premeditated
Early this week, Vice President Mike Pence left an NFL game in response to the kneeling protests of several players during the National Anthem. These protests have been going on , to varying degrees, since the beginning of the season, and although Pence acted shocked, several details have since emerged that suggest that he had planned to leave at that time all along. If in fact the Vice President had planned to leave after the anthem, the entire incident qualifies as premeditated.
fledgling
A few weeks ago, there was hope that the President and Congress had reached a preliminary agreement on helping those children of immigrants covered by DACA. News this week, however, suggests that the parties have grown farther apart, and a deal seems less and less likely. The initial outline of an agreement wasn't strong or secure, and it needed to be handled with care, which is why fledgling, a word usually applied to a baby bird, is an appropriate word to use here.
The White House on Sunday delivered to Congress a long list of hard-line immigration measures that President Trump is demanding in exchange for any deal to protect the young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers, imperiling a
fledgling bipartisan push to reach a legislative solution.
- The New York Times (October 9, 2017)
schism
Republican Senator Bob Corker recently decided he is not running for reelection. Since he made that decision, he has been very vocal in his disapproval of President Trump, saying that he treats the presidency "like a reality television show." President Trump fired back, focusing on Senator Corker's height, and now the President is at war with a very powerful member of his own party, who, because he is not seeking another term, has very little to lose.
President Trump’s latest rupture with a Republican senator has widened the
schism with his own party on Capitol Hill, potentially jeopardizing the future of his legislative agenda even as he presses lawmakers to approve deep tax cuts, according to veteran Republicans and independent analysts.
-The New York Times (October 10, 2017)
eradicate
This week Environmental Protection Agency head Scott Pruitt announced that the agency is going to repeal carbon-emissions standards put in place by the previous administration. The agency now believes that these measures are too restrictive. This development is important because it is a major step towards fulfilling the Trump administration goal of pulling out of the Paris Accord on global warming, which the President first announced he would do in September.
The repeal proposal, which will be filed in the Federal Register on Tuesday, fulfills a promise President Trump made to
eradicate his predecessor’s environmental legacy.
- The New York Times (October 9, 2017)
ravaged
California wildfires burned out of control this week, killing twenty-nine and destroying a great deal of property. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said that over 115,000 have burned since the weekend, forcing about 20,000 people from their homes in the path of the fires.
Powerful wildfires fanned by strong winds
ravaged parts of Northern California's wine country on Monday, killing at least 11 people and destroying some 1,500 structures.
- nbc news.com (October 10, 2017)
philanthropist
This week brought us an uplifting story involving efforts to help Puerto Rico, and a reminder that being selfless can affect others in positive ways. A young boy donated one of his prized soccer jerseys to be auctioned off to benefit Puerto Rican relief efforts. This week, he was contacted by the actual player whose jersey he gave to charity, Christian Pulisic. Pulisic promised to send the boy another jersey and donate to Puerto Rico himself.
In recognition of the little
philanthropist, Pulisic recorded a special video of himself for Ibarra saying that he would be sending the youngster another signed jersey to replace the one he donated. He also said that he would be making a donation towards Puerto Rico relief efforts to follow Ibarra’s example.
-goodnewsnetwork.org (October 9, 2017)
hiatus
Shania Twain’s back on the top of the charts after a 15-year break, or hiatus. Shania Twain is one of those artists whose songs are almost impossible to resist. Try as one might to reject her infectious brand of mainstream country-pop, you’ll soon find your head bouncing to the beat or your mouth belting out the chorus. A title like “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” isn’t the cleverest wordplay of all time, but the song sounds amazing, and sweeps the listener up in no time.
Shania Twain's return from a 15-year
hiatus went straight to Number One on the Billboard 200 as the country singer's comeback LP Now sold 137,000 total copies in its first week of release.
- rolling stone.com (October 8, 2017)
harangue
This week began with the Vice President walking out of a football game to protest a protest, and the controversy continued all week. President Trump tweeted about it, wondering openly about punishing the NFL by taking away its tax-exempt status and Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys said that any of his players who do not stand for the National Anthem would not play. It is unclear what Jones would do, if, for instance, the entire team refused to stand for the anthem.
That unanimity has all but vanished. As the president continues to
harangue the league over the anthem, and a number of fans across the country express displeasure with the handful of players who continue to kneel during the anthem, a growing pool of owners is trying to defuse the politically charged issue, even if it means confronting the players the owners previously sympathized with.
- The New York Times (October 10, 2017)
secession
On October 1st, the Catalonia region held a referendum which resulted in the local government being authorized to secede from Spain. It is unclear whether Catalonia will actually become a separate country. Things got more confusing this week, as the Catalan leader seemed to both assert Catalonia's right to independence and call for more discussions with the Spanish government. As someone once said about the American Revolution, "mapmakers everywhere await [this] decision."
Instead, Mr. Puigdemont’s speech only deepened the confusion, perhaps deliberately so. By restating Catalonia’s right to independence, he continued to anger the opponents of
secession.
- The New York Times (October 10, 2017)
logistics
In the wake of Hurricane Maria, most of Puerto Rico's cell phone towers have been knocked down, making it nearly impossible to get cell phone service on the island. Google's parent company, Alphabet, is stepping in to help. The company will launch 30 balloons that function as substitute cell towers and cover about 2000 square miles each. A similar program has worked previously in Peru during a flood emergency.
Alphabet has already received consent from the island’s local cell providers to utilize the balloons in their network. Though a timeline for their launch has not been issued, however, Alphabet representatives say that they are working quickly to iron out the right
logistics for the Loon debut.
- goodnewsnetwork.org (October 9, 2017)
valiant
Renowned Chef Jose Andres has been down in Puerto Rico providing meals for the residents since soon after Hurricane Maria hit. His operation started in a stadium but it has since expanded to food trucks and other mobile stations that can serve people in outlying areas most heavily affected by the storm. Andres's goal was originally to serve 500,000 meals, but it looks like he will easily surpass that number.
José Andrés’s
valiant attempt to put something warm and delicious in the stomach of every hungry Puerto Rican has passed a new milestone — 350,000 meals served, enough to feed every one in ten residents.
-grubstreet.com (October 10, 2017)
disparage
There was increased talk this week that the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, could be falling apart. It is a pact that President Trump has long disliked and made a campaign promise to do away with. Interests like the automotive industry want to see NAFTA survive and some of these industries, like agriculture, traditionally support the President. Disagreeing with those supporters on this issue could potentially endanger other parts of President Trump's agenda.
The North American Free Trade Agreement, long
disparaged by President Trump as bad for the United States, was edging closer toward collapse as negotiators gathered for a fourth round of contentious talks here this week.
-The New York Times (October 11, 2017)
influx
After several Congressional attempts to "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, have failed, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order that would allow less comprehensive plans to be exempt from Affordable Care Act rules. A flood or an influx, of less expensive plans is designed to upset the Obamacare marketplace , drawing away the healthier enrollees and effectively destroying the entire program, as Mr. Trump has repeatedly promised to do.
The
influx of a set of plans exempt from the Affordable Care Act rules will essentially divide the market and make it increasingly unstable, said Rebecca Owen, a health research actuary with the Society of Actuaries.
- The New York Times (October 11, 2017)
