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Scandal plagued Facebook hires controversial State Department lawyer who helped draft Patriot Act as general counsel

Ari Levy
CNBC
Tue, 23 Apr 2019 01:55 UTC
Jennifer G Newstead
© Jerry Lampen | AFP | Getty Images
Jennifer G Newstead (C), lawyer of lawyer for the United States is pictured during the opening of case between Iran and the United States at the The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague, August 27, 2018.
Facebook announced on Monday that it's bringing in a new general counsel and vice president of communications as it tries to rebuild its image following a year filled with scandals.

The company said Jennifer Newstead, the legal adviser to the U.S. State Department, is joining the company as its general counsel, replacing Colin Stretch, who said last year that he would be departing. Facebook also named John Pinette as vice president of global communications, succeeding Caryn Marooney, who announced her plans to leave in February.

Newstead, who was confirmed by the Senate in December 2017, is a government veteran, having previously worked at the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Justice and as an associate White House counsel. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Newstead for her service in a statement, without addressing where she was going.

Comment: Further solidifying the cozy relationship between Facebook and the US government:

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Biohazard

Starbucks forced to install needle-disposal boxes in locations across America following OSHA penalties and worker concerns about drug use in bathrooms

Kate Taylor
Business Insider
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
Starbucks
© AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Starbucks' efforts to address opioid use and improperly disposed needles in its bathrooms are expanding.

Starbucks stores in at least 25 US markets have installed needle-disposal boxes in bathrooms in recent months. By this summer, the chain aims to have installed sharps boxes in bathrooms in all regions where such action has been deemed necessary.

The coffee giant also allows local district managers or store managers to put in requests to have sharps-disposal boxes installed in their locations' bathrooms.

"We are always working and listening to our partners on ways we can better support them when it comes to issues like these," Reggie Borges, a Starbucks representative, said in an email to Business Insider.

Starbucks has been testing solutions in recent months as workers' safety concerns have mounted, with thousands of employees signing a petition calling for Starbucks to place needle-disposal boxes in high-risk bathrooms.

Comment: If the above story doesn't drive home how far gone the opioid epidemic is in the US (among other types of drug use) then nothing can.

See also:

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Bell

What Jordan Peterson did for me

Rob Henderson
The New York Times
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
Jordan Peterson
© Mark Sommerfeld for The New York Times
Jordan Peterson at home in Toronto last year.
He's the reason I'm at Cambridge, which is why the university's decision to revoke his invitation to do research there is so disconcerting.

When people learn that I study psychology, they often ask, "What do you think of Jordan Peterson?" It's a tough question to respond to.

Dr. Peterson, a professor at the University of Toronto, rose to infamy in the wake of his protests against a Canadian human rights law he believed could result in jail time if he did not use a person's preferred pronouns. His star rose further as a result of his popular YouTube videos in which he rejects notions of political correctness and rails against what he calls left-wing bullying. As a result, he isn't always a popular figure.

Comment: A heartfelt reply from the other side - those affected by the outrage mob and their trigger-happy ban hammer.

See also:

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Eye 1

'So overboard it should be illegal': Facial recognition in airports begins to draws righteous anger from travelers

Eoin Higgins
Common Dreams
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 00:00 UTC
Passengers at LAX using biometric boarding
© Finnair Twitter
Passengers at LAX using biometric boarding.
"It's actually the U.S. government that's implementing the biometric matching system that does all the hard analysis and crunching of the data."

A boarding technology for travelers using JetBlue is causing controversy due to a social media thread on the airline's use of facial recognition.

Last week, traveler MacKenzie Fegan described her experience with the biometric technology in a social media post that got the attention of JetBlue's official Twitter account.


Comment: The world-wide surveillance juggernaut is unstoppable. No matter how much a reasonable, sane, lawful and righteous voice we may raise in protest, the military/intelligence apparatus that is taking tabs on the movement and lives of every man, woman and child that eats and breathes - wants to know exactly how easy or how difficult we will be to take control of. But despite how sophisticated their systems are, and no matter how many ways they try to contain us - their Trillion dollar efforts will, ultimately, come crashing down on them; much like a space rock falling on the Pentagon.

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Biohazard

Deadly swine fever spreads throughout China threatening massive pork shortage


RT
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 21:32 UTC
Hebei swine flu
© Reuters / Hallie Gu
Workers in protective suits are seen at a checkpoint near a farm where African swine fever was detected in Hebei province, China on February 26, 2019.
African swine fever has spread all across China's mainland, threatening the country's entire sprawling hog industry and the global supply of pork. The epidemic broke out nine months ago but still appears to be uncontained.

It has now reached China's southernmost province of Hainan - which had thus far been spared from swine fever. Over 140 pigs have already died from the disease at six farms in the province, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Sunday.

The outbreak of the virus began last August and has now spread to all 31 provinces of mainland China, with more than 100 cases reported over the past few months across the country. The virus is highly contagious and deadly for pigs, it causes high fever, massive hemorrhaging in internal organs and, ultimately, death. While, fortunately, the African swine fever does not affect humans as such, it has heavily affected the massive pork industry of the country.

Comment: Food prices across the planet are already rising because of the increasingly erratic seasons and extreme weather events, animal pandemics could result in a catastrophe for our food supply:

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Attention

Denmark's richest man loses three children in Sri Lanka bombings - UPDATES


RT
Tue, 23 Apr 2019 09:42 UTC
Anders Holch Povlsen Anne Holch Povlsen
© AFP / Tariq Mikkel Khan / Ritzau Scanpix
Bestseller-owner Anders Holch Povlsen and his wife Anne Holch Povlsen
Fashion tycoon Anders Holch Povlsen lost three of his four children in the Sri Lanka terrorist attacks on Sunday. The family was visiting the country over the Easter holiday.

"Unfortunately, we can confirm the news is true," Jesper Stubkier, spokesman for Povlsen's fashion firm Bestseller, told Danish news agency Ritzau.

"We ask that you please respect the family's privacy and we therefore have no further comment," he said, declining to identify the children.

Comment: The US State Department has asked Americans to exercise 'extreme caution' when visiting Sri Lanka, since they are apparently aware of more terrorist plots. RT reports more:
Terrorists in Sri Lanka might strike again, the US State Department has warned in its latest travel advisory update, asking Americans to exercise extreme caution following the Easter Sunday bombings which killed almost 300 people.

"Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Sri Lanka. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations," the State Department said.

Possible terrorist targets may also include crowded places such as transportation hubs, markets and shopping malls, in addition to hotels, clubs, restaurants and places of worship. Americans in the country are also being asked to stay clear of parks, major sporting and cultural events.
Unsurprisingly, Sri Lanka's Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne has warned that an 'international group' was behind the attacks, saying that "We do not believe these attacks were carried out by a group of people who were confined to this country."

Meanwhile police have also found close to 90 bomb detonators at a bus station in Colombo:
Sri Lankan police found 87 bomb detonators at the bus station in the nation's largest city, following horrific bombings which killed 290 people on Easter Sunday.

The detonators were discovered on Monday at a private bus stand located in the Pettah neighborhood of Colombo, police said. The officers initially found just a dozen devices, but later retrieved 75 more while clearing the garbage heap.

Police launched an investigation into the incident. It is unclear whether the devices had anything to do with the multiple coordinated bombings which took place on Easter Sunday.
Police also reportedly initiated a 'controlled explosion' on a van in the same city, near St. Anthony's Catholic Church. Fortunately, locals report that there were no casualties:


In the wake of these horrific attacks the Indian coast guard has been put on high alert to prevent any terrorists from fleeing by sea. RT reports:
New Delhi has beefed up security and surveillance along its maritime borders, reportedly to catch any terrorists fleeing to India from neighboring Sri Lanka, where 290 people were killed in the series of attacks on Easter Sunday.

Security has been enhanced in and around naval bases "as a precautionary measure" against the "backdrop" of the attacks in Sri Lanka, a Ministry of Defense spokesperson said on Monday, adding that surveillance of the area had also been increased.

Indian media earlier wrote that warships and spy planes were deployed along the nation's maritime border. According to reports, the measures are intended to prevent the organizers of the deadly suicide bombings from fleeing to India by sea.

The coast guard was also tasked with thwarting scenarios, similar to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, when armed jihadists stormed several high-end hotels and shopping malls, among other targets.
Also see:

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Eye 1

How fascism comes to America

Doug Casey
International Man
Fri, 19 Apr 2019 06:48 UTC
white house
I think there are really only two good reasons for having a significant amount of money: To maintain a high standard of living and to ensure your personal freedom. There are other, lesser reasons, of course, including: to prove you can do it, to compensate for failings in other things, to impress others, to leave a legacy, to help perpetuate your genes, or maybe because you just can't think of something better to do with your time.

But I'll put aside those lesser motives, which I tend to view as psychological foibles. Basically, money gives you the freedom to do what you'd like - and when, how, and with whom you prefer to do it. Money allows you to have things and do things and can even assist you to be something you want to be. Unfortunately, money is a chimera in today's world and will wind up savaging billions in the years to come.

As you know, I believe we're well into what I call The Greater Depression. A lot of people believe we're in a recovery now; I think, from a long-term point of view, that is total nonsense. We're just in the eye of the hurricane and will soon be moving into the other side of the storm. But it will be far more severe than what we saw in 2008 and 2009 and will last quite a while - perhaps for many years, depending on how stupidly the government acts.

Comment: See also:

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Cardboard Box

Leader of militia on US border allegedly said group trained to assassinate Soros, Clinton, Obama - lawyer says it's categorically false

Daniella Silva
NBC News
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 16:00 UTC
Larry Mitchell Hopkins
© Paul Ratje / AFP / Getty Images file
Hopkins, also known as 'Striker,' the leader of the Constitutional Patriots militia, speaks with Viper, right, about logistics in Anapra, New Mexico, on March 20.
Larry Mitchell Hopkins has been described as the "commander" of the United Constitutional Patriots detaining migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

A leader of a New Mexico militia that has been detaining migrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border said the group was "training to assassinate George Soros, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama," according to an FBI agent's sworn deposition describing reports phoned into the agency's public tip line.

Larry Mitchell Hopkins, 69, who was arrested Saturday on suspicion of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, made an initial appearance in federal court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Monday.

Hopkins remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing April 29 in Albuquerque, according to the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office.

Hopkins, who also goes by the alias Johnny Horton Jr., has been described as the "commander" of the United Constitutional Patriots, a militia group that has recently been detaining asylum-seeking families at the southern border, drawing outcry from local politicians and activists.


Comment: US border militia stops three HUNDRED crossing migrants in SINGLE intervention - Feds respond by arresting leader and 'de-banking' group

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Cross

Twitterati pounce on MSNBC for sending reporter to pester Mueller near church on Easter Sunday


RT
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 09:22 UTC
Mueller ambushed MSNBC
© MSNBC
Russiagate-obsessed news network MSNBC sent one of its journalists to talk to the one person in a position to feed the dying hopes that the now-public Mueller report still holds the key to ousting President Donald Trump.

MSNBC's Mike Viqueira ambushed Robert Mueller as he and his wife were leaving St. John's Episcopal Church in downtown Washington after an Easter service. In what he probably believed to be an act of adversarial journalism, Viqueira pelted the special counsel with questions to which every Russiagater hopes to hear the right answers.

Comment: See also:

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Arrow Up

German companies view Russia as a 'huge opportunity' in spite of sanctions


RT
Mon, 22 Apr 2019 18:04 UTC
Juergen Koenig
© RT/RT Deutsch
Juergen Koenig
German businesses has always viewed Russia as a lucrative market and they believe now is a good time to invest in the country despite international tensions, the president of the Russian branch of Merck told RT.

German investment in the Russian economy hit a record high in 2018, reaching $3.6 billion. Merck Russia is a branch of the German multinational pharmaceutical, chemical and life sciences company. Juergen Koenig, its president and general director, believes the increase in investment is another indication of a lucrative partnership that has historically existed between the German and Russian businesses.

RT: What has triggered such record-breaking German investment in Russia?

Juergen Koenig: We should understand that commercial relations between Germany and Russia didn't start yesterday. There is a long history in culture and businesses bringing the two countries together. One classic example is Merck, a science and technology company, which just celebrated the 120th anniversary of its operations in Russia.

To Merck, Russia is not just one more market. Russia has a population of 140 million inhabitants. Apart from Russia, there are other Eurasian countries. In total, around 280 million people live in Eurasia. Now, if we consider the existing development plan for Russia and some other close countries, we can conclude that there is a huge opportunity.
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