http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125841816079551393.html
"...This is very much a political issue and a lot less about the substance of how many women will actually be affected," said Phillip Levine, an economist at Wellesley College who supports legal abortion and is the author of "Sex and Consequences: Abortion, Public Policy and the Economics of Fertility..." Is this a political issue or a moral one?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Paterson Assails Obama on Holding 9/11 Trial in New York - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/nyregion/17paterson.html
Is this the right move by the Obama Admionstration or is the Govenor right to say that this will just open up closed wounds?
"Gov. David A. Paterson on Monday criticized the Obama administration’s decision to try five men linked to the Sept. 11 attacks in a civilian court in Manhattan.
His comments made him one of a few Democrats to take that stand and underscored his schism with the White House.
“This is not a decision that I would have made,” the governor said. “New York was very much the epicenter of that attack; over 2,700 lives were lost.”
“It’s very painful,” he added. “We’re still having trouble getting over it. We still have been unable to rebuild that site, and having those terrorists tried so close to the attack is going to be an encumbrance on all New Yorkers...”
Is this the right move by the Obama Admionstration or is the Govenor right to say that this will just open up closed wounds?
"Gov. David A. Paterson on Monday criticized the Obama administration’s decision to try five men linked to the Sept. 11 attacks in a civilian court in Manhattan.
His comments made him one of a few Democrats to take that stand and underscored his schism with the White House.
“This is not a decision that I would have made,” the governor said. “New York was very much the epicenter of that attack; over 2,700 lives were lost.”
“It’s very painful,” he added. “We’re still having trouble getting over it. We still have been unable to rebuild that site, and having those terrorists tried so close to the attack is going to be an encumbrance on all New Yorkers...”
Sanford Herald - Tears prayers shared at vigil held at site of girl’s discovery
http://sanfordherald.com/pages/full_story/push?article-Tears-+prayers+shared+at+vigil+held+at+site+of+girl%E2%80%99s+discovery%20&id=4501891-Tears-+prayers+shared+at+vigil+held+at+site+of+girl%E2%80%99s+discovery&instance=homefirstleft
The article does not say how this child died. It is refreshing to see how the community showed their concern and worked together.
"SANFORD — More than 200 people gathered Monday night on the lawn of Swann Station Baptist Church to remember 5-year-old Shaniya Davis.
Flowers, cards and stuffed animals were left in Davis’ memory; those in attendance held candles and sang “Amazing Grace,” crying and embracing as they prayed for the girl who’d been missing for a week.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” said Sonja Pokemire of Sanford. “We all have kids. It’s something you don’t imagine happening in your community.”
A body believed to be Davis’ was found Monday afternoon, about 100 feet from Walker Road off NC-87. Police are awaiting positive identification from the victim’s family, but the search for Davis, of Fayetteville, was called off Monday..."
The article does not say how this child died. It is refreshing to see how the community showed their concern and worked together.
"SANFORD — More than 200 people gathered Monday night on the lawn of Swann Station Baptist Church to remember 5-year-old Shaniya Davis.
Flowers, cards and stuffed animals were left in Davis’ memory; those in attendance held candles and sang “Amazing Grace,” crying and embracing as they prayed for the girl who’d been missing for a week.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” said Sonja Pokemire of Sanford. “We all have kids. It’s something you don’t imagine happening in your community.”
A body believed to be Davis’ was found Monday afternoon, about 100 feet from Walker Road off NC-87. Police are awaiting positive identification from the victim’s family, but the search for Davis, of Fayetteville, was called off Monday..."
How Fed missed chance to take tough line on AIG - Nov. 16, 2009
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/16/news/companies/aig_counterparties_sigtarp/
Why isn't the public demanding answers?
"NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Federal regulators, in rushing to rescue AIG last year, failed to use their clout to negotiate concessions from business partners of the troubled insurer, a bailout overseer said on Monday.
As a result, $62.1 billion of taxpayer and AIG funds were essentially funneled to 16 banks, which were counterparties to AIG insurance contracts, according to a report by Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for the $700 billion bailout.
The amount paid to the 16 banks represented the full-dollar amount of the underlying assets that the counterparties had insured through AIG. The news that the Fed paid 100 cents on the dollar for the assets caused a big stir among..."
Why isn't the public demanding answers?
"NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Federal regulators, in rushing to rescue AIG last year, failed to use their clout to negotiate concessions from business partners of the troubled insurer, a bailout overseer said on Monday.
As a result, $62.1 billion of taxpayer and AIG funds were essentially funneled to 16 banks, which were counterparties to AIG insurance contracts, according to a report by Neil Barofsky, special inspector general for the $700 billion bailout.
The amount paid to the 16 banks represented the full-dollar amount of the underlying assets that the counterparties had insured through AIG. The news that the Fed paid 100 cents on the dollar for the assets caused a big stir among..."
Genealogy can dovetail with Political Soul
Scratch a genealogist, find a king in the woodpile. I made that up, but it should be an axiom, because kings (as Pres. Clinton and umpteen other presidents and other "king substitutes" have demonstrated) screw around a lot, and there's always some dopey girl who thinks that if she diddles with a powerful man it somehow makes her special.
However, sometimes you get REAL surprises. My daughter and I have done the genealogy thing, and there were lots of surprises there. One that wasn't a surprise was the fact that my folks have been in this country just about forever, at least as honkies go. I won't bore you with the details; let me get on with the surprises...and the not surprises.
We went the DNA route too, when we began to hit a genealogical brick wall usually in the 1600's. There are different DNA sites and different kinds of answers you get on them, and we did only 2 tests, because it's expensive: about $100 a shot.
Here's one:
http://www.dnatesting.com/404.php
We did this and were THRILLED! The test we took goes back only 5 generations, and the results will tell you if you're a mixture (approximately 1% or more of the following): Caucasian,
Native American, sub-Saharan African, and/or Asian. The "not surprises" included me... *gloom* My other origins didn't amount to the obligatory 1%. My husband's, however, were
astounding; when I read them my jaw just dropped, and my daughter almost attacked me, she was so excited and curious. His results are a challenge to all of you who think you're pure this or that. You see, his grandparents, all 4 of them, came from Czechoslovakia, yet he is (approximately) 5% sub-Saharan African, AND (of all things!) approximately 1% Native American. He looks somewhat Asian (Mongol hoards we figured), and he has been mistaken before for a Native American, but how COULD he be? One answer: slave ancestors...unless there is someone here who can suggest an alternative. Mom and/or Dad and/or Grandma and/or Grandpap screwing around would, I'm afraid, be highly unlikely. The family resemblances appear to transfer from generation to generation too consistently. Of course one never knows for sure...
So you see what I'm saying? You may be in for some real surprises if you go the DNA route to establish your ancestry.
Then there is National Geographic's Genographic Project. It will tell you the route that ONE line (mother to grandmother to great-grandmother, etc. or father to grandfather to great-grandfather, etc.) took in the trek out of Africa 60,000 years ago. Fascinating stuff!
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/lan/en/index.html
Now I get to tease Jon about having the genetic wherewithal to run for president...
However, sometimes you get REAL surprises. My daughter and I have done the genealogy thing, and there were lots of surprises there. One that wasn't a surprise was the fact that my folks have been in this country just about forever, at least as honkies go. I won't bore you with the details; let me get on with the surprises...and the not surprises.
We went the DNA route too, when we began to hit a genealogical brick wall usually in the 1600's. There are different DNA sites and different kinds of answers you get on them, and we did only 2 tests, because it's expensive: about $100 a shot.
Here's one:
http://www.dnatesting.com/404.php
We did this and were THRILLED! The test we took goes back only 5 generations, and the results will tell you if you're a mixture (approximately 1% or more of the following): Caucasian,
Native American, sub-Saharan African, and/or Asian. The "not surprises" included me... *gloom* My other origins didn't amount to the obligatory 1%. My husband's, however, were
astounding; when I read them my jaw just dropped, and my daughter almost attacked me, she was so excited and curious. His results are a challenge to all of you who think you're pure this or that. You see, his grandparents, all 4 of them, came from Czechoslovakia, yet he is (approximately) 5% sub-Saharan African, AND (of all things!) approximately 1% Native American. He looks somewhat Asian (Mongol hoards we figured), and he has been mistaken before for a Native American, but how COULD he be? One answer: slave ancestors...unless there is someone here who can suggest an alternative. Mom and/or Dad and/or Grandma and/or Grandpap screwing around would, I'm afraid, be highly unlikely. The family resemblances appear to transfer from generation to generation too consistently. Of course one never knows for sure...
So you see what I'm saying? You may be in for some real surprises if you go the DNA route to establish your ancestry.
Then there is National Geographic's Genographic Project. It will tell you the route that ONE line (mother to grandmother to great-grandmother, etc. or father to grandfather to great-grandfather, etc.) took in the trek out of Africa 60,000 years ago. Fascinating stuff!
https://genographic.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/lan/en/index.html
Now I get to tease Jon about having the genetic wherewithal to run for president...
Is White Right, Dollar Wise?
- Universal's UK 'Couples Retreat' Poster Brings Cries of Racism by Removing Black Actors
· November 16, 2009
A racially-tinged advertising decision has gone awry for the movie "Couples Retreat."
Marketers of the Vince Vaughn comedy, which stars four couples in a tropical paradise, removed black actors Faizon Love and Kali Hawk from the promotional poster used in the United Kingdom after the U.S. version used all four couples. In response to outrage over the move, a Universal spokesman said the altered poster aimed "to simplify the poster to actors who are most [recognizable] in international markets."
(U.S. Version)
(U.K. Version)
While Love and Hawk aren't generally as well known as the film's other six stars, it's still a questionable motive. As noted in a 2007 New York Times article, American films with black stars typically struggle in the overseas market. According to the article, Will Smith, the undisputed king of the American box office, ranks no better than twelfth when it comes to ticket sales internationally. Simply put, said industry watcher James Ulmer, "The international marketplace is still fairly racist."
However, there's good news for those who believe the removal of Love and Hawk from the UK poster was racist: Universal issued a statement regretting any offense it caused, and the studio has scrapped all plans to use the modified poster in other overseas markets.
More on the movie: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810045875/info
Do you believe this is racism or just good marketing?
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