Service resumes
Amtrak service resumes, almost a week since the accident. Since the train crash, Amtrak officials have been working around the clock to make repairs that would allow full service to resume through Philadelphia. The FBI examines the wreckage at the accident scene and try to determine what may have hit the train.
We’re just in the fact-finding stage of the investigation. We’re just slowly starting to gather the information and then slowly start ruling things out.
Face the Nation interview
Walker gives an interview to Schieffer on Face the Nation. Walker blames Clinton for creating a foreign policy mess and promises that his foreign policy would be a complete contrast to that of Clinton.
If I choose to get in this race, [foreign policy is] something I’m going to lay out a very clear plan for what we should do going forward, and how we should address the issues we face here in America and the issues we face around the world. I think there’s a wide open door to lay out a very clear doctrine. And I do think that if foreign policy plays an important role, the contrast would be clear.
LGBT progress ‘incomplete’
On the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia Biden promotes equality for homosexuals. He says progress in America:
remains incomplete, but the momentum has shifted in the right direction.
He equates “religious condemnation” of homosexuality with “violence with impunity, mistreatment by police, the denial of health care … and social isolation.”
Progress has also been made in many places around the world. But in too many places, life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals is actually getting worse. In too many places, LGBT community members face violence with impunity, mistreatment by police, the denial of health care, or religious condemnation and social isolation.
‘I like Hillary Clinton’
Sanders denies that he would be a “spoiler” for the electoral chances of the establishment favorite:
Maybe I shouldn’t say this: I like Hillary Clinton.
Sanders asks if the media would “allow us to have a serious debate?”
Or is the only way you get media attention by ripping apart somebody else?
Breaking Free of The Silicon Valley Bubble
In an interview with Innovation Hub, Feld says rather than moving to Silicon Valley, young entrepreneurs should build a business where they live and get opportunity to chase them.
I’ve had a deeply held belief that you can build a startup community in any city — it’s phenomenal to see it happening all over the world…In the book Startup Communities I talk about The Boulder Thesis…There are four principles. The first is that the leaders of the startup community have to be entrepreneurs. the second is that those entrepreneurs have to have a very, very, long-term view, at least twenty years. The third is that they have to be inclusive of anyone who wants to engage in the startup community at any level. The fourth is that you have to have activities and events happening all the time that actually engage people in actually doing entrepreneurship, rather than just talking about it.
Plans Las Vegas return
At the 2015 Billboard Music Awards Dion announces she plans to return to the stage again on Aug. 27.
If there’s going to be one person in the theater that night it’s going to be him. It’s going to be for him. I want to make him see me strong again. The reason we did not come back before was because I wasn’t emotionally ready to come back. My husband and my family needed me, they still do. He wants me strong. He wants to see me again because I’m his favorite singer. So, he wants me out there, and I have to say that I’m ready. It’s very touching for me because he wants me to have a good time.
Object not bullet
The NTSB’s lead investigator says the object that hit the train windscreen is not a bullet, and cautioned that there is still not enough information to determine whether it was related to the train derailment.
I’d like to downplay that part. I’ve now seen the fracture pattern. It looks like something about the size of a grapefruit, if you will. And it did not even penetrate the entire windshield…It could be completely coincidental or it could be causal. And that’s exactly what we intend to find out.
Criticizes Obama’s foreign policy
Walker criticizes Obama’s foreign policy and calls for an aggressive stance against terrorism.
Obama’s foreign policy has been to draw a red line in the sand and allow people to cross it…. United States should deal with terrorism head on and take the fight to them.
On air apology
Stephanopoulos apologizes live on Good Morning America:
Over the last several years, I have made substantial donations to dozens of charities, including the Clinton Global Foundation. Those donations were a matter of public record. But I should have made additional disclosures on-air when we covered the foundation and I now believe directing personal donations to that foundation was a mistake. Even though I made them strictly to support work done to stop the spread of AIDS, help children and protect the environment in poor countries, I should have gone the extra mile to avoid even the appearance of a conflict. I apologize to all of you for failing to do that.
Close to decision on presidential run
While visiting New Hampshire, Webb says he is close to making a decision on running for President, and he is weighing what it takes to mount a serious campaign. Mustering enough money is part of the consideration.
We don’t need a billion dollars but what we do need is to be able to come out here, make the case, have a viable campaign, and we’re looking at those things.
Webb says he is discussing his experiences, both in and out of government, and what he could bring to the race.
They’re looking for leaders that they can trust. That’s what I hear over and over again.
‘Disappointed’ with Tsarnaev sentence
Chafee weighs in on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s death sentence:
I was disappointed. Even some family members of victims had advocated to spare Tsarnaev, and I thought that was powerful testimony…The arguments for the death penalty are that it’s a deterrent. In this case, considering all the volatile relations we have with the Muslim world, and some of the brutality that ensues on innocent people by ISIS and the like, I just have concerns that this is going to be some kind of trigger. I hope not…It’s a big question that has been with human civilization for a long time. Is it a deterrent or isn’t it? Most civilized countries have banned capital punishment; we haven’t.
As president Chafee says he would support banning the death penalty at the federal level.
Train struck before derailment
The NTSB says a projectile appears to have hit the windshield of Trail 188 before it derailed. One of the two assistant conductors on the train said that shortly after leaving Philadelphia’s 30th Street station, she heard an engineer from a local SEPTA commuter train report his train being hit.
She recalled that the SEPTA engineer had reported to the train dispatcher that he had either been hit by a rock or shot at. And that the SEPTA engineer said that he had a broken windshield, and that he placed his train into emergency stop….This is her recollection, and certainly we are going to be conducting further investigation of this comment. Our investigation has not independently confirmed this information, but we have seen damage to the left hand, lower portion of the Amtrak windshield that we have asked the FBI to come in and look at for us
The NTSB later tells CBS News it was looking into reports that a third train, Amtrak Acela 2173, was also struck by an object the same night.
Emancipation
Winter, announces her emancipation from her mother on Twitter.
I am now officially emancipated!!! I’m really lucky I have an amazing support system and lovely people in my life who have given me the support and guidance to have been given this wonderful opportunity. Thank you to all my family, friends, and fans who have supported me through all of my endeavors in life, and have encouraged me. Thank you for making my life so special! I can’t wait to embark on my new adventures. Most importantly I want to thank @shanelle_gray and my father for their special support regarding this matter, I really couldn’t have done it without them.
GMA interview
Cosby addresses the sexual abuse allegations against him on Good Morning America.
I have been in this business 52 years and I’ve never seen anything like this, and reality is the situation, and I can’t speak.
About how he sees young people reacting to the allegations:
I think that many of them say, ‘Well, you’re a hypocrite. You say one thing, you say the other’. My point is: Okay, listen to me carefully. I’m telling you where the road is out. I’m telling you where, as you’re driving, you’re going to go into water and it looks like it might only be three inches deep, but you and your car are going to go down. Now, you want to go here, or you want to be concerned about who’s giving you the message.
Antarctic ice shelf disintegrating
NASA reports that the last intact section of the Larsen B Ice Shelf, which has existed for at least 10,000 years, is weakening fast and will likely disintegrate completely in the next few years, contributing further to rising sea levels. What is left covers about 1,600 square km. A NASA glaciologist says analysis of the data reveals that a widening rift in Larsen B will eventually break it apart completely, probably around the year 2020. Once that happens, glaciers held in place by the ice shelf will slip into the ocean at a faster rate and contribute to rising sea levels.
This study of the Antarctic Peninsula glaciers provides insights about how ice shelves farther south, which hold much more land ice, will react to a warming climate.
Link to Zika confirmed, officials downplay
The Oswaldo Cruz Foundation confirms Dr Soare’s research. Officials downplay the disease as having moderate effects, compared to Dengue fever, which kills hundreds people each year. Health Minister:
Zika virus doesn’t worry us. It’s a benign disease.
CNBC interview
Gouw and Fonstad talk about diversity and their fund on CNBC with Boorstin. Fonstand:
Fundamentally we think diversity as a thesis is a very important part of any success in business. Whether that’s in a board room, in a venture firm or in a management team. But we think of diversity much more than just gender, though gender often becomes a litmus test for that. We certainly think that because we come at it from a different perspective that has given us a very wide scope from which to look at opportunities and to invite opportunities in. We’re collaborative in nature, we’re not trying to use sharp elbows and trying to knock out angel investment groups.
The two are optimistic that the recent media attention on Ellen Pao’s case will drive more change. Gouw:
The fastest way to make cultural change—because cultural change is very hard—is to start your own firm and build the culture from the ground up.
US issues advisory
The United States issues a travel warning for Burundi, telling its citizens not to go there and urging those in the country to get out as soon as possible. It says it orders all non-emergency US government personnel and dependents of American staff to leave Burundi.
US citizens should shelter in place until it is safe to move about, ensure that your travel documents are up-to-date, and confirm that air and land borders are open before attempting to depart the country.
Clinton donations apology
Politico reports that Stephanopoulos has not disclosed donations of $75,000 to The Clinton Foundation, while reporting on the Clintons or the organization. Stephanopoulos issues an apology:
I made charitable donations to the Foundation in support of the work they’re doing on global AIDS prevention and deforestation, causes I care about deeply,” he said. “I thought that my contributions were a matter of public record. However, in hindsight, I should have taken the extra step of personally disclosing my donations to my employer and to the viewers on air during the recent news stories about the Foundation. I apologize.
ABC also issues a statement:
He should have taken the extra step to notify us and our viewers during the recent news reports about the Foundation. He’s admitted to an honest mistake and apologized for that omission. We stand behind him.
Sources say Stephanopoulos gives to dozens of charities every year and that the total sum of these annual contributions is in the millions of dollars.
Calls Warwick ‘profoundly ignorant’
Waters responds to Warwick’s comments about not succumbing to his pressure.
First, in my view, Dionne Warwick is a truly great singer. Secondly, I doubt not that she is deeply committed to her family and her fans. But, ultimately, this whole conversation is not about her, her gig in Tel Aviv, or even her conception of boundaries and art, though I will touch on that conception later. This is about human rights and, more specifically, this is about the dystopia that can develop, as it has in Israel, when society lacks basic belief in equal human value, when it strays from the ability to feel empathy for our brothers and sisters of different faiths, nationalities, creeds or colors.
I believe you mean well, Ms. Warwick, but you are showing yourself to be profoundly ignorant of what has happened in Palestine since 1947, and I am sorry but you are wrong, art does know boundaries. In fact, it is an absolute responsibility of artists to stand up for human rights – social, political and religious – on behalf of all our brothers and sisters who are being oppressed, whoever and wherever they may be on the surface of this small planet.