AP Top 25 poll: LSU edges Alabama, Ohio State as new No. 1 in college football rankings

The Nov. 9 game between Alabama and LSU will, barring any change in the next week, indeed be a battle between No. 1 and No. 2 -- just not in the order anyone initially expected. Following a 23-20 win over Auburn on Saturday, LSU is the new No. 1 team according to the latest AP Top 25 poll. The Tigers barely edged the Crimson Tide by two points (1,476 to 1,474) to claim the top spot. Furthermore, No. 3 Ohio State is only eight points away from LSU as voters clearly see those three teams as the best in college football. Alabama and LSU have an open week ahead of their Nov. 9 showdown in Tuscaloosa. Barring an extreme change of direction, they'll stay in the top two spots for the next week.

Clemson and Penn State round out the top five while Oregon jumps up to No. 7 after barely beating Washington State on Saturday night. Oklahoma falls from No. 5 to No. 10 after its loss to Kansas State. Speaking of the Wildcats, they're No. 22 and one of three new teams to be ranked this week along with No. 24 Memphis and No. 25 San Diego State. The biggest faller was Texas, which fell out of the standings entirely after losing to TCU.

Here's how the entire AP Top 25 poll looks:

1. LSU
2. Alabama
3. Ohio State
4. Clemson
5. Penn State
6. Florida
7. Oregon
8. Georgia
9. Utah
10. Oklahoma
11. Auburn
12. Baylor
13. Minnesota
14. Michigan
15. SMU
16. Notre Dame
17. Cincinnati
18. Wisconsin
19. Iowa
20. Appalachian State
21. Boise State
22. Kansas State
23. Wake Forest
24. Memphis
25. San Diego State

Read more: https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/ap-top-25-poll-lsu-edges-alabama-ohio-state-as-new-no-1-in-college-football-rankings/

Michael Moore praises O'Rourke on gun reform

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore praised former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) for not wavering on his calls for a mandatory gun buyback program for assault-style weapons.

O’Rourke faced backlash from both sides of the aisle for his strong rhetoric during last month’s Democratic primary debate for saying, “hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, AK-47.”

But Moore defended the presidential hopeful for having the courage to stand up for his convictions, noting that the Democratic Party should do the same.

“We need to have some courage,” Moore, who has endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for the 2020 nomination, said during an interview that aired Saturday. “No Republican had ever said it, but no Democrat had ever said it. Beto O’Rourke was the first to say we’re coming for your AR-15s.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/467568-michael-moore-praises-orourke-on-gun-reform-democrats-need-to-have-some-courage

Michael Moore praises O'Rourke on gun reform

Liberal filmmaker Michael Moore praised former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) for not wavering on his calls for a mandatory gun buyback program for assault-style weapons.

O’Rourke faced backlash from both sides of the aisle for his strong rhetoric during last month’s Democratic primary debate for saying, “hell yes, we’re going to take your AR-15, AK-47.”

But Moore defended the presidential hopeful for having the courage to stand up for his convictions, noting that the Democratic Party should do the same.

“We need to have some courage,” Moore, who has endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for the 2020 nomination, said during an interview that aired Saturday. “No Republican had ever said it, but no Democrat had ever said it. Beto O’Rourke was the first to say we’re coming for your AR-15s.”

Read more: https://thehill.com/hilltv/rising/467568-michael-moore-praises-orourke-on-gun-reform-democrats-need-to-have-some-courage

After the New Orleans Hard Rock Hotel collapse, lawsuits mount

NEW ORLEANS - In the wake of the partial collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel construction site on Oct 12, 11 lawsuits have been filed by site workers, nearby businesses, bystanders and the children of two of the men killed.

All but one of the lawsuits, filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, make unspecific allegations of negligence against the owners of the project, the general contractor Citadel Builders and numerous sub-contractors. Those suits read like placeholders for facts that will be established later as the litigation moves forward.

The under-construction, 18-story hotel on the edge of the French Quarter collapsed just after 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, sending debris spilling into the street below. Three workers were killed and dozens were injured.

One lawsuit, filed by attorney Rene Rocha of the law firm Morgan & Morgan, does make a number of specific allegations, including that structural supports were not strong enough to support the concrete in the upper floors, the use of unskilled labor, and not allowing time for concrete to cure fully.

Read more: https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/2019/10/24/new-orleans-hard-rock-hotel-collapse-site-lawsuits-civil-court/4076455002/
(Alexandria Town Talk)

Progressives, Hispanics are not 'Latinx.' Stop trying to Anglicize our Spanish language.

When Yale professor Cydney Dupree and her colleague analyzed more than two decades worth of political speeches and conducted experiments searching for bias when communicating with racial minorities, they were surprised by what they discovered. According to their report, published this year in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, conservatives generally addressed whites and minorities similarly, but liberals were likelier to modify their speech and “patronize minorities stereotyped as lower status and less competent.”

Dupree cautioned that although liberals might be “well-intentioned” and “see themselves as allies,” they could be unwittingly contributing to racial division by dumbing down their language. In light of minorities understandably feeling marginalized, journalists, corporations and politicians would be wise to heed the professor’s warning. Instead, they are ignoring it.

One of the most notable examples of corporate America and politicians changing how they speak to ingratiate themselves with minorities is the growing use of “Latinx” as a descriptor for Latinos. What began in the 2000s among activists has now gained currency among marketers, media personalities and progressives. The intentions behind "Latinx" may be benign, but as the son of immigrants who grew up in a community with “English-only” ordinances, I am among the many Americans who consider it an absurd Anglicization of a language that generations struggled to conserve.

Spanish doesn't need to be changed

Progressives argue that Latinx fixes the gendered nature of Spanish, which they maintain is unfair to women and excludes individuals who do not identify as male or female. It is true that nouns are gendered in Spanish, but it is unclear what, if any, problem this poses to Americans.

Read more: https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/10/25/latinx-race-progressives-hispanic-latinos-column/2455384001/
(Alexandria Town Talk)

Pete Buttigieg: Four ways I'll make America a better place for women

Every day, millions of women in the United States go to work — as first responders, doctors, teachers, CEOs or caregivers. Some do so in jobs they love, and many others do so just to make next month’s rent. Women go to work even when they have a sick child at home because they can't take time off to go to the doctor. They worry that, once again, they will be overlooked for a promotion, even though they deserve it. And far too many women have to protect themselves against harassment and assault at home and at work. Despite all of this, women continue to support their families and lead in their communities.

Throughout history, we’ve watched women lead powerful movements for justice. In the past few years, women organized the Women’s March, insisted on the importance of black lives and raised their voices to hold powerful abusers accountable. The 2018 elections marked historic gains for women in Congress, propelled by the activism of women voters — particularly black women.

But we’ve also seen that women, overall, continue to earn just 85 cents on the dollar — and women of color even less. Women today are more likely to die from pregnancy than their mothers were; black and Native American women die from pregnancy at much higher rates than white women. And all over the country, women’s right to control their own bodies has been under assault by largely male legislatures.

At an event in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, this year, a woman in the front row asked what I’d do for women if elected president. It’s a question I get wherever I go on the campaign trail. The answer, laid out in a plan I’m releasing Thursday, is that my administration will work systematically to build women’s power in our economy, our political system and in every part of our society.

Read more: https://www.thetowntalk.com/story/opinion/columnists/2019/10/26/pete-buttigieg-build-power-for-women-democrats-2020-column/2455443001/
(Alexandria Town Talk)

New Orleans City Council to consider $1 million fine on Entergy for frequent power outages

After more than two years of investigations, the New Orleans City Council plans to vote on a resolution to fine Entergy New Orleans $1 million for its “inaction and omissions in mitigating” the thousands of power outages the city experiences every year.

The council, which is responsible for regulating Entergy New Orleans, will vote on the proposed fine at its Wednesday utility committee meeting.

The resolution represents the conclusion of a so-called prudence investigation that began last year in response to frequent outages the city experienced between 2013 through 2017. In 2013 and 2014, Entergy cut funding for maintenance and system improvements by millions of dollars.

The number and duration of power outages has increased every year after 2013, when the disinvestment began, according to reliability measures provided by Entergy included in the resolution.

Read more: https://thelensnola.org/2019/10/22/city-council-to-consider-1-million-on-entergy-for-frequent-power-outages/

Beto O'Rourke's reaction to mass shooting in Greenville, Texas

Beto O'Rourke's reaction to mass shooting in Greenville, Texas

Medicaid insurer told it must refund $12.3M

An insurer participating in the Arkansas Works Medicaid program was required to refund $12.3 million to the federal government, state and consumers after collecting too much in premiums compared with what it spent on claims, according to federal reports.

According to the reports by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, St. Louis-based Centene collected $983 million in premiums for its plans covering Arkansas Works enrollees and other consumers in the state from 2016-18, but spent just $756 million of that on medical care and other health-related expenses.

The percentage of premiums that went to health care expenses -- 77% -- fell short of the 80% minimum percentage, known as the medical loss ratio, established by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, triggering the required refunds.

According to the reports, Centene's plans covered 70,808 Arkansans as of March 31. Most of them are Medicaid recipients who have their premiums paid by the state Medicaid program under Arkansas Works. The company's plans are also available to consumers through the healthcare.gov website.

Read more: https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2019/oct/27/medicaid-insurer-told-it-must-refund-12-1/?business