Oct 26, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara throws a pass against the Northwestern Wildcats during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images/ File Photo Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level Media REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now
Article content Four months after being born in a hospital elevator, Nikko Takahashi was sure looking cute nestled between the arms of two Toronto paramedics who helped deliver him. Recommended Videos Dad Rainer Takahashi says the adorable tot came into the world on Aug. 13 just a little bit early, which meant it was a good thing that the first responders were on hand. “My wife (Danielle) went into labour and it happened very quickly that we didn’t have time to go the hospital so therefore we called 911,” Rainer said on Thursday. “The (paramedics) came. Fortunately, they were able to get us to the hospital just in time. Our son was born in a hospital elevator. We actually didn’t make it to the birthing unit. So we’re very thankful for everything they did for us. Just a very exciting entry into the world.” On Thursday afternoon, family and the first responders were reunited during a special event at the Toronto Emergency Services Joint Headquarters. In yet another cute moment, older sister Isabelle Takahashi, 4, politely presented Toronto paramedics Jacob Pettigrew and Scott Bryant with thank-you cards. “It’s a really unique opportunity — I think one of the parts of the job that can be sort of limiting is not knowing what happens to people on the other side,” said Pettigrew, a 10-year paramedic vet. “You meet people who are in a compromising position and you’re rooting for them but you don’t know how things work out in the longer term. And so to be able to see Nikko here today and healthy, it’s great. Again, you just always leave with questions. You hope for the best but you don’t know. Things can just go a million different ways. So it’s just nice to see.” Added Bryant, a 16-year-old paramedic vet: “This is great. It certainly kinds of reinvigorates my career as to help remind me why I’m doing this. We very rarely find out what happens to the patients we care for. Usually what will happen is we drop them off at the hospital and unfortunately that’s the end. Usually we don’t find out what happens. So having an event like this is quite exciting.” Rainer was appreciative of what the paramedics did for his family the day of his son’s birth. “I can’t thank them enough,” he said. “They kept us calm. They were so professional. I mean, I was losing my mind, and they just kept it all together and got everyone there safely and on time. So I’m very grateful for that. Unfortunately, I wasn’t even there for the birth — that’s how quickly it happened. I was parking the car.” RECOMMENDED VIDEOBlack Friday can do one in my opinion. Don’t be sucked in by the so-called deals, when there’s reports aplenty that retailers ramp up prices ahead of the event to pretend slash them and suck you in to buying more things you probably don’t need. I know the marketing and PR push around the event is hard to avoid in the news, on social media, in shop windows and life in general. But you must know by now that it’s just more clever marketing to keep us all in this bleak spiral of consumerism that’s ruining our planet. I often hear from retail bosses about how they provide the goods on their shelves because that’s what their customers want - but if that’s really the case then why do they employ clever PR people and marketers who’ve really done their psychology homework in a bid to keep us buying more and more and more. In reality, all any of us really need is a warm and happy home; nutritious food in our bellies and clean water to drink; clothes that suit the season; as well as community, friends, family connections and something to do that keeps us sane, feeling loved an fill us with some purpose. We don’t need ‘buy one get one free’ on things we don’t need; bathroom cupboards full of creams that promise this, that or the other; wardrobes filled with hundreds of garments and shoes or enough toys to fill the family’s main room at home and the latest hot gadgets - no matter what the ads say. Yet in a bid to fill the void left by loneliness, hopelessness and unfulfillment in our everyday lives because we simply don’t have the time for family and friends and the world seems stuck in a doom spiral; we all rush to buy more stuff for that quick hit of happiness instead of examining our real problem. It’s like we’re all little zombie hamsters stuck on an endlessly cycling wheel of working, buying, using and discarding. I know that in the world our ancestors shaped for us, we need to work to make money to feed ourselves, keep a home and have a family if that’s what you want. But when did incessant consumerism become our factory setting? When did it stop mattering how much we use up and throwaway - even if we are sending it to charity shops to alleviate our shame. If we don’t soon stop - the imagined world of Wall-e will be real for all of us. We’ve already seen it in the mounting mountains of waste in far flung places around the world where our discarded clothes and shoes are piled high in deserts, rivers and on beaches - because we somehow stupidly think that sending it to the poorest places on Earth with the fewest environmental protections that it will be treated in a way that doesn’t pollute the planet. It’s time to wake up people. I know it’s nice to buy new things - I feel that joy too. But when are we going to take responsibility for the burden we are putting on the planet and stop buying things we don’t need? Yes COP29 was a major cop out - and world leaders yet again failed to deliver a date to phase out all fossil fuels and provide the poorer countries in the world with the money they need to put in renewables and turn their backs on fossil fuels. Yes, billionaires have a much bigger carbon footprint than most of us put together, buy far more stuff, have much bigger houses and probably a jet and yacht they never tire of using. But the only thing we can control is what we do personally - so let’s not turn a blind eye to our own weaknesses because we see others doing worse. We all have a hand in the mess our planet is becoming - not just the rich, not just the fossil fuel execs and not just the politicians and that’s because we are all blindly buying into the world we’ve let them create for us. When elections come around - do we vote in the Greens en mass because we know they will take the decisions that need to be made for the best of the planet we call home? No, we don’t. That’s because we’re all sitting here thinking we can carry on as usual, as the world falls down around us, and someone else will fix it for us. They won’t. As long as we keep buying massive cars, huge houses and all the clothes and shoes and devices you want and taking cheap flights five times a year while turning a blind eye to the mess we are leaving in our wake - we are all to blame. We are among the millions of consumers on which this world now rotates - and as long as we keep buying into the reality that we need more of everything, nothing will ever change. But, what if we didn’t? Imagine the power we would wield. Retailers will no longer be able to use the excuse they are supplying what the customer wants. So say ‘no’ to a new phone every year, don’t upgrade your TV every time a new model appears and for the love of God, stop with these hauls from Shein and TikTok and wherever else you are buying clothes stitched together by kids using materials that are killing their corner of the world. We can and must do better - because while we’ve had some devastating floods locally - we’re yet to see the worst of what the climate crisis has in store for us and if we don’t change our ways, we all deserve a share of the blame. Well Ulster Wildlife have just made that idea possible through an amazing partnership with the An Creagán Centre in Co Tyrone. If you head along to their festive event on Saturday, December 7 you could come home with a real that will also help restore Haughey’s Bog to the way it should be. Sitka spruce trees are not supposed to grow in bogland, but after years of peat extraction that allowed the area to dry out they have started to take over. Now families across NI are being invited to come and cut one down to take it home - while helping restore the bog to help in the fight against the climate crisis because intact bogs store carbon emissions. Participants will learn about these restoration efforts while getting to pick and cut a real Christmas tree to take home! Bryan Ward, Senior Peatlands Officer with Ulster Wildlife said: “This is a unique opportunity to make a difference while creating special festive memories. While we wouldn’t typically encourage single-use Christmas trees, in this case, removing the invasive Sitka spruce is vital for the recovery of this precious peatland habitat.” The event is from 10.30am-1pm, with pre-booked time slots. Booking is essential . There is no charge for this event, but a suggested donation of £10 will help support the local nature conservation charity’s vital work to bring nature back. If you are interested in getting involved, email or call 028 9045 4094. 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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A southeast Louisiana official has been accused of committing perjury for failing to disclose information related to a controversial grain terminal in the state’s Mississippi River Chemical Corridor in response to a lawsuit brought by a prominent local climate activist. St. John the Baptist Parish President Jaclyn Hotard denied in a deposition that she knew her mother-in-law could have benefited financially from parish rezoning plans to make way for a 222-acre (90-hectare) grain export facility along the Mississippi River. Hotard also said in court filings, under oath, that no correspondence existed between her and her mother-in-law about the grain terminal, even though her mother-in-law later turned over numerous text messages where they discussed the grain terminal and a nearby property owned by the mother-in-law’s marine transport company, court records show. The text messages were disclosed as part of an ongoing lawsuit filed by Joy Banner, who along with her sister, Jo Banner, successfully led efforts to halt the $800 million grain terminal earlier this year. It would have been built within 300 feet (91 meters) of their property and close to historic sites in the predominantly Black community where they grew up. The legal dispute is part of a broader clash playing out in courts and public hearings, pitting officials eager to greenlight economic development against grassroots community groups challenging polluting industrial expansion in the heavily industrialized 85-mile industrial corridor between Baton Rouge and New Orleans often referred to by environmental activists as “Cancer Alley.” “We are residents that are just trying to protect our homes and just trying to live our lives as we have a right to do,” Banner said in an interview with The Associated Press. The Banner sisters gained national attention after cofounding the Descendants Project, an organization dedicated to historic preservation and racial justice. In the text messages turned over as part of Joy Banner’s lawsuit, Hotard, the parish president, says that she wished to “choke” Joy Banner and used profanities to describe her. Hotard also said of the Banner sisters: “I hate these people.” Hotard and her attorney, Ike Spears, did not respond to requests for comment after Tuesday’s filing. Richard John Tomeny, the lawyer representing Hotard’s mother-in-law, Darla Gaudet, declined to comment. Banner initially sued the parish in federal court in December 2023 after Hotard and another parish councilman, Michael Wright, threatened her with arrest and barred her from speaking during a public comment period at a November 2023 council meeting. “In sum: a white man threatened a Black woman with prosecution and imprisonment for speaking during the public comment period of a public meeting,” Banner’s lawsuit says. It accuses the parish of violating Banner’s First Amendment rights. Wright and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment. Hotard and Wright have disputed Banner’s version of events in court filings. At the November 2023 meeting, Banner attempted to highlight Hotard’s alleged conflict of interest in approving a zoning change to enable the grain export facility’s construction. Banner had also recently filed a complaint to the Louisiana Board of Ethics against Hotard pointing out that her mother-in-law allegedly would benefit financially because she owned and managed a marine transport company that had land “near and within” the area being rezoned. In response to a discovery request, Hotard submitted a court filing saying “no such documents exist” between her and her mother-in-law discussing the property, the grain terminal or Joy Banner, according to the recent motion filed by Banner’s attorneys. Hotard also said in her August deposition that she had “no idea” about her mother-in-law’s company’s land despite text messages showing Hotard and her mother-in-law had discussed this property less than three weeks before Hotard’s deposition. Banner’s lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial early next year. ___ Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: ↕jack_brook96Charles Kushner nominated by Trump to be ambassador to FrancePresident-elect Donald Trump selected Kimberly Guilfoyle , his son’s fiance and a former Fox News host, to be the next ambassador to Greece on Tuesday. “For many years, Kimberly has been a close friend and ally. Her extensive experience and leadership in law, media, and politics along with her sharp intellect make her supremely qualified to represent the United States, and safeguard its interests abroad,” Trump wrote in his announcement on Truth Social . Guilfoyle, 55, is a lawyer who briefly served as a prosecutor in California before turning to a career in television. She spent 12 years at Fox News before transitioning to assisting Republican political goals. Since 2016, Guilfoyle has become a devoted Trump ally, campaigning for Trump during his 2020 and 2024 presidential elections across the country. She may be most well known for giving an unnecessarily loud speech during the 2020 Republican National Convention or speaking at the infamous Stop the Steal Rally on January 6, 2021. Guilfoyle has been engaged to Donald Trump Jr. since 2020. However, unconfirmed media reports claimed the two have since split. She is divorced from California Governor Gavin Newsom. “Kimberly is perfectly suited to foster strong bilateral relations with Greece, advancing our interests on issues ranging from defense cooperation to trade and economic innovation,” Trump said in his statement. Guilfoyle said in a statement on X that was “honored” to accept the nomination and championed the “democratic values born in Greece.” “It was the democratic values born in Greece that helped shape the founding of America. And now, we have an opportunity to honor that history by bringing better days here at home and abroad. As ambassador, I look forward to delivering on the Trump agenda, supporting our Greek allies, and ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity.” She wrote. The nomination will require Senate approval. Trump is known to give his family members and close friends positions within his administration. During his first term, his daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, were made advisers. The president-elect recently tapped Charles Kusher, the father of Jared Kusher, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump also pardoned Kusher during his first term.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect on Tuesday named Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the . He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while . Ferguson is already one of the FTC’s five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Related Articles The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC’s antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges Tuesday night. The FTC had earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC’s efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump’s orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan’s scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.Prep Classic is a football bash. Bringing 'Bash Brothers' to it is huge for BR school
Dublin Central General Election 2024 updates: Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald elected, Clare Daly eliminated with ‘The Monk’ still in contention
No. 7 Tennessee 36, Vanderbilt 23MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top of the NFC standings are towering over the Green Bay Packers as they move toward the playoffs, casting a long shadow shaped like Vikings, Lions and Eagles over what has been an otherwise-promising season on both sides of the ball. For as well as the Packers (11-5) had been playing down the stretch, they left Minnesota with a rather murky outlook for the playoffs after stumbling into a 17-point deficit that proved too large for their late surge in the 27-25 loss to the Vikings on Sunday . “They continued to compete and battle, but you just can’t do that against good teams. The margins in this league, especially against a good football team, are razor thin," coach Matt LaFleur said. "I don’t think we were at our best, but that’s a credit to them in our slow start — and that’s me as much as anybody.” The Packers gained 126 yards in the fourth quarter and still finished with a season-low 271 yards. The defense allowed 441 yards, which was also a season worst. The most glaring set of numbers after this frustrating afternoon, though, was this: 0-5. That's Green Bay's record against the top three teams in the NFC: Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. There's no shame in losing to those opponents that carry a combined 40-7 record into Monday, particularly when four of those defeats — save for the 10-point loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 — came by a total of 12 points. “It’s not about who we can and can’t beat. We can beat everybody. If we figure out how to finish, we’ll win games,” cornerback Keisean Nixon said. But the Packers will more than likely be on the road the entire time they're alive in the playoffs, so any path to the Super Bowl would undoubtedly trigger rematches with one, two or even all three teams from that daunting trio. The Packers clearly aren't overmatched by the Vikings, Lions or Eagles, but in games against those premier foes that significantly shrink the margins for error the Packers have shown a troubling pattern of not meeting the moment with too many ill-timed mistakes and not enough big-time plays. “It's hard when you put yourself in a hole and are down early and just kind of shooting yourself in the foot,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “There’s so much stuff to clean up and get better at, but I think we’re still a really good team. We can put up points. But when you put yourself in a hole, it’s just hard to climb out of that hole. And when it’s a good team like the Vikings, you know, it just makes it even tougher.” The red flag came right away. Josh Jacobs, the NFL 's fourth-leading rusher, had just given the Packers a second first down on the opening drive of the game when defensive tackle Jerry Tillery pushed the ball out and safety Cam Bynum recovered at the Minnesota 38. Jacobs had gone 11 straight games without fumbling until losing one at Seattle on Dec. 15. Now he has coughed up the ball twice in three games. “I feel like it drained the energy out of the team just starting early,” Jacobs said. “I take it personal on getting the team to start fast and things like that. Yeah, that’s on me.” Though the Vikings punted on the subsequent possession, they moved the ball enough to flip the field position. Perhaps wary of the fumble getting in Jacobs' head, LaFleur then called three straight passes from their own 15-yard line, and Love was off the mark on all three to force a punt. After a breakout performance here a year ago in a 33-10 victory over the Vikings that helped the Packers squeak into the playoffs after a rough start and ride the momentum through a first-round win at Dallas, Love looked awfully amid the cocktail of blitzes ordered by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores that fueled a fierce pass rush. He finished 19 for 30 for 185 yards and one touchdown. “They do a good job of keeping a lid on the coverage. That’s how they play," LaFleur said. "We knew that going in, so there was going to be minimal opportunities to push the ball down the field. You've got to be super efficient. You've got to stay on schedule because once they get you into third down, that’s where they’re really good.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated PressTrump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina KhanStormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”
Letter writers discuss the health of the U.S. economy, President Joe Biden's pardon of his son, and the constitutional limit on President-elect Donald Trump's time in office.WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a $895 billion measure that authorizes a 1% increase in defense spending this fiscal year and would give a double-digit pay raise to about half of the enlisted service members in the military. The bill is traditionally strongly bipartisan, but some Democratic lawmakers opposed the inclusion of a ban on transgender medical treatments for children of military members if such treatment could result in sterilization. It passed by a vote of 281-140 and next moves to the Senate, where lawmakers sought a bigger boost in defense spending than the current measure allows. The Pentagon and the surrounding area is seen Jan. 26, 2020, from the air in Washington. Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Associated Press Lawmakers are touting the bill's 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted service members and a 4.5% increase for others as key to improving the quality of life for those serving in the U.S. military. Those serving as junior enlisted personnel are in pay grades that generally track with their first enlistment term. Lawmakers said service member pay failed to remain competitive with the private sector, forcing many military families to rely on food banks and government assistance programs to put food on the table. The bill also provides significant new resources for child care and housing. "No service member should have to live in squalid conditions and no military family should have to rely on food stamps to feed their children, but that's exactly what many of our service members are experiencing, especially the junior enlisted," said Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. "This bill goes a long way to fixing that." The bill sets key Pentagon policy that lawmakers will attempt to fund through a follow-up appropriations bill. The overall spending tracks the numbers established in a 2023 agreement that then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reached with President Joe Biden to increase the nation's borrowing authority and avoid a federal default in exchange for spending restraints. Many senators had wanted to increase defense spending some $25 billion above what was called for in that agreement, but those efforts failed. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who is expected to serve as the next chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the overall spending level was a "tremendous loss for our national defense," though he agreed with many provisions within the bill. "We need to make a generational investment to deter the Axis of Aggressors. I will not cease work with my congressional colleagues, the Trump administration, and others until we achieve it," Wicker said. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., speaks with reporters Nov. 21 on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein, Associated Press House Republicans don't want to go above the McCarthy-Biden agreement for defense spending and are looking to go way below it for many non-defense programs. They are also focused on cultural issues. The bill prohibits funding for teaching critical race theory in the military and prohibits TRICARE health plans from covering gender dysphoria treatment for children under 18 if that treatment could result in sterilization. Rep. Adam Smith of Washington state, the ranking Democratic member of the House Armed Services Committee, said minors dealing with gender dysphoria is a "very real problem." He said the treatments available, including puberty blockers and hormone therapy, have proven effective at helping young people dealing with suicidal thoughts, anxiety and depression. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts "These treatments changed their lives and in many cases saved their lives," Smith said. "And in this bill, we decided we're going to bar service members' children from having access to that." Smith said the number of minors in service member families receiving transgender medical care extends into the thousands. He could have supported a study asking medical experts to determine whether such treatments are too often used, but a ban on health insurance coverage went too far. He said Speaker Mike Johnson's office insisted on the ban and said the provision "taints an otherwise excellent piece of legislation." Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, called the ban a step in the right direction, saying, "I think these questions need to be pulled out of the debate of defense, so we can get back to the business of defending the United States of America without having to deal with social engineering debates." Smith said he agrees with Roy that lawmakers should be focused on the military and not on cultural conflicts, "and yet, here it is in this bill." Branden Marty, a Navy veteran who served for 13 years, said the loss of health coverage for transgender medical treatments could prompt some with valuable experience to leave the military, affecting national security because "we already struggle from a recruiting and retention standpoint." He also said the bill could regularly force service members into difficult choices financially. "It will be tough for a lot of them because of out-of-pocket expenses, especially enlisted members who we know already struggle with food insecurity," said Marty, the father of a transgender teenager. "They don't get paid very much, so they're going to be making a lot of choices on a day-to-day, tactical level." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., responds to reporters Dec. 6 during his weekly news conference at the Capitol in Washington. J. Scott Applewhite, Associated Press Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, said his team did not tell Democrats how to vote on the bill. "There's a lot of positive things in the National Defense Authorization Act that were negotiated in a bipartisan way, and there are some troubling provisions in a few areas as well," Jeffries said. Overall, 81 Democrats voted for the bill and 124 against it. On the Republican side, 200 voted for the bill and 16 against it. "It's disappointing to see 124 of my Democrat colleagues vote against our brave men and women in uniform over policies that have nothing to do with their intended mission," Johnson, R-La., said. The defense policy bill also looks to strengthen deterrence against China. It calls for investing $15.6 billion to build military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region. The Biden administration requested about $10 billion. On Israel, the bill, among other things, includes an expansion of U.S. joint military exercises with Israel and a prohibition on the Pentagon citing casualty data from Hamas. The defense policy bill is one of the final measures that lawmakers view as a must-pass before making way for a new Congress in January. Rising threats from debt collectors against members of the U.S. armed forces are undermining national security, according to data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a federal watchdog that protects consumer rights. To manage the impact of financial stress on individual performance, the Defense Department dedicates precious resources to improving financial literacy, so service members know the dangers of notorious no-credit-check loans. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Andrew Cohen, the director of financial readiness in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. But debt collectors are gaining ground. Last quarter, debt collection complaints by U.S. military service members increased 24% , and attempts to collect on “debts not owed” surged 40%. Complaints by service members against debt collectors for deceptive practices ballooned from 1,360 in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 1,833 in the first quarter of 2024. “There’s a connection between the financial readiness and the readiness of a service member to perform their duty,” said Jim Rice, Assistant Director, Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Laws exist to protect the mission readiness of U.S. troops from being compromised by threats and intimidation, but debt collectors appear to be violating them at an alarming pace. “If they’re threatening to call your commander or get your security clearance revoked, that’s illegal,” says Deborah Olvera, financial readiness manager at Wounded Warriors Project, and a military spouse who’s been harassed herself by a collection agency that tried to extort money from her for a debt she didn’t owe. But after she requested the name of the original creditor, she never heard from them again. “The financial well-being of service members and their families is one of the Department’s top priorities.” —Andrew Cohen, Director of Financial Readiness at the Pentagon Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it’s illegal for debt collectors to threaten to contact your boss or have you arrested because it violates your financial privacy. The FDCPA also prohibits debt collectors from making false, deceptive, or misleading representations in connection with the collection of a debt, even for borrowers with bad credit scores. But according to the data, debt collectors are increasingly ignoring those rules. “Debt collection continues to be one of the top consumer complaint categories,” said a spokesperson at the Federal Trade Commission. The commission released a report earlier this year revealing that consumers were scammed $10 billion in 2023, a new benchmark for fraud losses. In his book Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber argues that debt often creates a relationship that can feel more oppressive than systems of hierarchy, like slavery or caste systems because it starts by presuming equality between the debtor and the creditor. When the debtor falls into arrears, that equality is then destroyed. This sense of betrayal and the subsequent imbalance of power leads to widespread resentment toward lenders. Jon Bilous Photo Credit: Olena Yakobchuk / Shutterstock The debt collector reportedly harassing military service members most was Resurgent Capital Services, a subsidiary of collection giant Sherman Financial Group. The company tacks on accrued interest and junk fees and tries to collect on debts purchased for pennies on the dollar from cable companies, hospitals, and credit card companies, among others. Sherman Financial Group is run by billionaire Benjamin Navarro, who has a reported net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. Sherman Financial also owns subprime lender Credit One Bank and LVNV Funding, which outsource collections to Resurgent Capital. According to CFPB data, the second worst offender is CL Holdings, the parent company of debt-buyer Jefferson Capital Systems. The company has also been named in numerous complaints to the Better Business Bureau for alleged violations of the FDCPA, such as failing to properly validate debts or update credit reports with accurate information. Under the leadership of CEO David Burton, Jefferson Capital Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of CompuCredit Corporation, which markets subprime credit cards under the names Aspire, Majestic, and others. The third most referenced debt collector is publicly traded Portfolio Recovery Associates [NASDAQ: PRAA], which was forced to pay $27 million in penalties for making false representations about debts, initiating lawsuits without proper documentation, and other violations. Portfolio Recovery Associates is run by CEO Vikram Atal. Fourth place for alleged worst offender goes to Encore Capital Group [NASDAQ ECPG], which was required to pay $42 million in consumer refunds and a $10 million penalty for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Encore collects under its subsidiary Midland Credit Management Group. These debt collectors all operate under a veritable shell game of company and brand names, almost none of which are disclosed on their websites, sending consumers on a wild goose chase to try and figure out how they’re related to each other. But despite their attempts to hide their tracks behind a smoke screen of subsidiaries, a leopard can’t change its spots, and the CFPB complaint database makes it harder for them to try. Olena Yakobchuk Photo Credit: Bumble Dee / Shutterstock Although widely considered a consumer-friendly state, complaints spiked most in California, which saw a 188% increase in complaints filed from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. California is home to 157,367 military personnel, making it the most populous state for active-duty service members. The second-largest increase in debt collection complaints was in Texas, which saw a 66% jump from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. The U.S. Department of Defense reports 111,005 service members stationed in the Lone Star State, which is the third-most populous state for active-duty military. The rising trends do not correlate to the number of military personnel by state. Complaints against debt collectors in Virginia, the second most populous state with 126,145 active duty personnel, decreased by 29% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. And complaints filed quarter-over-quarter in North Carolina, the fifth most populous state with 91,077 military personnel, decreased by 3% in the same period. The third largest percentage increase in debt collection complaints was from service members stationed in Maryland, where alleged harassment reports jumped 112% from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the first quarter of 2024. Maryland ranks number 12 with just 28,059 active duty service members. Fourth place goes to Ohio – the 28th most populous active-duty state – where complaints doubled, followed by Arizona – the 15th most populous military state – where complaints were up 70% in the same quarter-over-quarter period. Bumble Dee Photo Credit: PeopleImages.com - Yuri A / Shutterstock In 2007, Congress passed the Military Lending Act to cap the cost of credit to a 36% annual percentage rate, inclusive of junk fees and late charges, for active duty military service members. That rate is still considerably higher than average credit card rates, which range from 8% for borrowers with excellent credit scores to as high as 36% for borrowers with bad credit. But lenders still get hauled into court for violating the MLA. Don Hankey, the billionaire subprime auto lender who funded Donald Trump’s $175 million appeal bond , is among those violators. His company, Westlake Financial, which markets high-interest car loans for bad credit, has been sued twice by the Department of Justice for harassing military service members. In 2017, the DoJ alleged Hankey’s Westlake Financial illegally repossessed at least 70 vehicles owned by military service members. Westlake Financial paid $700,000 to settle the charges. In 2022, Westlake Financial paid $250,000 for allegedly cheating U.S. troops out of interest rates they were legally entitled to. Westlake Financial continues to receive complaints from military service members alleging abusive debt collection practices on its no-credit-check loans. A steady year-over-year increase in the number of complaints filed against Westlake Financial continued from 2020 to 2023. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau data shows a 13% increase in the number of complaints against the company from 2020 to 2021, a 28% increase from 2021 to 2022, and a torrential 119% surge from 2022 to 2023. The numbers suggest systemic complaint-handling processes and inadequate customer service resources. PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Photo Credit: Cynthia Shirk / Shutterstock On May 16, 2024, a deceptively named predatory lending industry front group dubbed the Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA) lost a legal attempt to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. In an effort to deprive Americans of essential consumer protections, the lobby group argued that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court denied its claim. In a 7-2 ruling, the Court held that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s funding structure is indeed constitutional. That means the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau cannot be defunded, but it does not mean the agency cannot be defanged. The New York Times suggested that Hankey’s incentive to finance Trump’s $175 million bond could have been a reciprocity pledge to neuter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau if Trump wins the upcoming U.S. presidential election. If Trump wins a second term, he could replace Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Rohit Chopra, an American consumer advocate, with a predatory lending advocate. In 2020, the Trump Administration secured a Supreme Court ruling that made it easier for the president to fire the head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The ruling struck down previous restrictions on when a president can fire the bureau’s director. Like other federal agencies, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also been confronted for overstepping its bounds, pushing too far, and acting unfairly against entities it regulates. Cynthia Shirk Photo Credit: Lux Blue / Shutterstock Seasonality and rising interest rates do not explain the increase in debt collection complaints from service members. The surge in complaints is not tied to predictable seasonal fluctuations or changes in interest rates. The increase in debt collection complaints by service members may point to underlying systemic issues, such as aggressive and predatory debt collection practices that exploit the unique financial vulnerabilities of service members, who face frequent relocations and deployments. Debt Complaints by Service Members From Q1 2021 to Q4 2022 Up 4% From Q4 2022 to Q1 2023 Up 6% From Q4 2023 to Q1 2024 Up 24% The 24% spike in debt collection complaints exhibits no correlation to fluctuations in interest rates. 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates From 3.08% in Q4 2021 to 3.82% in Q1 2022 From 6.66% in Q4 2022 to 6.37% in Q1 2023 From 7.30% in Q1 2023 to 6.75% in Q4 2024 Pandemic stimulus checks were also not a factor. COVID-19 relief benefit checks went through three major rounds during the pandemic. The final round of Economic Impact Payments went out in March 2021 . To better understand the rising trend of debt collection complaints, we calculated the increase in the total number of complaints and the percentage increase quarter-over-quarter. For example, New Jersey has the second largest percentage increase in complaints quarter-over-quarter, but the total number of complaints increased by just 16. Shutterstock The data for this study was sourced from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) complaint database. The dataset specifically targeted complaints filed by U.S. military service members, identified using the tag “Servicemember” within Q4 2023 and Q1 2024. Readers can find the detailed research methodology underlying this news story in the accompanying section here . For complete results, see U.S. Troops Face Mounting Threats from Predatory Debt Collectors on BadCredit.org . Jon Bilous Homelessness reached record levels in 2023, as rents and home prices continued to rise in most of the U.S. One group was particularly impacted: people who have served in the U.S. military. "This time last year, we knew the nation was facing a deadly public health crisis," Jeff Olivet, executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said in a statement about the 2023 numbers. He said the latest homelessness estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development "confirms the depth of the crisis." At least 35,000 veterans were experiencing homelessness in 2023, according to HUD. While that's about half of what it was in 2009—when the organization began collecting data—things have plateaued in recent years despite active efforts to get that number to zero. Although they make up just 6.6% of the total homeless population, veterans are more likely to be at risk of homelessness than Americans overall. Of every 10,000 Americans, 20 were experiencing homelessness. Of veterans living in the United States, that number jumps to 22, HUD data shows. Complicated by bureaucracy, family dynamics, and prejudice, the path from serving in the military to homelessness is a long one. According to a 2022 study by Yale School of Medicine researchers, homelessness typically occurs within four years of leaving the military, as veterans must contend with the harsh reality of finding a job in a world where employers struggle to see how skills on the battlefield transfer to a corporate environment. These days, veterans also deal with historically high rent and home prices, which causes many to rely on family generosity while figuring out a game plan. Stacker examined academic studies, analyzed government data, and spoke with members of the Biden administration, experts, and former members of the armed forces to see the struggles members of the military face when leaving the armed forces. Photo illustration by Michael Flocker // Stacker // Canva The Department of Veterans Affairs offers transition assistance to the roughly 250,000 service members who leave each year. However, those programs can be burdensome and complex to navigate, especially for those who don't have a plan for post-military life. Only a small portion of veterans have jobs lined up when they leave, according to 2019 Pew Research. Many also choose to live with relatives until they get on their feet, which can be longer than anticipated. Some former service members are unsure what kind of career they'd like to pursue and may have to get further education or training, Carl Castro, director of the Military and Veteran Programs at the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, told Stacker. "It takes years for that kind of transition," Castro said. Many have trouble finding a job after leaving the service, even if they are qualified. Some employers carry misconceptions about those who have served. A 2020 analysis from the journal Human Resource Management Review found that some veterans face hiring discrimination due to negative stereotypes that lead hiring managers to write them off as a poor culture fit. Underemployment, or working low-wage jobs below their skill level, is also an issue. While the unemployment rate for veterans was 3% in March 2024, a study released by Penn State at the end of 2023 found three years after leaving the service, 61% of veterans said they were underemployed because of perceived skill mismatches . This phenomenon can have long-term economic effects, and eventually, that frustration can boil over, strain relationships, and potentially lead to housing instability. Working, especially a low-wage job, is not protection against homelessness. A 2021 study from the University of Chicago found half of people living in homeless shelters and 2 in 5 unsheltered people were employed, full or part-time. Stacker High rents make it difficult to save up, even when applying for a VA loan—a mortgage backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs that typically has more favorable terms. While the VA does not require a downpayment, some lenders, who ultimately provide the loan, do. They're not entirely risk-free either, and veterans can still lose their homes if they are unable to keep up with their mortgages. In November 2023, the VA put a six-month pause on foreclosures when an NPR investigation found thousands of veterans were in danger of losing their homes after a COVID forbearance program ended. Biden officials pointed to high rents and the end of COVID-era housing restrictions like eviction moratoriums to explain the spike in Americans experiencing homelessness. In the last year, homelessness rose 12%—to more than 650,000 people—the highest level since data began being collected in 2007. Overall, more than half of people experiencing homelessness in 2023 live in states with high living costs. Most were in California, followed by New York and Florida. Western states, including Montana and Utah, experienced massive population growth during the pandemic, becoming hubs for remote workers who drove home prices and rents even further. Stacker For veterans, housing costs certainly play a role, but those who leave the military also face systemic barriers. "It's worrying there are people that continue to fall through the cracks," said Jeanette Yih Harvie, a research associate at Syracuse University's D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families. Just under a quarter of adults experiencing homelessness have a severe mental illness , according to 2022 HUD survey data. They are also likely to have chronic illnesses but are unable to maintain preventative care, which only exacerbates these problems. Veterans facing homelessness are more likely to have experienced trauma , either before or after joining the military, according to Yale researchers who analyzed the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study. Childhood trauma was among the most significant commonalities among vets who become homeless. Substance use disorder is also widespread and can indicate an undiagnosed mental illness . Racial and ethnic disparities are at play, too. A 2023 study in the Journal of Psychiatric Research showed that Hispanic and Black veterans were more likely to screen positive for PTSD, and Hispanic veterans were more likely to report having suicidal ideation. Overall, access to mental health care has improved in the last decade or so. In December 2023, the VA announced it would open nine additional counseling centers. However, the stigma of getting help remains, especially after years of being conditioned to be self-reliant and pull oneself up by their bootstraps. That help, in the form of public policy, is slowly working to catch up to the need. In 2023, the Biden administration invested millions into research programs and studies on suicide prevention by the VA office in addition to a proposed $16 billion to improve quality and lower-cost mental health care services for veterans. And, in February of this year, HUD and the VA announced they would give up to $14 million in vouchers to public housing agencies for veterans experiencing homelessness. The program would also offer case management and other services. Still, with a culture that pushes people to keep going, it can be challenging for servicemembers to take advantage of these opportunities, Harvie said. "When you've been doing that for the last 15 or 20 years, it's difficult to stop and say, 'I'm the person that needs help.'" Story editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. Stacker
Independent candidate for Bradfield Nicolette Boele (Image: Private Media) When Liberal frontbencher Paul Fletcher gave a speech declaring the teals a “Green left con job”, it was clear he’d made a huge mistake. Fletcher insulted teal voters, suggesting they’d been “duped” by left-wing front groups. According to Bernard Keane , the bizarre conspiracy was the most interesting thing the Bradfield MP had ever said, arguing Fletcher had failed to grasp why traditional liberals were turning away. Letters from locals were equally scathing, with one declaring Fletcher “just signed [his] own dismissal notice”. It seemed like good news for independent Nicolette Boele, the self-styled “shadow member for Bradfield”, who reduced Fletcher’s margin to just 4.2% in 2022 (a redistribution has since cut it to 2.5%). North Sydney MP Kylea Tink, whose neighbouring seat is being abolished , then revealed she wouldn’t contest Bradfield, backing Boele while comparing Fletcher to “a child throwing his toys out of the cot”. Paul Fletcher’s grand conspiracy theory is the most interesting thing he’s ever said Read More On Tuesday, Fletcher announced his retirement — making him the second “moderate” to quit in as many weeks . Colleagues were surprised , telling Crikey he’d been campaigning for reelection. “Time to let somebody else have a go”, Fletcher said, downplaying teal chances by arguing “the local mood is discernibly different from 2022”, when voters were eager to remove Scott Morrison. Boele was already a community candidate to watch in 2025. But the outlook just became even brighter for the clean energy expert, who’s spent the entire term campaigning (an incumbent’s retirement usually costs their party 1-2% of its margin ). Her team has knocked on about 5,000 doors in the wealthy electorate, spending mornings at bus stops and train stations; she even kept her campaign office, from which “ Voices of Bradfield ” helped run Bradfield for Yes , becoming the only Liberal-held seat to vote in favour of the Voice referendum. Donations have increased since Fletcher’s remarks, allowing Boele to hire more people for her campaign, which is mostly powered by volunteers — the “secret sauce” of the movement. She credits Tink for the extra “momentum”, noting the “generous endorsement” saw several members of Team Tink join Team Nic. Did the backlash to the speech contribute to Fletcher throwing in the towel? “I don’t know what was in Mr Fletcher’s mind,” Boele tells me. “If you can see your main opponent, and it’s a two-horse race, has been in the field for that long ... Maybe the 12 letters to The Sydney Morning Herald as soon as he insulted everybody was a feedback loop that he needed.” Boele has been critical of the speech, arguing it showed little respect for Fletcher’s constituents. Her statement about it was titled , “Bradfield voters aren’t dopes, Paul”. When I ask how it made her feel, she gives a very teal answer. “It was disappointing, but it wasn’t a surprise. I get very protective, kind of a mum instinct, with the constituents. Like, hang on a second, what do you mean we’re dim-witted? Obviously there were some overtones about the gendered part of it, too, which I didn’t take very nicely to.” Hard Solo and human rights: Why Kylea Tink won’t go quietly Read More Boele ticks all the teal boxes, and then some (for the purposes of my pieces, “teal” refers to climate-focused independents who contest wealthy, Liberal seats , all of whom have so far been white, professional mothers, many of whom have unique names). Raised on the North Shore by socially conscious Dutch parents, along with a “Howard-voting, Hawaiian shirt-wearing, Barker boy” stepdad, Boele has a perfectly teal resume , having spent 35 years working in climate policy and finance. She previously ran a consultancy with her brother, who is now “chief purpose officer” at KPMG. “He’s human rights guy and I’m climate change gal,” she jokes, arguing he was a big influence on her. When Kevin Rudd was prime minister, Boele “had a moment”. After initially thinking Rudd had “got my back on climate”, Labor dismissed the findings of the Garnaut Review , setting a 15% emissions reduction target rather than the 25% science demanded. “I actually went to bed for three months,” says Boele, suggesting it was an early case of climate anxiety. “More and more people were turning up, feeling so overwhelmed, who were deep in the policy world ... And it wasn’t like we didn’t have the technology either. It was the political will.” Boele got back up again, with the help of some experts in postnatal depression. But it was then that she gave up on the policy work she’d been involved in (including lobbying on behalf of the Climate Institute and the Australian Conservation Foundation), turning to green finance, where she’s spent the past 15 years trying to “move money away from the harmful things, towards the really constructive and productive things for our economy and for society.” Like many teals, Boele originally had to be talked into running by her community, citing her voting-age son as a motivating factor. “As a mum, when you tell your kid, ‘don’t bother voting ’cause it’s such a safe seat, nothing’s going to change’...” But it was a chance encounter with Fletcher that cemented her decision, with the MP giving disappointing responses on climate. “There’s that point where you finish being an advocate, trying to change the mind of the parliamentarians, where you just go, ‘bugger it, I’ll just try to become one’.” Julian Leeser braces for the teals, Abbott meets JD Vance, and Kim Williams to sing at RN Xmas party? Read More For someone who had to be talked into running, Boele is now running hard , saying she’s fed up with the Liberals taking their moderate constituents for granted. She’s not concerned about who the Liberals preselect , noting they’ll still be expected to vote the same as Peter Dutton, who is “extremely divisive” on the North Shore. “I thought they would have learnt some lessons from 2022,” she adds, saying she hasn’t put much thought into what the dwindling number of moderates in the Liberal Party will mean. “I’m busy with our hundreds of volunteers, door knocking and having conversations.” As for Fletcher’s “recycled scare campaign,” suggesting people like her are a threat to a majority government ? “The premise that a majority government is a good thing is kind of crazy, given that he’s part of a minority Liberal National party,” she says. “A constructive crossbench can help push the parties on their ambition, on their integrity, and I think it’s a really healthy part of democracy. You move away from ideology, and you move towards what the people of Australia want. And I think that can only be a good thing.” Have something to say about this article? Write to us at letters@crikey.com.au . Please include your full name to be considered for publication in Crikey’s Your Say . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.(The Center Square) – Government attorneys are wrapping up their case with a focus on AT&T and former state Rep. Eddie Acevedo, D-Chicago, at the corruption trial of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and codefendant Michael McClain. Former Illinois state Rep. Michael McClain and former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan separately enter the federal court building in Chicago Wednesday December 11, 2024. Both face corruption charges. Judge John Robert Blakey ruled Wednesday that Acevedo would be required to testify next Monday, despite questions about Acevedo’s competency as a witness. Blakey denied defense attorneys’ motion to quash Acevedo’s subpoena Wednesday morning. Blakey pointed to the distinction between the credibility of the witness and competency to testify. Acevedo’s attorney, Gabrielle Sansonetti, had also sought to prevent Acevedo’s testimony by saying her client had dementia. U.S. government attorneys have introduced evidence showing that Acevedo was paid by AT&T and ComEd for do-nothing jobs. In a separate case, Acevedo was sentenced in 2022 to six months in prison for tax evasion. Lobbyist Thomas Cullen, who worked for Madigan from 1987 to 1999 in both the Speaker’s office and the Democratic Party of Illinois, reported to the witness stand Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors say AT&T made payments to Acevedo through Cullen’s lobbying firm. Cullen said his attorney, Thomas Durkin, requested a non-target letter from the government to indicate that Cullen is not the target of the investigation corresponding with the trial of Madigan and McClain. Cullen called himself a “political junkie” and said he was loyal to the speaker and loyal to Democrats. Cullen said McClain would ask him to go to his clients and request campaign donations for Illinois Democrats in target districts. Government attorney Sarah Streicker displayed a transcript of a recording from Aug. 29, 2018, of McClain asking Cullen, on behalf of “our mutual friend,” to join him and others in donating $1,000 each per month for six months to former Madigan aide Kevin Quinn, who had been dismissed over harassment claims. Cullen said he understood “our mutual friend” to mean Mike Madigan and agreed emphatically to McClain’s request, even though Cullen said there were no unique services that Quinn could provide for him. During the call, McClain said that Madigan would “take care of Kevin” once Madigan was sworn in as speaker. Cullen testified that Kevin Quinn was an effective member of Madigan’s 13th Ward Democratic Organization in Chicago. Cullen said he paid Quinn $1,000 per month for six months. Cullen said he helped AT&T talk with Illinois lawmakers about carrier-of-last-resort legislation. According to Cullen, a COLR bill was AT&T’s No. 1 priority in 2017. The legislation passed that summer. Streicker asked Cullen about Acevedo, who had served as an assistant majority leader for Democratic members of the Illinois House under Madigan until Acevedo left the General Assembly in 2017. Cullen said AT&T did not want Acevedo’s successor, Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, to know that the company was paying Acevedo, because Mah had defeated Acevedo’s son in a contentious campaign. Cullen said he agreed to hire Acevedo even though he did not think Acevedo could add anything of value to his firm. “He wasn’t a serious member of the General Assembly ... I didn’t think he could add anything to my team,” Cullen added. Cullen described a meeting during which Acevedo “got mad” and used “some choice words” because he was upset that AT&T was being “cheap” by only offering him $2,500 per month. Prosecutors called AT&T Illinois employee Barbara Galvin to the witness stand Wednesday morning. Galvin said she has worked in the company’s external and legislative affairs department since 2003. Government attorney Amar Bhachu introduced a 2017 consultant agreement with Cullen’s firm to work under the direction of AT&T President Paul La Schiazza. According to the agreement, Cullen’s firm did not have authority to give gifts or payments directly or indirectly to political officials or parties. Bhachu also displayed an amendment to the deal that raised the payment amount to Cullen’s firm from $7,500 per month to $10,000 per month. Bhachu then introduced an email among AT&T legislative affairs members explaining the increased payments for an additional asset, which Galvin testified was “Eddie Acevedo,” to support House Democratic leadership. Bhachu then showed jurors a document showing AT&T’s sponsorship of a fundraising event for Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness in Chicago “to provide stakeholder opportunities with legislators.” The document included language explaining the $2,500 cost of the event, to align with Aunt Martha’s, was “to position AT&T with state, city and county decision-makers and business leaders.” FBI Special Agent Jennifer Avila followed Galvin to the witness stand and testified about AT&T records related to the company’s efforts to lobby Madigan for telecommunications modernization. Prosecutors introduced several emails over prior objections by the defense teams. In one email, La Schiazza wrote, “In Illinois no bill can get through the legislature and to the Governor without the tacit approval of the all-powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan. He is the longest serving Speaker in the United States and rules the House with an iron fist.” Another email from La Schiazza asked if there was money set aside for Eddie Acevedo. A subsequent email recommended that Acevedo not be contracted directly with AT&T but instead be hired by Cullen’s firm. In a series of emails, AT&T executives indicated that Acevedo “felt insulted” by the company’s consulting offer of $2,500 per month and asked for $3,000 per month. Acevedo eventually accepted the $2500 amount for consulting through Cullen & Associates. Government attorney Julia Schwartz introduced a series of emails from the summer of 2017, after the General Assembly passed legislation favored by AT&T. In one email, the speaker’s son, Andrew Madigan, emailed AT&T officials to invite them to participate in a fundraiser for Aunt Martha’s. La Schiazza suggested that this would not be the last such request and, after some discussion via email, La Schiazza wrote, “We’re on the friends and family plan now.” Connie Mixon, professor of Political Science and director of the Urban Studies Program at Elmhurst University, said defense attorneys might argue that AT&T’s behavior is not unusual. “Most people, most organizations, most corporations try to curry favor with legislators and, importantly, the powerful Speaker of the Illinois House, Michael Madigan,” Mixon told The Center Square. Lobbyist and former Madigan aide Will Cousineau mentioned AT&T in a wiretapped call with McClain on May 25, 2018. “Zalewski was asked to get you language on his small cell item today?” Cousineau asked. “Yeah?” McClain said. “Was that to talk to, to start a discussion with AT&T? And here’s the reason I’m asking: I’ve got a little, uh, COLR relief for little Century Link in there, um, that I would like to hook to anything that moves, and it’s in the language that he got you,” Cousineau said. Former AT&T executive Deno Perdiou began testifying Tuesday afternoon but did not return Wednesday due to what Blakey called “a personal issue.” The court is not scheduled to be in session Thursday or Friday. Trial proceedings are scheduled to resume Monday morning at the Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse in Chicago. Prosecutors indicated that they expect to rest their case Tuesday. Madigan’s defense attorneys suggested they would be ready to begin presenting their case when the government rests. Attorneys mentioned that state Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, might return to the witness stand. Rita testified for about 10 minutes on Oct. 24 but did not return. Bhachu said there are “some things in play” with regard to Rita. Madigan and McClain are charged with 23 counts of bribery, racketeering and official misconduct in connection with a scheme U.S. government attorneys termed, “The Madigan Enterprise.” Prosecutors allege that ComEd and AT&T Illinois gave out no-work or little-work jobs and contract work to those loyal to Madigan to get legislation passed that would benefit them in Springfield. Four ComEd executives and lobbyists were convicted last year in a related trial, and ComEd itself agreed to pay $200 million in fines as part of a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors.
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas. This holiday season, social media influencers are hopping aboard a vintage New York City subway train to travel back in time, taking to TikTok and Instagram to share their outfits and experiences. If you are looking for something unique to do in New York over the holidays, this may be it: You too can ride the New York Transit Museum’s Holiday Nostalgia Train, which operates annual holiday-themed train cars decorated for Christmas in the style of the 1930s. The trains, which depart from the 2 nd Avenue – Houston Street station on the uptown F line and the 96 th Street – 2 nd Avenue station on the Q line, run every Sunday in December. And the cost to ride is just a MetroCard swipe. One user on TikTok posted scenes of festive New Yorkers, some in old wartime vintage suits and women dressed up in circa 1930s outfits, walking through the train cars alongside people in regular clothes. Another TikToker walked her followers through a makeup and clothing tutorial on how to dress for the big event. A third posted a short video of people dancing, a band, people taking photos, and the train’s conductor. | If you’d like to take your own trip, here’s the schedule and the route for the holiday rides: New York holiday train schedule Catch the vintage train between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 15, 22, and 29. The Holiday Nostalgia Train departs from the 2 nd Avenue – Houston Street station on the uptown F line in lower Manhattan at: 10 a.m. 12 p.m. 2 p.m. 4 p.m. The Holiday Nostalgia Train departs from the 96 th Street – 2 nd Avenue station on the Q line at: 11 a.m. 1 p.m. 3 p.m. 5 p.m. New York holiday train route Passengers can board the Holiday Nostalgia Train along its route at any of the stations below: Uptown stops: 2 nd Avenue – Houston Street (F) Broadway – Lafayette Street (D/F, 6) West 4 th Street – Washington Square (A/C/E, D/F) 34 th Street – Herald Square (D/F, N/Q/R) 42 nd Street – Bryant Park (A/C/E, D/F, N/Q/R, S, 7) 47 th – 50 th Streets – Rockefeller Center (D/F) 57 th Street – 6 th Avenue (F) Lexington Avenue – 63 rd Street (F, Q) 72 nd Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) 86 th Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) 96 th Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) Downtown stops: 96 th Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) 86 th Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) 72 nd Street – 2 nd Avenue (Q) Lexington Avenue – 63 rd Street (F, Q) 57 th Street – 6 th Avenue (F) 47 th – 50 th Streets – Rockefeller Center (D/F) 42 nd Street – Bryant Park (A/C/E, D/F, N/Q/R, S, 7) 34 th Street – Herald Square (D/F, N/Q/R) West 4 th Street – Washington Square (A/C/E, D/F) Broadway – Lafayette Street (D/F, 6) 2 nd Avenue – Houston Street (F) The New York subway is having a moment Not to be outdone, celebrities have been taking to social media to document their own outfits underground on the normal New York subway. Last week, pop singer Olivia Rodrigo took Instagram to post her own incredibly chic retro outfit while riding the subway to celebrate her collaboration with Sony Electronics (her outfit, a navy dress with white polka dots, a leopard-print purse, and black Mary Jane shoes, perfectly blended the current “mob-wife aesthetic” with retro schoolgirl trends, according to Cosmopolitan ). It soon went viral. And isn’t that what every social media influencer wants for Christmas? The extended deadline for Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas Awards is this Friday, December 13, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today.
Brown: Indian diplomat pushed back when he used the words "Sikh nation" OTTAWA — Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said foreign interference did not tip the scales in the Conservative party's last leadership race that installed Pierre Poilievre at the helm. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press Dec 5, 2024 3:26 PM Dec 5, 2024 3:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown looks on during the Diwali Mela festival at Sesquicentennial Park in Brampton, Ont., Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said foreign interference did not tip the scales in the Conservative party's last leadership race that installed Pierre Poilievre at the helm. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Lahodynskyj OTTAWA — Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said foreign interference did not tip the scales in the Conservative party's last leadership race that installed Pierre Poilievre at the helm. But he offered up Thursday that he changed some of the language he was using after getting pushback from an Indian diplomat that some of his comments could sound like he was endorsing ideas of Sikh nationalism. Brown, who was a candidate for the leadership in 2022, was summoned to a House of Commons committee Thursday to answer questions on the 2022 race after a report from a committee on national security referred to allegations of Indian interference in an unspecified Conservative leadership campaign. "I don’t believe foreign intervention affected the final outcome of the Conservative leadership race," Brown told the House of Commons public safety and national security committee Thursday. A CBC/Radio-Canada article this week quoted several confidential sources from Brown’s campaign alleging that representatives from India’s consulate interfered to undermine his leadership bid. On Monday, Brown posted on social media about the committee's summons to say that he had no new evidence to add, and that the public inquiry on foreign interference was the proper venue to evaluate the allegations. Brown insisted to the committee Thursday that no members of the Indian government reached out to him or his campaign workers during his leadership bid, saying the relationship was "already very strained" at that point. The CBC News story also contained allegations that his national campaign co-chair Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner was pressured to withdraw her support for Brown — something she denied. When NDP MP Alistair MacGregor quizzed him on the news report, asking why she left the campaign, Brown said she left seeking to launch her own leadership bid to replace UCP leader Jason Kenney in Alberta — not from pressure from India. "At no time when we talked about her departing the campaign did she ever say it was over pressure from the consul general," he said. He said the article likely referred to a conference call more than a month before she left, after the consul general raised concerns with Rempel Garner about Brown using the words "Sikh nation." “The consul general had expressed directly to (Rempel Garner) that, obviously that was something they didn’t agree with, that it could be viewed in nationalistic terms towards the Sikh community," he said. That led him to change the language he was employing to a Punjabi term that he said meant the same thing. Liberal MP Jennifer O'Connell asked if that's "an appropriate election activity by a foreign government,” charging it was a clear instance of foreign interference. Brown replied that Indian officials "have been more robust in their opinions than some of us would be comfortable with.” A bombshell report by the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians into foreign interference released last spring referred to "India’s alleged interference in a Conservative Party of Canada leadership race." Brown said he was not under any kind of non-disclosure agreement with the Conservative Party that prevents him from speaking publicly about what happened during the race. He said he believes it's important to guard against foreign meddling in democracy but that he does not want to get drawn into partisan debates on Parliament Hill. Brown was not included as a witness in the public inquiry into foreign interference, which wrapped up hearings earlier this fall with a final report due in the new year. He was disqualified from the party's 2022 leadership race due to allegations related to financing rules in the Canada Elections Act. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More National News Trudeau, ministers and opposition leaders address AFN gathering in Ottawa Dec 5, 2024 4:02 PM Chief 'disappointed' to see clean water used as a political tactic by Conservatives Dec 5, 2024 3:34 PM Feds outlaw another 324 types of firearms, propose donating guns to Ukraine Dec 5, 2024 3:25 PM Featured FlyerWASHINGTON (AP) — The House shut down Democrats’ efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz , pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It’s unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers only have a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It’s the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee’s five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump’s announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump’s choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg , a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison. ___ Farnoush Amiri, The Associated Press
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The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below."Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.