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The long-term outlook for the federal budget has worsened dramatically over the past several years,” the CBO said in its dire report, blaming large deficits that piled up under President Obama’s stimulus and more fundamental changes to the economy that have caused Americans to leave the workforce in favor of government support.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jun/16/government-debt-threatens-to-send-us-economy-into-/#ixzz3dMsuqFKt
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The European Union Times
East Europe requests US army equipment to counter Russia
EU extends sanctions on Russia
U.S. May Position for a War Against Russia
CIA broke own limits on human experimentation
Greece likely to exit euro and EU without deal with creditors
East Europe requests US army equipment to counter Russia
Posted: 17 Jun 2015 10:17 AM PDT


Warsaw and Vilnius are in talks with Washington about the permanent stationing of US army equipment warehouses, officials from the two countries said. Heavy weapons may be stored in the Baltic States, Romania, Bulgaria and possibly Hungary.

The Polish Defense Ministry tweeted that during his recent visit to Washington Defense Minister Tomasz Siemoniak was given assurances that a final decision on stationing the warehouses would be taken shortly.

Citing US and allied officials, the New York Times reported on Saturday that heavy equipment would be stored in each of the three Baltic nations: Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, plus some Eastern European countries – Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and possibly Hungary.

The Pentagon’s far-reaching proposal requires approval from Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and the White House. Should the move be given the go-ahead, it would be the first deployment of military hardware in Europe since the end of the Cold War 25 years ago. The plan falls short of a permanent boots-on-the-ground presence.

When NATO initially expanded into the Baltic States in 2004, permanent stationing of equipment and troops in these countries wasn’t undertaken – a mark of respect to Russia’s interests. But with the unfolding Ukraine crisis, NATO and Washington began to bolster forces in the region, openly sending a message to Moscow that NATO will defend its alliance members.

“This is a very meaningful shift in policy. It provides a reasonable level of reassurance to jittery allies, although nothing is as good as troops stationed full-time on the ground, of course,” James G. Stavridis, a retired admiral and the former supreme allied commander of NATO, now dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, told the New York Times.

According to the newspaper, the Pentagon is “poised to store” battle tanks, infantry vehicles and other heavy weapons for 5,000 American troops in the Baltic and Eastern European states. The stocks, planned to be stored on allied bases, would be reportedly the same as the Pentagon kept in Kuwait for over a decade after the 1990 US invasion of Iraq.

Lithuanian Defense Minister Juozas Olekas also told Reuters on Sunday that Vilnius is getting ready to host heavy US military equipment. Talks are underway with Washington on a permanent location for the arms.

“We think that at least part of it [Abrams and Bradleys] will be in Lithuania and we are in the process of preparing our military infrastructure, so it can be used for such pre-positioning. It is almost ready,” Olekas said.

“We have been in talks with our American allies about locating equipment here on a permanent basis, in order to increase our security and support the soldiers stationed here,” he added.

“If the decision is taken, it will be very positive for our security,” Olekas concluded.

Estonia’s Defense Minister Sven Mikser has said the US proposal will be discussed with NATO countries on June 24-25, the Delfi news portal reports.

Since Crimea’s reunion with Russia, concerns have been growing in Moscow over a sharp increase in the intensity of the training of NATO troops along Russia’s border. Since the outbreak of the military conflict in eastern Ukraine, NATO forces have stepped up military drills in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe.

Around 50 vessels from 17 countries, involving some 5,600 troops, are currently taking part in the US-led BALTOPS exercise in the Baltic Sea. NATO member states, such as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Turkey, the UK and the US have sent naval forces to take part in the drill. They were also joined by three NATO partners – Finland and Sweden, which both have access to the Baltic Sea, and also Georgia. The show-off of anti-submarine warfare, air defense, interception of suspect vessels and amphibious landings runs through June 20.

The head of the Main Operation Directorate of General Staff, Lieutenant General Andrey Kartapolov, said in April that the intensity of NATO’s operational and combat training activities grew by as much as 80 percent in 2014, with bombers from the US Air Force performing strategic tasks during their military exercises. Russia has also increased the number of flights of its long-range ‘Bear’ Tupolev-95 bombers near NATO members’ air space, as well as carrying out large-scale drills on its own territory.

Source



EU extends sanctions on Russia
Posted: 17 Jun 2015 10:13 AM PDT


Ambassadors from the European Union member states have agreed to prolong until 2016 the bloc’s punitive measures against Russia over its alleged involvement in Ukraine’s crisis.

On Wednesday, the EU Committee of Permanent Representatives reached an agreement on extending bloc’s economic sanctions against Moscow by six more months, Russia’s Interfax news agency said, citing EU diplomatic source.

Envoys from the 28 EU member states reached a “consensus” on the legal text mandating the extension of the sanctions from July up until the end of January next year, European sources said, according to AFP. The document is expected to be submitted for formal approval by EU foreign ministers next Monday.

Russia has been the target of several rounds of sanctions by the US and EU, which accuse Moscow of supporting pro-Russia forces in east Ukraine. Russia has categorically denied the allegation.

The two mainly Russian-speaking regions of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine have been the scene of deadly clashes between pro-Russia protesters and the Ukrainian army since Kiev started military operation in the regions in April 2014 in a bid to crush the protests.

Violence intensified last May after the two regions held local referendums in which their residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence from Ukraine and joining the Russian Federation.

The crisis so far has claimed the lives of at least 6,400 people, according to UN figures.

Source



U.S. May Position for a War Against Russia
Posted: 17 Jun 2015 10:08 AM PDT


On Saturday, June 13th, The New York Times bannered, “U.S. Is Poised to Put Heavy Weaponry in Eastern Europe,” and Russia’s response to the announcement wasn’t long in coming.

The Russian equivalent of America’s Wall Street Journal and Britain’s Financial Times, which is Kommersant (or Businessperson), headlined on June 15th, “US may redeploy heavy weapons to the borders of the Russian Federation,” and reported that, “According to sources in the Russian Government, the implementation of this plan will force Moscow to post on the border with the Baltic countries Russia’s own offensive military capability that can destroy US facilities in the event of a hypothetical conflict.”

The report in the Times had noted that, “The proposal, if approved, would represent the first time since the end of the Cold War that the United States has stationed heavy military equipment in the newer NATO member nations in Eastern Europe that had once been part of the Soviet sphere of influence.”

The Soviet Union (and its communism, which the U.S. always said was the basis for the Cold War) ended in 1991. That was the same year when the Warsaw Pact — Russia’s equivalent of NATO — also ended. In Russia, the expectation was that that would be that — there would be no more hostility between the governments of the U.S.A. and Russia. Russian leaders had assumed this, but it turned out not to be the case. (Perhaps this explains part of the reason why it turned out not to be so: Dick Cheney’s Halliburton Corporation in the 1990s estimated that Russia has enormous oil deposits.)

The U.S. has thus been expanding NATO right up to the very borders of Russia, after the Soviet Union’s Warsaw Pact ended in 1991. (Russia did no such thing to the United States; Russia hasn’t been trying to surround the U.S. with enemy nations.) The NATO expansion started in 1999, when U.S. President Bill Clinton brought into NATO the former Warsaw Pact member-nations of Czech Republic, Poland, and Hungary. Then, this threatening (if not aggressive) U.S. move, expanded even further in 2004, when U.S. President George W. Bush brought into NATO other former Warsaw Pact members: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Next, in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama brought into NATO two more former Warsaw Pact nations, Albania and Croatia.

Finally, President Obama, in a 2014 very bloody coup d’etat, overthrew the neutralist government of Ukraine, and replaced it with a government which is filled with politicians whose political heritage goes back to the pro-Hitler and rabidly anti-Russian political movements in Ukraine during World War II, and these fascist U.S.-client politicians have many times spoken of their aim being to join NATO and — with NATO’s help — to destroy Russia. America’s threat to Russia is very real.

Russian intelligence had, even earlier than Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision on 20 November 2013 to decline membership in the EU, gotten wind of the Obama Administration’s preparations ever since the Spring of 2013, to overthrow the neutralist Yanukovych and replace him with a racist-fascist anti-Russian regime in next-door Ukraine: a bunch of nazis who are Russian-hating fascists even more than they are Jew-hating fascists. They hate the Russian people. What nation wants a rabidly hostile regime like that on its doorstep? Consequently, within even less than a month after the American coup, Russia prevented America’s planned follow-on takeover of Russia’s main naval base, which is on the then-Ukrainian island of Crimea. The Soviet dictator Nikita Khruschev had donated Crimea to Ukraine in 1954, though Crimea had always been part of Russia; and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin provided, immediately after the coup, Russian protection to Crimeans, so that they could hold their own vote on whether to rejoin with Russia. Even the hard-like anti-Russian Forbes magazine commentator, Kenneth Rapoza, headlined on 20 March 2015, “One Year After Russia Annexed Crimea, Locals Prefer Moscow To Kiev,” and he reviewed several polls, some taken by U.S.-owned polling organizations, all showing almost 100% support among Crimeans for the switch back to being Russians again and no longer being subject to rule from Kiev — especially not this Russia-hating Kiev regime. Rapoza concluded simply, “At some point, the West will have to recognize Crimea’s right to self rule.” But U.S. President Obama, and his followers within the European Union, still refuse to do that. The people of Scotland are allowed to vote on whether to secede from the UK, but the people of Crimea (who never self-identified as Ukrainians nearly to the extent they self-identified as Russians) cannot do likewise? That’s what the West’s hypocritical leaders are saying — and now a World War III could result from it.

So, Obama and the EU slapped economic sanctions on Russia (for what are actually the consequences of America’s coup); and, when the new Ukrainian Government started a bombing campaign to eliminate the inhabitants in the Donbass region of Ukraine, which had voted over 90% for Viktor Yanukovych (which is the only way to get Obama’s regime-change in Ukraine to survive future elections — i.e., to get rid of the voters there) the West then blamed Russia for assisting the residents in the Donbass region to defend themselves against the exterminationist invasion from Kiev. And President Obama still insists that Ukraine seize back both Donbass and Crimea.

And this brings us to today, and, perhaps, to the brink of a U.S.-Russian war.

Source



CIA broke own limits on human experimentation
Posted: 17 Jun 2015 09:36 AM PDT

US President George W. Bush awards former CIA director George Tenet the Presidential Medal of Freedom on December 14, 2004.

The US Central Intelligence Agency had explicit guidelines for “human experimentation” on terrorism detainees as part of its controversial rendition, detention and interrogation program, according to a newly declassified document.

The document containing the guidelines was obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and shared with The Guardian newspaper, which published it on Monday.

The CIA, however, redacted one of the four subsections on human experimentation.

The guidelines–dated 1987, updated over the years and still in effect at the CIA–give the agency’s director the power to “approve, modify, or disapprove all proposals pertaining to human subject research.”

Former CIA director George Tenet–who approved abusive interrogation techniques, including waterboarding–instructed the agency’s health staff to oversee the torture of detainees during interrogation sessions.

The newly-declassified document raises new questions about the CIA’s torture program, even though the agency’s guidelines apparently rule against “research on human subjects” without their “informed consent,” The Guardian reports.

After reviewing the document, experts consulted by The Guardian argued that the CIA deliberately twisted basic definitions of human experimentation to ensure its torture program continued.

“Crime one was torture. The second crime was research without consent in order to say it wasn’t torture,” said Nathaniel Raymond, a former war-crimes investigator with Physicians for Human Rights and now a researcher with Harvard University’s Humanitarian Initiative.

Experts assessing the document said the CIA violated the limits of its medical research, set by the human-experimentation guidelines, during the agency’s interrogations, detentions and renditions of terrorism suspects after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The presence of medical workers during brutal interrogations of suspects like Abu Zubaydah, the first detainee known to be waterboarded in CIA custody, was difficult to reconcile with the agency’s requirement of “informed consent” on human experimentation subjects, experts told The Guardian.

The CIA insists that the presence of the agency’s doctors, known as the Office of Medical Services (OMS), ensured its techniques were in accordance with responsible medical practices.

However, the Senate intelligence Committee’s landmark report on CIA torture, partially declassified six months ago, reveals unease among some OMS doctors with their role in the torture program.

Zubaydah “seems very resistant to the water board,” an OMS official emailed in August 2002, according to The Guardian. “No useful information so far … He did vomit a couple of times during the water board with some beans and rice. It’s been 10 hours since he ate so this is surprising and disturbing. We plan to only feed Ensure for a while now. I’m head[ing] back for another water board session.”

Based on the Senate report, the CIA employed brutal techniques like waterboarding, physical abuse, sleep deprivation, mock executions, and threats of sexual abuse to interrogate terror suspects imprisoned after the 9/11 attacks.

Other physicians and human rights experts have gone beyond the findings of the Senate report, accusing the CIA medical staff of facilitating the agency’s human experimentation by blurring the lines between medical aid to detainees and keeping them capable of enduring further torture.

In an analysis about the Senate’s torture report, The Nation Magazine concluded last year that human experimentation was a “core feature” of the CIA’s torture program.

The Senate report specifically named two psychologists, James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, who were hired by the CIA to lead its experimentation project, the magazine said. The duo designed interrogation and detention protocols that they applied to people held in the CIA’s secret “black sites.”

The CIA defended the decision to hire the psychologists at the time. “We believe their expertise was so unique that we would have been derelict had we not sought them out when it became clear that CIA would be heading into the uncharted territory of the program.”

Source



Greece likely to exit euro and EU without deal with creditors
Posted: 17 Jun 2015 09:33 AM PDT


Athens is likely to leave the eurozone and the EU if it fails to reach an agreement to unlock a €7.2 billion bailout installment, said a statement from the Bank of Greece.

“Failure to reach an agreement would, …, mark the beginning of a painful course that would lead initially to a Greek default and ultimately to the country’s exit from the euro area and – most likely – from the European Union,” the bank said in a statement Wednesday.

The manageable debt crisis Greece is now facing may turn into an uncontrollable and broader crisis, dangerous for the banking system and financial stability, the bank added. An exit from the eurozone would only add to hostility that is already felt, and, as a result, a deep exchange rate crisis would make inflation skyrocket.

“All this would imply a deep recession, a dramatic decline in income levels, an exponential rise in unemployment and a collapse of all that the Greek economy has achieved over the years of its EU, and especially its euro area, membership. From its position as a core member of Europe, Greece would see itself relegated to the rank of a poor country in the European South,” the bank said.

This is why the bank called a debt deal a “historical imperative” impossible to ignore.

The five-months of inconclusive negotiations have led to a high level of uncertainty in Greece, which is hitting the country hard, the bank said. This reflected in higher Greek bond yields and Greek businesses losing financing in the capital markets.

“On the domestic front, heightened uncertainty was reflected in the deterioration of economic sentiment and confidence indicators and in bank deposit withdrawals by businesses and households.”

Between October 2014 and April 2015 €30 billion was withdrawn from deposits, the bank said.

Fears of Greece leaving the euro escalated after the country delayed a €300 million payment to the IMF on June 5, saying it’ll bundle four June payments totaling €1.6 billion together and pay them at the end of the month.

So far the negotiations have failed to meet halfway over reforms in Greece which is the main condition for Athens to receive the last €7.2 billion tranche of the second bailout. But the Bank of Greece said a compromise on the main conditions and smaller issues remained to be covered.

Greece maintains it won’t accept new deep austerity cuts while the country’s creditors – the IMF, the ECB and the European Commission – insist on more financial responsibility from Athens.

Despite some write-offs of Greek debt made by creditors in 2012, its public debt currently stands at €316 billion, about 175 percent of the country’s GDP. The maximum acceptable level for the EU should be not more than 60 percent of GDP, according to the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact.

Austerity measures have seen unemployment rise from 12 to 27 percent in three years, GDP has fallen by 26 percent since 2008, Greeks are under a huge tax burden, and the number of people living below the poverty line is increasing every day, said Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras last week. His Syriza party came to power promising to end austerity.

Over the last five years, Athens has reduced pensions by up to 44 percent, reduced salaries in the private sector by up to 32 percent, and seen its labor market crushed, he added.

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Assemblyman Travis Allen issued the following statement regarding developments in the proposed 2015-16 budget:

“Democrat Legislators want to once again spend hard working Californian’s tax dollars at an all-time record level. Sacramento Democrats’ tax-and-spend mentality prove once again why California is ranked the lowest in education, business environment, and economic mobility as shown through our high unemployment and highest-in-the-nation poverty rate.

“Throughout this year’s budget discussions the Democrats consistently tried to raid the surplus funds that voters set aside to pay down the state’s colossal debt, which currently stands at $340 billion. With California being the highest taxed state in the nation, the time is now to stop Sacramento’s out of control spending.

“The proposed 2015-16 budget spends our record tax revenues of $117 billion. Sacramento Democrats insist on supporting boondoggle projects such as high speed rail, the delta smelt, sending fireworks to New Orleans, and even road lanes for fish. This is while hardworking California families are struggling to make ends meet and our core government responsibilities such as education, infrastructure, public safety, and healthcare are all failing.

Assemblyman Travis Allen
Assemblyman Travis Allen
“Together with all 28 of my Republican colleagues in the Assembly, I am calling on Governor Brown to use lower, more conservative revenue projections and reject the irresponsible budget put forward by the Democrat politicians in Sacramento. We must act now to stop California’s high speed train off the financial cliff.”

The article above was released by Assemblyman Travis Allen, who represents California Assembly District 72. Locally, he represents Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Seal Beach, parts of

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New Report Calls for Marijuana Legalization in California
6/16/2015byTamara Bogosian | Best Best & Krieger LLP

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marijuanaCould loosening the criminal sanctions on the possession, cultivation and sale of marijuana in California save a significant amount of money for the state, cities and taxpayers while boosting tax revenue?

That is the determination of a Legislative Analyst Office report recently released. The report is in response to The Marijuana Control, Legalization and Revenue Act of 2016 — a proposed state law that would allow those 21 years and older to legally possess, sell, transport, process and cultivate marijuana — albeit with some restrictions. The measure would establish the Cannabis Control Commission that would regulate the commercial cultivation, processing, distribution and sales of marijuana.

According to the LAO report sent to the California Attorney General’s office, legalizing marijuana would slash costs for state and local governments by decreasing the number of marijuana offenders incarcerated in state prisons and county jails, as well as those under community supervision, such as probation. It would also reduce state and local costs for the enforcement of marijuana-related offenses and the handling of related criminal cases.

The LAO report also discusses revenue from sales taxes that state and local governments would receive from the sale of marijuana that would be permitted under the proposed measure. The idea is that many who are currently purchasing marijuana illegally could begin purchasing it legally under state law from businesses that collect sales taxes. In addition, state and local governments could also receive additional revenue from excise taxes.

The LAO estimates that the net drop in state and local criminal justice costs could exceed $100 million annually.

Although Californians passed Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing the cultivation and sale of marijuana for medicinal purposes, as it currently stands, the possession, cultivation or distribution of marijuana is illegal, subject to various penalties. For example, possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is an infraction punishable by a fine, while selling marijuana is a felony and may result in a jail or prison sentence.

State law also authorizes cities and counties to regulate the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries in their jurisdictions. If passed, the measure would prohibit the Legislature and local governments from further regulating the use or distribution of marijuana beyond the regulations established in the measure. However, the measure would provide local governments some regulatory authority, such as the ability to enforce local zoning and nuisance laws against marijuana businesses.

If California legalizes marijuana, it would follow several states that have already done so, including Alaska, Washington, Colorado and Oregon.

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Chuck Liddell's lawsuit against escrow company goes to jury
PATRICK S. PEMBERTON, PPEMBERTON@THETRIBUNENEWS.COM
June 18, 2015 | Updated 10 hours ago
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Developer Kelly Gearhart defrauded former fighting champ Chuck Liddell of $2 million with the aid of an escrow officer who stood to profit from the crimes, Liddell's attorney argued Thursday.

But an attorney for the escrow company argued that Liddell and other investors are at fault for putting too much trust in Gearhart.


"The plaintiffs didn't want to look in the mirror — they didn't want to take personal responsibility for their actions," Gerard Kelly, an attorney who is representing Cuesta Title Company, said during his closing argument in Superior Court.

After a five-week trial, Liddell’s lawsuit against Cuesta Title Company is now in the hands of the jury, which will decide whether Cuesta Title aided Gearhart in defrauding Liddell and others.

Liddell, former light-heavyweight champ of the UFC, is one of hundreds of people who claim to have been scammed by Gearhart, a former Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year who is scheduled to be sentenced on federal fraud charges June 29.


Federal prosecutors say Gearhart, along with loan broker Jay Hurst of Hurst Financial, enticed hundreds of investors to give Gearhart money for proposed developments, including one called Vista del Hombre, which was to include a golf course, commercial buildings and residential lots in Paso Robles. But instead of paying for new developments, investor money was used to pay Gearhart and other investors — a Ponzi scheme.

Because Gearhart declared bankruptcy, investors focused their lawsuits on Cuesta Title Company, which handled the escrows, and its related companies, Stewart Title of California and Stewart Title Guaranty.

While the plaintiffs claimed the escrow company helped Gearhart commit fraud, Kelly argued that their employees followed proper procedures — and that the plaintiffs took part in risky hard-money lending investments.

Jurors and a judge ruled in favor of the escrow companies in two previous trials with similar circumstances.

Witnesses began testifying in Liddell's trial — joined by two other parties with multiple plaintiffs — May 20. Liddell, who purchased four Vista del Hombre lots for $500,000 apiece, says Cuesta Title released his funds before the close of escrow and without transferring title to the properties. While a document with his signature authorized the release, Liddell said the signature was forged.

"I never saw that document," Liddell testified during the trial.

Liddell testified that he met Gearhart through two friends, brothers Usman and Umer Iqbal — also plaintiffs in the trial — who used to fly with Gearhart to ultimate fights.

"Usman told me about a big fight fan who would trade tickets for private flights to the fights," Liddell testified June 8. "So it seemed like a great trade to me."

Liddell, a Cal Poly graduate and former Mustangs wrestler, was living in San Luis Obispo. That same year, 2005, Liddell became UFC light-heavyweight champ when he defeated Randy Couture. Gearhart, meanwhile, was named Atascadero's Citizen of the Year for 2005.

While Liddell didn't socialize with Gearhart, he said, Gearhart called him with a business proposal some time in 2007.

"He called me one weekend and asked me to check these lots out," Liddell said.

Liddell, who had begun making serious money after defeating Kevin Randleman in 2001 — "I went and fought in Japan and made about 60 grand in one month" — had only invested in college funds for his children. But his mother had told him that real estate was a good investment, he said.

"People were trying to tell me I should invest," he testified. "So I just put it in land."

Around September 2007, after back-to-back losses, he started thinking about life after fighting.

"I had just lost," he said. "It was the first time losing twice in a row."

While his comeback victory over Wanderlei Silva that December would be called the fight of the year by some, he invested $2 million with Gearhart, thinking it would be for his retirement.

Gearhart had told him to go to Cuesta Title for the escrow on his Vista del Hombre lots, Liddell said. There he'd work with escrow officer Melanie Schneider, who handled Gearhart's deals.

He didn't know that Schneider had also invested $50,000 in Vista del Hombre.

On the stand, Schneider said she invested in the project in 2005, two years before Liddell, hoping for 12 percent returns.

During his examination of Schneider, Paboojian suggested that was a conflict of interest.

"Ma'am, if that project goes forward and it's completed, and it's successful, you make money on that interest payment, on that investment, correct?" he asked.

"Yeah, just like everybody else did," she said.

Up to 80 percent of the escrows at her branch, she said, were related to Gearhart.

While Schneider was friends with Gearhart's wife, flew on Gearhart's private jet, briefly lived in Gearhart’s guest house and eventually moved in with Gearhart's brother, she said she did not know Kelly Gearhart was committing fraud.

The title company is supposed to be neutral, Paboojian told jurors. But with so much to lose, Paboojian said, Schneider had to make the deal happen even though her former husband testified that she initially felt uncomfortable with some of Gearhart's business transactions.

"There is no way she could be neutral and impartial," he said. "She's got a vested interest in seeing the deal go through."

Escrow experts who testified at the trial agreed there was a conflict of interest, Paboojian said.

Paboojoan said Schneider knew about the fraud. But Kelly said his own expert testified that Cuesta employees acted appropriately, following protocol.

"The evidence shows that Cuesta absolutely did its job properly," he said. "It complied exactly with the escrow instructions."

The investors, he said, blindly trusted Gearhart — who had a good reputation at the time — and didn't do their homework before investing.

"Mr. Liddell barely did anything," he said. "He called his mom, and then he plunked down $2 million."

When investors couldn't sue Gearhart, he told jurors, they looked for someone else.

"They were mad, and they very quickly saw they weren't going to get anything from Kelly Gearhart," he said.

But suing Cuesta Title, he added, was wrong.

"My clients were not the ones who caused their loss," he said.

A handwriting expert for the defense said Liddell did sign an amendment releasing his money. During his cross-examination of Liddell, Kelly suggested Liddell had been careless to sign off on his money.

"You don't want to think you would have signed that because now that you read the terms, you don't like what they say, correct?"

"I would never have signed that — no," Liddell said.

Liddell is executive vice president of business for the UFC. Schneider, who lives in Colorado with Doug Gearhart, has invested in homes in Ohio, where Kelly Gearhart is awaiting his sentencing.

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Kelly Gearhart faces 11 years in prison for real estate scheme
Chuck Liddell should blame Kelly Gearhart for $2 million loss, attorney says
Chuck Liddell sues over $2 million loss from Kelly Gearhart investments
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UP WITH STEVE KORNACKI, 6/20/15, 8:01 AM ET
Website linked to Dylann Roof features racist screeds, photos with guns
06/20/15 01:23 PM—UPDATED 06/20/15 09:34 PM
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By Elizabeth Chuck
A website featuring a 2,444-word white supremacist screed shows dozens of photos of the gunman arrested in the Charleston, South Carolina, church massacre.

The site shows a stone-faced Dylann Roof — the man who confessed to shooting nine people dead at a Bible study group, according to sources — holding weapons, visiting a cemetery for Confederate soldiers, and burning and spitting on an American flag.

Roof appears to have bought the site domain in February based on a reverse domain look-up service that found it was registered under the name Dylann Roof, using Roof’s mother’s home address. NBC News could not confirm the site’s authenticity or whether Roof was its creator.

RELATED: Dylann Roof, suspected Charleston shooting gunman, previously arrested

Federal law enforcement sources said the FBI and local Charleston authorities have been investigating and analyzing the site, and have known about it for several days.

While the FBI is not saying with “100%” certainty it belongs to Roof, they are operating under the assumption that he is responsible for all of the writings, photos and other material, sources said.

There are also photos on it of historic sites, such as a Confederate museum, and one picture of a beach’s coastline with “1488” carved in the sand, a white supremacy encryption that stands for: “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children.” It’s unclear who took many of the photos.

In a drawn-out rant, the site’s writer outlines becoming “racially aware,” explaining that he wasn’t raised in a racist environment, but was “awakened” by the case of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed black teenager shot to death in Florida.

The writer goes on to explain his views on race, calling black people “stupid and violent,” Jewish people an “enigma,” Hispanic people a “huge problem,” and East Asian people “by nature very racist.”

The writer then describes a disdain for the American flag, which he says represents “people pretending like they have something to be proud [of] while White people are being murdered daily in the streets.” The writer concludes by saying that he has no choice but to fight, and says he has chosen Charleston because of its historical importance and because it “at one time had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country.”

Roof, 21, was arrested in the fatal shootings of the nine victims at the historically black Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston on Wednesday night. Police say they believe the attack was a hate crime.

This article originally appeared on NBC News.com.

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Sandy Dickenson
16 HOURS AGO

Facts: Something Righties Avoid like the Plague

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Sandy Dickenson
16 HOURS AGO

He sounds like a typical Southern Conservative so he fits right in with the Republican Party.

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RochesterX
16 HOURS AGO

Time for someone to ask Bush3 about motivation again. I suspect he'll pivot away from "I really don't know", directly on to "it must be drugs", or even the spoonfed "christian persecution" meme on Fox. It takes a while for people like him to see what's right in front of his eyes.

And you know...

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Charleston church shooting, Dylann Storm Roof, Racism, South Carolina, Trayvon Martin and White Supremacy
Website linked to Dylann Roof features racist screeds, photos with guns
06/20/15 01:23 PM—UPDATED 06/20/15 09:34 PM
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comment author avatar R. Oliver Radiko8 HOURS AGO
"...burning and spitting on an American flag." Seriously? Members of the Taliban or Al Qaeda would do the same thing. They'd photo and/or vid a gross desecration of the Stars and Bars -- stomp on it, spit on it, dance on it, then burn it -- and proudly post it online for all their like-minded... >
see allFACTS: A LEFTIST'S NIGHTMARE!
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comment author avatar Sandy Dickenson16 HOURS AGO
Facts: Something Righties Avoid like the Plague >
comment author avatar Sandy Dickenson16 HOURS AGO
He sounds like a typical Southern Conservative so he fits right in with the Republican Party. >
comment author avatar Bigbill-83799715 HOURS AGO
Yep, and the Republican playbook of today. (eg. 'the Southern Strategy.' >
comment author avatar Auditoria13 MGA16 HOURS AGO
The nonsense this little boy is spouting comes right out of the democratic party playbook of sixty years ago. >
comment author avatar dback-again-husker17 HOURS AGO
This article ought to get the accusations flying over which political ideology Roof belongs to. Based on what we know now, I'd say he doesn't belong in the conservative or the progressive camps. He apparently loves guns and conservatives generally like guns, but he hates the American flag... >
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comment author avatar ruthtruth16 HOURS AGO
But I thought, according to Fox News it was a war on religion or some other BS. BTW there GOP contenders, how about telling the truth for a change and call it what it is , a hate crime because these people were black. >
comment author avatar John & wally14 HOURS AGO
Excuses? Are you kidding me. This dude was a racist and filled with hate. All conservatives are saying that. The difference between me and liberals is I'm smart enought to understand that something caused him to act on his racist thoughts. We all know that the dork was a racist. But that's... >
comment author avatar John & wally10 HOURS AGO
Ok? And why does this help further the conversation? Another attempt to belittle someone that you absolutely hate just because their views on the world are different than yours. You really need to grow up man. >
comment author avatar John & wally13 HOURS AGO
then why did you tear a hole in the Liberals universe when Bush threw out the thought that he could have been a drug user? And if it is true that he abused drugs would you agree that was a contributing factor? >
comment author avatar John & wally15 HOURS AGO
Well we know he was a drunk per his friends and he had a prescription for methadone which is supposed to help with heroin withdraws. This was a screwed up racist little boy that wasn't thinking clearly due to the DRUGS he was under the influence of. You can deny it and just hope he was hateful.... >
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comment author avatar roboman691612 HOURS AGO
I wish Fox News would do a real story on this story. Their coverage has been terrible at best. Its not even the top story over their. Fox news is avoiding this issue like plague. Why doesn't Bill O'Really do a story about White kids that are brought up in racist homes. Or Were is there war... >
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comment author avatar Rob Russell-1053571715 HOURS AGO
LIE , DENY , SLANDER & CRY -- The Republican Manifesto During the past 6+ years , the Reich Wing has relentlessly spewed Racist , prejudiced , bigoted , hateful , idiotic rhetoric that seemed to come out of neo-Nazi skinhead playbooks. When confronted regarding ... >
comment author avatar put a fork in it14 HOURS AGO
Giffords attacker WAS "insane" - that's demonstrable The Vega$ pair were dedicated reichwingnutz (not insane, just dedicated fools) Roof is NOT insane - and frankly, they should have just shot him and spared us all this bulls.hit, but, alas, he is WHITE and not eligible for "summary execution" >
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comment author avatar Rob Russell-1053571712 HOURS AGO
REPUBLICN OUREACH STRIKES AGAIN ! We have people like this posting on the vines. We have people posting like this , In support of this , posting on this seed , specifically. They're trying to claim everything but the honest truth. They're trying to claim he ... >
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comment author avatar Rob Russell-1053571715 HOURS AGO
Remember when palin & tea traitors were spewing their gun rhetoric , appearing on camera with various weapons , putting out campaign posters with targets over Democrats names , saying they were "targeting" specific Democrats by name -- and then one of ... >
comment author avatar xgeei11 HOURS AGO
Sounds like he was trying to "take his country back",. Where have I heard that slogan before? Hmmmm! >
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comment author avatar A Regular3 HOURS AGO
Something has to be appreciated here. Both, the father and the son and all those denying this as a racially motivated crime represents an era of mankind being weeded out of the......and you just purposedy tried to to imposed me from this "Prrogressive State of Mind" thread. >
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comment author avatar ALPHA-OMEGA3 HOURS AGO
This is for all the Trolls who have posted on this article and are confused. You say Fascism and Democrat in the same sentence and leave out Republican, here is a primer on the characteristics so you can understand where Fascist belongs. If you believe that any of them are... >
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comment author avatar RochesterX16 HOURS AGO
Time for someone to ask Bush3 about motivation again. I suspect he'll pivot away from "I really don't know", directly on to "it must be drugs", or even the spoonfed "christian persecution" meme on Fox. It takes a while for people like him to see what's right in front of his eyes. And you know... >
comment author avatar Cagan17 HOURS AGO
This scumbag is nothing more than a piece of trash that wants to blame everyone else for his poor decisions in life. >
comment author avatar c1aud1a%17 HOURS AGO
I think that governor is a b----- but I thought that before this incident. That is what happens from gerrymandering the state so the repulsicans can win. >
comment author avatar mcbarker14 HOURS AGO
This little $h!t is happy. He achieved what he set out to do... promote his racial hatred on other weak minded individuals, got his 15 minutes of fame, and will be welcomed with open arms by his future neo nazi counterparts in prison. The ONLY way to actually punish this filth is to execute... >
comment author avatar Jim Souther14 HOURS AGO
The Hate Sight looks like someone simply copied and pasted everything from the Republican Party platform. >
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The White House seen from outside the north lawn fence in Washington, Sep. 22, 2014. (Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
The White House seen from outside the north lawn fence in Washington, Sep. 22, 2014. Photo by Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Former White House chef missing in New Mexico mountains
06/20/15 09:24 PM—UPDATED 06/20/15 09:26 PM
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By Phil Helsel
Search teams in New Mexico continued on Saturday to look for a missing former White House chef who was last seen setting off for a solo hike in the mountains near Taos last weekend.

Walter Scheib, 61, went hiking in the area on Saturday and never returned home, the New Mexico Department of Public Safety said. He was reported missing the next day.

Scheib set off on the Yerba Canyon Trail, which reaches altitudes above 12,000 feet, Taos Search and Rescue said. Scheib’s vehicle was found at the Yerba Canyon Trailhead on Tuesday, the department of public safety said.

The search has included ground teams and aircraft, state police said. The air search was expanded Friday but the mountainous terrain and dense vegetation has made the air effort difficult, the department said.

According to Scheib’s professional website, he served as White House executive chef under President Bill Clinton and President George W. Bush from 1994 until 2005.

He was initially hired by then-First Lady Hillary Clinton, who the site says was “impressed by the comprehensive spa menu Scheib had developed for the Greenbrier resort, as well as his highlighting of American cuisine.”

He is listed as co-author of “White House Chef: Eleven Years, Two Presidents, One Kitchen,” published in 2007.

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Mary Dobbs
7 HOURS AGO

Hiking alone at altitude is so dangerous. Sure hope they find him safe. Stories like these here in Colorado often dont turn out well. Hoping the first responders searching for him stay safe also

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Ice Cube will swarm
3 HOURS AGO

Today I thought I had locked my keys in my car, but I just retraced my steps and I had left them in a Wendy's bathroom stall-- no problem. This is exactly the same. He'll just turn up. It is so a perfect analogy. Yes it is.

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maggie nelson poole
4 HOURS AGO

and here is a photo that has nothing to do with the article....we can assume the victim is hungry and thirsty....we hope he hasn't dropped his cell phone....

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New Mexico and White House
Former White House chef missing in New Mexico mountains
06/20/15 09:24 PM—UPDATED 06/20/15 09:26 PM
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comment author avatar Playtow4 HOURS AGO
Moosechelle Vince Fostered him for serving a cheeseburger and french fries rather then an apple with lettuce. >
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comment author avatar Mary Dobbs7 HOURS AGO
Hiking alone at altitude is so dangerous. Sure hope they find him safe. Stories like these here in Colorado often dont turn out well. Hoping the first responders searching for him stay safe also >
comment author avatar Ice Cube will swarm3 HOURS AGO
Today I thought I had locked my keys in my car, but I just retraced my steps and I had left them in a Wendy's bathroom stall-- no problem. This is exactly the same. He'll just turn up. It is so a perfect analogy. Yes it is. >
comment author avatar maggie nelson poole4 HOURS AGO
and here is a photo that has nothing to do with the article....we can assume the victim is hungry and thirsty....we hope he hasn't dropped his cell phone.... >
comment author avatar Merlin-4204558 HOURS AGO
I told those New Mexicans they'd better feed Bigfoot.... Seriously, I hope they find him alive and well, just lost. >
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Pro baseball team cancels 'Caucasian Heritage Night'

By Christina Zdanowicz, CNN
Updated 5:28 PM ET, Sat June 20, 2015
Team cancels 'Caucasian Heritage Night' promotion
Team cancels 'Caucasian Heritage Night' promotion 01:24
Story highlights
The Orem Owlz canceled a 'Caucasian Heritage Night'
People criticized the team for touting a white appreciation event in the wake of the Charleston shooting.

(CNN)It was to be a night of Wonder Bread on burgers with mayo, a jumping contest and a group watching of "Friends," but "Caucasian Heritage Night" will never be.

The Orem Owlz, a minor league baseball team in Utah, said it had long ago scheduled the white appreciation event, which was meant to be a lighthearted event, according to a statement.

Within hours of posting a promotion Friday and two days after the church shootings in South Carolina, the team canceled the event after social media lit up.

"We understand, in light of recent tragic events, that our intentions have been misconstrued. For that, we sincerely apologize," read the team's official statement.

"In light of everything that has happened in Charleston, South Carolina, it is very troubling," Jeanetta Williams, president of the NAACP Tri-State Conference of Idaho, Nevada & Utah, told CNN affiliate KSL.

"Especially now, when there are so many white supremacist groups out there, and they're looking for something like this."

People flocked to Twitter on Friday to lob angry comments at the team using #CaucasianHeritageNight. Melanie Monroe, a Hispanic, said every night is Caucasian heritage night.


One Utah resident was ashamed that such a night was even created.


Others shrugged and asked what was so bad about it. "Every other race has their night," a man told CNN affiliate KSL.

Another defender asked what's so bad about grilling meat and watching mixed-martial arts.


Some who defended the event were just as angry as those criticizing it. One person who commented was asking for the night to be rescheduled.

"Please in the future have a bigger backbone. Or at least schedule this for later. Blaming you or other whites for what one white did in South Carolina is racist and caucasiaphobic."


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Philadelphia Block Party Shooting Wounds Children And Others
9 hours ago | Updated 9 hours ago
AP
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A gunman opened fire on a block party in Philadelphia, leaving seven people injured, including a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old.
Philadelphia Police Lt. John Walker tells WCAU-TV (http://bit.ly/1Lr1OrS ) the shooting happened around 10 p.m. Saturday in West Philadelphia. He says it looks like the gunman just randomly fired down the street and hit anyone in the way.
Walker says both children were taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in critical condition, and the toddler had a wound to the neck. He says the other victims ranged in age from 15 to 25 and were taken to another hospital in critical condition.
He says it was "just a terrible situation." No other information was immediately available

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How Israel defies drought
Israel ended its driest year on record with a water surplus. Lessons from a desert nation on how to get more out of the spigot.
Christian Science Monitor By Christa Case Bryant 1 hour ago
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Even at night, the ground of Israel’s Arava desert pulsates with heat. For decades, the vast expanse of bleached hills looked like a mountain biker’s paradise and a farmer’s torment. With only about an inch of precipitation per year, not even Israeli vegetation had the chutzpah to grow here.

But that slowly began to change when Israeli pioneers came here in the mid-1960s. True, they didn’t come for the soil or the weather. But farming was vital to staking out the young state of Israel’s claim to this land along the Jordanian border. In between fending off attacks from Palestinian militants, the settlers worked the unforgiving soil.

They grew roses when others said it was impossible. They created naturally air-conditioned greenhouses by setting up “wet curtains” – honeycombed walls that allowed water to seep through slowly. They planted flowers in trenches of volcanic ash instead of the sandy soil. Later they switched to dates and peppers, using an Israeli-invented drip irrigation system.

Recommended: How much do you know about Israel? Take the quiz

Today this former moonscape, though still barren, has become an agricultural Eden: Rows of greenhouses stretch across the land, harboring everything from apricots to mangoes, avocados to pomegranates. Other crops are grown outside with plastic stretched over them to reduce evaporation. This narrow strip of land along the Jordanian border produces 65 percent of Israel’s vegetable exports – mainly tomatoes and peppers – and helps feed the Jewish state itself. It’s one of the most productive salad bowls in the Middle East.

More than anything, the transformation of the desert here is a testament to Israel’s innovative approach to water. Driven by a combination of necessity and inventiveness, the country has become one of the world’s leaders in how to wring the most out of parsimonious amounts of rainfall and turn a parched landscape into a productive garden.

The Israelis are turning seawater into tap water, pioneering new types of irrigation, and reusing wastewater at the highest rate of any country in the world. Last year, despite having the driest year on record, the country recorded a surplus of water. As climate change creates more severe patterns of weather – including, notably, devastating droughts – Israeli technology and ideas are increasingly being adopted around the world.

To be sure, Israel is a far smaller country than most of those with the most pressing water needs. But proponents say many of its practices can still be used elsewhere. Already, Israelis have big water projects under way in China, India, and drought-stricken California.

“Israel is very much a beta test site for solving these problems in a small country,” says Glenn Yago, founder of the Financial Innovation Lab at the California-based Milken Institute, who is fostering increased Israeli investment in water projects in California. “Drip irrigation, desalination, [wastewater] recycling, and aquifer remediation – those are problems that can be tested in the global laboratory that Israel is and then scaled elsewhere.”

As with everything in this part of the world, however, politics intrudes on the narrative here, too: Palestinians claim that Israel is taking more than its prescribed allotment of water from shared aquifers, and environmental concerns swirl about the effect of the country operating so many desalination plants along the eastern Mediterranean. But Israel’s surplus of water has also opened new opportunities for water cooperation with its Arab neighbors – and, perhaps, more flexibility.

• • •

The story of making the desert bloom here begins with a man in a top hat.

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Back in the 1960s Simcha Blass, an immigrant from Poland, was traveling around the torrid Israeli desert in a three-piece suit, white gloves up to his elbows, and that imposing lid, looking like a European duke. He was, in fact, a water engineer, one of the foremost in Israel, who had helped to establish its first aqueducts and pipelines. (One of those plumbing systems was made from salvaged pipes from postwar London, which had been used to put out fires during the German blitz.)

Now he was tinkering with an idea to help make things grow where they shouldn’t: drip irrigation. But none of the young kibbutzniks working the dusty clods of the Negev desert were interested.

Until one day in 1965 Uri Werber knocked on Mr. Blass’s door in Tel Aviv. Before Mr. Werber even had a chance to introduce himself, the eccentric water engineer said, “You know what you are? You are an idiot.... No one is listening to me. Why are you coming here?”

Werber represented Kibbutz Hatzerim, one of 11 farming settlements set up overnight in the Negev in 1947, the year before Israel declared independence. It was so desolate that one knoll was known then, and still is today, as the “hill of the only tree.” The only water for growing vegetables was the runoff from a primitive shower house.

Two decades later, the kibbutz had grown to about 100 people, and Werber was looking for a small business to employ about a dozen of its members. He’d suggested manufacturing everything from traffic lights to chandeliers, but drip irrigation was closer to their farming roots.

So there on Blass’s doorstep, Werber insisted he wanted to hear more about his invention. Blass had developed it after a farmer friend pointed out a tree that was far larger than those around it. The reason, they discovered, was a small leak in a hose that spritzed water on the tree’s roots.

Werber went back to Hatzerim with the proposal – to build a system of perforated pipes that would water crops with judicious regularity. The kibbutz approved it. Initially, the group’s farm manager was so impressed with the results – drip irrigation both reduces water usage and increases crop yield, resulting in as much as four times more produce for the same amount of water – that he wanted to keep it as the kibbutz’s secret weapon.

Instead, the kibbutz founded Netafim, whose technology was piloted first on dusty Israeli farms and then exported around the world. Today, from its lush campus on Kibbutz Hatzerim, the company commands more than 30 percent of the global market for drip irrigation systems, with customers in 110 countries.

“To me there’s no question that drip irrigation made the desert bloom,” says Naty Barak, Netafim’s chief sustainability officer, who sees special potential for the company’s technology in California, where he opened Netafim’s first subsidiary back in 1981. “Israel has an answer to California’s drought.”

While drip irrigation is now a well-established technique, Netafim is always working to refine its technology, using the Arava as a prime laboratory, just as it has for decades.

“We are under tough and extreme conditions – soil, water, weather,” says Effi Tripler, a soil and water scientist from the Central and Northern Arava Research and Development Center in Hatzeva. “They know if it works here, it will work in any place in the world.”

The R&D center, one of several in Israeli agricultural areas, experiments with everything from sophisticated new drip irrigation techniques to aquaculture. The center also tests different varieties of mangoes, apricots, and other fruits and vegetables to determine which ones can best endure the harsh conditions of the Arava, where temperatures range from freezing to more than 100 degrees F. in the summer, and the parched soil receives only about an inch of precipitation per year.

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“Plants are very smart,” says Dr. Tripler, who has beads of sweat collecting on his face despite the early hour. In cooperation with Netafim and other researchers, he’s refining a sophisticated drip irrigation system that waters plants only when they’re thirsty. The system, which is installed here in a small plot of sorghum, includes four solar-powered sensors that connect wirelessly to a control panel at the edge of the plot and measures the suction of the plants’ roots to gauge their thirst. A similar system will be installed at the University of California, Davis in the fall. By reading the signals of the plants, the system helps farmers maximize their water use.

“For the growers, this is their GPS,” says Tripler, who spent 15 years overseeing a date-palm plantation near the Dead Sea.

Decreasing water usage in agriculture holds some of the most potential to help the world husband a precious resource, since agriculture accounts for about 70 percent of water usage globally. The most common method of watering fields is flood irrigation, which pumps or otherwise channels water into fields and lets it flow among the crops. The problem with the technique is that it requires flat land and uses vast amounts of water, much of which is lost.

Drip irrigation could reduce water usage dramatically and make it possible to utilize hillier land as well, says Mr. Barak of Netafim. Yet global adoption of drip irrigation remains below 5 percent, compared with 75 percent in Israel. That’s largely because of the cost of installing such a system. Water is still free in many places, which makes it financially hard to justify such an investment.

Barak says sometimes he wakes up in the morning and feels “so proud” that what has been done out in the Israeli desert is now gaining awareness around the world. “[But] sometimes I wake up in the morning and say, ‘What’s happening? We have a solution to the most pressing issues and it’s not picking up.’ ”

• • •

About the time that Blass was peddling his drip irrigation technology around the Negev, American chemical engineer Sidney Loeb was devising a new way to turn seawater into drinking water.

In those early days of desalination, there were two main methods of separating out the salt: freezing or distillation. But Mr. Loeb, along with another graduate student at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), developed reverse osmosis (RO) desalination, in which seawater is forced through membranes that block the salt but allow the water to pass through.

In 1965, the first commercially viable RO plant was established in Coalinga, Calif.; it was run by firemen in between putting out blazes. Its output was small – 5,000 gallons of water per day – but it supplied a third of the town’s fresh water. The next year, a second commercial plant was established in the Israeli kibbutz of Yotvata in the Arava desert, along Jordan’s border. According to Loeb, who moved to Israel in 1966, women brought buckets to the plant to wash their hair in the soft water, but skeptical residents initially refused to drink it.

Experts didn’t think much of the technology at first, either. Indeed, it took decades for RO to be used on a large scale, even though Israel was suffering periodic water shortages. In the mid-1980s, the problem became so severe that Israel’s minister of agriculture recommended that everyone shower in pairs to save water.

Then in 1999, the Israeli water commissioner came up with a master plan for 2000 to 2010 that called for wide-scale desalination to help close a water gap of 400 million cubic meters a year. The Israeli government agreed to produce 50 mcm of desalinated water – an important, if small, first step, says Abraham Tenne, head of the desalination division at the Israel Water Authority. “Usually the first decision is the most important because you crossed the line.”

In 2003, IDE won a contract with the French firm Veolia to build a seawater RO plant in Ashkelon that would produce 100 mcm per year, making it the largest such plant of its kind in the world. The government agreed to a plan that would guarantee the plant enough financial support to survive regardless of actual water demands.

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“Ashkelon changed everything,” says Tom Pankratz, editor of the Water Desalination Report and an independent desalination consultant. Up until then, bankers had been skittish about underwriting a large-scale plant for a technology that had yet to be proved on such a scale.

In 2006, Ashkelon was named “desalination plant of the year” at the Global Water Awards ceremony in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where it was hailed as “a milestone in reverse osmosis desalination.”

“The guys in Dubai don’t like us too much, but even they were impressed,” says Mr. Tenne, who has become one of Israel’s leading desalination experts almost by accident: He signed up for Loeb’s first university class on RO because he figured an American professor would go easy on the students.

After Ashkelon, RO grew exponentially. From 2004 to 2014, some 74 percent of contracted desalination plants were RO. Three of those were built in Israel – Palmachim, Hadera, and Sorek.

Sorek, also built by IDE, has a capacity of 150 mcm per year and came on line in 2013 as the largest such plant in the world. Every two minutes, enough seawater to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool is pumped nearly a mile and a half from the ocean through massive underground pipes, which are roughly twice the height of an average person. The water gurgles up into huge vats that screen out jellyfish and other elements that could clog the pumps, and then goes into an array of pretreatment pools with sand filters.

Once all solids have been removed, the water is pumped into a phalanx of 11,200 cylinders at high pressure. Inside the cylinders, membranes screen out the salt. Within an hour, that Olympic-size pool of drinkable water is delivered into Israel’s national water system and ready to come out of people’s taps.

Not everyone is enamored of the technology, though. Environmentalists worry about the rerouting of nature’s resources on such a massive scale. The brine discharged back into the sea could harm the wildlife, especially with so many plants along the Mediterranean – not just in Israel but also Cyprus, Egypt, and Algeria.

“Desalination should always be a last resort,” says Karin Kloosterman, founder of Green Prophet, which covers sustainability issues in the Middle East. “Desalination is an energy-intensive process that consumes an unbalanced amount of electricity while removing the salts from the water. The byproducts and brine of desalination are harmful to the waterways around the desalination plant.”

Another concern is the price. Desalinated water here costs 2.8 shekels per cubic meter ($0.66) versus as much as four times that in Australia. Part of that is due to IDE’s innovative plant design and operations, such as arranging the cylinders vertically instead of horizontally to save on concrete and other structural support materials. But in Israel the vast majority of the population, with the exception of Jerusalem, is located within just a few miles of the coast.

California, by contrast, is far wider and has high mountains that could add significant cost to the price of desalinated water. A stronger environmental movement also exists there, and significant regulatory hurdles. In addition, California has a far more fragmented system of water control, so it can’t easily set a price for water, and few people want to pay for desalinated water if they’re getting it from the ground, lakes, or rivers free of charge. So, ironically, the state where Loeb first developed RO desalination lags far behind Israel today in that field.

IDE is building a $1 billion plant in Carlsbad, Calif., which will be the largest in the Western Hemisphere. But it is still relatively small and the project has faced many complications.

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“In the time it took Carlsbad to materialize from plan to operations, we’ve built plants that together produce daily seven times more water than Carlsbad is going to produce,” says Hamutal Ben Bassat, IDE’s business development manager, on a tour of the Sorek plant.

In early May, Santa Barbara gave IDE the nod for another desalination plant, and Ms. Ben Bassat says other projects in California are under discussion. She says IDE also expects to see “quite a lot of activity in the US, China, and India” in the next two years.

In China, coastal cities that account for 40 percent of the population and 60 percent of the total gross domestic product already face “extreme” water scarcity, according to a report by WaterWorld, a trade publication. Last fall, Israel heralded a “Water City” project in Shouguang, a city of 1 million where Israeli water companies will implement their technology with the hope of winning over the Chinese government and expanding to other cities.

Limits exist to how far the Israeli technology can spread, however. The Arab Middle East and North Africa represent more than 40 percent of the global market for desalination, but so far they have been untappable by IDE for political reasons. Nevertheless, from 2004 to 2014, the company ranked as the fourth largest desalination plant supplier in the world.

“Basically we build the largest plants for the lowest costs,” says Ben Bassat.

• • •

Israel has also been able to wring more water out of the resources it has because, in essence, it has only one hand on the spigot. It has one water authority that sets both policy and pricing for the whole country.

Many other nations – including, notably, the United States – have a tangle of federal, state, and local jurisdictions that control water issues. “Much of the issue in the US is not so much technology, it’s governance,” says Prof. Yoram Cohen, a chemical and biomolecular engineer at UCLA.

Indeed, hundreds of water agencies exist in California alone. In the US, many farmers have rights to the water and don’t pay for it, and in some places governments don’t even have a system in place to measure water usage, making it impossible to charge for it.

In addition to key decisions regarding measurement and cost of water, Israel’s government has been able to enforce national policies, such as widespread wastewater treatment and recycling. Israel recycles more than 80 percent of its wastewater for reuse in agriculture and other industrial processes, which is quadruple the amount of the second largest wastewater recycler, Spain. In California, there’s still strong public distrust of such recycling, even after rigorous treatment.

“When you say ‘reuse’ in California, it means something different ... most of the implication there is toilet to tap,” says Mr. Pankratz. “And there has been a real stigma with that.”

Israel also has taken a lead in reducing water loss, with innovative companies like TaKaDu. Its monitoring system costs about $150,000 for a big city like New York – a relatively small price tag given that global water loss amounts to as much as $15 billion. Among Israel’s Arab neighbors, as much as half of their water is lost to leaks, while in London it’s about 35 percent. In Israel it’s down to 10 percent, and the country is aiming for 8 percent, says Tenne of the Israel Water Authority, which requires the country’s water utilities to spend a certain percentage on maintenance each year.

He says, however, that the answer to improving global water efficiency is not in any one step, but rather in a long-term, comprehensive approach. “There is no one single step and there won’t be one single step in China, California, or India,” says Tenne. “People are trying to solve problems from today to tomorrow, and it doesn’t work. But it can be done, and Israel is a great example that it can be done.”

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Dear Fellow American,
How do you feel when you read the following?

Newspaper headline: Accused Burglar Sues Homeowner Who Shot Him.
Or how about this one:
Newspaper headline: New Hampshire Man Jailed for Defending His Family.
I’ll be the first to admit that these recent news headlines are scary, but they also make me angry. What has happened to our great country when good, honest Americans risk jail time or bankruptcy for simply defending their loved ones or themselves?

If you’re like me, these sorts of news stories probably anger you as well.

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FACT #1:
Fair Warning: Please Don't Read This Unless...
Stop reading now if you’re not willing to defend your family or loved ones. I’m serious. If you’re the type of person who is willing to dial 911 and simply wait for someone ELSE to take care of your responsibilities, well then you’re not going to like a single thing I’m going to share with you.

In fact, a lot of what you’re about to read will make you angry if you don’t agree that the safety and security of your loved ones are are YOUR responsibility...

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I Believe the World Would Be A Better Place If…
I believe the world would be a better place if Responsibly Armed Americans could defend their families and loved ones without fear of unjust prosecution.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

This is what Thomas Jefferson was talking about in the 18th century:

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms only disarm those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed one."
Wow, all I can add to this one is: God Bless Thomas Jefferson!

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Have you ever wondered if violent crime is falling or on the rise?

Well, isn’t that a good question. If you believe what the government tells us, we have absolutely nothing to fear. They claim that crime is at an all-time low. But from my experience, there are just as many (if not more) “bad guys” out there and they’re more violent than ever.

Now, I don’t try to dwell on negative thoughts like this because my father always taught me to “expect the best but prepare for the worst.”

Pretty good advice if you ask me.

And that’s exactly what I do…I pray every day that my family remains safe and sound. I also look for the best in everyone I meet. But, if I ever get backed into a corner and my family depends on me, I’m not going to let them down!

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Does this bother you?

It seems like everywhere I look these days, someone is trying to “scare” me into buying something. This usually frustrates me.

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But here's something I'd like you to consider.

While I may dislike these “scare tactics,” the fact of the matter is that there ARE certain scary things in life that are worth thinking about. Certain things in life that if you DON’T think about…well, then you’re just not being realistic or responsible.

For example...

I can remember once when I was awoken in the middle of the night by some strange sounds. I’m guessing you might be able to relate to this scenario:

You are instantly wide-awake. You hardly breathe as you strain to listen for any “new” noises. Your mouth goes dry and your heart races as your palms start to sweat. Could it have just been the wind? The dog? OR could it be a drug-crazed thug, hell-bent on breaking into your house, stealing your prized possessions and ruthlessly violating the security and honor of your loved ones?
This is when you run through all the nightmare scenarios that are deep inside your brain. What do I do? How am I going to deal with this? Will I be able to protect my wife and kids?

It’s a combined feeling of panic, helplessness and outright fear.

But as I've since learned, a situation like this doesn't have to be that way.

One of my favorite quotes reads:

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
And THAT is how the Responsibly Armed American lives their lives. We are NOT free from fear. Rather, we arm ourselves with education, knowledge and training. And it’s this education, knowledge and training that allows us to conquer the fear. It allows us to be the protectors and defenders we were MEANT to be.

Join me on this journey, my friend... your family and loved ones are counting on you!

FACT #5:
Most People Have Their Head in the Sand... Are You One of Them?
I hope you’ll never have to defend yourself or your family from a violent criminal.

And let’s be honest, chances are you never will. (Well, unless you live in certain parts of Detroit, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc… you get the picture!) But you know what, that’s not really what we’re talking about here.

Let me explain.

Since 1977, house fires are down 64.5%. Yet you and I still have fire extinguishers all over our houses and we still pay for fire insurance every single year.

Cars are significantly safer than they were only twenty years ago. Yet you and I still wear our seat belts and buy collision insurance.

Chances are you and I will never be in a serious auto accident and our houses will never burn down. But we still prepare for these kind of events!

Why do we do this?

Because that’s what responsible people do. And Responsibly Armed Americans make sure they’re educated, trained and properly insured.

As a good friend of mine likes to say:

"We plan for the possibility, not the probability."
USCCA Self-Defense Shield
Silver Plus
$13/mo
or one time
payment of $147
Get Silver PLUS
Up to $300,000 in protection

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Gold Plus
$22/mo
or one time
payment of $247
Get Gold PLUS
Up to $575,000 in protection

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Platinum Plus
$30/mo
or one time
payment of $347
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Up to $1,100,000 in protection

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You Never Know When You May Be Forced To Defend Your Family:
Protect Yourself With
USCCA Membership Today.
You May Need It Tomorrow...

FACT #6:
You May Be Asking Yourself, “Can I Do This?”

Here are my top four reasons for carrying a gun.

I'll be the first to admit it.

There was a time in my life when I wasn’t sure if I had what it would take to be a Responsibly Armed American.

While I knew deep down in my heart that it was MY responsibility to defend my wife and kids, it soon became very clear to me that I had a LOT to learn about the responsibilities of owning and using a gun.

It was a bit overwhelming.

Back in 1999, I can remember walking into a gun shop and getting a rather cold reception. As soon as the gun store clerk realized I knew very little about guns, he seemed to make an extra effort to gruffly point out just how little I knew.

I could hardly believe this guy was acting the way he was.

I initially figured he was just having a bad day until this sort of experience happened on a regular basis as I scoured all the local gun shops for information and guidance. It didn’t take me too long to realize that I was pretty much on my own.

But that was fine.

It wasn’t the first time I had to do something 100% on my own. You know, I think it was this “Tim against the world” perspective that helped me to realize that YES, I CAN do this. I CAN learn how to be a Responsibly Armed American. I CAN figure all this out.

And you know what? So can you.

The cool part is that the association I created in 2003 is your “secret weapon.” The USCCA will be your “crash course” to becoming that Responsibly Armed American that is within, the born protector inside of you.

I'm Ready...
Yes, I Can Do This

FACT #7:
WARNING: Buying and Owning a Gun Is Simply Not Enough...
I’m sure you’ll agree with me when I say that buying a set of golf clubs doesn’t turn you into Tiger Woods.

Not by a long shot!

But the good news is that it’s a LOT easier to be a Responsibly Armed American than it is to be a professional golfer. All you need is an organization that will help you “stay sharp,” keep you up-to-date on your training routine and back you up if the going gets tough.

FACT #8:
They All Laughed at Me Until a Deranged Criminal Attacked Us and I Was the Only One With a Gun…
There are times when I tell people about what we do here at the USCCA and I get looks of disapproval or even outright anger.

It's sometimes hard to believe.

I am sure you probably have friends and relatives who either don’t believe in owning guns or look down on you because you do.

I never get upset in these situations because if someone bent on evil would ever approach us, it would be that very gun in my hand that would save their lives...and mine as well.

Are you the type of protector who knows it is your higher calling to protect the sheep, even the uneducated ones, from the forces of evil? If so, you’re going to need the Nation’s strongest advocacy for the Responsibly Armed American at your back.

At the USCCA, we’ve been educating, training and insuring Responsibly Armed Americans just like you for over a decade. And we’re growing daily.

FACT #9:
What Do a NASCAR Driver and a ‘Responsibly Armed American’ Have In Common?
There are three important components to being a Responsibly Armed American. The first part is education. The fact of the matter is that there is a LOT to learn when it comes to properly using a gun in self-defense.

There’s no easy button. There’s no way around it.

If you’re new to this, you’ve got a lot of learning to do. But even if you’re not new to armed self-defense, the learning doesn’t stop. Do you think a NASCAR driver learns how to drive a car once and then he’s done?

No way.

You MUST keep your mind sharp with a continual stream of education and learning. Luckily, the USCCA makes this part easy with our print publication Concealed Carry Magazine.

Concealed Carry Magazine
The second part is training. It’s a physiological fact that in a stressful situation, such as a violent attack, you will perform at your lowest level of training. Your adrenal stress response will kick in and you will get tunnel vision.

You probably won’t even remember what happened. And THAT is the reason you need a simple yet consistent training schedule. The good news is that this can be a lot of fun and the USCCA can easily help you do this.

The final component is having proper self-defense and firearm liability insurance. I mentioned this before. In this day and age, the moment you successfully defend your loved ones…your legal troubles will have just begun.

You know the old saying, “Money can’t buy happiness.” Well, that may be true, but lots of money CAN pay for the best criminal defense attorney who won’t tell you to plea bargain down to five years in prison for defending the lives and honor of your family.

FACT #10:
It’s Only Difficult If You Go It Alone...
With all that being said, it can seem to be a daunting task to be this Responsibly Armed American.

The fact of the matter is that it’s only difficult if you go it alone.

Heck, that’s exactly what I had to do back when I went through my own personal self-defense “awakening.” Don’t get me wrong, it certainly can be done.

But you’re in a unique situation. You get to learn from all the mistakes I’ve made since 2003.

The association that I’ve created is your “unfair advantage.” The USCCA is here for you and your family. The USCCA is your path to being a Responsibly Armed American: Educated, Trained & Insured.

FACT #11:
Who Will Have YOUR Back?
Responsibly Armed American
There are three critical components to becoming
a Responsibly Armed American.

Have you ever wondered, “When I use my gun in self-defense, who will have my back?”

I used to play tight end in high school football. Let me clarify…I was a “blocking” tight end because I had a hard time catching the ball. On pass plays, it was my responsibility to protect my quarterback from the rushing defensive end. I had his back and he counted on me.

Trust me on this one. You’re going to want someone to “have your back” if you’re ever forced to use your gun.

And it’s not just for the aftermath.

You’ll want someone there to help you maintain all three components of the Responsibly Armed American. It’s not always easy doing things on your own.

And that's exactly why the highly trained Self-Defense SHIELD Response Team is available to you 24/7/365. Your personal case manager is fully trained and accredited in advanced crisis intervention and peer support through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). They'll be with you every step of the way to assist you in harnessing the full power of your USCCA membership including immediate bail bond funding, attorney retainer, crisis support, post-incident psychological support referral, benefit management, and ongoing 24/7 support to help you and your family fully recover from your self-defense incident.

Removing the uncertainty surrounding the aftermath of a self-defense incident is just another reason why the USCCA is the ultimate education, training and insurance partner on your path to being a Responsibly Armed American. When you're forced to defend your loved ones, the USCCA will be your deep pockets to keep you out of jail, out of bankruptcy and with your family.

I'm Ready...
To Become a Responsibly Armed American

FACT #12:
Have You Ever Wondered What REALLY Happens After a Self-Defense Shooting?
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to use your gun to defend your family or yourself, you’ll need to be thoroughly prepared to deal with the complex aftermath.

Even in the most clear-cut self-defense case, there will most likely be a criminal investigation.

In the United States of America, you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. Well, in this day and age where a large percentage of our population has forgotten the wisdom of Thomas Jefferson I mentioned earlier, there’s a good chance you’ll have a liberal, anti-gun district attorney trying to make an example of your misfortune and put you in jail.

Furthermore, we’ve all heard the news stories of criminals suing the victims who they attacked. Can you imagine having to pay a judgment of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to a criminal who broke into your house?

It saddens me to tell you that stories like this are commonplace in today’s America. The bottom line is that you’ll be relieved to have an advocate with deep pockets on your side if you ever find yourself in this unfortunate situation.

The USCCA just happens to be an advocate like that.

FACT #13:
How Less Than $1 a Day Can Turn Into $1,100,000 When You Need It Most…
Paying for your legal bills after a self-defense incident can cost you tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, even if your actions were completely justified.

Liberal judges, overzealous prosecutors and families willing to file a civil suit because you had to defend yourself can drain your bank account overnight. A Platinum USCCA membership will provide you up to $1.1 million in legal defense horsepower for less than $1 per day.

It's funny...I know people who spend more than $1 a day on coffee, cigarettes, cable TV—even cell phone service!—but NONE of those things help keep you or your family safe. Listen, I like these small luxuries as much as the next guy, but I also know my family's safety is not an "extra."


When it comes down to it, I would spend every single dime to my name to protect the safety and honor of the ones I love.

Wouldn't you?

So, less than $1 a day for over $1 million in legal and financial backing? That's a no-brainer!

Who will protect you when you protect your family? A USCCA Platinum membership gives you $1.1 million in coverage when you need it most.

FACT #14:
Alright, WHO Exactly Is the USCCA?
I’ve always made it a rule to make sure I know as much as possible about the organizations I decide to align myself with.

I think that just makes sense.

I’ve been an NRA member for years. I was a member and leader in the Boy Scouts when my sons were involved. I even belonged to the local Rotary Club chapter as well.

Here’s the bottom line:

I’ve always felt that it’s important to be fully aligned with the values of any organization I belong to. I wouldn’t join an organization if I didn’t believe in what they stood for.

Would you?

A lot of people have asked me, “Tim, what kinds of people join the USCCA?” Here’s my response: The USCCA is a like-minded group of God-fearing, American patriots who believe in their natural-born, inalienable right to keep and bear arms. USCCA members span all walks of life.

There are fathers, mothers, grandpas and grandmas. Machinists. Construction workers. Plumbers and electricians. Doctors, accountants, business owners and lawyers. A lot of USCCA members are former police officers or military veterans. There are men and women, black and white.

There is really only ONE thing we have in common:

USCCA members put their families and loved ones first. We are willing to do whatever it takes to protect their safety and honor. It’s as simple as that! Here are a few words from some of our members:

Zach B.
Protecting my family means more to me than just keeping them safe...
"Protecting them from financial distress, legal distress and personal attack. My wife and daughter deserve to live in a place where all of these things will not affect them and so they may be safe from any harm that may be brought against them."
- Zach B., Texas
Christopher E.
It is important to be able to defend my family, home & country...
Having a gun will allow me to protect my family physically when a situation comes up that requires it and USCCA will allow me to protect my family financially in the event I have to use my gun. The information on this site and the magazines have helped us to make rational and informed choices in how to defend our home and ourselves in an increasingly dangerous time.

- Christopher E., Washington

Joseph M.
I promised to provide for all of them...
I have three reasons: the first wears a ring that I gave her, and the other two call me "daddy." I promised to provide for all of them, and the USCCA is a small part of how I do that.

- Joseph M., Oregon

Tim S.
I believe that knowledge is power...
I joined the USCCA for 3 reasons. First, I believe in every person's right to defend themselves and their loved ones. Second, I have a beautiful wife and two lovely daughters and would never forgive myself if something were to happen and I got in a legal mess that would ruin us, even though I did the right thing. Last but surely not least, I believe that knowledge is power and the USCCA has taught me so many things, many which do not include firing a gun, but things like situational awareness and avoiding conflicts if and when possible, that it has paid for itself many times over.

- Tim S., Utah

Steven R.
I want to make sure someone's got my back when I need it...
Why I joined USCCA? Simple...to protect my family. A while back, I made the decision to get my CHL and purchased my first firearm. We live close to our nation's border and with all the recent events, I decided to get myself and my family some extra protection in the form of the USCCA. I hope I never have to use my firearm on anyone, and I pray to God my family never has to as well, but you never know. I don't want to worry or have my family worry about legal and financial expenses for trying to protect ourselves or our fellow man from any life threatening danger. For this reason, I joined the USCCA in addition to their educational resources they provide. I want to make sure someone's got my back when I need it. And thanks to the USCCA, I now do.

- Steven R., Texas

Brett C.
We believe in taking personal responsibility for our safety...
My wife and I joined because of the high quality of information available to members as well as the insurance. We have two daughters and four grandchildren. We believe in taking personal responsibility for our safety and are teaching the rest of our family to do the same. USCCA helps us achieve that. We have great respect for law enforcement officers, but they cannot be at the right place at the right time in most instances. We refuse to be victims by expecting others to always take care of us. If you need a police officer, he could be more than five minutes away, and your life and death situation could need a response in thirty seconds. Thanks Tim!

- Brett C., Indiana

I'm Ready...
To Join a Group of Like-Minded American Patriots

FACT #15:
Top 10 Home Defense and Concealed Carry Questions...
I think we’ve established that there’s a LOT to learn to be a Responsibly Armed American. And the funny thing is that it’s not just “learn it once” and you’re done.

No way.

You really need to have an ongoing yet simple plan of attack to keep yourself sharp. Here’s a question for you:

Do you have any of these questions regarding home defense or concealed carry?

#1 - GUNS: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#2 - HOLSTERS: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#3 - AMMUNITION: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#4 - LEGAL: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#5 - PSYCHOLOGICAL: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#6 - TRAINING & TACTICS: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#7 - LEARNING RESOURCES: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#8 - INSURANCE: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#9 - STORAGE: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

#10 - FAMILY & FRIENDS: What is the best concealed carry gun? Which gun will work best for me? What is the best gun for short people? Women? Large people? Small people? What is the best combination home defense / concealed carry gun? Which companies make quality guns? How much do I have to pay to get a good concealed carry gun?

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of having to guess if the advice I’m getting is legitimate or not. It seems like everyone knows an “expert” when it comes to home defense and concealed carry.

The funny thing is that none of these “experts” can agree on anything. It’s comforting to know that the USCCA and Concealed Carry Magazine are the “thought leaders” and true pioneers when it comes to educating and training good, honest Americans with exactly what they need to defend their loved ones.


I know that it is my right and my responsibility to ensure the safety of my family

FACT #16:
How Does Your USCCA Membership Actually Work?
Your USCCA membership is a simple yet comprehensive system designed to protect you, the Responsibly Armed American, from a legal system that is stacked against you.

Civil Suit Defense - You'll receive civil suit defense and damages protection that will help insulate you from and defend against a lawsuit that threatens all you've ever worked for.

Immediate Criminal Defense Attorney Retainer - You'll receive this "no-questions-asked" instant criminal defense attorney retainer to help get your criminal defense immediately underway. No "grant committees" or "request processes" are involved with this powerful benefit.

Interrogation & Grand Jury Protection - Even before charges are filed, you will be questioned by police and may have to face a Grand Jury. We'll provide you with the funds you need to have the absolute best pro-2nd Amendment attorney representation that money can buy to make sure that your rights are protected and your case is properly presented.

Criminal Defense Protection - You'll receive criminal defense protection that will allow you to confidently mount the best criminal money can buy when you are charged with a crime.

Immediate Bail Bond Funding - If you're being held in jail, this benefit will provide immediate cash to get you out of jail and back with your family where you can mount an effective defense.

Wage Replacement While You’re In Court - You'll be compensated for every day you must spend in court defending yourself.

Stolen Firearm Protection - You'll be legally and financially protected if your firearm is reported stolen and used in a crime. This benefit was just negotiated by the USCCA on behalf of all its members and will be retroactively applied to all current memberships at no additional cost.

Self-Defense SHIELD Critical Response Team - The highly trained Self-Defense SHIELD Response Team is available 24/7/365. Your personal case manager is fully trained and accredited in advanced crisis intervention and peer support through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). They'll be with you every step of the way to assist you in harnessing the full power of your USCCA membership including immediate bail bond funding, attorney retainer, crisis support, post-incident psychological support referral, benefit management, and ongoing 24/7 support to help you and your family fully recover from your self-defense incident.

Local Attorney Referral - An attorney from USCCA Law, LLC will connect you with local, legal representation within 24 hours to ensure your case gets the proper attention and your rights as a responsibly armed citizen remain intact.

Advocacy from USCCA Law, LLC - Our legal team will immediately connect you with a USCCA Law attorney in your area. Our growing network includes pro-2nd Amendment attorneys in all 50 states.

Concealed Carry Magazine - You'll join over 120,000 Responsibly Armed Americans who read every issue of Concealed Carry Magazine. Each issue contains over 100 pages of world-class, self-defense and concealed carry articles and will be delivered straight to your door. You'll also have instant access to over 9 years of Concealed Carry Magazine back issues!

Online Training - You'll get the most reliable, up-to-date, gun-related resources from our website, with unlimited, "members only" access to an extensive video library and to hundreds of articles, reviews, and real-life stories.

Self-Defense SHIELD Backed by an American Insurer - The highly trained Self-Defense SHIELD Response Team is available 24/7/365. Your personal case manager is fully trained and accredited in advanced crisis intervention and peer support through the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF). They'll be with you every step of the way to assist you in harnessing the full power of your USCCA membership including immediate bail bond funding, attorney retainer, crisis support, post-incident psychological support referral, benefit management, and ongoing 24/7 support to help you and your family fully recover from your self-defense incident.

365-Day 100% Money-Back, Bullet Proof Guarantee - If for any reason you decide that you want a refund, all you have to do is call our customer service department at 877-677-1919 or visit our customer service website, and you’ll receive a prompt and courteous refund. No questions asked. It's as simple as that.

FACT #17:
Will My Homeowner’s or Umbrella Policy Cover Something Like This?
Most people think that their homeowner’s or umbrella insurance policies will cover any self-defense acts within their homes. Heck, I used to think that too! But the truth is, 93% of homeowners and umbrella insurance policies will not cover intentional acts of self-defense.

Furthermore, these types of policies are underwritten by companies that either don’t approve of or don’t understand the concept of the Responsibly Armed American. In fact, the few examples of homeowner’s or umbrella insurance policies that were forced to cover intentional acts of self-defense only provided the coverage after the person who bought the insurance was forced to sue the insurance company.

Please consider this if you decide to rely on your homeowner’s insurance to have your back in a self-defense situation.


Most homeowners and umbrella policies will leave you vulnerable.

FACT #18:
97% of Automobile Drivers Are Insured…
97% of Gun Owners Are NOT.
People wake up everyday and drive to work because “it’s just what they’re supposed to do.” People know that if they get in a car accident, they’ll get the insurance they need to fix their vehicles, because “it’s just what they need to do.”

But what matters more: your ability to drive to work, or your ability to defend the ones you love? Most gun owners think that if they get in a self-defense situation, their homeowner’s insurance will protect them, and they’re dead wrong.

If you become involved in a self-defense situation, you will not only be the controversial talk of the town, but you will undoubtedly get involved in the legal war zone of overzealous district attorneys trying to decide who was the initial perpetrator.

Nowadays, your personal claims in court mean nothing if you don’t have deep pockets. When you need to defend yourself, don’t count on some lawyer’s feeble narrative to save you: protect yourself from legal and financial ruin today!

Your USCCA membership will ensure you’re represented by the best lawyers money can buy.

I'm Ready...
To Protect Myself from Legal and Financial Ruin

FACT #19:
“Tim, How Do I Know Your Insurance Company Won’t Abandon Me?”
Here’s a question I hear all the time. “Tim, Is the USCCA insurance underwriter financially stable?” This is a 100% legitimate question. The fact of the matter is that a lot of people don’t really trust insurance companies. How many times have we heard of someone who gets in a car accident and then has to SUE their insurance company in order for them to do what they’re supposed to do?

Those kinds of stories really drive me crazy.

And that’s why I was extremely careful when I chose which insurance company to underwrite the USCCA Self-Defense SHIELD. The good news is that since the very beginning of USCCA Self-Defense SHIELD history (over three years), our insurance underwriting partner has NEVER denied a USCCA member self-defense claim.

The bottom line is that the USCCA Self-Defense SHIELD simply…works.

FACT #20:
What Happens If I Change My Mind?
I think that the USCCA is the absolute best association for Responsibly Armed Americans. And that’s why I offer a 365-Day, “Bullet Proof” Money-Back Guarantee.

If for any reason you decide that you want a refund, all you have to do is call our customer service department at 877-677-1919 or visit our customer service website, and you’ll receive a prompt and courteous refund.

No questions asked. It's as simple as that.

Am I risking being taken advantage of? Sure, but I’m confident you'll immediately understand why I’m willing to give you such a bold guarantee.

I want this to be an easy, risk-free decision that you’ll never regret.

365 Day Bulletproof Guarantee
I personally guarantee that if you are not completely satisfied, I will immediately give you a 100% refund... no questions asked.

Tim signature
FACT #21:
What You Ought To Know...
Every year law abiding Americans are put in jail or face financial ruin for doing the right thing: defending their family.

If you’re forced to use your gun in defense of your family or yourself, the insurance that’s a part of your USCCA membership will find, hire and pay for an expert, pro-2nd Amendment lawyer to keep you out of jail, out of bankruptcy and with your family.

USCCA membership provides the education, training and—most importantly—the insurance to allow you to carry your gun confidently without having to fear losing everything when you’re forced to use it.

The USCCA is Your Path to Being a Responsibly Armed American: Educated, Trained & Insured.

FACT #22:
What Do I Do Now?
If you’re someone who is not afraid to take immediate action, I invite you to join the USCCA right now. Join over 70,000 of your fellow Responsibly Armed Americans in doing exactly what it takes to be the ultimate defender and protector of your loved ones.

Thank you for your time today.

Take care and stay safe,

Tim Schmidt's Signature
Tim Schmidt
Founder & President
United States Concealed Carry Association
P.S. - Your USCCA membership benefits, including your Self-Defense SHIELD, will be activated the moment you complete your membership transaction. You’re minutes away from 100% complete protection.

USCCA Self-Defense Shield
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$13/mo
or one time
payment of $147
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Up to $300,000 in protection

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$22/mo
or one time
payment of $247
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Up to $575,000 in protection

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$30/mo
or one time
payment of $347
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Up to $1,100,000 in protection

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Or Call One Of Our Helpful Member Service Agents Located At Our West Bend, WI Headquarters... They Will Be Happy To Assist You:

855-208-8899
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Mark Critchlow
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Karol Kagelmann
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You Never Know When You May Be Forced To Defend Your Family:
Protect Yourself With
USCCA Membership Today.
You May Need It Tomorrow...

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Who Is The USCCA?
The USCCA is the first & largest member-owned association dedicated to educating, training, and insuring responsibly armed Americans. With over 120,000 members and subscribers, the USCCA is your all-in-one resource for home defense and personal preparedness.

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Gladstone Land Signs Purchase Agreements to Acquire More Farmland
Globe Newswire
June 22, 2015: 08:15 AM ET

MCLEAN, Va., June 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gladstone Land Corporation (Nasdaq:LAND) (the "Company") announced today that it recently entered into two purchase and sale agreements to purchase five farms, comprised of 3,519 aggregate acres of irrigated cropland in California and Florida, for approximately $35 million. The Company also has six additional properties totaling 5,476 acres under signed non-binding letters of intent in Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Nebraska, for approximately $23 million that it continues to evaluate for purchase.
The Company is working towards completing these transactions within the next couple of months; however, each purchase is subject to customary conditions and termination rights for transactions of this type, including a due diligence-inspection period, and there can be no assurance that these acquisitions will be consummated.
"All the farms we own and are evaluating for purchase have very strong water sources and are in regions that, in our opinion, are at minimal risk of having any water restrictions imposed that would impact these farms," said David Gladstone, President and CEO of the Company. "If we are able to complete these mentioned transactions, it would double our total acreage and provide a strong boost to our operating revenues. We are encouraged by the year to date results of acquisition efforts."
About Gladstone Land Corporation:
Gladstone Land is a real estate investment trust that pays monthly distributions to its stockholders. The Company invests in farmland located in major agricultural markets in the United States that it leases to corporate and independent farmers and intends to report the current value of its farmland on a quarterly basis. As of March 31, 2015, the net asset value of the Company was $13.91 per share. The Company currently owns 34 farms, comprised of 8,789 acres in 5 different states across the U.S., valued at approximately $215 million. Its acreage is predominantly concentrated in locations where its tenants are able to grow row crops, such as berries and vegetables, which are planted and harvested annually or more frequently, as well as permanent crops, such as blueberries. The Company also may acquire property related to farming, such as storage facilities utilized for cooling produce, processing buildings, packaging facilities and distribution centers. The Company has paid 28 consecutive monthly cash distributions on its common stock since its initial public offering in January 2013. The current per-share distribution is $0.04 per month, or $0.48 per year. Additional information can be found at www.GladstoneLand.com and www.GladstoneFarms.com.
Owners or brokers who have farmland for sale in the U.S. should contact:
Bill Frisbie at (703) 287-5839 or bill.f@gladstoneland.com – Eastern U.S.
Bill Reiman at (805) 263-4778 or bill.r@gladstoneland.com – Western U.S.
Bill Hughes at (618) 920-2187 or bill.h@gladstoneland.com – Midwest U.S.
For stockholder information on Gladstone Land, call (703) 287-5893. For Investor Relations inquiries related to any of the monthly dividend-paying Gladstone funds, please visit www.Gladstone.com.
All statements contained in this press release, other than historical facts, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Words such as "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates" and variations of the foregoing words and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Readers should not rely upon forward-looking statements because the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's business, financial condition, liquidity, results of operations, funds from operations or prospects to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties are disclosed under the caption "Risk Factors" of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, as filed with the SEC on February 24, 2015. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
CONTACT: For further information: Gladstone Land, 703-287-5893
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Guns give good owners prevention of crimes, writer is rock stupid!

Guns don't kill criminals as often as criminals use guns to kill innocent people
By Jason Weisberger at 9:59 am Mon, Jun 22, 2015

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There is one justifiable use of a privately owned gun to kill a criminal for every 34 murders committed with a firearm in America. Looking at the horrible gun death statistics recently shared by the Violence Policy Center, I can only shake my head and wonder what it'll take to reform America's love of guns.

The Washington Post has a wonderful analysis of the Violence Policy Center's report. They break it down nicely:

In 2012, there were 8,855 criminal gun homicides in the FBI's homicide database, but only 258 gun killings by private citizens that were deemed justifiable, which the FBI defines as "the killing of a felon, during the commission of a felony, by a private citizen."

That works out to one justifiable gun death for every 34 unjustifiable gun deaths.

Or, look at it this way. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that in 2012 there were 20,666 suicides by gun. That works out to one self-defense killing for every 78 gun suicides. CDC data show that there were more than twice as many accidental gun fatalities as as justifiable killings.

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CRIME GUN VIOLENCE GUNS POLICY POLITICS

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Kwame Carpenter is shown in a photo provided by Anaheim police on June 22, 2015.
Fountain Valley officers alerted Anaheim police that they had discovered a vehicle matching the description of one belonging to Kwame Carpenter, Sgt. Blackburn of the Anaheim Police Department told KTLA shortly after 4 a.m.

Homicide detectives were on their way to question the detained man, according to Anaheim police Lt. Eric Trapp.

Authorities had announced Monday that they were looking for Carpenter, whose girlfriend and baby son died after sustaining serious injuries in the 2600 block of West Ball Road around noon, Lt. Trapp said at the time.

According to Trapp, officers went to the apartment after receiving a report of a felony assault in progress and found the unidentified woman and baby boy inside.

The woman died at the scene, according to Trapp. The infant was transported to an area trauma center where he was later confirmed dead, the police lieutenant added.

Police on Monday did not describe what kind of injuries the victims sustained.

Carpenter was believed to be in the residence at the time of the incident, but police did not know his involvement, Trapp said on Monday.

He had possibly fled in a 2001 black Lincoln Town Car with California license plate No. 19990N1.

Obama DNA!

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Everything you need to know about your Millennial co-workers

by Katherine Reynolds Lewis @KatherineLewis JUNE 23, 2015, 7:00 AM EDT
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Courtesy of Boston Consulting Group
A new study from Great Place to Work reveals the quirks that drive the biggest generation in the American workforce.

Millennials are tired of getting a bad rap. They’re sick of being called lazy, entitled or high maintenance simply because they played on T-ball teams in which everyone got a trophy and grew up drenched in a constant stream of praise from adults.

That was years ago. Now, they’re starting families — or starting to think about it — in the face of an economy that hasn’t grown robustly in more than a decade. They continue to struggle to move up the corporate ladder while older workers delay retirement and hold tight to the reins of power. They want to be recognized for their contribution to their employers, despite measly starting salaries and zero job security. They yearn to work for managers who treat them fairly and respectfully, to form positive connections with colleagues and feel proud of what they do and its impact on the world.

Employers and corporations have started listening. After all, this segment of the workforce is growing fast and will soon overshadow the GenXers and Baby Boomers. Millennials are the 54 million adult Americans aged between 18 and 34 in 2015 and now make up one third of the American workforce, the largest generation at work. These digital natives grew up in the shadow of September 11th and the Great Recession, and are well adapted to change, technologically savvy, and are poised to unleash innovation — when given the right environment, support and autonomy.

“They will be the most high maintenance workforce in the history of the world, but they may also be the most high performing,” says Bruce Tulgan, consultant and author of It’s Okay to Manage Your Boss. Some of the negative stereotypes about this generation – that they’re narcissistic, disloyal or can’t interact face to face – can be turned into positive attributes when properly understood and leveraged, Tulgan says.

The companies that top Great Place to Work’s first-ever ranking of the 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials stand out for their ability to engage this generation, recognize their talents and give them a significant role where they can make a difference. At these companies, pay, profit sharing, and promotion decisions are executed fairly; everyone gets a shot at special recognition; and workers have a say in decisions that affect them. These workplaces exhibit strong, open, two-way communication; a high tolerance for risk-taking; high levels of cooperation and support among employees; and reduced roadblocks to innovation, such as internal politics.

Take insurance company Acuity, which includes all levels of workers in strategic planning to give them “skin in the game,” and ramps up the level of fun with a Ferris wheel and a gaming club. While the insurance industry isn’t known for early adoption of new technology, Acuity has proven a strong innovator, ranking as the highest-rated property and casualty insurer on the Information Week 500 for the past 10 years.

Or consider Workday, whose “Generation Workday” program for college students and recent graduates invites these junior staffers to senior leader meetings, offers mentoring and rotates them within the company to build their skills, networks and exposure to different divisions. Every employee from the chief executive to the newest hire receives the same $1,500 annual bonus.

Then there’s the Boston Consulting Group, which has revamped recruiting and training to address the needs and expectations of Millennials. For example, this generation particularly trusts and values information from contemporaries, so the firm incorporates peer relationships in its recruiting strategy and gives ongoing alumni support to former employees. Millennials have opportunities to work on high profile, pro bono, and influential client projects.

Millennials are notable for their commitment to friends, family and hobbies, even at the expense of face time at work. Companies on Great Place to Work’s Millennials list are more likely to offer flexible scheduling (76% vs. 63% for other companies), telecommuting options (82% vs. 74%), paid sabbaticals (15% vs. 11%) and paid volunteer days (46% vs. 39%.) More winning Millennial-friendly companies offer perks like massages (65% vs. 26%) and fitness classes (70% vs. 24%) to their workforce.

Previous generations entered the workplace with different ideas and attitudes but quickly assimilated — remember when the now-workaholics of Generation X were seen as slackers? But as Millennials flood into offices, it’s more likely that the rest of the workers will shift their attitudes to become more like the newcomers, rather than vice versa. After all, the continuing economic uncertainty and technological change affect everyone. When a 20-something starts leaving early every Thursday for her roller derby league, a 40-something may start asking to leave early for his kids’ carpools. “We’re at one of the inflection points in history,” Tulgan predicts. “We’re going to get more like them.”

So what does this mean for employers? Certainly, it’s better to directly address the needs and understand the characteristics of the Millennial generation than to pretend they don’t exist. There’s evidence that this shift would ramp up innovation and even profits. Great Place to Work’s survey included 15 questions describing behaviors that drive innovation and found that Millennial companies’ results scored an average of 14% higher (and in some cases up to 20% higher) than the results tallied for other companies. In addition, net profit per reporting company for list winners averaged $532 million, but only $361 million for non-finalists.

This generation of young workers may have grown up in a digital world amid uncertainty and a shower of parental attention. But ultimately, they want the same thing that every employee wants: schedule control, meaningful work relationships, and choice of projects and learning opportunities. In focusing on the needs of the next generation, these companies are creating a better place to work for everyone.

See the full list of the 100 Best Workplaces for Millennials at fortune.com/best-workplaces-millennials/.