2016 - Page 5 of 49 - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on December 7, 2016 December 6, 2016

TIME WARNER CEO: The ‘real threat’ to the First Amendment came from Democrats, not Trump

Allan Smith

Time Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes told Business Insider’s Henry Blodget on Tuesday that the “real threat” to the First Amendment did not come from President-elect Donald Trump during the campaign, but rather from the Democratic Party.

Bewkes was speaking at Business Insider’s annual IGNITION conference, during which he was asked about Trump’s frequent campaign threats to open up libel laws.

Trump has also set his sights on Bewkes’ own media property, CNN, which he consistently ridiculed along the campaign trail and even after Election Day.

https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bewkes-time-warner-first-amendment-democrats-trump-2016-12

Posted on December 6, 2016 December 6, 2016

Diners returning to restaurants after election, restaurateur Danny Meyer says

Berkeley Lovelace Jr. | @Blovelace_Jr

Meyer: Political uncertainty impacted interest in going out to eat 18 Hours Ago | 05:35

People are coming back to restaurants in “droves,” after a temporary decline in going out to eat ahead of the election, restaurateur Danny Meyer said.

He explained that “restaurants are places that people come to be with people and people didn’t feel great with all the uncertainty” around the election. Meyer said that what happened in restaurants mirrored the uncertainty in the financial markets.

“I think people are coming back in droves. Even if they’re coming back to debate, there’s nothing like sitting around a table with some good food with friends and that seems to really be bringing people out and we couldn’t be happier,” he said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Monday.

The Shake Shack founder made his remarks after activity in the service sector hit a one-year high in November. Food service businesses such as McDonald’s, Darden and Chipotle saw their stocks climb in afternoon trade Monday.

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/05/diners-returning-to-restaurants-after-election-restaurateur-danny-meyer-says.html

Posted on December 6, 2016 December 5, 2016

The war on ‘fake news’ is all about censoring real news

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By Karol Markowicz

December 4, 2016

Scrambling for an explanation for Donald Trump’s victory, many in the media and on the left have settled on the idea that his supporters were consumers of “fake news” — gullible rubes living in an alternate reality made Trump president.

To be sure, there is such a thing as actual fake news: made-up stories built to get Facebook traction before they can be debunked. But that’s not what’s really going on here.

What the left is trying to do is designate anything outside its ideological bubble as suspect on its face.

In October, President Obama complained that we need a “curating function” to deal with the “wild-wild-west-of-information flow.” Who would be doing this “curating” is unclear — but we can guess: “Obviously,” Noah Feldman writes at Bloomberg View, “it would be better if the market would fix the problem on its own . . . But if they can’t reliably do it — and that seems possible, since algorithms aren’t (yet) fact-checkers — there might be a need for the state to step in.”

https://nypost.com/2016/12/04/the-war-on-fake-news-is-all-about-censoring-real-news/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow&sr_share=facebook

Posted on December 5, 2016 December 5, 2016

Jon Stewart Goes Off: Obama ‘Terrible for Press Freedom;’ Left’s Race-Baiting ‘Has to Stop’

by JEROME HUDSON3 Dec 20161,432

Comedian Jon Stewart sat down for a lengthy post-election conversationWednesday with New York Times editor Chris Smith and dished on all aspects of politics in the era of Trump.

“It is odd to be in a position of knowing that the leader of the free world tweeted that you were a pussy at 1:30 in the morning,” the former Daily Show host said of President-elect Donald Trump.

Stewart was set to discuss his new book, The Daily Show: An Oral History, but spent most of the evening airing his thoughts on the presidential election, why Obama was bad for freedom of the press and Hispanics, and how corporate media helps divide America.

“Not everybody that voted for Trump is a racist,” Stewart said, mimicking remarks he made in November. “I don’t give a fuck what any of you say to me. You can yell it at me, you can tweet it at me. They’re not all racists. Or they’re not giving tacit support to a racist system. We all give tacit support to exploitative systems as long as they don’t affect us that badly.”

https://www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/12/03/jon-stewart-goes-off-obama-terrible-for-press-freedom-lefts-race-baiting-has-to-stop/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social

Posted on December 5, 2016 December 5, 2016

Dr. Ben Carson Gets the Nod for HUD Secretary

President-Elect Donald J. Trump Intends to Nominate Dr. Ben Carson as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development

December 5,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate Dr. Ben Carson to serve as Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Dr. Carson is a distinguished national leader who overcame his troubled youth in the inner city of Detroit to become a renowned neurosurgeon who served as the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland.

“I am thrilled to nominate Dr. Ben Carson as our next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities. We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a Presidency representing all Americans. He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”

“I am honored to accept the opportunity to serve our country in the Trump administration,” said Dr. Carson. “I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need. We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met.”

Ben Carson was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 18, 1951. While his mother lacked access to a quality education, she encouraged her sons in their scholastic pursuits and instilled the value of hard work. Carson graduated with honors from Southwestern High School, where he also became a senior commander in the school’s ROTC program. He earned a full scholarship to Yale University and graduated in 1973 with a B.A. degree in psychology.

Carson then enrolled in the School of Medicine at the University of Michigan, choosing to become a neurosurgeon. Dr. Carson became the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital at age 33 and earned fame for his groundbreaking work separating conjoined twins.

Twenty years ago, Carson and his wife Candy started the Carson Scholars Fund, which is now active in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. It has provided more than 7,300 scholarships since 1994 to students from all backgrounds that achieve at the highest academic levels and community service. It also encompasses the Reading Room program and reading rooms have been placed throughout the country to stimulate a love for reading, especially in those who are underserved.

In 2000, the Library of Congress selected Dr. Carson as one of its “Living Legends.” The following year, CNN and Time magazine named Dr. Carson as one of the nation’s 20 foremost physicians and scientists. In 2006, he received the Spingarn Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the NAACP. In February 2008, President George W. Bush awarded Dr. Carson the Ford’s Theatre Lincoln Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Posted on December 5, 2016 December 4, 2016

the Revolution Continues :Italian PM Matteo Renzi to resign in wake of referendum defeat

Matteo Renzi, who staked his future on winning the vote, says he takes full responsibility for the “extraordinarily clear” defeat.

Italian PM Matteo Renzi has said he will resign after losing a key referendum on constitutional reform.

Mr Renzi had staked his future on a “Yes” vote, vowing to quit if voters rejected his plans to reduce the role of the country’s Senate and take back powers from regional authorities.

The result plunges the country into political turmoil, with the effects likely to be felt on the markets and across the rest of Europe.

“The experience of my government ends here,” Mr Renzi said in a televised address to the nation after early results suggested he may have lost by as much as 20 points.

https://news.sky.com/story/italian-pm-matteo-renzi-to-resign-in-wake-of-referendum-defeat-10683879

Posted on December 5, 2016 December 4, 2016

PELOSI: ‘I DON’T THINK THAT PEOPLE WANT A NEW DIRECTION’

‘Our values unify us and our values are about supporting America’s working families’
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said that despite Democrats losing the House, Senate, and almost two-thirds of state houses, the American people don’t want a new direction.

https://news.grabien.com/story-pelosi-i-dont-think-people-want-new-direction

Posted on December 4, 2016 December 4, 2016

RENZI VOWS TO QUIT IF HE LOSES

BY COLLEEN BARRY
ASSOCIATED PRESS

MILAN (AP) — Italians vote Sunday in a referendum on constitutional reforms that is being closely watched abroad to see if Italy becomes the next country to reject the political status quo.

Premier Matteo Renzi has said he will resign if the reforms are rejected, and opposition politicians have vowed to press for a new government if voters reject the proposed constitutional changes.

The premier made no comment as he voted in Pontassieve, a Tuscan town east of Florence, along with his wife, Agnese Landini. He is expected to return to Rome later this afternoon to watch the outcome of the vote.

The risk of political instability in Italy, Europe’s fourth largest economy, has triggered market reaction before the vote, with bank stocks sinking and the borrowing costs on sovereign debt rising.

https://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_ITALY_REFERENDUM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-12-04-07-29-01

Posted on December 4, 2016 December 4, 2016

Le Pen victory would be ‘body blow’ to Europe: ex-British PM

AFPDecember 3, 2016

New Delhi (AFP) – Britain’s former premier said Saturday the election of France’s Marine Le Pen would be a “big body blow” for Europe, saying he hoped for the victory of a mainstream party.

David Cameron said the recent rise of “anti-system, populist” and “quite extreme political parties” in western Europe did not mark the end of globalisation, but warned of the immediate need to make a “major course correction” to address related economic and cultural challenges.

“If France were to elect Marine Le Pen, that would be obviously a very big body blow for the European project,” he said at a Hindustan Times organised conference in New Delhi, hoping for a victory of “a mainstream party that can unite people behind their candidacy”.

He said the demand for and benefit of free trade, travel, specialisation, technology, innovation were not going away.

“But we do need to understand very profoundly the things that have happened, that have caused the events you have seen in Europe and the wider world in the last one year,” he added.

Cameron resigned as prime minister in June after he — a supporter and campaigner for Britain to remain in the European Union — lost a high-stakes national referendum on the very issue.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/le-pen-victory-body-blow-europe-ex-british-100556604.html

Posted on December 4, 2016 December 3, 2016

American football could fall like the gladiators of ancient Rome

By Mary Pilon

December 3, 2016 | 3:11pm

When I called my father back home in Oregon on a recent Sunday, he rattled off his thoughts about the election, the health of his two dogs and queries about holiday plans. But, as the child of a sports-loving house (Go, Ducks!), I was most surprised by what my dad wasn’t talking about on Sunday — football.

He’s not alone in his waning interest. This season, ratings for professional football are down 27 percent across all of the major networks: ESPN, Fox, NBC and CBS, according Forbes. The decline in the ratings underscores a bigger truth that no one wants to face: Nothing lasts forever. And that includes the popularity of professional football, which now may be experiencing the slow, inevitable crumble of a Roman-style empire.

https://nypost.com/2016/12/03/american-football-could-fall-like-the-gladiators-of-ancient-rome/

Posted on December 4, 2016 December 3, 2016

President-Elect Donald J. Trump to Nominate Steven Mnuchin as Secretary of the Treasury, Wilbur Ross as Secretary of Commerce and Todd Ricketts as Deputy Secretary of Commerce

DECEMBER 04, 2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, President-elect Donald J. Trump today announced his intent to nominate Steven Mnuchin as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Treasury, Wilbur Ross as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce and Todd Ricketts as Deputy Secretary of Commerce. This team will be instrumental in implementing the President-elect’s America First economic plan that will create more than 25 million jobs over the next decade.

Mr. Mnuchin has decades of financial management experience including serving as Chief Information Officer at Goldman Sachs as well as finance director for President-elect Trump’s presidential campaign.

“Steve Mnuchin is a world-class financier, banker and businessman, and has played a key role in developing our plan to build a dynamic, booming economy that will create millions of jobs,” said President-elect Trump. “His expertise and pro-growth ideas make him the ideal candidate to serve as Secretary of the Treasury. He purchased IndyMac Bank for $1.6 billion and ran it very professionally, selling it for $3.4 billion plus a return of capital. That’s the kind of people I want in my administration representing our country.”

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve our great country in this important role. I understand what needs to be done to fix the economy. I look forward to helping President-elect Trump implement a bold economic agenda that creates good-paying jobs and defends the American worker,” said Mr. Mnuchin.

Since 2004, Mr. Mnuchin has been the Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of Dune Capital Management, one of the country’s premier investment firms, specializing in public equity markets, real estate and the entertainment industry. He also founded OneWest Bank Group LLC in 2009 and served as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Prior to that, Mr. Mnuchin worked for 17 years at Goldman Sachs, where he oversaw trading in government securities, mortgages, money markets, and municipal bonds and rose to become the company’s Chief Information Officer.

Mr. Mnuchin has extensive experience in investing and financing the entertainment business. He founded RatPac-Dune Entertainment, which has produced wildly successful films, including Avatar, the highest grossing film in history ($2.8B worldwide), American Sniper, the X-Men series and many more.

He is a Member of the Board of The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (MOCA), UCLA Health System Board, New York Presbyterian Hospital, the Los Angeles Police Foundation, and Life Trustee of New York Presbyterian Hospital. Mr. Mnuchin has a bachelor’s degree from Yale University.

In addition, President-elect Trump announced his intent to nominate Wilbur Ross as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, a man renowned for his extraordinary business career and economic expertise.

“Wilbur Ross is a champion of American manufacturing and knows how to help companies succeed. Most importantly, he is one of the greatest negotiators I have ever met, and that comes from me, the author of The Art of the Deal. Together, we will take on the special interests and stand up for American jobs,” said President-elect Trump. “Wilbur knows that cutting taxes for working families, reducing burdensome government regulations and unleashing America’s energy resources will strengthen our economy at a time when our country needs to see significant growth. I am proud to nominate him as Secretary of Commerce.”

“I am delighted to have been selected to join President-elect Trump’s Cabinet and look forward to working especially closely with Steve Mnuchin to implement the economic programs which we have developed jointly to implement the President-elect’s strategy for accelerating our economic growth,” said Mr. Ross.

For 25 years Mr. Ross headed Rothschild Inc. where he built a legacy of saving jobs and restructuring failing companies back to profitability. He has successfully grown businesses in the telecommunications, textiles, steel, and coal industries. In 2000, Mr. Ross started the investment firm WL Ross & Co.

Mr. Ross served as the President-elect’s top economic advisor on trade policy. He agrees with President-elect Trump’s plan to bring back jobs, eliminate the trade deficit and make good deals for America’s workers. He is a world-class negotiator and can be counted on to be a forceful advocate for America’s interests in the global economy. He received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his MBA from Harvard University.

In addition to Mr. Ross’ nomination, President-elect Trump announced his choice of Todd Ricketts, co-owner of the Chicago Cubs, to serve as Deputy Commerce Secretary.

“Todd Ricketts is an immensely successful businessman with unparalleled knowledge of the finance industry,” said President-elect Trump. “As Deputy Commerce Secretary he will help us cut waste and streamline government so that it works for the people of America. The incredible job he and the Ricketts family did in the purchase and turnaround of the Chicago Cubs – one perfect step after another, leading to the World Championship, is what I want representing our people. I am very proud to have him on our team.”

“I am honored that President-elect Donald J. Trump has asked me to serve our country at this critical juncture in our history. Advancing practical policies that promote economic opportunity is critical to making America great again. I’m eager to begin this important work and serving with Wilbur Ross to implement President-elect Trump’s economic agenda, which will improve the lives of all Americans,” said Mr. Ricketts.

Mr. Ricketts is committed to promoting the values of fiscal responsibility and educating taxpayers on wasteful and excessive government spending. He is the son of Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts and has years of hands-on experience in the finance industry. Like President-elect Trump, Mr. Ricketts will use this knowledge to fix the broken Washington D.C. system, keep jobs in the United States and spur job growth.

Mr. Ricketts has consistently spearheaded efforts to defend the taxpayers’ money. Ricketts is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago. In 2016, Mr. Ricketts helped deliver a World Series Championship to the people of Chicago as a key member of the Cubs ownership group.

Posted on December 2, 2016 December 1, 2016

Readout of Calls with World Leaders Held by President-Elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-Elect Mike Pence

December 1,2016

the staff of the Rmidgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, President-elect Donald J. Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence continued calls with world leaders to thank them for their congratulatory wishes.

Readout of phone call with the President-elect Trump and the Prime Minister of Norway:
President-elect Trump thanked the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg for her well wishes and congratulations on a historic election. The two leaders discussed the strong relationship between the United States and Norway. President-elect Trump said he looked forward to participating in alliance building forums to strengthen ties within the global community.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the President of Armenia:
The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan shared with Vice President-elect Pence today his hope for a deeper economic relationship with the United States. Vice President-elect Pence expressed gratitude for the many contributions of the Armenian-American community to the United States.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the President of Cyprus:
The President of Cyprus Nicos Anastasiades offered his congratulations to Vice President-elect Pence today and shared his commitment to build upon an already strong relationship between the two nations. Vice President-elect Pence expressed his pride in the long history of cooperation between the two countries and his interest in working closely together in the future.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the Vice President of the European Union:
The Vice President of the European Union Federica Mogherini offered congratulations to Vice President-elect Pence and highlighted the importance of success for the United States and partners in the EU in tackling ISIS. Vice President-elect Pence reaffirmed President-elect Trump’s commitment to defeating the global threat of ISIS.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the Prime Minister of Jamaica:
Vice President-elect Pence and the Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holmes had a productive conversation about the close economic cooperation between Jamaica and the United States. Vice President-elect Pence also expressed appreciation for the many contributions of Jamaican-Americans to the United States.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the President of Mongolia:
The President of Mongolia Tsakhiagiin Elbegdori offered his congratulations to Vice President-elect Pence today on his election and expressed his desire to continue the close partnership with the United States in Afghanistan and abroad to confront the threat of global terrorism. Vice President-elect Pence shared his encouragement for the deepening economic relationship between the two countries.

Readout of phone call with Vice President-elect Pence and the President of Sri Lanka:
The President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena thanked Vice President-elect Pence for his commitment to strong relations between the two nations and to government reform. Vice President-elect Pence shared his gratitude for the desire to work together and complimented President Sirisena for the work he has done to heal Sri Lanka and unite the country following civil war.

Posted on December 1, 2016 December 1, 2016

Electoral College voter: I’m getting death threats

By Alexandra King, CNN

Updated 4:27 PM ET, Wed November 30, 2016

(CNN)A college student from Michigan said Wednesday that he has received death threats after being chosen to cast an Electoral College vote for his state in December.

Although the presidential election was won by Donald Trump on November 8, it’s not official until December 19, when all 538 members of the Electoral College will come together to cast their votes.

Michael Banerian, the youth vice-chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, will be one of his state’s 16 electors. The honor of being selected, a role typically bestowed to recognize a person’s service and dedication to their political party, has come at a price, Banerian told CNN’s Brianna Keilar .
“Obviously, this election cycle was pretty divisive. Unfortunately it’s bled over into the weeks following the election and I have been inundated with death threats, death wishes, generally angry messages trying to get me to change my vote to Hillary Clinton or another person, and unfortunately, it’s gotten a little out of control.” Banerian said.
Banerian said he has been threatened with violence.

https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/30/politics/banerian-death-threats-cnntv/index.html

Posted on December 1, 2016 November 30, 2016

Goldman Says Trump’s Presidency Will Benefit Stocks in Almost Every Sector

#MAGA comes to Wall Street.

by Julie Verhage

After years of slowing earnings growth and little in the way of excitement for many Wall Street analysts, many are now hopeful that President-elect Donald Trump will finally make things interesting.

When collating data for the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Analyst Index — a proprietary measure of growth across different sectors of the S&P 500 — the firm included a question this month on what the election of Donald Trump will mean for the industries covered by those surveyed. Turns out, they are rather optimistic.

“This month, we asked analysts to comment on how the results of the U.S. election will affect companies in their respective sectors,” the team led by Avisha Thakkar writes in the new note. “While their responses suggest that there is still uncertainty about the sector-level impact, the majority of sectors are anticipating favorable effects,” they say, adding that expectations of lower tax rates and economic stimulus are among key reasons for the favorable outlook.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-30/goldman-says-trump-s-presidency-will-benefit-stocks-in-almost-every-sector

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