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.
World Cocktail Day (May 13, 2018) is upon us – and with it some interesting new discoveries about which drinks are currently in vogue. And the latest research couldn’t be timelier – with cocktail consumption on the rise around the world.
The ‘Old Fashioned’ has been revealed by the world’s largest producer of spirits, Diageo, as the most popular drink being ordered in bars right now, according to a survey of the world’s best bartenders.
Ordered by James Bond himself in Thunderball, it’s made by mixing sugar with bitters, a generous glug of bourbon whiskey, like Bulleit bourbon, and a twist of citrus rind. It’s traditionally served in a short tumbler called an ‘Old Fashioned glass’ – hence the name. And now it’s been crowned the consumer cocktail of choice.
Diageo World Class recently carried out this far-reaching survey of the consumer preferences, in time for World Cocktail Day 2018. No stone was left unturned in finding out cocktail secrets from behind bars across the globe with respondents from a vast mix of countries, including: Puerto Rico, Portugal, Greece, Norway, Iceland, UAE, Beirut, USA, Canada, Hong Kong and the Philippines.
Hot on the heels of the Old Fashioned is the Italian dark horse ‘Negroni’ – made with one-part Tanqueray No.TEN gin, one-part vermouth rosso, one-part Italian aperitif and garnished with orange peel.
Old Fashioned and Negroni’s retro charm is all part of a cocktail revolution that’s taking the world by storm. In the latest IWSR report, beer volumes fell 1.8% around the world, and wine sales dipped by 0.08% (IWSR drinks market analysis 2016). But sales of spirits like gin and whisky, are on the up. And it’s the millennials that are leading the cocktail charge, with almost 9 out of 10 (88%) younger drinkers enjoying mixed drinks on a night out (Cellar Trends). And that’s because, according to World Class Bartender of the Year 2017 Kaitlyn Stewart, consumers no longer see cocktails as an afterthought.
“The Old Fashioned and Negroni are classic cocktails that have stood the test of time. There are countless variations, but when executed perfectly in any bar around the world, they always taste exactly how you want them too,” says Stewart.
Whisky Sour, Margarita and Moscow Mule are next, when it comes to consumers’ current likes. Espresso Martini, Daiquiri, Dry Martini, Tom Collins and Manhattan also squeezed their way into the top 10 favourites list.
“Any of the top cocktails can easily be made at home. There tends to be three ingredient recipes that any home bartender can attempt with ease. Simply stocking quality products like Johnnie Walker Black Label whisky, Ketel One Vodka, Zacapa Rum or a quality single malt whisky like Talisker in your home bar, will have you a third of the way to success!” adds Stewart.
“We surveyed the world’s best bartenders from the four corners of the globe and it is incredible to see the renaissance of these important and timeless cocktails picking up pace everywhere,” says Global Cocktailian, Lauren Mote. “The cocktail revolution is here and It is time to embrace it!”.
Old Fashioned
2oz Bulleit Bourbon
4 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 sugar cube
1 orange peel
22.6 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Negroni
0.75oz Tanqueray NO. TEN Gin
0.75oz Italian liqueur
0.75oz Sweet Vermouth
14.4 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Whisky Sour
1.5oz Johnnie Walker Black Whisky
0.75oz lemon Juice
0.5oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
1 Egg white
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
14.5 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Margarita
1.5oz Don Julio Blanco Tequila
0.5oz orange liqueur
0.75oz lime juice
0.25oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
salt rim (optional)
17.1 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Moscow Mule
1.5oz Cîroc Vodka
0.5oz lime juice
3.5oz ginger beer
14.2 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Espresso Martini
1.5oz Ketel One Vodka
0.5oz coffee liqueur
1oz cold brew coffee
0.5oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
16.6 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Daiquiri
2oz Zacapa Rum
1oz lime juice
0.75oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
18.9 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Dry Martini
2oz Tanqueray NO. TEN Gin
0.25oz Dry Vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
21.3 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Tom Collins
1.5oz Tanqueray NO. TEN Gin
0.5oz lime juice
0.25oz lemon Juice
0.25oz simple syrup
top with soda
15.3 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
Manhattan
1.5oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey
0.5oz Sweet Vermouth
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 dash orange bitters
16.7 grams of alcohol (according to ml of the serve)
SOURCE WORLD CLASS
by Will Racke
A greater share of small companies in the U.S. are raising wages than at any time in the past three decades, according to a survey released Thursday from the nation’s biggest independent business association.
A seasonally adjusted 35 percent of small business owners reported they have increased labor compensation in order to recruit new employees or retain the ones they already have, the National Federation of Independent Business found in its May jobs report. That was the highest share since the NFIB began asking about wage increases in 1986.
NFIB attributed the record figure to business-friendly tax reform enacted at the beginning of 2018 and a tight labor market that has seen unemployment dip below four percent.
“This month’s jobs report demonstrates that small business owners’ optimism is showing no signs of abating. They are increasing compensation at record levels and are continuing to hire,” NFIB President Juanita Duggan said in a statement. “Post-tax reform, concerns about taxes and regulations are taking a backseat to their worries over filling open positions and finding qualified candidates.”
As a consequence of that tight labor market, 83 percent of responding businesses reported having difficulty finding qualified candidates for the positions they were trying to fill, the NFIB report also found. A lack of qualified workers was the single most pressing issue for 23 percent of business owners — the highest share since 2000 and one percentage point below the all-time survey high, according to NFIB.
The federal government should intervene to expand the labor pool, especially by lifting the cap on H-2B visas for foreign guest workers, many business groups said. In an April 11 letter, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce asked Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielson to process “the full number of visas authorized” by Congress in the fiscal year 2018 spending bill — a move that would have roughly doubled the 66,000 annual H-2B limit.
Under pressure from lawmakers representing states and districts that use high levels of H-2B labor, Nielsen announced Friday DHS will make an additional 15,000 visas available on a first-come, first-served basis. Trade associations cheered the move but also complained the addition was not big enough to meet seasonal hiring needs. (RELATED: DHS Authorizes 15,000 Extra Guest Worker Visas)
Groups that favor lower levels of immigration, such as NumbersUSA and the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), say expanding the labor pool by bringing in more guest workers is the last thing the government should do. Though a tight labor market raises labor costs for employers, it is the “best social policy” for low-skill American workers who have gone years without any real wage increase, CIS Executive Director Mark Krikorian argued.
“America wins when employers have to exert themselves to recruit and retain workers,” Krikorian wrote in a May 25 column for National Review. “The result is higher wages for less-skilled workers and more people drawn into the productive world of work.”
The unemployment rate is a misleading statistic with respect to the potential number of workers available for hire, Krikorian said. The labor force participation rate — the share of working-age men and women who are either employed or looking for a job — is a more important measure because it factors in more than 50 million Americans who have dropped out of the labor force.
For Americans without a college degree, the labor force participation rate is 70 percent — six percentage points below the rate in 2000 — according to a CIS analysis of Census Bureau data.
In comments made during a CBS ’60 Minutes’ interview, Barack Obama described violent attacks on embassies in the Middle East and the murder of US ambassador Chris Stevens and three others, as “bumps in the road”.
When asked if recent events in the Middle East had changed his outlook on supporting the Arab Spring, Obama responded: “Well, I’d said even at the time that this is going to be a rocky path. The question presumes that somehow we could have stopped this wave of change. I think it was absolutely the right thing for us to do to align ourselves with democracy, universal right, a notion that people have to be able to participate in their own governance. But I was pretty certain and continue to be pretty certain that there are going to be bumps in the road because, you know, in a lot of these places, the one organizing principle has been Islam.”
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2207861/Obama-describes-wave-Middle-East-violence-murder-U-S-ambassador-Libya-bumps-road.html
A coordinated military maneuver, confirmed by the head of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center as a terrorist attack, that employed rocket propelled grenades and other heavy weapons, which was launched on the anniversary on 9/11 against an American embassy that directly led to the death of four Americans, including an ambassador, is a “bump in the road”?
During the interview, Obama admitted that his campaign ads had made mistakes, but somehow, CBS News didn’t find that piece of information newsworthy enough to share with their viewers.
When asked if he was disturbed by fact checkers proving assertions in his ads were untrue, Obama responded: “Do we see sometimes us going overboard in our campaign, are there mistakes that are made, areas where there is no doubt somebody could dispute how we are presenting things? You know, that happens in politics.”
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/cbs-doesnt-air-obama-admitting-mistakes-campaign-ads_652973.html
That happens in politics when a campaign cannot run on its record in office, is so desperate to win that it deems it necessary to employ every long used dirty “progressive” smear tactic and suffers from a severe shortage of ethics, morals and socially redeeming qualities.
Remember when the United States was unquestionably Israel’s strongest ally? Not anymore. According to Obama, Israel is merely “one of our closest allies in the region”.
Since his inauguration, Obama has attempted to appease the Islamist world with an “even-handed” approach. Now Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has serious doubts about American resolve to stand behind Israel.
For his part, Obama admitted to viewing Netanyahu’s requests for the U.S. to take a harder stance against Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons as “noise” he must ignore when making American security decisions.
Is it sheer coincidence that the exact same word was used to describe Israel by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? “I have spoken about this topic at length, previously. We generally speaking do not take very seriously the issue of the Zionists and the possible dangers emanating from them. Of course they would love to find a way for their own salvation by making a lot of noise and to raise stakes in order to save themselves. But I do not believe they will succeed. Iran is also a very well recognized country and her defensive powers are very clear.”
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-refers-israel-concern-over-iran-noise_652967.html
Is this any way for America to conduct foreign policy? Does having cities in twenty different countries descend into weeks of anti-American violence and murder sound like a “bump in the road” or more like just cause for alarm? Does treating long-time ally Israel like they are simply “one of our closest allies in the region” sound like a recipe for successfully enlisting new allies in the future? Is this what Americans view as making America safer? Is this what Americans see as elevating America’s standing in the world view?
Is it accidental that a large number of Americans who are currently engaged in early voting are oblivious to this information?
America deserves better than this, does it not?
To Obama, Mid-East Violence and Murders: “Bumps in the Road”, Israel: “Noise”
An alleged gunman behind Friday’s deadly mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, reportedly wrote his weapon of choice was firearms for “the effect it could have on the politics of United States and thereby the political situation of the world” in a manifesto that has been linked to him.
New Zealand and U.S. gun laws share some similarities but in many respects New Zealand’s laws are stricter. The shootings that left at least 49 dead have already prompted headlines from outlets like CNN about New Zealand’s “lax” gun laws.
Like in the United States and Canada, most guns in New Zealand do not need to be registered. The country does not require registry for most rifles and shotguns for people over the age of 16 with entry-level firearm licenses, according to Yahoo! News. Only about 4 percent of its guns are registered, according to researcher Philip Alpers quoted by The Guardian.
In the U.S., federal law bars the use of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System to create any system of registration of firearms or firearm owners, according to the Giffords Law Center. Some states like New York have registries for weapons they define as assault weapons.
The Democratic-controlled U.S. House of Representatives passed a gun control package in February that contained ideas also being pushed for in New Zealand. The U.S. bill faced criticism from House Republicans, some of whom said it would result in a federal gun registry, reported NBC News.
New Zealand did away with its national gun registry in 1983 when the government determined it was cost-inefficient. However, advocates of a national gun registry in the country have continued to push for its return.
The U.S. House’s gun control legislation would also require background checks on all individuals buying guns, whether they purchase in-store, at a gun show or via the internet. This would close the so-called “gun show loophole” that did not require sellers at gun shows to conduct checks, although many venues and states have laws that require those kinds of sellers to conduct background checks.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Police conducts background checks on all aspiring gun owners. Self defense is not considered a sufficient reason to purchase a gun, and two individuals, including a spouse or parent, must vouch for the potential gun owner in interview with police, reported The Brisbane Times.
New Zealanders possess an estimated 1.2 million firearms, meaning the country has a rate of roughly one gun per three people, according to The Guardian. That rate is much lower than the rate in the U.S., where some estimate there are more guns than people.
Forty-one people died at the Al Noor mosque and seven at the Linwood mosque in New Zealand Friday, according to CNN. One person succumbed to their injuries after being rushed to the hospital.
Police said a man in his 20s had been charged with murder. A 28-year-old Australian man calling himself Brenton Tarrant through a disturbing manifesto he is believed to have posted online, reported The Guardian.
“I chose firearms for the affect it would have on social discourse, the extra media coverage they would provide and the effect it could have on the politics of United States and thereby the political situation of the world,” the manifesto states according to The Guardian.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed that an Australian man had been arrested in New Zealand.
An Australian senator is drawing ire after blaming Muslims for the horrific mass shootings just hours after the details began to emerge.