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Tag: Washington

  • D.C. AG Launches Antitrust Suit Against Amazon

    D.C. AG Launches Antitrust Suit Against Amazon

     

    Washington, D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine has filed an antitrust lawsuit against Amazon for anticompetitive practices and price-fixing.

    Amazon has increasingly been under fire on all fronts. The company has repeatedly been criticized for how it treats employees, as well as its attempts to combat unionization efforts.

    Now the company is under fire for alleged anticompetitive behavior, including wide-scale price-fixing. At the heart of the case is the company’s “most favored nation” (MFN) agreements, which prohibit retailers from offering their products elsewhere at cheaper prices, or with better terms, than they do on Amazon. The MFN agreements even prohibit retailers from offering their products cheaper on their own websites.

    “Amazon has used its dominant position in the online retail market to win at all costs. It maximizes its profits at the expense of third-party sellers and consumers while harming competition, stifling innovation, and illegally tilting the playing field in its favor,” said AG Racine. “We filed this antitrust lawsuit to put an end to Amazon’s illegal control of prices across the online retail market. We need a fair online marketplace that expands options available to District residents and promotes competition, innovation, and choice.”

    According to the AG, Amazon claimed to have removed its price parity policy in 2019. In actuality, the company is accused of quickly and quietly replacing it with a replacement policy that accomplished the same thing. Under the new policy, the Fair Pricing Policy, “third-party sellers can be sanctioned or removed from Amazon altogether if they offer their products for lower prices or under better terms on a competing online platform.”

    https://assets.documentcloud.org/documents/20788384/amazon-complaint-.pdf

  • Google Now Facing Third Suit, As 30 State Sue Over ‘Illegal Monopoly’

    Google Now Facing Third Suit, As 30 State Sue Over ‘Illegal Monopoly’

    Google is being sued by 30 states, as the company faces its third lawsuit over abusing its monopoly in search and online advertising.

    Google is already facing lawsuits by the Department of Justice (DOJ), as well as a coalition of 10 states. The new lawsuit is led by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, and includes Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, the District of Columbia, and the territories of Guam and Puerto Rico.

    “Our economy is more concentrated than ever, and consumers are squeezed when they are deprived of choices in valued products and services. Google’s anticompetitive actions have protected its general search monopolies and excluded rivals, depriving consumers of the benefits of competitive choices, forestalling innovation, and undermining new entry or expansion,” Weiser explained. “This lawsuit seeks to restore competition.”

    The scope of this lawsuit goes beyond the previous two, accusing Google of “engaging in a multi-pronged effort to maintain its monopolies.” In particular, “Google’s acquisition and command of vast amounts of data obtained because of consumers’ lack of choice has fortified Google’s monopolies and created new barriers to competition and consumer value.”

    The states have filed a motion to join their case with the DOJ’s case, which could significantly expand the scope of the DOJ’s case.

  • Misty Upham Died of Blunt-Force Injuries, Shows Autopsy

    Misty Upham, the 32-year-old actress who went missing in early October, died of blunt force injuries to the head and torso. According to a Seattle Times report the cause of death was announced this week by the King County, Washington Medical Examiner’s Office.

    Upham was reported missing by her family on October 6. She was last seen on October 5 walking from her sister’s apartment on the Muckleshoot Reservation near the Seattle suburb of Auburn, Washington. The actress’ family had reported to police on October 4 that Upham was suicidal.

    In the week following her disappearance, Upham’s family and Muckleshoot Reservation volunteers launched a search for the young actress. At the time police did not consider Upham’s disappearance suspicious.

    On October 16 Upham’s body was found by a member of her family at the bottom of an embankment in a wooded area. Police found no evidence of foul play.

    According to the Seattle Times report, Upham’s family said they believe the actress’ death to be accidental. Specifically the family accused local police of mistreating Upham and speculated that she may have been trying to evade the police before she died.

    Upham’s family has previously stated that the actress had long suffered from bipolar disorder. Upham was reportedly unable to find effective treatment for her mental illness when she and her family moved to the Seattle area earlier this year.

    Upham was an actress who had small roles in movies such as August: Osage County and Django Unchained. She was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting female in 2008 for her role in the movie Frozen Rover.

    The Northwest Film Forum last month screened showings of August: Osage County and Frozen River as part of its Indigenous Showcase in tribute to Upham.

    Post by Northwest Film Forum.

  • Shaylee Chuckulnaskit: Third Shooting Victim Dies

    A third victim from the Washington state high school shooting has died.

    According to Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington, Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, 14, passed away on Friday, raising the number of casualties from the shooting to four.

    “Today at 4:45 p.m. Shaylee Chuckulnaskit, known affectionately as Shay to her family and friends, passed away at Providence Regional Medical Center as a result of severe injuries from last Friday’s school shooting at Marysville Pilchuck High School. The entire Providence family is deeply saddened by this news and we extend our heartfelt sympathy to Shaylee’s family,” Dr. Anita Tsen, a critical care physician at Providence Regional Medical Center, read from an official news release.

    “Our hearts are broken at the passing of our beautiful daughter,” Chuckulnaskit’s family said in a statement. “Shay means everything to us. In Shay’s short life she has been a radiant light bringing us incredible joy and happiness. She has been a loving daughter, a caring sister, a devoted friend and a wonderful part of our community. We can’t imagine life without her.”

    “We have been overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness and support of our family, friends and community,” the statement added. “We are deeply grateful for all the acts of kindness that have come our way. We especially want to thank the medics and Providence staff who have cared for Shay.”

    Chuckulnaskit and four other students were shot on October 24 when the gunman, Jaylen Fryberg, opened fire in the cafeteria of their high school. Zoe Galasso, 14, was pronounced dead at the scene and Gia Soriano, 14, later died in the hospital on Sunday night. Andrew Fryberg and Nate Hatch, the gunman’s cousins, were also wounded by the gunshots and remain hospitalized in Seattle. Fryberg also took his own life.

    The cause of the shooting is still under investigation.

  • Misty Upham: Search For Missing Actress Continues

    The search for Misty Upham, the 32-year-old actress who went missing last week, is continuing. Police in the Seattle, Washington suburb of Auburn told The Seattle Times that they are “concerned” about Upham’s disappearance but that the incident is not being considered suspicious.

    Upham was reported missing on October 6. She was last seen on October 5 walking away from her sister’s apartment on the Muckleshoot Reservation near Auburn. According to The Seattle Times, Upham’s family had contacted police on October 4 to report that the actress was suicidal.

    Despite the circumstances of her disappearance, Upham’s family does not believe the actress has committed suicide or simply run away. Charles Upham, Misty’s father, has been posting updates on the search to Misty’s Facebook page. In a statement released on Sunday Charles Upham said he believes something has happened to his daughter and that she “left in a psychotic state of mind.” He reported that Misty took only a shoulder bag full of clothes when she left.

    “As her father I do not fear she committed suicide,” said Charles. “I feel that she has been hurt by accident or someone has put her in harms way.

    “Misty believes that suicide is a sin and in her darker moments she would tell me, ‘Dad, I would never take my own life.’”

    Charles went on to criticize police for not considering Misty’s disappearance suspicious. He revealed that Misty has long suffered from bipolar disorder and hasn’t been receiving effective treatment since the family moved to the Seattle area earlier this year.

    In an update posted today the Upham family stated that they are currently organizing volunteers for their search and that many volunteers from the Muckleshoot tribe have come forward to help out.

    Misty began her acting career just over one decade ago, appearing in several TV movies. More recently the actress performed small roles in films such as August: Osage County and Django Unchained.

  • Google Shopping Express Becomes Google Express, Expands

    Google announced that it has changed the name of Google Shopping Express to just Google Express, is expanding it into more cities, and that it now includes more retail partners.

    Google Shopping Express was first introduced early last year as a local delivery service enabling people to get same-day delivery on some items. It initially launched in San Francisco with a handful of partners including Target, Walgreens, American Eagle, Staples, Toys R Us, and Office Depot. Since then, it’s slowly expanded into a few other areas like San Jose, Los Angeles, and Manhattan.

    Now, it’s coming to Chicago, Boston, and Washington D.C. under the new name, and has added new merchants: 1-800-Flowers, Barnes & Noble, Nine West, PetSmart, Vitamin Shoppe, Sports Authority, Paragon Sports in New York, Vicente Foods in Los Angeles, Stop & Shop in Boston, Giant Food in D.C., and Lux Roses, TigerDirect, Treasure Island Foods and Wrigleyville Sports in Chicago.

    “One year ago, the first Google Shopping Express order was delivered—a box of granola,” said Brian Elliott, Head of Partnerships for Google Shopping. “Our idea was to make shopping your favorite local stores as easy and fast as shopping online, and to help you get what you need delivered the same day. Since then, you’ve told us how we helped you restock diapers in the nick of time, made sure you had Bananagrams for family game night, and even made you feel connected to the outside world when you were home sick. Along the way, we’ve expanded to new locations, brought on more merchants, and offered more products. And now, we’re adding to the program you love.”

    In addition to the new name, location, and partners, Bay Area users who are over 21 can now use the service to order alcoholic beverages.

    Express membership gives users free same-day delivery or overnight delivery on eligible orders over $15, first dibs on delivery windows, and shared membership with a household member. It costs $95 per year or $10 per month. Alternatively, users can pay as they go at $4.99 per order.

    According to Google, over 7 million people can now use Google Express with 12 million of them in Northern California.

    Images via Google

  • Bill & Melinda Gates Donate $1M to Gun Control Initiative

    Bill and Melinda Gates have both offered up $500,000 to The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility, “a coalition of concerned citizens and organizations working together to forge commonsense solutions to reduce gun violence.”

    The main common sense solution that alliance is fighting for is to make background checks mandatory for private sellers – for example those operating at gun shows and online.

    They’ve done this through Initiative 594, which is set to be voted on in November as citizens take to the ballot. The initiative, which did not pass the state legislature earlier this year, will likely have better luck at the polls. According to the alliance, 7 out of 10 Washington voters support it.

    Initiative 594 would “makes sure that anyone buying a gun in Washington State passes the same background check, no matter where they buy the gun and no matter whom they buy it from,” apart from noted exceptions like gifts between family members and for antique firearms.

    “We believe it will be an effective and balanced approach to improving gun safety in our state by closing existing loopholes for background checks,” said the Gates’ in a statement.

    Other high-profile names to donate big bucks to this cause? According to public disclosures, Paul Allen donated a half a million dollars earlier this month, as did Steve Ballmer.

    Bill & Melinda Gates have donated to this cause in smaller amounts before, but $1 million, although not a sizable percentage of their net worth, signals that this is an issue about which they care deeply.

    Gates was most recently seen dumping ice water on himself for ALS.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Facebook Emotion Experiment Prompts Senator’s Letter To FTC

    Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) has written a letter to the Federal Trade Commission regarding Facebook’s controversial emotion experiment, seeking to have the commission examine the ordeal.

    “I come from the technology world, and I understand that social media companies are looking for ways to extract value from the information willingly provided by their huge customer base,” said Warner. “I don’t know if Facebook’s manipulation of users’ news feeds was appropriate or not. But I think many consumers were surprised to learn they had given permission by agreeing to Facebook’s terms of service. And I think the industry could benefit from a conversation about what are the appropriate rules of the road going forward.”

    Actually, as others have pointed out, Facebook didn’t even have the language in question in its terms of service at the time of the experiment. It was added later.

    The language may have changed, but Facebook told Forbes thist:

    “When someone signs up for Facebook, we’ve always asked permission to use their information to provide and enhance the services we offer. To suggest we conducted any corporate research without permission is complete fiction. Companies that want to improve their services use the information their customers provide, whether or not their privacy policy uses the word ‘research’ or not.”

    Here’s Warner’s letter (via AllFacebook):

    Warner Letter to FTC 7 9 14 by Mark Warner

    Facebook’s experiment has also drawn interest from the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK, who is investigating the company.

    Various Facebook executives have defended the study, while acknowledging that they could have better communicated about it.

    Image via Senate.gov

  • Cannabis Zombies in Colorado Held at Bay

    Cannabis Zombies in Colorado Held at Bay

    For decades, small groups have tried to convince average Americans of a few simple facts about marijuana. They spoke to anyone who would listen about how no one ever overdosed on marijuana. They tirelessly campaigned against the mistaken notion that Reefer Madness was a documentary. They produced one scholarly paper after another showing that marijuana was medicine, and that it has a place in healing, rather than being scheduled as a useless substance.

    Groups like NORML and MPP slowly got the word out. Generations changed. Government policies shifted slowly. Even at the beginning of the Obama administration the president was laughing off any notion that marijuana taxation might have a positive effect on our economy.

    How things have changed.

    Governor Cuomo just signed a bill making New York the 23rd medical marijuana state.

    Washington state legalized medical pot in 2012, and has now started issuing licenses to stores.

    In Florida, 82% of poll respondents favor medical marijuana, and 48% favor recreational adult use.

    There is now a sharp divide between the antiquated federal stance against marijuana and the position adopted by individual states. It is the states’ rights issue of the decade.

    There was recently even a “pot farmers market” in California, where prescription holders could get discounted legal weed, cutting out the middle man.

    The result of all this reefer madness? Let’s look at Colorado, where medical and recreational pot is now legal. Denver now has about 340 recreational and medicinal pot shops. In the first four months of this year, marijuana sales came to more than $202 million. About a third of that was recreational, the rest medical. Taxes from recreational sales alone were almost $11 million.

    And what about crime during that period? Denver cops say things are actually easier, with burglaries and robberies down between four and five percent.

    Efforts to keep the now-legal Colorado weed out of the hands of minors are being taken seriously. Pot shops check IDs. sometimes twice. There have been 20 different sting operations attempting to catch shops selling to minors. None did. No one wants to lose their license for one silly sale. Many outlets sell their product in child-proof containers.

    It will take time for some to have their fears about widespread marijuana availability assuaged. Some never will be comfortable with it. But the times they are a-changin’.

    Image via YouTube

  • North Bend Explosion Destroys Businesses

    North Bend Explosion Destroys Businesses

    An early-morning explosion in North Bend, Washington leveled businesses and destroyed property in the surrounding neighborhood today. According to a Seattle Times report the explosion is suspected to have been caused by natural gas.

    A strip mall near the explosion was almost completely leveled, destroying businesses including a pizza restaurant, a barber shop, a dance studio, and offices. Further out from the center of the explosion a gas station, tire store, apartment complex, and senior citizen home were damaged with windows shattering and loose objects flying from shelves.

    Firefighters quickly responded to the scene and worked for hours to get the scene under control. A gas line at the site was burning before being cut off by utility workers. The possibility of another explosion kept firemen from the interior of some of the buildings for hours.

    Burning debris littered the block and wood from the explosion was reportedly spotted in the tops of nearby trees. Two blocks of North Bend Way, the road near the center of the blast, were closed. A nearby park was also closed due to debris.

    Reporters and people in the vicinity of the explosion have taken to social media to show off photos of the damage:

    The King County Sheriff’s Fire and Arson Investigation Unit is currently investigating the explosion. A manager of the gas station near the event reported hearing fire alarms shortly before the blast.

    Despite the enormity of the explosion, no serious injuries have been reported as a result. According to the Times report two residents of the Red Oak Residence senior home were mildly injured, with one needing stitches for a cut wrist and the other needing a bandage for a cut thumb.

    Over 1,500 homes and businesses were without power following the blast, though Puget Sound Energy has narrowed that number to just a few hundred. It may be some time before the company can restore power to the immediate blast area.

    Image via NDN

  • Mudslide Death Toll In Washington Rises To 37

    The March 22 mudslide that happened in the Cascade foothills of Washington state continues to devastate. After a heavy rain, the hillside collapsed above Stillaguamish River. It has recently been reported that the official death count has risen to 37 after search representatives located another person amidst the mud and debris. Tragically, nobody has been pulled alive from the rubble since the initial search and rescue efforts.

    According to spokesman Lars Erickson the damage is immeasurable. “We don’t know how extensive the damage is. There are a lot of variables; timing could easily change significantly. We are working to get permission from property owners of that road to find a way to have some kind of limited local access to ease detour strains on communities there,” he said.

    The mudslide impacted roughly a mile of state Highway 530, which affects the direct route between the town of Darrington (that has a population of 1,300) and Interstate 5. According to representatives from the Department of Transportation, the process of clearing mud and other debris from the area could take up to three months.

    Search and rescue efforts continue as there are still seven people presently classified as missing. President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Oso sometime next week to meet with survivors, family members who have lost loved ones, and search-and-rescue workers who have been devoted to recovery efforts. Survivors of the horrific event have been devoted to personal recovery efforts while still remembering those who lost their lives due to the tragedy.

    Image Via Wikimedia Commons And Courtesy Of SPC Matthew Sissel

  • Amazon To Open Another Fulfillment Center In Washington

    Amazon began its life in Washington state in 1994. Since then, the online retailer has set up shop in numerous states and countries around the world. Now the retailer is returning home bringing with it jobs and a new warehouse.

    Amazon announced this morning that it will be opening a new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Kent, Washington this year. The new fulfillment center will be the fourth in the state with two already existing in Summer and Bellevue, and one in DuPont nearing completion.

    The new fulfillment center in Kent will focus on small items such as “books, electronics and consumer goods.”

    “We’re excited to bring hundreds of great full-time jobs with benefits to Kent and proud to further invest in Washington state with this new fulfillment center,” said Mike Roth, Amazon’s vice president of North America operations. “We are grateful to local and state elected officials who have supported Amazon in bringing a new fulfillment center to the state of Washington.”

    As always, a new fulfillment center means state officials are going to pay themselves on the back:

    “Amazon’s expansion is great news for the people who will be working in the hundreds of great jobs there, as well as for all of Washington,” said Governor Jay Inslee. “Amazon is a marquee company for how Washington innovation can change the world.”

    Heck, even the Washington State Department of Commerce gets into the self-congratulatory back patting:

    “Amazon’s latest expansion of their hometown footprint, bringing so many great jobs, is extremely important to help grow and diversify the Kent Valley economy,” said Brian Bonlender, director for the Washington State Department of Commerce. “The company’s decision also highlights the numerous advantages that attract and keep world-class employers in Washington State, including a highly competitive business climate, well-educated workforce and outstanding quality of life. We are proud that Amazon continues to invest in our state and look forward to supporting their growth.”

    Despite my cynicism, new fulfillment centers are generally a great thing. Amazon will be creating hundreds of decent paying jobs in the area. Full-time employees at the fulfillment center not only get a decent wage and healthcare, but programs like Career Choice as well. The program pays up to 95 percent of an employee’s tuition for them to pursue any career they like, even if it takes them away from Amazon.

    If you want to know more, check out the Amazon Fulfillment Web site.

    Image via Amazon

  • Alyssa Mastromonaco Leaving Obama Staff

    The Associated Press tell us that President Obama’s deputy chief of staff for operations, Alyssa Mastromonaco, is officially resigning from the White House. Mastromonaco was in charge of most of Obama’s schedule, the White House’s staffing as well as his event planning. She’s one of his longest standing partners– she was one of his first staff members when he moved to Washington D.C. in 2005. She began her career with the Obama camp as scheduling director, and was promoted to deputy chief of staff in 2011. Since then, Mastromonaco has helped with domestic and international strategic decisions as well as scheduling President Obama’s basketball games.

    It has been said that Mastromonaco has expressed the desire to leave before now, even before the president’s second term, but he convinced her to stay. News of her consideration has been circling around since December, and know it looks to be official.

    The reasons why she wishes to resign, however, are not as open to the public. As with all official government affairs, the fine details are being kept confidential. Sources that relayed the information of her nearing departure only spoke to the media on the conditions of strict anonymity. It has been stated that Mastromonaco is seeking a job in the private sector, but she is also at some points still required to continue advisement on the president’s affairs.

    Mastromonaco is one of the friendlier faces of politics– born and raised in Rhinebeck, New York, she majored in French at the University of Vermont. A Democrat, she once interned for Republican Bernie Sanders as he campaigned for another term in the House of Representatives.

    Image via Wiki Commons

  • Ben Affleck and Seth Rogen Visit Washington, D.C.

    Actor Ben Affleck took a trip to Washington, D.C. to discuss the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    Affleck spoke before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on behalf of the region. The Argo actor and director was accompanied by Russell Feingold, the U.S. special envoy for the Congo; Roger Meece, former U.S. ambassador to Congo; and Dr. Raymond Gilpin, the National Defense University’s academic dean.

    Senator John Kerry was one of the many who was scheduled to meet Affleck. He was so impressed that he even tweeted at the Oscar-winning actor.

    Affleck founded the Eastern Congo Initiative nearly four years ago.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyPF-9PsCFk

    And it turns out, Afleck wasn’t the only star visiting D.C. today.

    Funny man Seth Rogen testified before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the economics and current state of research of Alzheimer’s disease treatment and prevention.

    Rogen and wife Lauren Miller founded Hilarity for Charity to help raise awareness about the disease.

    Miller’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 55.

    Image Via YouTube

  • Gov. Jay Inslee Halts Death Penalty In Washington

    Washington governor Jay Inslee announced Tuesday that while he’s in office, he will be suspending the use of the death penalty.

    “There have been too many doubts raised about capital punishment,” Inslee said during a press conference. “There are too many flaws in this system.” Inslee hopes that his bringing capital punishment to a halt will allow the state to join the national conversation on whether or not to allow executions to continue in the United States.

    The Washington governor’s declaration isn’t too startling considering the fact that no one has been put to death in the state in over three years. Compare this to Texas which recently executed a woman and continues to have the highest level of executions in the country.

    It’s safe to say that the philosophy regarding capital punishment is something that is locally in tune with what Inslee believes.

    Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center Richard Dieter certainly thinks this is the case, not just in Washington but throughout the United States. He says that, “the death penalty is being used less” and that support for capital punishment is waning.

    Inslee has said that he would support an outright ban on the death penalty. He feels that capital punishment does not deter crime and wastes millions of dollars.

    “There is too much at stake to accept an imperfect system.”

    Currently there are 18 states where the death penalty is unavailable. Washington could move itself into that tally during Inslee’s time in office.

    It is important to note that even though the death penalty is unavailable for now does not mean that an execution may not occur at some point as a future governor may feel differently than Inslee. For now, those sentenced to death will be given a reprieve which will keep them in jail.

    Says Inslee, “During my term, we will not be executing people, [but] nobody is getting out of prison, period.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Mary Kay Letourneau: Scandalous Ex-Teacher Arrested, Again

    Mary Kay Letourneau, the schoolteacher arrested in 1997 for sleeping with her sixth grade student, is in trouble yet again.

    The fifty-one-year-old was arrested Monday morning in Seattle, Wash., for “failing to appear in court for a suspended driver’s license case.”

    According to Julie Murphy, the state’s spokeswoman for King County Adult and Juvenile Detention & Community Corrections, Letourneau was released on a $5,000 bond the same day.

    In the late 1990s, Letourneau became one of the most controversial headliners in the news.

    Her relationship with Vili Fualaau, who was 12 years old at the time, became one of the most shameful acts in the nation at that time.

    At 34, Letourneau found herself attracted to her student, which led to sexual encounters. After the story made its way to court, she was convicted of raping Fualaau and served seven years in prison.

    However, she and Fualaau never denied the attraction they had for one another and actually admitted to being in love.

    After her release from prison in 2003, they married in 2005 and had two children.

    Although there has been many other teacher-student romances or teacher-student rape cases, Letourneau’s trial remains one that will forever be remembered by many.

    Letourneau next court date is scheduled for Tuesday, which she plans to attend.

    Image via Youtube, Tyrone White 

  • $11.50 Minimum Wage For D.C. In 2016

    In the fight to raise America’s minimum wage, no one was probably betting on the state of Maryland to lead the way. In the nation’s capital, the D.C. Council voted to raise the local minimum wage from $8.25 per hour to $11.50 per hour. The measure is expected to be approved by Democratic Mayor Vincent Gray.

    There was concern that Gray would fight the wage hike, as he had already expressed concerns that such a drastic increase in hourly wages would negatively impact local businesses. Gray had also already vetoed a previous bill that would have seen hourly wages increase to over $12.50 an hour. It seems that a dollar off that amount is a compromise willing to be had as no one is expecting a veto.

    Across the nation, battle lines are being drawn as those working for minimum wage march and protest, saying that what is offered at minimum wage is just not enough to live on. Their argument is that the only way to allow more Americans to stay above the poverty line would be to raise earning dollars for the poorest of working Americans. Fast food workers are demanding $15 an hour. At the same time, Congress gearing up to discuss passage of an Obama-backed bill that would raise federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.

    The spotlight remains on the state of Maryland, where aside from the District of Columbia, Prince George’s County and Montgomery County have also voted to raise the minimum wage to $11.50. The difference is that both counties hope to gradually increase minimum wage by 2017 rather than 2016. There is talk that the unanimous effort was meant to ensure increases in all locations.

    New York looks stingy by comparison, where next year the state will see the minimum wage increase to $8.00 per hour. The state expects to reach $9.00 per hour by 2015.

    Nearly 5% of America’s workforce receives hourly wages at around minimum wage. These individuals also tend to be enrolled in government aid programs such as welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid.

    Image via Wikimedia

  • Chris Brown Must Return to Rehab After Breaking Mom’s Car Window

    A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge has ordered Chris Brown to return to rehab. The ruling came Wednesday, after Judge James R. Brandlin read reports of Brown’s latest transgressions.

    The Grammy-winning recording artist was kicked out of a residential treatment facility when he threw a rock at his mom’s car window on November 10. This followed a family therapy session in which his mother disagreed with Brown’s wish to leave the facility earlier than originally planned.

    The treatment facility dismissed Brown following the incident, citing the non-violence contract he’d agreed to upon admission. In a letter that was submitted to the court, the facility stated that “Mr. Brown proceeded to walk outside and pick up a rock and threw it through his mother’s car window and it shattered.”

    Judge Brandlin’s ruling appeared to follow the recommendations of Brown’s probation officer: besides the three additional months in rehab, the ruling specified that Brown be allowed to leave the facility for 24 hours a week to perform community service and that he submit to random drug testing. He was also ordered to continue taking any doctor-prescribed medications.

    Brown has been in and out of court since pleading guilty to the 2009 assault of his then-girlfriend, singer Rihanna.

    In court in mid-August, Brown avoided what could have been serious charges related to a May hit-and-run incident. The judge expressed concerns about discrepancies in Brown’s claims to have already fulfilled the 1,400 hours of court-ordered community service in connection with his beating of Rihanna. His previously-revoked probation was reinstated and he was ordered to perform another 1,000 hours of community service.

    Brown was given a year to perform the service, and parole officers expressed concern about the performer’s ability to complete it unless he was allowed to do so while in residential treatment.

    Wednesday’s court date was set back in August and was essentially meant to be a progress report.

    Brown will be back in court on Monday, however, and this time it will be in Washington, D.C. Judge Brandlin gave Brown permission to leave Los Angeles in order to face charges related to an October 27 incident outside the White House in which Brown and his bodyguard got into a physical altercation with a 20 year-old Maryland man.

    Brown is walking on thin ice right now. At this point, the Los Angeles judge can sentence him to up to four years in prison for the beating of Rihanna if he is found in violation of that felony probation.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Indiana Recovering from Tornado Damage

    Indiana Recovering from Tornado Damage

    Indiana was one of several midwestern states hit by tornadoes Sunday, and Governor Mike Pence has taken a helicopter tour of Hoosier communities that were hardest hit by the severe weather. Wide swaths of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin saw scores of tornadoes touch down, leaving at least 6 dead.

    Pence is scheduled to survey Kokomo, Lafayette and Washington, while the National Weather Services dispatched three teams to assess storm destruction. Homeowners and businesses across the state are likewise gauging the damages and are planning their next steps. Senator Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., will join Pence for the Kokomo tour.

    Below is footage captured of a tornado near Decker, Indiana, roughly 45 miles north of Evansville:

    The hardest-hit area appeared to be Kokomo, 60 miles north of Indianapolis. Kokomo and Howard County lifted their states of emergency at 6 a.m., though traffic is still banned from storm-damaged areas.

    Sunday’s tornadoes injured at least three people and cut power to thousands in the region. According to Duke Energy, 25,668 customers without power across the state, as of 9:15 a.m. Monday, with the highest concentration in Tippecanoe County (Lafayette), with 12,605. Howard County (Kokomo) recorded 6,996 customers without power, with another 4,883 customers across Marion County. Indiana Michigan Power reported another 26,000 customers without power across the state, including 12,000 in South Bend and another 5,900 in Fort Wayne. Crews are still working to restore power.

    Elsewhere in the midwest region of the US, damage was more severe. Some residents of the affected areas said that their entire neighborhoods had been flattened. Washington, Illinois resident Tyler Gee said, “I went over there immediately after the tornado, walking through the neighborhoods, and I couldn’t even tell what street I was on. Just completely flattened–some of the neighborhoods here in town, hundreds of homes.”

    Image via YouTube.

  • High School Football Giant Tony Picard Blazes Through Tackles

    There is a new “The Fridge” in town, and hopefully you (or your high school kid) will be spared the job of trying to stop him. Tony Picard of White Swan High School in Yakima, Washington is the school’s dream come true– and every opposing team’s nightmare.

    Tony Picard actually already surpasses the size of William “Refrigerator” Perry of the ’80s and ’90s Chicago Bear era. While Perry weighed in at 6’2 and 335 lbs at a pro level, Picard is already 6’4 and 400 lbs– and this is before he bulks up to his college-level weight.

    Although starting his football career as a lineman, White Swan Cougar coach Andrew Bush put the ball in his hands as a running back realizing that Picard would be virtually unstoppable. Bush made the right decision; it takes about five players to tackle him on each run.

    Picard is not just a big guy in a helmet and tights; his speed and agility combined with size has made him a hit with college recruiters, and he has played a major hand in helping the Cougar’s seal the number one spot in their division.

    Tony Picard is a senior this year and hasn’t decided on his college yet, but he’ll certainly play an important part in his next team’s success.

    I only wonder if his high school has had to get special seating for his class experience, or if he just uses the teacher’s desk.

    Image via Indian Country Today Source: Indian Country Today

  • HealthCare.gov Aims to Sign Up 4 of 5 Americans

    The Washington Post reported today that the Affordable Care Act’s primary website, HealthCare.gov, will be capable of getting 80 percent of Americans on an insurance plan, but that still leaves 20 percent who will remain without insurance.

    According to the best-case scenario from the Obama administration, those 20 percent will be unable to purchase insurance online because of either their personal lives’ complexity or the site’s ineptitude; that conclusion is based on an internal target that has not been made public by the Obama administration.

    Whether the government succeeds in getting 80 percent of Americans enrolled is a central factor of President Barack Obama’s healthcare effort. Although administration officials acknowledged that they had no concrete definition for a successfully functioning Obamacare site, creating one wouldn’t have made any sense until they had a site to define; I.E., HealthCare.gov.

    Julie Bataille, communications director for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said “We are very focused on measuring performance of the site now and moving forward and making sure we have ways to demonstrate progress… [HealthCare.gov will] work smoothly for the vast majority of users [by the end of November].”

    The “vast majority” quote has become a repeated mantra for the administration, with little exposition about what it could mean. It was coined by former White House management official Jeffrey Zients, who was assigned to oversee the repair of HealthCare.gov.

    CNN notes Zients speaking with reporters on Friday about the site’s functioning: “As we prioritize fixes on HealthCare.gov, we focus on system performance and functionality, things like site stability, speed and usability that make a real difference to the consumer,” he said. “But to be clear as you would experience with any major new site, new bugs and other glitches will surface in December and beyond and as they surface we will fix them.”

    Additionally, two of the engineers who worked on analyzing HealthCare.gov said the site looks “a lot cleaner.” Media Temple president and COO Russ Reeder told CNN that “You can tell from the website that there are people working it and making changes. And those changes are good. [But] there are still many changes they can still make.”

    [Image via HealthCare.gov]