By STEPHEN LABATON
Published: October 21, 2009
WASHINGTON — Responding to the growing furor over the paychecks of executives at companies that received billions of dollars in federal bailouts, the Obama administration will order the companies that received the most aid to deeply slash the compensation to their highest paid executives, an official involved in the decision said on Wednesday.
Kenneth R. Feinberg, the Treasury Department's special appointee for executive compensation, spoke yesterday in Washington.
Under the plan, which will be announced in the next few days by the Treasury Department, the seven companies that received the most assistance will have to cut the cash payouts to their 25 best-paid executives by an average of about 90 percent from last year. For many of the executives, the cash they would have received will be replaced by stock that they will be restricted from selling immediately.
And for all executives the total compensation, which includes bonuses, will drop, on average, by about 50 percent.
The companies are Citigroup, Bank of America, the American International Group, General Motors, Chrysler and the financing arms of the two automakers.
At the financial products division of A.I.G., the locus of problems that plagued the large insurer and forced its rescue with more than $180 billion in taxpayer assistance, no top executive will receive more than $200,000 in total compensation, a stunning decline from previous years in which the unit produced many wealthy executives and traders.
In contrast to previous years, an official said, executives in the financial products division will receive no other compensation, like stocks or stock options.
And at all of the companies, any executive seeking more than $25,000 in special perks — like country club memberships, private planes, limousines or company issued cars — will have to apply to the government for permission. The administration will also warn A.I.G. that it must fulfill a commitment it made to significantly reduce the $198 million in bonuses promised to employees in the financial products division.
The pay restrictions illustrate the humbling downfall of the once-proud giants, now wards of the state whose leaders’ compensation is being set by a Washington paymaster. They also show how Washington in the last year has become increasingly powerful in setting corporate policies as more companies turned to the government for money to survive.
The compensation schedules set by Kenneth R. Feinberg, the special master at Treasury handling compensation issues, comes as many other banks that received smaller but significant taxpayer assistance in the last year have been reporting huge year-end bonuses, setting off a new round of recrimination in Washington about the bailout of Wall Street.
Since his appointment last June by Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, Mr. Feinberg has spent months in negotiations with the companies as he seeks to balance compensation concerns against fears at the companies that any huge restrictions in pay could prompt an exodus of executives. Under a law adopted earlier this year, the Treasury Department was instructed to examine the salaries and bonuses for the five most-senior executives and their 20 most highly paid employees at companies that have received extraordinary assistance.
Mr. Feinberg has already achieved significant results at several companies. As a result of his discussions, Kenneth D. Lewis, the head of Bank of America who recently resigned, agreed to forgo his salary and bonus for 2009. (He will still receive a pension of $53.2 million, although Mr. Feinberg can issue an advisory opinion challenging it that would carry political weight.) And fearful of a political backlash over the pay of Andrew J. Hall, a successful energy trader who received nearly $100 million last year, Citigroup agreed two weeks ago to sell its Phibro unit that Mr. Hall heads to Occidental Petroleum.---N.Y.Times-
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Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
6 construction companies accused of using race-based pay scale: whites at top, Latinos rock bottom
By Brian Kates
Updated Thursday, October 15th 2009, 2:05 PM
Six construction companies are accused in a new state lawsuit of paying their employees according to their race - with whites at the top and Latinos at the bottom.
The suit filed by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on Thursday says the companies cheated lower-paid minority workers out of $4 million in wages and overtime.
All six firms are controlled by Michael Mahoney, a contractor exposed by the Daily News last year after workers said his companies provided them with black market federal safety certificates.
Mahoney's companies paid white workers an average hourly rate of $25, while paying African-Americans $18 and Latinos and Brazilians only $15 an hour for the same work, the suit charges.
Since 2002, the companies short-changed dozens of employes at at least 10 construction sites, Cuomo charged.
Some workers were cheated of as much as $600 a month, according to Cuomo.
The companies named in the suit include: EMC of New York Inc.; FSC Construction LLC FSC General Construction LLC; BMC Construction Contractors Corp.; Eastlake Industries, Inc., and Rigid Concrete Construction.
They all worked on New York City jobs, Cuomo said.
"To discriminate against workers based on race or ethnicity and to deny them wages...is a gross violation of the law and a disgraceful abuse of power," Cuomo said.
He said the lawsuit "should send a message to in New York - you play by the rules or face legal consequences."
Mahoney could not be reached immediately for comment. Last year, workers at several Mahoney sites told the News that they had been provided with false Occupational Safety and Health Administration certificates indicating that they had received safety training when they had not.
The workers said they received the cards, required in the city for high-rise construction, from supervisors on the job, including Mahoney's brother, Timmy Mahoney.
Both brothers denied any involvement in the issuing of black market OSHA cards.
At one point, Michael Mahoney tried to rip a camera from a News photogrpher covering the story.
One of the workers who said he was issued a bogus OSHA certificate, told the News that he and other Brazilian workers were bussed daily to Mahoney job sites from the Ironbound section of Newark and were paid less than non-minority workers.
Union investigators had been investigating wage irregularities in Manhoney's companies for several years.
Several of Mahoney's job sites have been picketed by members of the District Council of Carpenters, who erected a giant inflatible rat at some of them to protest the use of non-union labor. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/10/15/2009-10-15_6_constructions_companies_accused_of_paying.html#ixzz0U0Jj1ZX9
Updated Thursday, October 15th 2009, 2:05 PM
Six construction companies are accused in a new state lawsuit of paying their employees according to their race - with whites at the top and Latinos at the bottom.
The suit filed by state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo on Thursday says the companies cheated lower-paid minority workers out of $4 million in wages and overtime.
All six firms are controlled by Michael Mahoney, a contractor exposed by the Daily News last year after workers said his companies provided them with black market federal safety certificates.
Mahoney's companies paid white workers an average hourly rate of $25, while paying African-Americans $18 and Latinos and Brazilians only $15 an hour for the same work, the suit charges.
Since 2002, the companies short-changed dozens of employes at at least 10 construction sites, Cuomo charged.
Some workers were cheated of as much as $600 a month, according to Cuomo.
The companies named in the suit include: EMC of New York Inc.; FSC Construction LLC FSC General Construction LLC; BMC Construction Contractors Corp.; Eastlake Industries, Inc., and Rigid Concrete Construction.
They all worked on New York City jobs, Cuomo said.
"To discriminate against workers based on race or ethnicity and to deny them wages...is a gross violation of the law and a disgraceful abuse of power," Cuomo said.
He said the lawsuit "should send a message to in New York - you play by the rules or face legal consequences."
Mahoney could not be reached immediately for comment. Last year, workers at several Mahoney sites told the News that they had been provided with false Occupational Safety and Health Administration certificates indicating that they had received safety training when they had not.
The workers said they received the cards, required in the city for high-rise construction, from supervisors on the job, including Mahoney's brother, Timmy Mahoney.
Both brothers denied any involvement in the issuing of black market OSHA cards.
At one point, Michael Mahoney tried to rip a camera from a News photogrpher covering the story.
One of the workers who said he was issued a bogus OSHA certificate, told the News that he and other Brazilian workers were bussed daily to Mahoney job sites from the Ironbound section of Newark and were paid less than non-minority workers.
Union investigators had been investigating wage irregularities in Manhoney's companies for several years.
Several of Mahoney's job sites have been picketed by members of the District Council of Carpenters, who erected a giant inflatible rat at some of them to protest the use of non-union labor. Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/10/15/2009-10-15_6_constructions_companies_accused_of_paying.html#ixzz0U0Jj1ZX9
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Senate Panel Clears Health Bill With One G.O.P. Vote
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and ROBERT PEAR
Published: October 13, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee voted on Tuesday to approve legislation that would reshape the American health care system and provide subsidies to help millions of people buy insurance, as Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, joined all 13 Democrats on the panel in support of the landmark bill.
The vote was 14 to 9, with all of the other Republicans opposed.
Democrats, including President Obama, had courted Ms. Snowe’s vote, hoping that she would break with the Republican Party leadership and provide at least a veneer of bipartisanship to the bill, which Mr. Obama has declared his top domestic priority. Ms. Snowe was a main author of the bill but she had never committed to voting for it.
But shortly after 1 p.m., she announced that she was on board, in a speech that silenced the packed committee room and riveted colleagues on both sides of the dais.
“Is this bill all that I would want?” Ms. Snowe asked. “Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.”
--Related Story at---http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
Published: October 13, 2009
WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee voted on Tuesday to approve legislation that would reshape the American health care system and provide subsidies to help millions of people buy insurance, as Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, joined all 13 Democrats on the panel in support of the landmark bill.
The vote was 14 to 9, with all of the other Republicans opposed.
Democrats, including President Obama, had courted Ms. Snowe’s vote, hoping that she would break with the Republican Party leadership and provide at least a veneer of bipartisanship to the bill, which Mr. Obama has declared his top domestic priority. Ms. Snowe was a main author of the bill but she had never committed to voting for it.
But shortly after 1 p.m., she announced that she was on board, in a speech that silenced the packed committee room and riveted colleagues on both sides of the dais.
“Is this bill all that I would want?” Ms. Snowe asked. “Far from it. Is it all that it can be? No. But when history calls, history calls. And I happen to think that the consequences of inaction dictate the urgency of Congress to take every opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to solve the monumental issues of our time.”
--Related Story at---http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
Friday, October 02, 2009
Diabetes and the Flu: 6 Things You Should Know
By January W. Payne
Posted October 2, 2009
If you have diabetes, it's wise to take steps to protect yourself from both regular flu and H1N1, or swine flu, experts say, since you're more at risk for complications of the flu than people in other groups. Simply being sick at all, with a cold or the flu, can increase your blood glucose, and it may keep you from eating regularly, which also affects your blood sugar, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you're diagnosed with flu, it's very important to check blood sugar readings several times a day, says Debby Johnson, a diabetes educator and nutrition coach with Fit4D, an online personalized fitness and nutritional coaching service for people with diabetes. "Feeling tired from the flu can mask symptoms of low blood glucose and high blood glucose," she warns.
Diabetics' immune systems are more susceptible to severe cases of the flu, so you may get very sick or even have to be hospitalized, reports the CDC. The agency recommends that all diabetics get a seasonal flu shot between October and mid-November. As for the H1N1 vaccine, expected to be available soon, everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years—regardless of pre-existing medical conditions—should get the shot. People ages 25 through 64 who have diabetes or other medical conditions tied to a higher risk of complications from the flu also should be vaccinated, health officials say.
Since you can still get sick even if you do get vaccinated—albeit usually with a milder form of the illness—here are five other things diabetics should keep in mind if they get the seasonal flu or H1N1:
Check the label before taking any over-the-counter medication. Some OTC medicines, particularly cough syrups, contain sugar, which can affect blood glucose level
. "It's okay that a diabetic takes OTC medications, but whether they're sick or not, they should always be aware of the sugar content," says Marc Wolf, a pharmacist and CEO of Diabetic Care Services Inc., a Cleveland-based company that sells diabetes testing supplies. "The pharmacist can recommend medicine that has low sugar content or none at all."
Stay hydrated and eat regularly. When you're sick, it's important to drink extra calorie-free liquids and to try to eat regularly, according to the CDC. If your stomach is upset, try to consume soft foods or drinks that contain similar carbohydrate levels as you'd normally take in. And if you're not able to do this, talk to your doctor about adjusting your diabetes medication. If you have the flu and can't keep food down, that can affect the amount of medication that you should take; too much or too little can send blood sugar levels spiraling too high or too low, Johnson says.
Know when it's time to call the doctor. Diabetics who are too sick to eat or keep food down for more than six hours should call the doctor or go to the emergency room, the CDC advises. The same goes for those who are having trouble breathing or who have severe diarrhea, lose 5 pounds or more, have a temperature over 101 degrees, or have a blood glucose level lower than 60 mg/dL or over 300 mg/dL. And any signs of confusion or excessive sleepiness should prompt an immediate visit to a doctor's office or emergency room, Wolf says.
Weigh yourself daily. Weight loss without effort can be a sign of blood sugar that is too high.
Don't forget about the routine recommendations to reduce the spread of illness. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and throw the tissue away. Wash your hands with soap and water; keep hand sanitizer close (and use it); and try not to touch your nose, eyes, or mouth to reduce the spread of germs. Finally, if you do get sick, stay home to avoid spreading germs to others.
--From U.S.News&world report-Health
-http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Posted October 2, 2009
If you have diabetes, it's wise to take steps to protect yourself from both regular flu and H1N1, or swine flu, experts say, since you're more at risk for complications of the flu than people in other groups. Simply being sick at all, with a cold or the flu, can increase your blood glucose, and it may keep you from eating regularly, which also affects your blood sugar, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you're diagnosed with flu, it's very important to check blood sugar readings several times a day, says Debby Johnson, a diabetes educator and nutrition coach with Fit4D, an online personalized fitness and nutritional coaching service for people with diabetes. "Feeling tired from the flu can mask symptoms of low blood glucose and high blood glucose," she warns.
Diabetics' immune systems are more susceptible to severe cases of the flu, so you may get very sick or even have to be hospitalized, reports the CDC. The agency recommends that all diabetics get a seasonal flu shot between October and mid-November. As for the H1N1 vaccine, expected to be available soon, everyone between the ages of 6 months and 24 years—regardless of pre-existing medical conditions—should get the shot. People ages 25 through 64 who have diabetes or other medical conditions tied to a higher risk of complications from the flu also should be vaccinated, health officials say.
Since you can still get sick even if you do get vaccinated—albeit usually with a milder form of the illness—here are five other things diabetics should keep in mind if they get the seasonal flu or H1N1:
Check the label before taking any over-the-counter medication. Some OTC medicines, particularly cough syrups, contain sugar, which can affect blood glucose level
. "It's okay that a diabetic takes OTC medications, but whether they're sick or not, they should always be aware of the sugar content," says Marc Wolf, a pharmacist and CEO of Diabetic Care Services Inc., a Cleveland-based company that sells diabetes testing supplies. "The pharmacist can recommend medicine that has low sugar content or none at all."
Stay hydrated and eat regularly. When you're sick, it's important to drink extra calorie-free liquids and to try to eat regularly, according to the CDC. If your stomach is upset, try to consume soft foods or drinks that contain similar carbohydrate levels as you'd normally take in. And if you're not able to do this, talk to your doctor about adjusting your diabetes medication. If you have the flu and can't keep food down, that can affect the amount of medication that you should take; too much or too little can send blood sugar levels spiraling too high or too low, Johnson says.
Know when it's time to call the doctor. Diabetics who are too sick to eat or keep food down for more than six hours should call the doctor or go to the emergency room, the CDC advises. The same goes for those who are having trouble breathing or who have severe diarrhea, lose 5 pounds or more, have a temperature over 101 degrees, or have a blood glucose level lower than 60 mg/dL or over 300 mg/dL. And any signs of confusion or excessive sleepiness should prompt an immediate visit to a doctor's office or emergency room, Wolf says.
Weigh yourself daily. Weight loss without effort can be a sign of blood sugar that is too high.
Don't forget about the routine recommendations to reduce the spread of illness. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough and throw the tissue away. Wash your hands with soap and water; keep hand sanitizer close (and use it); and try not to touch your nose, eyes, or mouth to reduce the spread of germs. Finally, if you do get sick, stay home to avoid spreading germs to others.
--From U.S.News&world report-Health
-http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Monday, September 28, 2009
Secret Service Probing Obama Assassination Poll on Facebook
Monday, September 28, 2009
FOXnews.com
By Joshua Rhett Miller
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a "poll" posted on Facebook that asked users the most unsocial, unspeakable question: Should President Obama be assassinated?
Edwin Donovan, a spokesman for the Secret Service, said the agency will take "appropriate investigative steps" in connection to the survey, which was posted on Saturday and was quickly removed when Facebook employees were alerted to its existence.
"We are continuing our investigation," Donovan told FOXNews.com, declining further comment.
The poll asked respondents: "Should Obama be killed?"
The possible answers were "no," "maybe," yes," and "yes if he cuts my health care."
Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said a "third-party application" enabled an individual user to create what he said was an "offensive poll."
"The application was immediately suspended while the inappropriate content could be removed by the developer and until such time as the developer institutes better procedures to monitor their user-generated content," Schnitt said in a statement to FOXNews.com.
Facebook is now cooperating with the Secret Service, Schnitt said.
Bob Beckel, a Democratic Party strategist and FOX News contributor, said the individual responsible for the poll should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
"This is the kind of garbage that's generated from the extreme right against Obama, and it's going way over the line," Beckel told FOXNews.com. "It's got to be stopped. Find him, prosecute him and put him in jail."
Regardless of political persuasion, Beckel said such threats are "un-American" and simply not acceptable.
"If they don't like what Obama is doing, then maybe they ought to go out and vote for someone else," he said. "But relying on this kind of attack is un-American and unacceptable."
In November, prior to Obama's landslide election victory, officials from the Secret Service declined to comment on the number of threats he had received, but they said they saw more threats against him than any other candidate during the campaign.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
FOXnews.com
By Joshua Rhett Miller
The U.S. Secret Service is investigating a "poll" posted on Facebook that asked users the most unsocial, unspeakable question: Should President Obama be assassinated?
Edwin Donovan, a spokesman for the Secret Service, said the agency will take "appropriate investigative steps" in connection to the survey, which was posted on Saturday and was quickly removed when Facebook employees were alerted to its existence.
"We are continuing our investigation," Donovan told FOXNews.com, declining further comment.
The poll asked respondents: "Should Obama be killed?"
The possible answers were "no," "maybe," yes," and "yes if he cuts my health care."
Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said a "third-party application" enabled an individual user to create what he said was an "offensive poll."
"The application was immediately suspended while the inappropriate content could be removed by the developer and until such time as the developer institutes better procedures to monitor their user-generated content," Schnitt said in a statement to FOXNews.com.
Facebook is now cooperating with the Secret Service, Schnitt said.
Bob Beckel, a Democratic Party strategist and FOX News contributor, said the individual responsible for the poll should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
"This is the kind of garbage that's generated from the extreme right against Obama, and it's going way over the line," Beckel told FOXNews.com. "It's got to be stopped. Find him, prosecute him and put him in jail."
Regardless of political persuasion, Beckel said such threats are "un-American" and simply not acceptable.
"If they don't like what Obama is doing, then maybe they ought to go out and vote for someone else," he said. "But relying on this kind of attack is un-American and unacceptable."
In November, prior to Obama's landslide election victory, officials from the Secret Service declined to comment on the number of threats he had received, but they said they saw more threats against him than any other candidate during the campaign.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Officials: N.Y. attack was set for Sept. 11
WIRE REPORTSPublished: September 26, 2009 -----Richmond -Times Dispatch
DENVER -- An Afghan immigrant wanted to carry out a New York City terror attack involving hydrogen peroxide bombs to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary before federal authorities foiled the plan, a U.S. prosecutor said yesterday.
Tim Neff told a federal judge in Denver that Najibullah Zazi "was in the throes of making a bomb and attempting to perfect his formulation."
"The evidence suggests a chilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant was intent on making a bomb and being in New York on 9/11, for purposes of perhaps using such items," Neff said in arguing for Zazi's transfer to New York.
Ken Deal, chief deputy U.S. marshal in Denver, said Zazi was put on a U.S. government plane after U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer ordered Zazi transferred to New York City to face charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. He arrived late yesterday.
. . .
Alleged Ill., Texas plots: Two men were in custody yesterday after each tried to blow up what they thought were vehicles packed with explosives outside a Texas skyscraper and an Illinois courthouse, authorities said.
The two cases were unconnected to each other and to the New York-Denver investigation.
Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, a Jordanian who lives in Texas, appeared in court in Dallas yesterday after federal officials said he parked what he thought was an explosive-laden truck in a parking garage under the 60-story Fountain Place office tower in Dallas.
Michael C. Finton, 29, who also went by the name Talib Islam, was arrested Wednesday in Springfield, Ill., after federal officials said he attempted to detonate what he believed to be explosives in a van outside a federal courthouse in the Illinois capital.
In both cases, decoy devices were provided to the men by FBI agents posing as al-Qaida operatives. Both are charged with trying to detonate a weapon of mass destruction and face up to life in prison if convicted.
DENVER -- An Afghan immigrant wanted to carry out a New York City terror attack involving hydrogen peroxide bombs to coincide with the Sept. 11 anniversary before federal authorities foiled the plan, a U.S. prosecutor said yesterday.
Tim Neff told a federal judge in Denver that Najibullah Zazi "was in the throes of making a bomb and attempting to perfect his formulation."
"The evidence suggests a chilling, disturbing sequence of events showing the defendant was intent on making a bomb and being in New York on 9/11, for purposes of perhaps using such items," Neff said in arguing for Zazi's transfer to New York.
Ken Deal, chief deputy U.S. marshal in Denver, said Zazi was put on a U.S. government plane after U.S. Magistrate Judge Craig Shaffer ordered Zazi transferred to New York City to face charges of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. He arrived late yesterday.
. . .
Alleged Ill., Texas plots: Two men were in custody yesterday after each tried to blow up what they thought were vehicles packed with explosives outside a Texas skyscraper and an Illinois courthouse, authorities said.
The two cases were unconnected to each other and to the New York-Denver investigation.
Hosam Maher Husein Smadi, 19, a Jordanian who lives in Texas, appeared in court in Dallas yesterday after federal officials said he parked what he thought was an explosive-laden truck in a parking garage under the 60-story Fountain Place office tower in Dallas.
Michael C. Finton, 29, who also went by the name Talib Islam, was arrested Wednesday in Springfield, Ill., after federal officials said he attempted to detonate what he believed to be explosives in a van outside a federal courthouse in the Illinois capital.
In both cases, decoy devices were provided to the men by FBI agents posing as al-Qaida operatives. Both are charged with trying to detonate a weapon of mass destruction and face up to life in prison if convicted.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
What is the ACORN controversy about?
Here are the basics about ACORN and about the videos that have put the organization in hot water.
By Michael B. Farrell Staff writer/ September 16, 2009 edition
San Francisco
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is once again at the center of controversy. This time the group is in hot water over videos that show employees telling two conservative activists masquerading as a pimp and prostitute how to trick federal tax authorities.
ACORN says the videos are part of a “multiyear political assault” on the organization, which conservatives say uses tax dollars to advance a liberal agenda. But the organization also says it is “deeply disturbed” by the videos and has launched its own review of employee procedures and training.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers are using the videos as evidence for why the federal government should cut off all funding to the organization, which helps low- and moderate-income people gain access to mortgages.
On Monday, senators overwhelmingly voted to keep the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from issuing grants to ACORN. On Wednesday, Sen. Richard Shelby (R) of Alabama asked for a full-blown investigation of the group.
But how did an organization that largely concerns itself with matters of America’s poorest find itself, once again, in the sights of both lawmakers and talk-show hosts? Following are some basics about ACORN and the recent controversy.
What is ACORN?
According to the group’s website, ACORN is a collection of grass-roots organizations that serve as an advocate for the poor. It began in the 1970s and now has about 1,200 chapters. It is “committed to social and economic justice” and has worked to raise the minimum wage, end predatroy lending practices, and develop affordable housing.
But during the presidential campaign last year, a few ACORN employees working to register voters were charged with filing bogus applications. They were caught and fired. But when it was revealed that President Obama had connections with ACORN, the incident became highly politicized. Republican presidential candidate John McCain attempted to tie ACORN with Mr. Obama.
ACORN does receive federal tax dollars for some of its work. The Senate vote on the motion presented Monday by Sen. Mike Johanns (R) of Nebraska would prevent it from receiving any dollars from HUD. The group was in line to receive grants to counsel low-income homebuyers.
Senator Johanns, who also wants the US attorney general to investigate ACORN, says that the group has received $53 million in federal money since 1994.
In light of the most recent controversy, the Census Bureau has fired ACORN, which had been hired to help with the 2010 Census.
What do the videos show?
On Sept. 10, the website Biggovernment.com began posting videos of a couple who said they were operating a prostitution ring that involved underage girls from El Salvador. They went to ACORN offices in New York, Washington, California, and Maryland with essentially the same story: They wanted help hiding their illicit income from federal tax authorities.
In all the videos, ACORN employees offered their help, knowing full well what the couple’s intentions were.
Mike Flynn, editor of Biggovernment.com, said Wednesday that the site will be posting even more videos of ACORN.
Since the videos aired, ACORN has become the scorn of conservative talk-show hosts. Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly of Fox News have said the tapes prove not only that the group is “corrupt,” but also that corruption extends to the Obama administration.
“Who does the president surround himself with? ACORN and [the Service Employees International Union]. Well, gee, there’s corruption there. We can’t take anything,” Mr. Beck said.
One Republican insider told Politico: “This is an organization that has attracted attention before…. Basically, ACORN gets federal money, and it advocates for the liberal, Democrat agenda. That’s wrong, and we need to stop it.”
What is ACORN doing in light of the controversy?
On Wednesday, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said the tapes were “indefensible actions of a handful of employees” and warranted an independent review of the group’s procedures.
She said this in a statement:
“We have all been deeply disturbed by what we’ve seen in some of these videos. I must say, on behalf of ACORN’s Board and our Advisory Council, that we will go to whatever lengths necessary to reestablish the public trust. For nearly forty years, ACORN has given voice to communities, and gotten results. Right now, our nearly 500,000 member are working their hearts out for quality, affordable healthcare for every American and to help stop the foreclosure crisis. We must get this process right, so the good work can go forward.”
Can ACORN survive this latest controversy?
John Fund, an op-ed writer for The Wall Street Journal, says that this time, ACORN “may be finally running off the rails.”
He noted that last week, “11 of its workers were accused by Florida prosecutors of falsifying information on 888 voter registration forms.” He continued, “Last month, Acorn’s former Las Vegas, Nev., field director, Christopher Edwards, agreed to testify against the group in a case in which Las Vegas election officials say 48% of the voter registration forms the group turned in were ‘clearly fraudulent.’ Acorn itself is charged with 13 counts of illegally using a quota system to compensate workers in an effort to boost the number of registrations. (Acorn has denied wrongdoing in all of these cases.)”
ACORN says it is besieged – again – because of a few bad apples within their offices.
Brian Kettenring, an ACORN spokesman, told the Associated Press that Republicans were “playing politics” and trying to “stop ACORN’s good work fighting to stop the foreclosure crisis and to win quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.”
From the Christian science Monitor
-http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
By Michael B. Farrell Staff writer/ September 16, 2009 edition
San Francisco
The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) is once again at the center of controversy. This time the group is in hot water over videos that show employees telling two conservative activists masquerading as a pimp and prostitute how to trick federal tax authorities.
ACORN says the videos are part of a “multiyear political assault” on the organization, which conservatives say uses tax dollars to advance a liberal agenda. But the organization also says it is “deeply disturbed” by the videos and has launched its own review of employee procedures and training.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers are using the videos as evidence for why the federal government should cut off all funding to the organization, which helps low- and moderate-income people gain access to mortgages.
On Monday, senators overwhelmingly voted to keep the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from issuing grants to ACORN. On Wednesday, Sen. Richard Shelby (R) of Alabama asked for a full-blown investigation of the group.
But how did an organization that largely concerns itself with matters of America’s poorest find itself, once again, in the sights of both lawmakers and talk-show hosts? Following are some basics about ACORN and the recent controversy.
What is ACORN?
According to the group’s website, ACORN is a collection of grass-roots organizations that serve as an advocate for the poor. It began in the 1970s and now has about 1,200 chapters. It is “committed to social and economic justice” and has worked to raise the minimum wage, end predatroy lending practices, and develop affordable housing.
But during the presidential campaign last year, a few ACORN employees working to register voters were charged with filing bogus applications. They were caught and fired. But when it was revealed that President Obama had connections with ACORN, the incident became highly politicized. Republican presidential candidate John McCain attempted to tie ACORN with Mr. Obama.
ACORN does receive federal tax dollars for some of its work. The Senate vote on the motion presented Monday by Sen. Mike Johanns (R) of Nebraska would prevent it from receiving any dollars from HUD. The group was in line to receive grants to counsel low-income homebuyers.
Senator Johanns, who also wants the US attorney general to investigate ACORN, says that the group has received $53 million in federal money since 1994.
In light of the most recent controversy, the Census Bureau has fired ACORN, which had been hired to help with the 2010 Census.
What do the videos show?
On Sept. 10, the website Biggovernment.com began posting videos of a couple who said they were operating a prostitution ring that involved underage girls from El Salvador. They went to ACORN offices in New York, Washington, California, and Maryland with essentially the same story: They wanted help hiding their illicit income from federal tax authorities.
In all the videos, ACORN employees offered their help, knowing full well what the couple’s intentions were.
Mike Flynn, editor of Biggovernment.com, said Wednesday that the site will be posting even more videos of ACORN.
Since the videos aired, ACORN has become the scorn of conservative talk-show hosts. Glenn Beck and Bill O’Reilly of Fox News have said the tapes prove not only that the group is “corrupt,” but also that corruption extends to the Obama administration.
“Who does the president surround himself with? ACORN and [the Service Employees International Union]. Well, gee, there’s corruption there. We can’t take anything,” Mr. Beck said.
One Republican insider told Politico: “This is an organization that has attracted attention before…. Basically, ACORN gets federal money, and it advocates for the liberal, Democrat agenda. That’s wrong, and we need to stop it.”
What is ACORN doing in light of the controversy?
On Wednesday, ACORN CEO Bertha Lewis said the tapes were “indefensible actions of a handful of employees” and warranted an independent review of the group’s procedures.
She said this in a statement:
“We have all been deeply disturbed by what we’ve seen in some of these videos. I must say, on behalf of ACORN’s Board and our Advisory Council, that we will go to whatever lengths necessary to reestablish the public trust. For nearly forty years, ACORN has given voice to communities, and gotten results. Right now, our nearly 500,000 member are working their hearts out for quality, affordable healthcare for every American and to help stop the foreclosure crisis. We must get this process right, so the good work can go forward.”
Can ACORN survive this latest controversy?
John Fund, an op-ed writer for The Wall Street Journal, says that this time, ACORN “may be finally running off the rails.”
He noted that last week, “11 of its workers were accused by Florida prosecutors of falsifying information on 888 voter registration forms.” He continued, “Last month, Acorn’s former Las Vegas, Nev., field director, Christopher Edwards, agreed to testify against the group in a case in which Las Vegas election officials say 48% of the voter registration forms the group turned in were ‘clearly fraudulent.’ Acorn itself is charged with 13 counts of illegally using a quota system to compensate workers in an effort to boost the number of registrations. (Acorn has denied wrongdoing in all of these cases.)”
ACORN says it is besieged – again – because of a few bad apples within their offices.
Brian Kettenring, an ACORN spokesman, told the Associated Press that Republicans were “playing politics” and trying to “stop ACORN’s good work fighting to stop the foreclosure crisis and to win quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.”
From the Christian science Monitor
-http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
RPT-Obama warns U.S. teens of perils of Facebook
Tue Sep 8, 2009 4:55pm EDT
WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned American teenagers on Tuesday of the dangers of putting too much personal information on Internet social networking sites, saying it could come back to haunt them in later life.
The presidential words of advice follow recent studies that suggest U.S. employers are increasingly turning to sites such as Facebook and News Corp's (NWSA.O) MySpace to conduct background checks on job applicants.
Taking part in a question-and-answer session with a group of 14- and 15-year-old school students, Obama was asked by one pupil for some advice on becoming U.S. president.
"Well, let me give you some very practical tips. First of all, I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age, whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life," Obama said.
"And when you're young, you make mistakes and you do some stupid stuff. And I've been hearing a lot about young people who -- you know, they're posting stuff on Facebook, and then suddenly they go apply for a job and somebody has done a search."
Obama referred several times to "mistakes" he had made when he was at school but offered no specifics. He has previously admitted to drug use when he was younger.
A survey in June by careerbuilder.com found that 45 percent of employers used social network sites to research job candidates and that Facebook, which says it has 250 million users worldwide, was their site of choice.
Some 35 percent of the employers surveyed said they had found content on the sites that had influenced them to reject a candidate. Examples included inappropriate photographs, information about the applicants' drinking or drug use, or bad mouthing of previous employers, co-workers or clients.
The Obama White House frequently uses Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites to bypass the media and communicate directly to Americans.
WASHINGTON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama warned American teenagers on Tuesday of the dangers of putting too much personal information on Internet social networking sites, saying it could come back to haunt them in later life.
The presidential words of advice follow recent studies that suggest U.S. employers are increasingly turning to sites such as Facebook and News Corp's (NWSA.O) MySpace to conduct background checks on job applicants.
Taking part in a question-and-answer session with a group of 14- and 15-year-old school students, Obama was asked by one pupil for some advice on becoming U.S. president.
"Well, let me give you some very practical tips. First of all, I want everybody here to be careful about what you post on Facebook, because in the YouTube age, whatever you do, it will be pulled up again later somewhere in your life," Obama said.
"And when you're young, you make mistakes and you do some stupid stuff. And I've been hearing a lot about young people who -- you know, they're posting stuff on Facebook, and then suddenly they go apply for a job and somebody has done a search."
Obama referred several times to "mistakes" he had made when he was at school but offered no specifics. He has previously admitted to drug use when he was younger.
A survey in June by careerbuilder.com found that 45 percent of employers used social network sites to research job candidates and that Facebook, which says it has 250 million users worldwide, was their site of choice.
Some 35 percent of the employers surveyed said they had found content on the sites that had influenced them to reject a candidate. Examples included inappropriate photographs, information about the applicants' drinking or drug use, or bad mouthing of previous employers, co-workers or clients.
The Obama White House frequently uses Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites to bypass the media and communicate directly to Americans.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Stimulus Credited for Lifting Economy, But Worries About Unemployment Persist
By Michael A. Fletcher and Neil Irwin Washington Post Staff Writers Friday, September 4, 2009
Half a year after Congress enacted the largest economic stimulus plan in the nation's history, the measure is contributing to what increasingly looks like a budding recovery, analysts say, but significant concern remains about rising unemployment and the initiative's contribution to the federal budget deficit.
With the Obama administration under fire for what critics call unrestrained spending and polls showing the American public ambivalent about the impact of the stimulus plan, officials are pushing back, seeking to highlight the role played by their polices in fueling a recovery.
Vice President Biden, making what the White House billed as a major speech Thursday, touted the role of the $787 billion stimulus program in lifting the economy.
"The Recovery Act has played a significant role in changing the trajectory of our economy and changing the conversation about the economy in this country," Biden said in a speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "Instead of talking about the beginning of a depression, we are talking about the end of a recession."
While some congressional Republicans and others are dubious about the success of the stimulus plan, economists generally agree that the package has played a significant part in stabilizing the economy. They are less certain about the size of the impact.
"It's starting to play a role, helping us to have slightly positive rather than slightly negative GDP growth," said Phillip Swagel, an assistant Treasury secretary in the Bush administration who is now a visiting professor at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business. "It's a gigantic amount of fiscal stimulus, and anyone who tells you it has had no impact, you should be skeptical of."
--http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
Half a year after Congress enacted the largest economic stimulus plan in the nation's history, the measure is contributing to what increasingly looks like a budding recovery, analysts say, but significant concern remains about rising unemployment and the initiative's contribution to the federal budget deficit.
With the Obama administration under fire for what critics call unrestrained spending and polls showing the American public ambivalent about the impact of the stimulus plan, officials are pushing back, seeking to highlight the role played by their polices in fueling a recovery.
Vice President Biden, making what the White House billed as a major speech Thursday, touted the role of the $787 billion stimulus program in lifting the economy.
"The Recovery Act has played a significant role in changing the trajectory of our economy and changing the conversation about the economy in this country," Biden said in a speech at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "Instead of talking about the beginning of a depression, we are talking about the end of a recession."
While some congressional Republicans and others are dubious about the success of the stimulus plan, economists generally agree that the package has played a significant part in stabilizing the economy. They are less certain about the size of the impact.
"It's starting to play a role, helping us to have slightly positive rather than slightly negative GDP growth," said Phillip Swagel, an assistant Treasury secretary in the Bush administration who is now a visiting professor at Georgetown's McDonough School of Business. "It's a gigantic amount of fiscal stimulus, and anyone who tells you it has had no impact, you should be skeptical of."
--http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Senator Ted Kennedy
Wed, Aug 26, 2009 at 8:45 PM
David --Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.Sincerely,President Barack Obama---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
David --Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.Sincerely,President Barack Obama---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Some Dealers Stop Taking 'Clunkers'
By Dana HedgpethWashington Post Staff Writer Friday, August 21, 2009; 7:45 PM
Some car dealers stopped accepting new vehicles under the U.S. government's "Cash for Clunkers" program Friday because they said they want time to finish processing their paperwork before it shuts down Monday.
The program, which gave consumers vouchers worth up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle when they traded in a gas guzzler, has been considered a success by the Obama administration for stimulating the downtrodden auto industry. But the $3 billion program has nearly run out of money since it started a month ago and government officials said they would shut down the effort at 8 p.m. on Monday.
Auto dealers have made 489,269 sales under the clunkers program, according to data released Friday by the Department of Transportation. The total value of the rebates claimed by dealers is at $2 billion.
The program requires dealers to essentially front the rebates until they get reimbursed from the government. But many dealers have not yet been reimbursed. On Friday, many found it difficult to even reach the Web site for filing paperwork, perhaps because of the crush of submittals. The delays prompted the National Automobile Dealers Association to push the government to extend the deadline beyond Monday night for accepting paperwork.
Still, many dealers are not taking a chance.
Auto Nation, the biggest U.S. auto retailer in the country, said it stopped the clunkers program Friday night to make sure it had enough time to get its deals through the government's system. It is owed about $45 million for sales from the government.
Tammy Darvish, one of the largest car dealers in the Washington region, with more than two dozen stores, said she had 30 employees trying to input 400 applications into the government's site. She put up a notice on the company Web site Friday morning, stating she would not accept any more clunker deals after midnight Sunday so that her staff could process the sales they've done so far.
Darvish said the government's closing the program has meant "they've pushed the panic button," as consumers came to her dealerships Friday. She said she took in 69 clunker trade-ins. Since the program kicked off July 24, she taken in more than 1,300 clunkers and is owed $5.5 million from the government.
Other auto dealers said they were preparing for a last-minute rush of customers coming in over the weekend to get the clunker deal, even as some are short on inventory.
"We're expecting an onslaught of people," said Geoff Pohanka, who has 15 dealerships around the region.
Some car dealers stopped accepting new vehicles under the U.S. government's "Cash for Clunkers" program Friday because they said they want time to finish processing their paperwork before it shuts down Monday.
The program, which gave consumers vouchers worth up to $4,500 toward the purchase of a new, more fuel-efficient vehicle when they traded in a gas guzzler, has been considered a success by the Obama administration for stimulating the downtrodden auto industry. But the $3 billion program has nearly run out of money since it started a month ago and government officials said they would shut down the effort at 8 p.m. on Monday.
Auto dealers have made 489,269 sales under the clunkers program, according to data released Friday by the Department of Transportation. The total value of the rebates claimed by dealers is at $2 billion.
The program requires dealers to essentially front the rebates until they get reimbursed from the government. But many dealers have not yet been reimbursed. On Friday, many found it difficult to even reach the Web site for filing paperwork, perhaps because of the crush of submittals. The delays prompted the National Automobile Dealers Association to push the government to extend the deadline beyond Monday night for accepting paperwork.
Still, many dealers are not taking a chance.
Auto Nation, the biggest U.S. auto retailer in the country, said it stopped the clunkers program Friday night to make sure it had enough time to get its deals through the government's system. It is owed about $45 million for sales from the government.
Tammy Darvish, one of the largest car dealers in the Washington region, with more than two dozen stores, said she had 30 employees trying to input 400 applications into the government's site. She put up a notice on the company Web site Friday morning, stating she would not accept any more clunker deals after midnight Sunday so that her staff could process the sales they've done so far.
Darvish said the government's closing the program has meant "they've pushed the panic button," as consumers came to her dealerships Friday. She said she took in 69 clunker trade-ins. Since the program kicked off July 24, she taken in more than 1,300 clunkers and is owed $5.5 million from the government.
Other auto dealers said they were preparing for a last-minute rush of customers coming in over the weekend to get the clunker deal, even as some are short on inventory.
"We're expecting an onslaught of people," said Geoff Pohanka, who has 15 dealerships around the region.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
G.M. Puts Electric Car’s City Mileage in Triple Digits
By BILL VLASIC and NICK BUNKLEY
Published: August 11, 2009
WARREN, Mich. — General Motors said Tuesday that its Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, scheduled for release in 2011, would achieve a fuel rating of 230 miles a gallon in city driving.
The rating number, based on methodology drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, is somewhat abstract, one auto specialist said, given that much of the city driving of electric vehicles will rely solely on the battery charge.
And as eye-popping as the number was, a rival automaker, Nissan, said last week that its all-electric vehicle, the Leaf, which is scheduled to come out in late 2010, would get 367 m.p.g., using the same E.P.A. standards.
Figures for highway driving and combined city and highway use have not been completed for the Volt, but G.M.’s chief executive, Fritz Henderson, told reporters and analysts at a briefing on Tuesday that the car was expected to get more than 100 miles a gallon in combined city and highway driving.
“Our Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle will achieve unprecedented fuel economy,” Mr. Henderson said. “I’m confident that we will be in triple digits.”
The Volt can travel up to 40 miles on a single battery charge, at which point a small gasoline engine kicks in and starts to recharge the battery. The battery can be also charged in eight hours using a regular electrical outlet, Mr. Henderson said.
Nearly eight in 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day, the company said in a statement, citing Department of Transportation data. The mileage calculation for the Volt assumes that most drivers will stay within that range and not need the gasoline engine.
“Depending upon how you use the Volt, it can get mileage approaching that or much less,” Jack Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book, said. “It almost becomes an abstract number. If you are the Volt target guy who is driving under 40 miles per day, then theoretically your miles per gallon is infinite.”
The high mileage figure, though not a meaningful number to many consumers, represents “a great technical achievement” for G.M., Mr. Nerad said.
“They would like to take back the banner of technology leader,” he said. “This is certainly a shot over the bow of Toyota and Honda and others that they are serious about that.”
The E.P.A., in a statement Tuesday, said it had not tested the Volt and could not vouch for the accuracy of G.M.’s estimate. But the E.P.A. “does applaud G.M.’s commitment to designing and building the car of the future — an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs,” the agency said.
Several rivals, including Chrysler and Ford, are planning plug-ins and electric cars; Toyota is developing a plug-in version of its gas-electric hybrid.
But whether the Volt can live up to its billing has been a matter of debate. Some industry analysts note that G.M. has a poor track record of introducing green technology to the market.
G.M. is trying to persuade consumers to return to its showrooms after filing for bankruptcy on June 1 and emerging as a reorganized company with fewer brands, models and dealers.
Mr. Henderson and other G.M. executives met with groups of consumers on Monday to hear their thoughts on the company’s product lineup.
“We need to communicate what we have,” Mr. Henderson said. “The only way we’re going to make G.M. great again is to win in the market.”
Determining the cost to operate battery-powered vehicles is more complex than for those with only gasoline engines. Electricity costs can vary widely, depending on location and even the time of day when a vehicle is charged.
G.M. said the typical Volt driver would pay $2.75 for electricity to drive 100 miles and that a single overnight charge, for a customer whose utility charges less at off-peak times, could cost as little as 40 cents. Nissan estimated the cost of recharging the Leaf, which has a range of up to 100 miles, at $1 to $3.
G.M. has previously suggested that the Volt would cost about $40,000, but Mr. Henderson said Tuesday that the price had not been set and that the car would price “as it comes to market.” He was also quick to highlight a $7,500 tax credit.
Nissan says the Leaf will be cheaper than the Volt, in the range of $25,000 to $33,000.
Another issue that G.M. and Nissan are struggling to figure out is how to accommodate people who live in an urban area or an apartment without a garage and cannot easily recharge an electric car, yet could benefit the most from one.
“If you’re going to park it on the street, I don’t know what to do actually,” Mr. Henderson said. “I don’t know how to address that situation.”
Larry Dominique, Nissan’s vice president for product planning in the United States, told reporters at an automotive conference last week, “A lot of those people aren’t going to be able to get an electric vehicle initially.”
Mr. Henderson said the Volt would be a critical part of G.M.’s strategy. “Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy will be a game changer for us.”
The Volt is expected to be both a so-called halo car to draw consumers to the Chevrolet brand and a technological foundation for future electric models.
The company has built about 30 Volts so far and is testing them in various conditions.
Interest has been building in the Volt since it was introduced at auto shows in recent years. But with G.M. now 60 percent government-owned, the car has become a symbol of the company’s rebirth after its 40-day trip through bankruptcy.
Mr. Henderson said most of G.M.’s new products would be either passenger cars or fuel-efficient crossover vehicles. While the company will still build trucks and large sport utilities, the bulk of its investments will go toward smaller vehicles.
“I think the fundamental premise of planning for higher fuel prices is the right premise,” he said.
--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Published: August 11, 2009
WARREN, Mich. — General Motors said Tuesday that its Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle, scheduled for release in 2011, would achieve a fuel rating of 230 miles a gallon in city driving.
The rating number, based on methodology drafted by the Environmental Protection Agency, is somewhat abstract, one auto specialist said, given that much of the city driving of electric vehicles will rely solely on the battery charge.
And as eye-popping as the number was, a rival automaker, Nissan, said last week that its all-electric vehicle, the Leaf, which is scheduled to come out in late 2010, would get 367 m.p.g., using the same E.P.A. standards.
Figures for highway driving and combined city and highway use have not been completed for the Volt, but G.M.’s chief executive, Fritz Henderson, told reporters and analysts at a briefing on Tuesday that the car was expected to get more than 100 miles a gallon in combined city and highway driving.
“Our Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle will achieve unprecedented fuel economy,” Mr. Henderson said. “I’m confident that we will be in triple digits.”
The Volt can travel up to 40 miles on a single battery charge, at which point a small gasoline engine kicks in and starts to recharge the battery. The battery can be also charged in eight hours using a regular electrical outlet, Mr. Henderson said.
Nearly eight in 10 Americans commute fewer than 40 miles a day, the company said in a statement, citing Department of Transportation data. The mileage calculation for the Volt assumes that most drivers will stay within that range and not need the gasoline engine.
“Depending upon how you use the Volt, it can get mileage approaching that or much less,” Jack Nerad, executive editorial director of Kelley Blue Book, said. “It almost becomes an abstract number. If you are the Volt target guy who is driving under 40 miles per day, then theoretically your miles per gallon is infinite.”
The high mileage figure, though not a meaningful number to many consumers, represents “a great technical achievement” for G.M., Mr. Nerad said.
“They would like to take back the banner of technology leader,” he said. “This is certainly a shot over the bow of Toyota and Honda and others that they are serious about that.”
The E.P.A., in a statement Tuesday, said it had not tested the Volt and could not vouch for the accuracy of G.M.’s estimate. But the E.P.A. “does applaud G.M.’s commitment to designing and building the car of the future — an American-made car that will save families money, significantly reduce our dependence on foreign oil and create good-paying American jobs,” the agency said.
Several rivals, including Chrysler and Ford, are planning plug-ins and electric cars; Toyota is developing a plug-in version of its gas-electric hybrid.
But whether the Volt can live up to its billing has been a matter of debate. Some industry analysts note that G.M. has a poor track record of introducing green technology to the market.
G.M. is trying to persuade consumers to return to its showrooms after filing for bankruptcy on June 1 and emerging as a reorganized company with fewer brands, models and dealers.
Mr. Henderson and other G.M. executives met with groups of consumers on Monday to hear their thoughts on the company’s product lineup.
“We need to communicate what we have,” Mr. Henderson said. “The only way we’re going to make G.M. great again is to win in the market.”
Determining the cost to operate battery-powered vehicles is more complex than for those with only gasoline engines. Electricity costs can vary widely, depending on location and even the time of day when a vehicle is charged.
G.M. said the typical Volt driver would pay $2.75 for electricity to drive 100 miles and that a single overnight charge, for a customer whose utility charges less at off-peak times, could cost as little as 40 cents. Nissan estimated the cost of recharging the Leaf, which has a range of up to 100 miles, at $1 to $3.
G.M. has previously suggested that the Volt would cost about $40,000, but Mr. Henderson said Tuesday that the price had not been set and that the car would price “as it comes to market.” He was also quick to highlight a $7,500 tax credit.
Nissan says the Leaf will be cheaper than the Volt, in the range of $25,000 to $33,000.
Another issue that G.M. and Nissan are struggling to figure out is how to accommodate people who live in an urban area or an apartment without a garage and cannot easily recharge an electric car, yet could benefit the most from one.
“If you’re going to park it on the street, I don’t know what to do actually,” Mr. Henderson said. “I don’t know how to address that situation.”
Larry Dominique, Nissan’s vice president for product planning in the United States, told reporters at an automotive conference last week, “A lot of those people aren’t going to be able to get an electric vehicle initially.”
Mr. Henderson said the Volt would be a critical part of G.M.’s strategy. “Having a car that gets triple-digit fuel economy will be a game changer for us.”
The Volt is expected to be both a so-called halo car to draw consumers to the Chevrolet brand and a technological foundation for future electric models.
The company has built about 30 Volts so far and is testing them in various conditions.
Interest has been building in the Volt since it was introduced at auto shows in recent years. But with G.M. now 60 percent government-owned, the car has become a symbol of the company’s rebirth after its 40-day trip through bankruptcy.
Mr. Henderson said most of G.M.’s new products would be either passenger cars or fuel-efficient crossover vehicles. While the company will still build trucks and large sport utilities, the bulk of its investments will go toward smaller vehicles.
“I think the fundamental premise of planning for higher fuel prices is the right premise,” he said.
--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Friday, August 07, 2009
Contrasts with court transcend ethnicity
Sotomayor will bring a host of different experiences to bench
By David G. Savage Tribune Newspapers
August 7, 2009
WASHINGTON - -- Justice Sonia Sotomayor will bring something new and different to the Supreme Court, beyond the fact that she will be its first Latina. Her background and experiences undoubtedly will affect her thinking and influence her decisions, but they are likely to do so in ways that were hardly mentioned during the Senate fight over her confirmation.She will be the only justice whose first language was not English. She will join a court that oversees a federal law that calls for equal opportunity in schools for children who do not speak English.She has had diabetes since childhood, a medical condition that is classified as a disability under federal law. Disabled-rights advocates have suffered big defeats in the court, and they have high hopes for her. "We're very excited. We don't feel we have had a champion on the current court," said Andrew Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities. She was raised in a housing project where drugs and crime were more common than scholarly success. Sotomayor refers to herself proudly as an "affirmative-action baby," having been admitted to Princeton University with less-than-stellar SAT scores but graduating with highest honors.She will "change the conversation on affirmative action" within the court, said University of Maryland law professor Sherrilyn Ifill. The only other minority on the court, Justice Clarence Thomas, is a staunch foe, maintaining that affirmative-action policies taint the accomplishments of all minorities."Her story of how hard she worked to graduate first in her class from Princeton makes her really the poster child for the benefits of affirmative action," Ifill said. Sotomayor is also divorced with no children but has a close relationship with an extended family. "She is a modern woman with a nontraditional family," said Sylvia Lazos, a University of Nevada at Las Vegas law professor. "She is much more reflective of contemporary American society than the other justices like (Samuel) Alito and (John) Roberts." Even her personal finances look more like contemporary America compared with those of her new and wealthier colleagues at the high court. Friends say Sotomayor has struggled to pay her mortgage and credit card bills, and her financial disclosures show she has no substantial savings or stock portfolio.Before she was a judge, she served on a New York board that enforced the city's campaign finance laws, but she will be joining a court whose conservative justices are skeptical of limiting the role of money in politics. And unlike any other current justice, she has both tried cases as a prosecutor and presided over trials as judge. Friends say those experiences have given her an up-close look at how the criminal justice system works. By contrast, most of the justices have spent their careers as law professors, government lawyers and appellate judges. "She is intensely focused on the facts, not the ideology," said Los Angeles lawyer Nancy Gray, who worked with Sotomayor as a prosecutor in New York. Until now, most of the debate involving Sotomayor has focused on her ethnicity and sex. The impact of those aspects of her background may be subtle, many lawyers say, but could influence her fellow justices.After Justice Thurgood Marshall retired, several justices wrote that the first African-American justice had a powerful influence through the stories he told in their private conferences.
As a young lawyer, he traveled throughout the South to represent black defendants who often faced a white prosecutor, white judge and all-white jury. If his white colleagues had not thought much about how race could infect the criminal justice system, Marshall made sure they understood. No one suggests Sotomayor will transform justices' views. But on issues such as Immigration, drugs, sentencing and sex discrimination, Sotomayor is likely to bring a fresh perspective to the court's debates.Her first major case, due to be heard Sept. 9, will decide the constitutionality of part of the McCain-Feingold Act that forbids the broadcast of corporate-funded campaign ads. This week, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., co-sponsor of the law, voted against Sotomayor because, he said, she was not a "believer in judicial restraint." But the newly confirmed justice is more likely to uphold his measure than her more conservative colleagues whom McCain supported, including Roberts and Alito.
--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
By David G. Savage Tribune Newspapers
August 7, 2009
WASHINGTON - -- Justice Sonia Sotomayor will bring something new and different to the Supreme Court, beyond the fact that she will be its first Latina. Her background and experiences undoubtedly will affect her thinking and influence her decisions, but they are likely to do so in ways that were hardly mentioned during the Senate fight over her confirmation.She will be the only justice whose first language was not English. She will join a court that oversees a federal law that calls for equal opportunity in schools for children who do not speak English.She has had diabetes since childhood, a medical condition that is classified as a disability under federal law. Disabled-rights advocates have suffered big defeats in the court, and they have high hopes for her. "We're very excited. We don't feel we have had a champion on the current court," said Andrew Imparato, president of the American Association of People with Disabilities. She was raised in a housing project where drugs and crime were more common than scholarly success. Sotomayor refers to herself proudly as an "affirmative-action baby," having been admitted to Princeton University with less-than-stellar SAT scores but graduating with highest honors.She will "change the conversation on affirmative action" within the court, said University of Maryland law professor Sherrilyn Ifill. The only other minority on the court, Justice Clarence Thomas, is a staunch foe, maintaining that affirmative-action policies taint the accomplishments of all minorities."Her story of how hard she worked to graduate first in her class from Princeton makes her really the poster child for the benefits of affirmative action," Ifill said. Sotomayor is also divorced with no children but has a close relationship with an extended family. "She is a modern woman with a nontraditional family," said Sylvia Lazos, a University of Nevada at Las Vegas law professor. "She is much more reflective of contemporary American society than the other justices like (Samuel) Alito and (John) Roberts." Even her personal finances look more like contemporary America compared with those of her new and wealthier colleagues at the high court. Friends say Sotomayor has struggled to pay her mortgage and credit card bills, and her financial disclosures show she has no substantial savings or stock portfolio.Before she was a judge, she served on a New York board that enforced the city's campaign finance laws, but she will be joining a court whose conservative justices are skeptical of limiting the role of money in politics. And unlike any other current justice, she has both tried cases as a prosecutor and presided over trials as judge. Friends say those experiences have given her an up-close look at how the criminal justice system works. By contrast, most of the justices have spent their careers as law professors, government lawyers and appellate judges. "She is intensely focused on the facts, not the ideology," said Los Angeles lawyer Nancy Gray, who worked with Sotomayor as a prosecutor in New York. Until now, most of the debate involving Sotomayor has focused on her ethnicity and sex. The impact of those aspects of her background may be subtle, many lawyers say, but could influence her fellow justices.After Justice Thurgood Marshall retired, several justices wrote that the first African-American justice had a powerful influence through the stories he told in their private conferences.
As a young lawyer, he traveled throughout the South to represent black defendants who often faced a white prosecutor, white judge and all-white jury. If his white colleagues had not thought much about how race could infect the criminal justice system, Marshall made sure they understood. No one suggests Sotomayor will transform justices' views. But on issues such as Immigration, drugs, sentencing and sex discrimination, Sotomayor is likely to bring a fresh perspective to the court's debates.Her first major case, due to be heard Sept. 9, will decide the constitutionality of part of the McCain-Feingold Act that forbids the broadcast of corporate-funded campaign ads. This week, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., co-sponsor of the law, voted against Sotomayor because, he said, she was not a "believer in judicial restraint." But the newly confirmed justice is more likely to uphold his measure than her more conservative colleagues whom McCain supported, including Roberts and Alito.
--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Bodies litter streets after Nigeria unrest
By Aminu Abubakar (AFP) – 7 hours ago
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Bodies littered the streets here Saturday after Nigerian forces crushed an Islamist sect's uprising two days earlier and controversially gunned down its leader following his capture.
Dozens of armed soldiers and riot police also guarded strategic points in the northern city of Maiduguri, where troops carried out a brutal assault on the base of the self-styled Taliban earlier this week.
On Saturday, authorities searched cars and questioned passers-by in the city, where an AFP reporter saw more than 30 decomposing bodies in three different districts.
The air was pungent behind a Maiduguri hospital, whose morgue, according to hospital sources, was overflowing with corpses.
International Committee of the Red Cross official Halima Bulama said her organisation was concerned about a possible disease outbreak if the decaying corpses were not collected.
"We are really worried about a possible outbreak of diseases like cholera due to the presence of decomposing corpses on the streets of Maiduguri which is constituting a serious health risk," she told AFP.
Government spokesman Usman Chiroma said efforts were underway to pick up the corpses, a task he described as "enormous".
"The government is making efforts to evacuate the dead bodies from the streets of Maiduguri. We have mobilised men and equipment for this job.
"However, it is a an enormous task given the paucity of our human resources," he told AFP.
A grocer in the area, Usman Madi, 35, said: "We pray that authorities either give these decomposing bodies a mass burial or make a public announcement for relations to pick them up for burial."
Security forces this week put down the uprising in four northern states in clashes that killed more than 600 people, according to police and witnesses.
The chief of defence staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike, on a visit to Maiduguri on Friday vowed that "the military will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that no such incidents occur."
"We are up to the task, as we have the capability to crush any breach of Nigerian security," he said after touring Maiduguri, the scene of the worst fighting over the past week.
Security forces' killing of the sect leader, Mohammed Yusuf, has been condemned by rights groups.
A senior police officer said the leader of the movement, which is also known as Boko Haram, was killed in a shootout as he tried to escape, but another officer said Yusuf had pleaded for mercy before being gunned down.
Army sources had said he had been seized earlier in a hideout near his house.
Information Minister Dora Akunyili said the shooting of Yusuf had prevented violence from spreading across the country's Muslim north.
"It's the best thing that could have happened to Nigeria," she told AFP.
Amnesty International on Friday condemned "illegal killings" by the security forces as they quelled the uprising and called for an investigation into the killing of Yusuf.
"Anyone responsible for illegal killings should be brought to justice, including officials with chain-of-command responsibility who order or tolerate illegal killings by those under their command," Amnesty said in a statement.
"The use of excessive force by the military when dealing with clashes is a frequent occurrence, often resulting in the death of bystanders," the London-based rights organisation also said.
Nigerian security forces have often been accused of extra-judicial killings and rights violations, charges which authorities in Abuja have always refuted.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — Bodies littered the streets here Saturday after Nigerian forces crushed an Islamist sect's uprising two days earlier and controversially gunned down its leader following his capture.
Dozens of armed soldiers and riot police also guarded strategic points in the northern city of Maiduguri, where troops carried out a brutal assault on the base of the self-styled Taliban earlier this week.
On Saturday, authorities searched cars and questioned passers-by in the city, where an AFP reporter saw more than 30 decomposing bodies in three different districts.
The air was pungent behind a Maiduguri hospital, whose morgue, according to hospital sources, was overflowing with corpses.
International Committee of the Red Cross official Halima Bulama said her organisation was concerned about a possible disease outbreak if the decaying corpses were not collected.
"We are really worried about a possible outbreak of diseases like cholera due to the presence of decomposing corpses on the streets of Maiduguri which is constituting a serious health risk," she told AFP.
Government spokesman Usman Chiroma said efforts were underway to pick up the corpses, a task he described as "enormous".
"The government is making efforts to evacuate the dead bodies from the streets of Maiduguri. We have mobilised men and equipment for this job.
"However, it is a an enormous task given the paucity of our human resources," he told AFP.
A grocer in the area, Usman Madi, 35, said: "We pray that authorities either give these decomposing bodies a mass burial or make a public announcement for relations to pick them up for burial."
Security forces this week put down the uprising in four northern states in clashes that killed more than 600 people, according to police and witnesses.
The chief of defence staff, Air Marshal Paul Dike, on a visit to Maiduguri on Friday vowed that "the military will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that no such incidents occur."
"We are up to the task, as we have the capability to crush any breach of Nigerian security," he said after touring Maiduguri, the scene of the worst fighting over the past week.
Security forces' killing of the sect leader, Mohammed Yusuf, has been condemned by rights groups.
A senior police officer said the leader of the movement, which is also known as Boko Haram, was killed in a shootout as he tried to escape, but another officer said Yusuf had pleaded for mercy before being gunned down.
Army sources had said he had been seized earlier in a hideout near his house.
Information Minister Dora Akunyili said the shooting of Yusuf had prevented violence from spreading across the country's Muslim north.
"It's the best thing that could have happened to Nigeria," she told AFP.
Amnesty International on Friday condemned "illegal killings" by the security forces as they quelled the uprising and called for an investigation into the killing of Yusuf.
"Anyone responsible for illegal killings should be brought to justice, including officials with chain-of-command responsibility who order or tolerate illegal killings by those under their command," Amnesty said in a statement.
"The use of excessive force by the military when dealing with clashes is a frequent occurrence, often resulting in the death of bystanders," the London-based rights organisation also said.
Nigerian security forces have often been accused of extra-judicial killings and rights violations, charges which authorities in Abuja have always refuted.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
House Democrat holdouts agree to move forward on health care bill
Up dated 7-29-009
(CNN) -- A group of fiscally conservative House Democrats announced Wednesday they had reached a deal with the chamber's Democratic leaders on a bill that would revamp the nation's health care system.
President Obama stresses the urgency of health care reform at a town hall meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas, speaking for four of the Blue Dog Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said Wednesday that the agreement called for the panel to begin debating the bill later in the day, but for the full House not to vote until after the August recess.
Ross and the Blue Dogs had threatened to derail the bill in the committee because of concerns that it costs too much and fails to address systemic problems in the nation's ailing health care industry. It was not immediately clear Wednesday if other Blue Dogs beyond the four represented by Ross would agree to the deal he announced.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is the last of three House committees required to pass the bill before it goes to the full chamber.
The Blue Dogs had presented committee chairman Rep. Henry Waxman a list of 10 items that they wanted changed in health care reform proposals. Neither side revealed what the 10 items were.
Waxman said his committee would take up the bill Wednesday at 4 p.m., with hopes of approving it by Friday.
Ross said the deal between four Blue Dogs on the House committee, the House Democratic leadership and the White House lowers the cost of the House health care reform plan by $100 billion and also exempts businesses with payrolls below $500,000 from having to provide health coverage for workers.
Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in reform
He also said the bill's government-funded public insurance option -- a key provision for President Obama and Democratic leaders -- would be a choice for consumers instead of coverage forced on people without health insurance.
Republican opponents of the public option and some Democrats, warn such a not-for-profit plan would have a competitive advantage over private insurers and eventually wipe them out.
"The public option will be required to negotiate with health care providers just like private insurance companies do to insure we have a level playing field," Ross said.
The announcement came as Obama held a town hall meeting on health care in Raleigh, North Carolina. Another town hall meeting is scheduled for later Wednesday afternoon at a Kroger grocery story in Bristol, Virginia.
If Congress fails to act soon, Obama warned the Raleigh audience, health costs will double over the next decade, make millions more Americans uninsured and bankrupt government on both the state and federal levels.
The president accused his critics of mischaracterizing his plan as a government takeover of health care.
"No one is talking about some government takeover," he said. "I'm tired of hearing that. ... These folks need to stop scaring everybody."
He also brushed aside criticism that the plan is being rushed through Congress without adequate time for review and debate.
Congressmen will have plenty of time to read the bill, Obama insisted. Noting that Congress won't finish deliberating the legislation until after its August recess, Obama said he'd be willing to invite any representative or senator over to the White House to review the bill "line by line."
Earlier Wednesday, CNN obtained an e-mail from a top aide of Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus that aimed to debunk a Washington Post headline that negotiators in that chamber were close to a deal.
"While progress has been made in recent days, neither an accord nor an announcement is imminent," wrote Russ Sullivan, Democratic staff director for the committee. "In fact, significant policy issues remain to be discussed among the Members, and any one of these issues could preclude bipartisan agreement."
While several senators have been more upbeat about the negotiators' progress over the past 24 hours, there is also concern about managing expectations, and about backlash from senators left out of negotiations who have not been briefed on all the details of the talks.
Still, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa told National Public Radio on Wednesday morning they are "on the edge" of a deal this week.
CNN's Dana Bash, Evan Glass, Deirdre Walsh and Ed Henry contributed to this report.
---http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
(CNN) -- A group of fiscally conservative House Democrats announced Wednesday they had reached a deal with the chamber's Democratic leaders on a bill that would revamp the nation's health care system.
President Obama stresses the urgency of health care reform at a town hall meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Rep. Mike Ross of Arkansas, speaking for four of the Blue Dog Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said Wednesday that the agreement called for the panel to begin debating the bill later in the day, but for the full House not to vote until after the August recess.
Ross and the Blue Dogs had threatened to derail the bill in the committee because of concerns that it costs too much and fails to address systemic problems in the nation's ailing health care industry. It was not immediately clear Wednesday if other Blue Dogs beyond the four represented by Ross would agree to the deal he announced.
The Energy and Commerce Committee is the last of three House committees required to pass the bill before it goes to the full chamber.
The Blue Dogs had presented committee chairman Rep. Henry Waxman a list of 10 items that they wanted changed in health care reform proposals. Neither side revealed what the 10 items were.
Waxman said his committee would take up the bill Wednesday at 4 p.m., with hopes of approving it by Friday.
Ross said the deal between four Blue Dogs on the House committee, the House Democratic leadership and the White House lowers the cost of the House health care reform plan by $100 billion and also exempts businesses with payrolls below $500,000 from having to provide health coverage for workers.
Obama: No reduced Medicare benefits in reform
He also said the bill's government-funded public insurance option -- a key provision for President Obama and Democratic leaders -- would be a choice for consumers instead of coverage forced on people without health insurance.
Republican opponents of the public option and some Democrats, warn such a not-for-profit plan would have a competitive advantage over private insurers and eventually wipe them out.
"The public option will be required to negotiate with health care providers just like private insurance companies do to insure we have a level playing field," Ross said.
The announcement came as Obama held a town hall meeting on health care in Raleigh, North Carolina. Another town hall meeting is scheduled for later Wednesday afternoon at a Kroger grocery story in Bristol, Virginia.
If Congress fails to act soon, Obama warned the Raleigh audience, health costs will double over the next decade, make millions more Americans uninsured and bankrupt government on both the state and federal levels.
The president accused his critics of mischaracterizing his plan as a government takeover of health care.
"No one is talking about some government takeover," he said. "I'm tired of hearing that. ... These folks need to stop scaring everybody."
He also brushed aside criticism that the plan is being rushed through Congress without adequate time for review and debate.
Congressmen will have plenty of time to read the bill, Obama insisted. Noting that Congress won't finish deliberating the legislation until after its August recess, Obama said he'd be willing to invite any representative or senator over to the White House to review the bill "line by line."
Earlier Wednesday, CNN obtained an e-mail from a top aide of Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus that aimed to debunk a Washington Post headline that negotiators in that chamber were close to a deal.
"While progress has been made in recent days, neither an accord nor an announcement is imminent," wrote Russ Sullivan, Democratic staff director for the committee. "In fact, significant policy issues remain to be discussed among the Members, and any one of these issues could preclude bipartisan agreement."
While several senators have been more upbeat about the negotiators' progress over the past 24 hours, there is also concern about managing expectations, and about backlash from senators left out of negotiations who have not been briefed on all the details of the talks.
Still, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa told National Public Radio on Wednesday morning they are "on the edge" of a deal this week.
CNN's Dana Bash, Evan Glass, Deirdre Walsh and Ed Henry contributed to this report.
---http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com
Monday, July 27, 2009
Poll: Obama's Popularity Lifts U.S. Global Image
The verdict is in: President Barack Obama is popular around the world and improving the U.S.'s global image
By KRISTINA WONGJuly 23, 2009
A Pew Research Poll released today shows that the image of the United States has "improved markedly in most parts of the world," largely because of the high levels of global confidence and trust in Obama. Improvements were especially high in Western Europe, but attitudes toward America also warmed in Canada, Mexico, Argentina and urban populations in Brazil, India and China. Nearly 27,000 interviews were conducted in 24 nations, as well as the Palestinian territories.
"His personal popularity and new respect for the U.S. having elected him translates positively for the U.S. image," former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said today, speaking on a Washington, D.C., panel with Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut and former U.N. Ambassador John Danforth, who's also a former GOP senator from Missouri.
The survey notes that confidence in Obama's "foreign policy judgments stands behind a resurgent U.S. image in many countries" and those surveyed indicated a belief that Obama will "do the right thing" in regard to world affairs.
The survey, conducted by the non-partisan Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, showed that favorable ratings for both the nation and Americans have soared in Western Europe. In Germany, favorable opinion of the United States more than doubled, from 31 percent in 2008 to 64 percent in 2009.
There were "signs of improvement" in predominantly Muslim countries that held overwhelming negative views of the United States during the George W. Bush administration.
Among predominantly Muslim countries, the United States was most popular in Indonesia, where Obama spent part of his childhood. For the first time in the course of Pew's surveys among Muslim publics, confidence in Obama topped confidence in Osama bin Laden.
There was only a modest increase in favorable views of the United States among Muslims in the Middle East, with the largest being in Jordan, with a 6 percent increase.
While the survey showed that overall opinion of the United States remained "largely unfavorable" among Muslims in the Middle East, there was a three-fold increase in confidence in Obama from the Bush administration in 2008 in Egypt and Jordan.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
By KRISTINA WONGJuly 23, 2009
A Pew Research Poll released today shows that the image of the United States has "improved markedly in most parts of the world," largely because of the high levels of global confidence and trust in Obama. Improvements were especially high in Western Europe, but attitudes toward America also warmed in Canada, Mexico, Argentina and urban populations in Brazil, India and China. Nearly 27,000 interviews were conducted in 24 nations, as well as the Palestinian territories.
"His personal popularity and new respect for the U.S. having elected him translates positively for the U.S. image," former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said today, speaking on a Washington, D.C., panel with Pew Research Center president Andrew Kohut and former U.N. Ambassador John Danforth, who's also a former GOP senator from Missouri.
The survey notes that confidence in Obama's "foreign policy judgments stands behind a resurgent U.S. image in many countries" and those surveyed indicated a belief that Obama will "do the right thing" in regard to world affairs.
The survey, conducted by the non-partisan Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes Project, showed that favorable ratings for both the nation and Americans have soared in Western Europe. In Germany, favorable opinion of the United States more than doubled, from 31 percent in 2008 to 64 percent in 2009.
There were "signs of improvement" in predominantly Muslim countries that held overwhelming negative views of the United States during the George W. Bush administration.
Among predominantly Muslim countries, the United States was most popular in Indonesia, where Obama spent part of his childhood. For the first time in the course of Pew's surveys among Muslim publics, confidence in Obama topped confidence in Osama bin Laden.
There was only a modest increase in favorable views of the United States among Muslims in the Middle East, with the largest being in Jordan, with a 6 percent increase.
While the survey showed that overall opinion of the United States remained "largely unfavorable" among Muslims in the Middle East, there was a three-fold increase in confidence in Obama from the Bush administration in 2008 in Egypt and Jordan.
---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Obama: Police who arrested professor 'acted stupidly'
(CNN) -- President Obama said that police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, "acted stupidly" in arresting a prominent black Harvard professor last week after a confrontation at the man's home.
Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. talks Wednesday about his ordeal with Cambridge police.
"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference.
Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday.
Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend.
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."
The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Watch the president address the incident »
The mayor of Cambridge said she is going to meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that caused Gates' arrest does not happen again.
"This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," Mayor E. Denise Simmons said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge."
Gates said Simmons called him to apologize.
He told CNN on Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive.
"This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Have race relations improved since Obama's election?
Gates said he'd be prepared to forgive the arresting officer "if he told the truth" about what the director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research said were "fabrications" in the police report.
The officer, Sgt. James Crowley, told CNN affiliate WCVB earlier Wednesday that he will not apologize.
"There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing," he said.
Gates said the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, called him to apologize about the incident, in which he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
CNN could not confirm Wednesday night that an apology was made. Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons did not respond to requests by CNN for comment.
Crowley wrote in the Cambridge police report that Gates refused to step outside to speak with him, the police report said, and when Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.
The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.
"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report.
Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station.
He said Wednesday that he and his lawyers were considering further actions, not excluding a lawsuit.
Gates said that although the ordeal had upset him, "I would do the same thing exactly again."
Earlier this week, a prosecutor dropped the charge against Gates and the city's police department recommended that the matter not be pursued.
CNN.com-----Black in America 2
Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. talks Wednesday about his ordeal with Cambridge police.
"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played," Obama said Wednesday night while taking questions after a White House news conference.
Cambridge authorities dropped disorderly conduct charges against Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Tuesday.
Obama defended Gates on Wednesday night, while admitting that he may be "a little biased," because Gates is a friend.
"But I think it's fair to say, No. 1, any of us would be pretty angry; No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, No. 3 ... that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."
The incident, Obama said, shows "how race remains a factor in this society." Watch the president address the incident »
The mayor of Cambridge said she is going to meet with the city's police chief to make sure the scenario that caused Gates' arrest does not happen again.
"This suggests that something happened that should not have happened," Mayor E. Denise Simmons said on CNN's "American Morning." "The situation is certainly unfortunate. This can't happen again in Cambridge."
Gates said Simmons called him to apologize.
He told CNN on Wednesday that although charges had been dropped, he will keep the issue alive.
"This is not about me; this is about the vulnerability of black men in America," Gates told CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Have race relations improved since Obama's election?
Gates said he'd be prepared to forgive the arresting officer "if he told the truth" about what the director of Harvard's W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research said were "fabrications" in the police report.
The officer, Sgt. James Crowley, told CNN affiliate WCVB earlier Wednesday that he will not apologize.
"There are not many certainties in life, but it is for certain that Sgt. Crowley will not be apologizing," he said.
Gates said the mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, called him to apologize about the incident, in which he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
CNN could not confirm Wednesday night that an apology was made. Cambridge Mayor E. Denise Simmons did not respond to requests by CNN for comment.
Crowley wrote in the Cambridge police report that Gates refused to step outside to speak with him, the police report said, and when Crowley told Gates that he was investigating a possible break-in, Gates opened the front door and exclaimed, "Why, because I'm a black man in America?" the report said.
The report said Gates initially refused to show the officer identification, but eventually produced a Harvard identification card, prompting Crowley to radio for Harvard University Police.
"While I was led to believe that Gates was lawfully in the residence, I was quite surprised and confused with the behavior he exhibited toward me," Crowley said, according to the report.
Gates was arrested for "loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space" and was released from police custody after spending four hours at the police station.
He said Wednesday that he and his lawyers were considering further actions, not excluding a lawsuit.
Gates said that although the ordeal had upset him, "I would do the same thing exactly again."
Earlier this week, a prosecutor dropped the charge against Gates and the city's police department recommended that the matter not be pursued.
CNN.com-----Black in America 2
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Banks with bailout funds say loans rise: survey
Sun Jul 19, 2009 12:29am EDT
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 80 percent of the U.S. banks that received federal bailout funds said the money had helped them increase lending or avoid a drop in lending as the recession worsened earlier this year, according to a new survey released on Sunday.
The survey by the Special Inspector General for the U.S. Treasury's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) found nearly 40 percent of the 360 banks surveyed had used some of the funds to build up capital cushions to absorb unanticipated losses.
And a third of the institutions said they had invested some of the TARP money into mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae (FNM.N) and Freddie Mac (FRE.N).
The survey, conducted from February to June, was aimed at answering a question on the minds of many lawmakers, policy makers and commentators: What have banks done with their bailout money?
The original bank capital infusion program approved by the administration of George W. Bush in October 2008 did not require detailed information from banks on use of TARP funds.
TARP inspector general Neil Barofsky recommended in the report that Treasury require TARP recipients to submit periodic reports to Treasury on their use of the funds, "such as lending, investments, acquisitions and other activities, including a description of what actions they were able to take that they would not have taken without TARP funding."
The survey did not make public results from individual banks, partly to address their concerns about divulging business-sensitive information.
But of the 360 banks surveyed, 300 or 83 percent, said it was used to supplement lending activities. About 29 percent of institutions said they used TARP funds to make residential loans, 18 percent used TARP funds for commercial mortgages and 17 percent said they made other consumer loans with TARP funds, such as auto loans and personal lines of credit.
Among the 40 percent of banks that said they used TARP funds to bolster capital cushions, economic uncertainty was a key factor cited. The report cited the following quote as a typical response in this area: It was "in the best interest of (the bank's) shareholders for the company to gain additional liquidity and a further capital cushion against the economic uncertainties that lay ahead."
Another 52 institutions, or 14 percent, said they used the funds to pay off other debts because the government funding was more cost effective.
Another 15 banks, or four percent, said they used TARP funds for acquisitions, mostly to take over failed banks at the request of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the regulator that administers most bank failures.
Most TARP participants said they did not segregate the taxpayer funds from their other capital or borrowings.
(Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Todd Eastham)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 80 percent of the U.S. banks that received federal bailout funds said the money had helped them increase lending or avoid a drop in lending as the recession worsened earlier this year, according to a new survey released on Sunday.
The survey by the Special Inspector General for the U.S. Treasury's $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) found nearly 40 percent of the 360 banks surveyed had used some of the funds to build up capital cushions to absorb unanticipated losses.
And a third of the institutions said they had invested some of the TARP money into mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie Mae (FNM.N) and Freddie Mac (FRE.N).
The survey, conducted from February to June, was aimed at answering a question on the minds of many lawmakers, policy makers and commentators: What have banks done with their bailout money?
The original bank capital infusion program approved by the administration of George W. Bush in October 2008 did not require detailed information from banks on use of TARP funds.
TARP inspector general Neil Barofsky recommended in the report that Treasury require TARP recipients to submit periodic reports to Treasury on their use of the funds, "such as lending, investments, acquisitions and other activities, including a description of what actions they were able to take that they would not have taken without TARP funding."
The survey did not make public results from individual banks, partly to address their concerns about divulging business-sensitive information.
But of the 360 banks surveyed, 300 or 83 percent, said it was used to supplement lending activities. About 29 percent of institutions said they used TARP funds to make residential loans, 18 percent used TARP funds for commercial mortgages and 17 percent said they made other consumer loans with TARP funds, such as auto loans and personal lines of credit.
Among the 40 percent of banks that said they used TARP funds to bolster capital cushions, economic uncertainty was a key factor cited. The report cited the following quote as a typical response in this area: It was "in the best interest of (the bank's) shareholders for the company to gain additional liquidity and a further capital cushion against the economic uncertainties that lay ahead."
Another 52 institutions, or 14 percent, said they used the funds to pay off other debts because the government funding was more cost effective.
Another 15 banks, or four percent, said they used TARP funds for acquisitions, mostly to take over failed banks at the request of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the regulator that administers most bank failures.
Most TARP participants said they did not segregate the taxpayer funds from their other capital or borrowings.
(Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Todd Eastham)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Obama Visit Stirs Pride Among Ghanaians
By Karin Brulliard Washington Post Foreign Service Saturday, July 11, 2009; 2:24 PM
ACCRA, Ghana, July 11 -- President Obama gave no public speech for the masses on his first visit as president to sub-Saharan Africa on Saturday. So Ghanaians who had eagerly awaited his visit listened to his words in places like Nyasa Enterprise, a dim one-room barbershop with a plastic wall clock and a poster of Jesus.
There, as owner Ebenezer Owusu, 30, shaved the head and face of a client, three of his friends sat in lawn chairs and watched a small television, on which Obama was pledging to help Africa but insisting Africa also help itself.
"We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans," Obama said, speaking before parliament at a conference center a few miles away.
It was a message that went over well in this single outpost of Ghana's capital. Ghana, a stable democracy, is doing better than many African countries, the patrons said, but it has plenty of problems. Indeed, Ghana ranks in the middle on Transparency International's corruption index, and 80 percent of its population lives on less than $2 a day.
"It's good that he was hammering on that point," Kofi Kennedy, 30, a hotel manager. "Because the money comes in, and as I'm sitting here, I'm not privy to what they're using it for. At the end of the day, it's the Ghanaians who suffer."
Out in the streets, several proud Ghanaians sported t-shirts, stocking caps and dresses printed with images of President Obama, who is making rounds this morning on his first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa.
But although the setting was the sultry West African coast, the environment was American-style security. About 10,000 police officers lined city streets and blocked roads near Obama's itinerary stops, dogs sniffed around the building where Obama addressed parliament and helicopters flew overhead. Despite the excitement, some Ghanaians expressed regret that they had no chance to see the first American black president, a man they view as one of them.
"We are not tourists. We are Africans. This is our home," said Muhammad Bako, a businessman who was standing with about 40 onlookers near a police checkpoint several blocks from the conference center. "So they should set up a situation where we could see him."
In Ghana, like many African countries, life is largely lived in public. But Obama outlined his Africa policy to lawmakers and dignitaries in a conference center, not in the oceanfront Independence Square named for Ghana's emergence in 1957 as the first African country to shed colonialism.
Ghanaian officials attributed the indoor venue to security concerns and seasonal downpours, but some analysts said Obama made the choice to underscore the seriousness of his visit. Obama has said he chose to come to Ghana for its strong history of holding elections in which power has been peacefully handed to one party to another, and to emphasize good governance.
Early this morning, Obama told his hosts he had opted for a quick stop in Ghana at the tail of a world tour -- as opposed to a one-week visit to various African countries -- to emphasize that "Africa is not separate from world affairs."
That was welcome news to Ghanaians, who have been oozing thrill about Obama's visit. Even so, the private speech meant no large crowds formed, and many went about their days as usual.
From---Washington Post
See--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
ACCRA, Ghana, July 11 -- President Obama gave no public speech for the masses on his first visit as president to sub-Saharan Africa on Saturday. So Ghanaians who had eagerly awaited his visit listened to his words in places like Nyasa Enterprise, a dim one-room barbershop with a plastic wall clock and a poster of Jesus.
There, as owner Ebenezer Owusu, 30, shaved the head and face of a client, three of his friends sat in lawn chairs and watched a small television, on which Obama was pledging to help Africa but insisting Africa also help itself.
"We must start from the simple premise that Africa's future is up to Africans," Obama said, speaking before parliament at a conference center a few miles away.
It was a message that went over well in this single outpost of Ghana's capital. Ghana, a stable democracy, is doing better than many African countries, the patrons said, but it has plenty of problems. Indeed, Ghana ranks in the middle on Transparency International's corruption index, and 80 percent of its population lives on less than $2 a day.
"It's good that he was hammering on that point," Kofi Kennedy, 30, a hotel manager. "Because the money comes in, and as I'm sitting here, I'm not privy to what they're using it for. At the end of the day, it's the Ghanaians who suffer."
Out in the streets, several proud Ghanaians sported t-shirts, stocking caps and dresses printed with images of President Obama, who is making rounds this morning on his first presidential visit to sub-Saharan Africa.
But although the setting was the sultry West African coast, the environment was American-style security. About 10,000 police officers lined city streets and blocked roads near Obama's itinerary stops, dogs sniffed around the building where Obama addressed parliament and helicopters flew overhead. Despite the excitement, some Ghanaians expressed regret that they had no chance to see the first American black president, a man they view as one of them.
"We are not tourists. We are Africans. This is our home," said Muhammad Bako, a businessman who was standing with about 40 onlookers near a police checkpoint several blocks from the conference center. "So they should set up a situation where we could see him."
In Ghana, like many African countries, life is largely lived in public. But Obama outlined his Africa policy to lawmakers and dignitaries in a conference center, not in the oceanfront Independence Square named for Ghana's emergence in 1957 as the first African country to shed colonialism.
Ghanaian officials attributed the indoor venue to security concerns and seasonal downpours, but some analysts said Obama made the choice to underscore the seriousness of his visit. Obama has said he chose to come to Ghana for its strong history of holding elections in which power has been peacefully handed to one party to another, and to emphasize good governance.
Early this morning, Obama told his hosts he had opted for a quick stop in Ghana at the tail of a world tour -- as opposed to a one-week visit to various African countries -- to emphasize that "Africa is not separate from world affairs."
That was welcome news to Ghanaians, who have been oozing thrill about Obama's visit. Even so, the private speech meant no large crowds formed, and many went about their days as usual.
From---Washington Post
See--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Australian Town Bans Bottled Water
By Steve Aquino Thu July 9, 2009 7:13 AM PST
Residents of Bundanoon, New South Wales, Australia have voted to ban the sale of bottled water in their rural town—probably the first in the world to do so. Only two voters opposed the ban. Why?
Bundanoon's battle against the bottle has been brewing for years, ever since a Sydney-based beverage company announced plans to build a water extraction plant in the town. Residents were furious over the prospect of an outsider taking their water, trucking it up to Sydney for processing and then selling it back to them. The town is still fighting the company's proposal in court.
In other words, bottling water wastes an incredible amount of resources—natural and capital. (Producing the bottles for the American market requires 17 million barrels of oil; three liter of water are needed to produce a liter of bottled water.) So officials in Bundanoon will install more drinking fountains and encourage residents to use them to fill reusable water bottles for free.
I hope something like this catches on elsewhere. It's certainly possible. When San Francisco announced it would ban businesses from giving out plastic bags for free, some store owners griped it would hurt their bottom lines because paper bags are more expensive than plastic. But walk in to any Trader Joe's or Walgreens and you'll see a majority customers bringing their own bags or reusing them from previous trips.
That's the power of a collective mindset, albeit one driven in part by a law. Of course, there are other benefits to reusable bags, the least of which is not having to dedicate a cupboard to a heap of plastic stamped with CVS's logo.
But there are more potent incentives to banning bottled water. For one, the environmental benefit is greater (Americans recycle less than seven percent of their plastic, compared to 55 percent of the paper they use.) To me, though, the most potent incentive is purely economic: Part of the reason we pay taxes is so that we have clean drinking water. Whenever I buy a bottle of water, I feel like I'm doing something incredibly irrational, spending money on something for which there exists a free and arguably better substitute—tap water.
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Residents of Bundanoon, New South Wales, Australia have voted to ban the sale of bottled water in their rural town—probably the first in the world to do so. Only two voters opposed the ban. Why?
Bundanoon's battle against the bottle has been brewing for years, ever since a Sydney-based beverage company announced plans to build a water extraction plant in the town. Residents were furious over the prospect of an outsider taking their water, trucking it up to Sydney for processing and then selling it back to them. The town is still fighting the company's proposal in court.
In other words, bottling water wastes an incredible amount of resources—natural and capital. (Producing the bottles for the American market requires 17 million barrels of oil; three liter of water are needed to produce a liter of bottled water.) So officials in Bundanoon will install more drinking fountains and encourage residents to use them to fill reusable water bottles for free.
I hope something like this catches on elsewhere. It's certainly possible. When San Francisco announced it would ban businesses from giving out plastic bags for free, some store owners griped it would hurt their bottom lines because paper bags are more expensive than plastic. But walk in to any Trader Joe's or Walgreens and you'll see a majority customers bringing their own bags or reusing them from previous trips.
That's the power of a collective mindset, albeit one driven in part by a law. Of course, there are other benefits to reusable bags, the least of which is not having to dedicate a cupboard to a heap of plastic stamped with CVS's logo.
But there are more potent incentives to banning bottled water. For one, the environmental benefit is greater (Americans recycle less than seven percent of their plastic, compared to 55 percent of the paper they use.) To me, though, the most potent incentive is purely economic: Part of the reason we pay taxes is so that we have clean drinking water. Whenever I buy a bottle of water, I feel like I'm doing something incredibly irrational, spending money on something for which there exists a free and arguably better substitute—tap water.
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Revisions to Health Bill Are Unveiled by Democrats
By JACKIE CALMES
Published: July 2, 2009
WASHINGTON — To warm words from President Obama, the Democratic leaders of the Senate health committee unveiled a revised plan Thursday to provide health coverage to nearly all Americans. The plan would require most employers to offer benefits to their workers or pay fees to the government and would create a public competitor to insurance companies.
The proposal clears the way for the committee to vote on a package next week as the House and the Senate hustle to pass separate health bills this month before Congress leaves on its August break. But a second Senate panel, the Finance Committee, is still struggling to reach consensus.
The health committee’s blueprint builds on an incomplete version that was much criticized two weeks ago when the Congressional Budget Office reported that it would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years and still leave up to 37 million Americans uninsured. That budget report was widely considered a setback for a health care overhaul, Mr. Obama’s top domestic priority.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the health committee chairman, and Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut subsequently filled in details of the plan and scaled back subsidies that would help low-income people buy insurance.
Attached to the revised outline they presented Thursday was a new budget office analysis projecting that the plan would cost $611 billion over a decade and, together with expected changes from the Finance Committee, cover 97 percent of Americans.
The Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid is expected to propose expansions to that government health program for the poor that would add several hundred billion dollars more to the legislation’s cost, depending on how it is designed.
Mr. Obama and the Democrats who control Congress are seeking to hold the upfront costs of overhauling the health care system to roughly $1 trillion over a decade. In the course of time, they argue, the changes would rein in health care spending through efficient practices and lower insurance costs.
Their main idea for controlling insurance costs is the proposal for a public option. Along with private insurers’ offerings, it would be part of a new insurance exchange from which consumers without employer-provided coverage could choose. On Thursday, Mr. Obama said again that the public option would help in “keeping the insurance companies honest.”
In a statement, the president hailed the Senate health committee’s work. It “reflects many of the principles I’ve laid out,” he said, including the insurance exchange and a requirement that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions.
Under the Kennedy-Dodd proposal, employers with 25 or more workers would have to provide coverage or pay the government an annual fee of $750 for each full-time worker and $375 for each part-timer. The government would pay the start-up costs for the public insurance option as a loan to be repaid, and premiums would be set up so that the option was ultimately self-sufficient.
See--http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com/
Published: July 2, 2009
WASHINGTON — To warm words from President Obama, the Democratic leaders of the Senate health committee unveiled a revised plan Thursday to provide health coverage to nearly all Americans. The plan would require most employers to offer benefits to their workers or pay fees to the government and would create a public competitor to insurance companies.
The proposal clears the way for the committee to vote on a package next week as the House and the Senate hustle to pass separate health bills this month before Congress leaves on its August break. But a second Senate panel, the Finance Committee, is still struggling to reach consensus.
The health committee’s blueprint builds on an incomplete version that was much criticized two weeks ago when the Congressional Budget Office reported that it would cost more than $1 trillion over 10 years and still leave up to 37 million Americans uninsured. That budget report was widely considered a setback for a health care overhaul, Mr. Obama’s top domestic priority.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, the health committee chairman, and Senator Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut subsequently filled in details of the plan and scaled back subsidies that would help low-income people buy insurance.
Attached to the revised outline they presented Thursday was a new budget office analysis projecting that the plan would cost $611 billion over a decade and, together with expected changes from the Finance Committee, cover 97 percent of Americans.
The Finance Committee, which has jurisdiction over Medicaid is expected to propose expansions to that government health program for the poor that would add several hundred billion dollars more to the legislation’s cost, depending on how it is designed.
Mr. Obama and the Democrats who control Congress are seeking to hold the upfront costs of overhauling the health care system to roughly $1 trillion over a decade. In the course of time, they argue, the changes would rein in health care spending through efficient practices and lower insurance costs.
Their main idea for controlling insurance costs is the proposal for a public option. Along with private insurers’ offerings, it would be part of a new insurance exchange from which consumers without employer-provided coverage could choose. On Thursday, Mr. Obama said again that the public option would help in “keeping the insurance companies honest.”
In a statement, the president hailed the Senate health committee’s work. It “reflects many of the principles I’ve laid out,” he said, including the insurance exchange and a requirement that insurance companies cover people with pre-existing conditions.
Under the Kennedy-Dodd proposal, employers with 25 or more workers would have to provide coverage or pay the government an annual fee of $750 for each full-time worker and $375 for each part-timer. The government would pay the start-up costs for the public insurance option as a loan to be repaid, and premiums would be set up so that the option was ultimately self-sufficient.
See--http://harlemvoiceblogs.blogspot.com/
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Michael Jackson Dies
Posted Jun 25th 2009 4:00PM by TMZ Staff
We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50. Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.A source inside the hospital told us there was "absolute chaos" after Jackson arrived. People who were with the singer were screaming, "You've got to save him! You've got to save him!"We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
Click--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50. Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him. We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.A source inside the hospital told us there was "absolute chaos" after Jackson arrived. People who were with the singer were screaming, "You've got to save him! You've got to save him!"We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
Click--http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Cooking Tips for Heartburn-Friendly Meals
Having heartburn doesn’t mean you have to give up eating well
By Peter JaretWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Cooking for family gatherings at my house is a little like trying to negotiate an international truce. My father says garlic and onions give him heartburn. My brother-in-law won’t touch anything with tomato sauce. He says it gives him heartburn. And after years of priding myself on having a cast iron stomach, I’ve begun to have problems after very spicy meals. That’s right. They give me heartburn.
What’s an avid home cook to do? The challenge is all the more difficult because there’s no single food or type of food that can be labeled “heartburn food.”
Some people get heartburn, a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), from citrus. Others have trouble after drinking alcohol or caffeinated coffee. Even chocolate can cause heartburn for some people.
And a particular ingredient that bothers someone after one meal may cause no problems at all after another. Still, a few tips can help you serve up a healthy, hearty, heartburn-friendly meal that won’t leave your family and friends suffering afterwards.
Heartburn-Friendly Meals: Avoid the Top Offenders
By Peter JaretWebMD Feature
Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD
Cooking for family gatherings at my house is a little like trying to negotiate an international truce. My father says garlic and onions give him heartburn. My brother-in-law won’t touch anything with tomato sauce. He says it gives him heartburn. And after years of priding myself on having a cast iron stomach, I’ve begun to have problems after very spicy meals. That’s right. They give me heartburn.
What’s an avid home cook to do? The challenge is all the more difficult because there’s no single food or type of food that can be labeled “heartburn food.”
Some people get heartburn, a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), from citrus. Others have trouble after drinking alcohol or caffeinated coffee. Even chocolate can cause heartburn for some people.
And a particular ingredient that bothers someone after one meal may cause no problems at all after another. Still, a few tips can help you serve up a healthy, hearty, heartburn-friendly meal that won’t leave your family and friends suffering afterwards.
Heartburn-Friendly Meals: Avoid the Top Offenders
The list of heartburn-inducing foods is long. But some ingredients stand out as frequent heartburn triggers. These include tomatoes and tomato-based sauces, citrus, chocolate, and mint. If someone in your household suffers from acid reflux, try avoiding these items. Then watch to see if doing so provides heartburn relief. Some alternatives:
At breakfast, serve apple, pineapple, or other non-citrus juices.
Offer tea as an alternative to coffee.
Check out recipes for no-tomato casseroles, lasagna, homemade pizzas, and other main courses. For example, pesto or olive oil combined with parsley and garlic makes a great pasta sauce.
For desserts, serve fruit slices or cooling fruit ices instead of chocolate-rich items.
Heartburn-Friendly Meals: Lighten Up
“Fatty foods can increase the risk of heartburn because they take longer to digest, lingering in the stomach and putting more upward pressure on the valve that leads up to the esophagus,” says dietitian Elaine Magee, MPH, RD. Magee is author of Tell Me What to Eat If I Have Acid Reflux. Her advice?
Bake or broil foods instead of frying them.
In recipes that include cream, try substituting low-fat yogurt.
In casseroles and stir-fries, cut back on the meat portions and add more vegetables.
Include whole grains such as brown rice or quinoa in place of refined grains. The added fiber is healthy in its own right and can make a meal more filling with less fat and fewer calories.
Heartburn-Friendly Meals: Trim Down Portion Sizes
Perhaps the most effective way of preventing heartburn is to limit portion size. “The bigger the meal, the greater the risk of reflux,” says Yale University gastroenterologist Anish Sheth, MD. It’s easy for portion sizes to creep up in the kitchen. Magee advises:
Use measuring cups to limit how much you cook.
Dine on smaller plates so that less still looks like a lot.
Go for intensity over quantity. For example, if you love chocolate -- frequently cited as a heartburn trigger -- enjoy a small square of dark chocolate instead of a big chocolaty dessert.
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Lakers Back Atop the Mountain
By Michael LeeWashington Post Staff Writer Monday, June 15, 2009
ORLANDO, June 14 -- It had been seven years since Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson had been fitted for championship rings, a drought that seemed even longer given the arduous road for the Los Angeles Lakers since Shaquille O'Neal steamrolled through the New Jersey Nets in 2002. O'Neal left. Jackson left and came back. Bryant thought about leaving, stayed, demanded a trade, but still stayed.
But while Bryant expressed his hunger for a fourth title with a clench-jawed glare this season, Jackson maintained the calm, cool demeanor that brought him nine championships. No matter their approaches while leading the Lakers back to the top, it led to the same gratifying result. With a 99-86 victory against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night at Amway Arena, the Lakers won the NBA Finals in five games and added a 15th championship banner to a storied franchise that has stayed relevant through the days of George Mikan, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, O'Neal and Bryant, and now Bryant.
After stumbling his past two trips to the Finals against Detroit and Boston, Jackson finally broke his tie with Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach now has 10 championships -- which is more than 28 other NBA franchises.
Bryant, the Finals MVP, led the Lakers with 30 points and won his first ring without O'Neal. When the game and the series appeared to be in his grasp with less than two minutes remaining, Bryant couldn't contain his joy as he anxiously rocked and smiled on the bench during a timeout.
But Bryant didn't do it alone. He needed some help all series from two players who got the blame for the Lakers' loss to Boston last June (Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom); an old backcourt mate for 10 of his 13 years in the league (Derek Fisher); and a Los Angeles native who grew up idolizing him (Trevor Ariza).
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
ORLANDO, June 14 -- It had been seven years since Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson had been fitted for championship rings, a drought that seemed even longer given the arduous road for the Los Angeles Lakers since Shaquille O'Neal steamrolled through the New Jersey Nets in 2002. O'Neal left. Jackson left and came back. Bryant thought about leaving, stayed, demanded a trade, but still stayed.
But while Bryant expressed his hunger for a fourth title with a clench-jawed glare this season, Jackson maintained the calm, cool demeanor that brought him nine championships. No matter their approaches while leading the Lakers back to the top, it led to the same gratifying result. With a 99-86 victory against the Orlando Magic on Sunday night at Amway Arena, the Lakers won the NBA Finals in five games and added a 15th championship banner to a storied franchise that has stayed relevant through the days of George Mikan, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, O'Neal and Bryant, and now Bryant.
After stumbling his past two trips to the Finals against Detroit and Boston, Jackson finally broke his tie with Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach now has 10 championships -- which is more than 28 other NBA franchises.
Bryant, the Finals MVP, led the Lakers with 30 points and won his first ring without O'Neal. When the game and the series appeared to be in his grasp with less than two minutes remaining, Bryant couldn't contain his joy as he anxiously rocked and smiled on the bench during a timeout.
But Bryant didn't do it alone. He needed some help all series from two players who got the blame for the Lakers' loss to Boston last June (Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom); an old backcourt mate for 10 of his 13 years in the league (Derek Fisher); and a Los Angeles native who grew up idolizing him (Trevor Ariza).
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 08, 2009
Republicans Regain Control of New York State Senate
ALBANY — The Democrats’ tenuous control of the New York State Senate abruptly collapsed on Monday, throwing the Legislature into chaos with just two weeks remaining in its session.
Two dissident Democrats, who had been secretly strategizing with Republicans for weeks, bucked their party’s leaders and joined with 30 Republican senators to form what they said would be a bipartisan power-sharing deal. But the arrangement effectively re-establishes Republican control.
The change upends the agenda in Albany, where Democrats had assumed power in the Senate in January, with 32 seats, after more than 40 years in the minority. Democrats were pushing bills to give tenants more rights, strengthen abortion rights and legalize same-sex marriage this session. And the move underscores the continuing tumult of New York politics, where there have been three governors in less than three years and four Senate presidents since last summer.
Democratic leaders were caught off guard as the Republicans and the two Democratic dissidents, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, moved to topple them, and at one point became so flustered that they turned out the lights in the Senate chamber to try to prevent Republicans from installing new leaders.
Asked by a reporter what was occurring, Senator Malcolm A. Smith, leader of the Senate Democrats who was huddled in the hall with his staff, responded, “I’m trying to find out right now.”
A spokesman for Mr. Smith, who lost the titles of majority leader and Senate president in the shakeup, issued a statement later saying that Democrats would challenge the vote, but it was not clear that they had grounds to do so.
Gov. David A. Paterson, at a news conference Monday evening, called the move “an outrage” and said Albany had become a “dysfunctional wreck.”
The governor also said “I will not allow this,” but then conceded that there was nothing he could do to stop it.
The toppling of Democratic control unfolded in swift and dramatic fashion shortly after 3 p.m. as senators gathered in the lofty oaken chamber for what seemed like small-bore legislative action on an uneventful afternoon.
Then, Senator Tom Libous, a Binghamton Republican, offered a resolution to reorganize the Senate leadership, a parliamentary maneuver that captured the entire Capitol’s attention. Within minutes, reporters, staff members and Assembly members rushed to the Senate, crowding the chamber floor.
Democrats tried to stall the move, storming from the chamber and turning out the lights, but the Republicans continued the session as the two Democrats joined with them to elect new leaders.
Quickly and without a numerical majority, Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican, reclaimed the title of Senate majority leader. Mr. Espada was made Senate president.
Both Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate said they would remain Democrats even as they work with Republicans to run the Senate.
Both men have legal troubles. Highlighting the often elastic nature of ethical stands and alliances in Albany, Republicans who earlier this year were calling on Mr. Monserrate to resign after his indictment on felony charges that he stabbed his companion with a broken glass are now welcoming him as part of their power-sharing coalition.
Asked about the reversal, Mr. Skelos said, “He’s an elected member, and the reforms are more important.”
Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over several years for flouting state law by not disclosing political contributions.
The state attorney general’s office is also investigating the Soundview HealthCare Network, a nonprofit organization that Mr. Espada ran until recently.
The new leadership structure means that Mr. Espada would become governor if Gov. David Paterson were incapacitated.
Mr. Espada, who is the first Latino Senate president, called his ascension “a sobering moment.” He predicted that other Democrats would decide to join the coalition, saying there is broad frustration with Mr. Smith’s leadership.
“Frustration was obviously building,” he said later, in an interview. “There was little prospect for change on a number of fronts. We experienced five months of the budget process and the absolute lack of transparency and the hypocrisy, and the rhetoric grew too much for me.”
But money also played a part. Mr. Espada said he was angered that a top aide to Mr. Smith had threatened to hold up his legislative earmarks, known as member items.
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Two dissident Democrats, who had been secretly strategizing with Republicans for weeks, bucked their party’s leaders and joined with 30 Republican senators to form what they said would be a bipartisan power-sharing deal. But the arrangement effectively re-establishes Republican control.
The change upends the agenda in Albany, where Democrats had assumed power in the Senate in January, with 32 seats, after more than 40 years in the minority. Democrats were pushing bills to give tenants more rights, strengthen abortion rights and legalize same-sex marriage this session. And the move underscores the continuing tumult of New York politics, where there have been three governors in less than three years and four Senate presidents since last summer.
Democratic leaders were caught off guard as the Republicans and the two Democratic dissidents, Pedro Espada Jr. of the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens, moved to topple them, and at one point became so flustered that they turned out the lights in the Senate chamber to try to prevent Republicans from installing new leaders.
Asked by a reporter what was occurring, Senator Malcolm A. Smith, leader of the Senate Democrats who was huddled in the hall with his staff, responded, “I’m trying to find out right now.”
A spokesman for Mr. Smith, who lost the titles of majority leader and Senate president in the shakeup, issued a statement later saying that Democrats would challenge the vote, but it was not clear that they had grounds to do so.
Gov. David A. Paterson, at a news conference Monday evening, called the move “an outrage” and said Albany had become a “dysfunctional wreck.”
The governor also said “I will not allow this,” but then conceded that there was nothing he could do to stop it.
The toppling of Democratic control unfolded in swift and dramatic fashion shortly after 3 p.m. as senators gathered in the lofty oaken chamber for what seemed like small-bore legislative action on an uneventful afternoon.
Then, Senator Tom Libous, a Binghamton Republican, offered a resolution to reorganize the Senate leadership, a parliamentary maneuver that captured the entire Capitol’s attention. Within minutes, reporters, staff members and Assembly members rushed to the Senate, crowding the chamber floor.
Democrats tried to stall the move, storming from the chamber and turning out the lights, but the Republicans continued the session as the two Democrats joined with them to elect new leaders.
Quickly and without a numerical majority, Dean G. Skelos, a Long Island Republican, reclaimed the title of Senate majority leader. Mr. Espada was made Senate president.
Both Mr. Espada and Mr. Monserrate said they would remain Democrats even as they work with Republicans to run the Senate.
Both men have legal troubles. Highlighting the often elastic nature of ethical stands and alliances in Albany, Republicans who earlier this year were calling on Mr. Monserrate to resign after his indictment on felony charges that he stabbed his companion with a broken glass are now welcoming him as part of their power-sharing coalition.
Asked about the reversal, Mr. Skelos said, “He’s an elected member, and the reforms are more important.”
Mr. Espada has been fined tens of thousands of dollars over several years for flouting state law by not disclosing political contributions.
The state attorney general’s office is also investigating the Soundview HealthCare Network, a nonprofit organization that Mr. Espada ran until recently.
The new leadership structure means that Mr. Espada would become governor if Gov. David Paterson were incapacitated.
Mr. Espada, who is the first Latino Senate president, called his ascension “a sobering moment.” He predicted that other Democrats would decide to join the coalition, saying there is broad frustration with Mr. Smith’s leadership.
“Frustration was obviously building,” he said later, in an interview. “There was little prospect for change on a number of fronts. We experienced five months of the budget process and the absolute lack of transparency and the hypocrisy, and the rhetoric grew too much for me.”
But money also played a part. Mr. Espada said he was angered that a top aide to Mr. Smith had threatened to hold up his legislative earmarks, known as member items.
See---http://davidsradiotv2000.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 05, 2009
Mideast Leaders Impressed, Waiting for Action on Obama Speech
By Reena Ninan
Middle East leaders waited with great expectation to hear what President Obama would say in his address to the Muslim world on Thursday. Now they're eager to see him act on his words.
"Obama was charismatic and convinced the Arab world he is with us," said Essam El-Erian, head of Egypt's Islamist opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood. "It's a good start, but we're waiting for action on the ground, like closing Guantanamo, withdrawal from Iraq and ending the war in Afghanistan."
Click here for video.
Yet one of the main thrusts of Obama's speech was the need to first settle disputes in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Obama called for an end to Israeli settlement development in the West Bank.
"Now the ball is in the Israeli court," said Amr Mousa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, in an interview with FOX News. Moussa said it is time for Israel to advance peace efforts.
"If they want to play ball with us, with Europe, with America, with the whole world, they have to come up with something serious, not something that is just peanuts. They need to stop settlements."
The Israeli government, for its part, released a statement hours after the speech highlighting Obama's insistence that Arab states recognize Israel's right to exist.
"We share President Obama's hope that the American effort heralds the beginning of a new era that will bring about an end to the conflict and lead to Arab recognition of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, living in peace and security in the Middle East," read the statement.
Middle East analysts are now looking to see if Obama's words or actions will make any difference in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Another closely watched speech delivered four years ago by an American leader in Cairo made waves in the Middle East and called for democracy in the region — but those good intentions may have backfired.
In June 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a landmark address at The American University in Cairo criticizing Egypt's authoritarian government and pressing for democracy in the Middle East. Seven months later, Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the State Department, rose to power in Gaza through democratic elections.
Video
Waiting for Action
Despite Obama's outreach to the group during his speech, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza said they were not pleased and expected the president to seek penance for American foreign policy.
"We're disappointed that Obama didn't apologize for American policy in Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sudan," Hamas spokesman Fouzi Barhoum said in an interview with FOX News. "There should also be more pressure on Israel to accept Palestinian rights."
But the crowd's response to Obama was sometimes rapturous. The president quoted lines from the Koran three times, and elicited a shout of "I Love You, Obama" from one man in the crowd.
Missing from the speech was any call for Iran to stop its nuclear program. Obama said that "we have reached a decisive point" on the question of nuclear weapons, but defended the Islamic republic's right to pursue a civilian nuclear energy program.
But even before Obama delivered his address, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that speeches would not be enough to repair relations with the Muslim world.
"The nations in the region hate the United States from the bottom of their hearts because they have seen violence, military intervention and discrimination," Khamenei said.
Only actions will be able to change that hatred — not words and slogans, he said
From Foxnews.com
Middle East leaders waited with great expectation to hear what President Obama would say in his address to the Muslim world on Thursday. Now they're eager to see him act on his words.
"Obama was charismatic and convinced the Arab world he is with us," said Essam El-Erian, head of Egypt's Islamist opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood. "It's a good start, but we're waiting for action on the ground, like closing Guantanamo, withdrawal from Iraq and ending the war in Afghanistan."
Click here for video.
Yet one of the main thrusts of Obama's speech was the need to first settle disputes in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Obama called for an end to Israeli settlement development in the West Bank.
"Now the ball is in the Israeli court," said Amr Mousa, Secretary-General of the Arab League, in an interview with FOX News. Moussa said it is time for Israel to advance peace efforts.
"If they want to play ball with us, with Europe, with America, with the whole world, they have to come up with something serious, not something that is just peanuts. They need to stop settlements."
The Israeli government, for its part, released a statement hours after the speech highlighting Obama's insistence that Arab states recognize Israel's right to exist.
"We share President Obama's hope that the American effort heralds the beginning of a new era that will bring about an end to the conflict and lead to Arab recognition of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, living in peace and security in the Middle East," read the statement.
Middle East analysts are now looking to see if Obama's words or actions will make any difference in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Another closely watched speech delivered four years ago by an American leader in Cairo made waves in the Middle East and called for democracy in the region — but those good intentions may have backfired.
In June 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave a landmark address at The American University in Cairo criticizing Egypt's authoritarian government and pressing for democracy in the Middle East. Seven months later, Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organization by the State Department, rose to power in Gaza through democratic elections.
Video
Waiting for Action
Despite Obama's outreach to the group during his speech, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza said they were not pleased and expected the president to seek penance for American foreign policy.
"We're disappointed that Obama didn't apologize for American policy in Palestine, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sudan," Hamas spokesman Fouzi Barhoum said in an interview with FOX News. "There should also be more pressure on Israel to accept Palestinian rights."
But the crowd's response to Obama was sometimes rapturous. The president quoted lines from the Koran three times, and elicited a shout of "I Love You, Obama" from one man in the crowd.
Missing from the speech was any call for Iran to stop its nuclear program. Obama said that "we have reached a decisive point" on the question of nuclear weapons, but defended the Islamic republic's right to pursue a civilian nuclear energy program.
But even before Obama delivered his address, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that speeches would not be enough to repair relations with the Muslim world.
"The nations in the region hate the United States from the bottom of their hearts because they have seen violence, military intervention and discrimination," Khamenei said.
Only actions will be able to change that hatred — not words and slogans, he said
From Foxnews.com
Guns and drugs? Some rappers inflate hustler image
Fri Jun 5, 2009 3:05am EDT
By Christine Kearney
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rick Ross sold hit albums rapping about selling crack cocaine but a revelation that he once worked as a prison guard threatened to end his career.
For a rapper cultivating a bad-boy image, a uniform put him on the wrong side of the law.
U.S. rappers often sell songs about drugs and guns based on "real-life" stories, but increasingly some of those stories are being exposed as embellishments aimed at helping them build successful careers, experts say.
"Some of the stories are fabricated and some of it is reality, and what they are doing is mixing the two," music executive Devyne Stephens said. "When you say you shot and killed somebody and you put it on a CD, nine times out of 10, you really didn't shoot and kill anybody."
Ross is a bearded, burly Miami rapper who brags of a cash-fueled, drug-boss life. His real name is William Leonard Roberts II but he takes his stage name from a drug trafficker.
So he was publicly humiliated when pictures surfaced of him last year through The Smoking Gun website looking clean-cut in a correctional officer's uniform.
Ross at first denied his past, then admitted it but maintained his drug-dealing tales of the street were true.
His third album, released in April and featuring titles such as "Rich off Cocaine," still sold well.
HUSTLING TO ST. TROPEZ
Stephens, who has been hailed as an image branding king and has worked with artists including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Nelly, said many rappers mix lines in their songs that aren't literally true but draw from real experiences or stories they have heard.
He says "probably 85 per cent" of rappers embellish stories in songs and calls the current trend "reality music" which, like reality television, is something of a misnomer.
Stephens helped groom another successful U.S. rapper, Akon, who has had hits like "Locked Up" and "Ghetto." Akon was ridiculed last year and accused of dramatically enhancing claims of belonging to a car theft ring and having served prison time.
The new crop of rappers want to emulate the success of rappers-turned-moguls like former New York drug dealers Jay-Z and 50 Cent, who both sold albums based on their transformations from street hustling to popping champagne.
"You formulate that story to make it just as interesting as the Jay-Z story," Stephens said, describing an outline of: "I am a hustler, I came from nothing and turned it into something and now I am on yachts in St. Tropez."
Jay-Z, married to superstar Beyonce Knowles, is now one of the world's wealthiest musicians, having signed a deal reportedly worth $150 million with concert promoter Live Nation.
By Christine Kearney
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rick Ross sold hit albums rapping about selling crack cocaine but a revelation that he once worked as a prison guard threatened to end his career.
For a rapper cultivating a bad-boy image, a uniform put him on the wrong side of the law.
U.S. rappers often sell songs about drugs and guns based on "real-life" stories, but increasingly some of those stories are being exposed as embellishments aimed at helping them build successful careers, experts say.
"Some of the stories are fabricated and some of it is reality, and what they are doing is mixing the two," music executive Devyne Stephens said. "When you say you shot and killed somebody and you put it on a CD, nine times out of 10, you really didn't shoot and kill anybody."
Ross is a bearded, burly Miami rapper who brags of a cash-fueled, drug-boss life. His real name is William Leonard Roberts II but he takes his stage name from a drug trafficker.
So he was publicly humiliated when pictures surfaced of him last year through The Smoking Gun website looking clean-cut in a correctional officer's uniform.
Ross at first denied his past, then admitted it but maintained his drug-dealing tales of the street were true.
His third album, released in April and featuring titles such as "Rich off Cocaine," still sold well.
HUSTLING TO ST. TROPEZ
Stephens, who has been hailed as an image branding king and has worked with artists including Mary J. Blige, Usher, Sean "Diddy" Combs and Nelly, said many rappers mix lines in their songs that aren't literally true but draw from real experiences or stories they have heard.
He says "probably 85 per cent" of rappers embellish stories in songs and calls the current trend "reality music" which, like reality television, is something of a misnomer.
Stephens helped groom another successful U.S. rapper, Akon, who has had hits like "Locked Up" and "Ghetto." Akon was ridiculed last year and accused of dramatically enhancing claims of belonging to a car theft ring and having served prison time.
The new crop of rappers want to emulate the success of rappers-turned-moguls like former New York drug dealers Jay-Z and 50 Cent, who both sold albums based on their transformations from street hustling to popping champagne.
"You formulate that story to make it just as interesting as the Jay-Z story," Stephens said, describing an outline of: "I am a hustler, I came from nothing and turned it into something and now I am on yachts in St. Tropez."
Jay-Z, married to superstar Beyonce Knowles, is now one of the world's wealthiest musicians, having signed a deal reportedly worth $150 million with concert promoter Live Nation.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Fats Domino makes rare appearance at La. concert
By STACEY PLAISANCE, Associated Press Writer Stacey Plaisance, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 40 mins ago
NEW ORLEANS – Fats Domino rarely emerges from his Louisiana home — and many wondered if he'd show up for "The Domino Effect," his namesake concert that raises funds to help rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Sure enough, the 81-year-old New Orleans native smiled and waved from his private suite to more than 3,000 cheering people who attended Saturday's concert to see two of his old friends perform — Little Richard and B.B. King. Domino is an icon in New Orleans, known nearly as much for his reclusiveness as for hits like "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame."
Little Richard, at the piano in a sparkly white suite, delivered an energetic set that included "Lucille," "Tutti Frutti" and other hits.
Between songs, he reminisced about New Orleans and Domino. Richard's breakout hit "Tutti Frutti" was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans in 1955.
"I was right here," Richard said, playing the piano as he talked. "I was right here."
Richard said he remembered being on the road with Domino, who always longed to be back home. Then Richard broke into song: "Every night about this time, I go to sleep to keep from cryin'."
While on stage, Richard was given a plaque inducting him into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He said he was surprised and touched.
Domino and Richard met backstage, where the men hugged, made small talk and posed for pictures. Richard's handlers handed out free inspirational pamphlets to fans during the concert, and backstage, he asked Domino and others to pray with him.
"Bless this life," Richard prayed, his head bowed, "and bless this music."
Domino also met with King after his blues set, which included the hit, "The Thrill is Gone."
As King walked off stage, Domino greeted him with a hug.
"It's good to see you my friend," King told Domino. "Did you bring me some gumbo?"
King said he used to open shows for Domino in the early years of his career. In 2007, King recorded the title track on a tribute album to Domino, called "Goin' Home."
Saturday's concert ran more than four hours and included performances by Chuck Berry, Wyclef Jean, Keb' Mo' and Junior Brown. Comedian-actor Tracy Morgan, best known for his work on the TV shows "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock," also performed.
Proceeds from the event are earmarked for "Operation Kids," a program run through Saints quarterback Drew Brees' foundation to improve the city's parks and schools.
Brees attended the concert with wife, Brittany, and dozens of the couple's closest friends and family. All got to meet Domino.
It wasn't the first time Drew Brees met the music legend. Brees said he got to hang out at Domino's home in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey a few weeks ago. He said Domino showed him his gold record collection and played the piano.
"How many people get to say they got to do that?" he said.
Domino has been living in Harvey since Katrina struck in 2005, flooding his home in the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood. Still, Domino enjoys visiting his publishing house, an extension of his old home. The studio is a classic shotgun double built in the 1930s that was rebuilt after Katrina. It is one of a few refurbished structures in the neighborhood, which still has blocks of abandoned homes and overgrown lots.
Brees said he was grateful such pioneering musicians could help his foundation reach its goal of raising $1.8 million in two years to rebuild the city's parks, schools and play spaces — the things needed to bring families back to New Orleans.
"These guys are legends," Brees said. "They helped define an era and build a musical genre. They're the fathers of blues and rock and roll."
NEW ORLEANS – Fats Domino rarely emerges from his Louisiana home — and many wondered if he'd show up for "The Domino Effect," his namesake concert that raises funds to help rebuild schools and playgrounds damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
Sure enough, the 81-year-old New Orleans native smiled and waved from his private suite to more than 3,000 cheering people who attended Saturday's concert to see two of his old friends perform — Little Richard and B.B. King. Domino is an icon in New Orleans, known nearly as much for his reclusiveness as for hits like "Blueberry Hill" and "Ain't That a Shame."
Little Richard, at the piano in a sparkly white suite, delivered an energetic set that included "Lucille," "Tutti Frutti" and other hits.
Between songs, he reminisced about New Orleans and Domino. Richard's breakout hit "Tutti Frutti" was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's studio in New Orleans in 1955.
"I was right here," Richard said, playing the piano as he talked. "I was right here."
Richard said he remembered being on the road with Domino, who always longed to be back home. Then Richard broke into song: "Every night about this time, I go to sleep to keep from cryin'."
While on stage, Richard was given a plaque inducting him into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He said he was surprised and touched.
Domino and Richard met backstage, where the men hugged, made small talk and posed for pictures. Richard's handlers handed out free inspirational pamphlets to fans during the concert, and backstage, he asked Domino and others to pray with him.
"Bless this life," Richard prayed, his head bowed, "and bless this music."
Domino also met with King after his blues set, which included the hit, "The Thrill is Gone."
As King walked off stage, Domino greeted him with a hug.
"It's good to see you my friend," King told Domino. "Did you bring me some gumbo?"
King said he used to open shows for Domino in the early years of his career. In 2007, King recorded the title track on a tribute album to Domino, called "Goin' Home."
Saturday's concert ran more than four hours and included performances by Chuck Berry, Wyclef Jean, Keb' Mo' and Junior Brown. Comedian-actor Tracy Morgan, best known for his work on the TV shows "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock," also performed.
Proceeds from the event are earmarked for "Operation Kids," a program run through Saints quarterback Drew Brees' foundation to improve the city's parks and schools.
Brees attended the concert with wife, Brittany, and dozens of the couple's closest friends and family. All got to meet Domino.
It wasn't the first time Drew Brees met the music legend. Brees said he got to hang out at Domino's home in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey a few weeks ago. He said Domino showed him his gold record collection and played the piano.
"How many people get to say they got to do that?" he said.
Domino has been living in Harvey since Katrina struck in 2005, flooding his home in the Lower 9th Ward neighborhood. Still, Domino enjoys visiting his publishing house, an extension of his old home. The studio is a classic shotgun double built in the 1930s that was rebuilt after Katrina. It is one of a few refurbished structures in the neighborhood, which still has blocks of abandoned homes and overgrown lots.
Brees said he was grateful such pioneering musicians could help his foundation reach its goal of raising $1.8 million in two years to rebuild the city's parks, schools and play spaces — the things needed to bring families back to New Orleans.
"These guys are legends," Brees said. "They helped define an era and build a musical genre. They're the fathers of blues and rock and roll."
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