No 943 “En mi opinión” Mayo 8, 2015
“IN GOD WE TRUST” LAZARO R GONZALEZ MIñO EDITOR
Amenper: LOS CUBANOS
Existe una percepción entre las otras etnias Latinas que los Cubanos tienen
una actitud arrogante con respecto a lo que han logrado como minoría en los
Estados Unidos. Confunden un legítimo orgullo con arrogancia. La legitimidad se
basa en las realidades y las estadísticas.
La estadística más importante es que los cubanos son la UNICA minoría en
los Estados Unidos con un índice económico positivo, o sea que es el único que
como grupo paga más contribuciones tributarias que los beneficios sociales que
recibe.
Negros y blancos realmente son los extremos de la distribución en términos
de riqueza en América. Los latinos caen en algún lugar en el medio. Caen, en
promedio, más cerca a la media americana africana en términos de riqueza. Pero
existe una enorme disparidad dentro de la comunidad Latina. Es difícil hablar
de los Latinos como un grupo unificado porque hay enormes diferencias dentro de
esa comunidad.
Los cubano americanos, tienen niveles de riqueza que son mucho más
similares a los blancos. Exactamente no equivalen a los niveles de blanco, pero
vienen cercanas. Por otro lado, Puertorriqueños o dominicanos son casi
equivalentes a la media negra. Otros grupos, así como los mexicanos y
sudamericanos, caen cerca de ese grupo.
La población latina según el censo del 2010 arrojó losa siguientes números
de latinos sin contar los indocumentados:
En Millones. Mejicanos 25.8, Puertorriqueños 4,6, Cubanos 1.8, Salvadoreños
1.6 Guatemaltecos 1.0, Dominicanos 1.4, otros 8.2.
Pero cuatro de los cinco hispanos elegidos al senado los últimos 35 años
fueron cubano-americanos. Mel Martínez, republicano de Florida; Bob Menéndez,
demócrata de Nueva Jersey; y Marco Rubio, otro republicano de la Florida y Ted
Cruz de Texas.
Dos de los candidatos a la presidencia de los Estados Unidos son de
ascendencia Cubana, Ted Cruz y Marco Rubio
Cuando se trata de educación, los cubanos tienen mucho mayores niveles de
educación que la población hispana total. Un 25 por ciento de los cubanos
mayores de 25 años – en comparación con el 13 por ciento de todos los hispanos
de Estados Unidos – han obtenido por lo menos una licenciatura
No hay ninguna duda de que los exiliados cubanos han ayudado a convertir a
Miami en "el mercado de las Américas" creando una atmósfera que ha
atraído a miles de millones de dólares en comercio, inversión y gasto de
América Latina. En la década de 1960, los exiliados empezaron a llegar
orgulloso, aún sin un centavo. Ellos establecieron una reputación de duro
trabajo y resiliencia. Incluso los médicos y abogados de Cuba, que querían
escapar el comunismo, toman empleos en los Estados Unidos como camareros y
conserjes. Muchos trabajaron dos o tres empleos, lo necesario para construir
emprendimiento se peguen entre sí.
Su credo: es que no lo hemos traído en nuestros bolsillos sino más bien lo
que llevamos en nuestros corazones y mentes que hace lo que podemos lograr en
los Estados Unidos
Decididos a triunfar, exiliados comenzaron a construir relaciones de
negocio basadas en la confianza. Ex Dentistas llenaría la cavidad de un ex
contable a cambio de servicios de contabilidad. Un ex médico haría llamadas de
casa a cambio de pagos futuros. Los banqueros exilados prestaron
dinero basada exclusivamente en la reputación de otros exilados. Así es cómo
pequeñas empresas se convirtieron en poderosas empresas: en trueque, en
confianza, compartiendo experiencias.
Por la vuelta del siglo XXI, los exiliados cubanos tenían más empresas en
la bolsa de Nueva York que cualquier otro grupo inmigrante. Y a la segunda
generación de cubanoamericanos ,los encontramos como propietarios o ejecutivos
de las grandes corporaciones. Entre ellos: Coca-Cola, Movado, Amazon, Azúcar
Fanjul, Mas Tec, Nascar, Charlotte Bobcats, Google, Kellogg, Westinghouse,
Detecnologías Sunward, Bacardi, McDonalds, Dow Jones y AT & T.
La enorme cantidad de riqueza y la prosperidad alcanzada por los exiliados
cubanos americanos en un período tan corto de tiempo puede ser inigualable. Los
números son realmente impresionantes.
Si miramos la población Cubana con respecto al resto de la población
hispana en cuanto a número de personas, es algo que se destaca como algo no
usual. Más cuando consideramos que otras etnias como la Mejicana y la
puertorriqueña han estado o por más tiempo en el país.
Por favor, antes de decir que somos arrogantes, miren las estadísticas, no
son una casualidad, es el fruto de dedicación y trabajo, algo que es digno de
admirar y tratar de imitar, no de criticar.
DESPIDIENDO A "DON FRANCISCO"
por Esteban Fernández por Esteban Fernández
Un amigo chileno
imploró que no lo devolviésemos a Chile. "¡Si va para Chile, déjenlo en Bolivia!" Yo siempre me
pregunté si trabajaba en EE. UU. sin papeles (¿quizá por eso lo cancelaron?);
igual me lo pregunto por Ceriani, Yomari y la vaina; por la pujonada sacada de
los vuelos castrobamistas; y por
muchas restructuraditas del momento.
2015-05-07 0:08 GMT-04:00 Enrique Artalejo <artalejoenrique@gmail.com>:
por Esteban Fernández
DESPIDIENDO A
"DON FRANCISCO" COMO MERECE
¿Existe un cubano que sienta que se acaba
“Sábado Gigante”? No lo puedo creer porque nunca han televisado un
solo programa donde este individuo no haga mofa o enseñe sus desdén contra
nosotros. Mientras tanto se pasa la vida besándoles los traseros a los
mexicanos.
Por lo único que yo sentiría que se acabara
esa pesadilla es por la sencilla razón de que yo disfruto con echarle con el
rayo a "Don Francisco" ese gran pujón de “Sábado Gigante”.
Pujón, entre los cubanos, es el que
"puja" las gracias, no le brotan naturalmente. Entre los
cubanos “pujón" es quien no tiene la menor idea de ser "pujón" y
se cree simpático, mientras que chistoso es quien no tiene la menor idea de ser
cómico, y sin darse cuenta (ni intentarlo), dice cosas graciosas. Y a
mí me parece que si buscamos en un "diccionario cubano" la palabra
"pujón" aparece la cara de “Don Francisco”.
El caso de "Don Francisco" es
20 veces peor que el de "El Gordo y La Flaca", porque mientras estos
nos ignoran se ve a la
legua que este chileno DETESTA A LOS CUBANOS. Y nos odia hasta el extremo de
que uno día –en una sección del programa dedicada a los muchachitos- se puso
obviamente molesto con un inocente niñito porque este le mencionó con orgullo
que era cubano.
Desgraciadamente, parece que hace rato
que el tipejo este descubrió que los cubanos no tenemos mucha misericordia con
los pujones como él y hasta los ponemos en peor categoría que a los
"pesados". Es decir, no premiamos el "esfuerzo" de tratar
por todos los medios de ser gracioso.
Entre nosotros, si usted quiere cantar, pero
no sabe cantar y se le van 20 "gallos", nos hacemos de la vista
gorda, le damos aliento y aplaudimos su dedicación al canto. Pero con un
"pujón", del calibre de “Don Francisco”, no tenemos la misma
compasión.
Las gracias, entre cubanos, tienen que ser
"sin premeditación ni alevosía”. El simpático, aunque sea súper simpático,
no debe excederse en la simpatía porque corre el peligro de convertirse en un
"pujón. Las gracias no deben ser ensayadas, ni estudiadas, ni
premeditadas. Las gracias tienen que ser espontáneas e inesperadas.
Entre nosotros preferimos que las ocurrencias
sean dichas con absoluta seriedad. El que se ríe de sus propios chascarrillos
corre el riego de ser confundido con un "pujón". Y entre cubanos,
aceptamos mejor un asaltante de bancos agradable, que a un monaguillo de
Iglesia que sea "pujón".
Los cubanos exigimos que las gracias sean
naturales y no perdonamos al que arduamente se esfuerza por ser gracioso. Los
cubanos, con una facilidad asombrosa, detectamos el problema y
le ponemos "el cartelito" de "pujón" a cualquiera... Somos
implacables con la "pujonería". Y eso parece que lo sabe muy bien
este pichón de judío alemán.
Los "pujones" tienen muchas cosas
en común. Como por ejemplo, la falta de gracia para hacer chistes y su
INSISTENCIA en hacerlos a toda costa. Y enseguida los cubanos nos damos cuenta
de eso y comenzamos a decir: "Oye ¿y quién le dijo al cabezón este que es
gracioso?".
Es algo así como que existe un límite en las
gracias, que el relajo tiene que ser con orden, que existe una línea invisible
que nadie debe cruzar en su intento de caer bien. Hay que saber
"hasta donde se puede llegar en las bromas", porque si no, es
castigado por la comunidad con el cruel apelativo de "chorro de
plomo". "Don Francisco" se pasa la vida burlándose del acento de
los cubanos.
Nosotros increíblemente, preferimos al
"pesado" serio y retraído que al "pesado" tratando de ser
gracioso. Ser "pesado callado" es 20 veces mejor que ser
"pesado" y encima de eso "bufón". Desde el primer
momento el "Che" Guevara nos cayó como un "hígado frío a las 12
de la noche" a los cubanos, sin embargo un amigo mío se atrevió a
"defenderlo" diciéndome: "Será un bofe y un asesino, pero
menos mal que no es pujón"
Hasta los artistas cómicos (que viven de eso)
tienen que tener mucho cuidado en no excederse con el humor negro porque
pueden, con una facilidad extraordinaria, ser catalogados por nosotros como
"pujones".
Difícilmente usted encuentre un solo cubano
que se refiera a "Don Francisco" como "un gran comediante",
hace mucho rato que este chileno se "pasó de la raya" y todo el mundo
a mi alrededor siempre dice: "¡Ah, ese Don Francisco no es más que un
pujón, chico!" POR ESO YO A LA HORA DE DESPEDIRLO COMO ÉL SE MERECE
DECLARO HOY A DON FRANCISCO COMO EL REY DE LOS PEDANTES.
Todo lo contrario de “Don
Francisco” era Leopoldo Fernández. Aunque corra el peligro que se me
considere parcializado por haber sido "Pototo" mi coterráneo. A
"Trespatines" le perdonábamos todo. A mí siempre me pareció que
Leopoldo hubiera podido perfectamente bien darme con un bate por la
cabeza y dejarme tirado en el suelo con un enorme chichón, pero si se
me hubiera parado en frente y me hubiera dicho: "¡Cosa más grande la vida,
muchacho!", no me hubiera quedado más remedio que morirme pero de la
risa en ese momento.
Y si lo antes dicho no fuera suficiente y me
quedo corto voy a subir la parada y agregar que además de pujón y anticubano,
es un jamonero, insolente, mano muerta, abusador y sobre todo falta de respeto
porque tengo un buen amigo que llevó a sus ancianos padres a Sábado Gigante para celebrar sus
60 años de casados, y al presentarlos Don Francisco comenzó a burlarse e
insinuar que “el viejo ya no sopla”.
Senate Votes 98-1 to Give Congress a Say on the Iran
Nuke Deal — Here’s the One Republican Who Voted Against It
SHARES
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The Senate on Thursday easily passed legislation that will give Congress
a formal role in reviewing the emerging Iran nuclear agreement, amid complaints
from some Republicans that the bill will actually make it relatively easy for
the Obama administration to strike a weak deal with Iran.
The Senate passed the Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act in a 98-1 — the
lone “no” vote came from Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.).
The final vote
followed several weeks of tension between the Senate and the White House, as
President Barack Obama made it clear that he didn’t want to give Congress any
authority to review a deal he hopes is finalized this summer.
However, it was almost immediately clear that members of both parties
wanted to have a say over the agreement, since it could at some point require
Congress to lift U.S. sanctions against Iran. When Senate Foreign Relations
Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and the top Democrat on that committee,
Ben Cardin (D-Md.), reached a deal on a bill, the White House relented and said
it would support the legislation.
But several conservative Republicans said the White House was able to
support the bill because while it lets Congress review the deal, it still makes
it very hard for Congress to reject it.
Under the bill, Congress will be able to pass a resolution of
disapproval if it decides the final Iran deal is no good. That resolution might
well be able to pass both the House and the Senate, but even if it does, it can
still be vetoed by Obama.
If it’s vetoed, a two-thirds majority would be needed in each chamber to
override that veto. That seems doubtful, and that has led members like Sen. Ted
Cruz (R-Texas) to say the deal should only be approved if Congress
affirmatively approves it.
Cruz tried Wednesday night to amend the bill to require an affirmative vote by
Congress in order for the deal to take effect, but he was blocked. “All this amendment
does is ensure that the burden is on President Obama to persuade Congress and
the American people that the deal is a good one, or at a very minimum is not a
terrible threat to the national security of the United States of America,” he
said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) had to fight off efforts
by Cruz and Sen. Cotton to amend his bill, and was able to do so with clear
support from nearly every Senate Republican. But even McConnell said he wanted
the bill to be tougher.
“If we didn’t face the threats of filibusters, or the blocking of
amendments, or the specter of presidential vetoes, this bill would be a heck of
a lot stronger,” he said Thursday morning.
“But the truth is, we do,” he added. “That’s the frustrating reality.
The response to this should not be to give the American people no say at all on
a deal with Iran. The response should be to overcome those challenges in a way
that will give Congress and the American people the best possible chance to
review any possible deal and affect its outcome.”
Just before the final vote, the Senate voted 93-6 to end debate on the
bill and move to a final vote. The only “no” votes then were from Sens. Cotton,
Cruz, Chuck Grassley (Iowa), Mike Lee (Utah), Jerry Moran (Kan.) and Daniel
Sullivan (Alaska.).
In the end, only Cotton stuck to his “no” vote at the last stage.
Senate passage means the House will have a chance to consider it as
early as next week, when the lower chamber returns from a week-long recess http://news.yahoo.com/uks-
Jorge A
Villalon: PM Cameron sweeps to unexpected triumph in British election.
By William James and Kylie MacLellan 14
minutes ago
LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister David
Cameron won a stunning election victory in Britain, overturning poll
predictions that the vote would be the closest in decades to sweep easily into
office for another five years, with his Labour opponents in tatters.
The sterling currency, bonds and shares
surged on a result that reversed expectations of an inconclusive "hung
parliament" in which Cameron would have had to jockey for power with
Labour rival Ed Miliband.
Instead, Cameron was due to meet Queen
Elizabeth before noon to accept a swift mandate to form a
government. The royal standard was raised at Buckingham Palace to signal the
queen was there awaiting him.
"This is the sweetest victory of
all," he told enthusiastic supporters at party headquarters. "The
real reason to celebrate tonight,
the real reason to be proud, the real reason to be excited is we are going to
get the opportunity to serve our country again."
Miliband was expected to step down as
Labour leader. He said on Twitter: "The responsibility for the result is
mine alone."
Despite the unexpectedly decisive
outcome, more uncertainty looms over whether Britain will stay in the European
Union - and even hold together as a country.
Scottish nationalists swept aside
Labour, meaning that Scotland, which voted just last year to stay in the United
Kingdom, will send just three representatives of major British parties to
parliament and be all but shut out of the cabinet. That could revive calls for
it to leave the United Kingdom.
Cameron sounded a conciliatory note
toward Scotland, likely to be his first immediate headache.
"I want my party – and, I hope, a
government I would like to lead – to reclaim a mantle we should never have
lost, the mantle of one nation, one United Kingdom," Cameron, 48, said
after winning his own seat in Witney, Oxfordshire.
Cameron's victory also means Britain
will face a vote, which he has promised on continued membership in the EU. He
says he wants to stay in the bloc, but only if he can renegotiate Britain's
relationship with Brussels.
Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the
EU's executive European Commission, congratulated Cameron on his victory. The
Commission would examine any British proposal "in a polite, friendly and
objective way," a Commission spokesman said.
Smiling beside his wife Samantha,
Cameron returned to the prime minister's office in Downing Street early on Friday.
He was expected to declare victory outside the black door of Number 10 Downing
Street after his meeting with the queen.
With a handful of seats still to be
declared in the 650-seat house, the Conservatives surpassed the 325-seat
threshold of an effective majority that allows them to govern alone for the
first time since 1992.
The margin of victory was a surprise
even to Cameron, who said he "never quite believed we'd get to the end of
this campaign in the place we are now."
That means Cameron no longer needs the
Liberal Democrats, with which he has governed since 2010.
The center-left party, heir to one of the
most storied liberal parties in Europe, was crushed, reduced to single digits
after winning 57 seats five years ago. It's leader, Nick Clegg, held his own
seat but resigned as party chief.
"It is simply heartbreaking,"
he said of the losses. "Clearly the results have been immeasurably more
crushing and unkind than I could ever have feared."
Among the other stunning results, Ed
Balls, in line to be finance minister if Labour had won, lost his seat. He
fought back tears as he expressed sorrow at Labour's defeat.
"Any personal disappointment I have
at this result is as nothing compared to the sense of sorrow I have at the
result that Labour have achieved across the UKtonight ... and the sense of concern I have
about the future," he said.
The UK Independence Party, a populist
group that demands withdrawal from the EU, surged into third place in the
countrywide vote tally, but that translated into a win of only a single seat.
Its charismatic leader Nigel Farage lost his own bid for a seat. He stood down
as party leader but said he might seek the leadership again later this year.
Sterling gained more than 2 cents
against the dollar to rise above $1.55 for the first time since late February,
and looked on track to enjoy its biggest one-day gain against the euro since
January 2009.
The FTSE 100 stock index <.FTSE>
was up 1.45 percent at 6985, approaching a record high set last month. The
price of British government bonds also rose.
SCOTTISH "TSUNAMI"
With almost all of Scotland's 59
parliamentary seats counted, the Scottish National Party (SNP) had won 56 of
them, up from just six five years ago, all but obliterating Labour in one of
its historic strongholds.
"We're seeing an electoral tsunami
on a gigantic scale," said Alex Salmond, the party's former leader, now
elected to represent it in parliament in London. "The SNP are going to be
impossible to ignore and very difficult to stop."
The United Kingdom includes England,
Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. England accounts for 85 percent of the UK
population but Scottish politicians elected to parliament in London have
historically held important government posts. That will now be impossible with
the SNP holding nearly all Scottish seats.
In a body blow to Labour that set the
pattern for the night, Douglas Alexander, the party's campaign chief and
foreign policy spokesman, lost his seat to a 20-year-old Scottish nationalist
student, the youngest member of the House of Commons since 1667.
Miliband, a self-described
"geek", never quite connected with working-class voters. He ran a
campaign widely seen as better than expected, but was always far behind Cameron
in polls that asked voters who they saw as a more credible leader.
"This has clearly been a very
disappointing and difficult night for the Labour Party," he told
supporters after retaining his own parliamentary seat in Doncaster, northern
England.
UKIP's surge into third place in the
overall vote tally, mirroring the rise of similar populist groups elsewhere in
Europe, failed to yield it a strong presence in parliament under Britain's
system in which candidates must place first in districts to win seats. It
racked up scores of second place finishes across the country.
One other loser is the opinion polling
industry, which is likely to face an inquest over its failure to predict the
outcome. Before the election, virtually all opinion polls had shown the
Conservatives and Labour neck-and-neck.
(Writing by Guy Faulconbridge; Additional
reporting by Paul Sandle, Ahmed Aboulenein, Kate Holton, Andrew Osborn, David
Milliken, Maytaal Angel, Angus MacSwan, Alistair Smout, Andy Bruce; Editing by
Peter Graff)
It’s Back! Oil Breaks $60 Per Barrel
Published Fri, May 8, 2015 Commodity
Strategist
Naysayers, doomsday
theorists, and sell-in-May advocates are eating their words after forecasts of $20 oil proved to be dead
wrong.
Yes, crude oil
continues to gallop higher, with prices rising 50% in just over three months.
This week, West Texas
Intermediate (WTI) soared above $60 per barrel to $62.58, the highest point so
far this year. While Brent Crude went up to $69.93 per barrel.
So how the heck did
this happen… and – more importantly – will the momentum continue?
Well, a series of
sequential events just happened to fall like a stack of dominos and drove
the price of global crude oil up.
You see, U.S. oil
production has dropped from its peak and continues to fall. At the same time,
rising demand, which has materialized since the collapse of crude oil prices,
is allaying a global glut and driving a rebound in crude prices.
Since April’s price
rally of between 20% and 25%, oil bulls have been driving the market up on
the notion that a supply glut was easing from tightening world
production, despite continuous builds in U.S. crude stockpiles.
Meanwhile, the
deflation scare has receded as prices have bounced back, with cheap oil helping
to spur consumer demand and economic growth.
An unlikely sequence
of four events made conditions perfect for this jump.
First Event: The
Disruption in Libyan Crude Exports
Protestors seeking
state jobs stopped crude flows to the eastern Libyan oil port of Zueitina on
Tuesday. Libyan output is already below 500,000 barrels per day (bpd),
one-third of what the country pumped prior to 2010.
Zueitina’s closing is
particularly harmful to Libya’s oil exports because it was one of only a few
Libyan ports still exporting oil. Now, there’s even less oil leaving the country.
Second Event: Saudi
Arabia Raised Prices for Northwest Europe
The Saudis increased
the official selling prices for its Arab Light grade crude to Northwest
Europe to reflect the recent price rally in rival grades.
Saudi Arabian
Oil Minister Ali Al-Naimi was quoted by CNBC as saying that no one can set
the price of oil, as “it’s up to Allah.” His remark came amid widespread
speculation over how long the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) member would stick to its decision not to cut production, a
move that could prop up prices further.
Readers can recall
that last year’s oil price collapse accelerated after OPEC refused to cut its
output limit of 30 million bpd in favor of defending its market share. That
shift in policy was driven by Saudi Arabia, the top exporter in the
cartel. The country raised its output to a record high, along with other
members.
Third Event: A Weak
U.S. Dollar
A weaker dollar tends
to inflate commodity prices. The dollar is continuing to drift lower in a mixed
batch of U.S. economic data, boosting dollar-denominated commodities, including
oil.
Fourth Event: The
Civil War in Yemen
The civil war in
Yemen has kept the oil market on edge, boosting worries about the security of
oil supplies in the broader Middle East. Traders fear supply
disruptions from the nation’s northern neighbor, Saudi Arabia, or from the
other Middle East producers.
America and Europe
Fueling the Fire
On top of these four
events, favorable activity in the United States and Europe is adding fuel to
oil’s upward momentum.
Economic data from
both the United States and Europe has been strong, indicative of greater
demand for oil. In April, U.S. data showed that services
activity rose more than expected. And, the trade deficit soared 43% in
March, heightening expectations for tightening, as the Fed is expected to
raise U.S. interest rates later this year for the first time since 2006.
Furthermore, the
European Commission raised its economic growth forecast for the eurozone
to 1.5%, up from a previous forecast of 1.3%.
Weekly inventory data
was also bullish for crude.
Oil prices gained
again late Tuesday after the American Petroleum Institute (API) data showed a
fall of 1.5 million barrels of U.S. crude supply for the week ending on May 1.
A Platts survey of analysts had forecasted a climb of 1 million barrels.
Then, on Wednesday,
the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported an inventory fall of 3.9
million barrels.
Both reports further
strengthened crude’s price and added credence to the argument that U.S. output
is peaking.
But, while the upward
trend looks like it’ll continue for crude, investors should not lose sight of
the headwinds that’ll prevent crude prices from soaring back to $100 per barrel
any time soon.
Nevertheless, the $75
level is quite feasible…
What
to Watch For
Some still argue that
the market is oversupplied due to OPEC’s pumping almost 2 million bpd above
demand. But, OPEC will meet on June 5 in Vienna to discuss production policy.
Some members will
likely demand a reduction in the amount of oil being produced so that the price
will rise. Yet, even officials from countries who favor a curb know it’s
unlikely. Current lower prices are stimulating global demand and putting a
brake on more expensive supply sources, such as U.S. shale.
There’s also the
prospect of Iranian crude coming back onto the market if sanctions are lifted
as part of an international nuclear deal.
If it succeeds in
reaching a final deal with Britain, China, France, Russia, Germany, and the
United States for its nuclear program, Iran will want other OPEC members to
make way for a rise in its exports. The deadline for an agreement is June
30, but it would take time for Iran to raise production.
In fact, the markets
receded later this week over concerns that Iranian sanctions may be lifted.
Iran is OPEC’s
fifth-largest producer and could produce 4 million bpd in under a year,
according to Bloomberg News.
Finally, focus on
weekly U.S. inventory statistics. Even as we enter the driving season, producer
output may rise due to more favorable prices.
Good investing,
Shelley Goldberg
Shelley Goldberg is a global resources, commodities and environmental sustainability
strategist with over 20 years of sector experience in energy, metals and
mining, agriculture, and infrastructure.
ISIS
CLAIMS TO HAVE ’71 TRAINED SOLDIERS’ IN TARGETED U.S. STATES
Purported ISIS jihadists issued threats against the United States
Tuesday, indicating the group has trained soldiers positioned throughout the
country, ready to attack “any target we desire.”
The online post singles out controversial blogger Pamela Geller, one of the organizers of the “Draw the Prophet” Muhammad cartoon
contest in Garland, Texas, over the weekend, calling for her death to “heal the
hearts of our brothers and disperse the ones behind her.”
ISIS also claimed responsibility for the shooting early Tuesday, which
marked the first time the terror group claimed responsibility for an attack on
U.S. soil, according to the New York Daily News.
“The attack by the Islamic State in America is only the beginning of our
efforts to establish a wiliyah [authority or governance] in the heart of our
enemy,” the ISIS post reads.
As for Geller, the jihadists state: “To those who protect her: this will
be your only warning of housing this woman and her circus show. Everyone who
houses her events, gives her a platform to spill her filth are legitimate
targets. We have been watching closely who was present at this event and the
shooter of our brothers.”
ISIS further claims to have known that the Muhammad cartoon contest
venue would be heavily guarded, but conducted the attack to demonstrate the
willingness of its followers to die for the “Sake of Allah.”
The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, in fact, issued a bulletin
on April 20 indicating the event would be a likely terror target.
ISIS drew its message to a close with an ominous threat:
We have 71 trained soldiers in 15 different states ready at our word to
attack any target we desire. Out of the 71 trained soldiers 23 have signed up
for missions like Sunday, We are increasing in number bithnillah [if God
wills]. Of the 15 states, 5 we will name… Virginia, Maryland, Illinois,
California, and Michigan…The next six months will be interesting.
Fox News reports that “the U.S. intelligence community was assessing the threat and
trying to determine if the source is directly related to ISIS leadership or an
opportunist such as a low-level militant seeking to further capitalize on the
Garland incident.”
Former Navy Seal Rob O’Neill told Fox News he believes the ISIS threat
is credible, and the U.S. must be prepared. He added that the incident in
Garland “is a prime example of the difference between a gun free zone and
Texas. They showed up at Charlie Hebdo, and it was a massacre. If these two
guys had gotten into that building it would have been Charlie Hebdo times ten.
But these two guys showed up because they were offended by something protected
by the First Amendment, and were quickly introduced to the Second Amendment.”
Geller issued a statement regarding the ISIS posting: “This threat illustrates the savagery and
barbarism of the Islamic State. They want me dead for violating Sharia
blasphemy laws. What remains to be seen is whether the free world will finally
wake up and stand for the freedom of speech, or instead kowtow to this evil and
continue to denounce me.”
Fox News…
Feds: VA official stole cash for
stripper sex, gambling
A former federal employee admitted embezzling about
$150,000 from a Veterans Affairs retail store and blowing the cash on
strippers, prostitutes and gambling sprees, the Justice Department said
Tuesday.
Glenn Alan Bates, 57, of Saline schemed to steal money
from a VA retail store — or canteen — he managed in Ann Arbor, according to a criminal
complaint filed in federal
court. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.
Bates, who was released on $10,000 unsecured bond
Tuesday, told investigators he spent some of the cash on a stripper named
"Ashley" at an Ohio strip club, according to court records. He said
he often spent $500 a night on lap dances — and more.
"After visiting the club numerous times, Glenn
Alan Bates convinced Ashley to come to his hotel room for sex, for which he
paid her," VA Special Agent Frederick Lane wrote in a court filing.
The hotel trysts were frequent and non-exclusive.
Bates said he also met with other strippers and prostitutes, according to court
records.
"Glenn Alan Bates stated he became addicted to
the sexual encounters and he stole cash from the canteen to pay for this
addiction," Lane wrote.
Bates was an assistant coach for the varsity baseball
team, varsity girls' basketball team and varsity football statistician,
according to the Saline Post. The Post said Bates was no longer involved with
the schools "effective immediately."
According to court records, Bates told investigators
he spent part of the money at casinos in Indianapolis and Battle Creek.
Bates and his court-appointed lawyer, Stacey
Studnicki, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
The investigation dates to May 2013 after an audit
discovered more than $478,000 missing from the retail store. The store is part
of the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System on Fuller Road.
The retail stores are operated by the Veterans Canteen
Service, a VA branch catering to veterans who receive military health care
benefits. The canteens sell food, clothing and electronics.
The VA's Office of Inspector General launched an
investigation that focused on cash missing from the sale of commemorative
military hats, vending machines and retail sales.
Bates managed the store from May 2006 to March 2013.
He told investigators he stole about $150,000, according to court records.
Bates was hired to manage the VA canteen despite an
extensive criminal record, The Detroit News has learned.
He served 18 months in federal prison in the late
1970s after being charged with stealing a car, according to the U.S. Pretrial
Services Agency.
He also was charged with felony arson in 1992 and
sentenced to probation.
During his arraignment in Detroit Tuesday, U.S.
Magistrate Judge Anthony Patti asked Bates about his current job.
"You're currently employed at Wal-Mart?"
Patti asked.
"That's correct," Bates said.
"And what do you do there?" the magistrate
asked.
"I work overnight," Bates said. "Overnight supervisor."
Texans From Ted Cruz To Chuck Norris Express Concern About Jade Helm
The Pentagon continues to insist the entire mission
is simply a training exercise.
Jade Helm
15, a planned military exercise that has sparked speculation of an underlying
effort to institute martial law, is now getting the attention of some
high-profile figures in the southwestern states affected. Though the Pentagon
has officially characterized it as a training mission, critics remain skeptical.
Chuck Norris spoke
out recently, echoing the fears many have regarding the actual scope of the
domestic mission. He made it clear, however, that his grievance is not
directed toward the enlisted men and women ordered to take part.
RELATED STORIES
“They are merely
following orders,” he explained. “What’s under question are those who are
pulling the strings at the top of Jade Helm 15 back in Washington. The U.S.
government says, ‘It’s just a training exercise.’ But I’m not sure the term
‘just’ has any reference to reality when the government uses it.”
Texas Gov. Greg
Abbott tasked the state guard with looking into the issue while Sen. Ted Cruz
said he can appreciate the skepticism many Americans have about the unusual
exercise.
“I have no reason
to doubt those assurances,” he said of the Pentagon’s explanation, “but I
understand the reason for concern and uncertainty; because when the federal
government has not demonstrated itself to be trustworthy in this
administration, the natural consequence is that many citizens don’t trust
what it is saying.”
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TRENDING STORIES
Other outspoken
Texans spoke out about Jade Helm – specifically regarding reports that the
state has been declared “hostile” in training materials.
“When the federal
government begins, even in practice, games or exercises, to consider any U.S.
city or state in ‘hostile’ control and trying to retake it,” Rep. Louie
Gohmert stated this week, “the message becomes extremely calloused and
suspicious.”
 |
ISIS Claims To Have ’71 Trained Soldiers’
In Targeted U.S. States
The incident in
Garland “is a prime example of the difference between a gun free zone and
Texas."
Purported
ISIS jihadists issued threats against the United States Tuesday, indicating
the group has trained soldiers positioned throughout the country, ready to
attack “any target we desire.”
The online post singles out controversial blogger Pamela Geller, one of the
organizers of the “Draw the Prophet” Muhammad cartoon contest in Garland,
Texas, over the weekend, calling for her death to “heal the hearts of our
brothers and disperse the ones behind her.”
RELATED STORIES
ISIS also claimed
responsibility early Tuesday for the shooting, which marked the first time
the terror group claimed responsibility for an attack on U.S. soil, according
to the New York Daily News.
“The attack by the
Islamic State in America is only the beginning of our efforts to establish a
wiliyah [authority or governance] in the heart of our enemy,” the ISIS post
reads.
As for Geller, the
jihadists state: “To those who protect her: this will be your only
warning of housing this woman and her circus show. Everyone who houses her
events, gives her a platform to spill her filth are legitimate targets. We
have been watching closely who was present at this event and the shooter of
our brothers.”
Advertisement
TRENDING STORIES
ISIS further claims
to have known that the Muhammad cartoon contest venue would be heavily
guarded, but conducted the attack to demonstrate the willingness of its
followers to die for the “Sake of Allah.”
The FBI and the
Department of Homeland Security, in fact, issued a bulletin on April 20
indicating the event would be a likely terror target.
ISIS drew its
message to a close with an ominous threat:
We have 71
trained soldiers in 15 different states ready at our word to attack any
target we desire. Out of the 71 trained soldiers 23 have signed up for
missions like Sunday, We are increasing in number bithnillah [if God wills].
Of the 15 states, 5 we will name… Virginia, Maryland, Illinois, California,
and Michigan…The next six months will be interesting.
Fox News reports that “the U.S. intelligence community was assessing
the threat and trying to determine if the source is directly related to ISIS
leadership or an opportunist such as a low-level militant seeking to further
capitalize on the Garland incident.”
Former Navy Seal
Rob O’Neill told Fox News he believes the ISIS threat is credible, and the
U.S. must be prepared. He added that the incident in Garland “is a prime
example of the difference between a gun free zone and Texas. They showed up
at Charlie Hebdo, and it was a massacre. If these two guys had gotten into
that building it would have been Charlie Hebdo times ten. But these two guys
showed up because they were offended by something protected by the First
Amendment, and were quickly introduced to the Second Amendment.”
Geller issued a statement regarding the ISIS posting: “This threat illustrates
the savagery and barbarism of the Islamic State. They want me dead for
violating Sharia blasphemy laws. What remains to be seen is whether the free
world will finally wake up and stand for the freedom of speech, or instead
kowtow to this evil and continue to denounce me.”
FAITH CRIMES
How courageous Christians practicing their religion are being persecuted in Obama's America |
|
The rising persecution of Christians worldwide is,
of course, one of today's most heart-wrenching and consequential trends, with
daily reports of Christian believers being murdered, tortured, kidnapped,
raped or sold into slavery.
But there is another story of growing Christian persecution, which – if not as terrible in scale and severity – is even more inexplicable. That is the rapidly expanding marginalization, demonization and criminalization of the free practice of the Christian faith in the United States of America – a nation uniquely founded upon religious liberty. This disturbing trend is the focus of the blockbuster May issue of WND's acclaimed monthly Whistleblower magazine, titled "FAITH CRIMES." The issue's subtitle tells the whole story: "How courageous Christians practicing their religion are being persecuted in Obama's America." While Christian persecution around the world is perpetrated primarily by Muslims and communists, in America the persecution is driven by a seemingly odd and improbable source: homosexuality, and the influential activist movement that has grown up around it. Today, that movement has become the spear-tip with which the far left is finally achieving its longtime goal of attacking, intimidating – indeed, legallyprohibiting – the free exercise of religion in America. Legislation currently sweeping the country outlaws counseling help for minors who want to overcome unwanted same-sex attractions; decrees that boys and young men must be allowed to use girls' restrooms and locker rooms if they claim to identify with the opposite sex (and vice versa); mandates pro-homosexual indoctrination of children as young as five; requires the integration of open homosexuals into the military; forces same-sex marriage on the nation; and, perhaps most disturbingly, criminalizes Christian businesspeople for simply opposing homosexuality or same-sex marriage on moral and religious grounds. Should the Supreme Court mandate homosexual marriage throughout the nation, say experts, the persecution will increase exponentially. "Many thought same-sex marriage would be the crowning achievement of the gay rights juggernaut," says Whistleblower Editor David Kupelian. "But then, suddenly, the focus shifted to 'transgender rights,' with Time magazine's 'Transgender Tipping Point' issue announcing 'America's next civil rights frontier' and Vice President Joe Biden declaring transgender discrimination 'the civil rights issue of our time.'" Adds Kupelian: "The secret of this never-ending, always-expanding revolutionary movement is that it has the full support of the far left. Not because the left particularly loves people who are homosexual, bisexual and transgender for themselves, but because finally the left has found its weapon, with which – as it has dreamed of doing for decades – it can effectively attack, marginalize, demonize and criminalize its greatest enemy: the Christian religion." Highlights of Whistleblower's "FAITH CRIMES" issue include:
• "Faith crimes: Why Christians are
being persecuted in Obama's America" by David Kupelian
• "Indiana meets the Borg: How LGBT 'cultural Marxists' are gaining control of businesses" by Scott Lively • "Dobson: Christians soon to be 'hated minority'" by Bob Unruh, on experts issuing dire warnings regarding the Supreme Court's "marriage" decision • "The criminalization of Christianity in America" by Joseph Farah, who shows how immigrants used to flee religious persecution and flock to the U.S. – but now it's here too! • "Pagan fury against a pizza parlor: Turning a Christian-owned business into a 'face of hate,' by Robert Knight • "Communists join attack on Americans' religious freedom" by Paul Kengor, on how same-sex marriage offers a sledgehammer for destroying the family, marriage and faith • "Obama's morally confused prayer breakfast lecture" by David Limbaugh, on the president's penchant for demonizing Christianity • "Obama takes swipe at Christians again" • "How about a campus 'safe place' for Christians?" by Phyllis Schlafly, on progressives' efforts to shield college students from "scary" free speech with cookies and Play-doh • "Haters' end goal: Wipe out Christianity in America" by Star Parker, who says today's "homosexual campaign is not about freedom," but about "de-legitimization and annihilation" of the nation's founding faith • "Christians' long retreat in the culture war" by Patrick Buchanan, who surveys the modern culture war and concludes: "Thus does biblical truth become bigotry in Obama's America" • "Franklin Graham decries 'anti-Christian bias' in America" • "Crackdown on Christians triggers exodus from military: 'They're starting to wonder, is this going to be a place where I'm tolerated?'" by Greg Corombos • "First Amendment at stake in same-sex marriage case" by Cliff Kincaid, on ominous warnings spelling out dire threats to America's system of self-government • "Rush Limbaugh: 'Anti-Christians' aren't new, but are feeling 'totally confident' now" • "Battering religious freedom with abortion: The ACLU mounts another attack on Catholics' pro-life stance" by Robert Knight • "Hillary: We must change the 'religious beliefs' of the nation" • "Republicans cower before 'Big Gay Media'" by Cliff Kincaid, on how the LGBT movement transformed from a request for tolerance into a drive for cultural conquest • "'Gay marriage' activists target archbishop: 'We can expect increasing pressure on Christian leaders who hold to biblical morality'" • "Puffed-up leftist tyranny punishes dissenters: Freedom of thought and religious expression are at stake" by David Limbaugh • "Christians go on offense: 'This president is escalating his attacks on our freedom of religion'" by Bob Unruh • "War declared on Christians: What'll you do?" by Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, who says: "With the exception of a handful of Republicans, our House and Senate are AWOL" • "Time for left and right to join in 'torch-and-pitchfork' protest" by Scott Lively, who says what the elites fear most is authentic populism Despite the ever-more-outrageous overreach of the LGBT movement (i.e.three-year-old children now being required to sign a contract promising they won't use 'transphobic language' in nursery school), ironically, "gay rights" is the one issue almost everybody is afraid to confront. "Like Voldemort, the arch-villain so feared by everyone in the 'Harry Potter' stories that they 'dare not speak his name,' almost no one – not Democrats, not Republicans, not Libertarians, not the media, not even most churches – dares speak openly about it," says Kupelian. "Whistleblower, of course, didn't get the 'fear memo,'" he adds, "and thus tells the whole incredible story in this issue." |
“FREEDOM IS NOT FREE”
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