ATF: Skinhead assassination plot targeting Barack Obama disrupted
By Kenneth R. Bazinet and James Gordon Meek DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Updated Monday, October 27th 2008, 9:59 PM
Brandon/AP
Barack Obama
WASHINGTON - Two alleged skinheads were charged Monday in a far-fetched plot to launch a "killing spree" aimed at beheading black students and then shooting Barack Obama.
The racist teens demonstrated little supremacy in their nutty plan to "dress in white tuxedos and wear top hats during the assassination attempt," the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said.
A federal official told the Daily News: "It was only aspirational."
RELATED: EARLY VOTING SKYROCKETS
Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Ark., wanted to steal weapons from a gun store and shoot at the black Democratic presidential nominee from their car while driving toward Obama at high speed. They were to bankroll the plot by robbing a house, but got scared off by a dog, court papers said.
The pair was arrested and charged by the ATF with illegal possession of a sawed-off shotgun and making threats against Obama.
The Secret Service's Tennessee field office did not notify Obama's protective team of the plot, ABC News reported, indicating it had not posed a serious threat.
Had Obama's life been in danger, the Secret Service would have filed the charges, officials noted.
Cowart and Schlesselman, who had recently met on the Internet, were noticed by local cops after decorating their getaway car with swastikas and racial epithets. The ATF said they discussed shooting 88 people and beheading 14 African-Americans.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Body found in SUV, unknown if it's Hudson's nephew
By RUPA SHENOY, Associated Press Writer Rupa Shenoy, Associated Press Writer – 6 mins ago
CHICAGO – Police searching for Jennifer Hudson's missing 7-year-old nephew found the body of a young black boy in an SUV Monday. There was no confirmation on the identity of the body.
Hudson's nephew, Julian King, hasn't been seen since Friday, when Hudson's mother and brother were found shot to death in their home. Police issued an Amber Alert for Julian, who lived in the home, and were looking for a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office and Chicago Police Department sent officials to the scene of a white SUV, which reportedly has a license plate matching the number listed on an Amber Alert issued for Jennifer Hudson's missing nephew, on the city's West Side Monday. Police refused to comment.
Television footage showed police vehicles escorting a flatbed tow truck as it took the SUV away from the scene with the body still inside.
Hudson, the Oscar-winning actress offered a $100,000 reward for her nephew's safe return. He is the son of her sister, Julia Hudson.
The Amber Alert listed William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, as a suspect in a "double homicide investigation." Balfour, 27, has not been charged in the slayings. He is not the boy's father.
Police said they did not have a motive for the killings but called the case "domestic related."
Balfour was taken into custody Friday by Chicago police for questioning in the killings. On Sunday, he was transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections "based on his active parole violation unrelated to this investigation."
Records from the Corrections Department show Balfour is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.
Corrections spokeswoman Januari Smith said Balfour would probably remain in state custody until the Illinois Prisoner Review Board looked at his case. She would not say where Balfour was being held.
It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney Sunday, but his mother, Michele Balfour, has denied he was involved the killings or in Julian's disappearance.
On Sunday evening, in a statement from publicist Lisa Kasteler, the singer appealed to the public for help, offering the reward and asking any information be given to Chicago police.
"Jennifer and her family appreciate the enormous amount of love, support and prayers they have received while she and her family try to cope with this tragedy and continue the search for Julian," the statement said.
Hudson, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls," was in Chicago with her family during the weekend, her sister said. The medical examiner's office confirmed Hudson identified the bodies of her mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson. The deaths were ruled homicides.
___
Associated Press writers Caryn Rousseau and Sophia Tareen contributed to this report.
CHICAGO – Police searching for Jennifer Hudson's missing 7-year-old nephew found the body of a young black boy in an SUV Monday. There was no confirmation on the identity of the body.
Hudson's nephew, Julian King, hasn't been seen since Friday, when Hudson's mother and brother were found shot to death in their home. Police issued an Amber Alert for Julian, who lived in the home, and were looking for a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's office and Chicago Police Department sent officials to the scene of a white SUV, which reportedly has a license plate matching the number listed on an Amber Alert issued for Jennifer Hudson's missing nephew, on the city's West Side Monday. Police refused to comment.
Television footage showed police vehicles escorting a flatbed tow truck as it took the SUV away from the scene with the body still inside.
Hudson, the Oscar-winning actress offered a $100,000 reward for her nephew's safe return. He is the son of her sister, Julia Hudson.
The Amber Alert listed William Balfour, the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, as a suspect in a "double homicide investigation." Balfour, 27, has not been charged in the slayings. He is not the boy's father.
Police said they did not have a motive for the killings but called the case "domestic related."
Balfour was taken into custody Friday by Chicago police for questioning in the killings. On Sunday, he was transferred to the Illinois Department of Corrections "based on his active parole violation unrelated to this investigation."
Records from the Corrections Department show Balfour is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle.
Corrections spokeswoman Januari Smith said Balfour would probably remain in state custody until the Illinois Prisoner Review Board looked at his case. She would not say where Balfour was being held.
It was unclear whether Balfour had an attorney Sunday, but his mother, Michele Balfour, has denied he was involved the killings or in Julian's disappearance.
On Sunday evening, in a statement from publicist Lisa Kasteler, the singer appealed to the public for help, offering the reward and asking any information be given to Chicago police.
"Jennifer and her family appreciate the enormous amount of love, support and prayers they have received while she and her family try to cope with this tragedy and continue the search for Julian," the statement said.
Hudson, who won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls," was in Chicago with her family during the weekend, her sister said. The medical examiner's office confirmed Hudson identified the bodies of her mother, Darnell Donerson, 57, and 29-year-old brother, Jason Hudson. The deaths were ruled homicides.
___
Associated Press writers Caryn Rousseau and Sophia Tareen contributed to this report.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Mike Bloomberg should run for City Council
Mike Bloomberg should run for City Council
Thursday, October 2nd 2008, 2:40 AM
Why doesn't he just run for City Council?
Really. No joke.
The Council has the final say on the budget, and he would be a shoo-in for speaker. Any invaluable and irreplaceable fiscal guidance Mayor Bloomberg might offer in this financial crisis could just as easily come from Speaker Bloomberg.
Guidance from Speaker Bloomberg would not be muddied by him going against term limits set by the electorate, limits he ardently supported until he neared one.
RELATED: BLOOMBERG, QUINN KEEP TERM MEETING HUSH-HUSH
If he finds the prospect of becoming a councilman too humbling, he can tell himself he is only following the example set long ago on the federal level by John Quincy Adams.
Our sixth President, Adams went from the White House to the House of Representatives, where he served for 17 years, becoming the leading foe of slavery.
RELATED: WHO MAYOR MAY NOT SURVIVE
"No person can be degraded by serving the people as representative in Congress," Adams once declared.
Before an assassin struck, John F. Kennedy said that upon reaching the two-term limit set for Presidents, he would follow Adams' example and be a congressman from Massachusetts.
Kennedy ascribed to Adams' view that any respected former chief executive who became a duly elected member of a legislative body "instead of degrading the individual would elevate the representative character." Bloomberg's stature would elevate the office of speaker, and the entire Council. A new mayor would be hard-pressed to ignore fiscal advice from Speaker Bloomberg.
RELATED: BETTER GET READY FOR ROUGH RIDE & LAWSUITS, SAY EXTENSION FOES
Adams should be a particular inspiration for Bloomberg, who has long decried partisan politics. Adams considered political parties a curse, believing government should follow the best interests of the governed.
As mayor, Bloomberg has worked against political self-interest in favor of the larger good, notably the smoking ban, which will save tens of thousands of lives.
The city is much better off as a result of Bloomberg's tenure as mayor. He is far superior to any of his would-be successors, who are more reminiscent of that other Addams family, the one created by a dark-humored cartoonist.
Bloomberg was particularly astute and steadying when the fiscal crisis struck, having shown foresight - a rare facility among present-day politicians.
Anyone who needed a reminder yesterday of how vital he remains only had to take a stroll from City Hall down through the Financial District.
The Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank, the AIG building - the very pavement seemed shaken. Tourists were taking snapshots of the big bull that now seems less a symbol than a relic at a time we need the financial wisdom and foresight of Bloomberg more than ever.
Beyond the end of Broadway was the harbor, and there stood a figure that remains a symbol of what makes us great no matter what the markets do, a symbol that humbles even the mightiest among us. As in all times of adversity, the Statue of Liberty seemed to stand even straighter, her torch shining even brighter.
At the core of the freedom and democracy she symbolizes is respect for the will of the people as expressed by voting.
The people of our city have voted twice on term limits, first in favor of establishing them, later against scrapping them.
If the people want them done away with, the way to do it is by popular ballot, not through a Council vote by members who will also be extending their jobs.
Such a hustle would demean the Council, just as Bloomberg would elevate it by joining its ranks.
Mike for City Council! From ---nydailynews 10-23-08
Thursday, October 2nd 2008, 2:40 AM
Why doesn't he just run for City Council?
Really. No joke.
The Council has the final say on the budget, and he would be a shoo-in for speaker. Any invaluable and irreplaceable fiscal guidance Mayor Bloomberg might offer in this financial crisis could just as easily come from Speaker Bloomberg.
Guidance from Speaker Bloomberg would not be muddied by him going against term limits set by the electorate, limits he ardently supported until he neared one.
RELATED: BLOOMBERG, QUINN KEEP TERM MEETING HUSH-HUSH
If he finds the prospect of becoming a councilman too humbling, he can tell himself he is only following the example set long ago on the federal level by John Quincy Adams.
Our sixth President, Adams went from the White House to the House of Representatives, where he served for 17 years, becoming the leading foe of slavery.
RELATED: WHO MAYOR MAY NOT SURVIVE
"No person can be degraded by serving the people as representative in Congress," Adams once declared.
Before an assassin struck, John F. Kennedy said that upon reaching the two-term limit set for Presidents, he would follow Adams' example and be a congressman from Massachusetts.
Kennedy ascribed to Adams' view that any respected former chief executive who became a duly elected member of a legislative body "instead of degrading the individual would elevate the representative character." Bloomberg's stature would elevate the office of speaker, and the entire Council. A new mayor would be hard-pressed to ignore fiscal advice from Speaker Bloomberg.
RELATED: BETTER GET READY FOR ROUGH RIDE & LAWSUITS, SAY EXTENSION FOES
Adams should be a particular inspiration for Bloomberg, who has long decried partisan politics. Adams considered political parties a curse, believing government should follow the best interests of the governed.
As mayor, Bloomberg has worked against political self-interest in favor of the larger good, notably the smoking ban, which will save tens of thousands of lives.
The city is much better off as a result of Bloomberg's tenure as mayor. He is far superior to any of his would-be successors, who are more reminiscent of that other Addams family, the one created by a dark-humored cartoonist.
Bloomberg was particularly astute and steadying when the fiscal crisis struck, having shown foresight - a rare facility among present-day politicians.
Anyone who needed a reminder yesterday of how vital he remains only had to take a stroll from City Hall down through the Financial District.
The Stock Exchange, the Federal Reserve Bank, the AIG building - the very pavement seemed shaken. Tourists were taking snapshots of the big bull that now seems less a symbol than a relic at a time we need the financial wisdom and foresight of Bloomberg more than ever.
Beyond the end of Broadway was the harbor, and there stood a figure that remains a symbol of what makes us great no matter what the markets do, a symbol that humbles even the mightiest among us. As in all times of adversity, the Statue of Liberty seemed to stand even straighter, her torch shining even brighter.
At the core of the freedom and democracy she symbolizes is respect for the will of the people as expressed by voting.
The people of our city have voted twice on term limits, first in favor of establishing them, later against scrapping them.
If the people want them done away with, the way to do it is by popular ballot, not through a Council vote by members who will also be extending their jobs.
Such a hustle would demean the Council, just as Bloomberg would elevate it by joining its ranks.
Mike for City Council! From ---nydailynews 10-23-08
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Drinking and e-mailing don't mix: Google service aims to keep you from typing things you'll regret
Drinking and e-mailing don't mix: Google service aims to keep you from typing things you'll regret
By Tracy Connor Daily News Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 8th 2008, 4:00 AM
Getty
Why did I press 'Send'?! A new service from Google aims to help eliminate those drinking-and-typing moments you regret the next morning.
Manhattan resident Matt Brand remembers the night he came home drunk and sent his ex-girlfriend an e-card suggesting, in crude terms, that he still carried a torch for her.
"It was a Saturday night and I was loaded," said Brand, 33, who works in advertising. "I haven't heard back from her since."
So when Brand heard about a new feature of Google's Gmail service called Mail Goggles - designed to prevent people from e-mailing while intoxicated - he signed up.
"I do that kind of stuff all the time," he said. "You're incredibly impulsive at three in the morning."
The safeguard works like this: Gmail users can set it to turn on during their danger times - say, midnight to 5 a.m. on weekend nights.
To send a message during that period, they first have to answer a series of math questions - a cinch if they're sober, all but impossible after eight Heinekens.
Get one problem wrong and you won't be allowed to fire off that e-mail telling your boss what you really think of her or that topless photo to the guy in the next cubicle.
Bad at math? Not to worry. Google's version of a Breathalyzer lets the user set the difficulty level of the questions.
Gmail engineer Jon Perlow said personal experience spurred him to create the feature, which debuted Monday.
"Sometimes I send messages I shouldn't send," he wrote on Google's official blog.
"Like the time I told that girl I had a crush on her over text message. Or the time I sent that late night e-mail to my ex-girlfriend that we should get back together....
"Hopefully, Mail Goggles will prevent many of you out there from sending messages you wish you hadn't."
Of course, it can't stop you from posting that photo on Facebook
tconnor@nydailynews.com
By Tracy Connor Daily News Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 8th 2008, 4:00 AM
Getty
Why did I press 'Send'?! A new service from Google aims to help eliminate those drinking-and-typing moments you regret the next morning.
Manhattan resident Matt Brand remembers the night he came home drunk and sent his ex-girlfriend an e-card suggesting, in crude terms, that he still carried a torch for her.
"It was a Saturday night and I was loaded," said Brand, 33, who works in advertising. "I haven't heard back from her since."
So when Brand heard about a new feature of Google's Gmail service called Mail Goggles - designed to prevent people from e-mailing while intoxicated - he signed up.
"I do that kind of stuff all the time," he said. "You're incredibly impulsive at three in the morning."
The safeguard works like this: Gmail users can set it to turn on during their danger times - say, midnight to 5 a.m. on weekend nights.
To send a message during that period, they first have to answer a series of math questions - a cinch if they're sober, all but impossible after eight Heinekens.
Get one problem wrong and you won't be allowed to fire off that e-mail telling your boss what you really think of her or that topless photo to the guy in the next cubicle.
Bad at math? Not to worry. Google's version of a Breathalyzer lets the user set the difficulty level of the questions.
Gmail engineer Jon Perlow said personal experience spurred him to create the feature, which debuted Monday.
"Sometimes I send messages I shouldn't send," he wrote on Google's official blog.
"Like the time I told that girl I had a crush on her over text message. Or the time I sent that late night e-mail to my ex-girlfriend that we should get back together....
"Hopefully, Mail Goggles will prevent many of you out there from sending messages you wish you hadn't."
Of course, it can't stop you from posting that photo on Facebook
tconnor@nydailynews.com
Monday, October 06, 2008
Health Department ads in subways stress curbing calorie count
Health Department ads in subways stress curbing calorie count
BY KATHLEEN LUCADAMO DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Monday, October 6th 2008, 12:32 AM
Two of the nutrition-emphasizing ads (above and below) that debuted Monday.
Now there's no escape from warnings to get back on that diet and eat less - even underground.
Starting Monday, New Yorkers squeezed into crammed subway cars will find brightly colored ads cautioning them to limit food intake to 2,000 calories a day
See Link---to Harlem Community Organizers.
BY KATHLEEN LUCADAMO DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU
Monday, October 6th 2008, 12:32 AM
Two of the nutrition-emphasizing ads (above and below) that debuted Monday.
Now there's no escape from warnings to get back on that diet and eat less - even underground.
Starting Monday, New Yorkers squeezed into crammed subway cars will find brightly colored ads cautioning them to limit food intake to 2,000 calories a day
See Link---to Harlem Community Organizers.
European, Asian markets plunge on crisis fears
European, Asian markets plunge on crisis fears
By EMILY FLYNN VENCAT, AP Business Writer 1 hour, 57 minutes ago
LONDON - Asian and European stock markets plunged Monday as government bank bailouts in the U.S. and Europe failed to alleviate fears that the global financial crisis would depress world economic growth.
Investors took scant comfort from Washington's passage of a US$700 billion plan to buy bad assets from banks and other institutions to shore up the financial industry on Friday because of the uncertainty still hanging over the details of the deal and the degree to which it will help.
Britain's benchmark stock index, the FTSE 100, lost 220.11 to 4,760.14 — a 4.42 percent fall. The declines were led by the banking industry, with the mining and oil industries also suffering drops. HBOS PLC's share price dropped 15.7 percent, while the Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC fell 13.6 percent.
Germany's DAX index fell 4.22 percent to 5,552.27. France's CAC-40 index dropped 4.85 percent to 3,882.81. In Russia, the RTS stock index tumbled more than 7 percent in first 20 minutes of trading.
Over the weekend, many European governments moved to save troubled banks, and made more promises to protect depositors from the credit crisis.
Germany on Sunday agreed a 50 billion euros (US$68 billion) package to bail out Hypo Real Estate, the country's second-biggest commercial property lender, after a rescue plan by private lenders fell apart.
France's BNP Paribas SA committed to taking a 75-percent stake in troubled European bank Fortis N, and Sweden and Denmark followed Ireland and Britain in raising the amount of savers' deposits guaranteed by the government.
Britain's treasury chief Alistair Darling said he was "ready to do whatever it takes" to get the country through the credit crunch, and was looking at a "range of proposals."
But analysts said that, like the U.S. plan, the lack of detail in many of Europe's moves failed to restore investors' confidence, resulting in the stock market tumbles. "What the markets need are some more details about exactly when and how these plans are going to come in," said Richard Hunter, head of British equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers, "And they need some proof that some of these measures are taking hold."
Across Asia, all markets were also in the red. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index fell to its lowest level in 4 1/2 years, sinking 4.25 percent to 10,473.09.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 5 percent to 16,803.76. Markets in mainland China, Australia, South Korea, India, Singapore and Thailand also fell sharply. Indonesia's key index plummeted 10 percent, it's biggest one-day drop ever.
See Yahoo Finance----10-6-08
By EMILY FLYNN VENCAT, AP Business Writer 1 hour, 57 minutes ago
LONDON - Asian and European stock markets plunged Monday as government bank bailouts in the U.S. and Europe failed to alleviate fears that the global financial crisis would depress world economic growth.
Investors took scant comfort from Washington's passage of a US$700 billion plan to buy bad assets from banks and other institutions to shore up the financial industry on Friday because of the uncertainty still hanging over the details of the deal and the degree to which it will help.
Britain's benchmark stock index, the FTSE 100, lost 220.11 to 4,760.14 — a 4.42 percent fall. The declines were led by the banking industry, with the mining and oil industries also suffering drops. HBOS PLC's share price dropped 15.7 percent, while the Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC fell 13.6 percent.
Germany's DAX index fell 4.22 percent to 5,552.27. France's CAC-40 index dropped 4.85 percent to 3,882.81. In Russia, the RTS stock index tumbled more than 7 percent in first 20 minutes of trading.
Over the weekend, many European governments moved to save troubled banks, and made more promises to protect depositors from the credit crisis.
Germany on Sunday agreed a 50 billion euros (US$68 billion) package to bail out Hypo Real Estate, the country's second-biggest commercial property lender, after a rescue plan by private lenders fell apart.
France's BNP Paribas SA committed to taking a 75-percent stake in troubled European bank Fortis N, and Sweden and Denmark followed Ireland and Britain in raising the amount of savers' deposits guaranteed by the government.
Britain's treasury chief Alistair Darling said he was "ready to do whatever it takes" to get the country through the credit crunch, and was looking at a "range of proposals."
But analysts said that, like the U.S. plan, the lack of detail in many of Europe's moves failed to restore investors' confidence, resulting in the stock market tumbles. "What the markets need are some more details about exactly when and how these plans are going to come in," said Richard Hunter, head of British equities at Hargreaves Lansdown Stockbrokers, "And they need some proof that some of these measures are taking hold."
Across Asia, all markets were also in the red. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index fell to its lowest level in 4 1/2 years, sinking 4.25 percent to 10,473.09.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index slid 5 percent to 16,803.76. Markets in mainland China, Australia, South Korea, India, Singapore and Thailand also fell sharply. Indonesia's key index plummeted 10 percent, it's biggest one-day drop ever.
See Yahoo Finance----10-6-08
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Money for a Wall Street bailout, but not for the poor
Money for a Wall Street bailout, but not for the poor
Friday, September 26th 2008, 8:20 PM
The mad rush in Washington to approve a $700 billion bailout of the Wall Street firms largely responsible for the nation's economic crisis in the first place may sound like a very bad joke.
Of course it isn't, and by now we all know that it is no laughing matter. And as City Hall has already made clear, New Yorkers will have to pay a very high price.
"We're going to have some tough times," Mayor Bloomberg said on Tuesday. He was referring to the $516 million budget reduction he ordered for this fiscal year to be followed by a $1 billion reduction for the next one. The Wall Street crisis made these cuts unavoidable, the mayor explained.
Bloomberg is a billionaire and should have no problem personally sailing through the troubled financial waters ahead. For his constituents, however, that voyage is bound to be anything but smooth.
Most are working men and women (and increasingly the unemployed) who struggle daily to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the country.
Not surprisingly, the most vulnerable New Yorkers - low-income families, senior citizens, the poor - will bear the brunt of the cuts. The homeless - including 7,822 families with children - will be among the hardest hit.
Advocates and homeless activists are not taking this well, and are asking some tough questions.
"When poor and homeless people ask the government for help, they're told that low-income housing and living wage jobs are not a government priority because this country is built on 'personal responsibility' and people need to 'make better decisions,'" said a written statement by Picture the Homeless, a nonprofit organization founded and led by homeless people in New York.
"[But] when giant banking corporations are on the brink of total collapse because they have made a systematic series of bad business decisions the government gives them a trillion dollars," the statement continued. "Where is the 'personal responsibility' for the rich?"
That is a question that begs for an honest answer, especially after the Wall Street debacle.
It should be noted that Mayor Bloomberg has not closed his eyes to the plight of the thousands of New Yorkers who do not have a place to live. City Councilman Bill de Blasio (D-Brooklyn), who chairs the Council's General Welfare committee, gives him credit for being "gutsy" in setting the goal of reducing the homeless population 66% by 2009, as part of his five-year plan to combat homelessness announced in 2004.
"It was a bold move," he said.
But the plan has not been a success, and last Tuesday De Blasio held a General Welfare committee hearing to review its progress. Robert Hess, the city Commissioner of Homeless Services, was one of those who testified.
"I found a fair amount of denial from Commissioner Hess," De Blasio said after the hearing. "I would've appreciated if he had been more forthcoming. But there was a lot of 'happy talk' even though there is almost no change in the number of homeless people."
At the hearing, De Blasio presented an innovative five-step plan (in which homelessness prevention plays a big part) to help achieve the mayor's goals. Yet, for all its merits, the future of de Blasio's plan is in doubt due to the crisis.
"I am worried about the budget cuts," he said. "Once you have a fiscal crisis, pro-active solutions tend to fall by the wayside."
Which brings us back to another one of those pesky questions the members of Picture the Homeless are asking.
They would like to know how it is that there is no money for health care, education, housing and real jobs for poor people, but there are trillions for state-sponsored corporate bailouts and tax breaks for the rich.
How indeed?
aruiz@nydailynews.com
Friday, September 26th 2008, 8:20 PM
The mad rush in Washington to approve a $700 billion bailout of the Wall Street firms largely responsible for the nation's economic crisis in the first place may sound like a very bad joke.
Of course it isn't, and by now we all know that it is no laughing matter. And as City Hall has already made clear, New Yorkers will have to pay a very high price.
"We're going to have some tough times," Mayor Bloomberg said on Tuesday. He was referring to the $516 million budget reduction he ordered for this fiscal year to be followed by a $1 billion reduction for the next one. The Wall Street crisis made these cuts unavoidable, the mayor explained.
Bloomberg is a billionaire and should have no problem personally sailing through the troubled financial waters ahead. For his constituents, however, that voyage is bound to be anything but smooth.
Most are working men and women (and increasingly the unemployed) who struggle daily to make ends meet in one of the most expensive cities in the country.
Not surprisingly, the most vulnerable New Yorkers - low-income families, senior citizens, the poor - will bear the brunt of the cuts. The homeless - including 7,822 families with children - will be among the hardest hit.
Advocates and homeless activists are not taking this well, and are asking some tough questions.
"When poor and homeless people ask the government for help, they're told that low-income housing and living wage jobs are not a government priority because this country is built on 'personal responsibility' and people need to 'make better decisions,'" said a written statement by Picture the Homeless, a nonprofit organization founded and led by homeless people in New York.
"[But] when giant banking corporations are on the brink of total collapse because they have made a systematic series of bad business decisions the government gives them a trillion dollars," the statement continued. "Where is the 'personal responsibility' for the rich?"
That is a question that begs for an honest answer, especially after the Wall Street debacle.
It should be noted that Mayor Bloomberg has not closed his eyes to the plight of the thousands of New Yorkers who do not have a place to live. City Councilman Bill de Blasio (D-Brooklyn), who chairs the Council's General Welfare committee, gives him credit for being "gutsy" in setting the goal of reducing the homeless population 66% by 2009, as part of his five-year plan to combat homelessness announced in 2004.
"It was a bold move," he said.
But the plan has not been a success, and last Tuesday De Blasio held a General Welfare committee hearing to review its progress. Robert Hess, the city Commissioner of Homeless Services, was one of those who testified.
"I found a fair amount of denial from Commissioner Hess," De Blasio said after the hearing. "I would've appreciated if he had been more forthcoming. But there was a lot of 'happy talk' even though there is almost no change in the number of homeless people."
At the hearing, De Blasio presented an innovative five-step plan (in which homelessness prevention plays a big part) to help achieve the mayor's goals. Yet, for all its merits, the future of de Blasio's plan is in doubt due to the crisis.
"I am worried about the budget cuts," he said. "Once you have a fiscal crisis, pro-active solutions tend to fall by the wayside."
Which brings us back to another one of those pesky questions the members of Picture the Homeless are asking.
They would like to know how it is that there is no money for health care, education, housing and real jobs for poor people, but there are trillions for state-sponsored corporate bailouts and tax breaks for the rich.
How indeed?
aruiz@nydailynews.com
Friday, September 26, 2008
Scientists warn US Congress of cancer risk for cell phone use
Scientists warn US Congress of cancer risk for cell phone use
by Virginie Montet Thu Sep 25, 9:15 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The potential link between mobile telephones and brain cancer could be similar to the link between lung cancer and smoking -- something tobacco companies took 50 years to recognize,
Scientists are currently split on the level of danger the biological effects of the magnetic field emitted by cellular telephones poses to humans.
However, society "must not repeat the situation we had with the relationship between smoking and lung cancer where we ... waited until every 'i' was dotted and 't' was crossed before warnings were issued," said David Carpenter, director of the Institute of Health and Environment at the University of Albany, in testimony before a subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform.
"Precaution is warranted even in the absence of absolutely final evidence concerning the magnitude of the risk" -- especially for children, said Carpenter.
Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute -- one of the top US cancer research centers -- said that most studies "claiming that there is no link between cell phones and brain tumors are outdated, had methodological concerns and did not include sufficient numbers of long-term cell phone users."
Many studies denying a link defined regular cell phone use as "once a week," he said.
"Recalling the 70 years that it took to remove lead from paint and gasoline and the 50 years that it took to convincingly establish the link between smoking and lung cancer, I argue that we must learn from our past to do a better job of interpreting evidence of potential risk," said Herberman.
A brain tumor can take dozens of years to develop, the scientists said.
Carpenter and Herberman both told the committee the brain cancer risk from cell phone use is far greater for children than for adults.
From Yahoo News 9-26-08
by Virginie Montet Thu Sep 25, 9:15 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The potential link between mobile telephones and brain cancer could be similar to the link between lung cancer and smoking -- something tobacco companies took 50 years to recognize,
Scientists are currently split on the level of danger the biological effects of the magnetic field emitted by cellular telephones poses to humans.
However, society "must not repeat the situation we had with the relationship between smoking and lung cancer where we ... waited until every 'i' was dotted and 't' was crossed before warnings were issued," said David Carpenter, director of the Institute of Health and Environment at the University of Albany, in testimony before a subcommittee of the US House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Reform.
"Precaution is warranted even in the absence of absolutely final evidence concerning the magnitude of the risk" -- especially for children, said Carpenter.
Ronald Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute -- one of the top US cancer research centers -- said that most studies "claiming that there is no link between cell phones and brain tumors are outdated, had methodological concerns and did not include sufficient numbers of long-term cell phone users."
Many studies denying a link defined regular cell phone use as "once a week," he said.
"Recalling the 70 years that it took to remove lead from paint and gasoline and the 50 years that it took to convincingly establish the link between smoking and lung cancer, I argue that we must learn from our past to do a better job of interpreting evidence of potential risk," said Herberman.
A brain tumor can take dozens of years to develop, the scientists said.
Carpenter and Herberman both told the committee the brain cancer risk from cell phone use is far greater for children than for adults.
From Yahoo News 9-26-08
Monday, September 22, 2008
Your vote will count this time!!!
David -- Think of all the people you know -- your friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. What if every one of them voted on Election Day? That's a lot of votes. But odds are, many of them aren't registered -- or aren't sure if they are. Now there's an easy way to learn your status and get registered. Our new one-stop voter registration site, VoteForChange.com, lets you do it all: check your registration status, register to vote, request an absentee ballot, and find your early voting site or polling location. Take a minute today to check out VoteForChange.com, and encourage your friends and family to do the same:
Friday night's debate
Obama presses on --"-Americans need to hear from the person who will be the next president. It is part of the president's job to deal with more than one thing at once." I don't want to infuse Capital Hill with presidential politics". -- Barack Obama
http://voteforchange.com
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Rastafarian guards sue over dreads
Rastafarian guards sue over dreads
BY THOMAS ZAMBITO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, September 17th 2008, 11:39 PM
Rastafarian security guards whose caps couldn't contain their dreadlocks are suing their midtown employer for discrimination - because they were punished for looking sloppy.
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the four officers, who patrol midtown streets for the Grand Central Partnership, are victims of religious discrimination.
Deon Bailey, Brian Lee, Frantz Seraphin and Milton Marcano were accused of violating the personal appearance policy, which requires employees to show up for work "with their hair properly cut."
Three of them were hit with suspensions of at least one day, the lawsuit claims. Seraphin was forced to shave his beard after being told he would be fired if he didn't, claims the lawsuit, which seeks back pay and other damages for pain and humiliation.
The partnership recently agreed to provide custom-made hats to each of the officers so they could tuck in their dreadlocks, said spokesman David Roskin
A COMMENT----
northstar Sep 18, 2008 7:51:17 AM Report Offensive Post A large part of a security officers job is to represent his/her employer or client to the public in an authoritive and positive manner. Many times if the security officer appear in charge and authorative they can avoid a confrontation. Too much hair, whether it is in the Rastafarian style or just long detracts from that authoritative look. If these men belonged to a religion that required facial tatoo's or facial piercings, would that be protected as well? In the theoretical world maybe it should be however we live in a real world and I think that employer's should have the right to determine how their employees portray the company to the public.
A COMMENT
Angry Black Man Sep 18, 2008 9:42:44 AM Report Offensive Post Northstar - Not too long ago a yamaka might have been considered not "authoratative and positive" sometimes the "real world" has to change
BY THOMAS ZAMBITO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Wednesday, September 17th 2008, 11:39 PM
Rastafarian security guards whose caps couldn't contain their dreadlocks are suing their midtown employer for discrimination - because they were punished for looking sloppy.
A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the four officers, who patrol midtown streets for the Grand Central Partnership, are victims of religious discrimination.
Deon Bailey, Brian Lee, Frantz Seraphin and Milton Marcano were accused of violating the personal appearance policy, which requires employees to show up for work "with their hair properly cut."
Three of them were hit with suspensions of at least one day, the lawsuit claims. Seraphin was forced to shave his beard after being told he would be fired if he didn't, claims the lawsuit, which seeks back pay and other damages for pain and humiliation.
The partnership recently agreed to provide custom-made hats to each of the officers so they could tuck in their dreadlocks, said spokesman David Roskin
A COMMENT----
northstar Sep 18, 2008 7:51:17 AM Report Offensive Post A large part of a security officers job is to represent his/her employer or client to the public in an authoritive and positive manner. Many times if the security officer appear in charge and authorative they can avoid a confrontation. Too much hair, whether it is in the Rastafarian style or just long detracts from that authoritative look. If these men belonged to a religion that required facial tatoo's or facial piercings, would that be protected as well? In the theoretical world maybe it should be however we live in a real world and I think that employer's should have the right to determine how their employees portray the company to the public.
A COMMENT
Angry Black Man Sep 18, 2008 9:42:44 AM Report Offensive Post Northstar - Not too long ago a yamaka might have been considered not "authoratative and positive" sometimes the "real world" has to change
Friday, September 05, 2008
Will you make a donation of $25 or more right now to remind them?
David --Why would the Republicans spend a whole night of their convention attacking ordinary people? With the nation watching, the Republicans mocked, dismissed, and actually laughed out loud at Americans who engage in community service and organizing. Our convention was different. We gave the stage to everyday Americans who hunger for change and stepped up to make phone calls, knock on doors, and raise money in small amounts in their communities. You may have missed it, but we also showed the country a video with the faces and voices of those organizers, volunteers, and donors from every corner of the country.
I wasn't planning on sending you something tonight. But if you saw what I saw from the Republican convention, you know that it demands a response.I saw John McCain's attack squad of negative, cynical politicians. They lied about Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and they attacked you for being a part of this campaign.But worst of all -- and this deserves to be noted -- they insulted the very idea that ordinary people have a role to play in our political process.You know that despite what John McCain and his attack squad say, everyday people have the power to build something extraordinary when we come together. Both Rudy Giuliani and Sarah Palin specifically mocked Barack's experience as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago more than two decades ago, where he worked with people who had lost jobs and been left behind when the local steel plants closed.Let's clarify something for them right now.Community organizing is how ordinary people respond to out-of-touch politicians and their failed policies.
And it's no surprise that, after eight years of George Bush, millions of people have found that by coming together in their local communities they can change the course of history. That promise is what our campaign has been about from the beginning.Throughout our history, ordinary people have made good on America's promise by organizing for change from the bottom up. Community organizing is the foundation of the civil rights movement, the women's suffrage movement, labor rights, and the 40-hour workweek. And it's happening today in church basements and community centers and living rooms across America.Meanwhile, we still haven't gotten a single idea during the entire Republican convention about the economy and how to lift a middle class so harmed by the Bush-McCain policies.It's now clear that John McCain's campaign has decided that desperate lies and personal attacks -- on Barack Obama and on you -- are the only way they can earn a third term for the Bush policies that McCain has supported more than 90 percent of the time.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Barack Obama would take tax heat off seniors
Barack Obama would take tax heat off seniors
Calcutta News.NetTuesday 12th August, 2008
Barack Obama has suggested senior citizens earning less than $50,000 a year should be freed of their tax burden.Tax policy experts in Washington are giving the idea the thumbs down after the Obama campaign website said the policy would give tax cuts averaging $1,400 to 7 million seniors who are battling inflation with mostly fixed incomes. A description of the plan says: 'If you work hard and pay into the system, you've earned the right to a secure retirement.Lower- and middle-income seniors are struggling as their expenses on health and energy skyrocket while their incomes do not keep pace.' But, most low and moderate-income seniors already pay no income tax in the US. Among seniors with incomes below $50,000 who do owe income tax, a significant number have modest incomes because they are retired but possess substantial assets.Washington economists are describing Obama’s tax idea as another subsidy for senior citizens, who already get federal help through Social Security and Medicare.The proposed new tax break for seniors is one of about a dozen tax changes proposed by Obama, including raising rates on people making more than $250,000 a yearBarack Obama would take tax heat off seniors
Calcutta News.NetTuesday 12th August, 2008
Barack Obama has suggested senior citizens earning less than $50,000 a year should be freed of their tax burden.Tax policy experts in Washington are giving the idea the thumbs down after the Obama campaign website said the policy would give tax cuts averaging $1,400 to 7 million seniors who are battling inflation with mostly fixed incomes. A description of the plan says: 'If you work hard and pay into the system, you've earned the right to a secure retirement.Lower- and middle-income seniors are struggling as their expenses on health and energy skyrocket while their incomes do not keep pace.' But, most low and moderate-income seniors already pay no income tax in the US. Among seniors with incomes below $50,000 who do owe income tax, a significant number have modest incomes because they are retired but possess substantial assets.Washington economists are describing Obama’s tax idea as another subsidy for senior citizens, who already get federal help through Social Security and Medicare.The proposed new tax break for seniors is one of about a dozen tax changes proposed by Obama, including raising rates on people making more than $250,000 a year
SENIORS NEED A TAX BREAK A COMMENT
What the seniors in this country need is to have a president that will stand up for our rights. Thank you Mr.Obama for pushing this plan. We are the one who made this country great.Remember that above everything else.Republican Party Pushed through the Existing TAX on Social Security Benefits! Do we want more of that? (NO NO NO)
Calcutta News.NetTuesday 12th August, 2008
Barack Obama has suggested senior citizens earning less than $50,000 a year should be freed of their tax burden.Tax policy experts in Washington are giving the idea the thumbs down after the Obama campaign website said the policy would give tax cuts averaging $1,400 to 7 million seniors who are battling inflation with mostly fixed incomes. A description of the plan says: 'If you work hard and pay into the system, you've earned the right to a secure retirement.Lower- and middle-income seniors are struggling as their expenses on health and energy skyrocket while their incomes do not keep pace.' But, most low and moderate-income seniors already pay no income tax in the US. Among seniors with incomes below $50,000 who do owe income tax, a significant number have modest incomes because they are retired but possess substantial assets.Washington economists are describing Obama’s tax idea as another subsidy for senior citizens, who already get federal help through Social Security and Medicare.The proposed new tax break for seniors is one of about a dozen tax changes proposed by Obama, including raising rates on people making more than $250,000 a yearBarack Obama would take tax heat off seniors
Calcutta News.NetTuesday 12th August, 2008
Barack Obama has suggested senior citizens earning less than $50,000 a year should be freed of their tax burden.Tax policy experts in Washington are giving the idea the thumbs down after the Obama campaign website said the policy would give tax cuts averaging $1,400 to 7 million seniors who are battling inflation with mostly fixed incomes. A description of the plan says: 'If you work hard and pay into the system, you've earned the right to a secure retirement.Lower- and middle-income seniors are struggling as their expenses on health and energy skyrocket while their incomes do not keep pace.' But, most low and moderate-income seniors already pay no income tax in the US. Among seniors with incomes below $50,000 who do owe income tax, a significant number have modest incomes because they are retired but possess substantial assets.Washington economists are describing Obama’s tax idea as another subsidy for senior citizens, who already get federal help through Social Security and Medicare.The proposed new tax break for seniors is one of about a dozen tax changes proposed by Obama, including raising rates on people making more than $250,000 a year
SENIORS NEED A TAX BREAK A COMMENT
What the seniors in this country need is to have a president that will stand up for our rights. Thank you Mr.Obama for pushing this plan. We are the one who made this country great.Remember that above everything else.Republican Party Pushed through the Existing TAX on Social Security Benefits! Do we want more of that? (NO NO NO)
Friday, August 08, 2008
Deal close for combat G.I.s' Iraq exit
Deal close for combat G.I.s' Iraq exit
The Associated Press
Friday, August 8th 2008, 2:37 AM
BAGHDAD - Iraq and the U.S. are nearing a deal in which American combat troops would begin leaving Iraq by October 2010 and be out completely three years after that, two senior Iraqi officials said Thursday.
U.S. officials insisted no dates have been agreed on.
The proposed deal calls for Americans to hand over parts of Baghdad's Green Zone - where the U.S. Embassy is located - to the Iraqis by the end of this year. It would also remove U.S. forces from Iraqi cities by June 30 next year, said the officials, who are both close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and familiar with the negotiations.
The officials said all U.S. combat troops would leave Iraq by October 2010, with the remaining support personnel gone "around 2013."
Muqtada al-Sadr says he won't disband militia without US timetable
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, August 8th 2008, 10:38 AM
BAGHDAD - Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered most of his militiamen to disarm but said Friday he will maintain elite fighting units to resist the Americans if a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is not established.
The statement — read to worshippers during Friday prayers in Baghdad's former militia stronghold of Sadr City — is in line with details revealed earlier this week and appears to be an extension of plans he announced in June aimed at asserting more control over the militia.
"Weapons are to be exclusively in the hands of one group, the resistance group," while another group called Momahidoun is to focus on social, religious and community work, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.
He said the announcement was particularly aimed at members of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which has been blamed for some of the worst violence against American troops and rival Sunni Arabs.
Thousands of worshippers streamed out into the streets after the Islamic service, burning an American flag and shouting: "No, no to America. No, no to occupation."
The cleric has linked the reorganization of the Mahdi Army to U.S.-Iraqi negotiations over a long-term agreement that would extend the American presence in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year. Al-Sadr and his followers want the deal to include a timeframe for an American withdrawal and have warned they may not suspend operations without such a clauseMuqtada al-Sadr says he won't disband militia without US timetable
Gov. David Paterson signs foreclosure bill
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, August 5th 2008, 11:19 AM
Gov. David Paterson has signed legislation giving New Yorkers an extra 90 days to save their homes from foreclosure.
The bill, signed on Tuesday, aims to help homeowners who sought subprime loans.
The 90-day grace period is being added to what is typically a 440-day foreclosure process in New York — the longest in the nation.
Homeowners will now have time to meet with lenders and receive other information on dealing with their debt. The law also strengthens mortgage lending rules.
Foreclosures statewide were up 14 percent in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007.
There have been about 50,000 home foreclosures this year. The state estimates another 38,000 homeowners could face foreclosure by the end of the yearGov. David Paterson signs foreclosure bill
The Associated Press
Friday, August 8th 2008, 2:37 AM
BAGHDAD - Iraq and the U.S. are nearing a deal in which American combat troops would begin leaving Iraq by October 2010 and be out completely three years after that, two senior Iraqi officials said Thursday.
U.S. officials insisted no dates have been agreed on.
The proposed deal calls for Americans to hand over parts of Baghdad's Green Zone - where the U.S. Embassy is located - to the Iraqis by the end of this year. It would also remove U.S. forces from Iraqi cities by June 30 next year, said the officials, who are both close to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and familiar with the negotiations.
The officials said all U.S. combat troops would leave Iraq by October 2010, with the remaining support personnel gone "around 2013."
Muqtada al-Sadr says he won't disband militia without US timetable
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Friday, August 8th 2008, 10:38 AM
BAGHDAD - Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ordered most of his militiamen to disarm but said Friday he will maintain elite fighting units to resist the Americans if a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops is not established.
The statement — read to worshippers during Friday prayers in Baghdad's former militia stronghold of Sadr City — is in line with details revealed earlier this week and appears to be an extension of plans he announced in June aimed at asserting more control over the militia.
"Weapons are to be exclusively in the hands of one group, the resistance group," while another group called Momahidoun is to focus on social, religious and community work, Sadrist cleric Mudhafar al-Moussawi said.
He said the announcement was particularly aimed at members of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which has been blamed for some of the worst violence against American troops and rival Sunni Arabs.
Thousands of worshippers streamed out into the streets after the Islamic service, burning an American flag and shouting: "No, no to America. No, no to occupation."
The cleric has linked the reorganization of the Mahdi Army to U.S.-Iraqi negotiations over a long-term agreement that would extend the American presence in Iraq after a U.N. mandate expires at the end of the year. Al-Sadr and his followers want the deal to include a timeframe for an American withdrawal and have warned they may not suspend operations without such a clauseMuqtada al-Sadr says he won't disband militia without US timetable
Gov. David Paterson signs foreclosure bill
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Tuesday, August 5th 2008, 11:19 AM
Gov. David Paterson has signed legislation giving New Yorkers an extra 90 days to save their homes from foreclosure.
The bill, signed on Tuesday, aims to help homeowners who sought subprime loans.
The 90-day grace period is being added to what is typically a 440-day foreclosure process in New York — the longest in the nation.
Homeowners will now have time to meet with lenders and receive other information on dealing with their debt. The law also strengthens mortgage lending rules.
Foreclosures statewide were up 14 percent in the first quarter of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007.
There have been about 50,000 home foreclosures this year. The state estimates another 38,000 homeowners could face foreclosure by the end of the yearGov. David Paterson signs foreclosure bill
Monday, July 21, 2008
Mugabe, Tsvangirai sign Zimbabwe framework deal
Mugabe, Tsvangirai sign Zimbabwe framework deal
By Cris Chinaka 20 minutes ago
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis.
It was the first meeting in 10 years between the two rival leaders, who are widely believed to detest each other. They sat at a conference table separated by South African President Thabo Mbeki who mediated the deal.
The preliminary agreement was signed in Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel after weeks of deadlock since Mugabe was re-elected on June 27 in a widely condemned poll boycotted by Tsvangirai because of violence against his supporters.
Mbeki said the agreement committed both sides to an intense process to try to complete substantive negotiations as quickly as possible. "All parties recognize the urgency," he said.
A subdued Mugabe said after the signing that the agreement was "to chart a new way of political interaction."
Tsvangirai called the ceremony "a very historic occasion" and stressed that a solution must be found.
"If we put our heads together, I am sure we can find a solution. In fact, not finding a solution is not an option," he said.
Officials from both sides said the framework agreement sets a two-week deadline for the government and two factions of the opposition MDC to discuss key issues including a unity government and how to hold new elections.
Mugabe called for an end to Western sanctions against him and his ruling circle and said there was no need for intervention from Europe in Zimbabwe. He has frequently called Tsvangirai a puppet of former colonial ruler Britain.
Zimbabwe's economic collapse under Mugabe's 28-year rule has plunged the once prosperous country into inflation of at least 2 million percent as well as crippling food and fuel shortages.
Tsvangirai had previously refused to sign even a framework deal unless government militias stop violence he says has killed 120 of his supporters. He also wanted Mugabe to recognize his victory in the first round of the presidential poll on March 29.
The MDC leader pulled out of the run-off because of the violence between the two rounds.
Mugabe, 84, blames the opposition for the bloodshed.
The turning point in ending the deadlock appeared to be a meeting last Friday between Mbeki, the African Union's top permanent official, Jean Ping, and U.N. envoy Haile Menkerios.
Mbeki, who has up to now negotiated alone as the designated regional mediator, agreed to expand the mediation process to include the African Union, United Nations and officials from the Southern African Development Community in a "reference group."
Mbeki is expected to liaise with the group although it will not be directly involved in negotiations.
Expansion of the mediation beyond Mbeki has been a key demand of Tsvangirai, who has strongly criticized the South African president, accusing him of favoring Mugabe.
"The actual negotiations are going to be a lot tougher and the MDC's aim of easing Mugabe out of power or sharing executive power (with ZANU-PF) in a transitional government ahead of another election is going to be more difficult to get," said Eldred Masunungure, a political science professor at the University of Zimbabwe.
By Cris Chinaka 20 minutes ago
HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on Monday signed a deal laying down the framework for formal talks on forming a power sharing government to end a deep political crisis.
It was the first meeting in 10 years between the two rival leaders, who are widely believed to detest each other. They sat at a conference table separated by South African President Thabo Mbeki who mediated the deal.
The preliminary agreement was signed in Harare's Rainbow Towers Hotel after weeks of deadlock since Mugabe was re-elected on June 27 in a widely condemned poll boycotted by Tsvangirai because of violence against his supporters.
Mbeki said the agreement committed both sides to an intense process to try to complete substantive negotiations as quickly as possible. "All parties recognize the urgency," he said.
A subdued Mugabe said after the signing that the agreement was "to chart a new way of political interaction."
Tsvangirai called the ceremony "a very historic occasion" and stressed that a solution must be found.
"If we put our heads together, I am sure we can find a solution. In fact, not finding a solution is not an option," he said.
Officials from both sides said the framework agreement sets a two-week deadline for the government and two factions of the opposition MDC to discuss key issues including a unity government and how to hold new elections.
Mugabe called for an end to Western sanctions against him and his ruling circle and said there was no need for intervention from Europe in Zimbabwe. He has frequently called Tsvangirai a puppet of former colonial ruler Britain.
Zimbabwe's economic collapse under Mugabe's 28-year rule has plunged the once prosperous country into inflation of at least 2 million percent as well as crippling food and fuel shortages.
Tsvangirai had previously refused to sign even a framework deal unless government militias stop violence he says has killed 120 of his supporters. He also wanted Mugabe to recognize his victory in the first round of the presidential poll on March 29.
The MDC leader pulled out of the run-off because of the violence between the two rounds.
Mugabe, 84, blames the opposition for the bloodshed.
The turning point in ending the deadlock appeared to be a meeting last Friday between Mbeki, the African Union's top permanent official, Jean Ping, and U.N. envoy Haile Menkerios.
Mbeki, who has up to now negotiated alone as the designated regional mediator, agreed to expand the mediation process to include the African Union, United Nations and officials from the Southern African Development Community in a "reference group."
Mbeki is expected to liaise with the group although it will not be directly involved in negotiations.
Expansion of the mediation beyond Mbeki has been a key demand of Tsvangirai, who has strongly criticized the South African president, accusing him of favoring Mugabe.
"The actual negotiations are going to be a lot tougher and the MDC's aim of easing Mugabe out of power or sharing executive power (with ZANU-PF) in a transitional government ahead of another election is going to be more difficult to get," said Eldred Masunungure, a political science professor at the University of Zimbabwe.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Jesse Jackson: relic
Jesse Jackson: relic
Thursday, July 10th 2008, 7:00 PM
Daniels/AP
The Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks during a news conference in Chicago Wednesday.
Yes, the outburst - and the fact that it never occurred to media-savvy Jesse Jackson that his microphone might be on - was utterly, pardon us, nutty. But it's not to be dismissed lightly.
Crack open the substance of Jackson's complaints about Barack Obama and you discover a stunning contrast between two black leaders, one with a good shot at occupying the White House, the other stuck somewhere in the past.
What Jackson said was that Obama has been "talking down to black people." His discontent apparently stemmed from a speech Obama gave on Father's Day, in which the future Democratic nominee told a black church congregation that "we need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn't just end at conception."
That message was a well-received, wise recognition of the fact that roughly 50% of black children live in fatherless homes. And, as Obama said, "Children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools, and 20 times more likely to end up in prison."
So, what about that prompted Jackson to broach castration? Apologizing, he explained:
"My appeal was for the moral content of [Obama's] message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often lead to their irresponsibility."
Response: unbelievable.
Jackson's statement hangs on the premise that Obama is offering little to society's less fortunate. He appears to have missed the part of Obama's campaign that has focused on people on the bottom, with positions on protecting American jobs from foreign competition, improving failing schools, expanding health care coverage, etc. By which we are referring to essentially Obama's entire domestic agenda. Oh, that.
More importantly, by highlighting the importance of personal responsibility, Obama is shifting the discourse away from the notion that ills such as out-of-wedlock births have their exclusive root causes in governmental failures and social victimization.
(Side note: When Jackson admitted fathering a child out of wedlock in 2001, saying, "I fully accept responsibility," did he mean it, or deep down did he blame government neglect?)
Obama has achieved extraordinary success by running, to use his word, as a candidate of "hope" for Americans of all stripes rather than as a candidate of grievance for one racial group. His mind-set is very different from Jackson's, his appeal is worlds apart, and he has won over much of the country.
Thursday, July 10th 2008, 7:00 PM
Daniels/AP
The Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks during a news conference in Chicago Wednesday.
Yes, the outburst - and the fact that it never occurred to media-savvy Jesse Jackson that his microphone might be on - was utterly, pardon us, nutty. But it's not to be dismissed lightly.
Crack open the substance of Jackson's complaints about Barack Obama and you discover a stunning contrast between two black leaders, one with a good shot at occupying the White House, the other stuck somewhere in the past.
What Jackson said was that Obama has been "talking down to black people." His discontent apparently stemmed from a speech Obama gave on Father's Day, in which the future Democratic nominee told a black church congregation that "we need fathers to recognize that responsibility doesn't just end at conception."
That message was a well-received, wise recognition of the fact that roughly 50% of black children live in fatherless homes. And, as Obama said, "Children who grow up without a father are five times more likely to live in poverty and commit crime; nine times more likely to drop out of schools, and 20 times more likely to end up in prison."
So, what about that prompted Jackson to broach castration? Apologizing, he explained:
"My appeal was for the moral content of [Obama's] message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often lead to their irresponsibility."
Response: unbelievable.
Jackson's statement hangs on the premise that Obama is offering little to society's less fortunate. He appears to have missed the part of Obama's campaign that has focused on people on the bottom, with positions on protecting American jobs from foreign competition, improving failing schools, expanding health care coverage, etc. By which we are referring to essentially Obama's entire domestic agenda. Oh, that.
More importantly, by highlighting the importance of personal responsibility, Obama is shifting the discourse away from the notion that ills such as out-of-wedlock births have their exclusive root causes in governmental failures and social victimization.
(Side note: When Jackson admitted fathering a child out of wedlock in 2001, saying, "I fully accept responsibility," did he mean it, or deep down did he blame government neglect?)
Obama has achieved extraordinary success by running, to use his word, as a candidate of "hope" for Americans of all stripes rather than as a candidate of grievance for one racial group. His mind-set is very different from Jackson's, his appeal is worlds apart, and he has won over much of the country.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
HarlemTechTips
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0" allowScriptAccess="never" allowNetworking="internal">
Wix.com
Wix.com
Friday, June 27, 2008
B’klyn realtor won’t serve blacks: lawsuit
by amy zimmer / metro new york
JUN 27, 2008
A Brooklyn real estate agency systematically denied service to black people — going so far as to ask on the phone whether one prospective renter was Jewish — according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday
The pattern of blatant racial discrimination the suit alleges first came to light in April 2007, when Vanessa Lee, 43, called Bais Seller Real Estate in Midwood looking for a $1,250 Ocean Parkway two-bedroom rental. Lee, who is black, was told by a representative that a “nice” listing was available, the suit alleges — and then was asked if she was Jewish. After responding “no,” Lee waited for a promised call-back that never came.
Feeling something was amiss, Lee told the Fair Housing Justice Center about her experience. The nonprofit conducted a four-month investigation, sending African-American and white testers wearing recording devices to the firm.
The four black testers were asked to fill out forms and told they would be called back. The calls never came. The four white testers, on the other hand, were given solicitous service. A Bais broker, driving one of the white testers around Bensonhurst, allegedly remarked that it was a nice neighborhood because it had “white people” and there were “no drugs, no crimes, no nothing. Mostly Italians and Russians and some Jewish people.”
Lee returned to Bais five months later. A realtor told her about an apartment on Avenue O, then failed to call her back. That same day, a white tester asking for the same type of apartment was shown two, the lawsuit states.
Lee “was treated dismissively, like she wasn’t a human being,” her lawyer, Mariann Wang, said.
Though Bais broker Yury Skalet hadn’t yet heard about the lawsuit, he denied allegations of discrimination to Metro.
“It’s impossible someone did it here,” he said। “I don’t even know who Vanessa Lee is
JUN 27, 2008
A Brooklyn real estate agency systematically denied service to black people — going so far as to ask on the phone whether one prospective renter was Jewish — according to a federal lawsuit filed Thursday
The pattern of blatant racial discrimination the suit alleges first came to light in April 2007, when Vanessa Lee, 43, called Bais Seller Real Estate in Midwood looking for a $1,250 Ocean Parkway two-bedroom rental. Lee, who is black, was told by a representative that a “nice” listing was available, the suit alleges — and then was asked if she was Jewish. After responding “no,” Lee waited for a promised call-back that never came.
Feeling something was amiss, Lee told the Fair Housing Justice Center about her experience. The nonprofit conducted a four-month investigation, sending African-American and white testers wearing recording devices to the firm.
The four black testers were asked to fill out forms and told they would be called back. The calls never came. The four white testers, on the other hand, were given solicitous service. A Bais broker, driving one of the white testers around Bensonhurst, allegedly remarked that it was a nice neighborhood because it had “white people” and there were “no drugs, no crimes, no nothing. Mostly Italians and Russians and some Jewish people.”
Lee returned to Bais five months later. A realtor told her about an apartment on Avenue O, then failed to call her back. That same day, a white tester asking for the same type of apartment was shown two, the lawsuit states.
Lee “was treated dismissively, like she wasn’t a human being,” her lawyer, Mariann Wang, said.
Though Bais broker Yury Skalet hadn’t yet heard about the lawsuit, he denied allegations of discrimination to Metro.
“It’s impossible someone did it here,” he said। “I don’t even know who Vanessa Lee is
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Voice of the People for June 18, 2008
Voice of the People for June 18, 2008
Tuesday, June 17th 2008, 7:11 PM
Meanwhile, re Omar
Spring Hill, Fla.: Okay, Willie Randolph probably needed to go, but it could have been handled so much better. Now Mutt and Jeff Wilpon need to redeem themselves by getting rid of that fool Omar, who put this over-the-hill, underachieving mess together.
Steve Atkinson
Re Omar II
Brooklyn: If the Mets had a black general manager who hired 99% blacks or a white general manager who hired 99% whites, we'd be in the middle of a race war. Why are we ignoring the fact that Omar Minaya is favoring Latinos?
Rocco Deserto
Tuesday, June 17th 2008, 7:11 PM
Meanwhile, re Omar
Spring Hill, Fla.: Okay, Willie Randolph probably needed to go, but it could have been handled so much better. Now Mutt and Jeff Wilpon need to redeem themselves by getting rid of that fool Omar, who put this over-the-hill, underachieving mess together.
Steve Atkinson
Re Omar II
Brooklyn: If the Mets had a black general manager who hired 99% blacks or a white general manager who hired 99% whites, we'd be in the middle of a race war. Why are we ignoring the fact that Omar Minaya is favoring Latinos?
Rocco Deserto
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Jury acquits R&B superstar R. Kelly on all counts in child porn case
Jury acquits R&B superstar R. Kelly on all counts in child porn case
BY RICH SCHAPIRO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Friday, June 13th 2008, 3:59 PM
Huh/AP
R. Kelly was angry when he arrived in court on Friday, but was happy when he left, having been cleared of all charges.
R&B star R. Kelly was cleared of child pornography charges Friday, ending a six-year saga for the mega-popular singer that threatened to land him in prison for 15 years.
After the foreman of the Chicago jury read the verdict, Kelly was visibly elated, dabbing his face with a handkerchief before embracing his lawyer.
The case hinged on a graphic, 27-minute sex tape that prosecutors said showed Kelly, 41, having sex with a girl as young as 13 at the time.
The key witness was a woman who said she participated in a ménage à trois with Kelly and the alleged victim.
Defense lawyers maintained that unlike Kelly, the man on the tape didn't have a large mole on his back. The alleged victim, now 23, also said she was not on the tape.
Prosecutors called 22 witnesses in the month-long trial, including several friends and family members of the alleged victim. All of them identified her as the girl on the tape having sex with Kelly.
In just two days, Kelly's lawyers called 12 witnesses. They included three relatives of the alleged victim who testified they did not recognize her as the female on the tape.
Despite his legal troubles, Kelly - who rose from poverty on Chicago's South Side to become a star singer, songwriter and producer - still retains a huge following, and his popularity has arguably grown in recent years.
The Grammy Award-winning artist is best known for his hits "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N' Grind."
rschapiro@nydailynews
BY RICH SCHAPIRO DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Updated Friday, June 13th 2008, 3:59 PM
Huh/AP
R. Kelly was angry when he arrived in court on Friday, but was happy when he left, having been cleared of all charges.
R&B star R. Kelly was cleared of child pornography charges Friday, ending a six-year saga for the mega-popular singer that threatened to land him in prison for 15 years.
After the foreman of the Chicago jury read the verdict, Kelly was visibly elated, dabbing his face with a handkerchief before embracing his lawyer.
The case hinged on a graphic, 27-minute sex tape that prosecutors said showed Kelly, 41, having sex with a girl as young as 13 at the time.
The key witness was a woman who said she participated in a ménage à trois with Kelly and the alleged victim.
Defense lawyers maintained that unlike Kelly, the man on the tape didn't have a large mole on his back. The alleged victim, now 23, also said she was not on the tape.
Prosecutors called 22 witnesses in the month-long trial, including several friends and family members of the alleged victim. All of them identified her as the girl on the tape having sex with Kelly.
In just two days, Kelly's lawyers called 12 witnesses. They included three relatives of the alleged victim who testified they did not recognize her as the female on the tape.
Despite his legal troubles, Kelly - who rose from poverty on Chicago's South Side to become a star singer, songwriter and producer - still retains a huge following, and his popularity has arguably grown in recent years.
The Grammy Award-winning artist is best known for his hits "I Believe I Can Fly" and "Bump N' Grind."
rschapiro@nydailynews
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Puerto Rico's Moment in the Sun
By MICHAEL JANEWAY
Published: May 22, 2008
PUERTO RICO, an afterthought trophy for the United States 110 years ago at the end of the Spanish-American War and an island in limbo since, has become an improbable player in the contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Its primary on June 1 could bolster Mrs. Clinton’s claim to a majority of the popular vote — the combined tally for all the Democratic primaries and caucuses held across the country over the past six months.
Puerto Rico’s formal role in the process is indeed weighty. Its 63 voting delegates — 55 elected ones and eight superdelegates — at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer will outnumber delegations from more than half the states (including Kentucky and Oregon) and the District of Columbia. Yet Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the Electoral College, nor will its 2.5 million registered voters cast ballots for president in November.
How in the world did this happen? From the beginning, the question of Puerto Rico has perplexed the United States. The island was essential to the defense of the Panama Canal, so we did not make it independent, in contrast to two other Spanish possessions we gained in the war, Cuba (which become independent in 1902) and the Philippines (1946). And we judged it foreign in language and culture — and worse, overpopulated — so New Mexico-style Americanization leading to statehood was out of the question.
Similarly, Puerto Ricans have never resolved their relationship with the United States. For almost 50 years after the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rican sentiment was divided between dreams of statehood and of independence. This ambivalence deterred the island from ever petitioning Congress for one or the other. And until mid-century, sporadic outbursts of violent nationalism haunted the scene.
Partly to put such extremism out of business, Congress in 1948 allowed Puerto Rico to elect its own governor and then in 1950 gave it an intricately designed, semi-autonomous “commonwealth” status short of statehood. Two years later, the island adopted its own Constitution, and Congress quickly ratified it.
Puerto Ricans elect their own Legislature, along with the governor. They enjoy entitlements like Social Security, but they do not pay federal income taxes. They retain their own cultural identity (Spanish is the prevailing tongue) but live under the umbrella of the American trade system and the American military. They have been citizens since 1917, but they have no vote in Congress or for the presidency. 5-23-2008
Adapted from http://nytimes.com/ Posted by davidsradiotv2000
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