Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell may face a primary challenge from the right.
Photo by Gary Cameron/Reuters
Listen to William Saletan read this article by clicking on the player below:
House conservatives don’t think much of the Senate’s proposed deal to end the shutdown and the debt limit crisis. Before the plan was even spelled out, they attacked it. “We’ve got a name for it in the House: it’s called the Senate surrender caucus,” Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan., told the New York Times. If the deal didn’t include major changes to Obamacare, Huelskamp warned, “Anybody who would vote for that in the House as [a] Republican would virtually guarantee a primary challenger.”
Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, urged his colleagues to stand firm against any plan to fund the government or raise the debt limit without getting budget concessions. “The base conservatives that are the majority of the Republican primary vote,” he insisted, “want us to hold the line.”
Will Saletan writes about politics, science, technology, and other stuff for Slate. He’s the author of Bearing Right. Follow him on Twitter.
The Senate Conservatives Fund, a widely feared interest group that targets moderate Republicans, accused Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of "negotiating the Republican surrender” and working to “sabotage the effort to defund Obamacare.” The group has already run ads against McConnell in Kentucky, where he faces a primary challenge from his right.
Again and again, in state after state, the hard right has used this threat to cow and control congressional Republicans. It’s time for lawmakers to strike back. If you’re a Republican legislator or legislative aide, an important weapon is available to you right now: the scheduling of the next debt ceiling vote. Don’t let the scorched-earth right box you into another self-destructive standoff. Schedule the debt ceiling for after next year’s primaries.
According to Tuesday morning’s reports, the plan that’s been worked out by McConnell and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would fund the government through Jan. 15. It would extend the nation’s borrowing capacity until a nominal deadline of Feb. 7, which apparently means Congress would have to vote sometime between February and April (depending on incoming revenue) to raise the debt ceiling again. That’s right before Republican voters begin to cast ballots in the 2014 primaries. Texas and Illinois vote in March. In May, other conservative and Republican states follow: Indiana, North Carolina, Nebraska, West Virginia, Arkansas, Idaho, and Kentucky, as well as Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. Nineteen more states vote in June. One votes in July. Fourteen follow in August, and the last four finish up in September.
Scheduling the next debt ceiling vote in front of these primaries is a surefire way to repeat the madness we just went through. You and your colleagues, Mr. Republican Congressman, will face even worse pressure to toe the Tea Party line. Seventy-four percent of Americans now say they “disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling negotiations over the federal budget.” That’s a 16-point net slide for Republicans in the last two weeks, compared to a 6-point decline for Democrats. Do you really want to endure this again?
Look at the fools who drove you into this bloodbath and are now trying to block your way out of it. Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, says Senate Republicans “will never be able to take back the Senate” because they “pussyfoot around.” Huelskamp, Labrador, and the Senate’s right-wing preeners—Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah), and Rand Paul (Kentucky)—won their seats in the last three years by taking out moderate Republicans in primaries. They use that threat to own you.
Take that weapon away from them. Schedule the debt ceiling vote after the primaries, when you’ll be free to do what’s best for you, your party, and your country. The sweet spot is September, after the summer recess. The four states that hold their primaries that month—Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts—are largely Democratic. The only election you’ll face is the one against the Democrats in November. The audience you’ll be competing for is the general public, not the Tea Party. Isn’t that a healthier way to debate the debt ceiling?
The best Joss Whedon shows are about family. (Yes, you could say all Joss Whedon shows are about family, but no matter how many times Adele would refer to her “house,” nothing about the Dollhouse cast felt familial.) But every family has its share of friction, of static. There is always going to be the goofy brother (Xander) or the uncle no one likes but keeps inviting to dinner (Jayne) or the vampire that got his soul back and really likes punching puppets (Spike). But families — especially when everyone is grown — never get along all of the time.
And one of the problems of the first three episodes of Agents of SHIELD was that the ad hoc family that Joss and Jed of the House of Whedon, and Maurissa Tancheroen (who married into the House of Whedon), created had no tension. Everyone liked each other, well enough. Skye and Ward were so thin as characters, that what differences they had didn’t register. And no one challenged Coulson’s leadership – save Nick Fury (Samuel J. Jackson), in a cameo.
But with this episode (written by Jeffrey Bell; and the first not written by someone related to Joss), this show feels the way it should. There was real conflict within the team, specifically between Melinda May (Ming-na Wen) and Coulson. The “monster of the week” was new and different and personal and horrific – the girl with the X-ray eyes, Akela Amadour (Pascale Armand). The plotting was fast, smart and surprising. Skye (Chloe Bennet) had an actual reason to be involved in the drama (even if her, “Hey, A.C. … here’s where I’m gonna come into your office, drop some unrequested character backstory and then leave,” was kind of ridiculous). There was a hint of a real Big Bad, aside from the always-ludicrous Rising Tide, which Agents of SHIELD has been sorely lacking.
And Clark Gregg’s Agent Coulson was at the center of the action, where he should be, and the episode revolved around him as he revisited past sins in ways that forced May to call him on his bullshit.
I would’ve found the “Ward has to seduce a burly Russian” far more interesting if he actually had to seduce the burly Russian. Why isn’t that a legitimate thing that spies would have to deal with? And why couldn’t Ward have done it in a fashion that doesn’t scream of gay panic? Don’t play it for humor, don’t play the “Ewww, I had to kiss a guy!” — and it would've sold Ward as the professional operator he keeps claiming to be.
I know it’s something they’re saving, but I really wanted someone with X-ray vision to take a good look at Coulson. They intimate as much when Akela asks, “He’s different. What did they do to him?” The secret of Coulson isn’t one that can last forever. And, given that the Nerds on the Bus now have X-ray specs, too, it’ll come out eventually. But I was hoping that it’d really start coming out here.
Line of the week comes from Skye: “Did you never learn that boy parts and girl parts are different? And our parts aren’t penises?”
Tune in later to see what the Sage and Fastidious Jim Steranko (@iamsteranko) thought.
Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia waits as stadium lights go out at Comerica Park to delay the game in the second inning during Game 3 of the American League baseball championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia waits as stadium lights go out at Comerica Park to delay the game in the second inning during Game 3 of the American League baseball championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Umpires gather and wait as stadium lights go out at Comerica Park to delay the game in the second inning during Game 3 of the American League baseball championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Umpires walk off the field as stadium lights go out at Comerica Park to delay the game in the second inning during Game 3 of the American League baseball championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Stadium lights go out at Comerica Park to delay the game in the second inning during Game 3 of the American League baseball championship series between the Boston Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
DETROIT (AP) — A power outage interrupted Game 3 of the American League championship series for 17 minutes.
The lights high atop Comerica Park went out and the videoboards were dark between the top and bottom of the second inning, delaying the game between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers.
"It appears there was a cable failure in the vicinity of the ballpark that compromised the feed to the stadium," DTE Energy Co. spokeswoman Vanessa Waters said. "That caused the equipment to trip. Crews are investigating the cause of the cable failure and which equipment was effected by the failure."
The Tigers were coming up to bat for a second time with two hits after Justin Verlander held Boston without a hit for the second straight inning when the scoreless game was stopped.
Ten minutes into the stoppage, fans had not been informed how long the game would be delayed. Five minutes later, the Red Sox took their positions in the field.
"John Lackey was given as much time as he needed to warm up prior to the restart of the game," MLB senior vice president Joe Garagiola Jr. said in a statement.
Cable failures — combined with high temperatures — last month forced the closure of the Detroit Institute of Arts and cancellation of classes at Wayne State University's main campus in the city's Midtown. City Hall, the McNamara Federal Building and several court buildings also were closed. And, some traffic lights downtown were out.
Detroit's electrical grid is plagued by aging power transmission lines which intermittently fail under the stress of high demand and heat. The city's poor fiscal condition has delayed wholesale updates and repairs. Power downtown was lost for more than a day beginning June 9, 2011. A year earlier, electricity also was lost to some buildings in the city's downtown and central business district.
The city's system eventually will be turned over to DTE Energy, which provides power to homes and private businesses in Detroit. But that process is going to be very deliberate and take several years, the utility said in September.
Detroit became the largest U.S. city to seek bankruptcy on July 18 when state-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr filed a petition in federal court.
A partial power outage in New Orleans during this year's Super Bowl that stopped the game for 34 minutes occurred because a relay device with a design defect malfunctioned.
The red band trailer for Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan's comedy That Awkward Moment (formerly Are We Officially Dating?) has debuted online.
The preview for the former Film District title also provides a glimpse into one of the new Focus Features' first releases, as it will be distributed by PeterSchlessel's company in January.
In the movie, three friends played by Efron, Teller and Jordan struggle to stay single despite vowing to do so after Jordan's character breaks up with his girlfriend.
The risque trailer features a naked Efron sprawled across a toilet after he and his friends' plan to take Viagra so they can still have sex after drinking goes awry.
There's also a comedic dispute over peanut-butter ice cream as Teller and Efron's characters refuse to let Jordan's character drown his sorrows in dessert after his breakup. "Who are you, Bridget Jones?" Efron asks.
Perhaps unintentionally, the trailer features another callback to Bridget Jones's Diary when Efron shows up dressed in an inappropriate costume for a formal party with his girlfriend's parents. Ready to rock out with his you-know-what out, Efron freshens up his girlfriend's mom's cocktail.
That Awkward Moment is set to hit theaters Jan. 31, 2014.
The film also marks the first movie produced by Efron's Ninjas Runnin' Wild production company.
UK Chancellor announces Sino-British health partnership
Public release date: 14-Oct-2013 [
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Contact: Aeron Haworth aeron.haworth@manchester.ac.uk 44-161-275-8387 University of Manchester
The Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) has formed a partnership with the Peking University Health Sciences Centre to establish an international centre of excellence in genetic medicine.
The new Peking-Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, announced by British Chancellor George Osborne in Beijing today (Monday), will comprise three separate but interdependent research facilities the International Centre for Rare Diseases, the Centre for Cancer Genetics, and the Joint Clinical Trials Facility.
MAHSC's involvement is being led by the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, an integrated centre bringing together University of Manchester researchers and Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust's clinical services, to form a world leader in genetic and genomic medicine for research into inherited diseases and delivery of services to families with inherited disorders.
Speaking at Peking University, the Chancellor, who is in China to promote UK business and encourage Chinese investors to choose Britain, said: "I am delighted to announce here the establishment of a new partnership between Peking University and Manchester University in the UK with the creation of a new joint centre for genomic medicine. Here, in the oldest and most prestigious medical school in China, let us work together on the medicines of tomorrow.
"This partnership will, I hope, give even more of you the chance to come to Britain and to study there. We already have 130,000 Chinese students, like you, studying in Britain I want more of you to come There is no limit to the number of Chinese [students] who can study in Britain."
Dean and Vice-President of the University of Manchester's Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and Director of MAHSC, Professor Ian Jacobs, who is participating in the government-led visit, said: "This is an exciting partnership between MAHSC and our colleagues in Beijing. It will lead to important health and research benefits in the rapidly developing field of genetics to benefit the people of both countries as well as having a global impact. The planned work will draw on populations of up to 50 million individuals to harness next-generation genetic technology for patient benefit.
"The joint venture will contribute to the further development of the research strength of the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre and advance Manchester's international reputation as a world leader in personalised cancer medicine, while improving care and diagnosis for many people here and in China."
The Peking University Health Sciences Centre (PUHSC) is the oldest Western medical school in China, ranked first in the country for research and training. As part of the collaboration, six senior geneticists from the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine will travel to Beijing this week to deliver a training course for more than 300 health professionals and scientists at PUHSC.
Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), said: "This is a great indication of the quality of our clinical genetics services within the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine based in Saint Mary's Hospital. Working collaboratively is key to improving health care; this partnership will deliver cutting-edge translational research that will help our clinicians develop innovative diagnostics and treatments to benefit patients both in the UK and worldwide."
Professor Graeme Black, Consultant in Genetic Medicine and Director of the University of Manchester's Institute for Human Development, added: "This joint venture comes at an exciting moment. Genomic medicine promises to revolutionise the understanding and delivery of care to patients across all specialties of medicine. It is an opportunity to harness our scientific discoveries for the benefit of the patients within our two large populations."
###
Notes for editors:
The Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine is a joint collaboration between two members of MAHSC (Manchester Academic Health Science Centre) The University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
MAHSC is a partnership between The University of Manchester and six NHS organisations. It is one of only five centres in the country designated as an AHSC. AHSC designation recognises excellence across research, innovation, education and patient services, and in particular the potential to excel in translational medicine.
[
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
UK Chancellor announces Sino-British health partnership
Public release date: 14-Oct-2013 [
| E-mail
| Share
]
Contact: Aeron Haworth aeron.haworth@manchester.ac.uk 44-161-275-8387 University of Manchester
The Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC) has formed a partnership with the Peking University Health Sciences Centre to establish an international centre of excellence in genetic medicine.
The new Peking-Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, announced by British Chancellor George Osborne in Beijing today (Monday), will comprise three separate but interdependent research facilities the International Centre for Rare Diseases, the Centre for Cancer Genetics, and the Joint Clinical Trials Facility.
MAHSC's involvement is being led by the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, an integrated centre bringing together University of Manchester researchers and Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust's clinical services, to form a world leader in genetic and genomic medicine for research into inherited diseases and delivery of services to families with inherited disorders.
Speaking at Peking University, the Chancellor, who is in China to promote UK business and encourage Chinese investors to choose Britain, said: "I am delighted to announce here the establishment of a new partnership between Peking University and Manchester University in the UK with the creation of a new joint centre for genomic medicine. Here, in the oldest and most prestigious medical school in China, let us work together on the medicines of tomorrow.
"This partnership will, I hope, give even more of you the chance to come to Britain and to study there. We already have 130,000 Chinese students, like you, studying in Britain I want more of you to come There is no limit to the number of Chinese [students] who can study in Britain."
Dean and Vice-President of the University of Manchester's Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences and Director of MAHSC, Professor Ian Jacobs, who is participating in the government-led visit, said: "This is an exciting partnership between MAHSC and our colleagues in Beijing. It will lead to important health and research benefits in the rapidly developing field of genetics to benefit the people of both countries as well as having a global impact. The planned work will draw on populations of up to 50 million individuals to harness next-generation genetic technology for patient benefit.
"The joint venture will contribute to the further development of the research strength of the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre and advance Manchester's international reputation as a world leader in personalised cancer medicine, while improving care and diagnosis for many people here and in China."
The Peking University Health Sciences Centre (PUHSC) is the oldest Western medical school in China, ranked first in the country for research and training. As part of the collaboration, six senior geneticists from the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine will travel to Beijing this week to deliver a training course for more than 300 health professionals and scientists at PUHSC.
Mike Deegan, Chief Executive of Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT), said: "This is a great indication of the quality of our clinical genetics services within the Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine based in Saint Mary's Hospital. Working collaboratively is key to improving health care; this partnership will deliver cutting-edge translational research that will help our clinicians develop innovative diagnostics and treatments to benefit patients both in the UK and worldwide."
Professor Graeme Black, Consultant in Genetic Medicine and Director of the University of Manchester's Institute for Human Development, added: "This joint venture comes at an exciting moment. Genomic medicine promises to revolutionise the understanding and delivery of care to patients across all specialties of medicine. It is an opportunity to harness our scientific discoveries for the benefit of the patients within our two large populations."
###
Notes for editors:
The Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine is a joint collaboration between two members of MAHSC (Manchester Academic Health Science Centre) The University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
MAHSC is a partnership between The University of Manchester and six NHS organisations. It is one of only five centres in the country designated as an AHSC. AHSC designation recognises excellence across research, innovation, education and patient services, and in particular the potential to excel in translational medicine.
[
| E-mail
| Share
]
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
App launchers typify the Android phone experience: don't like the way your home screen looks? Tinker around with it! But while plenty of launchers offer deep visual customization, in the end they're all basically elaborate paint jobs. Aviate, launching in beta today, doesn't give you as many tweaks for your home screen, but it makes your phone morph with your daily activity.
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