Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio has been elected by his peers as the new pope,
becoming the first pontiff from the Americas.
He has chosen to be known as Pope Francis.
Pope Francis I: Let’s begin this long road… let us all behave with love and charity
by Evie Fordham
Pfizer Inc. CEO Ian Read will entrust his position to current COO Albert Bourla on Jan. 1, but Read will remain as executive chairman of Pfizer’s board of directors after a tenure during which the company’s stock increased roughly 160 percent.
“The company has come out of the abyss it was in, and is really poised for growth,” Read, 65, told The Wall Street Journal. “Given my age, it’s time for me to move on.”
Read became the giant drug company’s CEO in 2010. The “abyss” he refers to could be drug patent loss: Read’s leadership helped Pfizer continue to innovate as it lost revenue when the patents for its products like cholesterol medication Lipitor ran out, reported the WSJ.
Read’s replacement Bourla has been in charge of Pfizer’s “vaccines, oncology and consumer health care business,” reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
Bourla will have to deal with Pfizer’s popular nerve and muscle pain drug Lyrica’s going off patent in December. But Pfizer says it hopes to roll out 15 new products that are in development, including a staph infection vaccine and oral breast cancer therapy talazoparib, reported the WSJ.
New York City-based Pfizer is one of the globe’s largest drugmakers and employs more than 90,000 people, according to the WSJ. Its products sales declined 1 percent from 2016 to $52.5 billion internationally in 2017, reported the WSJ.
Under Read, Pfizer focused in on the drug and vaccine market and moved away from its animal-health business, reported the WSJ.
Pfizer was in the news in July when it agreed to postpone its prescription drug price hikes after President Donald Trump told the company it should be “ashamed” for its price increases in a July 9 tweet.
Nearly 90 percent of the continental U.S. will experience below-freezing temperatures over the next five days as Arctic air moves south, according to forecasts.
The “polar vortex” event will have 89 percent of the continental U.S. with below freezing weather, meteorologist Ryan Maue said. In fact, all of the lower-48 are forecast to experience freezing weather, including Florida.
The National Weather Service (NWS) is warning of “extreme and dangerous” cold weather across the Great Plains and Great Lakes where wind chill could dip as low as -60 degrees Fahrenheit. NWS expects temperature “lows in the -30s and -40s” Wednesday through Thursday.
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service
CNN reports that 75 percent of the U.S. population, more than 220 million people, could see below-freezing temperatures in the coming days. Frigid weather is expected to shatter dozens of temperature records throughout the eastern half of the country.
Temperatures across the region are expected to be as low as -40 degrees, and Chicago could break an all-time record low of -27 degrees Celsius set back in 1985, according to Maue.
Farther north, Ennadai Lake in the Canadian Arctic could see windchill as low -81 degrees Fahrenheit, NWS reported.
New Line Cinema’s horror thriller “IT,” directed by Andrés Muschietti (“Mama”), is based on the hugely popular Stephen King novel of the same name, which has been terrifying readers for decades.
When children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, a group of young kids are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise, whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries.
IT will open in theaters on September 8, 2017.
“IT” stars Bill Skarsgård (“Allegiant,” TV’s “Hemlock Grove”) as the story’s central villain, Pennywise. An ensemble of young actors also star in the film, including Jaeden Lieberher (“Midnight Special”), Jeremy Ray Taylor (“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip”), Sophia Lillis (“37”), Finn Wolfhard (TV’s “Stranger Things”), Wyatt Oleff (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), Chosen Jacobs (upcoming “Cops and Robbers”), Jack Dylan Grazer (“Tales of Halloween”) and Nicholas Hamilton (“Captain Fantastic”).
Muschietti is directing “IT” from a screenplay adapted by Chase Palmer & Cary Fukunaga and Gary Dauberman. Dan Lin, Roy Lee, Seth Grahame-Smith, David Katzenberg and Barbara Muschietti are producing, with Marty P. Ewing, Doug Davison and Jon Silk serving as executive producers.
The behind-the-scenes creative team includes director of photography Chung-Hoon Chung (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”), production designer Claude Paré (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), editor Jason Ballantine (“The Great Gatsby”), and costume designer Janie Bryant (TV’s “Mad Men”).
Drone image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
The Pentagon has confirmed that on November 1 two Iranian jets fired on an unmanned US drone flying routine surveillance over the Persian Gulf.
Pentagon spokesman George Little insists the drone was flying 16 miles off the cost of Kuwait in international waters and not near Iranian airspace.
Watch the FOX News report for more information.
Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
The U.S. Department of Commerce imposed tariffs on Canadian softwood imports after trade talks on U.S. milk exports fell through.
Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said the taxes announced Monday evening were being imposed after trade negotiations between the two countries failed to produce a positive outcome for the United States.
“It has been a bad week for U.S.-Canada trade relations,” Ross said in a statement.
Donald Trump turned to Twitter this morning to support Wisconsin dairy farmers who have been seriously hurt by Canada’s oppressive milk import tariffs that were implemented in NAFTA.
Some U.S. milk exports into Canada face tariffs as high as 292% and recent talks between the two countries failed to remove the unfair taxation.
The U.S. tariffs on Canadian softwood exports will range from 3% to 24%.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the newly-minted chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, told Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) attendees that his panel will move on judicial confirmations at an ambitious clip.
“Judges, more judges, then some more judges,” Graham joked in a Thursday afternoon speech. “We’re going to process as many conservative judges as we can.”
The senator opened his remarks with a paean to Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s bitter confirmation.
“Why is Kavanaugh on the Court? Because Trump is tough,” Graham said.
Earlier in the day, Graham and other Judiciary Committee Republicans voted to forward Neomi Rao’s nomination to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to the full Senate. If confirmed, Rao would succeed Kavanaugh on a court often referred to as the second most powerful bench in the country.
The Senate’s most recent judgeship vote came Wednesday with the confirmation of Eric Miller to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Miller is the president’s third appointment to that court, which has repeatedly stymied administration policy priorities. Four other nominations to the 9th Circuit are pending.
Miller spent a decade as an attorney in the Department of Justice before moving to private practice at Perkins Coie. He is a graduate of the University of Chicago Law School and clerked on the Supreme Court for Justice Clarence Thomas.
Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris of California vigorously opposed Miller, who was selected for one of the 9th Circuit’s California seats. Senators enjoy significant influence over judicial appointments in their state. The Judiciary Committee generally has not held a confirmation hearing for a nominee until both senators from the state in which the candidate was nominated return a “blue slip” indicating their support or opposition.
Feinstein and Harris withheld their blue slips on Miller’s nomination, but Senate Republicans decided to confirm him nonetheless. The extent to which the blue slip rule has been consistently applied is contested.
Speaking on the Senate floor before the confirmation vote, Feinstein warned that Republicans were making a mistake they would come to regret.
“Abandoning the blue slip process and bending to the will of a president who has demonstrated time and time again his ignorance and disdain for the Constitution and the rule of law is a mistake,” Feinstein said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has teed up three appeals court votes for next week — Allison Rushing for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and Chad Readler and Eric Murphy for the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Are you a racist? Yes, you are. Good, I have your attention. I just wanted to see if I could get your attention by calling you a racist, since it’s what everyone else does. Today the word hardly holds any meaning. One group uses it to try to make another group feel bad or to get the attention of others that might come to help pile on. In some cases they use it simply because they’ve got nothing else to debate with!
Webster says racism is:
1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.
2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination.
3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races.
Well, the first misnomer is the word “race.” We are all part of the same race… the human race! We are made up of many ethnicities and cultures, but, last I checked, scientists still call all of us the human race.
Many of those on the Left consistently call Conservatives, Christians, religious, Republicans and other “non black” people racists. Why? Because we are one of the 4 labels previously listed. And to add frosting to that cake… we aren’t Democrats.
According to “them” I am a racist because I think the current president is a loser. That he can’t govern. He treats his job as if he is the president of a country club and all he has to do to get what he wants is raise membership dues. Why does that make me racist? Because he is black and I am white. Not because I am expressing my own opinion about his job performance (or lack thereof) but because of my color that they brought into the conversation.
Yet none of that fits the true term or even comes close to the definition of racism
According to “them” I am a racist because I think the flood at the border, prompted by this administration, by people who stay here illegally is a problem and I want the border and the American Laws protected and adhered to. How does that make me a racist? Again, I can’t find a connection between the real meaning of racist and me simply wanting the rules followed.
Remember, over 80% of the people who arrive here illegally, are processed, and given a notice to appear within 15 to 20 days in court never show up. They never had an intention to show up. If you support that kind of action then you support breaking the law and from my point of view you are not a racist but an accomplice to the crime and should be punished accordingly.
Read more at http://therealside.com/2014/07/are-you-a-racist/#djKd13BB6FHVgJwY.99
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store and country music superstar Scotty McCreery today announced a call for entries to their “Five More Minutes” video contest. Fans are encouraged to submit a one to three-minute video clip of them reuniting with the people in their lives they want to spend five more minutes with including their families and friends, as well as loved ones in military service. Submitted videos will have the chance to be featured in a new music video for McCreery’s hit single “Five More Minutes,” premiering March 15, 2018 on Cracker Barrel’s YouTube channel.
Video submissions may be uploaded to crackerbarrel.com/FiveMoreMinutes between Feb. 19, 2018 and March 4, 2018. Visit crackerbarrel.com/FiveMoreMinutes for full contest information and official rules.
“Five More Minutes” is the first single off McCreery’s new album “Seasons Change,” which will be available at all Cracker Barrel locations nationwide and online at shop.crackerbarrel.com beginning March 16, 2018.
For every album sold at Cracker Barrel locations and on shop.crackerbarrel.com from March 16, 2018 to April 30, 2020, while supplies last, the company will donate $1 to its flagship nonprofit partner, Operation Homefront, whose mission is to build strong, stable, and secure military families so they can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they have worked so hard to protect.
“I have always been impressed with the support that Cracker Barrel has given our military and their families through the years,” said McCreery. “Both of my grandfathers served in the armed forces, which instilled in me a huge respect for our military, their families, and the sacrifices they all make on our behalf. I am so proud that Cracker Barrel is stocking my new album ‘Seasons Change’ and donating $1from each album sold to military families via Operation Homefront. I’m also looking forward to seeing the video submissions that come in from the fans as we create this new video for ‘Five More Minutes’ for Cracker Barrel’s YouTube channel.”
“Cracker Barrel has long supported military-focused programs, especially those that give back to military families,” said Cracker Barrel Senior Marketing Manager Julie Ulmer. “We share a passion for supporting America’s military with Scotty and are thrilled to give back to Operation Homefront in this way. We hope that our ‘Five More Minutes’ campaign will provide an opportunity for people to express their love and gratitude for loved ones, especially those serving in the military.”
“Seasons Change,” produced by Frank Rogers, Derek Wells and Aaron Eshuis, is McCreery’s third studio album and first record in five years. In between albums, McCreery moved to Nashville, performed around the world, wrote a book, and became engaged to his longtime love. He also spent time working on his songwriting craft with some of the best songwriters in Nashville, resulting in his co-writing all 11 songs on the album. Among the songwriters that McCreery collaborated with are Jessi Alexander, David Lee Murphy, Dan Isbell, James McNair, and Tommy Cecil, in addition to Frank Rodgers and Monty Criswell, with whom he co-wrote “Five More Minutes.”
Private brand expansion has been a major priority for Amazon with several new labels being introduced every year. According to a new report by eCommerce analytics provider One Click Retail, Amazon is now slowing their private brand expansion in favor of introducing a number of Amazon-exclusive brands. Unlike Amazon-owned private labels, these brands are owned by manufacturers like Perrigo and First Quality while still benefiting from the high visibility that comes from being an ‘Amazon Brand’.
Basic Care Over-the-Counter Medicine
Basic Care, launched in August 2017, is owned and manufactured by Perrigo. Basic Care over-the-counter medicine is the Amazon-exclusive alternative to Perrigo’s own Good Sense brand, and as of Q3 2018, has now surpassed the latter in market share on Amazon.com. Basic Care controls over 15% of OTC sales, while Good Sense has dropped from over 20% in January to as low as 9% during Q3. This equates to average weekly sales for Basic Care of nearly $250K, led by antacids ($85K) and Pain Relief ($65K).
“This illustrates the competitive advantage of being an Amazon-exclusive brand, giving manufacturers a significant boost to their visibility compared to other brands (even their own) by being labeled as an Amazon Brand,” said Peter Andrews, Director of Insights at One Click Retail.
Mama Bear Diapers
The diaper category has served as a laboratory for Amazon’s private label strategy. After some initial failures in this category, Amazon found success with the Mama Bear brand, which grew in sales by over 40% from Q2 to Q3 2018, reaching average weekly sales of approximately $200K. While Amazon has continued to show their commitment to Mama Bear diapers, supporting them with a series of promotions in mid-July and early August, Amazon has also partnered with First Quality to introduce a new line of Amazon-exclusive diapers.
Earth+Eden, owned and manufactured by First Quality, is a brand new line of baby diapers available exclusively on Amazon. First Quality also produces Cuties, a premium line of baby diapers which has struggled to compete on Amazon against larger brands like The Honest Company. Earth+Eden shares many design and marketing similarities with Cuties, but benefits from the competitive advantage of being an Amazon-exclusive.
“Given the popularity of Mama Bear diapers and the enviable growth since the brand’s launch, it’s a very smart strategic move for First Quality to capitalize on the benefits of being an Amazon Brand,” said Peter Andrews, Director of Insights at One Click Retail.