Study Confirms Tea Party Was Created by Big Tobacco and Billionaire Koch Brothers

Brendan DeMelle

A new academic study confirms that front groups with longstanding ties to the tobacco industry and the billionaire Koch brothers planned the formation of the Tea Party movement more than a decade before it exploded onto the U.S. political scene.
Far from a genuine grassroots uprising, this astroturf effort was curated by wealthy industrialists years in advance. Many of the anti-science operatives who defended cigarettes are currently deploying their tobacco-inspired playbook internationally to evade accountability for the fossil fuel industry's role in driving climate disruption.

The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institute of Health, traces the roots of the Tea Party's anti-tax movement back to the early 1980s when tobacco companies began to invest in third party groups to fight excise taxes on cigarettes, as well as health studies finding a link between cancer and secondhand cigarette smoke.

Published in the peer-reviewed academic journal, Tobacco Control, the study titled, 'To quarterback behind the scenes, third party efforts': the tobacco industry and the Tea Party, is not just an historical account of activities in a bygone era. As senior author, Stanton Glantz, a University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) professor of medicine, writes:

"Nonprofit organizations associated with the Tea Party have longstanding ties to tobacco companies, and continue to advocate on behalf of the tobacco industry's anti-tax, anti-regulation agenda."

The two main organizations identified in the UCSF Quarterback study are Americans for Prosperity and Freedomworks. Both groups are now "supporting the tobacco companies' political agenda by mobilizing local Tea Party opposition to tobacco taxes and smoke-free laws." Freedomworks and Americans for Prosperity were once a single organization called Citizens for a Sound Economy (CSE). CSE was founded in 1984 by the infamous Koch Brothers, David and Charles Koch, and received over $5.3 million from tobacco companies, mainly Philip Morris, between 1991 and 2004.
In 1990, Tim Hyde, RJR Tobacco's head of national field operations, in an eerily similar description of the Tea Party today, explained why groups like CSE were important to the tobacco industry's fight against government regulation. Hyde wrote:

"... coalition building should proceed along two tracks: a) a grassroots organizational and largely local track,; b) and a national, intellectual track within the DC-New York corridor. Ultimately, we are talking about a "movement," a national effort to change the way people think about government's (and big business) role in our lives. Any such effort requires an intellectual foundation - a set of theoretical and ideological arguments on its behalf."

The common public understanding of the origins of the Tea Party is that it is a popular grassroots uprising that began with anti-tax protests in 2009.
However, the Quarterback study reveals that in 2002, the Kochs and tobacco-backed CSE designed and made public the first Tea Party Movement website under the web address www.usteaparty.com. Here's a screenshot of the archived U.S. Tea Party site, as it appeared online on Sept. 13, 2002:

CSE describes the U.S. Tea Party site, "In 2002, our U.S. Tea Party is a national event, hosted continuously online, and open to all Americans who feel our taxes are too high and the tax code is too complicated." The site features a "Patriot Guest book" where supporters can write a message of support for CSE and the U.S. Tea Party movement.
Sometime around September 2011, the U.S. Tea Party site was taken offline. According to the DNS registry, the web address www.usteaparty.com is currently owned by Freedomworks. 

The implications of the UCSF Quarterback report are widespread. The main concern expressed by the authors lies in what they see happening overseas as the Tea Party movement expands internationally, training activists in 30 countries including Israel, Georgia, Japan and Serbia.

As the authors explain:

"This international expansion makes it likely that Tea Party organizations will be mounting opposition to tobacco control (and other health) policies as they have done in the USA."

Freedomworks and Americans for Prosperity are both multi-issue organizations that have expanded their battles to include other policies they see as threats to the free market principles they claim to defend, namely fighting health care reform and regulations on global warming pollution. The report's warning about overseas expansion efforts by Freedomworks should therefore also be heeded by groups in the health and environment arenas.

Finally, this report might serve as a wake-up call to some people in the Tea Party itself, who would find it a little disturbing that the "grassroots" movement they are so emotionally attached to, is in fact a pawn created by billionaires and large corporations with little interest in fighting for the rights of the common person, but instead using the common person to fight for their own unfettered profits.
HuffingtonPost

Man with charms caught in Alaafin’s Palace

By Bisola Adeniran An uninvited man, who reportedly laced himself with charms, was arrested within the Palace of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III.
The intrusion was said to have held princesses and other people living in the expansive premises spellbound.
According to information gathered, the stranger sneaked into the palace around 6a.m. The stranger was said to have been arrested before he was able to fulfil his mission.
Unknown to the suspect, as soon as he jumped into the compound, the palace guards were said to have spotted him.
After he reportedly failed to respond to all the questions put to him, he was handed over to the police at the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Oyo Police Division for further interrogation.

The policeman in charge of SARS, Sola Aremu, confirmed the incident.
 DailyPost

Yar'adua Wanted his Wife to Succeed Him - El-Rufai.

Controversial former minister for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a CPC chief, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, has sensationally revealed in his new book, the Accidental Public Servant, that deceased President Umar Musay Yar’adua suspected that he might pass on and had began to think of successors.

El-Rufai described an encounter Yar’adua had with an influential Northern emir who had received him. Apparently having premonitions of what may befall him, this emir asked the late President Yar’adua if he had a choice of successors so that the emir’s spiritualists could pray over the names and give him insight on who would be the best pick.

According to el-Rufai, Yar’adua thought hard and long then requested for a piece of paper and wrote four names. The names on the list were his wife, Turai Yar’adua, his first governor son-in-law, Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi state followed by the second one, Isa Yuguda of Bauchi state and finally, the then incumbent governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.
TalkOfNaija

Tight Jeans Causes Fertility Problems For Men

Every man likes to wear the tight jeans just like the girls. Men should know however that fashion comes with a price. 
Embracing tight jeans can be the pinnacle of fashion but is likely to squeeze their male hosts too tight in a particularly sensitive area, research shows.
British researchers warn that tight jeans are responsible for the emergence of health problems near the groin, the news media reported.
The tight jean has been related to a number of health problems, including low sperm counts, twisted testicles, urinary incontinence, urinary infections and fungal irritations, the report said.
Celebrities such as Russell Brand have embraced the skinny jeans look.
“I have seen several cases of men who have twisted the testicles due to wearing jeans that are too tight,” a doctor told the news media.

“Wearing tight jeans for an extended period of time can lead to urinary tract infections that lead to an overactive bladder.”
A study of 2,000 British men found that one in 10 experienced an unpleasant side effect after using tight jeans.
Half the men in the study reported discomfort in the groin, while more than a quarter had bladder problems.
One in five suffered a testicular torsion, a condition that occurs when tight pants prevent the spermatic cord from moving freely, which means that blood is cut off. This requires immediate surgery.
The use of tight trousers has also been linked to lower sperm count as a result of the scrotum overheating and damages the process of sperm production. Men who aretrying to conceive with their partner are encouraged to wear looser underwear and outerwear.
InformationNigeria

Cancer-stricken Mom Killed Her Son 7, So He Does Not Suffer

Cancer stricken mom Tenika Revell, 40, killedher son in their Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment, in Brooklyn, New York,, by beating him with a hammer and choking him with her bare hands.
After her son was dead, she tried to kill herself by overdosing on pills.
“She loved him so much she didn’t want anybody else to raise him,” said her boyfriend Terrace Johnson.
“Revell took medication for anger issues, but her mental health rapidly declined after she was pregnant with her child last year and then having to abort the pregnancy because of her spreading cancer,” Johnson said.

Revell is an ex-con with a long rap sheet. She was convicted of attempted robbery, and she did two stints in prison.
The mother was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and endangering the welfare of a child, but she was declared unfit to stand trial.
For now, she will remain at the psych ward in Elmhurst Hospital Center, where she will continue to be treated.
InformationNigeria

NFA Insists On Foreign Technical Adviser For Super Eagles

The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) said on Thursday in Abuja that there was no going back on its plan to hire a foreign technical director for the national teams.
Mr Emaka Inyama, a board member and Chairman of NFA Media and Publicity Committee, said there had not been any reb*ttal to the arrangement since Musa Amadu, the General Secretary of the NFA, disclosed the plan in 2012.
Inyama, who was fielding questions from journalists at news conference, said that the idea was to have a template for football development in the country.
“There has not been any reb*ttal since the general secretary said so; so, we are going ahead with the plan.
“What we have always said is that there is a need for us to develop a structure and a template for football development in this country.
“That is the beauty of a technical director. He doesn’t coach the teams but he will be able to say this is the mode of scouting, equipment and so on.

“Every federation in the world has it; even at club level, they do it (employ technical director) and I don’t think there is anything wrong with it,’’ Inyama said.
The NFA board member, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian National League (NNL), said there was no need for the hues and cries by Nigerians on the matter, as it would not interfere with the job of any coach.
Keshi has expressed concern over the plan by the NFA to hire a foreign technical director for the national team.
There are also fears that the foreigner can usurp the job of the coach.
InformationNigeria

Senate gives Jonathan two-day ultimatum to sack Maina

By Ameh Comrade Godwin

Chairman pension reform task force team :Abdulrasheed Maina

Members of the Upper Legislative Chambers of the National Assembly, Wednesday, gave President Goodluck Jonathan a two-day ultimatum to fire the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, from the Federal Civil Service, saying he is a “liar, rascal and a criminal.”
Senate President, David Mark, gave this assertion after a debate on a motion entitled, “Dismissal of Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina for refusal to appear before the Senate.”
Adopting three prayers of a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba and 107 other Senators, the senators collectively called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack Maina from the public service and disengage him from all acts relating to public duty with immediate effect.
Reacting to the Senate resolution on Wednesday, the PRTT said only God would save Nigeria.

“Maina has never committed any offence to deserve this high level of persecution, even if he is an Assistant Director. We have done this assignment in the best interest of this country with all sincerity and honesty. It is only God that will save Nigeria,” spokesperson for the PRRT, Hassan Salihu, said.
Leading the charge for immediate action against Maina, Senate President, David Mark explained that the upper chamber, till yesterday, had been patient so as to allow fair hearing in view of a deluge of pension theft petitions against Maina as well as his counter allegations of a N3 billion bribe demanded by the Senate Committee investigating him for fraud.
Mark said, “The executive has to choose between the Senate and Maina. He has crucified himself. If Maina remains, then the Senate would react appropriately.
“The Senate is not lacking in ideas on what to do. Nobody in this country is bigger than our democracy. I have been extremely patient with Maina, so that when we react, they will know that we have been fair.
“Whether the Police are serious about (arresting) Maina is something we are going to find out. This Senate is not going to allow this to linger on, if in two days they have not done anything, we can come here and convene and take a decision.
“This Senate has teeth to bite, the Senate will bite when it needs to bite; and when we decide to bite, there will be no room for escape.
“We have been pushed to the wall. The reaction is the correct reaction, no matter the depth of the Maina situation, nobody in this country will be left to go free, if he is associated with Maina, no matter who is behind Maina, we are not going to accept it.”
DailyPost