Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Montana State Library Budget Cuts, National Intellegence (Russia), Comey



“A recording of that meeting is now available online: https://vimeo.com/220641579.  If you were not able to share your comments yesterday due to the overflow capacity, I encourage you to send your written comments to me or to Commissioner Bruce Newell (bruce.newell@gmail.com).  Written comments will be included in the public record and considered by Commissioners.  Comments will be taken until Monday, June 12 at 5:00 p.m.”

Director Daniel R. Coats,  Director of National Intelligence (DNI)
Acting Director Andrew McCabe, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Admiral Michael S. Rogers, Director of the National Security Agency (NSA)
Deputy Attorney General, Rod J. Rosenstein, Deputy Attorney General of the Department of Justice (DOJ)


Bozeman Daily Chronicle:  Comey to Congress: President Trump told him “I need loyalty”
Former Director James Comey, Former Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Salmonella, Qatar


Zoonotic Diseases
“Animal companionship has many positive benefits for children of all ages. Connecting with animals is not only fun, but also important to our lives. For centuries, animals have provided comfort, companionship and survival to humans. However, there are some risks that can be associated with animals even if they appear healthy. Children and persons with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for complications from a zoonotic infection.”
“As of May 25, 2017, 372 people infected with the outbreak strains of Salmonella have been reported from 47 states.”
The United States and Qatar maintained a strong partnership in the fight against terrorism. Qatar is a partner in the Global Coalition to Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and has provided significant support in facilitating critical U.S. military operations in the region. Terrorist activity historically has been low in Qatar; restrictive immigration policies and security services capable of monitoring and disrupting extremist activities have kept the threat level low. U.S. agencies have an active and productive dialogue with their Qatari counterparts and work closely for the exchange and evaluation of terrorist-related information. The United States and Qatar collaborated to foster closer regional and international cooperation on counterterrorism, law enforcement, and rule of law activities.”


World Factbook: Qatar
“Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar within the last 60 years transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. The continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenue through the mid-1990s by Qatari amirs permanently residing in Europe had stunted Qatar’s economic growth. Former amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani, who overthrew his father in a bloodless coup in 1995, ushered in wide-sweeping political and media reforms, unprecedented economic investment, and a growing Qatari regional leadership role, in part through the creation of the pan-Arab satellite news network Al-Jazeera and Qatar's mediation of some regional conflicts. In the 2000s, … Qatar did not experience domestic unrest or violence like that seen in other Near Eastern and North African countries in 2010-11, due in part to its immense wealth. Since the outbreak of regional unrest, however, Doha has prided itself on its support for many of these popular revolutions, particularly in Libya and Syria, although to the detriment of Qatar’s relations with Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which temporarily recalled their respective ambassadors from Qatar.”

Monday, June 5, 2017

Montana Railroad Case


BNSF R. Co. v. Tyrrell
“The Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), 45 U. S. C. §51 et seq., makes railroads liable in money damages to their employees for onthe-job injuries. Respondent Robert Nelson, a North Dakota resident, brought a FELA suit against petitioner BNSF Railway Company (BNSF) in a Montana state court, alleging that he had sustained injuries while working for BNSF. Respondent Kelli Tyrrell, appointed in South Dakota as the administrator of her husband Brent Tyrrell’s estate, also sued BNSF under FELA in a Montana state court, alleging that Brent had developed a fatal cancer from his exposure to carcinogenic chemicals while working for BNSF. Neither worker was injured in Montana.”