Sarah Kliff explained – There’s a very simple reason that Obamacare hit 8 million sign-ups: Being uninsured is horrible.
But the political conversation over Obamacare was driven almost entirely by people who had, and knew they would be able to keep, their health insurance. It was filled with a lot of assumptions, theories, and speculations about what people who didn’t have good insurance, or any insurance, would do. And after Obamacare’s disastrous launch, the theory took hold that these people wouldn’t find this untested program worth the trouble. It was the permanently insured speculating about the uninsured and the barely insured – and, unsurprisingly, they got it wrong
Victim Jessica Mera with her two kids in the local bodega before the shooting (screenshot); Mera (Facebook); Former Officer Kevin Canty (Facebook)
Yesterday, a former NYPD officer was arrested for allegedly fatally shooting his wife in front of their two small children in Queens. Former officer Kevin Canty, 43, has been accused of killing his wife, 40-year-old Jessica Mera. Friends and neighbors told the News that the couple fought a lot, and Canty would often threaten his wife. “He told more than one person—’I’m gonna kill this bitch one day,'” said 22-year-old Shanique Varlack. “Everybody is just so distraught. He’s a cop. He’s supposed to protect us. He took an oath and now? He’s a murderer. She did not deserve to die.”
Canty allegedly shot Mera inside the couple’s home on 104th Street near 101st Avenue in Ozone Park just before 11 a.m. Saturday. Their two kids, a 4-year-old girl and 7-year-old boy, were in the house at the time. “The boy told me personally: ‘My dad shot my mom and there’s blood all over,'” a neighbor who asked to remain anonymous told the News. “My wife heard gunshots and the kids were running out on the street. They were banging on car doors as cars were passing by. They were trying to get help, someone to listen to them.”
Canty was a Manhattan transit cop before retiring last year with a disability; he was previously praised by the NYPD on Facebook for his part in saving the life of a man who suffered a heart attack at the Union Square subway station in July 2012.
“He’s kind of a scary guy, kind of intimidating. You got to talk to him for him to talk to you,” said neighbor Danny Ali. “He told me he was a detective. About a year ago, I saw he had a broken hand. He said he broke it in a fight. He wouldn’t say more about it.”
“They were always fighting. They’d fight outside, they would fight everywhere,” said neighbor Joanne Bagley. “They were not a happy couple. I guess it was inevitable.”
The News adds that Canty repeatedly banged his head against the inside of a squad car window after he was arrested. “They are going through a really tough time right now,” someone who identified himself as Mera’s friend told them. “You have no idea what this family has been through — this is only the tip of the iceberg.”
Surfing Life, an Australian surf publication, is facing a $200,000 lawsuit for a story that described Indigenous Australian surfer Otis Carey as being “apeish” and comparing him to the late stone age’s Cro-Magnon.
According to the surf website The Inertia, Carey is suing the article’s author Nathan Myers and the surfing magazine owned by Morrison Media for defamation of character and seeking $200,000 in “emotional damages.” The story was published in the March issue of Surfing Life, and the passage in-question reads:
“With his apeish face and cowering hair-curtains, I expect little more than Cro-Magnon grunts from his mouth. I am caught off guard by the clarity and eloquence of his speech.”
In response to the suit, Myers penned an open letter to Carey, which The Inertia published on Monday, but it didn’t do much to appease his critics. In it, he reiterates his apology but also criticizes Carey’s decision to file suit. “I think you’re a fine human,” Myers wrote, “And I also think you’re making a mistake.”
In the letter, Myers calls the lawsuit “unreasonable” and explains that the term “apeish” was “intended to convey the folly of [his] own ill-conceived first impression” of Carey, citing Carey’s “dark, gritty” surf film “Kill the Matador.” Myers also says that the lawsuit could put Surfing Life and its staff of “career world travelers” and “open minded people” out of business, warning Carey that he risks putting his own reputation on the line.
“You do realize of course,” Myers says, “that surf magazines are how freesurfers like you make your living, right? … Is this how you want to be remembered by surfing? The man who killed the magazine?”
Critics slammed Myers on Twitter for using a threatening tone in his response to Carey’s suit:
Surfing Line was quick to offer an official apology after the original story was published, claiming that they had no racist intent and that they “read the offending term as a jibe at the stereotypical surfer.” They also noted that their editor Wade Davis is “a man of colour whose maternal family immigrated to Australia from Africa,” a comment that further enraged their Twitter critics:
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time an Indigenous Australian athlete has been subjected to racist comments. Last year, Indigenous rugby player Adam Goodes was offended when a young girl called him an “ape” from the sidelines. The 13 year old apologized to the rugby star and told reporters it was meant to be a joke, but Goodes saw it as a larger problem in Australian society.
“It’s an issue about what our parents are teaching our kids. I never want anyone to feel what it’s like to be abused verbally about your race, about being black, about your appearance.”
An aspiring glamour model who had a £5,000 breast enlargement on the NHS is planning to abort her baby to appear on Big Brother.
The 24-year-old who is four-and-a-half months pregnant said: ‘This time next year I won’t have a baby. I’ll be famous instead.’
Josie Cunningham, 24, who sparked outrage when she had the operation to enhance her bust, is now pregnant after falling into a life of prostitution.
Josie Cunningham said she wants to terminate her pregnancy in a bid to star on the next series of Big Brother.
She told the Sunday Mirror: ‘An abortion will further my career. This time next year I won’t have a baby. Instead I’ll be famous, driving a bright pink Range Rover and buying a big house. Nothing will get in my way.’
Ms Cunningham said she had been on the shortlist to appear on the reality TV show but was reluctant to proceed because of her pregnancy.
‘At first I thought thank God, it’s a footballer or a doctor and not a Big Issue seller and they have money.’
She added: ‘I want to be famous for being me – Josie Cunningham, a glamour model in my own right. If I want to do that I need to put my career first.’
Ms Cunningham posted an image of her baby’s scan for her 927 followers on Twitter.
The teacher in charge of the hundreds of pupils caught in the South Korean ferry disaster killed himself because ‘surviving alone is too painful’, according to a note found in his wallet.
In his poignant last words, Kang Min-Gyu said he hoped he would become a teacher once again in the afterlife for his charges whose bodies had not been recovered.
The 52-year-old was found dead days after he and 75 of his young charges managed to escape from the stricken ferry Sewol as it sank off the south coast of Korea.
‘I take full responsibility’: Kang Min-Gyu, 52, who is believed to have hanged himself in shame after surviving the ferry disaster – more than 300 of his pupils were on board when it went down off Korea’s south coast
Fourteen of the schoolchildren have been confirmed dead and another 236 remain unaccounted for, as dive crews today began pulling corpses from the vessel.
Police found Mr Kang, deputy head of Danwon high school, Seoul, hanging by his belt from a tree early yesterday afternoon, just outside the gymnasium where families of the victims were staying.
After initially claiming he had left no suicide note, police later released part of a two-page letter they said was found in his wallet.
It said: ‘Surviving alone is too painful while 200 remain unaccounted for. I take full responsibility. I pushed ahead with the school trip.’
The note added: ‘Burn my body and scatter my ashes at the site of the sunken ferry. Perhaps I can become a teacher for the missing students in my next life.’
‘I will once again become a teacher in the afterlife for my students whose bodies have not been discovered.’
Police cut down the teacher and his body was taken to the nearby Jindo funeral parlour where it was cremated, the Telegraph reported.
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Waiting: He was found hanged outside this gym, where relatives are waiting for news of the missing
Search: Rescuers are still searching for victims. This inflatable buoy marks the position of the wreckage
The Sewol sank off South Korea’s southern coast on Wednesday with 476 people aboard, most of them pupils on holiday from a single high school.
More than 270 people are still missing, and most are believed to be trapped inside the 6,852-ton vessel.
The confirmed death toll from the Sewol disaster has now reached 32, after divers working in tough conditions finally managed to reach the inside of the ship and begin pulling out bodies.
The ferry’s captain, Lee Joon-seok, 68, was arrested this morning along with one of the Sewol’s three helmsmen and the 25-year-old third mate.
Lee has been charged under maritime law with negligence and failing to ensure the safety of his passengers. He has faced fierce criticism for abandoning ship while so many were left on board.
Many found themselves trapped below decks as water flooded in after he delayed the order to evacuate the vessel because of cold waters and strong currents.
In 1976, Jerry Hartfield was wrongfully convicted of murdered and sentenced to death row. Four years later, his conviction was overturned by the Texas Court of Appeals but he was never released. Hartfield’s IQ is 51, equivalent to a 1st grader, and because he never asked for a new trial he’s been sitting in jail 34 years longer than he’s needed to.
Judge Craig Estlinbaum says it’s the now 56-year-old’s own fault that he’s spent more than half his life in prison. Hartfield, who always proclaimed his innocence, says the police used a false confession to pin the murder on him. He hasn’t had an attorney since that trial and no real legal counsel.
Hartfield learned in 2006 that he needed to request a new trial because a fellow inmate had his best interest at heart and enlightened. He’s since sent handwritten requests for a new trial and has been assigned a court appointed attorney. His case has been tossed like a frisbee between federal and state courts for the past eight years. The pick axe used to commit the murder is missing and witnesses have died.
A hearing to retry his case will occur next month. #FreeJerryHartfield
I didn’t know the Republican House Speaker was retiring, and I’m sure he didn’t know he was either. In fact, it was just a month ago when Boehner said he was running again to be House Speaker.
But the Teaparty has other plans where Boehner’s reelection is concerned and their plans include J.D Winteregg – I couldn’t make up that name up if I tried.
J.D Winteregg is running on the Teaparty ticket to unseat Boehner and he is anticipating a win. So confident he is, that he has taken the opportunity to throw Boehner a retirement party, and invited “1,000 of John Boehner’s closes friends and D.C. political reporters.”
According to AATTP, J.D. Winteregg represents the worst nightmare of Republicans in Congress. If any Republican tries to make a deal with a Democrat, their seats will be threatened by a primary challenge.
The Tea Party Leadership Fund Political Action Committee has already spent over $300,000 supporting Winteregg over Boehner.
In a political ad that was released earlier this month, Winteregg accused Boehner of having “electile dysfunction,” and had many immature “jokes” that made a play on Boehner’s last name. The ad played as if it were a Cialis or Viagra commercial, and targeted Boehner for working with President Obama.
So you went on the White House’s website and you signed a petition to deport Justin Bieber back north to Canada. And you were not alone. Over 270,000 people signed the petition to deport the Biebs.
According to the White House’s own rules, any petition that gathers over 100,000 signatures will receive a response from the administration. Well the White House is responding, and sorry to disappoint you folks, but Justin Bieber is staying put.
Thanks for your petition and your participation in We the People.
Sorry to disappoint, but we won’t be commenting on this one.
The We the People terms of participation state that, “to avoid the appearance of improper influence, the White House may decline to address certain procurement, law enforcement, adjudicatory, or similar matters properly within the jurisdiction of federal departments or agencies, federal courts, or state and local government in its response to a petition.”
So we’ll leave it to others to comment on Mr. Bieber’s case, but we’re glad you care about immigration issues. Because our current system is broken. Too many employers game the system by hiring undocumented workers, and 11 million people are living in the shadows.
That status quo isn’t good for our economy or our country. We need common-sense immigration reform to make sure everyone plays by the same set of rules.
After Camia Gamet, 31, cut off Marcel Hill’s aunt, saying “Is that it?,” Judge John McBain lashed out to set her straight.
“You’re going to shut your mouth or I’m going to have some duct tape put on it,” he said. “You gutted him like a fish… you were relentless. You stabbed. You stabbed. You stabbed. You stabbed. You stabbed until he was dead,” he said. “I agree with the family, I hope you die in prison as well.”
Gamet was convicted of brutally murdering Hill two years ago. The two were boyfriend and girlfriend. Prosecutors said she stabbed Hill 11 times. According to Judge McBain, it was one of the worst cold-blooded murders he’s ever seen.
Her defense, however, maintained she thought she was defending herself from an unknown attacker. It was revealed later that she had a history of domestic violence and even stabbed and hit the 38-year-old Hill with a hammer in another incident.
When McBain handed down Gamet’s life sentence, the court room erupted with applause.
And about that blow-up from McBain? Well, he’s totally defending himself.
“I don’t think I anything I did was wrong,” he told MLive.com. “Sometimes, I think a judge needs a little fire in the right kind of cases.”
If you have ever burned your tongue or found yourself with an unshakeable case of hiccups, here is a list of natural and home remedies that may help you next time.
Foot Odor – Vodka
Apparently vodka is not only for drinking but may also help you with this smelly situation. This is because alcohol in vodka is an antiseptic and has drying properties, this destroys odor-causing fungus and bacteria and dries out the moisture that lets these organisms grow.
Headaches – Pencil
Put a pencil between your teeth but don’t bite, this relaxes jaw muscle, preventing a tension headache, do this as soon as you start feeling a little anxious or stressed.
Bad breath – Yogurt
It might sound bizarre, but yogurt has a live bacterium that suppresses levels of bad breath-causing bacteria, this means that “good” bugs crowd out the “bad” stink-causing bacteria.
Blisters – Listerine
Pour some Listerine onto a piece of cotton and rub the affected area 3 times a day until the area dries out and no longer hurts.
Cold sores – Lemon Balm Tea
Lemon Balm has antiviral properties that work to tame the cold sore outbreaks. Try to make this your first herbal treatment choice.
Calluses and Corns – Licorice
Licorice is not only a sweet treat but also may soften the hard skin of calluses and corns
because of an estrogen-like substance they contain.
Achy Feet – Tennis Ball
If you feel you need to stretch and soothe your aches grab a tennis ball and roll each foot over it for a few minutes, its like a free massage.
Eczema – Olive Oil
Olive oil is packed with antioxidants that can reduce the inflammation associated with eczema, that’s why its the basis for many moisturizers. Apply it directly to the affected area to soothe flare-ups.
Hiccups – Sugar
Sugar modifies the nerve muscles that would otherwise tell the muscles in the diaphragm to contract spasmodically and contribute to hiccups. Swallow one spoon-full and hiccups will be gone in minutes.
Motion Sickness – Olives or Lemons
Motion sickness causes you to produce excess saliva and olives have compounds called tannins that dry out your mouth and can help soothe queasiness.
Brittle nails – Vegetable Oil
Apply vegetable oil to your hands before you go to bed, it will penetrate your skin preventing your hands and nails from getting too dry.
Mouth Burn – Ice Cream
The coolness of the ice cream can bring temporary relief from a food burn in your mouth, remember the tissue on the roof of your mouth is only a few millimeters thick, so it’s very sensitive to hot foods.
Whiter Teeth – Apples
Crunchy fruits and vegetables have a natural cleansing action that works on tooth enamel to remove stains as soon as you chew them.
Cuts – Cloves
Clove oil is rich in eugenol, a chemical that’s both antiseptic and pain-killing, sprinkle powdered cloves in the cut and it will prevent it from getting infected.
Kenneth and Helen Felumlee pose for a photo nearly three years before their marriage in February 1944, in this September 1941 photo provided by Dick Felumlee.
AP Photo
A couple who held hands at breakfast every morning even after 70 years of marriage have died 15 hours apart.
Helen Felumlee, of Nashport, died at 92 on April 12. Her husband, 91-year-old Kenneth Felumlee, died the next morning.
The couple’s eight children say the two had been inseparable since meeting as teenagers, once sharing the bottom of a bunk bed on a ferry rather than sleeping one night apart, the Zanesville Times Recorder reported (http://ohne.ws/1in7erG).
They remained deeply in love until the very end, even eating breakfast together while holding hands, said their daughter, Linda Cody.
Dick Felumlee/AP Photo
Kenneth and Helen Felumlee, seated, of Nashport, Ohio., in central Ohio pose for a photo with their eight children, Dec. 29, 2012.
“We knew when one went, the other was going to go,” she said.
According to Cody, about 12 hours after Helen died, Kenneth looked at his children and said, “Mom’s dead.”
He quickly began to fade and was surrounded by 24 of his closest family members and friends when he died the next morning.
“He was ready,” Cody said. “He just didn’t want to leave her here by herself.”
The pair had known each other for several years when they eloped in Newport, Ky., across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, on Feb. 20, 1944. At two days shy of his 21st birthday, Kenneth was too young to marry in Ohio.
“He couldn’t wait,” son Jim Felumlee said.
Kenneth worked as a railroad car inspector and mechanic before becoming a mail carrier for the Nashport Post Office. He was active in his Nashport-Irville United Methodist Church as a Sunday school teacher.
Helen stayed at home, not only cooking and cleaning for her own family but also for other families in need in the area. She taught Sunday school, too, but was known more for her greeting card ministry, sending cards for birthdays, sympathy and the holidays to everyone in her community, each with a personal note inside.
“She kept Hallmark in business,” daughter-in-law Debbie Felumlee joked.
When Kenneth retired in 1983 and the children began to leave the house, the Felumlees began to explore their love of travel, visiting almost all 50 states by bus.
“He didn’t want to fly anywhere because you couldn’t see anything as you were going,” Jim Felumlee said.
Although both experienced declining health in recent years, Cody said, each tried to stay strong for the other.
It seems that Republicans are finally waking up and realizing that their leaders have no plans for health care, except to take away the care that millions of Americans now enjoy.
The Hill is reporting that top House conservatives are pressuring Republican leaders to bring an ObamaCare replacement bill to a vote by the August recess.
Conservatives cheered when Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) pledged a vote during the House GOP’s annual retreat in January, viewing the commitment as a central element of the party’s vow to be “the alternative party” and not merely stand in opposition to President Obama.
Yet 10 weeks later, party leaders have given no indication when they might present a plan or what form it will take.
Conservatives like Rep. Steve Scalise (La.), chairman of the Republican Study Committee (RSC), are pushing for a vote by the time lawmakers leave town for five weeks at the end of July.
“At the end of the day, we feel it’s really important to bring a bill to the floor that is a true replacement to the president’s healthcare law,” Scalise said in a phone interview Tuesday.
“Look, leadership’s come a long way in the last six months on that, and we’re continuing to talk to them to try to get to a point where we actually have a vote on the House floor by the August recess.”
Scalise wants the party to adopt a single, comprehensive replacement for ObamaCare, but party leaders have not signed off on that approach. In recent weeks, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has suggested the House might vote instead on a series of healthcare bills.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has shied away from making any commitment at all, appearing to downplay the importance of holding a floor vote within a specific timeframe
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