DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, December 07, 2010
POLLITT SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM
Richard M. Pollitt, Jr., took the oath of office for the second time as Wicomico County Executive at noon today. In 2006, Mr. Pollitt was elected as Wicomico County’s first executive joining six other county executives in Maryland.
Following the swearing-in ceremony, Mr. Pollitt said, “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as our county’s first executive and the re-affirmation of the public’s confidence in me on Election Day has only enhanced my desire to continue to serve for another four years. These are challenging times for Wicomico County and I pledge to work on a bipartisan basis to keep our county strong. The time has come to grasp the reins of government with vigor and solid purpose to bring our community to its fullest potential. The hand-wringing and moaning and groaning about how bad things are must come to an end. We must, as one community, declare our independence from despair and commit ourselves to the obligations of citizenship that call us together to keep our county strong.”
Tuesday Night Special At Boonies
Broadcast Problems
Look, this isn't a bashing post. While it may come off as one, the truth is the truth. ANYONE with cable and or even a converter box knows that WBOC cuts off 30, 40, 50 times per 1/2 hour show. You miss at least 1/10th of their broadcast.
Now I thought maybe it was because I was out in the middle of nowhere with a converter box and perhaps that was the problem. NOPE! I was at a Bar/Restaurant watching cable, (I asked the owner) and all of a sudden the broadcast was breaking up just as it does at my home. So I asked, isn't this annoying, does this always happen? YES!!!!!
I then spent some time at my mother in laws and low and behold, she too had the same exact problem. So, do tell me Folks, just how long are you going to continue to watch a television station that keeps breaking up, you miss 1/2 of what they're telling you, yet many are so glued to the robotic brainwashing you just continue to watch and throw remotes at the TV because it's not working?
At least it's now being discussed. It's been a year, (or so) and quite frankly my Wife and I have had enough. No more WBOC or channel 16 in this house. They don't have enough RESPECT to me as a viewer to FIX their ongoing problem, I'm not a robot. Are You?
Tax Plan Offers Short-Term Relief, At A Price
Lower rates will benefit all taxpayers, but swell longer-term deficits
Think of it as a stimulus plan with a large price tag.
The tax deal between the White House and Congressional Republicans, if approved, will put a little extra money in your pocket for the next two years. But you're going to pay for it eventually.
Without sizeable cuts in federal spending, Americans can expect higher taxes to cover the $500 billion cost of the package down the road.
The hope is that the plan will help boost spending, increase demand and get companies back in a hiring mood. But the deal doesn’t include spending cuts to offset the expiration of lower tax rates. That means the government will have to borrow to pay for the plan.
Congress and the White House are still hammering out the details. But without a deal, temporary tax cuts enacted in the early 2000s will expire this month, sending rates higher across the board and threatening to dampen an already feeble economic recovery.
The size of the package won’t be known until the details are finalized. Initial estimates put the cost at around $500 billion over two years. Here’s where all that money will flow:
GO HERE to read more.
A Message From Governor O'Malley
Dear State Employee,
Over the last several years, we have reduced State spending by $5.6 billion and will have eliminated more than 4,200 State government positions. State employees have played crucial roles in identifying reductions and promoting efficiencies while sharing the burden through furloughs and temporary salary reductions. I truly appreciate your dedication, patience, sacrifice, and ingenuity as we have moved through this difficult process.
Despite these past efforts, as we look toward the future we must do what so many Maryland families are doing and find new ways to live within our means. In the case of State government, this means identifying additional opportunities for streamlining operations and reducing the size of the workforce.
As part of this effort, I have authorized a Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) for State employees, to be implemented immediately. Under this Program, I hope to continue to decrease the size of our workforce by allowing employees to voluntarily elect to leave State government. Application to the program is open to eligible employees within the Executive Branch of State government who voluntarily elect to separate from employment no later than January 31, 2011. Eligible employees who apply and are selected to participate will receive a lump sum severance payment of $15,000 and an additional service bonus of $200 per year for each year of service. Additionally, participants will receive three months of fully subsidized health benefits and payment for leave accrual in accordance with applicable law.
There is no doubt that many of you will have questions concerning this program. I encourage you to fully explore the informational materials available to you on the Department of Budget and Management's website. Please visit that website at http://dbm.maryland.gov and click the link to the Voluntary Separation Program. There you will find information on eligibility, the application process, due dates, and other program details. Additionally, you may call toll free at 855-500-4661 or 410-767-6831, to reach a State representative who will assist you in obtaining information that you may wish to consider as you make your decision about whether to apply to participate in the program.
Thank you again for all your work on behalf of Maryland's families.
Martin O’Malley
Governor
A Letter To The Editor
Joe,
I see you put Ireton's plea for support from the citizens for his safe street legislation package. His unofficial PIO, Chuck Cook is working overtime on this. The sad thing about this plea is he wants to pack the house to support his legislation yet no where in that plea is it mentioned that the Old Firehouse and Linens of the Week is also on the agenda.
Ireton doesn't want anyone to speak out against his giveaway of the Old Firehouse, to Palmer Gillis. People should be up in arms over this tragedy, Instead he is crying over a poorly written, in some parts, piece of legislation that the council won't even look at, let alone consider it enough to take it to work session. Ireton fully agrees with giving the Firehouse away for $100,000 to his new buddy, Palmer Gillis. This building is costing the city nothing just sitting there until a fair bid comes along. There is nothing that says the city has to accept that bid or any bid they don't want to. They have never stuck to the low bidder rule in the past on various contracts so why stick to this bid? It doesn't make sense. Ireton is not much different than his predecessor, Barrie Parsons Tilghman. In fact, he is becoming more and more like her everyday. Ireton promised to revitalize down town. Is this his plan for reviatalization? Give away a $700,000 building to someone that intends to bring a state subsidized entity in to compete with locally owned businesses? If he thinks downtown is dead now, he'll have a ghost town down there without Market St Inn, Flavors of Italy, Escape, Brew River or any of the other TAX PAYING businesses in the area. Now that I've mentioned Brew River, I'm surprised Frank Hanna is keeping quiet, he certainly had enough to say when Bob Culver considered buying a piece of property on the North Prong.
The Linens of the Week deal is going to break the bank. Once the city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to demolish the building then gives it away to uncommitted non profit groups, another piece of commercial property will be removed from the tax rolls and we will have paid for the demolition and remediation of contamination. Where does the wanton spending end? Who will make up for the loss of these tax dollars? WE, the taxpayers, that's who. The church and Habitat for Humanity have not committed to rebuilding this piece of property. Does the church or Habitat have the funds to rebuild? Do they even have a plan for how to best utilize the property? No, I don't think they do. What we will have is another promise to rebuild and create Nirvana. What we'll get is another vacant lot. Does the Old Mall ring any bells? That too, was supposed to be Nirvana, or close to it.
Instead of spending $100,000's to raze a building why don't they use the money to fight crime? Hire a few police officers, purchase a few police cars or something tangible. Didn't Ireton promise to reduce crime, fund police? That promise is not fulfilled in his legislation that is keeping his drawers in a knot.
I see you put Ireton's plea for support from the citizens for his safe street legislation package. His unofficial PIO, Chuck Cook is working overtime on this. The sad thing about this plea is he wants to pack the house to support his legislation yet no where in that plea is it mentioned that the Old Firehouse and Linens of the Week is also on the agenda.
Ireton doesn't want anyone to speak out against his giveaway of the Old Firehouse, to Palmer Gillis. People should be up in arms over this tragedy, Instead he is crying over a poorly written, in some parts, piece of legislation that the council won't even look at, let alone consider it enough to take it to work session. Ireton fully agrees with giving the Firehouse away for $100,000 to his new buddy, Palmer Gillis. This building is costing the city nothing just sitting there until a fair bid comes along. There is nothing that says the city has to accept that bid or any bid they don't want to. They have never stuck to the low bidder rule in the past on various contracts so why stick to this bid? It doesn't make sense. Ireton is not much different than his predecessor, Barrie Parsons Tilghman. In fact, he is becoming more and more like her everyday. Ireton promised to revitalize down town. Is this his plan for reviatalization? Give away a $700,000 building to someone that intends to bring a state subsidized entity in to compete with locally owned businesses? If he thinks downtown is dead now, he'll have a ghost town down there without Market St Inn, Flavors of Italy, Escape, Brew River or any of the other TAX PAYING businesses in the area. Now that I've mentioned Brew River, I'm surprised Frank Hanna is keeping quiet, he certainly had enough to say when Bob Culver considered buying a piece of property on the North Prong.
The Linens of the Week deal is going to break the bank. Once the city spends hundreds of thousands of dollars to demolish the building then gives it away to uncommitted non profit groups, another piece of commercial property will be removed from the tax rolls and we will have paid for the demolition and remediation of contamination. Where does the wanton spending end? Who will make up for the loss of these tax dollars? WE, the taxpayers, that's who. The church and Habitat for Humanity have not committed to rebuilding this piece of property. Does the church or Habitat have the funds to rebuild? Do they even have a plan for how to best utilize the property? No, I don't think they do. What we will have is another promise to rebuild and create Nirvana. What we'll get is another vacant lot. Does the Old Mall ring any bells? That too, was supposed to be Nirvana, or close to it.
Instead of spending $100,000's to raze a building why don't they use the money to fight crime? Hire a few police officers, purchase a few police cars or something tangible. Didn't Ireton promise to reduce crime, fund police? That promise is not fulfilled in his legislation that is keeping his drawers in a knot.
Wilmington Man Arrested For Inappropriate Conduct With Teen
Location: Martial Arts Training Center, 3100 Silverside Road, Wilmington, DE
Date of Occurrence: Wednesday, November 10, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Victim: 14 year old Boothwyn, PA youth
Defendant: Thomas G. St. Joseph, 43, Wilmington, DE
Charges:
-Unlawful Imprisonment 2nd degree
-Offensive Touching
Bail Information:
-Arraigned at JP Court 2. Released on $2000.00 unsecured bail.
Resume:
Wilmington- A 43 year old Wilmington martial arts instructor has been arrested after being accused of inappropriate conduct with a juvenile female student.
On November 18th, 2010 troopers were called to respond to the residence of a 14 year old Boothwyn, PA youth. Troopers learned that on November 10, 2010 at approximately 10:00 p.m. the victim, who is a student at the Martial Arts Training Center in Wilmington, DE, was finishing her training for the evening at the center when her instructor and owner, Thomas G. St. Joseph, 43, cornered her in a rear office area. St. Joseph then made contact with the victim that caused her alarm. The victim then pushed St. Joseph away from her and demanded that he take her home. St. Joseph then drove the victim to her residence where she then reported the incident to her parents. The incident, however, was not reported to the Delaware State Police until November 18, 2010.
On November 29th Thomas St. Joseph turned himself in at state police Troop 1 in Wilmington. He was arrested for one count each of Unlawful Imprisonment 2nd degree and Offensive Touching. He was then arraigned at JP Court 2 and released on $2000.00 unsecured bail.
Catch-And-Release Of Taliban Fighters In Afghanistan Angers Troops
More than 500 suspected Taliban fighters detained by U.S. forces have been released from custody at the urging of Afghan government officials, angering both American troops and some Afghans who oppose the policy on the grounds that many of those released return to the battlefield to kill NATO soldiers and Afghan civilians.
And those numbers understate the problem, military officials say. They do not include suspected Taliban fighters held in small combat outposts or other forward operating bases throughout the region who are released before they ever become part of the official detainee population.
An Afghan official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that President Hamid Karzai's government has personally sought the release of as many as 700 suspected Taliban fighters since July, including some mid-level leaders. "Corruption is not just based on the amount of money that is wasted but wasted lives when Taliban return only to kill more NATO forces and civilians," said the official, who opposes what he considers corruption in the Karzai administration.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Karen Davis, a spokeswoman in Kabul, told The Washington Examiner "nearly 500 detainees held in the [detention facility in Parwan] have been released outright or transferred to the [Afghan government] for disposition under Afghan law" so far this year.
Read more
And those numbers understate the problem, military officials say. They do not include suspected Taliban fighters held in small combat outposts or other forward operating bases throughout the region who are released before they ever become part of the official detainee population.
An Afghan official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that President Hamid Karzai's government has personally sought the release of as many as 700 suspected Taliban fighters since July, including some mid-level leaders. "Corruption is not just based on the amount of money that is wasted but wasted lives when Taliban return only to kill more NATO forces and civilians," said the official, who opposes what he considers corruption in the Karzai administration.
U.S. Air Force Maj. Karen Davis, a spokeswoman in Kabul, told The Washington Examiner "nearly 500 detainees held in the [detention facility in Parwan] have been released outright or transferred to the [Afghan government] for disposition under Afghan law" so far this year.
Read more
Mayor Ireton Stoops To Begging The Public For Help On Safe Streets
Dear Friend:
The City of Salisbury needs your help. For *_127 days_ *my Safe Streets Anti-Crime Legislative package has been ignored by the city council. On December 13th I am asking as many citizens as possible to come to city hall and, again, ask City Council President Louise Smith to put Safe Streets on the city agenda. Up till now, the city council has been controlled by slumlords and lobbyists who make money off the most vulnerable in our community and turns a blind eye to unlawful behavior at thier properties. This is a waste of taxpayer money.
When I ran for mayor, I pledged to clean up slum and blight in our neighborhoods and make them safe for all our citizens - both renter and homeowner. The smear campaign by slumlords, that waste our tax dollars and make police and code compliance officers reactive not proactive, has been fierce. *I NEED YOUR VOICE ON DECEMBER 13th!* Please come to the city council meeting, sign up for public comments and simply ask Mrs. Smith to put Safe Streets on the agenda, NOW! Its been *_127 days_* and *_958 Part 1 Crimes_ *since I kept my promise to you to address these issues, and still no action by city council. I need your help to get the council to act on Safe Streets! Please join your neighbors on December 13th at 6:00 PM at City Hall. Safe Streets mean a safer Salisbury. Please help me accomplish these goals.
Mayor Jim Ireton
/Doing What You Sent Him to City Hall to Do!/
The City of Salisbury needs your help. For *_127 days_ *my Safe Streets Anti-Crime Legislative package has been ignored by the city council. On December 13th I am asking as many citizens as possible to come to city hall and, again, ask City Council President Louise Smith to put Safe Streets on the city agenda. Up till now, the city council has been controlled by slumlords and lobbyists who make money off the most vulnerable in our community and turns a blind eye to unlawful behavior at thier properties. This is a waste of taxpayer money.
When I ran for mayor, I pledged to clean up slum and blight in our neighborhoods and make them safe for all our citizens - both renter and homeowner. The smear campaign by slumlords, that waste our tax dollars and make police and code compliance officers reactive not proactive, has been fierce. *I NEED YOUR VOICE ON DECEMBER 13th!* Please come to the city council meeting, sign up for public comments and simply ask Mrs. Smith to put Safe Streets on the agenda, NOW! Its been *_127 days_* and *_958 Part 1 Crimes_ *since I kept my promise to you to address these issues, and still no action by city council. I need your help to get the council to act on Safe Streets! Please join your neighbors on December 13th at 6:00 PM at City Hall. Safe Streets mean a safer Salisbury. Please help me accomplish these goals.
Mayor Jim Ireton
/Doing What You Sent Him to City Hall to Do!/
UPS To Require Photo IDs For Shipping Packages
Move is part of an ongoing review to enhance security
ATLANTA — UPS is now requiring photo identification from customers shipping packages at retail locations around the world, a month after explosives made their way onto one of the company's planes.
UPS said Tuesday the move is part of an ongoing review to enhance security. The directive will apply at The UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc. locations and other authorized shipping outlets. UPS customer centers have required government-issued photo identification since 2005.
GO HERE to read more.
Wife Bit Off Husband's Tongue During Kiss
During police call, man reportedly struggles to be understood due to mangled mouth
A Wisconsin woman was arrested after she allegedly bit half of her 79-year-old husband's tongue off during a kiss, according to reports.
The Sheboygan Press said the man telephoned police at about 11 p.m. Monday and struggled to tell them what had happened because of his condition.
The newspaper said an ambulance and police both went to the house in Sheboygan.
GO HERE to read more.
Israeli Rabbis Tell Jews Not To Sell Homes To Arabs
JERUSALEM — Dozens of Israeli rabbis, some of them civil servants, issued an appeal on Tuesday telling locals not to sell or rent property to non-Jews, drawing condemnation from lawmakers and human rights activists.
The open letter underscored Jewish-Arab tensions that have deepened along with Israel's deadlocked Palestinian conflict, as well as more recent demographic fears triggered by an influx of illegal African migrants.
"The Land of Israel is intended for the people of Israel," Yosef Shainin, chief rabbi of the southern port city of Ashdod and one of the 41 signatories, told Israel's Army Radio when asked about the letter.
GO HERE to read more.
Cooking The Books Helped ICE 'Break Deportation Record'
For much of this year, the Obama administration touted its tougher-than-ever approach to immigration enforcement, culminating in a record number of deportations.
But in reaching 392,862 deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement included more than 19,000 immigrants who had exited the previous fiscal year, according to agency statistics. ICE also ran a Mexican repatriation program five weeks longer than ever before, allowing the agency to count at least 6,500 exits that, without the program, would normally have been tallied by the U.S. Border Patrol.
When ICE officials realized in the final weeks of the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, that the agency still was in jeopardy of falling short of last year's mark, it scrambled to reach the goal. Officials quietly directed immigration officers to bypass backlogged immigration courts and time-consuming deportation hearings whenever possible, internal e-mails and interviews show.
Instead, officials told immigration officers to encourage eligible foreign nationals to accept a quick pass to their countries without a negative mark on their immigration record, ICE employees said.
The option, known as voluntary return, may have allowed hundreds of immigrants - who typically would have gone before an immigration judge to contest deportation for offenses such as drunken driving, domestic violence and misdemeanor assault - to leave the country. A voluntary return doesn't bar a foreigner from applying for legal residence or traveling to the United States in the future.
Once the agency closed the books for fiscal 2010 and the record was broken, agents say they were told to stop widely offering the voluntary return option and revert to business as usual.
Without these efforts and the more than 25,000 deportations that came with them, the agency would not have topped last year's record level of 389,834, current and former ICE employees and officials said.
The Obama administration was intent on doing so even as it came under attack by some Republicans for not being tough enough on immigration enforcement and by some Democrats for failing to deliver on promises of comprehensive immigration reform.
More details
But in reaching 392,862 deportations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement included more than 19,000 immigrants who had exited the previous fiscal year, according to agency statistics. ICE also ran a Mexican repatriation program five weeks longer than ever before, allowing the agency to count at least 6,500 exits that, without the program, would normally have been tallied by the U.S. Border Patrol.
When ICE officials realized in the final weeks of the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, that the agency still was in jeopardy of falling short of last year's mark, it scrambled to reach the goal. Officials quietly directed immigration officers to bypass backlogged immigration courts and time-consuming deportation hearings whenever possible, internal e-mails and interviews show.
Instead, officials told immigration officers to encourage eligible foreign nationals to accept a quick pass to their countries without a negative mark on their immigration record, ICE employees said.
The option, known as voluntary return, may have allowed hundreds of immigrants - who typically would have gone before an immigration judge to contest deportation for offenses such as drunken driving, domestic violence and misdemeanor assault - to leave the country. A voluntary return doesn't bar a foreigner from applying for legal residence or traveling to the United States in the future.
Once the agency closed the books for fiscal 2010 and the record was broken, agents say they were told to stop widely offering the voluntary return option and revert to business as usual.
Without these efforts and the more than 25,000 deportations that came with them, the agency would not have topped last year's record level of 389,834, current and former ICE employees and officials said.
The Obama administration was intent on doing so even as it came under attack by some Republicans for not being tough enough on immigration enforcement and by some Democrats for failing to deliver on promises of comprehensive immigration reform.
More details
BEWARE OF BOGUS E-MAIL FROM SENATOR RICH COLBURN
From: "Richard Colburn" <richard.colburn37@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 7, 2010 4:37:19 AM
Subject: Urgent
Hi, This is Senator Richard Colburn I really don't mean to inconvenience you right now but I made a quick trip to the UK and I lost a bag which contains my passport and credit cards. I know this may sound odd, but it all happened very fast. I've been to the US embassy and they're willing to help me fly without my passport but I just have to pay for my ticket and settle some bills. Right now I'm out of cash plus i can't access my bank without my credit card over here. I have contacted them but they need more verification. I'm just gonna have to plead with you to lend me some funds right now? I'll pay back as soon as I get home. I need to get on the next available flight home. Please reply as soon as you get this message so I can forward the details as to where to send the funds. You can reach me via the hotel's desk phone if you can, the numbers are, +447045749898 or you can also email me via my email. I await your response... Thanks Senator |
Gamblers Spending Less In Atlantic City Casinos
Time in casinos down over 22 percent, money spent off some 30 percent
ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey — The amount of time gamblers are spending in Atlantic City casinos is falling, and they're holding on more tightly to their wallets while they're there.
A new statistical study shows the amount of time gamblers spent inside casinos in the second-largest gambling market in the U.S., after Las Vegas, is down more than 22 percent, and the amount of money they spend there is down almost 30 percent over the last four years.
And the hit to the casinos' bottom line is substantial: gross operating profit per hour is down 61 percent.
GO HERE to read more.
Alabama Dad Admits Burying Children, Blames Stepmom
MOBILE, Ala. — A father whose missing children are believed to be dead told investigators he buried one of them in Mississippi and the other in Alabama but says it was their stepmother who killed them, police said.
But she is pointing the finger at him.
Mobile police say John Deblase, 27, has admitted burying his two children — 5-year-old Natalie and 3-year-old Chase — in March and June.
DeBlase was being held on $206,000 bond. He is charged with child abuse and corpse abuse. Meanwhile, the children's stepmother, Heather Leavell-Keaton, is jailed in Louisville, Ky. on child abuse charges. She will soon be extradited back to Alabama. The couple had been together since 2008 but were not legally married.
The children were last seen this summer, Mobile Officer Chris Levy said.
GO HERE to read more.
Republicans Uneasy Over Details Of Tax Deal With Obama
Some rank-and-file Republican lawmakers are uneasy about the tax cut deal their leaders struck with the White House.
Hours before the bipartisan agreement was announced yesterday, a few GOP members sent signals they weren’t comfortable with where the talks were headed.
The horse-trading has attracted strong criticism from liberals, but unrest is also building on the right.
Republican leaders have long stressed that any extension of unemployment benefits should be offset with spending cuts. However, some newly elected House GOP members claim the benefits have gone on for too long and need to be halted.
Congressional Democrats and President Obama insisted that unemployment benefits be extended as part of any deal on the tax cuts.
More here
Hours before the bipartisan agreement was announced yesterday, a few GOP members sent signals they weren’t comfortable with where the talks were headed.
The horse-trading has attracted strong criticism from liberals, but unrest is also building on the right.
Republican leaders have long stressed that any extension of unemployment benefits should be offset with spending cuts. However, some newly elected House GOP members claim the benefits have gone on for too long and need to be halted.
Congressional Democrats and President Obama insisted that unemployment benefits be extended as part of any deal on the tax cuts.
More here
FCC Push To Regulate News Draws Fire
Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) pushed back on Monday against a contention by a Democratic FCC commissioner that the government should create new regulations to promote diversity in news programming.
Barton was reacting to a proposal made last week by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who in a speech suggested that broadcasters be subject to a new "public values test" every four years.
"I hope … that you do not mean to suggest that it is the job of the federal government, through the [FCC], to determine the content that is available for Americans to consume,” Barton wrote Monday in a letter to Copps.
Copps had suggested that the test would make a broadcaster's license renewal contingent upon proof that they meet a prospective set of federal criteria.
He said outlets should be mandated to do the following: prove they have made a meaningful commitment to public affairs and news programming, prove they are committed to diversity programming (for instance, by showing that they depict women and minorities), report more to the government about which shows they plan to air, require greater disclosure about who funds political ads and devote 25 percent of their prime-time coverage to local news.
The regulations would apply to all news outlets operating on the public airwaves.
More
Barton was reacting to a proposal made last week by FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, who in a speech suggested that broadcasters be subject to a new "public values test" every four years.
"I hope … that you do not mean to suggest that it is the job of the federal government, through the [FCC], to determine the content that is available for Americans to consume,” Barton wrote Monday in a letter to Copps.
Copps had suggested that the test would make a broadcaster's license renewal contingent upon proof that they meet a prospective set of federal criteria.
He said outlets should be mandated to do the following: prove they have made a meaningful commitment to public affairs and news programming, prove they are committed to diversity programming (for instance, by showing that they depict women and minorities), report more to the government about which shows they plan to air, require greater disclosure about who funds political ads and devote 25 percent of their prime-time coverage to local news.
The regulations would apply to all news outlets operating on the public airwaves.
More
More Towing Companies Add New Names, Same Owners
While I'll not get into who the companies are, Towing Companies are taking advantage of the legislation at hand and adding more company names to sort of buck the system.
While a new Board is being created to oversee the Towing Industry, one owner having several different company names cheats those businesses with 10 to 15 tow trucks operating under one name. Take Simpson's Towing as an example. They have a multitude of tow trucks, yet they run one company. Billy Bob's Towing, (as an example) has 4 trucks with 4 different names, one owner. When Billy Bob gets on the City's rotation system, they have 3 times a better chance than Simpson't to get called to any scene.
Its not fair and once again the system is broke. Hopefully this new Board can sort these simple things out.
While a new Board is being created to oversee the Towing Industry, one owner having several different company names cheats those businesses with 10 to 15 tow trucks operating under one name. Take Simpson's Towing as an example. They have a multitude of tow trucks, yet they run one company. Billy Bob's Towing, (as an example) has 4 trucks with 4 different names, one owner. When Billy Bob gets on the City's rotation system, they have 3 times a better chance than Simpson't to get called to any scene.
Its not fair and once again the system is broke. Hopefully this new Board can sort these simple things out.
Teens In U.S. Rank 25th On Math Test, Trail In Science, Reading
Fifteen-year-old students in the U.S. ranked 25th of 34 countries on an international math test and scored in the middle of the pack in science and reading, raising concerns the U.S. isn’t prepared to succeed in the global economy.
Teenagers from South Korea and Finland led in almost all academic categories on the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, according to the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, which represents 34 countries. U.S. students ranked 17th in science and 14th in reading. The U.S. government considers the OECD test one of the most comprehensive measures of international achievement.
The results show that U.S. students must improve to compete in a global economy, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday in a telephone interview. The Obama administration is promoting national curriculum standards and a revamping of teacher pay that stresses performance, rather than credentials and seniority.
“The brutal fact here is there are many countries that are far ahead of us and improving more rapidly than we are,” Duncan said. “This should be a massive wakeup call to the entire country.”
The OECD’s international test, first administered in 2000 and given every three years, aims to measure skills achieved near the end of compulsory schooling. In the U.S., 165 public and private schools and 5,233 students participated in the two- hour paper-and-pencil assessment, given in September and November 2009. It consisted of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
In all, 470,000 students worldwide took the exam. The test also measured countries and regions outside the OECD, or a total of 65 countries and economies. For the first time, the test broke out the performance of China’s Shanghai region, which topped even Finland and South Korea.
U.S. 15-year-olds had an average score of 487 in math, below the OECD average of 496 on a zero to 1,000-point scale. South Korean students scored 546 and those from Finland scored 541. On an absolute basis, students from 24 of 34 OECD countries had higher scores than U.S. students, though the Education Department said 17 were better on a statistically significant basis.
U.S. math scores rose from 474 in 2006, when they ranked 25th of 30 OECD countries.
The average U.S. reading score of 500 ranked 14th among OECD countries, which were led by South Korea, Finland and Canada. Only six had scores that were better statistically, the Education Department said. Because of an error in printing test booklets, no U.S. reading results were reported in 2006.
The U.S. faces educational challenges from its immigrant and heterogeneous population, an OECD report said. In contrast with the U.S., Finland benefited from the country’s relative cultural homogeneity, the report said.
The success of top-scoring education systems holds lessons for U.S. policy, notwithstanding cultural differences, the report said. Successful countries provide comparable opportunities to all students, regardless of wealth, offer autonomy to individual schools in terms of curriculum and prioritize teacher pay over smaller classes, according to the report.
More here
[So this focus on 'multi-culturalism' is actually hurting us, and Obama's current push for a national curriculum is contradicted by this report. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is certainly right about one thing-- “This should be a massive wakeup call to the entire country.” --Editor]
Teenagers from South Korea and Finland led in almost all academic categories on the 2009 Program for International Student Assessment, according to the Paris-based Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, which represents 34 countries. U.S. students ranked 17th in science and 14th in reading. The U.S. government considers the OECD test one of the most comprehensive measures of international achievement.
The results show that U.S. students must improve to compete in a global economy, Education Secretary Arne Duncan said yesterday in a telephone interview. The Obama administration is promoting national curriculum standards and a revamping of teacher pay that stresses performance, rather than credentials and seniority.
“The brutal fact here is there are many countries that are far ahead of us and improving more rapidly than we are,” Duncan said. “This should be a massive wakeup call to the entire country.”
The OECD’s international test, first administered in 2000 and given every three years, aims to measure skills achieved near the end of compulsory schooling. In the U.S., 165 public and private schools and 5,233 students participated in the two- hour paper-and-pencil assessment, given in September and November 2009. It consisted of multiple-choice and open-response questions.
In all, 470,000 students worldwide took the exam. The test also measured countries and regions outside the OECD, or a total of 65 countries and economies. For the first time, the test broke out the performance of China’s Shanghai region, which topped even Finland and South Korea.
U.S. 15-year-olds had an average score of 487 in math, below the OECD average of 496 on a zero to 1,000-point scale. South Korean students scored 546 and those from Finland scored 541. On an absolute basis, students from 24 of 34 OECD countries had higher scores than U.S. students, though the Education Department said 17 were better on a statistically significant basis.
U.S. math scores rose from 474 in 2006, when they ranked 25th of 30 OECD countries.
The average U.S. reading score of 500 ranked 14th among OECD countries, which were led by South Korea, Finland and Canada. Only six had scores that were better statistically, the Education Department said. Because of an error in printing test booklets, no U.S. reading results were reported in 2006.
The U.S. faces educational challenges from its immigrant and heterogeneous population, an OECD report said. In contrast with the U.S., Finland benefited from the country’s relative cultural homogeneity, the report said.
The success of top-scoring education systems holds lessons for U.S. policy, notwithstanding cultural differences, the report said. Successful countries provide comparable opportunities to all students, regardless of wealth, offer autonomy to individual schools in terms of curriculum and prioritize teacher pay over smaller classes, according to the report.
More here
[So this focus on 'multi-culturalism' is actually hurting us, and Obama's current push for a national curriculum is contradicted by this report. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is certainly right about one thing-- “This should be a massive wakeup call to the entire country.” --Editor]
Gifting Etiquette At The Office
Before you run out and by a bank-breaking gift for your boss, it's important to know what message your gift may be sending. Expensive doesn't always mean better; in fact most of the time buying the boss a pricey present can make you look bad. So where do you begin when it comes to gifting your boss? We went to Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of etiquetteexpert.com, who went over some gifting guidelines.
Where should I begin when looking for a gift for my boss?
The old rule was that you never bought your boss a gift, but the office dynamics have changed over the years. First, you should know your company's gifting policies. Some offices don't celebrate the holidays at all. So make sure you know what the convention is at your place of work.
So if people do give gifts, how much should I spend?It's hard to put a spending limit on a gift for your boss, but buy something that is meaningful to him or to her. Let's face it, bosses have everything – they don't need another coffee mug or picture frame. So maybe you buy a gift for his or her family or his or her pet, something small that says "happy holidays." Otherwise it can look suspicious to both your boss and your coworkers. A really expensive gift from just you could look like you're trying to win favor. A $120 massage you purchase by yourself is unprofessional.
If you do want to get something more expensive, go in on it with a group of people.
GO HERE to read more.
Where should I begin when looking for a gift for my boss?
The old rule was that you never bought your boss a gift, but the office dynamics have changed over the years. First, you should know your company's gifting policies. Some offices don't celebrate the holidays at all. So make sure you know what the convention is at your place of work.
So if people do give gifts, how much should I spend?It's hard to put a spending limit on a gift for your boss, but buy something that is meaningful to him or to her. Let's face it, bosses have everything – they don't need another coffee mug or picture frame. So maybe you buy a gift for his or her family or his or her pet, something small that says "happy holidays." Otherwise it can look suspicious to both your boss and your coworkers. A really expensive gift from just you could look like you're trying to win favor. A $120 massage you purchase by yourself is unprofessional.
If you do want to get something more expensive, go in on it with a group of people.
GO HERE to read more.
Facebook Debunks Rumor That Pedophiles Are Behind Cartoon Profile Campaign
Swirling rumors that pedophiles are behind a viral Facebook campaign are unfounded, according to a company spokesman.
The campaign, which has been actively gaining momentum in the past month, urges users to swap a cartoon character for their usual profile picture and boasts more than 150,000 "likes" among its Facebook pages. The campaign was originally thought to be the work of a children’s advocacy group, but rumors sweeping across the web suggest it's actually a front for pedophiles, said London tabloid The Daily Mail.
More.
Rush On WikiLeaks: Where's Obama's Birth Certificate?
With global secrets continuing to drip out from WikiLeaks, radio host Rush Limbaugh wonders where "the real good stuff" is, including President Obama's original, long-form hospital-generated birth certificate, which has still never been released two years into his presidency.
In his irreverent style, Limbaugh said: "Where are the WikiLeaks documents to prove 9/11 was inside job by George Bush and Dick Cheney? Let me ask you liberals, where are these cables?
"Where are the documents to prove Bush intentionally lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to invade the country? Where is the WikiLeaks document, the State Department cable, whatever, that [Karl] Rove leaked Valerie Plame's name to the media? Where's all this good stuff? ...
"Where are the WikiLeaks cables proving that the CIA invented AIDS? Where is Obama's birth certificate? Where's the real good stuff? And how about all the hundreds of other left-wing lies we've been hearing about for years? [Is] WikiLeaks covering up for the United States?"
(Source)
In his irreverent style, Limbaugh said: "Where are the WikiLeaks documents to prove 9/11 was inside job by George Bush and Dick Cheney? Let me ask you liberals, where are these cables?
"Where are the documents to prove Bush intentionally lied about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to invade the country? Where is the WikiLeaks document, the State Department cable, whatever, that [Karl] Rove leaked Valerie Plame's name to the media? Where's all this good stuff? ...
"Where are the WikiLeaks cables proving that the CIA invented AIDS? Where is Obama's birth certificate? Where's the real good stuff? And how about all the hundreds of other left-wing lies we've been hearing about for years? [Is] WikiLeaks covering up for the United States?"
(Source)
Obama's Tax Cut Deal Infuriates Liberals
President's agreement with Republicans to extend all Bush-era tax cuts for two years turns his Democratic base into his toughest critics.
More
More
Aspirin May Reduce Cancer Risk, But Caution Urged
Some experts say study isn't strong enough for doctors to start recommending a daily dose
LONDON — A new report from British scientists suggests that long-term, daily aspirin use may modestly lower the risk of dying of certain cancers, though experts warn the study isn't strong enough to recommend healthy people start taking a pill that can cause bleeding and other problems.
In a new observational analysis published online Tuesday in the medical journal Lancet, Peter Rothwell of the University of Oxford and colleagues looked at eight trials that included more than 25,000 patients and cut the risk of death from certain cancers by 20 percent.
GO HERE to read more.
South American Countries Recognize Palestinian State
Following in Brazil’s footsteps from last Friday, Argentina announced on Monday it recognized a “free and independent” Palestinian state, sparking an immediate condemnation from Israel.
Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in a letter that her country recognized a Palestine defined by 1967 borders, Argentine officials said.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry said in an e-mailed statement that the move was designed to help “definitively advance the negotiation process that will lead to the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Uruguay announced soon afterward that it would recognize a Palestinian state next year. “Uruguay will surely follow the same path as Argentina in 2011,” Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Conde told AFP.
Israel expressed “regret and disappointment” on Monday night at Argentina’s decision to join Brazil in recognizing an independent Palestinian state.
“Recognition of a Palestinian state is a violation of the interim agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1995, which established that the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be discussed and solved through negotiations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement said that recognition of a Palestinian state also contradicted the road map.
“All attempts to bypass negotiations and to unilaterally determine issues in dispute will only harm the trust of the sides and their commitment to agreed upon frameworks for negotiations,” the statement read.
The American Jewish Committee called the recognition of an independent Palestinian state by Brazil and Argentina both worrisome and counterproductive.
Such actions would only “encourage the PA to unilaterally declare independence,” which would “undermine the prospect for durable peace,” according to AJC Executive Director David Harris.
“If Latin American countries truly want to support Arab- Israeli peace, they should be pressing President Abbas to return to the direct talks that were revived with US assistance three months ago, and suspended a few weeks later by Abbas,” he added.
More from JPost
Argentina’s President Cristina Kirchner told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in a letter that her country recognized a Palestine defined by 1967 borders, Argentine officials said.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry said in an e-mailed statement that the move was designed to help “definitively advance the negotiation process that will lead to the establishment of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”
Uruguay announced soon afterward that it would recognize a Palestinian state next year. “Uruguay will surely follow the same path as Argentina in 2011,” Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Conde told AFP.
Israel expressed “regret and disappointment” on Monday night at Argentina’s decision to join Brazil in recognizing an independent Palestinian state.
“Recognition of a Palestinian state is a violation of the interim agreement signed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in 1995, which established that the status of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will be discussed and solved through negotiations,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The statement said that recognition of a Palestinian state also contradicted the road map.
“All attempts to bypass negotiations and to unilaterally determine issues in dispute will only harm the trust of the sides and their commitment to agreed upon frameworks for negotiations,” the statement read.
The American Jewish Committee called the recognition of an independent Palestinian state by Brazil and Argentina both worrisome and counterproductive.
Such actions would only “encourage the PA to unilaterally declare independence,” which would “undermine the prospect for durable peace,” according to AJC Executive Director David Harris.
“If Latin American countries truly want to support Arab- Israeli peace, they should be pressing President Abbas to return to the direct talks that were revived with US assistance three months ago, and suspended a few weeks later by Abbas,” he added.
More from JPost
Pension Woes Prompt GOP Move
The new Republican House leadership, whose party benefited in November from public antipathy toward the bailout of banks, is moving to avoid a federal bailout of state and local pension funds.
Congress has little authority over, or responsibility for, state and local public-employee pensions. But with pension liabilities increasingly stressing state and municipal finances, the prospect that the problem will end up in Washington's lap has some academics and politicians urging that the federal government move preemptively.
The latest wrinkle: A bill introduced last week by three prominent House Republicans to deny states and localities the ability to sell tax-exempt bonds—the lifeblood for many governments—unless they report their pension-fund liabilities to the Treasury Department. The federal tax-free status of interest on municipal bonds helps generate demand for the bonds and lowers government borrowing costs.
The goal, the congressmen say, is to get a better handle on funding woes of public pensions, which they say are not always forthcoming about the true extent of their financial exposure.
For decades, the federal government has regulated corporate pension funds and a federal agency, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., can bail them out.
But there is no such federal backstop for state and local employee pensions. Some argue that Washington would be hard pressed to ignore a pension plan if it threatened a major government insolvency.
"The point of this is to smoke the rats out of their holes," said Rep. Devin Nunes of California, who introduced the bill. "What is the total amount of pension debt? No one really knows."
More here at WSJ
Congress has little authority over, or responsibility for, state and local public-employee pensions. But with pension liabilities increasingly stressing state and municipal finances, the prospect that the problem will end up in Washington's lap has some academics and politicians urging that the federal government move preemptively.
The latest wrinkle: A bill introduced last week by three prominent House Republicans to deny states and localities the ability to sell tax-exempt bonds—the lifeblood for many governments—unless they report their pension-fund liabilities to the Treasury Department. The federal tax-free status of interest on municipal bonds helps generate demand for the bonds and lowers government borrowing costs.
The goal, the congressmen say, is to get a better handle on funding woes of public pensions, which they say are not always forthcoming about the true extent of their financial exposure.
For decades, the federal government has regulated corporate pension funds and a federal agency, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., can bail them out.
But there is no such federal backstop for state and local employee pensions. Some argue that Washington would be hard pressed to ignore a pension plan if it threatened a major government insolvency.
"The point of this is to smoke the rats out of their holes," said Rep. Devin Nunes of California, who introduced the bill. "What is the total amount of pension debt? No one really knows."
More here at WSJ
Social Distortion
WASHINGTON - Facebook is part of the lives of many people. Over the course of the week, I'll take an in-depth look at the social media site and its impact on your life.
Below you'll find a quick synopsis of what to expect over the course of the week.
Audio for each segment will be posted on the left.
I invite you to share your stories -- positive and negative -- about Facebook. Post a comment on the message board or on WTOP's Facebook page
.
Part 1: Who's using Facebook, and how often?
Facebook has more than 500 million members who communicate in 70 languages. If the social network was a country, it would be the third largest behind China and India.
But Facebook usage among members varies widely. Some people sign up and then rarely use it. Others, including a senior citizen interviewed by WTOP, check it every single day -- multiple times a day.
GO HERE to read more.
Below you'll find a quick synopsis of what to expect over the course of the week.
Audio for each segment will be posted on the left.
I invite you to share your stories -- positive and negative -- about Facebook. Post a comment on the message board or on WTOP's Facebook page
.
Part 1: Who's using Facebook, and how often?
Facebook has more than 500 million members who communicate in 70 languages. If the social network was a country, it would be the third largest behind China and India.
But Facebook usage among members varies widely. Some people sign up and then rarely use it. Others, including a senior citizen interviewed by WTOP, check it every single day -- multiple times a day.
GO HERE to read more.
Gas Prices Near $3 A Gallon
WASHINGTON -- Gas prices in the Washington region are close to breaking record highs for the holiday season, with drivers currently paying 33 cents more per gallon than they did a year ago.
The price of gas has never exceeded $3 per gallon during the holidays, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic, but the current regional average is $2.97 -- two cents above the national average -- and could break the $3 barrier.
A year ago, prices for self-serve regular gas averaged $2.64 a gallon across the metro area, according to AAA.
More
The price of gas has never exceeded $3 per gallon during the holidays, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic, but the current regional average is $2.97 -- two cents above the national average -- and could break the $3 barrier.
A year ago, prices for self-serve regular gas averaged $2.64 a gallon across the metro area, according to AAA.
More
WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Arrested In UK
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange surrendered to London police Tuesday as part of a Swedish sex-crimes investigation, the latest blow to an organization that faces legal, financial and technological challenges after releasing hundreds of secret U.S. diplomatic cables.
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Business Tax Commission May Not Meet Again
The Maryland Business Tax Reform Commission has canceled its meeting Tuesday and may not even meet next week to put the finishing touches on a report that advises against instituting a new form of corporate taxation called “combined reporting.”
“We have a draft of the report,” said commission chairman Ray Wacks, budget director for Howard County.
“We’re just doing some wordsmithing.”
“We’ve made our decisions” at the last meeting Nov. 16, and “we’ll probably not have another meeting,” Wacks said.
The only open question is whether the four members of the 18-member commission who voted in favor combined reporting – including two senators on the Budget and Taxation Committee -- will produce a minority report to be delivered to the governor and legislature.
GO HERE to read more.
“We have a draft of the report,” said commission chairman Ray Wacks, budget director for Howard County.
“We’re just doing some wordsmithing.”
“We’ve made our decisions” at the last meeting Nov. 16, and “we’ll probably not have another meeting,” Wacks said.
The only open question is whether the four members of the 18-member commission who voted in favor combined reporting – including two senators on the Budget and Taxation Committee -- will produce a minority report to be delivered to the governor and legislature.
GO HERE to read more.
Immigrant Impact Commission Will Ask For More Time
Despite the continuing debate about immigration policy, it took two years for the Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland to be appointed, and the members will now be asking for another year to do their work.
The legislature enacted the commission in 2008 to put together a comprehensive study on how immigrants are shaping Maryland, and make recommendations for policy going forward. No members were appointed to the commission until this year, and their first meeting as a group was in May.
One sponsor of the commission said the panel was pre-empted by a Council for New Americans the governor created by executive order.
GO HERE to read more.
The legislature enacted the commission in 2008 to put together a comprehensive study on how immigrants are shaping Maryland, and make recommendations for policy going forward. No members were appointed to the commission until this year, and their first meeting as a group was in May.
One sponsor of the commission said the panel was pre-empted by a Council for New Americans the governor created by executive order.
GO HERE to read more.
Get Up To $175 In The Clorox Bowl Cleaner Class Action
You can get up to $175 if you bought, used, or suffered property damage from using Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaners, thanks to a class action settlement.
More »
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Consumer Reports Says AT&T Is "Worst-Rated"
It won't come as a surprise to its users who have had to deal with dropped calls and poor customer service, but AT&T ranked dead last in a new Consumer Reports survey of wireless carriers.
More »
More »
Keep Getting Those Student Discounts Long After You Drop Out
Glory be to grad students, whose existence allows geezers in their 30s and beyond to be able to ask for student discounts with a straight face.
More »
More »
Supreme Court To Hear Walmart Gender Discrimination Suit
Given that Walmart is the country's largest private employer it's not terribly surprising that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to have a look at the sex discrimination lawsuit filed against the retailer -- the largest class-action suit of its kind in U.S. history.
More »
More »
University Pulls Helen Thomas Diversity Award
Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com
Wayne State University scrapped an award given in the name of long-time journalist Helen Thomas after she made controversial comments about Zionists.
Report Details Drug Company’s Close Ties With Disgraced Doctor
After a Baltimore hospital barred a cardiologist for allegedly performing unnecessary implants of heart stents, Abbott Laboratories—which manufactures some stents—hired him to do consulting and market products overseas, according to a report released today.
GO HERE to read more.
News Brief
Noam Chomsky | The Charade of Israeli-Palestinian TalksNoam Chomsky: "Washington's pathetic capitulation to Israel while pleading for a meaningless three-month freeze on settlement expansion - excluding Arab East Jerusalem - should go down as one of the most humiliating moments in U.S. diplomatic history."
Read the Article
Thom Hartmann | An Informed and Educated Electorate
Thom Hartmann, Berrett-Koehler Publishers: Today we present the next chapter in our series of installments of Thom Hartmann's book, "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country." Hartmann recalls: "After Reagan blew up the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, two very interesting things happened. The first was the rise of rightwing hate-speech talk radio, starting with Rush Limbaugh that very year. The second, which really stepped up fast after President Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which further deregulated the broadcast industry, was that the money losing news divisions of the Big Three TV networks were taken under the wings of their entertainment divisions - and wrung dry. Foreign bureaus were closed. Reporters were fired. Stories that promoted the wonders of advertisers or other companies (like movie production houses) owned by the same mega-corporations that owned the networks began to appear. And investigative journalism that cast a bright light on corporate malfeasance vanished."
Read the Article
Outline Emerges of Deal to Extend Tax Cuts, Jobless Insurance
Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Newspapers: "Leading senators from both parties on Sunday sketched the broad outline of a compromise to extend the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans in exchange for another extension of benefits for the millions of long-term unemployed. The outlines of compromise emerged after Republicans quashed an extension of unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed last week and then Senate Democrats failed on Saturday to cut off debate in order to pass legislation that would extend the tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of earners."
Read the Article
News in Brief: DREAM Act in Jeopardy, and More ...
DREAM Act in trouble in the Senate; California Prop 8 back in federal court; Wal-Mart sexist practices in court; Obama ready to cave on tax cuts; and more ...
Read the Article
Chris Hedges | Happy as a Hangman
Chris Hedges, Truthdig: "To be innocent in America means we passively permit offshore penal colonies where we torture human beings, some of whom are children. To be innocent in America is to acquiesce to the relentless corporate destruction of the ecosystem that sustains the human species. To be innocent in America is to permit the continued theft of hundreds of billions of dollars from the state by Wall Street swindlers and speculators. To be innocent in America is to stand by as insurance and pharmaceutical companies, in the name of profit, condemn ill people, including children, to die. To be innocent in America is refusing to resist wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that are not only illegal under international law but responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. This is the odd age we live in. Innocence is complicity."
Read the Article
Marriage and the Court of Public Opinion
Brian Powell, The Los Angeles Times: "In 1948, the idea of interracial marriage in the United States was almost unimaginable. The few polls on this topic at the time showed that Americans were nearly unanimous in their disapproval of it.... In the next few days, the legal battle over the constitutionality of Proposition 8, which restricted the definition of marriage to a legal union between a man and a woman, will be revisited. Californians narrowly passed this proposition in 2008. But a few months ago, a federal judge struck down the ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. Arguments for and against sustaining this judicial decision will be made."
Read the Article
Climate Deal Failure Could Devastate World's Poor, IPCC Chief Says
Stacy Feldman, SolveClimate: "Further delay in international action to slow warming would endanger vast numbers of lives in the world's poorest countries, but Cancun can still deliver decisive progress to help avert disaster, the head of the UN climate science panel said. In an interview with SolveClimate News, Rajendra Pachauri said he 'would think' that the Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 negotiations taking place in the Mexican resort would achieve at least some success toward a new climate pact."
Read the Article
The Green Economy Is Here and It Ain't Pretty
Dean Baker, Truthout: "... the ultimate triumph of recycling in Wall Street's green economy was getting Erskine Bowles as co-chair of President Obama's deficit commission. Bowles was openly getting $335,000 a year as a director of Morgan Stanley, even as he drew out plans for the future of Social Security, Medicare and tax policy for decades to come. In deference to Wall Street, none of the major media outlets noted this seeming conflict of interest."
Read the Article
The Decline and Fall of the American Empire
Alfred W. McCoy, TomDispatch: "A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don't bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting."
Read the Article
Sen. Bernie Sanders | "Today in America We Have the Most Unequal Distribution of Wealth Since the Great Depression!" (VIDEO)
Sen. Bernie Sanders, MOXnews: Sen. Bernie Sanders addresses the US Senate.
Read the Article
Read the Article
Thom Hartmann | An Informed and Educated Electorate
Thom Hartmann, Berrett-Koehler Publishers: Today we present the next chapter in our series of installments of Thom Hartmann's book, "Rebooting the American Dream: 11 Ways to Rebuild Our Country." Hartmann recalls: "After Reagan blew up the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, two very interesting things happened. The first was the rise of rightwing hate-speech talk radio, starting with Rush Limbaugh that very year. The second, which really stepped up fast after President Clinton signed the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which further deregulated the broadcast industry, was that the money losing news divisions of the Big Three TV networks were taken under the wings of their entertainment divisions - and wrung dry. Foreign bureaus were closed. Reporters were fired. Stories that promoted the wonders of advertisers or other companies (like movie production houses) owned by the same mega-corporations that owned the networks began to appear. And investigative journalism that cast a bright light on corporate malfeasance vanished."
Read the Article
Outline Emerges of Deal to Extend Tax Cuts, Jobless Insurance
Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Newspapers: "Leading senators from both parties on Sunday sketched the broad outline of a compromise to extend the expiring Bush-era tax cuts for all Americans in exchange for another extension of benefits for the millions of long-term unemployed. The outlines of compromise emerged after Republicans quashed an extension of unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed last week and then Senate Democrats failed on Saturday to cut off debate in order to pass legislation that would extend the tax cuts for all but the top 2 percent of earners."
Read the Article
News in Brief: DREAM Act in Jeopardy, and More ...
DREAM Act in trouble in the Senate; California Prop 8 back in federal court; Wal-Mart sexist practices in court; Obama ready to cave on tax cuts; and more ...
Read the Article
Chris Hedges | Happy as a Hangman
Chris Hedges, Truthdig: "To be innocent in America means we passively permit offshore penal colonies where we torture human beings, some of whom are children. To be innocent in America is to acquiesce to the relentless corporate destruction of the ecosystem that sustains the human species. To be innocent in America is to permit the continued theft of hundreds of billions of dollars from the state by Wall Street swindlers and speculators. To be innocent in America is to stand by as insurance and pharmaceutical companies, in the name of profit, condemn ill people, including children, to die. To be innocent in America is refusing to resist wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that are not only illegal under international law but responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands of people. This is the odd age we live in. Innocence is complicity."
Read the Article
Marriage and the Court of Public Opinion
Brian Powell, The Los Angeles Times: "In 1948, the idea of interracial marriage in the United States was almost unimaginable. The few polls on this topic at the time showed that Americans were nearly unanimous in their disapproval of it.... In the next few days, the legal battle over the constitutionality of Proposition 8, which restricted the definition of marriage to a legal union between a man and a woman, will be revisited. Californians narrowly passed this proposition in 2008. But a few months ago, a federal judge struck down the ban on same-sex marriage as unconstitutional. Arguments for and against sustaining this judicial decision will be made."
Read the Article
Climate Deal Failure Could Devastate World's Poor, IPCC Chief Says
Stacy Feldman, SolveClimate: "Further delay in international action to slow warming would endanger vast numbers of lives in the world's poorest countries, but Cancun can still deliver decisive progress to help avert disaster, the head of the UN climate science panel said. In an interview with SolveClimate News, Rajendra Pachauri said he 'would think' that the Nov. 29 to Dec. 10 negotiations taking place in the Mexican resort would achieve at least some success toward a new climate pact."
Read the Article
The Green Economy Is Here and It Ain't Pretty
Dean Baker, Truthout: "... the ultimate triumph of recycling in Wall Street's green economy was getting Erskine Bowles as co-chair of President Obama's deficit commission. Bowles was openly getting $335,000 a year as a director of Morgan Stanley, even as he drew out plans for the future of Social Security, Medicare and tax policy for decades to come. In deference to Wall Street, none of the major media outlets noted this seeming conflict of interest."
Read the Article
The Decline and Fall of the American Empire
Alfred W. McCoy, TomDispatch: "A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don't bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting."
Read the Article
Sen. Bernie Sanders | "Today in America We Have the Most Unequal Distribution of Wealth Since the Great Depression!" (VIDEO)
Sen. Bernie Sanders, MOXnews: Sen. Bernie Sanders addresses the US Senate.
Read the Article
Article Explains How Non-Americans Feel About U.S. Spying On Civillians Bank Accounts
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8182989/WikiLeaks-Obama-administration-shocked-by-Europe-banking-transactions-rebuke.html
Europeans are not as quick to accept the "govt knows best" attitude which is so prevalent in America. European citizens are wary of a government's desire to spy on citizens as they have good memories of how Facist Governments get their power over the people.
Europeans are not as quick to accept the "govt knows best" attitude which is so prevalent in America. European citizens are wary of a government's desire to spy on citizens as they have good memories of how Facist Governments get their power over the people.
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