Darlington deputies bust gambling house in Hartsville | News … – SCNow

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HARTSVILLE, S.C. -- A search warrant resulted in one arrest when numerous illegal gambling events and machines were discovered on Thursday, Feb. 9 at 1826 S. Fifth Street in Hartsville.

Deputies with the Darlington County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Hartsville Police Department and SLED, found several "poker style tables" with poker chips and money tallies of illegal gambling events.

Multiple illegal poker video gaming systems were also discovered during the search, according to a release from the Darlington County Sheriff's Office.

Shannon Marie Witherspoon, 40, of Darlington was arrested during the service of the search warrant and was charged with five counts of possession of gambling devices, one count of operating a gambling house, one count of unlawful games and betting and one count of betting.

Witherspoon has since been released on a $10,000 bond.

This case remains under investigation by the Darlington County Sheriffs Office and additional arrest warrants are pending, according to the release.

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Darlington deputies bust gambling house in Hartsville | News ... - SCNow

Online Casinos Generate A Third Of UK Gambling Dollars – CardPlayer.com

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The U.K. Gambling Commission late last year released updated data on its gambling market, which highlighted the fact that now a third of all gambling dollars in the country come over the internet.

The Commission said that online gambling generated 4.5 billion over a 12-month period (April 2015 to March 2016), which was 33 percent of the entire gambling market. That includes the lottery, the 148 brick-and-mortar casinos and nearly 9,000 betting shops in the country.

That means that gamblers now lose about 13.6 billion ($17 billion USD) each year in the U.K., an increase of more than 20 percent since 2014. For comparison, the entire casino gambling market in America (commercial and tribal) is worth about $70 billion annually.

Growth in the U.S. casino gambling sector has been much less dramatic.

Online casinos in the U.K. represented 29 percent of the overall market between April 2014 and March 2015, the government said. The Commission also noted that the number of brick-and-mortar betting shops has decreased by about two percent over the aforementioned period. No additional land-based casinos have opened up during the time frame.

Online sports betting is regulated in the U.K., leading the country to crack down on illegal betting on games, whether they are real life sporting events or even video games.

The breakdown for online gambling in the U.K. is as follows:

Table Games: 2.6 billion Sports Betting: 1.6 billion Slots: 1.8 billion Bingo: 153 million Betting Exchanges: 152 million

James Green, program director for the Commission, said in a statement:

Our latest statistics show that with the growth in online gambling the industry is increasingly taking a creative approach to using technology to engage consumers. As the online sector grows operators will also need to demonstrate that they are taking an equally innovative approach to ensuring gambling is safe for all online consumers.

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Online Casinos Generate A Third Of UK Gambling Dollars - CardPlayer.com

Last holdout Lakewood to vote on repealing video gambling ban – Northwest Herald

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LAKEWOOD The Village Board is set to vote Tuesday evening on an ordinance that would rescind McHenry Countys last remaining ban on video gambling.

An ordinance that would allow for video gambling within village limits is on the agenda for the meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. at Turnberry Country Club. The new management of the club at 9600 Turnberry Trail approached village leaders in October about undoing the ban.

Should Lakewood reverse the ban, the country club and three of the four other businesses holding village liquor licenses would be eligible for gaming permits.

Lakewood was one of six local governments that banned video gambling under an opt-out in the 2009 state law that legalized it to finance a $31 billion capital plan.

Five of the six have since changed their minds, the most recent being Crystal Lake, after bar and restaurant owners complained that the bans put them at a competitive disadvantage.

Establishments that serve alcohol, truck stops, and fraternal and veterans organizations can have up to five of the machines under state law.

The state gets 30 percent of the proceeds, 5 percent of which goes back to local governments. The remaining 70 percent is split between the business and the company that operates the machines.

The machines under state law must be located in an area accessible only to people at least 21 years old, and in the case of restaurants, must be within view of an adult employee. Machines cannot be visible from outside the building.

Woodstock reversed its ban in 2012. Cary, Algonquin and the McHenry County Board reversed their bans in 2013, and Crystal Lake reversed its ban last year.

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Last holdout Lakewood to vote on repealing video gambling ban - Northwest Herald

AFL’s gambling ads a concern for Geelong Cats star Harry Taylor – The Age

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Geelong veteran Harry Taylor says the saturation of betting advertisements during AFL games is concerning for young fans.

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Following a suspected overdose, players showed up to training and kept mum about their distressed coach. Vision courtesy Seven News, Melbourne.

Jen McCormick snaps a ripper as Adelaide see off the Doggies, Mo Hope kicks her first but the Dees take the points, the Blues yet to be beaten and Tayla Harris will be a superstar.

Taylor has thrown his support behind Western Bulldogs premiership captain Easton Wood, whose public stand against gambling commercials has placed the issue firmly on the AFL agenda.

The two-time Geelong premiership star says he shares Wood's concern that the advertisements are normalising gambling for children.

"I've got three kids at home, and when my eldest can name a lot of the ads on TV, that is a bit of a worry," Taylor said.

"It's certainly something that we need to keep talking about and educating people about.

"It's not as simple as just cutting them out of the AFL, I can certainly understand that, but more education about gambling in general is a really, really important part of what our society and AFL players need."

Wood, who led the Bulldogs to a drought-breaking premiership last year in the absence of injured captain Bob Murphy, raised the issue after attending the AFL's annual player education sessions on Friday.

He said he "couldn't stomach" the AFL educating players on the dangers of gambling while also allowing an influx of betting commercials during games.

"Every year we are told it is a sinister and dangerous activity because of the associated risks that come with gambling, all of which have proven very real," Wood posted on Twitter.

"What I can't understand is that if this is such an issue that we need an annual education session, why - as an industry - do we support the onslaught of gambling advertising you are now faced with when watching an AFL game.

"The obvious issue here is the effect this advertising has on children every time they watch us pull on our boots."

With the exception of Geelong, all of the Victorian-based AFL teams have signed a charter pledging not to sign partnerships with sports betting companies.

However most continue to profit from gambling, with North Melbourne the only club which does not generate revenue from poker machines.

AAP

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AFL's gambling ads a concern for Geelong Cats star Harry Taylor - The Age

Speaker receives citizens’ initiative on legalisation of euthanasia – YLE News

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Sponsors of the citizens' initiative on euthanasia handed the motion over the Parliamentary Speaker Maria Lohela. Image: Vesa Moilanen / Lehtikuva

The sponsors of a citizens' initiative calling for the legalisation of euthanasia handed over the motion to Parliamentary Speaker Maria Lohela on Tuesday.

The initiative first went public on the Kansalaisaloite.fi website, the online service for launching legislative proposals, at the beginning of November last year. It gathered the 50,000 signatures required to take it to the parliament for consideration in just four weeks.

The sponsors of the initiative are former MPs Esko Seppnen, Iiro Viinanen, Henrik Lax, Oslo Soininvaara and Ilkka Taipale.

Supporters of the motion are calling on Finnish legislators to begin preparations to develop laws to regulate the practice of euthanasia or mercy killing, in Finland.

During the handing over ceremony, ex-MP Seppnen said he hoped that parliamentary groups would not make partisan decisions on the motion, but would cast a conscience vote according to their personal convictions.

A straw poll conducted ahead of the last general election indicated that a clear majority of MPs supported legalising euthanasia. Altogether 119 parliamentarians or 59.5% said they backed the measure.

However a survey conducted in January by the Finnish Medical Association showed that only one in six doctors working with terminally-ill patients said they supported legalising euthanasia. Opponents of the proposal expressed concerned over a slipping threshold for euthanasia over time.

Lawmakers will discuss the motion next week, after which it will be taken up by Parliament's social and health care committee.

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Speaker receives citizens' initiative on legalisation of euthanasia - YLE News

Following the golden rule in times of tumult – College Heights Herald

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Loving others well has always been a struggle of mine. It probably has something to do with having a self-centered and selfish heart, but recently, I felt convicted in my heart about not loving others the way Jesus loves me.

As many of us know, politics and the general state of our world is all over the place. From the immigrant travel ban to new federal government appointees being sworn in, it is an interesting time to be alive.

I read my news feed on social media and find myself unfollowing people with outspoken opposing views to my own. I would peg my emotion as righteous anger, however, in the midst of me getting caught up in the world, am I taking time to pray and love these so-called friends or officials I disagree with?

As I was reading through the book of Matthew this past week, I read Matthew 7:14, So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them We have heard this verse before dubbed famously as the golden rule - Treat others the way you would like to be treated.

Personally, I believe it is my right to be given immediate and full tolerance and respect for my opinion because this is America. However, when it comes to others opinions that stray far, far away from mine, I refuse to offer grace and love in my own heart.

Yet in John 14:34-35, Jesus says, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Jesus has set the standard of true love by dying on the cross for all of our sins, and now He basically says, Remember how I showed you love when I was beaten and killed for you so you could have eternal life? Yeah, I expect for you to show that intensity of love to others.

I dont know about you, but that is heavy.

But, Jesus says no more of that, leave all that junk at the foot of the cross, and fill your heart with My love to share with others. This is obviously still a lesson the Lord is walking me through.

This week, I urge all of us to practice sharing words and actions reflecting Jesus love despite the craziness whirring around us.

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Following the golden rule in times of tumult - College Heights Herald

One Nation could gain more than the Liberals from Western Australia seats deal – The Guardian

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WA premier Colin Barnett and deputy premier Liza Harvey earlier this month at Government House in Perth on the day the state election was called. Photograph: Danella Bevis/AAP

A resurgent One Nation is looking to the Western Australian state election, on 11 March, as its first opportunity to demonstrate its growing support since last Julys federal election. Recent polling suggests One Nation is on track to win numerous seats in Western Australias upper house, and could even break through in the lower house.

One Nations prospects were given a further boost at the weekend when the Liberal party announced a preference swap with the minor party: Liberal preferences will favour One Nation in the upper house, while One Nation will give the Liberals a boost in lower house marginal seats.

The Liberal/National government in WA is facing an uphill battle to win a third term in office, and One Nation preferences will give them a boost. When One Nation first broke through in the late 1990s, they took a hefty chunk out of the Coalition vote, and that vote often did not return as preferences.

Recent polls have put One Nation on as high a vote as 13% in Western Australia. In contrast, the party polled just over 4% in the Western Australian Senate race in 2016. Last week on my blog I analysed where One Nation did best in that Senate election, and what the One Nation vote could look like if it jumped to 13%.

One Nations vote is strongly concentrated in regional areas, with a much lower vote in Perth. This reflects how One Nation performed in the 2001 Western Australian state election, where they won three upper house seats in regional areas.

Conveniently for One Nation, the Western Australian upper house is severely biased in favour of country voters. Approximately three-quarters of the states population lives in the Perth metropolitan area, but Perth voters only elect half of the states upper house. These regional voters overwhelmingly favour parties on the right, and this has helped give the current government a sizeable majority in the upper house.

If One Nation was to poll 13%, they would easily poll over a quota in the Agricultural, Mining and Pastoral, and South West regions, and could do reasonably well in the East Metropolitan region, giving them four seats in the upper house. This is made easier thanks to those Liberal preferences.

One Nation could well be a threat to Nationals seats in the lower house, too, but they wont benefit from Liberal preferences in those races. Liberal preferences to One Nation in the lower house could have had a devastating effect on the Nationals, wiping out quite a few of their MPs and making it much harder for the Liberal party to form government. In the upper house, on the other hand, One Nation are likely to win multiple seats with or without Liberal assistance, and a re-elected Liberal government would have an interest in working with a One Nation bloc in the balance of power.

There is a four-way contest for conservative votes in regional Western Australia. The Liberals and Nationals will be competing against each other for seats in both houses, alongside One Nation and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party, who hold two seats in the upper house.

Upper house preferences were formally lodged on Monday, and we saw some unusual decisions motivated by the Liberal-One Nation deal. The Nationals have decided to favour the Greens over their Liberal coalition partners, while the Shooters have gained preferences from many parties, including the Nationals.

The Liberal-National governments chances of re-election will be boosted thanks to One Nation preferences, but only if the deal can hold. Upper house preferences in Western Australia are required to be lodged ahead of time, and they will flow regardless of whether a party can find the volunteers to distribute how-to-vote cards at polling place, thanks to the group voting ticket system (the same system which was used for the Senate prior to law changes in 2016).

In contrast, One Nation preferences in the lower house are only as good as the partys capacity to hand out how-to-votes making the recommendation. One Nation voters have traditionally been happy to follow their partys recommendations, but there are signs that some One Nation candidates are not willing to go along with their partys deal. If candidates in key seats refuse to go along with the deal, the Liberal party could be left empty-handed, after giving away something quite valuable.

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One Nation could gain more than the Liberals from Western Australia seats deal - The Guardian

Chelsea Clinton future run for political shunned by liberal activists … – Washington Times

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BALTIMORE They werent ready for Hillary, and now theyre definitely not ready for her daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

The activists who fueled Sen. Bernard Sanders presidential bid last year and who have become the raging heart of the party as it seeks to rebuild itself, shudder at the thought of the 36-year-old daughter of the former president and secretary of state searching for a race of her own.

Chelsea needs to go away, said Guinevere Boyd, a 49-year-old from Alaska who attended a Democratic National Committee forum this weekend. She has nothing to offer. She has said some horrible clueless things about progressives and progressive issues.

For decades the sideshow to her parents, the younger Ms. Clinton has stepped out of their shadow in the months since her mothers loss to Donald Trump in the presidential race.

On Twitter, she has been mixing gripes against Mr. Trump with praise for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts Democrat, and a plea to the public to let the presidents youngest son, Barron, have the chance every child does to be a kid.

Late last week, the heavy political bent of her tweets prompted speculation that she was eyeing the seat of Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand, New York Democrat, if it opens.

Ms. Clinton flatly ruled out that notion over the weekend and told reporters that Ms. Gillibrand is running for re-election anyway.

But the former first daughter has previously said that seeking public office is absolutely a possibility.

Attendees at the DNC forum predicted that she would have a tough time ditching the family baggage.

The country does not have any more appetite for any Clintons, said Mike Bender, 61, of Baltimore. Enough is enough, and frankly I think the Clinton policies, going back to Bill, are what took the Democrats to the center and the right, and you can see what kind of enthusiasm that inspired.

Still, some of the activists at the DNC forum didnt rule out Ms. Clinton entirely.

They said she should wait at least a decade for the anti-Clinton sentiment to burn off or that they would judge her on her own merits if she runs for office.

I dont know, said Ali Khawar, of the District of Columbia. I think if she decided to run, that is her right as a citizen, and I will judge her on her merits and to the extent that voters think her familial relationship are good or bad, that is something for them to judge her on.

Ms. Clinton serves as vice chairwoman of the Clinton Foundation and is featured in a photograph with her father, former President Bill Clinton, on the groups website.

The foundation is still coming to grips with a loss that has tarnished the Clinton brand.

The loss also left Mr. Clinton in a leadership post he was planning to vacate had his wife won.

The New York Times reported this month that the foundation is regrouping amid lingering questions over what roles the Clinton family will play.

The foundation has raised $2 billion since its beginning in 1997 and remains a force. But fundraising dropped off during the election campaign as it came under withering attacks from Mr. Trump, who accused the Clintons of offering special access at the State Department to foundation donors.

Mrs. Clinton was never charged with any wrongdoing.

Also, hacked emails released by WikiLeaks toward the tail end of the campaign unearthed turmoil between Ms. Clinton and longtime family confidant Doug Band, who helped launch the Clinton Foundation. He called her a spoiled brat and said she used foundation resources for her wedding and life for a decade.

Ms. Clinton, meanwhile, said she suspected Mr. Band was leveraging his role at the foundation and the family name to line his pockets and help launch his own company. Mr. Band defended himself in a 12-page memo to, among others, Bill and Chelsea Clinton, explaining how his company, Teneo Holdings, raised money for the Clinton Foundation.

In response to an email, The Clinton Foundation dismissed the idea that Ms. Clinton is viewing a more active role in politics to promote the Clinton Foundation and to bring the fundraising from which Mr. Band suggested she personally benefited back to where it was before the presidential campaign.

The press office said the idea is based off false assumptions. It pointed to a Washington Post fact-checker that found there is no evidence that the foundation picked up the tab for Ms. Clintons wedding and a Politifact analysis that said, The Clintons do not take any sort of paycheck, bonus or fees from the Clinton Foundation.

Ms. Clinton, meanwhile, also has political scars from the primary campaign, where she served as a top surrogate for her mother and warned voters that Mr. Sanders health care plan would empower Republican governors to take away Medicaid, to take away health insurance for low-income and middle-income working Americans.

Independent fact checkers have said that Ms. Clinton mischaracterized the Vermonts independents position, and activists are still fuming.

It was a big lie, Ms. Boyd said. If she is going to be like that, who needs her? She doesnt get it. She always had money. She is very out of touch with the American people. I dont think she has really circulated with the American people since she was maybe 4 [years old] or something.

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Chelsea Clinton future run for political shunned by liberal activists ... - Washington Times

Liberal Frenzy: ‘Impeach’ Trump; ‘Traitor! Resign by Morning’ – CNSNews.com

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Liberal Frenzy: 'Impeach' Trump; 'Traitor! Resign by Morning'
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(CNSNews.com) - Liberal activists, stung by their election loss, have been angling to get rid of President Trump since the day he took office. Some of them are now seizing on the resignation of National Security Director Michael Flynn as the scandal ...
Justice Department warned White House that Flynn could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail, officials sayWashington Post

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Liberal Frenzy: 'Impeach' Trump; 'Traitor! Resign by Morning' - CNSNews.com

GOP defense hawks barely squawked on Mulvaney nomination – Washington Examiner

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President Trump's choice for budget director, Rep. Mick Mulvaney, R-S.C., headlined a half a dozen nominees. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., filed to end debate on Monday night.

Depending on the Democrats' plans to resist the nominees, Mulvaney could receive his first full Senate vote on Wednesday and a final vote as early as Thursday.

What once looked like it could become an internal Republican battle between budget hawks and defense hawks never picked up much momentum after some harsh questioning from Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

No other Republican Mulvaney skeptics emerged.

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Mulvaney's surprise nomination to run the Office of Management and Budget was cheered by fiscal conservatives who viewed the Freedom Caucus member as an uncompromising spending-cutter. The Cato Institute's Chris Edwards hailed him as "the most fiscally conservative budget director in decades."

But Mulvaney's fiscal conservatism caused him to vote for defense budget cuts other Republicans find unpalatable and to occasionally align himself with more libertarian-leaning GOP lawmakers on foreign policy.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich, two leaders of this contingent, both endorsed Mulvaney for budget director.

None of this endeared Mulvaney to McCain, however. The longtime senator grilled Mulvaney at his confirmation hearings, alleging the South Carolinian spent his "entire congressional career pitting debt against the military and every time for you the military has been less important."

"I would remember if I voted to cut our defenses the way you did, congressman," McCain told him. "Maybe you don't take it with the seriousness that it deserves."

Also from the Washington Examiner

The senator argued that Flynn's resignation is a sign of how chaotic the National Security Council has become.

02/14/17 10:48 AM

McCain also challenged Mulvaney on a vote to swiftly withdraw all troops from Afghanistan. "What were you thinking, honestly?" he asked.

When Mulvaney replied by citing the pain a constituent felt about his son's multiple deployments, an unimpressed McCain retorted, "So the answer is withdraw all troops from Afghanistan? That is crazy."

The dust-up with McCain wasn't the only snag Mulvaney's nomination hit. He disclosed that he had failed to pay taxes on a nanny he had employed, something that had scuttled past nominees.

But with the Senate split 52-48 in the Republicans' favor and a 60-vote threshold no longer required to invoke cloture, GOP defections are required to stop Trump nominees.

Once the majority seemed inclined to forgive Mulvaney after he overpaid the back payroll taxes to take the issue off the table, McCain persuading a handful of Republicans that a GOP budget director should favor more defense spending was the last remaining obstacle.

Also from the Washington Examiner

Flynn's ouster was presented as his decision to resign, but Ryan indicated he thinks Trump fired him.

02/14/17 10:40 AM

FreedomWorks, arguably the most libertarian on foreign policy of all the major Tea Party groups, mobilized against McCain and for Mulvaney.

"Sen. McCain's opposition to President Trump's pick is another action that shows he stands against responsible federal spending levels," FreedomWorks CEO Adam Brandon said in a statement. "He seems perfectly happy to continue spending money we don't have and continue raising the debt ceiling. He continues his career betraying conservatives."

Last year, McCain defeated a Republican primary challenger who campaigned in part on the idea that the high price tag of the 2008 GOP presidential nominee's foreign policy contradicted his claims to be a fiscal conservative.

"Foreign policy is actually John McCain's Achilles heel, not his greatest strength," said Kelli Ward, who lost to McCain by 12.5 percentage points.

Nevertheless, McCain voted to advance Mulvaney's nomination in committee and was seen as softening his opposition in general, causing some of the nominee's outside supporters to take an early victory lap.

"FreedomWorks activists have made more than 60,000 contacts with Sen. John McCain's office since his hostile questioning and 'Morning Joe' interview in which he said he was leaning toward a 'no' on Mulvaney," said the group's press secretary Jon Meadows. "We're glad he might be coming around to support President Trump's fiscally conservative nominee."

McCain's usual Senate allies never joined with him in criticizing Mulvaney. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is with McCain on these policy issues but shares a home state with Mulvaney.

Graham and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., have consistently supported Mulvaney's nomination. Mulvaney has been more sympathetic to Graham's immigration position than many conservative House Republicans.

Graham has also consistently avoided primary challenges from Republican members of the South Carolina House delegation, despite outside conservative groups' appetite for such a candidacy.

"We're coming to understand that we can't be either military hawks or deficit hawks," Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., told McClatchy. "One of the greatest threats to American security that we face today is the national debt. We have to be hawkish on both matters if we want a secure future. For that, Mulvaney has the right experience and the right heart for OMB."

McCain, Graham and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., were all critical of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson during his confirmation hearings. The disagreements over Russia between congressional Republicans and the Trump administration provided them an opportunity to make a statement by blocking him.

All three senators wound up voting to confirm Tillerson. Barring a major change, Mulvaney is likely to join him in the Cabinet soon.

In addition to Mulvaney, McConnell filed cloture on Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt's nomination to head the Environmental Protection Agency, Wilbur Ross' nomination for commerce secretary, Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., for interior secretary, Ben Carson for secretary of housing and urban development, and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry for energy secretary.

Top Story

Flynn resigned after admitting he hadn't been truthful to Vice President Mike Pence.

02/14/17 9:46 AM

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Meet The Venezuelan-Born Mom Who Ran For State Senate To Stop Socialism – The Federalist

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While Americans fixate on the new Republican majority in Washington DC, they may have overlooked the partys gains in their own state capitals. It wasnt just Donald Trump who won big-league in 2016. Republicans also picked up dozens of seats in statehouses. All told, the GOP now controls the legislatures of 32 states (compared to 14 for Democrats), an all-time high for the party.

My home state of West Virginia is no exception. Two years ago, we saw our first Republican majority since the Great Depression, with the GOP gaining even more ground in 2016. One of those gains was in my district, where my friend and fellow homeschooling mother Patricia Rucker recently became my state senator. Although Im admittedly biased, Rucker is both a good model for anyone looking to get more involved in local politics, and a reminder of the value that freedom-seeking immigrants bring to America.

I first got to know Patricia through local politics, where she seemed to be an almost omnipresent force. Dark-haired and slender, shes one of those people who radiates energy. At every phone bank, fundraiser, lit drop, and Tea Party rally, Patricia was therealways with several kids in tow. A devout Catholic, she and her husband Jimmy have five children.

As the legislative session began February 8, Patricia packed her bags, left the homeschooling in Jimmys hands, and made the five-hour trek to Charleston as a freshman senator. For a woman who was born a continent away and became a U.S. citizen just 12 years ago, its the culmination of a remarkable journey.

She was born Patricia Elena Puertas in Caracas, Venezuela. Her parents, Jos and Hayde, had both grown up as the eldest children of large, working-class families. They each became the first in their families to attend college, working hard to support themselves as journalism students. They used their first paychecks to help Haydes parents leave the slums for a two-bedroom apartment in Caracas, with their eight younger children.

Family interdependence was such an important part of Venezuelan culture back then, Patricia remembers. Its one of those things that socialism is trying to destroy.

The Venezuela of Patricias childhood was a very different place than it is today. At the time, Venezuelans enjoyed the highest standard of living in Latin America. Patricia remembers an easy-going, family-oriented culture, loosely organized and far from centrally planned.

There was certainly quite a bit of petty corruption, a quid-pro-quo system, she says. But in general, the government required very little from you. You didnt have to get a license and a permit for every little thing. You lived how you wanted. People didnt have a lot of material things, but they also didnt see those things as important. Everyone had their little plot of land, their garden. We relied on our families. We took care of each other.

As his family grew, Jos was climbing the career ladder as a journalist with the Paris-based Agence France-Press. Eventually, AFP asked the young Venezuelan to move to its Washington DC, bureau. It was a prestigious job that involved covering politicians and world leadersincluding the U.S. presidentas a member of the international press corps.

It was hard for Jos and Hayde to leave their extended family in Venezuela, but they didnt sell their Venezuelan home, confident they and their five children would return. We arrived in DC on January 3, 1981, just before Reagan was inaugurated, Patricia remembers. To this day, its the only presidential inauguration Ive ever seen in person. Of course, I didnt really understand any of it. She was six years old.

The family settled in the DC suburb of Montgomery County, Maryland, where the children went to school. I had speech delays and had a hard time communicating, even in Spanish, Patricia says, so between that and learning English, my first years in school were hard. I was an outcast. The experience, though difficult, was formative. It made me sympathetic toward other people. After that, I was always the one befriending my fellow nerds and outcasts, she remembers. It became a part of my personality: I defend the little guy and I stand up for them.

By sixth grade, Patricia had finished speech therapy and mastered English. After that, she quickly advanced to her schools gifted and talented class. There she had another formative experience.

Even though there werent many Hispanics in Montgomery County back then, I never thought of myself as different. In my mind, I was like everyone else. But her fellow students were more familiar with the ways of the world. As soon as I got into the gifted and talented program, several of the other students assumed that I was only there because I was the token Hispanic. They thought I hadnt gotten there on my own merits.

The experience rankled. It was then that I decided I hated the labeling. I hated the affirmative action. Youre trying to do me a favor, but youre actually making it worse for me! I dont want you to do me a favor. I want to succeed through my own achievements. She laughs a little at the memory. And I think thats when I first became a Republican. The Democratic Party has become a party of favors and putting people into pigeonholes. I dont want to be labeled; I dont want to be limited. I wanted to be limitless. I dont want you giving me anything. I want you to get out of my way and let me live my life.

Sixth grade also marked the beginning of her political career: she ran for class president and won. She remained active in student government throughout her middle and high school years. While still a senior in high school, Patricia met Maryland native Jimmy Rucker at a church Bible study. Jimmy was a nursing student at Catholic University, and asked her out on a date.

I knew pretty quickly that this was the man I was going to marry, Patricia says. They dated for four years, until Patricia graduated from Trinity College with a major in U.S. history. She and Jimmy married the same year, and Patricia took a teaching job with Montgomery County public schools. After having their second child, they moved to Jefferson County, West Virginiarefugees from socialist Montgomery County, Patricia laughs. Its true. We came here for freedom.

All this time, Patricia was slowly working her way through the process of becoming a U.S. citizen. Before I even met my husband, I already felt more American than Venezuelan, she says. For Patricia, U.S. citizenship was the fulfilment of a dream. I had majored in history, and the more I learned, the more I fell in love with the Constitution. I fell in love with the American founding and the American dreamit was not just a clich for me.

After an eight-year process, Patricia was finally granted citizenship in 2004. By then, she was already the mother of four young Americans, the smallest just four months old. Patricia was given the option to be sworn in at a DC ceremony with President Bush in 2005, but she opted for an earlier local ceremony instead. I chose to do it early because I was so eager to vote in the fall election, she explains. I just couldnt wait.

Patricia cast her first vote in November 2004. When she looked at her ballot, the names on national races were familiar, but the names on local races werent. It really shook me that I didnt even know who some of those people were, she said. That day, I promised myself never to let that happen again.

While Patricia was busy putting down roots in America, her native country was remaking itself. Hugo Chvez, a self-declared Marxist, had come to power in 1998, bringing with him a new socialist vision. The Puertas family, who continued traveling back to Venezuela every two years, watched the transformation unfold before their eyes.

I was in Venezuela when Chvez was campaigning in 1998, Patricia remembers. He preached a gospel of envy, both internationally and locally. If the United States was wealthy, it was because they had stolen and cheated from other countries. And if your neighbor was better off than you, it was also because they had stolen and cheated. Therefore, you should be allowed to take what was theirs.

If your neighbor was better off than you, it was also because they had stolen and cheated. Therefore, you should be allowed to take what was theirs.

Besides nationalizing industry and rewriting the constitution to grant himself vast powers, Chvez unleashed the envy hed been fomenting in a government-sanctioned wave of lawlessness. He made it known that the government would not prosecute squatters who took over unproductive or unoccupied buildings and land. A spree of private property thefts ensued.

It got so bad that women had to quit their jobs and stay home all day, just to make sure their homes wouldnt be broken into by squatters, Patricia says. You can only imagine the violence. In a place where we never had violent crime when I was a little girl, people were terrified to go out at night.

Yet Chvezs welfare state policies, funded for a time by Venezuelas vast oil revenues, continued to make him popular with the majority. Its only in the past few years that most Venezuelans have realized what an incredible mistake they made, says Patricia. As oil prices have fallen and Venezuelas war on private industry has reached its natural end, the country is in an economic tailspin. For the past four years, Venezuela has been ranked as the most miserable nation on earth, according to economist Steve Hankes Misery Index. Last year, the Venezuelan currency officially reached hyperinflation, with average people unable to buy food or basic necessities.

Despite living abroad, Jos and Hayde were not immune from the chaos. Not only were they driven to sell their Venezuelan home at a fraction of its value, but they also lost the apartment they had bought for Haydes parents all those years ago, when it was claimed in a break-in. Sadly, they realized that there would be no returning home. The old Venezuela was gone. They too applied for U.S. citizenship, finally becoming Americans just last year.

Back in West Virginia, the Ruckers were busy raising their growing family, now with five children. Despite her full life as a stay-at-home mom and homeschool teacher, Patricia began getting involved in grassroots activism. When I heard Obama campaigning in 2008, I was shocked to hear how much he sounded like Hugo Chvez on the campaign trail, she says. All the stoking of class envyit really concerned me. After seeing what happened in Venezuela, I was not going to let my adopted country go that direction without a fight.

Her worries extended beyond Obama and the Democrats. In 2008 I was feeling deceived and disillusioned by both parties, she remembers. I felt the need to fight back, with education as the primary tool. She founded a local Tea Party chapter, kicking things off with a tax-day rally at the county courthouse in April 2009.

We forget that the Tea Party started because people were furious about the stimulus, the Wall Street bailouts, the fiscal insanity.

About 200 people showed up on a rainy day, she remembers. That was so encouraging. We forget that the Tea Party started because people were furious about the stimulus, the Wall Street bailouts, the fiscal insanity. I had felt very lonely, but now I saw I wasnt alone.

Patricia sent out invitations for meetings, and the group slowly grew. We were committed to two things: First, defending the Constitution. Second, educating ourselves and others. We really tried to remain non-partisan and not get caught up in social issues. After several years, the group restructured as a political action committee and began recruiting liberty-minded candidates for local office. Every year, we did a little bit more. We started having some successes.

In 2014, the Tea Party couldnt find a candidate for one race, a House of Delegates seat in the countys most liberal districtPatricias district. I just could not stand the thought of the Democrat being unchallenged, she recalls. I tried hard. No one was willing to run against him.

As moms everywhere know, if you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself. After prayer and discussion with her family, Patricia reluctantly stepped aside from the Tea Party PAC and filed as a Republican candidate for the seat.

Her opponent was incumbent Delegate Stephen Skinner, a private attorney and the first openly gay lawmaker in West Virginia. As founder of the LGBT advocacy group Fairness WV, he was one of the most liberal legislators in Charleston, with progressive social issues at the center of his agenda.

The odds against Patricia were steep, but she worked hard, going door to door throughout the district. On Election Day, she came just 133 votes away from unseating Skinner. The narrow loss in a tough district whetted her political appetite: It gave me a taste for the fact that I could do it.

In 2015, Patricia filed as a candidate againthis time for the West Virginia Senate, where Republicans held a narrow one-seat majority. She badly wanted to see this seat flip to the GOP, but we needed a candidate who was really going to work hard for it. Patricia thought shed be challenging the incumbent, Sen. Herb Snyder, but in June she got some surprising news: Snyder was stepping down, and Skinner would run for the seat. The stage had been set for a rematch.

I was excited when I heard I was going up against Skinner again, Patricia says. Hes my political polar opposite. Its much easier to run against someone who disagrees with you on almost every point.

So many people believe the same things we domore than youd think. But theyre busy. They dont have time to go out and investigate all the issues.

It became one of the most hotly contested races in the state, making headlines for the amount of money spent. The vast majority of that moneyfour out of every five dollarswas spent on Skinners side. One PAC in particular, calling itself West Virginia Family Values but funded by unions and trial lawyers, poured money into massive ad buys against Rucker. The Skinner campaign also went on the attack. Patricia was painted as a radical with the incongruous goals of legalizing all drugs, taking away womens birth control, and defunding public education.

I think [these allegations] created more support for me than they did me harm, Patricia says.

While Skinner and his allies took to the airwaves, Rucker took to the streets, again pursuing her door-to-door strategy. This time, instead of a small House district, she had a massive Senate district to tackle. I created a daily schedule for myself, she says. I would start with six hours of homeschooling. Then I would go out for two to four hours of door-knocking. Id come home and make dinner, and every night I would finish by writing personal letters to the people Id met that day. She kept up this grueling pace from October 2015 until Election Day 2016eventually knocking on over 16,000 doors.

While many would consider this a form of torture, meeting voters energized Rucker. Talking to people inspired me, she says. So many people believe the same things we domore than youd think. But theyre busy. They dont have time to go out and investigate all the issues. My biggest strength in politics isnt that Im rich or creative or entrepreneurialits that Im a teacher. Its just in me to educate. If I can help someone understand something they didnt before, thats where I get my reward. She also got her reward at the polls on Election Day, defeating Skinner 53 to 47 percent.

While the Senate is now solidly in GOP control, Patricia nonetheless anticipates a tension-filled freshman session: Down there, they think they know it all.

The state government makes too many decisions for its people. At the same time, its failing in its core responsibilities.

Asked what her goals as a senator are, Patricia says, I want to make West Virginia a state that supports and respects its citizens. That sounds basic, but its not. The state government makes too many decisions for its people. At the same time, its failing in its core responsibilities of education, infrastructure, and protecting citizens rights. I want to make the state more responsive and accountable, while empowering local governments and citizens to reclaim our freedom. Follow what the Founding Fathers expected: that we would manage our own affairs.

Part of the states role should be protecting its citizens from federal overreach, she continues. We need more representatives who have the courage to do that. It means making decisions that arent popular, but I didnt run because I wanted to be popular. I ran because I wanted someone in office whos going to stand up and not be afraid.

To the grassroots activist who aspires to political office, Patricia advises: Dont give up. Know clearly what youre fighting for. If you dont have principles to ground you, you can easily get used and bought off.

Rucker doesnt seem to be in any doubt about what her principles are. As someone who has both studied Americas founding and witnessed socialism firsthand, she knows the stakes. At a January swearing-in ceremony held locally for friends and supporters, a crowd of us watched her take an oath to defend the Constitution, with confidence that she really meant it.

As we filed out of the room that night, I overheard one man in a ball cap make a passing remark in his thick local drawl. If every native-born American loved this country as much as she does, he said, wed be a whole lot better off.

Jayme Metzgar is a Senior Contributor at The Federalist.

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Meet The Venezuelan-Born Mom Who Ran For State Senate To Stop Socialism - The Federalist

What the papers say: Britain’s soaring EU budget bill shows Brexit can’t happen soon enough – Spectator.co.uk (blog)

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Weve heard that Brexit could cost Britain billions in the form of a divorce bill from Brussels. But what is the price of staying in? That question is answered by the Daily Mail this morning which reveals Treasury estimates slipped out last week that the UKs contribution to the EU will jump to 10.2bn in 2019 up from 7.9bn this year. The numbers also show that if Britain is still in the EU by 2021-22, taxpayers will have to pay out 10.9bn to Brussels. For the Daily Mail this is proof that Brexit is the best course of action. Doesnt this revelation, slipped out by the Treasury, show precisely why were leaving in the nick of time?, the paper asks. It says this soaring bill shows that Brussels is spending well beyond its means and suggests the money were sending to Brussels could easily be put to better use if it was spent at home. For one, the Mail says, that sum of money could solve our elderly care crisis at a stroke and still leave a few billion to spare.

In the Times, its the euro which comes in for criticism, as the paper suggests the dismal state of the Greek economy shows exactly why the single currency is such a dreadful idea. The ratio of debt to Greeces GDP now sits at 169 per cent, the paper says meaning that, soon enough, something will have to give. But what can be done? Some say that leaving the euro is the only way ahead for Greece an option which the Times pours cold water on, saying the damage would be so immense that is simply isnt plausible. Instead, the only path now despite the reluctance of Germany to agree to it is further debt restructuring along with closer fiscal integration. What is most clear from this mess is that the euro is a misconceived project. And the miserable news is that without financial collapse theres no going back, says the Times.

Meanwhile, the Sun warns that were living through torrid times for the British press. The paper warns that the freedom enjoyed by newspapers has never been in greater peril than it is today. After the looming threat of a state-backed regulator, the proposals put forward by the Law Commission that journalists who obtain secret information could be sent to prison are the latest worry to emerge. These recommendations place too much power in the hands of officials who would rather the public was always kept in the dark, says the Sun, which calls on Downing Street to show it values a free press and ditch the idea.

Ken Loach grabbed the headlines yesterday after accusing the Tories of callous brutality in his acceptance speech at the Baftas. The film director even went as far as saying the Government would have to be removed before claimingthat he and other film directors are with the people on this. This is laughable, suggests the Telegraph, which says the truth is that most people think Loach and his friends are living in la-la land.. Despite the doom-mongering of his speech, in which he talked of dark times and the bleak visions of Britain presented in his films, most people dont recognise this view of modern Britain. The Telegraph says that theres no doubt Loach is a fine director. Yet his skill behind the camera doesnt mean that his view that the welfare state has been dismantled and the poor left to starve and rot is accurate. Instead, the naked truth is that his films are nothing to do with delving into the human condition; theyre simply an exercise in Left-wing propaganda, concludes the Telegraph.

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What the papers say: Britain's soaring EU budget bill shows Brexit can't happen soon enough - Spectator.co.uk (blog)

Syrian refugee families achieve financial independence in Alliston – Simcoe.com

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The path to financial independence has come relatively quickly for the Elahmad family, but their road to success was built on hard work and perseverance, as well as a community willing to give them opportunities.

Khaled Elahmad, his wife and their four daughters moved to the community last February, after they were sponsored by the Syrian refugee committee from St. Johns United Church.

While the family continues to overcome language and cultural barriers, Elahmad and Nisrin are determined to provide a better life for their children.

In September, he landed a job at Peter Thompson & Sons, an Alliston company that manufacturers hardwood flooring. The position was a perfect fit for Elahmad, who used to work at a window-manufacturing factory in Lebanon.

His first task was to grade lumber, but his skills didn't go unnoticed for long. He was soon promoted to the dimension department, where a keen eye is needed to sort materials for different types of flooring.

The company has since hired two more Syrian refugees Joseph Talia, who lives in Alliston with wife Nadi and their four girls; and Mohammed Aldiri, who lives in Shelburne with his wife and their seven children.

They are all such hard workers, said human resources manager Amanda Labatte-Dawe. It also made perfect sense to hire Khaled because he had the experience.

The downside of working full time is that Elahmad and Talia can no longer attend English classes, which are only available during the day. However, Aldiri, who speaks a little English, is helping them learn on the job by teaching them some words and phrases.

The Canadian dream is well within grasp for the Elahmads, but the same can't be said for many of the Syrian refugees who came to this country.

According to the federal government, only half of privately sponsored refugees, and just 12 per cent of government-sponsored refugees, find employment during their first year in Canada.

With the Elahmads youngest daughter now old enough to attend school, Nisrin has been able to start planning for her own career. Recently she was invited to put on an interactive cooking demonstration at the churchs Ladies Laugh, Lunch and Learn, a monthly event that brings people of all cultures together to talk and enjoy a meal.

During the hour-long demonstration, Nisrin showed lunch-goers how to make two staples of Syrian cuisine: tabbouleh, a fresh salad of parsley, tomatoes, bulgar, lettuce and cucumber; and falafels, which are small deep-fried patties made with chickpeas, fava beans and spices.

In the year that I have known Nisrin, I have learned that she really loves to cook and that her food is very good, said Sharron Smith, chair of the churchs refugee sponsorship committee.

Nisrin, who used to cook at a hotel in Lebanon after fleeing Syria in 2012, wants to start her own catering business and is planning to start selling food later this year at the summer farmers market in downtown Alliston.

Smith said the church committee plans to sponsor another family once the federal government agrees to allow more refugees into the country, and to also do some family reunification.

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of the refugee families living in Alliston, the church is holding a Come and Go tea Feb. 26 from 2-4 p.m.

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The Oshies, Alzners, and Winniks are vacationing together in the Bahamas – Russian Machine Never Breaks

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The Washington Capitals have dispersed all across North America for their NHL bye week, and on Monday, we found out an amazing bit of news. The Oshie family, the Alzner clan, and the Winnik crew are all vacationing together at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

The Oshie family included TJ, his wife Lauren, their two daughters Leni and Lyla, and Laurens sister, Ally. Karl and Mandy Alzner brought along their little ones,Stella and Anson. Daniel Winnik tagged along too and brought his lovely wife, Taylor. All three families look like they are literally having the best time ever.

What a backdrop.

Photo: @TayTayRu

Lauren Oshie and Taylor Winnik were lookin fab during their night out Monday.

Photo: @TayTayRu

Lauren and Lyla pose for a quick pic. (We see you, Daniel Winnik.)

Photo: @lauren.oshie

TJ also made sure to help Lyla out with some sand drawings.

Video: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

Alas, Lyla realizes the worst part about any drawing you make in the sand. They eventually get washed away. Poor girl.

Video: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

TJ also made sure to spend some quality time with his youngest daughter Leni.

Photo: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

Photo: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

Leni looks happy to be in the sand.

Photo: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

Heres Papa TJ pushing Lyla and Leni back to the hotel to take a nap.

Video: Lauren Oshies Snapchat

What a beautiful family.

Photo: @lauren.oshie

S/T to @CAPLDY

Bahamas, Daniel Winnik, Karl Alzner, TJ Oshie, Vacation

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The Oshies, Alzners, and Winniks are vacationing together in the Bahamas - Russian Machine Never Breaks

Greenslade: Bahamas Is Not In Crisis – Bahamas Tribune

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Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade.

By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

DESPITE the country recording 13 homicides in 13 days, Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade said the Bahamas is not in a state of crisis and the average Bahamian can continue to go about their day as normal day without the fear of being attacked.

At a press conference at police headquarters on Monday after a weekend of carnage, Commissioner Greenslade said the only solution to the countrys crime problem is to keep prolific offenders behind bars. He said the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) is not considering implementing a curfew or locking down certain neighbourhoods and the suggestion to do so is emotional and makes no sense.

His comments came hours after the country recorded its 27th homicide for the year. Seven people have been killed since Friday.

On Monday afternoon, police also reported that a man was stabbed outside an establishment on Nassau Street while two men were shot while in the area of Ross Corner. These victims were said to be in stable condition in hospital.

Commissioner Greenslade said it is simply not enough for people to point the finger at the police in times of crisis yet refuse to manage their homes or assist the police in catching wanted persons.

It is a falsehood to tell the Bahamian public and the world at large that the Bahamas is in crisis, that is nonsense, he said. Every well meaning citizen in this country is well aware that these young people that are unfortunately dying and the young people that are the perpetrators, these are people that have fallen though the cracks of our society and they did not remain in school. The ones who did, when they got out of school, chose to associate with the wrong type of company and this is tit for tat, you touch my boy I touch your boy type of thing.

He added: I do not want the public to form the impression you cant drive your car and go to work, or you cant drive your car to go to church, or you cant drive your car and go to the grocery store. We have a problem, lets not kid ourselves and that problem is prolific offenders that are in and out of the system who are not prepared to not live a life of crime....

This country is not at a stage where the average decent citizen has to be concerned about being attacked, Commissioner Greenslade added. Do we have cases were someone is robbed and where an innocent person dies, yes. But I am telling you year on year, those who are prepared to look at the facts can tell you that no one is interested in harming persons who go about their normal daily activity.

Bahamians can go about their daily lives as normal, I dont perceive that any Bahamian citizen who is going about their business on a daily basis is going to have any issues. It is a very bad development in this country but this is not something that happened overnight.

He also said there are far too many healthy bodied prolific offenders in our country who have no hesitation in causing harm to other people and until these people are put away for good the crime situation will never improve. When asked if the RBPF is considering implementing a curfew in high crime areas, Commissioner Greenslade said absolutely not.

The only solution (to crime) is when these people are arrested and charged, that we allow due process and natural justice and we put them before the courts. I believe firmly as the commissioner that they should remain incarcerated based upon the egregious crimes they have committed, Commissioner Greenslade said.

We have to ensure that people that walk around with assault weapons and other variations of weapons, that have raped people, that have attempted to rape people, that have killed people that have attempted to murder people they should remain, I will make no apology, they should remain incarcerated and have their day in court. If we continue he way we are going we will continue to chase our tails.

People are getting emotional and saying things that sound good to say - a curfew is not a good idea. I am going to say we should be careful...You can not ask the commissioner, in a democracy, with any intelligence to go into a community and just hit people over the head. It doesnt work like that, it makes absolutely no sense. I am telling you again, please listen to me. We know who the man is that shot the person, we have arrested him and taken him to court. Why are you continuing to ask me the same question? Why am I having to arrest these men again?

We are kidding ourselves. Yes, some drastic things should happen but the question should not be how drastic is the approach by the police. How much more drastic would you wish us to be? We dont sleep at night, our families hardly see us, everything we do we show you.

Commissioner Greenslade also said police are still looking for several persons in connection with this weekends homicides. Anyone with information on any of these murders is asked to contact police at 911 or 919, the Central Detective Unit at 502-9991 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 328-TIPS.

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Greenslade: Bahamas Is Not In Crisis - Bahamas Tribune

Director hits back at offshore worker blacklisting claims – BBC News

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BBC News
Director hits back at offshore worker blacklisting claims
BBC News
The managing director of a scaffolding business who has lost workers to the oil and gas industry has hit back at claims former offshore workers are now being unfairly blacklisted. BBC Scotland revealed on Monday that an MSP had passed concerns about ...
Jobseeking offshore workers being discriminated against, claims MSPEnergy Voice

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Director hits back at offshore worker blacklisting claims - BBC News

Oil Majors’ Plans – No Relief For Offshore Drillers – Seeking Alpha

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In the previous earnings season, I did an evaluation of majors' capital spending plans to find out whether offshore drilling recovery was around the corner (Part 1, Part 2). This time, I am returning to the topic and will look at majors' spending plans once again. The oil companies in question are Chevron (NYSE:CVX), Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM), BP (NYSE:BP), Shell (NYSE:RDS.A), Statoil (NYSE:STO), Conoco Phillips (NYSE:COP), and Total (NYSE:TOT). Drillers available on major exchanges are Atwood Oceanics (NYSE:ATW), Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE:DO), Ensco (NYSE:ESV), Noble Corp. (NYSE:NE), North Atlantic Drilling (NYSE:NADL), Ocean Rig (NASDAQ:ORIG), Pacific Drilling (NYSE:PACD), Rowan (NYSE:RDC), Transocean (NYSE:RIG), Seadrill (NYSE:SDRL) and Seadrill Partners (NYSE:SDLP).

In my previous articles, I went through the majors' plans one by one. This time, I want to concentrate on big trends and key takeaways, in part because it will be easier to navigate for readers and in part because it is just boring to write in the same format once again. Below I provide links to earnings reports and subsequent earnings calls, so you can read them if you want to dig deeper into the topic.

Inflated stock prices favor short-term thinking. I would argue that some stocks have gone way ahead of themselves. The clearest example is Chevron:

There is no logical valuation reason why Chevron should be worth as much as it was in 2014, when oil prices were twice higher. However, there is a rational explanation to this phenomenon. Chevron stock price reflects the demand for yield. If the yield is good and market participants believe in its sustainability, the stock price increases.

Management surely understands the key driver behind the stock price. Not surprisingly, they want the upside to continue, which is favorable both for them and their shareholders. Thus, they prefer short-cycle projects over long-term projects because longer-term projects are an immediate hit on the bottom line, while the results will be seen later.

During the earnings call, Chevron said the following: "We're further reducing capital spending in 2017 and investing a larger percentage of capital in short-cycle high-return opportunities presented by our advantaged portfolio." The company added: "Our actions support our number one financial priority which is maintaining growing the dividend as the pattern of earnings and cash flow permit."

While the Chevron team was the most straightforward in discussing their vision, other management teams sounded similar. You can't blame them for this; they are doing what their shareholders are demanding, and they want the dividend, which is a primary reason for investing in oil majors.

The takeaway for the offshore drillers is that there is no change of short-term priorities for oil majors. Just like in the previous earnings season, the words "short cycle" and "dividend" are frequent guests in management's vocabulary.

Management teams sound more positive but still cautious despite the OPEC/non-OPEC deal. If you believe that OPEC/non-OPEC deal is a game changer, you'd expect that oil majors will be more focused on their growth plans. However, they appear to be more focused on their EPS or debt management, as highlighted by Exxon Mobil's intention to use excess cash balances to pay down debt or buyback shares.

In my view, nobody wants to get caught in a 2015-like scenario, when the rebound was followed by massive downside, which took oil below $30 at one point. The situation is certainly different now, but it appears as if oil companies want to play it safe and see confirmation that oil prices won't drop once again. So far, oil hit a wall around $57.50 for Brent (NYSEARCA:BNO) and was unable to gain more ground. The more oil spends below $57.50, the more chances for downside increase.

Maximizing project NPV takes back seat to the focus on low breakeven price. This is a huge shift in mentality, a one that is especially dangerous for offshore drilling. Almost everyone keeps talking about which projects they have that are breakeven at $40 per barrel or another low price. The last thing an oil major wants now is to commit to a perspective long-term project only to find out that the price dropped below the breakeven point.

I believe that it highlights the fact that there is not enough "belief" in OPEC in the system right now. Everyone wants to see if the cartel is able to provide long-term support and upside for prices. This is a rational business decision. Certainly, oil majors have no obligation or intent to bail out companies that provide services to them, like offshore drillers. However, one could have expected that there will be some movement toward fixing the present low dayrates for the long-term projects. But that hasn't happened so far.

The year 2017 will be as hard as 2016 for offshore drillers as oil companies' priorities have not changed. Without a dramatic upside in oil prices, any real recovery in contracting activity is postponed until 2018. Keep in mind that oil majors have to deal with dividends that are a legacy from $100+ oil times. Also, oil companies have no duty to think about the long-term balance between supply and demand.

Should demand overcome supply by a big margin sometime in the future, oil prices will skyrocket and oil companies will reap the benefits of higher prices and invest accordingly. I don't buy the typical argument that oil companies should be extremely worried about their reserve replacement and act now, employing offshore drilling (presumably UDW drilling). In my view, they have plenty of time and can increase exploration in a more favorable pricing environment.

I expect downside in offshore drilling shares if oil prices fail to continue their upside. The road to recovery is long, and if it does not start now with the help of higher oil prices, valuations will decrease accordingly.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: I may trade any of the abovementioned stocks.

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Oil Majors' Plans - No Relief For Offshore Drillers - Seeking Alpha

Ontario signals extension on offshore wind project moratorium – BNN

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Allison Jones, The Canadian Press

TORONTO -- Six years after Ontario abruptly imposed a moratorium on offshore wind projects, citing the need for more research, the government is signalling it will likely continue for several more years, even with all of its studies in hand.

The moratorium has so far put the Liberal government on the hook for at least $28 million, and it still faces a trial next year on another $500-million lawsuit over the February 2011 decision.

Both Windstream Energy and Trillium Power Wind had wind turbine projects planned for Lake Ontario in the eastern part of the province when the government brought down the moratorium -- in Trillium's case, just minutes before its financing was set to close.

Windstream took its complaint to a NAFTA tribunal, which partially ruled in the company's favour, awarding it $25 million in damages for unfair and inequitable treatment as well as $3 million in legal fees.

Ontario's decision was "at least in part" driven by a genuine concern about a lack of scientific research, but was also influenced by public opposition to offshore wind and how it could affect the Liberals in the upcoming 2011 election, the tribunal found.

"The government on the whole did relatively little to address the scientific uncertainty surrounding offshore wind that it had relied upon as the main publicly cited reason for the moratorium," the tribunal ruled. "Indeed, many of the research plans did not go forward at all, including some for lack of funding, and at the hearing counsel for the respondent confirmed that Ontario did not plan to conduct any further studies."

Five government-commissioned studies have been completed since 2011 on impacts on fish, other environmental impacts, sound and decommissioning requirements.

The studies largely found that while there were still many unknowns about offshore wind in freshwater environments, impacts were likely to be minimal. At least one concluded it was doable.

"If appropriate precautionary measures are taken to avoid or mitigate the impacts of potential harmful or disturbing activities, and implementation strategies are adapted to reflect an ever-growing knowledge base and accommodate the best available science-based options for mitigation, offshore wind power generation within the Great Lakes has the potential to be implemented with minimal impacts on the aquatic ecosystem and in an environmentally sustainable manner," concluded one aquatic research study.

The last two outstanding studies were made public in December, but now the government says it needs more research -- only, it hasn't commissioned any.

"Ontario will continue to follow the impact of North America's first offshore wind pilot project in Lake Erie -- a project authorized by the State of Ohio," the Ministry of the Environment said in a statement.

"Doing so will allow us to have a better grasp of any potential environmental and health challenges posed by freshwater offshore wind developments. The moratorium will not be lifted until research findings are understood and concerns surrounding offshore wind projects are addressed."

The Lake Erie project is slated to begin construction in the spring of 2018.

The Windstream contract in Ontario was signed at a time when the government was shutting down coal-fired electricity generation and looking for green sources of power. Now, the Liberal government is under fire for its green energy program, which is blamed in part for high electricity rates. It recently cancelled plans to sign contracts for up to 1,000 megawatts of power from solar, wind and other renewable energy sources.

But Windstream is still hoping their contract is honoured.

As for Trillium, its $500-million lawsuit for misfeasance in public office is set to go to trial one week after the June 7, 2018 election. Trillium doesn't buy the need for more research as an explanation for the moratorium, said its lawyer.

"These are all really, as far as we're concerned, simply excuses for not wanting to proceed with offshore wind," said Morris Cooper. "(This government) has no focus other than to win the next election."

The Liberal government is also under criminal investigation stemming from Trillium's claim. The company alleged in the lawsuit that government officials destroyed documents after the company sued over the government's cancellation of a Lake Ontario wind project and the provincial police are investigating.

None of Trillium's allegations has been proven in court.

In its statement of defence, the government says it was a coincidence that the moratorium and cancellations were issued just before Trillium's financing was set to close.

Link:

Ontario signals extension on offshore wind project moratorium - BNN

Legislation could mean an economic boost in New Bedford offshore wind projects – SouthCoastToday.com

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By Michael Bonner, mbonner@s-t.com

Clean energy advocates dropped A-list names at least in terms of American history Monday when discussing promoting a Massachusetts bill.

The 100 Percent Energy Act would make the state the first in the nation to commit entirely to renewable energy, the hope being others would follow the lead of the Bay State in producing a greener country.

Throughout our entire career as a community, Massachusetts has offered leadership to the world, whether it was John Winthrop ... talking about being light in the city on the hill or John Adams echoing him or John Kennedy echoing them," Sustainability Roundtable CEO Jim Boyle said in a conference call.

In January, State Reps. Sean Garballey, D-Arlington, and Marjorie Decker, D-Cambridge, along with State Senator Jamie Eldridge, D-Acton, introduced the bill, which now has 53 co-sponsors. It would require Massachusetts to source all of its electricity from renewable sources like solar and wind by 2035. Other sectors, like heating and transportation, would have to use renewable energy by 2050.

We know were not going to achieve 100 percent renewable energy overnight, Director of Environment Massachusetts Ben Hellerstein said. But we can make sure that every decision were making in the upcoming decade is going to make us that much closer.

New Bedford already took steps in that direction last week when Deepwater Wind opened its offices in the city. The ribbon-cutting ceremony of sorts included the mayor among others with the belief that the company will bring a plethora of opportunities to New Bedford in offshore wind energy.

Studies have shown that Massachusetts has the potential to generate 11 times the amount of electricity that fuel takes each year just from offshore wind alone, Hellerstein said. So theres huge potential, to supply not just Massachusetts but the entire New England region.

Last year, Environment Massachusetts released a report, which named New Bedford as one of the leading cities in the state marching toward 100 percent renewable energy.

Another study conducted at Stanford University predicted that 55 percent of the energy used in Massachusetts in 2050 could come from offshore wind.

It all leads to a predicted jolt in the local economy with innovative high-paying jobs.

Once the legislation is passed, we will pretty quickly begin to see real tangible benefits come to our communities, Hellerstein said.

The bill would also establish a council to identify opportunities for the workforce that would try to help erase the challenges that stand in the way of cities that were built on the dependence of fossil fuels.

Massachusetts has an almost unique opportunity to lead this technological revolution globally, Boyle said.

No timetable was provided as to when the bill could be passed. There was no concrete information regarding the total cost either.

In the short term the bill would focus on new construction. However, the panel acknowledged that most of the buildings and homes that will exist in 2050 are already built.

We absolutely will need to create programs and incentives to help folks in those homes make the transition, Hellerstein said.

The rest is here:

Legislation could mean an economic boost in New Bedford offshore wind projects - SouthCoastToday.com

Don’t Overlook This Cost-Effective Alternative To Offshore Services – Forbes

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Don't Overlook This Cost-Effective Alternative To Offshore Services
Forbes
On a worldwide basis, companies are pausing efforts or taking a step back from globalization. In Europe, this is most evident in recent months with Brexit in the UK. In the United States, it is most evident in the proposals underway in Congress and the ...

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Don't Overlook This Cost-Effective Alternative To Offshore Services - Forbes