress code violations with all the seriousness of a grand jury, eventually handing out three-month suspensions to 10 members. The uproar triggered such a backlash the president resigned.
The episode offers a window into the culture of private clubs, where decorum and etiquette are essential to a sense of sanctuary....
--more--"
Also see:
Tuesday Golf Game
Saturday Golf Game
Getting in a Round of Golf at the G8
Nasty Natixis
"Quiet Natixis settlement comes into public view; Harassment by CEO alleged" by Beth Healy and Stephanie Ebbert, Globe Staff November 19, 2014
They were the kind of allegations that have toppled some chief executives.
In January 2011, the Boston investment giant Natixis Global Asset Management struck a seven-figure settlement to make some troubling accusations against its chief, John Hailer, go away. A senior saleswoman had sued the company after being fired in 2008 — the day after telling human resources she was pregnant with her second baby, and months after allegedly rebuffing sexual advances by Hailer.
The company denied the allegations of harassment and discrimination in court filings and said the saleswoman was fired for poor performance. But Natixis, part of a large French bank, signed the settlement and moved on. Hailer resumed running one of the world’s largest investment firms.
The allegations were 180 degrees from Hailer’s public profile. He is credited with helping build Natixis into a significant Boston presence, managing $931 billion in mutual funds and retirement plans. The company has 1,400 employees here and supports charities benefiting homeless children, health care, and the arts.
Hailer, 53, even entertained a run for mayor, according to people who have worked with him. It was a long-simmering ambition for the son of a former Boston city councilor, and for a Roslindale native who grew up in a family of 10 kids.
In 2012, the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus gave Hailer its Good Guys Award, for his “commitment to supporting and promoting women in the corporate world.” Mayor Thomas M. Menino last year named him to the Boston Public Library board, and he chairs the New England Council, a public policy group for business.
All this time, the Natixis settlement with former saleswoman Paula Rezza has remained out of the public eye. Even the trustees of the Natixis mutual fund board with whom Hailer meets several times a year did not know about it.
The fund board at the time included high-profile academics and business people, among them Charlie Baker, the governor-elect of Massachusetts and a relative of Hailer’s by marriage. Baker and the chair of the trustees, Sandra O. Moose, a former management consultant, said they were unaware of the allegations or the settlement until the Globe’s inquiry.
The lawsuits are publicly available in federal court in Chicago and online. Information from those suits provides a more detailed look at the case, which was first reported by the Globe last month.
See: After 2010, Charlie Baker’s business options rich with complications
And he is the new governor. Great.
Natixis said it alerted its corporate board in Paris, which has responsibility for employment and operations issues. The company said it had no obligation to tell the mutual fund trustees in Boston — a point sharply disputed by several experts contacted by the Globe.
“We took this complaint seriously and ultimately agreed to settle this matter in early 2011 to avoid further costs and distractions of litigation,’’ the company said in a statement through spokeswoman Caren Leedom. “We followed rigorous governance and reporting processes — our corporate board chairman, all corporate board members, and the corporate audit committee were aware of the matter throughout.”
***
Hailer (pronounced “Hiler”) joined Natixis in 1999 from Fidelity Investments. Though not a household name, Natixis owns brands like the Boston bond firm Loomis, Sayles & Co., and AlphaSimplex Group, run by MIT’s Andrew Lo.
The investment arm of Paris-based Groupe BPCE, Natixis employs 3,400 people worldwide. The company plans to be the anchor tenant at a Back Bay tower that will open in 2017 near the Prudential Center and is projected to be Boston’s greenest office building yet. At a ceremony last month, Hailer said the tower’s design was a match for Natixis’s culture.
“It’s about the people, and the spirit that you want to put inside that structure,’’ Hailer told an audience of about 75.
In 2006, Hailer was living on Beacon Street, separated from his wife. He was known for late nights, wining and dining his staff at Grill 23 and Via Matta, according to interviews with current and former employees and Hailer’s July 2010 deposition in the Rezza case.
Nothing good ever happens after midnight.
It was en route to one such outing, in August 2007, that Hailer allegedly propositioned Rezza, the lawsuits said.
Rezza was a managing regional director for Natixis, in town from Chicago for a company sales conference. After a day’s meetings, she allegedly encountered Hailer as they and others headed to meet colleagues at the Rattlesnake Bar on Boylston Street.
“I know this is inappropriate, but I have always found you very attractive,” Hailer told Rezza, according to one of the two lawsuits she later filed. He allegedly asked her to go with him to the nearby Four Seasons Hotel, instead of to the bar.
Rezza declined. “I love my family and my job; no thank you,’’ she said, according to one lawsuit. She immediately mentioned what she called a “weird” encounter to a male colleague, who described her reaction in a deposition.
The next day, Hailer allegedly approached her to mend fences. “Hey, we are cool right? I didn’t mean anything by what I said last night,” he said, according to one of the lawsuits.
Natixis and Hailer denied in court filings and depositions that the exchanges took place.
According to court records, Rezza felt complaining about Hailer’s alleged behavior would sink her career. Since having a baby the prior year, she was already under pressure to boost her performance....
--more--"
Just another sickening scum that makes up the ruling cla$$.
They were the kind of allegations that have toppled some chief executives.
In January 2011, the Boston investment giant Natixis Global Asset Management struck a seven-figure settlement to make some troubling accusations against its chief, John Hailer, go away. A senior saleswoman had sued the company after being fired in 2008 — the day after telling human resources she was pregnant with her second baby, and months after allegedly rebuffing sexual advances by Hailer.
The company denied the allegations of harassment and discrimination in court filings and said the saleswoman was fired for poor performance. But Natixis, part of a large French bank, signed the settlement and moved on. Hailer resumed running one of the world’s largest investment firms.
The allegations were 180 degrees from Hailer’s public profile. He is credited with helping build Natixis into a significant Boston presence, managing $931 billion in mutual funds and retirement plans. The company has 1,400 employees here and supports charities benefiting homeless children, health care, and the arts.
Hailer, 53, even entertained a run for mayor, according to people who have worked with him. It was a long-simmering ambition for the son of a former Boston city councilor, and for a Roslindale native who grew up in a family of 10 kids.
In 2012, the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus gave Hailer its Good Guys Award, for his “commitment to supporting and promoting women in the corporate world.” Mayor Thomas M. Menino last year named him to the Boston Public Library board, and he chairs the New England Council, a public policy group for business.
All this time, the Natixis settlement with former saleswoman Paula Rezza has remained out of the public eye. Even the trustees of the Natixis mutual fund board with whom Hailer meets several times a year did not know about it.
The fund board at the time included high-profile academics and business people, among them Charlie Baker, the governor-elect of Massachusetts and a relative of Hailer’s by marriage. Baker and the chair of the trustees, Sandra O. Moose, a former management consultant, said they were unaware of the allegations or the settlement until the Globe’s inquiry.
The lawsuits are publicly available in federal court in Chicago and online. Information from those suits provides a more detailed look at the case, which was first reported by the Globe last month.
See: After 2010, Charlie Baker’s business options rich with complications
And he is the new governor. Great.
Natixis said it alerted its corporate board in Paris, which has responsibility for employment and operations issues. The company said it had no obligation to tell the mutual fund trustees in Boston — a point sharply disputed by several experts contacted by the Globe.
“We took this complaint seriously and ultimately agreed to settle this matter in early 2011 to avoid further costs and distractions of litigation,’’ the company said in a statement through spokeswoman Caren Leedom. “We followed rigorous governance and reporting processes — our corporate board chairman, all corporate board members, and the corporate audit committee were aware of the matter throughout.”
***
Hailer (pronounced “Hiler”) joined Natixis in 1999 from Fidelity Investments. Though not a household name, Natixis owns brands like the Boston bond firm Loomis, Sayles & Co., and AlphaSimplex Group, run by MIT’s Andrew Lo.
The investment arm of Paris-based Groupe BPCE, Natixis employs 3,400 people worldwide. The company plans to be the anchor tenant at a Back Bay tower that will open in 2017 near the Prudential Center and is projected to be Boston’s greenest office building yet. At a ceremony last month, Hailer said the tower’s design was a match for Natixis’s culture.
“It’s about the people, and the spirit that you want to put inside that structure,’’ Hailer told an audience of about 75.
In 2006, Hailer was living on Beacon Street, separated from his wife. He was known for late nights, wining and dining his staff at Grill 23 and Via Matta, according to interviews with current and former employees and Hailer’s July 2010 deposition in the Rezza case.
Nothing good ever happens after midnight.
It was en route to one such outing, in August 2007, that Hailer allegedly propositioned Rezza, the lawsuits said.
Rezza was a managing regional director for Natixis, in town from Chicago for a company sales conference. After a day’s meetings, she allegedly encountered Hailer as they and others headed to meet colleagues at the Rattlesnake Bar on Boylston Street.
“I know this is inappropriate, but I have always found you very attractive,” Hailer told Rezza, according to one of the two lawsuits she later filed. He allegedly asked her to go with him to the nearby Four Seasons Hotel, instead of to the bar.
Rezza declined. “I love my family and my job; no thank you,’’ she said, according to one lawsuit. She immediately mentioned what she called a “weird” encounter to a male colleague, who described her reaction in a deposition.
The next day, Hailer allegedly approached her to mend fences. “Hey, we are cool right? I didn’t mean anything by what I said last night,” he said, according to one of the lawsuits.
Natixis and Hailer denied in court filings and depositions that the exchanges took place.
According to court records, Rezza felt complaining about Hailer’s alleged behavior would sink her career. Since having a baby the prior year, she was already under pressure to boost her performance....
--more--"
Just another sickening scum that makes up the ruling cla$$.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)