text:
PoliticsNation, Thursday, August 6th 2015
Read the transcript from the Thursday show
Show: POLITICS NATION
Date: August 6, 2015
Guest: E.J. Dionne; Debbie Wasserman Schultz; Bernie Sanders, Cornell
Belcher, Shira Center, Rich Galen
REV. AL SHARPTON, MSNBC HOST: Tonight, a special edition of "Politics
Nation," fight night in the GOP. One debate ended moments ago. The big
one is yet to come. We`ll go live to Cleveland.
Plus, my interview with Hillary Clinton. She talks about voting, race, the
GOP, and whether she`ll watch the debate.
Also, I`ll talk live to her top Challenger, Senator Bernie Sanders, about
what progressives want to see in this Democratic primary.
Welcome to "Politics Nation." I`m live tonight in Atlanta. We`re just
three hours from the main event of the GOP presidential race, the prime
time debate. But moments ago, the seven candidates who didn`t make the cut
for the big stage faced off in the so-called happy hour debate and they had
plenty to say about the man referred to as the quote "elephant in the room,
Donald Trump."
RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`ve had my issues with Donald
Trump. I talked about Donald Trump from the standpoint of being an
individual who was using his celebrity rather than his conservatism. How
can you run for the Republican nomination and be for single payer health
CARLY FIORINA (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I didn`t get a phone call from
Bill Clinton before I jumped in the race. Did any of you get a phone call
from Bill Clinton? Since he has changed his mind on amnesty on healthcare
and abortion, I would just ask, what are the principles by which he will
SHARPTON: The other candidates had their sights set on Hillary Clinton.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: To all the Americans who
want a better life, don`t vote for Hillary Clinton. You`re not going to
get it. She represents a third term of a failed presidency. WHEN bill
Clinton says it depends on what the meaning of is, is, that means is, is
whatever Bill wants it to mean. When Hillary Clinton tells you I have
given you all the e-mails you need, that means she hasn`t.
GOV. BOBBY JINDAL (R), LOUISIANA: Under President Obama and Secretary
Clinton, they`re working hard to change the American dream into the
European nightmare.
SHARPTON: Earlier today on my radio show, I spoke with Mrs. Clinton about
the Republican field in what was just her second national broadcast
interview. Since she`s launched her campaign, I asked her at this occasion
if she expects them to address voting rights. Tonight on the 50th
anniversary of the voting rights act, would they discuss it?
SHARPTON: Do you hope to see them address this issue since it is on the
anniversary? And I don`t know if you`ll have time to watch the debate. I
know how grueling campaigns can be.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, Al, I don`t think I
need to watch it to know that nearly everybody standing on that stage is
the first or the second debate has either actively sought to limit the
right to vote in their state or supported the efforts to limit the right to
vote, if they were not governors but were in the Congress.
I personally think it is so nakedly partisan to try to limit the electorate
to try to pick and choose who among our fellow citizens should be
encouraged or discouraged from voting. It is part of their electoral
SHARPTON: Voting rights weren`t addressed once in the so-called happy hour
debate. And we`ll have to watch the top ten candidates to see if it comes
up later tonight.
Joining me now is Florida congresswoman and chair of the Democratic
National Committee, Debbie Wasserman Schultz. Also with me is E.J. Dionne
of the "Washington Post." thank you both for being here.
E.J. DIONNE, WASHINGTON POST: Good to be with you, Rev.
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, CHAIRMAN, DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Thanks,
Reverend Al. Great to be here.
SHARPTON: Congresswoman, I want to talk about the debate later tonight in
a moment. But first, your reaction to the first rounds of debates?
SCHULTZ: Well, you know, Reverend Al, first of all, I think it is
important for us to commemorate and acknowledge that this is the 50th
anniversary of the voting rights act. And I wish I could say that I was
surprised it didn`t come up at all in the happy hour debate. And that what
came up was, you know, making sure that we can keep immigrants out of this
country, kick immigrants out of this country who are simply here to try to
make a better way of life for themselves and their family and no mention of
comprehensive immigration reform.
But you know, what I thought was the most interesting even without Donald
Trump on the stage, this entire night is clearly going to be the Republican
debate starring Donald Trump. I mean, they couldn`t even avoid within the
debate that doesn`t feature Donald Trump having the second question that
the candidates were asked be about Donald Trump. And that`s because he is
an absolute reflection of the hard core right wing extremist base of the
Republican Party today. And the line that all of the candidates are
SHARPTON: E.J., you know, Rick Perry and Carly Fiorina were certainly
eager to go after Donald Trump. Did you expect that?
DIONNE: Yes. I was not surprised at all. In fact, I thought of all the
candidates I saw, and I watched good part of it. Fiorina looked more than
any of them like she belonged in the other debate. And I think there was -
there was a terrible affect (ph) to this debate that, you know, they looked
like the discarded people, as a friend of mine said when, you know, on that
weird stage with no audience. But I think that the way the people on that
stage in that happy hour debate would get attention was to attack Donald
Trump. So I was not - I wasn`t surprised that they went after him at all.
SHARPTON: You know, another notable part of the happy hour debate,
congresswoman, was the questioning. I mean, take a listen to what the
candidates were asked.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You recently said that four years ago, you were not
ready for this job. Why should someone vote for you now?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You ran for Senate and lost in California in 2010.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Has your moment passed, Senator?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If the people of Louisiana are not satisfied, what
makes you think the people of this nation would be?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How can they trust you? Based on that record.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He believed the party needed new blood. Does he have
a point?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ran for the White House once and lost. You ran for
the Senate and lost. You haven`t held public office in 13 years.
SHARPTON: Congresswoman, help me here. Are the candidates being asked to
say, or prove that they`re not losers?
SCHULTZ: Well, you know, I think the bottom line here, Reverend Al, is
that no matter whether it is the ten on the stage at 9:00 tonight or the
other seven that were on the stage at 5:00. They`re really as
interchangeable as Legos. I mean, there`s really no appreciable difference
from any of these -- between any of these candidates. They are all for
repealing the affordable care act. They all, you know, support a position
that focuses exclusively on border security and it would ignore the polite
of families who are just here as immigrants trying to make a better way of
life for themselves. They all would roll back the progress of health care
in America. They would all cut taxes for the wealthiest, most fortunate
Americans and to heck with the middle class. So it really doesn`t matter
which stage and what time they were on debating.
But what I did think was interesting was that these guys at 5:00 should
have been trying to figure out how to position themselves against one
another. And instead just focused on Hillary Clinton. I mean, they
actually have to try to get themselves to the main debate stage for the
next time. And I just was a little surprised that none of them actually
talked about why they would be a better nominee than any of the other
people on the stage or on the stage at 9:00 tonight.
SHARPTON: Now E.J., another answer that caught my attention was when Rick
Santorum was asked about same-sex marriage in terms of the Supreme Court
decision. Listen to this.
RICK SANTORUM (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is not any more than Dread
Scott was set a law to Abraham Lincoln when his first inaugural address
said it won`t stand. And they went ahead and passed laws in direct
contravention to a rogue Supreme Court. This is a rogue Supreme Court
SHARPTON: Comparing marriage equality to Dread Scott?
DIONNE: Yes. That was astonishing. You know, I guess any decision you
don`t like, you`re attempted to compare to Dread Scott. But the notion of
giving, you know, against the Lesbians this right versus slavery, a
decision that enshrine slavery in the entire country, it was really
remarkable. But I think it was clear what Rick Santorum`s strategy is
which is the first thing he wants to try to do is to corral the most
socially conservative people in the Republican Party. And that worked for
him the last time around. It didn`t seem to work for him here.
In terms of your earlier question, by the way, about those really tough
questions thrown at these candidates. I`m all for tough candidates to
questions in the debate. But I hope the people on the other stage get
questions like that too. Because otherwise FOX first picked a method that
marginalized these people and then invited them in to be insulted. It`s
kind of odd.
SHARPTON: You know, congresswoman, the questions the candidates faced were
interesting. The questions so far that went over the hour. Here`s what
they were questioned about. Three questions on the economy, two on
immigration, two on healthcare, seven on foreign policy or terrorism, and
zero on Hillary Clinton, though the candidates brought her up on their own.
I mean, do you think we`ll see a similar breakdown tonight? And what do
you make of it?
SCHULTZ: I do. I think that there is an obsession with Hillary Clinton.
And these candidates wanted to do everything but talk about their own
policy positions or contrast themselves with one another.
I do want to go back to the shocking response that Senator Santorum had on
Dred Scott decision compared to the same-sex marriage decision. You know,
look at the field here. I mean, it is cringe-worthy but should not be
surprising in a field where just a couple weeks ago you have Mike Huckabee
who is on the stage at 9:00 tonight who wouldn`t rule out that he would use
federal troops to stop women from being able to access abortion. And now
Rick Santorum suggests that the same-sex marriage Supreme Court decision is
similar to the way Abraham Lincoln thought of Dred Scott.
Let me point out, the Dread Scott decision actually constricted rights and
denied people`s rights. And the same-sex marriage decision expanded them.
That`s the problem with the Republican party of today. They would
constrict rights, they would deny justice as they have repeatedly done and
any one of these guys who would ultimately be their nominee would make life
worse, not better for people who are simply trying to reach the middle
class. And that`s the basic message and the contrast we`ll have through
the campaign.
SHARPTON: Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz and E.J. Dionne. Thank
you both for you time.
DIONNE: Good to be with you, Revered.
SCHULTZ: Thank you, Reverend Al.
SHARPTON: Still ahead, I`ll talk with presidential candidate Bernie
Sanders. We`ll talk about this display from the Republicans, and what he
expects from the Democratic debates.
Plus, more from my interview with Hillary Clinton, including a look at
criminal justice, voting rights and race in America.
And of course the big debate is still to come. What will Donald Trump do?
Big show ahead, stay with us.
SANTORUM: We need to do is take the rest of the federal entitlements, not
just welfare but food stamps and Medicaid and housing programs and do the
same thing we did with welfare. Work requirements and time limits. That
will change everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two big regulations like the EPA too much new taxes on
business that we have seen and Obamacare. These drags on the economy.
JINDAL: I don`t think anybody should be expanding Medicaid. I think it is
a mistake to create a more expensive entitlement programs when we can`t
afford the ones we have today. We have to stop this culture of government
SHARPTON: Welcome back to our special coverage of the 2016 Republican
The candidates are putting their check agendas out there for everyone to
see and judge. And there`s no question that economic future of this
country and the fight for fairness are going to be huge issues in both the
Republican and Democratic primaries, as well as the general election.
Joining me now is senator Bernie Sanders who is running for the Democratic
presidential nomination. First of all, thanks for being here tonight.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My pleasure.
SHARPTON: Senator, what do you think about the economic ideas we`re
hearing from the GOP field?
SANDERS: You know, Al, it is amazing how right wing extremist the modern
Republican Party has become. At the end of the day, what these guys
believe is that at a time of massive wealth and income inequality, you need
to give huge tax breaks to billionaires and to large corporations.
At a time when the middle class is shrinking, we`ve got 45 million people
living in poverty, what they want to do is cut Social Security, cut
Medicare or privatize Medicare, voucherize it. They want to make massive
cuts to Medicaid. They want to throw millions of people off health
insurance by ending the affordable care act. Some of them want to
eliminate the concept of the minimum wage. They want to end the
environmental protection agency.
This is an extreme right wing party funded by the Koch brothers and other
billionaires. They are not representing anything more than a small number
of Americans.
SHARPTON: You know, I remember you floated the idea of debates involving
both Democratic and Republican candidates. How would that change what
we`re seeing tonight?
SANDERS: What I think, Al, is the Republicans literally get away with
murder because people don`t know what their agenda is. Nobody knows that
their budget through 27 million people off Medicare --off health care.
Nobody knew that they cut that Pell grants by $90 billion. .Nobody knows
that $250 billion in tax breaks at the top, two-tenths of one percent.
They have got to be confronted. The American people want economic policies
to protect working families, not millionaires and billionaires. They want
to raise the minimum wage. They don`t want to do away with the concept of
the minimum wage. They want to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. They
want to make public colleges and universities tuition free. They want to
expand the ability of people to vote, not go forward with voter suppression
and undermining the voting rights act. They want immigration reform, not
throw people out of the country.
The Republican agenda is so right wing. I don`t think it represents more
than 10, 15 percent of the American people. We have to confront them on
that and having debates with them would allow us to do that.
SHARPTON: All right. Let`s talk about the Democratic campaign. I spoke
with Secretary Clinton today on my radio show. And I want to play you some
of what she said about voting rights.
CLINTON: I can tell you, whoever I sit across from in the debates in the
general election, I will be raising this because this is such a fundamental
constitutional right. The best way to repudiate this, in addition to the
lawsuits and the efforts we need to undertake, and when I`m president,
appoint the Supreme Court justice who`s care more about protecting an
individual`s right to vote than a billionaire`s right to buy an election,
is for people to turn out and vote.
SHARPTON: Whoever she sits across from in general debate, appointing
Supreme Court justices when she`s president. Do you think Secretary
Clinton is getting a little ahead of herself, senator?
SANDERS: Maybe. She`s going to have to win the Democratic primary and
caucus process. And that`s not for certain. I think our campaign is
gaining a whole lot of momentum, Al, not just in New Hampshire and Iowa,
but all over the country. We`re heading to the west coast this weekend. I
think we are going to do events in Seattle, Portland, L.A. I would be
surprised if we don`t have tens of thousands or more out in each of these
But I think on the issue of voting right, let me just say this. I`m a
politician. I run in a lot of elections. Sometimes I win, most of the
times I win, sometime I`ve lost. It has never occurred to me for one
second that the way to win an election is to make it impossible for people
to disagree with me to vote.
People who hold that view, who don`t have the guts to fight for their ideas
but who think they should win elections by making it impossible for people
of color, for poor people, for old people to vote, they are cowards. They
are political cowards who do not have the confidence that their ideas can
win. And they use simply brute force to keep people from voting.
If there is anything I can think of that is not only disgraceful but un-
American, it is those people who are trying to keep Americans from voting.
We have to stand up to them. I`ve just introduced legislation that call
for universal voter registration. We are way behind many other countries
in terms of making it easy for people to register. That`s what we have to
do. We need to pass real campaign finance reform. Not only over overturn
citizens united but move the public funding of elections. I want to see
America have the highest voter turnout of any major country, not one of the
SHARPTON: Senator, today the Democratic National Committee announced its
debate`s schedule, first debate in Nevada, October 13th, a total of six
debate. What in those debates do you most want to debate your opponents,
Secretary Clinton, former governor O`Malley? What is the distinguishing
differences you want to debate them on and bring out to the American public
particularly Democratic primary and caucus votes?
SANDERS: Well, I think Secretary Clinton and I have many very serious
disagreements. I am strongly supportive of expanding Social Security, not
cutting it. I don`t know that the secretary has voiced an opinion on that.
I oppose the Trans pacific partnership and have been opposed to a series of
disasters trade agreements which have cost us millions of jobs. I am
strongly on opposed to the keystone pipeline because I think the climate
change is one of the most significant global issues facing us. We should
not be excavating and transporting some of the dirtiest fuel on earth. I
voted against the USA patriot act. I believe that terrorism is a serious
threat, but I don`t think we have to undermine our constitution and privacy
rights. The secretary voted for it.
Bottom line, though, is I think that if we`re going to expand the million
class, if we are going to lower poverty, if we are going to provide health
care to all Americans. We need a strong grassroots political movement to
stand up to the billionaire class, to stand off to Wall Street. That`s
what I have been doing for my entire political life. Standing up to the
most powerful special interests in this country. People will have to judge
for themselves whether that is Secretary Clinton`s record.
SHARPTON: Senator Bernie Sanders. Thank you for your time this evening.
SANDERS: Thank you.
SHARPTON: Ahead, the president today marked the 50th anniversary of the
voting rights act. Will Republicans make a single reference to it tonight?
SHARPTON: The main event is just under three hours away. We want to know
who you think will win the debate. Head over to our Facebook page to vote
on which of the top ten candidates you think will come out ahead tonight?
Cast your vote now and we`ll show you the results later in the show.
SHARPTON: In just about two hours, the main event for the 2016 GOP debate
will get underway. In 2012, these Republican debates showcased the more
extreme radical side of the candidates and the crowds.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you saying that society should just let him die?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The answer is self-
deportation. People decide they can do better by going home because they
can`t find work here because they don`t have legal documentation to allow
them to work here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In 2010 when I was deployed to Iraq, I had to lie about
who I was because I`m a gay soldier. I didn`t want to lose my job. My
question is, under one of your presidencies do you intend to circumstance
up vent the progress made for gay and lesbians in the military?
SHARPTON: But no matter their party, these primary debates give candidates
a chance to make headlines and hit each other with some friendly fire.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You`re likable enough,
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I hear your new ideas, I`m reminded of that ad,
where`s the beef?
ROMNEY: I will tell you what? Ten thousand bucks? Ten thousand dollar
RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m not in the betting business.
It`s three agencies of government when I get there that are gone.
Commerce, education and -- and the -- what is the third one there? Let`s
see. Let`s see. I can`t. The third one. I can`t. Sorry. Oops.
SHARPTON: What kind of fireworks will we see tonight from Donald Trump?
That`s ahead.
SHARPTON: Welcome back. There was one gaping hole in the GOP`s so-called
happy hour debate. The candidates got zero questions on voting rights,
zero questions on policing and zero questions on civil rights. Now
consider that the debate`s own sponsor, Facebook released its poll showing
the top five most talked about topics. Number one, is racial issues ahead
of Mexico, the economy, LGBT issues and immigration. It`s top of mind at
an urgent time. Today marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the
voting rights act. A law that has come under increasing attack from the
right. I talked about that attack during my interview with Hillary Clinton
today. And I asked her if she thought voting rights would even come up at
the GOP debates.
HILLARY CLINTON (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I expect them all to give lip
service to the idea that has been disproved repeatedly by which they use to
justify their partisan goals. Namely, that there is this massive amount of
voter fraud going on. Every independent group that has ever looked at this
issue has concluded the same way which is that is just not true. But it
doesn`t to that them from trotting it out and trying to justify the
unjustifiable. So I doubt that in this first debate, they will be asked to
justify their support for restrictions on the franchise.
SHARPTON: We also talked about where she stands on criminal justice
CLINTON: I believe we need to end the era of mass incarceration. If you
compare arrest records in, you know, in charging of crimes, in convicting
of crimes, in sentencing for crimes. You compare African-American men to
white men, it is as unfortunately clear as it could be that there is a bias
in favor of white men. I think the best guide to what we should do, you
can find in the recommendations of President Obama`s task force on
policing. They provide a really good road map for reforms.
SHARPTON: These are important issues. And we need to hear where Democrats
and Republicans stand on them.
Joining me now are Cornell Belcher, a democratic pollster. Shira Center, a
political reporter for the "Boston Globe." And Rich Galen, a republican
strategist. Thank you for being here.
CORNELL BELCHER, DEMOCRATIC POLLSTER: Thanks for having us.
RICH GALEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: Thanks for having us.
SHIRA CENTER, POLITICAL REPORTER, "BOSTON GLOBE": Thanks.
SHARPTON: Cornell, what do you make of Republicans not talking about
voting on the anniversary of the voting rights act?
BELCHER: Well, strategically I understand for the small ball. And when
they`re talking about the republican primary voters and Republicans who
vote in caucuses. You know, it is a soft spot for them. It`s a sour spot
for them. Because they are so wrong on this from where the mainstream is
on this. And praise to the court today that said, what we`ve been saying a
long time is that the Texas voter identification law discriminates against
Blacks and Hispanics is what many of us said. But these are the laws that
Republicans have been putting in place and they have been supporting and
fighting for. Now, long term, look, you know, I`m pretty good at math.
But every presidential election cycle the electorate gets probably about
two percent more brown. Long term this is going to absolutely hurt the
Republican Party that they`re not engaging it. And when they do engage it,
Rev, they`re on the wrong side of this. They can`t be on the wrong side of
this issue when an American electorate that every election cycle is going
browner and arguably younger.
SHARPTON: You know, Rich, was this a missed opportunity for the moderators
and the candidates? If they feel they`re not on the wrong side as Cornell
stated and I`ve stated and others. Would it have been an opportunity for
them to clarify even to their own base why they take these positions? Do
you think anyone will bring it up tonight?
GALEN: Now they probably will. Because you made a big deal about it. So,
I suspect somebody at FOX is scratching something out and putting this in
which is fine with me. Let me tell you a quick story. Way back in the
early 1980s. I was a press secretary for young senator from Indiana name
Dan Quayle. And the voting rights act was coming up for renewal. And his
position was, he was going to vote for the renewal of it because at the
same time, you remember, there was a big deal about block grants that
President Reagan was pushing for very hard. And Quayle thought that if
you`re going to have block grants, that local people get to decide where
this money is going to be used. They have to be able to vote so that they
can get positions on city councils, county commissions and things like
that. So, I mean, I think it is an easy call for a republican, even a
conservative republican to make a really good case for being in favor of
this stuff. If I was advising anybody, I would say don`t run away with
from it. Embrace it.
SHARPTON: Shira, you know they day President Obama mark the 50th
anniversary of the voting rights act, and call on Congress to take action
to restore the law. Listen.
PRES. BARACK OBAMA (D), UNITED STATES: In the abstract, at least,
everybody today believes in the right to vote. Conceptually everybody is
in favor -- of the right to vote.
In practice, we`ve still got problems. One order of business is for our
Congress to pass an updated version of the voting rights act.
SHARPTON: So, Shira, are Republicans candidates going to have to deal with
this sooner rather than later?
CENTER: Well, it would be really interesting to hear than deal with it
tonight on the 50th anniversary of it. Because I do think they might give
some different answers to it. And if you look at Congress, there is
bipartisan support for redoing that portion of the voting rights act again.
So, some Republicans do support this. And I would be interested to see if
any of the Republicans on stage tonight`s debate might support renewing the
voting rights act in full.
SHARPTON: Several 2016 candidates have talked about prison reform,
Cornell. Listen to this
RAND PAUL (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let`s show compassion. Let`s
reform our criminal justice system.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The idea that we lock people up, throw them away, never
give them a chance at redemption is not what America is about.
SEN. TED CRUZ (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We should not live in a world
of les miserable where a young man finds his entire future taken away by
excessive mandatory minimums.
SHARPTON: Shouldn`t these debates be an opportunity for Republicans to
speak out about these issues, Shira?
CENTER: Yes. I absolutely think that this is a good issue for Republicans
to discuss. It is a good thing that the party should flesh out where it is
on this because, it is an issue about mandatory minimums, it`s an issue
about economic opportunity, when you talk about the number of people who
have to serve this mandatory minimums. This affects their earning power
for the rest of their lives. It is a law enforcement issue and Republicans
traditionally get a lot of support from law enforcement groups when they
run up and down the ballot. So, it is an important issue for the party to
discuss and talk about for so many different reasons in the context. And I
think the first person who will talk about it tonight, if I had to guess,
U.S. Senator Rand Paul. This is an issue he`s talking about it before. He
has brought this up. He is very proud of this fact. I would be the first
one to tell you that, I would be surprised if he did not bring it up
SHARPTON: All right. I`m going to ask my panel to stay with me. Coming
up, will they be cautious or will they throw caution to the wind? And what
can we expect from Donald Trump?
SHARPTON: Will the candidates be cautious or will they mix it up? And how
will they handle Donald Trump? The top ten republican candidates will be
front and center tonight. And one thing we know, they`ve been preparing
hard behind the scenes. A new viral video proves it.
GOV. SCOTT WALKER (R-WI), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: For a debate, I go out
and run. It`s a great way to relax. You can`t take any phone calls. You
are not reading e-mails. You`re not looking online. You are just out
running and that clears your mind.
JEB BUSH (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Before the debate, I normally call
my mom to get advice. Hey, mom, I can`t say that on television.
MARCO RUBIO (R), FLORIDA SENATORIAL CANDIDATE: What is Megyn Kelly going
to ask at the FOX debate?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let me check on that.
SHARPTON: But tonight, the fun ends and the glove comes off. Several
candidates have already posted videos to Facebook showing what they would
ask each other if they were in charge of tonight`s debate questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a question for all the republican candidates in
the debate on Thursday. Which candidate do you admire the most?
GOV. CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), NEW JERSEY: Please give me your specific plan to
reform entitlements in our country.
PAUL: Don`t you think we would be better off not electing another career
DONALD TRUMP (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: How are you going to make
America great again?
SHARPTON: A lot of questions. Soon we`ll start getting answers.
Back with me is our panel. Cornell, Shira and Rich. Rich, are these
candidates going to be cautious or will they mix it up tonight?
GALEN: Well, that`s a great question. Here`s what I think may will
happen. I think if there is any mixing to be upped, that it will probably
be aimed at Bush or Walker. Not at Trump. Because, first of all, you have
to get past those two guys to get to Trump. So, that`s the first thing.
You want to knock him down. Number two is that, I think that these may be
intimidated by Donald Trump. They do not want to necessarily get him to
focus his firearm then. You know, Perry did that a couple weeks ago in a
speech and it backfired and it didn`t help him at all. So, I suspect that
they will though. I suspect it will be not aimed at Donald Trump, aimed at
Bush and then probably Walker.
SHARPTON: Cornell, what do you expect from Donald Trump?
BELCHER: I think, look. I mean, the debate prep is something I`ve done
before in presidential primaries. I think it depends on who`s in your
lane. I think if you`re a Mike Huckabee or you are a Rick Santorum, Bush
isn`t so much in your lane. He`s not so much in your lane. Bush has got
this lane where he`s, you know, trying to be the moderate middle of the
road republican. But if you are in the lane where you want to go for the
far right and that cohort, I think you might see Donald Trump in your lane.
Donald Trump has clearly owned that resentment anti-establishment core
grouping of other republican primary voters. And if he`s in your lane, at
some point, he may not do it tonight. But at some point, if you`re going
to own that lane, you`re going to have to take Donald Trump on. I think a
lot of them will sit back and wait for Donald Trump to self-explode
tonight. But I have a feeling Donald Trump is going to let him down.
SHARPTON: Now, when Cornell says, let him down, Shira, Donald Trump by
many people`s analysis has risen based on anger and anti-establishment and
a lot of dissatisfaction. If he comes off too tame, if he comes off
presidential as we say, where he is not expressing that anger, that
discontent, will he risk disappointing his base and those that have been
supporting him feel, well, now he`s getting like everybody else. He just
used us to get to center stage.
CENTER: You know, I have believe that if you made it this far with Donald
Trump and you`re a Donald Trump supporter right now, you`re not going to
let him go because he was a little too tame at a republican debate with
nine other Republicans on stage. I just don`t see it happening. But I do
think that is an interesting prediction. James kind of wrote about it this
morning for the globe. It is highly possible Donald Trump could be the
most boring man on stage tonight. And why would he do that? Well, it`s
because for him, it is not really as much about the message as the
messenger. If he can show he is kind of competent even the slightest bit
presidential, it`s going to lead every single news story tomorrow. What
if, oh my gosh, he talks about policy, he talks about the debt crisis, he
brings in kind of international monetary policy into it, everyone is going
to be amazed and then maybe Donald Trump will get what he says he`s wanted
the entire time which is for the media to take him seriously.
SHARPTON: But if he does that, Rich, and he starts talking policy and he
starts talking legislation, and he messes it up because he seems to have
had problems with some facts and some of the things we pointed out. Will
he make himself look worse?
GALEN: Well, there is a middle ground. I don`t disagree with anything
anybody has said tonight. But again, we`re talking about this one two-hour
block later tonight. And I think that I agree that what Trump has to do,
he has got to expand. He has got to expand his base. He has to expand the
people that will take him seriously. I mean, as I said in -- this morning,
he has to get away from being seen as a balloon float in the Macy`s
Thanksgiving Day Parade. He has to show some level of solemnity. That
doesn`t mean that he has to be, you know, he does have to the guy that can
balance the budget and go toe to toe with OMB but he does have to show that
he`s got an interest in talking about difficult issues in a serious way as
opposed to just kind of trying to bowl over everybody but we`ll see.
SHARPTON: Cornell, if you are advising Jeb Bush and Scott Walker, what
would you tell them to do tonight, who should they go after or what should
their behavior be? What policy should they try and raise and become the
proponents of?
BELCHER: That`s a really good question, Rev. One of the things that if
I`m advising Jeb Bush, and I think it may be a little different for Scott
Walker, but if I am advising Jeb Bush, I`m having him stay as far away from
the Trump stuff as possible. He has got to look like the adult on the
stage for that moderate middle swath of the republican electorate. He has
got to be their guy. He has to own that space. Stay as far away from the
Trump surface as possible and be substantive. But also, this isn`t just
about substance. I hate to sort of drop this on you all but voters
actually vote for people that they like. And they vote for people they
like regardless of some of the other things.
So, I think Jeb Bush more so than Trump or any other candidates has to
emote something. Has to emote a quality that is likable. You can say what
you will about Ronald Reagan. People liked Ronald Reagan. You can say
what you about George Bush. But George Bush was the guy that people want
to have a beer with more they want to have a beer with Al Gore. I think
Jeb`s problem right now isn`t substance. His problem is right now, people
look at him and they go --
SHARPTON: Shira, you mentioned those that have come this far with Donald
Trump are not going to leave him over maybe one debate. But what do you
think they expect from him tonight?
CENTER: Well, I don`t think they`ll leave him over a tepid performance at
a debate. If he completely blows it, you know, that`s a whole other thing.
But if he just tries to prove some policy bonafides and I don`t think his
supporters will going to be that mad at him. I think his supporters
tonight want to see him get a little agitated. They want to see him get,
you know, talk about, rail against career politicians, which will be very
easy for him because they will be on his left and on his right. So, I
think they want to see him get a little bit excited but probably not
SHARPTON: I`m out of time. But I have to ask you this, Rich. Who has the
most to lose tonight?
GALEN: I think probably Bush has the most to lose. He`s been a little bit
rocky here in the last week or ten days. But the guy that I think has the
most to gain and may well have the most to gain is John Kasich of Ohio who
got into this thing about a month ago. Climbed over the seven people that
just had to debate at the 5:00 hour. And I think as more people see him in
this kind of a mix-up with the other, you know, first and second-tier
candidates, they may say, well, that`s a guy I haven`t thought of before.
So, I think he has got the bias upside potential.
SHARPTON: Cornell, Shira and Rich, thank you, all of you, for your time
GALEN: Thank you.
BELCHER: Thank you.
SHARPTON: It is going to be interesting. No doubt about it.
Coming up, we`ll be back with the results from our online poll. Who do you
think will win tonight? Stay with us.
SHARPTON: Earlier we asked who you think will win tonight`s main event.
The results are in. Forty five percent of you went with Donald Trump.
Twenty five percent said Jeb Bush. Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee both
tied with 10 percent apiece and Scott Walker and Ben Carson tied with five
percent each. We`ll be right back with what these candidates are likely
doing in these final hours before the debate.
SHARPTON: Just a couple hours to go. Time to sweat for these candidates
as they go through their final debate prep. There will be people advising
them. There will be the experts, the managers. But none of them have to
go on that stage. The one that I would predict breaks through tonight is
the ones that do not see the American people. Do not see the voters in the
republican primaries as the back drop. And only talk to their opponents or
talk to the media. But the ones that talk to the American people, address
them. Don`t treat the public like they`re peeking through your window
watching something as an impostor. The one that treats the public like
they`re guests in your living room and you`re talking to them and it is
about them. That`s the one that will break through.
Thanks for watching. I`m Al Sharpton. A special two-hour edition of
"HARDBALL" starts right now.
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text: Book 1 from a set of 3 books. This volume includes: 1-The women of light…where they women from earth or from heaven? 2-How did they look, the first humans who were created by the Anunnaki or other extraterrestrial races? 3-On one world government, Anunnaki's return, DNA contamination by the Grays and hybrids' interbreeding program. 4-Entrances

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This page introduces a number of QuickStart guides designed to get you started with V-Ray for SketchUp.
Exterior Lighting
Covers ways to use a variety of V-Ray Lights for both day and night renders for an exterior scene.
Environmental Lighting and Aerial Perspective
Covers the basics on using Sun and Sky Aerial Perspective in V-Ray for SketchUp.
Nighttime Exterior Lighting
Lighting techniques for an evening architectural exterior scene using V-Ray's Sun and Sky System.


text:
Cooking the Perfect Roast Beef
The following method is pretty much fool proof when roasting a loin of beef. For all my 28 years on this planet we always have Sunday lunch without fail, its the longest standing tradition in my parents house. Sunday lunch would invariably be roast beef, roast chicken or stuffed steaks. I love this tradition my parents have passed on from their parents and I will continue this when I start my own family. I think Sunday lunch is when I first learned to cook, peeling veg, helping with desserts it was the beginning of my chance to play in the kitchen. For years my parents would buy a housekeepers cut of beef or a silver side in Dunnes, this would quite often be dry or tough until one year my grandfather Bill suggested my parents buy a cut called the "eye of the round".
This is a tender cut of beef from the hind quarter of the cow, and is extremely lean. Nonetheless when my dad started cooking this for Sunday lunch it was a million times better than previous cuts. However because my mum hates rare meat, my dad would always have to cook the meat within an inch of its life which would result again in a dry well done piece of meat. In steps myself a few months ago to change things around for the first time to my dad's and Steve's joy. I agreed with that we would cut my mum off a piece as a steak before cooking, so she could have that well done and we could cook the roast beef as rare possible. Everyone was pleased with the plan, and ever since then we have the most incredible roast beef each time. You will need to specifically go to your butcher for this cut of meat as it will not work with any other cut with the exception maybe a fillet loin, the butcher always have it as very few people ask for this cut, oh and you will need a really good serrated knife.
1 Eye of the Round Beef Loin - 4/5 pounds in weight at room temperature
Knob of Butter
Sea Salt
Fresh ground black pepper.
1) Pre heat your oven to 210C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
2) Trim the sinew off the loin and any extra fat.
3) Roll the loin in salt and pepper so its evenly coated.
4) Heat a frying pan, adding your butter and glug of oil to prevent the butter burning.
5) Fry the loin on all sides in the pan to seal in the juices.
6) Once browned transfer to a roasting dish and roast for 35 mins.
7) Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 20 mins, this will allow the meat to relax and stop fibers contracting from the cooking process.
8) Cut in to thin slices and serve with the usual Sunday lunch fare.
Now I have kept the above as simple as possible as its for Sunday lunch, this recipe produces the finest cooked piece of meat you will ever serve up.
Here's what an "Eye of the round" looks like before cooking just so you know what it should look like when in the butchers.
Thanks for reading


text:
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text:
I was recently tagged by the wonderful Courtney Pippin-Mathur to participated in a global book tour called The Next Big Thing. The idea originated in Australia and is basically a cool way for authors and/or illustrators to promote their next or latest book.
On to the questions!
1) What is the working title of your next book?
The title of the latest book I illustrated is "Goodnight Baseball" (Capstone Young Readers, March 2013).
2) Where did the idea come from for the book?
"Goodnight Baseball" book was wonderfully written by Michael Dahl, but I can tell you some of the ideas that went into the illustrations! The book is written in a way that evokes childhood memories of a day at the ballpark, so the Art Director really wanted to incorporate an overall vintage look to the book while keeping it contemporary at the same time. One of the main ways we decided to do this, was to use a color palette similar to that of old baseball cards and other baseball ephemera.
3) What genre does your book fall under?
The book is definitely a picture book aimed at little ones aged 4-8. It's a perfect bedtime read!
4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Oooh! Such a great question! There's only two main characters: I think the dad would be played well by Adam Sandler (not in super-silly mode) and I'm sure there's no shortage of cute little boys out there who would be ideal to play the main character!
5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
"Goodnight Baseball" is a warm and gentle book portraying the bond between a boy and his dad as they create life-long memories during a day at the ballpark.
6) Who is publishing your book?
Capstone Young Readers published the book in March of 2013.
7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
From the illustration end, this book was done on a pretty quick turnaround. It was somewhere in the region of three months from start to finish.
8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
There are a few books "Goodnight Baseball" would pair up with wonderfully. Obviously, "Goodnight Moon" is one and "Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site" is another. All great books for winding down the day.
9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?
As the illustrator, there were a few things that constantly played in my mind. One is the movie "A League of Their Own". The color palette of that movie screams "vintage baseball" to me and I used a lot of similar reds and greens from that movie in my illustrations. Another inspiration was the memories I have of spending time at Dodger Stadium with my family. Attending baseball games at dusk during an awesome summer evening in Los Angeles provides some serious inspiration!
10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?
The book really is designed amazingly well. The Art Director, Bob Lentz, really went to town adding really great details and touches to the covers, endpapers and title page. Also, the story is really so sweet, it's going to make the reader want to snuggle up to their nearest loved one!
A big "thank you!" to Courtney Pippin-Mathur for inviting me to participate! Check out her new book, "Maya was Grumpy" in stores now!
To keep the ball rolling here, I'm tagging my wonderful fellow SCBWI Mentees Eliza Wheeler and Andrea Offerman.
Eliza is very, very close to the birth of her book, "Miss Maple's Seeds" which she wrote and illustrated!
And Andrea recently illustrated "The Broken Lands", written by Kate Milford. Go check them out!
Hello everyone! I've been having a great week, how about you? I've had some fun things going on lately: the latest book I illustrated, Goodnight Baseball, was officially released, I landed a fun, new project (I'll talk more about this later) and an interview I did is out!
The fabulously talented and crafty illustrator Jane Smith interviewed little ol' me on her blog! She's doing an amazing series of monthly interviews of which I am so happy to be a part of. She asked me lots of questions about illustration stuff, like process, agents and balancing life and work. Check. It. Out!
Her blog is at birdmeetsworm.blogspot.com and you can find her fun art at superjane.com!
Also, this Sunday I'm going to be attending the SCBWI-L.A. Writer's Day event. It's my first writing conference (I've been to lots of illustrators events though) and I'm super excited to learn from some pretty amazing industry folks!
Talk soon!
SCBWI Mentorship Interview
Good afternoon here from gorgeous southern California! Just a quick check-in to tell you about the group blog I am now a part of called KidLitArtists. It was founded by the 2010 winners of the SCBWI Illustration Mentorship Award and they have graciously allowed us 2011 winners to join them! A little interview of how the mentorship has influenced my work is now up at the site. Check it out!
About Me:
I am an illustrator for the children's market as well as a mother of two little ones. Sleep is for suckers!
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May 2014


text:
MSNBC is reporting that Anna Nicole Smith may have had surgery to repair a breast implant prior to her unfortunate death. According to their source, she was prescribed multiple pain medicines to help her cope with the pain from the surgery.
Other story credit: Make Me Heal.com, TMZ.com
Michigan-based Plastic Surgeon
Anthony Youn, M.D.:
The Premiere Site For Celebrity Plastic Surgery By A Real Plastic Surgeon
I'm a Michigan-based Board Certified Plastic Surgeon who has been featured on Dr. 90210. The info here is my opinion alone and should not be taken as fact or as medical advice. I've not treated any of the celebrities presented here.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Anna Nicole Smith
Posted by Dr. Tony Youn at 8:13 PM
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text:
So, what's the big deal about grass-fed and grass-finished meat? Grain-fed animals produce meat and dairy products dramatically higher in dangerous, inflammation-producing omega-6 fats. Simultaneously, grain-fed animals are deficient in the healthy, heart-protective, immune-enhancing, and brain-friendly omega-3s. It is these such alterations in fat ratios that translate directly into the health issues we fear most, such as coronary artery disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and more.
There is a significant difference between "conventionally" raised meat from feedlots and "100% grass-fed" meat raised in open pastures. Nearly all calves are fed grass at some point in their lives, yet they lose omega-3 fatty acids as soon as they start eating grain. Additionally, grain-fed animals have lower levels of calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as lower levels of beta-carotene and vitamins C and E. The bottom line is that grazing animals are meant to eat grass, and the lack of fiber in their diets not only affects their health: it greatly diminishes the nutritional content of the meat for human consumers.
It can be difficult to find a reliable source of quality, 100% grass-fed meat, beef that's never been treated with hormones or antibiotics or fed GMO grain. Know your facts and, even more importantly, go to the right source to ensure you are getting what you paid for.


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On Wednesday evening, I attended a public lecture by noted historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, in which she talked about her recently-released book, A House Full of Females: Plural Marriage and Women's Rights in Early Mormonism, 1835-1870. We have a review of the book forthcoming here at JI (spoiler alert: it's good and you all should read it), as well as a Q&A with Dr. Ulrich, but for now I wanted to reflect on the final four words of the book's title: "Early Mormonism, 1835-1870."
As someone who has published articles dealing with early Mormon history, I was at first surprised to see Ulrich extend that undefined period all the way to 1870. My sense is that "early Mormon history" has traditionally referred to that phase of the movement's existence covering its beginnings up to and through Joseph Smith's death in 1844. When Brigham Young assumed leadership of the largest body of surviving Latter-day Saints and led them west to the Great Basin, the movement entered into a new era, something distinct from early Mormonism. My own master's thesis, which I introduced as a study of "early Mormon religiosity," covered only up to 1838, "when the Latter-day Saints moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and the church experienced a transformation in its theology, worship practices, and organizational structure."
A House Full of Females is not the only recent effort to extend the timeline of early Mormon history, though. Though the title of JI alum Max Mueller's forthcoming book, Race and the Making of the Mormon People (University of North Carolina Press), makes no mention of early Mormonism, it positions itself in the book's introduction (and in the abstract of the dissertation on which it is based) as a study of "early Mormonism" and the "early history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," a period Max carries past even Ulrich's 1870 cutoff into the final decades of the nineteenth century.
Neither Ulrich nor Mueller is attempting to pin down precise dates for what constitutes early Mormonism. Such concerns are, at most, secondary to the primary aim of each. Nor do I have much interest in debating what early Mormonism is and when it ends. Rather, I'm interested in the ways in which each project's chosen subject: women's history and race, respectively, challenge the traditional periodization of Mormon history. That is, early Mormon history will certainly look different when viewed through the eyes of its earliest female adherents, and their may be continuities between the experience of women in the 1840s and in the 1870s that transcend the theological or ecclesiological shifts of the era. So, too, with race. The major turning points in the experience of African American Latter-day Saints (or that of American Indians, Asians, or other converts of color) might present new and fruitful ways of thinking about change and continuity in the Mormon past.
That is, in my estimation, a good thing and a sign of vitality for the field. Karin Wulf, director of the Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, has recently championed the exploration of what she's termed #vastearlyamerica. "The depth and breadth of the field we refer to as 'Early America' is astonishing," she noted in a blog post last year. "One of the many joys of my job is the near-constant reminder of the field?s wide reach." Mormon history's reach is not quite as wide, at least not in the existing scholarly literature. But I hope that is changing, as historians approach Mormonism in new and exciting ways and challenge the existing chronological and topical paradigms that shape its study.


text:
Our friends over at CE Maintenance Solutions have an incredible newsletter that we hope all of you subscribe to. In the September issue, Mike makes a case for the importance of complete Asset History. The article explains "…the key to knowing the future is to know and understand your history."
How true!
You can read the entire newsletter here.
Maintenance Connection not only allows the administrators and managers access to the asset history, but also mobile users. Having this information immediately available can be critical. Oftentimes, the most important time to have access to the history of an asset is when you are standing in front of it.
If you would like more information about accessing Asset History from the core application or the mobile application, feel free to visit our website and contact us.


text:
Are you fit to tow your Caravan this Easter Break?
Drivers urged to prepare before travel
New CCTV footage has been released showing the potential dangers of towing on the motorway, it shows a caravan snaking out of control, narrowly missing other traffic on the M1 in Leicestershire, before overturning and colliding with the safety barrier.
Many motorists dread the motorway in the holiday period due to the influx of caravans and trailers. Incidents involving towed vehicles can cause long delays for other road users as well as distress for anyone directly involved.
Highways Agency Service Delivery Manager Andy Withington said "spring and summer are the peak seasons for towing-related incidents on our roads. Over Easter many people will be hitching up their caravans and trailers for the first time since autumn, so we're asking them to take time to ensure they're fit to tow before going on the road. Although high speed incidents involving towing can be serious, the majority of problems we see on our roads are breakdowns which can be avoided with routine checks and maintenance."
Highway Agency advise final maintenance checks
The causes of towing incidents include overloading the caravan or trailer, a mismatch with the towing vehicle, tyres which have burst because they have not been checked or replaced where needed and poor towing technique. The Highways Agency advises anyone towing a caravan or trailer to carry out a final maintenance check before setting off particularly if it has been left over the winter. Also pay particular attention to the condition and pressure of the tyres on both the towed and towing vehicle and check that loads in the towed and towing vehicle are secure and the weight is evenly distributed and is not excessive. For motorists new to towing be aware of how towing affects the vehicle's performance particularly braking distances and use extended mirrors when towing wider trailers, such as caravans, to ensure clear and legal visibility of the trailer and of other vehicles on the road. Also check you have an appropriate driving licence for the vehicle and trailer combination.
Be safe this holiday weekend and take precautions before towing to avoid a stressful journey. Highways Agency traffic officers will be at service stations across England this weekend sharing advice on safe towing and journey planning, as well as being on hand to deal with any incidents on the motorway network.


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This week's episodes were great despite not getting much on the Yeon Ha-Wan front.
We got some development from the ladies with Jeong A's mother dying and her decision to free herself of her marriage. Her daughter left and her husband came through for her by getting a settlement from her husband. There was some movement in the love triangle with it becoming open and Choong Nam fully embracing her role as an obstacle. These were great but the week belonged to Wan and her mom.
As these things happen, Nan Hee confirmed the affair just as it was ending so all her drama and shenanigans were a minute too late. It's like getting grounded for smoking a year after you quit. What I loved most was the twist. With Mom yelling at her daughter for going astray, Wan reminded her of the three fingers pointing right back at her. While it's a bit ridiculous to blame her mother for the breakup, I like that she revealed Yeon Ha's condition and reminded her of her previous advice. And that while her mom was upset with her for doing things she opposes like smoking and dating married men, she reminded her that she'd once tried to kill her. I can't wait for the fallout!
It looks like Hee Ja will go on the trip. I'm glad. Choong Nam liked the idea of being courted but I don't think she really wanted Sung Jae that much especially after she imagined what life with him would be like so I figure she'lk give them her blessing once her bruised ego heals. I do hope there'll be more to her story than eventually cutting off her moochers.
Speaking of romance, I wonder how much development we'll get on the Nan Hee/Convenience Store Musician tip. I think it could be fun.
Credit: tvN


text:
South Africa's president, Jacob Zuma, who faces an internal leadership contest next week, has claimed that his response to the police massacre of 34 striking mineworkers earlier this year proves that democracy is working.
In an interview with the Guardian, Zuma defended his decision not to sack his police minister after the August shootings at Marikana, which he described as a wake-up call to an industry in which working conditions "almost border on exploitation".
The veteran of the struggle against apartheid is the hot favourite to retain his position at an African National Congress (ANC) conference next week, but he learned on Thursday that he will be challenged by his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe, who ended a long year of speculation by throwing his hat in the ring.
Zuma, meanwhile, was already in Mangaung, the municipality containing the city of Bloemfontein where the conference will be held, to unveil a statue of Nelson Mandela – who continued to receive treatment for a lung infection for a sixth day, his longest spell in hospital for more than a decade.
Speaking previously in Pretoria, Zuma defended his handling of the event that threatens to define his presidency – the worst state-sponsored security crackdown since the end of racial apartheid.
"Nobody expected Marikana," he said. "But I think you can't fail to appreciate that Marikana happened in a democratic country. If it was during apartheid, there were many Marikanas almost on a daily basis, and there was nothing that anyone could do about it whatever.
"Once this one happened, you saw the reaction of the country. The churches were there, the traditional leaders were there, government was there. We established the ministerial committee immediately to deal with the issue, established a judicial commission of inquiry to make it a point that it does not happen again, but also to say what caused it."
He added: "To me, that is the difference that says: is democracy working? I think it is."
Zuma rejected calls for the police minister, Nathi Mthethwa, to quit, saying the unrest was caused by a dispute over wages. "Now you can't say the minister of police is responsible for that, to start the thing. When the workers were striking, they had every other kind of weapon in their hands. In fact long before the shooting, 10 people had died including two policemen, two security policemen. Now all of that is not taken into account.
"How many other people would have died if, for example, police did not move to disarm these people? Nobody can tell. At a spur of the moment, a mistake happened. Now if such a mistake happened, you throw the minister away, I don't know on what basis, because there are facts that need to be weighed."
Zuma acknowledged that the tragedy at the Lonmin platinum mine had shown that the status quo was no longer sustainable in the sector. "The conditions of workers should change. They can't continue to be what they were many decades ago. I would imagine Marikana in a democratic South Africa has been a wake-up call to say: 'let us fix the conditions of the workers and make the conditions to be in keeping with what this industry is producing.'
"I think it contributes a lot in terms of the economy. It almost borders on exploitation, as it were, the conditions of employment, the level of the salary, et cetera. I believe this is a moment to transform."
Zuma's reputation has been battered by a series of revelations this year, notably a 248m rand (£18m) security upgrade of his private residence. "Government has built things there for its own operations," he said. "It can't be blamed on me. That is my home."
Last week it was revealed that before becoming president he relied on benefactors including Mandela and the convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik for 7m rand to clear his debts. The opposition Democratic Alliance has now asked the South African Revenue Service to investigate whether Zuma and his donors paid the appropriate taxes arising from the funds.
"Zuma is the worst leader the ANC has ever had," Justice Malala, a political columnist, wrote last month. "Anyone who says the Marikana massacre was a 'mishap' does not deserve to occupy the highest office in the land. Anyone who tries to rewrite and erase history so spectacularly is lost. So are we."
Yet the 70-year-old, who has a colourful private life, is widely predicted to beat Motlanthe and remain as Africa's most powerful politician for the next seven years. If he suffers a stunning defeat, however, he insists he is ready to accept it. "I will remain in the ANC, I'll work in the ANC.
"It has happened in the ANC since 1912, there has been contestation. At the birth of the ANC there were three presidential candidates. That has been there all the time. That's why I'm saying it's an exaggeration that makes people think that whoever loses then has no future. It's not true. The ANC is always there."


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9 annoying things that enemies in games should stop doing
Sneak attack From teleporting to exploding on contact.
Sneak attack From teleporting to exploding on contact.
NEWS Save on Fallout, Prey, Dishonored, Doom and pretty much everything else.
news The standalone spin-off is due next year.
News The team has also worked on Far Cry 3, Doom and Gears of War.
Face off The most fun and the most frustrating bosses, from Dark Souls and Undertale to Mass Effect 2 and Arkham Knight.
News It's called 'The Diaries of Agent Silent Death'.
Defiant The New Colossus was censored in Germany, but not sold at all in Israel. The creators of Wolfenstäche want to know why.
Hotshots Our favorite snaps from 2017's best-looking games.
One For All Ignore the extreme end of games-as-service design and solo experiences are thriving.
News See the first proper chapter of The Freedom Chronicles in action within.
news You can now experience the game's opening level for free.
motion slickness Here's to the tiny, wonderful animations that bring game worlds to life.
news Bethesda has announced the release dates for the three-part season pass.
The Long War The Freedom Chronicles: Episode 0 is a slightly underwhelming 'pilot' for the coming three episodes.
News The Vault also unlocked in the shooter's first major update—live now.
discuss Have you finished Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus? Let's talk.
News You can preload Call of Duty: WWII and install optimized drivers before the game launches later this week.
News Beta hotfix live now.
Tips Killing Nazis for Dummies.


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More Ferguson rallies across the US
People protesting against the Ferguson grand jury decision took to the streets in some US cities for a second day, even as others were still cleaning up vandalism from the night before.
Protesters disrupted traffic for several hours in the centre of nearby St Louis by blocking major intersections, an interstate highway and a Mississippi River bridge connecting the city to Illinois.
Riot police arrested several demonstrators who sat in the middle of an interstate highway. They used pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
Activists had planned protests even before the announcement that Officer Darren Wilson would not be charged over 18-year-old Michael Brown's shooting death.
The racially charged case in Ferguson has inflamed tensions and reignited debates over police-community relations even in cities hundreds of miles from the predominantly black St Louis suburb.
In New York City, hundreds of people marched for a second night in Manhattan, gathering in Union Square before splitting up into several smaller groups, chanting: "No justice, No peace."
Protests have so far been large but mostly peaceful, with just two arrests, including that of a man who threw a jar of fake blood that struck Police Commissioner William Bratton.
Police said protesters briefly shut down the Brooklyn Bridge and one of the three spans of the Robert F Kennedy Bridge, formerly known as the Triborough Bridge.
Hundreds of Seattle high school students walked out of classes, and several hundred people marched down a Cleveland freeway ramp to block rush-hour traffic.
Renewed plans for marches and rallies in Oakland, California, came as officials were still cleaning up after scores of people hurled bottles, broke windows, set small fires and vandalised a police car.
At least 40 people were arrested in Monday night's trouble that escalated after some protesters shut down traffic on a major highway in the San Francisco Bay Area. A police spokeswoman said several officers were injured.
In Washington, one group lay on the ground to stage a "die-in" in front of Metro police headquarters. The group planned to occupy various buildings in the district over 28 hours.
"Mike Brown is an emblem (of a movement). This country is at its boiling point," said Ethan Jury, a protester in Philadelphia, where hundreds marched. "How many people need to die? How many black people need to die?"
In Los Angeles, demonstrations remained mostly small and peaceful, but about 200 people briefly shut down Interstate 110, City News Service reported.
Officers wearing riot gear fired hard-foam projectiles into the ground to disperse about 50 protesters, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Police Chief Charlie Beck said there were no injuries and no property damage during hours-long demonstrations across LA. Three people were arrested.
After a night of rallies in Chicago, dozens of protesters upset with the grand jury's decision camped out at the doors of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office inside City Hall and planned to remain there throughout the day and overnight.
They were holding teach-ins on political issues and "healing circles" for people to discuss experiences with violence in Chicago.
PA Media


text: TV Royal Wedding: Priest Does Cartwheels in Westminster Abbey (Video) 12:49 PM PDT 4/29/2011 by Lindsay Powers FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images "It is a general reflection of the mood of the Abbey and a job well done," says a spokesperson. A priest at Westminster Abbey was so excited after the royal wedding, he was caught on camera doing cartwheels down the aisle. Watch below. PHOTOS: What Kate Middleton and famous guests wore to the wedding A spokesperson for the venue laughed it off. "Our view is that the verger was simply reflecting what we all feel about a very successful service. It is a general reflection of the mood of the Abbey and a job well done," said the spokesperson, who explained that vergers are "people who assist and prepare for the clergy in their services." PHOTOS: Famous royal weddings Kate Middleton and Prince William were no longer present for the gymnastics routine. PHOTOS: The 9 wackiest wedding celebrations "It was long after the congregation had departed and we were all reflecting on what we had achieved," added the spokesperson. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Lindsay Powers email@example.com @thr


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The Drozd Blackbird Fully Automatic BB Machine Gun & Its Many Modifications
With my 40th birthday fast approaching and my recent move from urban Los Angeles back to rural Pennsylvania, I found myself nostalgically yearning for the playthings of my early teens in the acreage of my dad's old farm house: a bb gun. And while I had loved my Crosman 1377 pistol, and before it my Daisy Model 105 rifle, what I had always really wanted was the 4,000 rounds per minute insanity of the freon-powered Lark International M-19A machine gun, featured routinely in the advertisement section of Popular Mechanics. I knew at the time I would never be able to talk my parents into letting me buy such a thing, and I don't think I even knew how to talk myself into buying such a thing; it just didn't seem to have a lot of arguably positive qualities. A regular bb gun was about marksmanship and having responsible fun. A fully automatic bb gun capable of shredding a newspaper in under a second from 100 feet away just seemed inherently wrong. On the eve of turning 40, though, I think I finally understood just how right it really was, and I wanted one.
Drozd Blackbird
It turned out the Lark M-19A was old news, long outmoded by other superior alternatives. I Googled my way through the small but impressive handful of commercially available bb machine guns and ultimately decided on the Russian made Drozd Blackbird. Where the Lark M-19A was little more than a crude mechanical device for throwing gravity-fed bbs in front of a stream of escaping freon, the Drozd is a modern marvel, using a circuit board to coordinate the ballet of motor-fed bb delivery system and solenoid actuated CO2 valve, firing each bb as it is delivered to the gun barrel.
But the stock Drozd Blackbird marks only the starting point of a long and winding path of mods one can purchase and/or create to make this good thing better.
Modding the Drozd
There are a number of amazing mods for the Drozd and Drozd Blackbird, with some very intelligent, creative, and skillful modders producing prototypes as well as commercial products. The options include chips to add features to the existing circuit board, replacement barrels and stocks, and alternate air systems.
The de facto home for the Drozd modding (and user) community is Drozd MP661K BB Machinegun Owners Group. The forum is extremely helpful and the best modders and mods are all to be found there. Sadly the forum software is painfully antiquated, poorly configured, and buggy. Particularly frustrating, the posts are in reverse order (relative to the norm), so "Page 1" is the most recent page of posts and the posts are listed in reverse chronological order. Also, pages are often outdated after a recent post and you need to click around various page features to trigger the forum software's display of the latest. Still, the people and information can't be beat.
Publicly Available Mods
Full Auto Mod Chip
The Drozd as it comes from the factory is not actually continuous fire; a selector allows it to fire 1, 3, or 6 bbs with every trigger press. Most people who buy the Drozd immediately replace a chip on the controlling circuit board to make the 6 bb per shot firing mode a continuous fire mode. That chip comes in several flavors which can increase the selectable firing rate, replacing the 300, 450, and 600 shots per minute default options with 600, 900, and 1200 shots per minute options.
CO2 and High Pressure Air (HPA) / Nitrogen Systems
The Drozd Blackbird can use several types of propellant, which can come from several different sources, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.
As it is shipped the Drozd is only set up to use three 12g CO2 cartridges (three at a time) or one Crossman AirSource 88g CO2 cartridge (the JT 90g CO2 works perfectly fine, and is actually priced 35% lower than the Crossman, at least at Walmart which sells the JT for $5.50 a piece versus $7.50 a piece for the Crossman). Optional accessories allow remote paint ball CO2 canisters (such as the common 20 oz CO2 bottles) and even the increasingly popular High Pressure Air (HPA).
In the chilly conditions of late October I begin to understand why the HPA option is so popular. CO2 is greatly affected by temperature. Colder temperatures mean fewer shots and weaker shots. And not only is the ambient temperature important, there is the more serious problem that with each shot the CO2 vessel itself becomes colder. Firing multiple times in a row drops the CO2 canister temperature dramatically, lowering its pressure sharply. The temperature becomes so low that guns can literally freeze up. HPA is free of these issues, at least to any serious degree.
It didn't take me long to realize the 12g CO2 option is laughably unworkable. The three 12g cartridges were only providing me about 20 decent shots, with a handful of anemic ones after that. Replacing the cartridges is not hard but requires unscrewing the three canister holder, replacing the spent ones, installing the new ones, screwing in the holder, and then screwing in the cartridge holder to puncture the CO2 seals. The procedure becomes almost immediately tiresome. I quickly switched to using the 88g CO2 canisters (actually the JT 90g canisters, since they are 30% cheaper than the Crosman 88g ones). Not only are there more shots per canister, the replacement is quicker; unscrew the old CO2 canister and just screw in the new one. It only took a few more hours shooting to realize that this, too, is a bit tedious. Despite websites saying I could expect 400 - 500 shots per 88g cartridge (with the Drozd Blackbird) I doubt I was getting any more than 100, with a dozen or so after that that could barely make it to the target. And none of this includes much of any automatic firing, most of this was me firing single shots a few seconds apart. At ~$6 per 90g JT cartridge, with so few shots, it doesn't take long to see the folly of using this form of CO2, at least with my usage and in my climate.
While I could upgrade to HPA, I opted instead for the remote CO2 option, using 20 oz CO2 bottles. HPA is a very expensive initial investment. Each large HPA bottle (~1000 shots) costs $170. While you can refill it yourself from a larger tank, such as a SCUBA tank, it'll cost $400 - 600 for the tank and adapter. HPA may be more popular now, but it's still a bit harder to come by than CO2. Going with CO2 means that I get more shots (in theory) per equivalently sized tank, and at only $40/bottle, I can buy two or three and shoot far longer before needing to travel somewhere for a refill. And as I don't expect to do that much full auto firing, the problems with CO2 won't impact me as much as they do others who generally opt for HPA. If my interest keeps up I'll likely go the HPA route as well.
Weaver / Picatinny Rail Options
For those that don't know (like myself only a few days ago), there is a mounting standard for modern gun accessories. The standard has two main variations, Weaver and Picatinny. The only meaningful difference between them is that Picatinny accessories expect larger "recoil grooves", grooves cut transverse into the rail to prevent the scope, laser, light, etc. from sliding forward or back as the gun recoils. For this reason accessories for a Weaver system will usually fit on Picatinny rails, but not the other way around.
The Drozd has one Weaver / Picatinny rail mounted on top of the gun. For many, one rail is not enough to hold all their intended accessories. To solve this problem you could add something like the flat top Weaver tri-rail mount which essentially adds vertical Picatinny rails on either side of a Weaver rail, or you can install a short Weaver / Picatinny rail underneath or on the sides of the handguard. Placing one underneath the handguard is particularly useful if you want to install a bipod. While installing the rails is not particularly technically difficult, it requires little more than picking a rail of appropriate length and using adhesive or screws to secure them, all your efforts will be for nought if you don't mount them straight.
Wanting both scope and laser, and not wanting (at this moment) to install a rail or worry about whether the scope I might choose would clear the laser I might choose, I opted instead for the NcStar 4x32mm Mark III Tactical Scope with Laser. It does a decent job, though I'm sure separate lasers are much brighter, and I've heard the green ones particularly visible during the day.
Barrel Replacements
If you want to ditch the original barrel and the cheesy fake plastic suppressor, your best option is one of JimC's barrels. You can pick between his Tactical Rifle Kit, the SMG kit, the Carbine Kit, or the SMG Fake Suppressor Kit. All of the highest quality.
I went with the Tactical Rifle Barrel replacement in an effort to improve the already decent accuracy and boost the already decent bb fps. Admittedly the purchase was also an aesthetic one, as I think the cheap plastic fake suppressor diminishes what is otherwise a quality airgun.
Sergey's Amazing Replacement Board
While the generally available replacement chips can get you full auto and higher firing rates they can't get you 2,000 rounds per minute and they don't let you adjust the fps of your projectiles. An ingenious Russian named Sergey Pismensky has made and is selling a board that lets you do all these things. The board is a bargain at $120, but installation isn't easy. Unlike the other electronic mods to the Drozd, this one has three buttons and one LED, all of which require careful, clean CNC (or other) cuts in the handguard. I've heard that Ray at DrozdMax will do a great job for you, but I'm not sure what it costs.
For details on the board (including talking to and buying from the man himself), follow this thread (and the one that preceeded it). And check out this great video with explanation of its features and use.
It should be noted that while the board can deliver 2,000 rounds per minute the stock magazine motor can't keep up for long. Modders have identified some replacement motors, including the Nichibo motor, but you'd better read the threads to see where research currently stands.
Barrel Attachment Adapters
While it's not my thing, modder Netstamp has made available an adapter which lets you connect 14 mm (paintball) barrel accessories (such as mock suppressors and muzzle brakes) to the end of the stock Drozd barrel. You can read more here.
Notable Prototypes and Ideas for Prototypes
High Capacity / Drum Magazines
A few people have done some amazing work creating drum (or at least drum-looking) magazines for the Drozd. One of the nicest looking is by "Camracer". Unless I'm mistaken it's not a drum magazine in a functional sense, it just stores the bbs in a drum-like holder where bbs can be fed into a semi-traditional hopper. Camracer has a great YouTube channel to show off all his Drozd creations and setups.
Airgun Silencers
I had hoped to avoid annoying the neighbors by adding a genuine suppressor/silencer, perhaps even make my own, but within a few dozen Google searches I realized just how bad an idea an airgun silencer would be. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms does not regulate airguns, but they do regulate silencers for use on firearms, and the BATF considers any silencer, regardless of actual use, as requiring a firearm license if it could be made to work, even once, on a firearm. Any silencer made for an airgun could arguably be adapted for use on powder based firearm, and the punishment for that crime is potentially 10 years in jail and $250,000 fine for manufacturing a silencer and an additional 10 years and $250,000 for possession of an unlicensed silencer. And these are not idle threats, a recent case sent a person to prison for at least 15 years for having mailed an airgun which included a silencer built specifically for that airgun (the sound dampening material would not survive the shot of a firearm). It should be noted, though, that the individual in this case had a prior felony and as such was not allowed to possess a firearm. Airguns are not firearms but in the view of the jury (and the BATF) the silencer is a firearm. I have seen no mention of whether his sentence was based in any part on his status as a previously convicted felon.
While it is possible to legally own/operate a silencer (in 47 out of our 50 states), the process is not guaranteed to work and can take 3-4 months and $200; you also need to get your local police chief to sign off on the form (I believe there is some other alternative to this). If silence was a greater issue for me, perhaps I'd explore it just for the curiosity factor.
A bb machine gun is a somewhat purposeless device. It exists in that space between a firearm capable of defending your home/family/country and an orange-tipped toy suitable for a 10 year old. Within that space, however, is the potential for wild, but tempered and costly, amusement.
The costs do add up quickly. A $299 semi-automatic (technically fully-automatic but in bursts of 3 or 6 bbs) gun suddenly becomes a $375 truly fully-automatic gun with your choice of basic mod chip installed. That gun suddenly becomes a $550 fully-automatic bb machine gun with a tactical barrel. And that gun becomes a $660 full-auto tactical machine gun with laser and scope. And that gun becomes a $735 full-auto tactical machine gun with laser, scope, and a 20 oz remote CO2 supply. And there is ample room to invest even more in something whose only dividends will be smiles and the confetti of shredded targets.
My standard justification for all such costly habits, "Well, it's cheaper and better for me than crack cocaine would probably be." as if in each situation crack cocaine was the only other available option. There's something to be said in favor of the straw man argument when you're trying to talk yourself into something. 🙂
So, if you're looking to join we fools who own and enjoy a Drozd, I can heartily recommend Ray at DrozdMax for sales/service and the aforementioned Drozd MP661K BB Machinegun Owners Group for all your questions, chat, and ideas. Hope to see you over there.
My own Drozd Blackbird, as of 11/5/2011, includes the following:
- Mild Full Auto Mod Chip
- JimC Tactical Rifle Barrel
- NcStar 4x32mm Mark III Tactical Scope with Laser
- Bulk Remote CO2 Kit
^ Quinxy
great stuff. i need seals for the co2 cartridge that mates into the magazine, con't seem to find the right diameter. any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks
hi, i have a blackbird and have just tried to change the barrel to the SMG, when i unscrewed the standard barrel and adapter the plastics parted a bit and 2 round washers fell out and i can see there is also a metal piece which the barrel screws into, this now rattles about so i don't know which way round it is meant to be…. it has a flat surface on 1 side so i'm thinking that sits on the bottom.
the booklet which came with it doesn't show these parts, do you know of a link to a page showing all the parts or can you help?
many thanks,
hi, thanks for the reply, sadly i didn't get any instructions with mine after customs held it for 8 weeks while they tested it, it came back to me by a policeman with it in a plastic bag!
no reply from drozd customer services either so i'll try the forum you gave,
what are the FPS for the bb's as they exit the barrell, and do they lose velocity quickly?
great job on letting everyone out there actually know the deal on this gun!!!!
thank you
Hello. I was wondering where to get the Drozd Blackbird the cheapest with all the upgrades.
thank you so much,
Does any one know of the fps with an HPA (air) set up ……? and are there any videos of guys actually shooting birds or varmints with them ie. squirrels, chipmunks…….?
it looks like it would be fun to try shooting a flock of starlings flying or otherwise on the ground!
I work with Ray at Drozdmax for all my mods. A note of FYI : My adapterr for the barrel ( netstamp ) works on the aftermarket barrels as well as the stock drozd barrel. Will not work with the SMG kit but i am working on that. The adapter can be found on Amazon and ebay. You can also email me. Thanks to the author for the generous mention.
I bought mine from Ray recently. I sparred no expense. I bought 2 4500 psi (1600 regulated) 90cu Ninja HPA tanks, the Drozd, long barrel replacement, latch plate, mag motor upgrade, remote battery upgrade, battery pack, battery charger, tactical backpack, and Sergey board. I had Ray do all the installations and tuning. He did a wonderful job and provided great support. Addtionally…I bought a Shoebox compressor to charge my tanks. Figuring out the extra items needed to fill the HPA tanks with the Shoebox was difficult but, Ray helped me through every issue I have run into so far. Overall..I ended up spending $2,200 on my setup and everything works perfect. I highly suggest that anyone thinking about getting a Drozd and mods go to Drozdmax. Tell Ray Clay sent you 😉
I think it is a cheap hobby because after all the mods…..you have only to pay for the hpa and bbs with the odd maintenance. It's how you look at things……I love my blackbird !
Looking to purchase a Drozd BlackBird, Any Idea where I can pick one up even if its preowned?
One on ebay active listing now . shows the smg barrel and looks cool
AHHH come on man. I WANT A BLACKBIRD. Im 50 years young and I've wanted a bb machine gun ever since the ads in the back of the comic books from when I was a kid. You know, the one that was powered by the oh so cheap, and always available R-12. Well I couldn't afford one back then. Hell we couldn't even afford hamburger helper. We just had 'HELPER". But I could dream. And now when my dreams are almost a reality. the bundle of joy, the "HOLY GRAIL" of awesomeness is not available.
How and can I convert my gun to a paintball air supply tank instead?
where do I get longer barrel?
do I need bigger battery to feed ?
love this gun, want to make it hopped up..


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12 Jan Sean O'Halloran
Sean is the boat captain for Farr 40 Black as well as Weegie, a Columbia Carbon 32. Specializing in offshore sailing, he has developed extensive skills both on and off the water in order to be successful in all aspects of sailing. He's become competent in rigging, sail repair, painting, and boat/crew logistics, and composites, culminating in his recent project converting six Nacra 17s to the current foiling Nacra 17 platform.
Sean has taken significant interest in short-handed sailing and program management. With Weegie and the other offshore boats, he's gotten plenty of experience in both of these areas. Some of his career highlights while at Oakcliff include, winning the Around Long Island Regatta in the Double-Handed division in 2016 and again in 2017 in the top PHRF division; competing in the Grade 2 Match Race, The Detroit Cup; the Rolex Big Boat Series; and the Caribbean 600. He's proficient in all positions from skipper to bow. Sean's goal is to compete at the pinnacle of offshore sailing as a crew member in the Volvo Ocean Race.