DELEITURAS

 

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.

Obama: Israel “One of Our Closest Allies in the Region”

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.

A new study was released today on the number of animal-related insurance losses for the years 2014-2017. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) data is gleaned from insurance claims for losses that occurred in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia. A total of 1,740,425 animal-related insurance claims were processed with 1,739,687 of them—99.9 percent—involving vehicles. The actual number of incidents is likely much higher since many drivers do not choose to carry coverage for that type of event.

Animal Claims 2014 – 2017
2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
415,917	434,820	446,981	442,707	1,740,425

About 640,000 of those claims specified one of the top five animals involved and over the four-year period, 91 percent of those claims involved deer.

 

While all animal-related claims went up six percent over the four-year period, those that specified a deer was involved actually declined by 30 percent.

The top five animals involved in vehicle collisions were deer (584,165), raccoons (22,644), dogs (20,610), turkeys (7,289) and coyotes (6,023).

Animal Claims 2014 – 2017, Specifying Animal Type
Animal	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
Deer	174,278	150,589	136,648	122,650	584,165
Raccoon	6,414	5,866	5,719	4,645	22,644
Dog	7,275	5,527	4,182	3,626	20,610
Turkey	1,920	1,867	1,800	1,702	7,289
Coyote	1,667	1,547	1,494	1,315	6,023

The top five states where these incidents occurred were: Pennsylvania (145,728), New York (115,670), Texas (105,036), Wisconsin (81,282) and North Carolina (79,252).

The top five cities for these encounters were: San Antonio (3,945), Austin, Tex. (2,452), New York(2,442), Pittsburgh (2,115) and Rochester, NY (1,929).

You can download the complete report here and an infographic here.

Animal-related losses are a good reason to make sure that you have adequate insurance and understand your coverage to protect against losses from these and other kinds of damage-causing incidents. The average animal crash claim amounted to about $4,000 in 2016 according to one major insurer. That would have amounted to nearly $1.8 billion in claims in 2016.

A bit macabre, but here’s just how devastating, to both the animal and the vehicle, an animal-related car crash can be.

Saying that his patience with the Justice Department “has grown thin,” Georgia Rep. Doug Collins on Friday unilaterally released a 268-page transcript of a deposition that Justice Department official Bruce Ohr gave to Congress last August.

Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, took the unusual step by reading a statement on the House floor and providing a link to the Ohr transcript in the public record.

In 2016 and 2017, Ohr served as a back channel between the FBI and Christopher Steele, the former British spy who authored the anti-Trump dossier alleging collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government.

Ohr’s wife, Nellie, worked as a contractor for Fusion GPS, the opposition research firm that hired Steele.

Ohr was interviewed on Aug. 28, 2018, by a task force of members from the House Judiciary and House Oversight Committees.

Collins said Friday that he plans to release additional transcripts from interviews conducted by the task force. Lawmakers have also interviewed Nellie Ohr and FBI and Justice Department officials such as former FBI general counsel James Baker and former FBI attorney Lisa Page.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we gave DOJ an opportunity to review them for information that would endanger national security, but after many months and little progress, our patience has grown thin,” Collins said.

“The proposed redactions have nothing to do with national security and are anathema to our goal of government transparency,” he continued, adding that “I am, therefore, today making one of these transcripts public.”

“I intend to make other transcripts public soon. I’m willing to consider any reasonable redactions DOJ makes in a timely manner, but won’t allow these transcripts to remain shrouded in secrecy.”

On the eve of the final Presidential debate, CBS reported the US had drones overhead watching the attack at Benghazi.  “Watched” is the key word here, “watched” for seven hours.   This attack was not over in minutes.  So what if anything, did the “powers that be” do during these seven hours?  The answer seems to be “what they didn’t do”.  According to Retired CIA officer Gary Berntsen, who commanded CIA counter-terrorism missions targeting Osama bin Laden:

“You find a way to make this happen,” Berntsen says. “There isn’t a plan for every single engagement. Sometimes you have to be able to make adjustments. They made zero adjustments in this. They stood and they watched and our people died.”

The “new & improved” spin coming out of the Obama Administration, (yes they are changing the “story again”), goes something like this: “we are gonna stand by this narrative– this attack is somewhere between a spontaneous event where well armed and well trained “individuals” (don’t call them terrorists!) capitalized on heightened protests in the region whereas these individuals took to the streets with military grade weapons and  stormed our Consulate, whereas four Americans were killed.”   Basically, that is what is now being said.  Obama Campaign  spinmaster Stephanie Cutter, on NBC yesterday said

“its important we don’t politicize this, every step of the way as intelligence is learned, as the intelligence “improves” about what happened that night, the President makes it available to Congress and to the American people, its been a very transparent process…”  (emphasis mine)

The CBS report also says that at the beginning of the attack: 

“…an unmanned Predator drone was sent over the U.S. mission in Benghazi, and that the drone and other reconnaissance aircraft apparently observed the final hours of the protracted battle.

The State Department, White House and Pentagon declined to say what military options were available. A White House official told CBS News that, at the start of the attack, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta “looked at available options, and the ones we exercised had our military forces arrive in less than 24 hours, well ahead of timelines laid out in established policies.”

Ok, so here we have Joint Chiefs Martin Dempsey and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, being well aware and involved in decision making on Benghazi from the very beginning, actually “looking for available options”.  This kind of raises many questions, one being,  why did Dempsey and Panetta decide to “do nothing” and “just watch”?

This is just getting more and more ridiculous.  Expect tonight more of this same “transparency” from the President.  I suspect the President will go on the offensive on Benghazi.   Seems his surrogates out in full force in the last 24 hours re- spinning the story, making it appear as if its Republicans who “jumped the shark”, who wouldn’t allow the White House to get their “intelligence” straight, trying to make us believe it takes weeks and weeks to ascertain what happened during an attack they were watching in real time.   Yes, expect Obama to say “we are doing an extensive investigation, which we must let take its course”.  I’m sure those investigations will “roll in” on or about November 7th, 2012.  We are in obvious re-spin mode, stall stall stall, and act angry and incensed about anyone who questions Benghazi.  Expect some more of that mock anger and indignation from Obama tonight.

Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ website and YouTube page featured a charming, funny and touching tribute to Princess Lea actress Carrie Fisher.

The video features highlights from her Star Wars appearances and interviews that will have you laughing and crying as Disney remembers The Princess of the force.

if the video does not play – click HERE for the non-amp version

Police killed a man who drew a gun while being escorted off the premises of an Oregon middle school Friday.

The man was forced out of Cascade Middle School in Eugene, Oregon over a custody dispute, The Associated Press reported Friday. The school was put on lockdown for close to four hours.

The shooting occurred outside of the school at 10:27 a.m., according to a Eugene Police Department Facebook post Friday.

“As officers were escorting the male from the school, he produced a firearm and a struggle ensued,” the police department wrote. “During the struggle the subject was shot by police and is now deceased.”

No students were hurt, The AP reported. Police led small groups of students to a nearby church to meet up with parents in the afternoon.

The middle school set up a “care room” with counselors to support students throughout the day.

“We will resume school at the regular time on Monday and will have the Care Room set up for any students who need that support,” the school’s website said. “We will communicate about any specific plans or changes to the typical school day on Sunday evening.”

Eugene Police Department and Cascade Middle School did not immediately respond to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

DONT FORGET! Over 190 days in Jail..

In December 2017, Ontario Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Chris Ballard announced the start of the Green Ontario Fund, a Government-funded program that will offer eligible homeowners rebates of up to thousands for energy-efficient home renovations such as windows and insulation. The cap-and-trade program aims to promote sustainable home improvements among Ontario residents, making them easier and more affordable, while at the same time aligning to the principles of the Climate Change Action Plan. According to the goals laid out in this plan, Ontario pledges to cut green house emissions by 15% before 2020 and by 37% before 2030. Because residential and commercial buildings account for a quarter of greenhouse emissions in the province, informing the population on the disadvantages of under-insulated houses and making energy-efficient upgrades more affordable was the best course of action. He also added that the funds are being re-invested in green programs that help businesses and homeowners combat climate change and enjoy a cleaner, healthier environment. The program is currently open to homeowners, as well as tenants who get the landlord’s permission to do home upgrades.

Applications for the Green Ontario Fund can be sent online via GreenOn.ca and, in order to be eligible for the rebates, homeowners, tenants and condo owners must work with an approved contractor. In addition to rebates on insulation and energy-efficient windows, they can also benefit from a $100 rebate on smart thermostats. Those who do not know if their homes are energy efficient and need more guidance on the topic are encouraged to contact the Green ON support phone line.

New rebates covered by the Green Ontario Fund

Homeowners who do the following improvements are eligible for considerable rebates:

• Energy efficient windows – homeowners who replace their existing windows with new, energy efficient ones that respect program requirements can receive $500 per window and up to $5,000 in total. Energy star windows are designed not only to reduce noise pollution and condensation, but also reduce the home’s carbon footprint and increase its resale value.

• Insulation – homeowners who insulate their properties are eligible to receive a total of up to $7,200 through the Green ON rebate. They are added as follows: $1,500 for insulating the attic, $1,900 for insulating the basement and $3,800 for insulating the exterior walls. Because uninsulated or under-insulated homes are the biggest source of greenhouse emissions in the province, adding a layer of insulation would make a considerable collective impact on reducing greenhouse gases. Insulation seals the small cracks in windows, doors, attics and roofs, sealing the building and preventing heat exchange. As a result, HVAC appliances no longer need to work 24/7 and greenhouse gases are reduced. For homeowners, insulation is good news because it reduces energy bills by up to 25% and increases thermal comfort. It can be done with several materials, depending on the desired R-value and insulated area of the house.

• Air sealing – up to $100 off. Sealing trouble spots that allow air leaks cuts heating and cooling costs. The most common trouble spots include the staircase framing, porch roof, chimney shaft, attic access and ducts.

• Heat pumps – homeowners who invest in a new ground source heat pump can get a rebate of up to $20,000, and those who repair their existing pumps are entitled to up to $4,500. These rebates only apply if the heat pumps are Energy-star certified.

• Air pumps – Energy-star certified air pumps installed by certified contractors can bring homeowners up to $5,800 in rebates.

Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Chris Ballard and Parminder Sandhu, chair of the Green Ontario Fund informed homeowners that they should inspect their homes regularly for signs of energy leaks, such as drafty rooms or house areas that stay cold despite HVAC appliances. Addressing these energy leaks isn’t only a matter of comfort, he adds. Under-insulated homes with low quality windows lead to higher energy bills and contribute to pollution.

The Green Ontario Fund is heavily regulated and Ontario residents do not have to worry about door-to-door contractors trying to sell them home improvements. In addition, all home improvements included in this program must only be carried out by approved contractors who meet the requirements.

This program has become an essential component in the province’s Climate Change Action Plan and it is expected to contribute to cutting greenhouse gasses considerably. It is funded by carbon market proceeds and includes other positive actions such as:

• Measures that encourage the transition towards electric vehicles: incentives, building a solid infrastructure of charging stations

• Gas emission reduction programs for small to medium sized businesses, as well as large enterprises

• Energy retrofits for residential properties

• Developing microgrid projects in First nations communities to reduce reliance on diesel fuel

• A cycling commuter network covering the entire Ontario province

• Social housing retrofits

Public reception on the Green ON rebates have been overwhelmingly positive so far, as building an energy efficient home can be quite costly and this program makes it more affordable. According to GreenON.ca, the program is currently closed as smart thermostats are being installed in participating houses, but will resume shortly, so applications can be submitted online.