Monthly Archives: June 2017

President Trump’s Approval Rating Hit Another New Low – TIME

Posted: June 7, 2017 at 5:50 pm

President Donald Trump's approval rating has sunk to a new low at 34%, according to a recent poll.

According to a poll by Quinnipiac University , 34% of voters approve of Trump, while 57% disapprove, a dip from the university's previous survey on May 24, which found that the President had a 37% approval rating. The latest poll results are Trump's lowest scores so far in April, he hovered around 35% approval, according to Quinnipiac.

The poll found that 31% of voters think Trump did something illegal in his relationship with Russia, while 29% say that the president did something unethical, not illegal. About 32% of voters think Trump did nothing wrong. A majority of voters see Trump's general relationship with Russia as concerning 68% said they are "very concerned" or "somewhat concerned," while 54% said he is too friendly with the country.

Quinnipiac University polled 1,361 voters from May 31 to June 6. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points.

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Donald Trump Is Never to Blame – New York Times

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New York Times
Donald Trump Is Never to Blame
New York Times
Poor Donald Trump, so late to the lesson that so many plutocrats before him learned: You can't find good help. Jeff Sessions? What a bust. True, he was never the nimblest newt in the swamp and had all that racial muck in his past. But he mirrored his ...

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Donald Trump has a lot of feelings about fame – CNN

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Trump "joked" that Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump and also serves as a White House strategist, has "become much more famous than me," adding: "I'm a little bit upset about that."

Ah ha ha ha. Ha. Ahem. Cough.

That's not to say Kushner will follow Comey's trajectory. He almost certainly won't -- because Trump values nothing as much as he values loyalty to family.

But even though Kushner isn't on his way out of the White House anytime soon, Trump's aside about his fame is revealing -- in two ways.

1. Trump views the entire world through the lens of fame and notoriety: Trump's measure of success is money, sure. But, even more importantly, it's fame. Lots of people are rich. Not all of those people are also cultural figures. He is. And he uses himself as a measuring stick by which to gauge others and his interactions with them.

Trump is a public figure who embraces that status with both arms. Fame is the way you can tell the winners from the losers in life.

2. Trump makes very little distinction between good press and bad press: Like most people who crave and court the spotlight, Trump isn't someone to split hairs about how positive or negative the coverage of him is.

Sure, he will thunder about how the media is so against him. But true defeat in Trumpworld is not bad press, it's no press.

Trump's asides and "jokes" -- not to mention his tweets -- are almost always more revealing than his formal speeches and statements. This "famous" comment is no exception.

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Donald Trump has a lot of feelings about fame - CNN

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A brief history of Donald Trump’s feud with Sadiq Khan, London’s first Muslim mayor – Washington Post

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan, the first Muslim to lead the United Kingdom'smost populous city, is used to political opponents taking potshots at his faith.

But recently, as his city has dealt with a wave of terrorist attacks, he's also had to contend with a different kind of onslaught: the full fire hose of PresidentTrump's Twitter feed.

[Trumps fight with London mayor baffles his critics]

So how does it feel to be trolled by the most powerful man in the world?

His answer, according to the Associated Press: I don't know how to tell you this, but I really don't care I really couldn't be bothered about what Donald Trump tweets.

Here's the history of their very public conflict.

May 9, 2016 Khan takes office.

When Khan took office, it was clear that he differed significantly from Trump, then a presidential candidate.

He was a Muslim and the first ethnic minority to be mayor in London, and he had beaten back Conservative Party efforts to connect him to alleged Muslim extremists. In the United States, Trump was floating the idea of a travel ban against Muslims.

Khan toldTime magazinethat if Trump wonthe U.S. presidential election, Ill be stopped from going there by virtue of my faith.

He also said Trump's stances on the issues meant the candidate was destined to fail.

Conservative tacticians thought those sort of tactics would win London, and they were wrong, he said. Im confident that Donald Trumps approach to politics wont win in America.

Trump responded by calling Khan rude and ignorant on Good Morning Britain.

He doesn't know me, never met me, doesn't know what I'm all about, he said. I think they're very rude statements, and, frankly, tell him I will remember those statements.

Jan. 20 Trump is inaugurated.

Although those politics did win in America, Trump remained unpopular across the pond.

Brits engaged in a debate about whether Prime Minister Theresa May should rescind the offer to have Trump come for an official state dinner.

[World leaders call for unity after London attack. Trump tweets the complete opposite.]

Khan is among those who have asked the government to reconsider the invitation, describing the state visit as inappropriate given the presidents travel ban for passengers from several Muslim-majority nations.

I love America, I love Americans, and I believe the special relationship is a good one and one thats here to stay, he said on ITV. I think this ban on people from seven Muslim-majority countries, ending the refugee program is cruel, and its shameful. In those circumstances, we shouldnt be rolling out the red carpet.

March 22 Trump Jr. goes on the offensive

Four people were killed including a police officer and another 40 were injured when a terrorist plowed a vehicle through a landmark bridge, then got out of his car and started stabbing people.

Hours after the attack, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a story from September in which Khan talks about Londoners and terrorism. The mayor said large cities such asLondon are terrorist targets and that Brits should be vigilant. He also said the terrorists would not win.

But Trump Jr. gave the mayor's statement a defeatist twinge, implying that Khan thought terrorist attacks were just part and parcel of living in a big city.

June, 3 AnotherLondon attack, and the feud intensifies

Khan had a very public presence after a terrorist attack on London Bridge that killed seven and injured dozens.

Following the June 3 London terror attack, the city's mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted this video message saying, "We are all shocked and angry today - but this is our city. We will never let these cowards win and we will never be cowed by terrorism." (Sadiq Khan/Twitter)

There can be no justification for the acts of these terrorists, and I am quite clear that we will never let them win, nor will we allow them to cower our city or Londoners, the mayor said in the interview.

He also gave pragmatic advice, telling Londoners they would see an increased police presence today and over the course of the next few days. There's no reason to be alarmed.

Trump took the last four words of that message and turned it into an incredulous tweet.

Khan's spokesman dismissed the U.S. president's comments, according to BuzzFeed News:

The mayor is busy working with the police, emergency services and the government to coordinate the response to this horrific and cowardly terrorist attack and provide leadership and reassurance to Londoners and visitors to our city.

He has more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump's ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks urging Londoners not to be alarmed when they saw more police including armed officers on the streets.

But Trump lobbed another criticism across the Atlantic.

So Khan told the Independent that Trump wasn't helping the situation and was instead trying to divide communities.

I just haven't got time to respond to tweets from Donald Trump, he said. Honestly I've got better and more important things to focus on.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Khan said Trump had been wrong about many things and that the government should cancel his state visit to the United Kingdom.

I dont think we should roll out the red carpet to the president of the USA in the circumstances where his policies go against everything we stand for, he said.

Read more:

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Arnold Schwarzenegger slams Donald Trump over Paris accord decision

Donald Trump interrupted a screening of Rogue One. Mark Hamill had a forceful response.

Tiger mauls British zookeeper to death in freak accident

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How to Follow Donald Trump’s Tweets Without Following Donald Trump – Lifehacker

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Photo illustration by Lifehacker

It is likely that for the rest of my life I will not go a single day without thinking about Donald Trump at least once, which is terrifying, Demos Action policy analyst Sean McElwee tweeted last December. Maybe some day well outlive our thoughts of Trump, but for now hes impossible to escape. And given his predilection for news-making tweets, it can even feel necessary to follow the personal Twitter account of modern Americas fastest-hated president. But there are ways to follow the tweets without following @RealDonaldTrump.

If you just dont want to add to Trumps follower count or show up in his Followers you follow section, follow IRetweetTrump instead. This account automatically retweets every Trump tweetincluding his retweets, which might look a bit confusing in your timeline. It doesnt grant you much distance, but its the fastest way to see every Trump tweet.

I love Twitter even though my replies are filled with people calling me an idiot. I use it to

Real Press Sec. automatically reformats every Trump tweet as an official presidential statement. (It ignores retweets.) Tweets are delayed just a few minutes, and the text is embedded in an image.

This treatment highlights the gulf between Trumps Twitter style and the formal language of official statements (a language frequently adopted on Obamas Twitter account). It provides some distance from the immediate tweets, and because it doesnt link to the original, it removes the temptation to click through and see the toxic replies.

PresidentialTrump quote-tweets a selection of Trump tweets and adds a more mature spin. For example, Trumps tweet after the most recent London terrorist attackDo you notice we are not having a gun debate right now? Thats because they used knives and a truck!is replaced with a less hypocritical response:

The account also gives Trump a sense of humor:

And it occasionally addresses issues that the real Trump ignores:

PresidentialTrump doesnt deliver every Trump tweet, and tweets are delayed by a few minutes to a few hours, but it does provide some cathartic distance without veering into unfunny parody account territory. As the accounts creator Barry told Select/All in February, I think my approach works because Im not sardonic or biting, instead simply providing a primer for a better way of being statesmanlike, something a lot of Americans want and expect from their President.

Its a lot, right? Its a lot. It is a firehose of news. How are we supposed to live our lives,

The Atlantics Donald Trump Tweet Tracker analyzes significant Trump tweets, noting political and historical context as well as Trumps grudges and past actions. For example, under Trumps recent criticism of London mayor Sadiq Khan, the Tweet Tracker describes the icy relationship between the two men and predicts the tweets possible consequences for the upcoming UK general election.

This analysis adds a significant delay, but if you prefer to get your Trump news once or twice a day, the Tweet Tracker is a good bookmark. (The Washington Posts RealDonaldContext extension for Chrome and Firefox provided a similar context, but the Post apparently abandoned it in February.)

The Trump Twitter Archive collects every Trump tweet, categorizing them by frequent Trump keywords like fake news, loser, and the worst. It isnt cathartic at all, and its only revealing to those who have carefully avoided reading any Trump tweets for the last few years, but its nice to know someones keeping track.

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Curtains for the Pearl, as the Theater Company Files for Bankruptcy – New York Times

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New York Times
Curtains for the Pearl, as the Theater Company Files for Bankruptcy
New York Times
The Pearl Theater Company, which took the old-fashioned approach of assembling a resident acting company to mount classic plays in increasingly expensive spaces in Manhattan, announced Wednesday that it had filed for bankruptcy and was closing after ...

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Curtains for the Pearl, as the Theater Company Files for Bankruptcy - New York Times

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ISH to emerge from bankruptcy as Seacor subsidiary – WorkBoat (blog)

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International Shipholding Corp. (ISH) expects to emerge from bankruptcy as a Seacor Holdings Inc. subsidiary by July 3.

ISH said it has received the OKs from the U.S. Maritime Administration required under its reorganization plan.

This has been a long and challenging process, said ISH CEO Erik Johnsen, noting his company would exit Chapter 11 as a stable, well-capitalized business with a bright future.

The combination of ISHs longstanding history of excellent customer service and Seacors financial resources will ensure continued growth and success at ISH, said Eric Fabrikant, chief operating officer of Seacor, which just spun off Houma, La.-based Seacor Marine Holdings Inc., its OSV fleet trading under SMHI.

ISHs restructuring includes the issuance of new equity to Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Seacor in exchange for $10.5 million cash and the conversion of $18.1 million in outstanding debtor-in-possession financing claims to equity. In addition, theres $25 million in a new senior debt exit facility, much of which will be used to satisfy creditor claims, and the sale of its pure car/truck carriers to NYK Group Americas Inc.

New Orleans-based ISH, founded in 1947 as Central Gulf Steamship Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection Aug. 1, 2016 after trying to shed assets and negotiate with lenders. The company, which operated 21 U.S. and foreign-flag vessels, listed assets of $305.1 million and total debts of $226.8 million.

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ISH to emerge from bankruptcy as Seacor subsidiary - WorkBoat (blog)

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Bebe Avoids Bankruptcy Filing With Real-Estate Deals – Wall Street Journal (subscription)

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Wall Street Journal (subscription)
Bebe Avoids Bankruptcy Filing With Real-Estate Deals
Wall Street Journal (subscription)
Bebe Stores Inc. has done what few other retailers have been able to do recentlyclose all of its stores without seeking bankruptcy protection. The mall-based retailer, which announced in April it would be closing all of its roughly 180 locations, was ...

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Westinghouse bankruptcy draws federal scrutiny as VC Summer nuclear project’s future remains unclear – Charleston Post Courier

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A panel that reviews the national security implications of overseas entities doing business in the United States said it might investigate potential transactions in a bankruptcy that has put the $14 billion expansion of the V.C. Summer Nuclear Station project in doubt.

The federal Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States filed a letter late Monday with the U.S. bankruptcy court in New York stating that it could conduct an investigation into the possible sale of Westinghouse Electric Co. assets to foreign businesses. That investigation ultimately could be forwarded to President Donald Trump for further action, the letter states.

Westinghouse sought protection from creditors in March.

There are concerns that Chinese investors might make a play for the company's assets through the bankruptcy process, according to news reports. Westinghouse is a subsidiary of Japan-based Toshiba Corp., which has not announced any plans to sell its U.S. nuclear business.

Mollie Gore, spokeswoman for V.C. Summer co-owner Santee Cooper, said the state-owned utility would not be surprised by such a review, but it doesn't expect that to affect an ongoing analysis of the nuclear plant's future. A spokeswoman with SCANA Corp., parent of South Carolina Electric & Gas and the majority owner of V.C. Summer, did not respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, a report filed with the S.C. Office of Regulatory Staff says it could be months before Westinghouse makes a formal decision on whether to honor its contract with SCANA and Santee Cooper to add a pair of reactors at the Midlands nuclear plant. The two South Carolina utilities are paying to keep construction on track under an interim agreement that expires later this month.

Southern Co. has a similar arrangement at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, where Westinghouse was hired to build two reactors. That agreement expires Friday.

If Westinghouse rejects the V.C. Summer contract as part of its bankruptcy reorganization, SCE&G and Santee Cooper would have to find a replacement contractor or build the reactors themselves. The utilities could try to recover financial damages from Westinghouse in court, but that would be costly and time-consuming.

Santee Cooper's board of directors has called a special meeting to be held in closed session Wednesday to get legal advice related to the nuclear project.

Several V.C. Summer contractors and vendors have filed liens against Westinghouse with the bankruptcy court. The Office of Regulatory Staff said there is no timeline for when creditors will be paid because there is no current deadline for Westinghouse to file a reorganization plan.

Westinghouse recently filed thousands of pages of documents outlining its financial condition. They show an estimated $5 billion in assets and $618 million in known liabilities. Breaking the construction contracts at V.C. Summer and Vogtle could cost Westinghouse billions of dollars, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The newspaper said Fluor Corp. and Bechtel Corp., among the nation's largest engineering and construction firms, might be preparing bids to take over the projects.

The federal committee looking into a potential foreign buyer of Westinghouse assets said in its letter that an investigation could delay the bankruptcy case. Its investigations can take up to 75 days, according to the letter.

"If (the committee) determines that the transaction poses national security concerns that cannot be resolved, it will refer the transaction to the president unless the parties choose to abandon the transaction," the letter states. "The president may suspend or prohibit the transaction."

The president's decision would not be subject to judicial review, according to the letter.

The committee is an inter-governmental agency that includes representatives from U.S. Treasury, Homeland Security, the Attorney General's office, the departments of defense, commerce, energy and other agencies.

The nearly decade-long V.C. Summer project has been beset by financial and construction problems. The current cost estimate for the new reactors is 21.6 percent higher than an original $11.4 billion price. According to one projection, the eventual cost could balloon to $19 billion if both reactors are built.

The construction contract between Westinghouse and the South Carolina utilities was made public in late May. It sheds little light on the cost overruns, showing nearly three dozen change orders totaling about $325 million a fraction of the $2.6 billion in overruns since the project was announced in 2008.

Construction also is years behind schedule. The latest estimate puts the first reactor online in April 2020 and completion of the second unit delayed to December 2020. They have to be in service by the end of 2020 to qualify for federal tax credits that could offset about $2.2 billion of construction costs that utility customers have been paying.

Cayce-based SCANA owns 55 percent of the V.C. Summer project. Moncks Corner-based Santee Cooper owns the rest.

Under an agreement with Westinghouse, the utilities are expected to decide by June 26 whether to complete one or both reactors or abandon the project entirely. If the expansion is scrapped, some other type of power plant would have to be built to meet South Carolina's future electricity needs.

Reach David Wren at 843-937-5550 or on Twitter at @David_Wren_

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rue21 Bankruptcy Objections Filed – Bankrupt Company News (press release) (blog)

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Phillips Edison & Company, Ramco-Gershenson Properties filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court an objection to rue21s motion for entry of final order authorizing the Debtors to assume the consulting agreement and approving procedures for store closing sales.

The objection asserts, There should be a finite period of time within which Debtors may conduct the GOB Sales. The Motion sets for an approximate end-date. This date should be firm. The GOB Sale should be conducted within the normal operating hours of the mall or shopping center. The GOB Sale should comply with the mall or shopping center regulations or guidelines concerning security, maintenance, trash removal or any other pertinent guidelines.

Separately, multiple parties including Phillips Edison & Company, Ramco-Gershenson Properties; ARC NPHUBOH001, Aronov Realty Management, Brixmor Property Group, Centennial Real Estate Company filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court separate objections to rue21s emergency financing motion. Phillips Edison & Company, Ramco-Gershenson Properties asserts, Debtors continuing use and occupancy of the Premises is critical to Debtors ongoing operations including store closing sales. The use and occupancy of the Premises provides an actual, necessary, and ongoing benefit to Debtors, and the Court should require Debtors to pay Landlords Stub Rent. Authorizing use of the Premises for the benefit of the DIP and Pre-Petition Secured Lenders without payment of Stub Rent is not supported by applicable law.Landlords should not be forced to bear the risk of administrative insolvency, while all other parties in interest benefit from the ongoing sales process.

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