Previously unreported changes to President Trump’s trust stipulate that it “shall distribute net income or principal to Donald J. Trump at his request.”

When President Donald Trump placed his businesses in a trust upon entering the White House, he put his sons in charge and claimed to distance himself from his sprawling empire. “I hope at the end of eight years I’ll come back and say, ‘Oh you did a good job,’” Trump said at a Jan. 11 press conference. Trump’s lawyer explained that the president “was completely isolating himself from his business interests.”

The setup has long been slammed as insufficient, far short of the full divestment that many ethics experts say is needed to avoid conflicts of interest. A small phrase buried deep in a set of recently released letters between the Trump Organization and the government shows just how little separation there actually is.

Trump can draw money from his more than 400 businesses, at any time, without disclosing it.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-pull-money-his-businesses-whenever-he-wants-without-telling-us?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_medium=social&utm_source=sprout&utm_content=1491221180

If Bill O'Reilly weren't the biggest star at Fox News, would he still have a job at Fox News?

Many media industry observers, reading about the harassment allegations that have cost O'Reilly and Fox millions of dollars, are saying he would not.

What does that answer say about the Murdoch media empire?

Murdoch and his sons are standing near O'Reilly, although not right next to him, by renewing his contract, but not issuing a full-throated defense.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/02/media/bill-oreilly-fox-news-murdochs-settlements/index.html

snip

Written by Hubbard in 1960, it gives the example of a Scientologist housewife who takes over a women's club as secretary and "straightens up the club affairs" by pushing Scientology into areas like marriage advice — and taking fees for it.

The founder encourages members to get jobs like secretarial staff or bodyguards with access to department heads so they can influence the environment. He describes a police officer selling Scientology by "handling the familial problems of the commissioner as his driver or making the rookies gasp at how fast he could train them." Soon, Hubbard writes, the officer will have "altered the whole character, ability and effectiveness of the police force" and, in time, change "the whole approach to law enforcement in that area."

"The cue in all this is don't seek the cooperation of groups," Hubbard writes. "Don't ask for permission. Just enter them and start functioning to make the group win through effectiveness and sanity."

xposted at: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10455083

Scientology's long-standing zeal for expansion and penchant for secrecy have manifested in several ways: the scale of its plans for Cleveland Street, its private meetings with elected officials and its hushed effort to snap up millions of dollars' worth of property after promising the city it wouldn't.

It's an assertive approach that comes up time and again in teachings by founder L. Ron Hubbard and other writings. When it comes to handling governments and widening influence, the church's strategy is a matter of scripture.

In a 1961 series of letters on church policy called "Keeping Scientology Working," Hubbard writes about skirting government approvals.

"Do they think a society in this shape will approve Scientology into power? Hell no! And to hell with this society. We're making a new one. So let's skip the approval button from a lot of (non-Scientologists) and settle down to work to make new people and better people."


http://www.tampabay.com/news/scientology/in-downtown-clearwater-scientologys-bid-for-an-expanded-role-is-a-matter/2318663

Source: AP

MOSCOW (AP) — A respected Russian newspaper says it has uncovered information that police in the southern Russian republic of Chechnya have rounded up more than 100 men suspected of homosexuality and that at least three have been killed.

The Saturday report in Novaya Gazeta said it had confirmed the information with sources in the Chechen police and government, but gave no details.

The report was denied by Chechen President Ramzan Kadyrov's spokesman, who suggested there are no homosexuals in the Muslim-majority region. Ali Karimov said, according to the state news agency RIA Novosti, "it's impossible to persecute those who are not in the republic."

The Kremlin-backed Kadyrov is widely accused of extensive human rights violations. He has brought Islam to the fore of Chechnya's daily life, including opening what is called Europe's biggest mosque.

Read more: https://apnews.com/2656af03a358459a984fd90461c7b09a/Report:-Chechnya-police-arrest-100-alleged-gays,-3-killed?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP

Has anyone ever seen this?!

http://www.officialmikepence.com/

We Stopped Repeal. Now How About We Replace?

The ridiculous Republican “Repeal and Replace”
was roundly and resoundingly rejected,
a relief to Americans who rely on the ACA,
and reason to rejoice for Dems who found their resolve.

Trump’s team’s Russia ties tangle tighter and tighter,
as the House Intel Chair compromises himself,
the Kushners get pulled deeper in the web,
and the FBI leaks become a flood.

Yet Republicans hedge on investigations,
and support Trump’s lifetime Supreme Court nominee,
despite ongoing criminal investigations
that may completely deligitimize the administration.

snip

Meanwhile, revive, rejuvenate, reconnoiter,
and rejoice at the defeat of Trumpcare
at your local progressive social club.

DRINKING LIBERALLY
Find - or start - a chapter near you.

http://livingliberally.org/drinking/

There is no dearth of religious holidays. Be it Christmas, Diwali, Eid or Hanukkah, all religions in the world have some or the other festivities going on throughout the year. But, these holidays carry little meaning for atheists.

For people who lack belief in gods, there is National Atheist Day — April 1. And the story behind how the day came about is amusing.

In 2003, a spoof story said a Florida man sought American Civil Liberties Union’s help and filed a case about discrimination inflicted on atheists by Christian and Jewish festivals and said atheists did not have any holiday to celebrate. To this, the judge replied that April 1, which is April Fool’s Day, was the holiday for atheists. Readers believed the story when it first appeared online and accepted that April 1 was declared as National Atheist Day.

Since then, April 1 is also known as National Atheist Day. However, there has been no recorded activity for this day.

Check out some quotes on atheism, gathered from Goodreads, Ask Atheists and Brainy Quote.

http://www.ibtimes.com/national-atheist-day-2017-quotes-facts-mark-day-2518706

https://twitter.com/Impeach_D_Trump/status/847933523411349504