May 23, 2015

Obama Plans New Rule to Limit Water Pollution

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/23/us/politics/obama-set-to-strengthen-federal-role-in-clean-water-regulation.html

The Obama administration is expected in the coming days to announce a major clean water regulation that would restore the federal government’s authority to limit pollution in the nation’s rivers, lakes, streams and wetlands.

Environmentalists have praised the new rule, calling it an important step that would lead to significantly cleaner natural bodies of water and healthier drinking water.

But it has attracted fierce opposition from several business interests, including farmers, property developers, fertilizer and pesticide makers, oil and gas producers and a national association of golf course owners. Opponents contend that the rule would stifle economic growth and intrude on property owners’ rights.

Republicans in Congress point to the rule as another example of what they call executive overreach by the Obama administration. Already, they are advancing legislation on Capitol Hill meant to block or delay the rule.

May 23, 2015

B.B. King memorial more cheers than tears in Las Vegas

http://news.yahoo.com/b-b-king-viewing-draws-more-1-000-071317198.html

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A standing ovation for B.B. King and more cheers than tears marked a family-and-friends memorial of the late blues great's life and legacy Saturday in Las Vegas.

"B.B. was energetic, Amen?" Pastor Pamela Myrtis Mason said to open the service that drew more than 350 to the Palm Mortuary chapel.

"Amen," they said.

King's closed casket lay framed by an array of floral arrangements, two of his guitars named Lucille and a tapestry showing him in eyes-clenched reverie picking a note from a section of the guitar frets dubbed by followers the "B.B. King Box."

May 23, 2015

Toddler Throws Tantrum in Front of President Obama

http://time.com/3895191/toddler-tantrum-president-obama/

The President handled it like a pro

Well, someone’s not very happy about meeting President Obama.

A toddler visiting the White House in April for Passover dinner had a fit and threw herself down on the Red Room’s carpet – right at Obama’s feet.

The Commander-in-Chief handled it like a pro, gamely mugging for the camera as young Claudia Moser, daughter of journalist Laura Moser, wailed in front of him.

May 23, 2015

question about residential construction in the past versus now

Through the years, I've gotten the impression that residential home construction quality, in general, has gone down. I have no hard data on that and I've never been in the industry. I know codes in certain locations (like Miami for hurricanes or California for earthquakes) have gone up.

Is this just urban legend-ish stuff I've been exposed to, or is there some truth to that ? Thanks for your patience with my sincere question.

Steve

May 23, 2015

EXCLUSIVE: Executed with point blank shots to the head, and one killed in front of his son.....

Source: UK Daily Mail

EXCLUSIVE: Executed with point blank shots to the head, and one killed in front of his son - how eight Cossacks died in Waco breastaurant bloodbath after months of bitter gang rivalry and a razed clubhouse

A biker was shot dead at point blank range with two bullets to the head in front of his son during the Waco gang bloodbath.

Daniel Boyett, 44, was murdered after he fell to the ground during the height of the gun battle as his fellow biker son looked on unable to help him.

The chilling detail is disclosed as Daily Mail Online can reveal a series of new developments in the deaths of nine bikers at a Waco 'breastaurant' last weekend which include:

Eight of the dead were Cossacks and only one was a Bandido - and the brawl happened on what was seen as Cossack territory;





Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3093225/Executed-point-blank-shots-head-one-killed-son-eight-Cossacks-died-Waco-breastaurant-bloodbath-months-bitter-gang-rivalry.html

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more at link, yea I know, it's the Mail.

May 22, 2015

A thank you to all dental hygienists

You may be wondering, why the hell is Steve thanking all dental hygienists on a random Friday afternoon (after his appt.) ? Because thanks to them and my current fantastic one, I have all my (non-pulled) teeth. My current hygienist could be mistaken for a dentist if you didn't know better, she is that well trained and highly knowledgeable. She had (long story) dental school training after her regular dental hygienist training, and it shows. She is easily the best one I've ever had, by far. She knows how much I appreciate her hard work and expertise.

All you dental hygienists at DU and beyond, I thank you. My teeth thank you. Our teeth thank you!

You may now resume your eating of sticky sweet foods!

May 21, 2015

The Latest on Waco shooting: Neighbor eatery sues Twin Peaks

Source: AP

A Texas restaurant that was the scene of a motorcycle club conference that ended in gunfire is being sued by a restaurant next door.

A lawsuit was filed Thursday in Dallas. Attorneys for Don Carlos Mexican Restaurant allege the Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco was grossly negligent and reckless in hosting the gathering of armed motorcycle gang members on Sunday.

Don Carlos attorney Tony Buzbee says his client was forced to close and was designated as a crime scene despite having had no role in the event. He says "inviting armed rival gangs to a place where alcohol is served is not only unwise, it is reckless."

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensation for lost profits and property damage.

Read more: http://www.wect.com/story/29127853/the-latest-on-waco-shooting-prosecutor-defends-1m-bonds

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one more paragraph at link

May 19, 2015

Los Angeles Expected to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 an Hour

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/20/us/los-angeles-expected-to-raise-minimum-wage-to-15-an-hour.html

LOS ANGELES — The nation’s second-largest city is considering on Tuesday whether to increase its minimum wage, making it $15 an hour by 2020, in what would perhaps be the most significant victory so far in the national push to raise the minimum wage.

The increase — which the Los Angeles City Council is considered likely to pass — would come as workers across the country are rallying for higher wages, and several large companies, including Facebook and Walmart, have moved to raise their lowest wages. Several other cities, including San Francisco, Seattle and Oakland, Calif., have already approved increases, and dozens more are considering doing the same. In 2014, a number of Republican-leaning states like Alaska and South Dakota also raised their state-level minimum wage by referendum.

The impact would be particularly strong in Los Angeles, where, according to some estimates, more than 40 percent of the city’s work force earns less than $15 an hour.

“The effects here will be the biggest by far,” said Michael Reich, an economist at the University of California, Berkeley, who was commissioned by city leaders here to conduct several studies on the potential effects of a minimum-wage increase. “The proposal will bring wages up in a way we haven’t seen since the 1960s. There’s a sense spreading that this is the new norm, especially in areas that have high costs of housing.”

May 19, 2015

Texas police seek gang truce, end of bloodshed after deadly brawl

Source: Reuters

Texas police asked rival motorcycle gangs on Tuesday to put aside their differences after a weekend brawl at a Waco restaurant that left nine people dead and 18 injured, calling for a halt to the carnage and threats of revenge attacks.

“There has been enough tragedy and there has been enough bloodshed in Waco, Texas. We would appreciate there not being any more," Police Sergeant Patrick Swanton told a news briefing.

He added that threats for reprisal against police from motorcycle gangs have "toned down" but are still a worry for law enforcement officials, who arrested 170 people following Sunday's brawl at the Twin Peaks Sports Bar and Grill in the central Texas city.

Of the 18 injured, seven remain in the hospital and all are in stable condition. Few of those involved in the deadly brawl are from the Waco area, Swanton said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/19/us-usa-texas-bikers-idUSKBN0O41PE20150519

May 19, 2015

Rumor: Windows 10 To Be Offered To Windows XP Users For $39

http://www.windows10update.com/2015/05/windows-10-to-be-offered-to-windows-xp-users-for-39/

Or $39.99, to be more specific. Rumor has it that Microsoft is ready to unveil a special upgrade promotion for Windows XP users, in order to entice them to move to Windows 10 at launch.

This, to go with free upgrades for those with Windows 7 and Windows 8 licenses during the first 12 months is sure to help with the early uptake of the new operating system — something that Microsoft absolutely need in order to do away with the fragmentation affecting the platform.

And while complete pricing details of Windows 10 are still out of sight, there are now talks that Redmond has a plan in mind for those that are still running Windows XP.

Russian leaker WZor has just revealed that users of the vintage (and now retired) operating system will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 for just $39.99.

more at link, I put Rumor in subject line to be crystal clear about this link.