Trump's conflicts of interest skew Middle East policy

Trump cares more about his businesses in the Middle East than the American people

By Tim Abel

Donald Trump is no stranger to doing business in the Middle East, yet for some unknown reason, he could never quite crack the Qatar market.

Sure, he had been dealing in the hotel business with the Saudis for at least two decades and has his name on quite a few golf courses in the UAE.

However, no matter how hard he tried, business deals in Qatar always seemed unattainable for him.

Now a feud between these three Gulf nations broke out on June 5, when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Arab allies all broke off trade, travel and diplomatic relations with Qatar as punishment for what they said was its support of terrorism.

Many scholars, however, believe that the fallout is the result of a struggle for power and autonomy.

It didn’t take long for Trump to throw his support behind the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in the dispute. They are the two countries out of the three where he has business interests. 

Trump said his reason for backing Saudi Arabia and the UAE is that Qatar is a “funder of terror at a very high level,” but was this his only reason?

Yeah, what could go wrong?

For more cartoons by Jen Sorenson, CLICK HERE.

Guess it depends on who is getting rammed.

Osprey continue comeback

Rhode Island’s Osprey Numbers Continue to Soar

By TODD McLEISH/ecoRI News contributor

Ospreys were driven to near extinction in the 1960s and 1970s because of the effects of the pesticide DDT. (Ed Hughes/for the Audubon Society of Rhode Island)

Rhode Island’s osprey population is climbing, after a highly productive year in 2016, and while the wet spring of 2017 will likely cause a decrease in nesting success this year, the once-rare fish-eating hawk is a model conservation success story, according to new report issued by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, which has coordinated the monitoring of osprey nests statewide since 2010.

“We’ve had an amazing long-term trend of not just active nests but successful nests and the number of young,” said Jonathan Scoones, Audubon’s director of volunteer services who coordinates the osprey monitoring program. “Only nine of our nests were not successful this year, so it seems that our ospreys are becoming experienced at raising young.”

More than 100 volunteers recorded 159 active osprey nests in the state last year, with 150 of them successfully raising chicks, an increase of 28 successful nests over the previous year and 45 more than in 2014. The number of young ospreys that fledged from their nests skyrocketed from 186 in 2014 to 297 in 2016.

Expanded Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Records Available

Offers property owners convenient access to critical permitting documents

The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) has launched improved online access to onsite wastewater treatment system [OWTS] (or "septic system") records, making it easier for property owners to complete the permitting process and/or retrieve historical files.

These new features eliminate the need for customers to visit DEM offices to access records in person.

The new online features include a downloadable Certificate of Conformance for OWTS permitted, installed and approved for use (or "conformed") after 1990.

Also, the full content of DEM's files for OWTS conformed before 1990 – previously stored on microfilm – are now available online.

Free bus rides return for the elderly and disabled

Tanzi pleased at restoration of no-fare RIPTA pass program

Rep. Teresa Tanzi said she is very pleased that the she and fellow members of the House were able to provide funding in the state budget bill to restore no-fare RIPTA bus passes for elderly and disabled Rhode Islanders.

Since February, elderly and disabled Rhode Islanders who meet income-eligibility requirements have had to pay 50 cents a ride, plus 25 cents for transfers, for rides that were previously free for them.

The budget bill (2017-H 5175Aaa) approved by the House of Representatives provides funds to restore the no-fare passes for two years, at a cost of $5 million per year.

Over this two-year period, the General Assembly is requesting that the administration find a permanent solution so that vulnerable Rhode Island residents will continue to have access to the no-fare passes.

Representative Tanzi (D-Dist. 34, Narragansett, South Kingstown), who serves on the House Finance Committee and is chairwoman of its Subcommittee on Human Services, worked behind the scenes to free up funding to ensure the restoration.

VIDEO: Required viewing for Flip Filippi, Justin Price and Elaine Morgan

To see this video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VG_s2PCH_c

Lost in translation

Consistency, the hobgoblin of small minds

How cats came to rule the world.

Ancient DNA reveals role of Near East and Egypt in cat domestication

KU Leuven

DNA found at archaeological sites reveals that the origins of our domestic cat are in the Near East and ancient Egypt.

Cats were domesticated by the first farmers some 10,000 years ago. They later spread across Europe and other parts of the world via trade hub Egypt.

The DNA analysis also revealed that most of these ancient cats had stripes: spotted cats were uncommon until the Middle Ages.

Five subspecies of the wildcat Felis silvestris are known today. All skeletons look exactly alike and are indistinguishable from that of our domestic cat. As a result, it's impossible to see with the naked eye which of these subspecies was domesticated in a distant past.

URI group investigates impacts of diet, exercise on development of dementia

Disciplines from across University, community partners bring new perspectives to research

Carol McCarthy

Faculty, staff and graduate students from a broad range of disciplines at the University of Rhode Island are taking on one of society’s most vexing health challenges: how to prevent or slow the onset of dementia through changes in diet and exercise.

What sets the Lifestyle Interventions Group apart is its inclusion of disciplines beyond the typical confines of brain science, as well as its engagement with organizations, communities and individuals from around the state. 

This holistic perspective expands and enriches avenues of investigation, with the objective of providing the scientific underpinnings to support practical changes in behavior that can improve people’s lives, said William Renehan, associate director of the George and Anne Ryan Institute for Neuroscience at URI and a founder of the group.

The idea that simple changes in behavior could reduce the risk of developing dementia intrigues Renehan, who noted that separate studies by the National Institutes of Health and the Alzheimer’s Association looked at the role of exercise and diet in the context of dementia and reached starkly different conclusions. 

Flying Will Get More Complicated If The Dept. Of Homeland Security Gets It’s Way

Just when you didn’t think flying could get any worse, it very well may.

By Naydeane May 

It is possible in the near future your electronic life is going to be more difficult when you fly the not so friendly skies.  

The Department of Homeland Security announced that they are thinking about expanding the electronics ban to more than 371 airports. 

 The idea is to extend the ban to Europe, Africa, and maybe some domestic airports.  So far no other country has an electronic ban, however Britain is talking about one.

Homeland Security secretary John Kelly told a House of Representatives panel that they are looking at an additional 71 airports. 

CNBC reported that Kelly will be attending a conference next week in Malta  “to present what we think are the minimum increased security standards … and present those to people to say if you meet these standards we will not ban large electronics.” Homeland security refused to say which were the 71 airports under consideration.

So what will happen if the airports do not cooperate with the US?  They will be put on an “affected airports” list.

State Police interview owner of George’s of Galilee for threat against state Senator

Durfee’s statement to State Police conflicts with Durfee’s “apology” e-mail.

By Bob Plain in Rhode Island’s Future

Server is sick? Tough! Work or don't get paid.

A pair of public documents contain conflicting theories about who sent state Senator Maryellen Goodwin a threatening email this week concerning earned sick time legislation that said, in part, “The more you meddle with the hand that feeds you, the more you risk getting bit. We are fucking fed up and extremely close to violent opposition.”

Kevin Durfee, owner of George’s of Galilee, concedes he owns the email address the threatening message came from, but in a subsequent email to Goodwin he said he “did not write the email nor do I agree with what was written.”

A State Police report filed a day before Durfee sent Goodwin the second email suggests otherwise.

In the report, provided to several news organizations by House Spokesman Greg Pare, the man police “identified as the sender” told them “he was upset with the upcoming legislation that would have an effect on his business” and “apologized for the email that he sent,” according to the report.

The police report says “he will send the Senator an apology letter immediately.”

The email to Goodwin does not contain any apology.

Both the email and the narrative from the police report are pictured below.

Wingnuts of the Weekend

At the Charlestown Gallery, starting July 1

The Really BIG Summer Group Show 2017 25 Artists Paintings, Sculpture, Photography You are invited to attend an artists reception: Saturday, July 1st / 5:30 - 8:00PM Over 100 new works of art Showing from July 1st - July 31st Charlestown Gallery 5000 South County Trail, Charlestown RI (401) 364-0120  charlestowngallery@cox.net charlestowngalleryri@cox.net