I’ll be off for a while. I’ve started my fifth book and have no time to do newsletters. I’ll resume in a year or so.
Thanks for reading...
International
Eurozone output up for first time in a year - Falls in Spain hold region back By Gerrit Wiesmann in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 14 2009 13:09 | Last updated: July 14 2009 13:09 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5be70230-7067-11de-9717-00144feabdc0.html
Eurozone confirms negative inflation - Driven by cheaper energy not deflation By Chris Giles in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 12:19 | Last updated: July 15 2009 12:19 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5f950aae-7129-11de-877c-00144feabdc0.html
US and UBS request court delay - Prospects improve for settlement ByJoanna Chung in New York and Haig Simonian in Zurich. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 12 2009 16:58 | Last updated: July 12 2009 16:58. The US government and UBS on Sunday stepped back from the brink of a damaging court battle – scheduled to start on Monday – over the Swiss bank’s refusal to reveal the names of thousands of its offshore customers to the US Internal Revenue Service. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e3d8b684-6ef5-11de-9109-00144feabdc0.html
Suicide bombs kill 8 in Jakarta hotels- President casts blame on political opponents By John Aglionby in Jakarta. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 03:08 | Last updated: July 17 2009 17:45 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/76c46078-7276-11de-ba94-00144feabdc0.html
Kim Jong Il has pancreatic cancer, report says - South Korea television says the cancer was diagnosed last summer, when the North Korean ruler had a stroke. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press. 5:10 AM CDT, July 13, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-fgw-kim-jong-il14-2009jul14,0,5554569.story
Who Will Succeed Kim Jong Il? Recollections of teachers and former students at a state school in Switzerland may offer a glimpse of the young man some say is destined to lead North Korea. By Andrew Higgins. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, July 16, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503930.html?hpid=topnews
Facing Party Rift, Japan’s Premier Calls Election By MARTIN FACKLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/world/asia/14japan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
Russian rights campaigner found dead By Catherine Belton in Moscow. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 21:43 | Last updated: July 15 2009 21:43. A prominent human rights activist has been found dead in Ingushetia with two gun shot wounds to her head after being kidnapped on Wednesday morning in the neighbouring republic of Chechnya, the third killing of an activist this year. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/143ea6c8-717e-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
New York Times Editorial: Secretary Clinton Goes to India. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 17, 2009. The Bush administration and Congress rewrote American and international rules to allow India — a longtime nuclear scofflaw — to buy fuel and technology for its civilian nuclear program. It was supposed to be the start of a beautiful new friendship. So we are eager to see what happens when Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits India over the next few days. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/opinion/18sat1.html?_r=1&ref=global
Turkey drags its smokers outdoors = Ban will hit hard in Turkey’s traditional village tea houses By Delphine Strauss and Funja Guler in Ankara. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 19:20 | Last updated: July 17 2009 19:20 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0b8edefc-72fb-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
China
China is now an empire in denial By Gideon Rachman. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 13 2009 19:06 | Last updated: July 13 2009 19:06. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it suddenly became obvious that the USSR had never been a proper country. It was a multinational empire held together by force. Might we one day say the same of China? Of course, any such suggestion is greeted with rage in Beijing. Chinese politicians are modern-minded pragmatists when it comes to economic management. But they revert to Maoist language when questions of territorial integrity are touched upon. Supporters of Taiwanese independence are “splittists”. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetans, has been described as a “monster with a human face and an animal’s heart”. The Muslim Uighurs who rioted violently last week were denounced as the tools of sinister foreign forces. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/414f6e50-6fd4-11de-b835-00144feabdc0.html
Fuse of Fear, Lit in China, Has Victims on 2 Sides By EDWARD WONG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 12, 2009. URUMQI, China — The lynch mob first set upon the lame Uighur shoeshine boy in the narrow alley, sticks and knives in hand. Then it turned to the two men working at the reception desk in the Light of Dawn hotel. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/world/asia/13uighur.html?th&emc=th
China GDP growth accelerates to 7.9% - State stimulus boosts economy By Richard McGregor in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 16 2009 03:59 | Last updated: July 16 2009 05:28 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/55028018-71b4-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
China’s forex reserves pass $2,000bn - Speculation over revaluation returns By Richard McGregor in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 06:33 | Last updated: July 15 2009 11:44. Beijing’s foreign reserve holdings have surged through the $2,000 billion mark, as money pours back into China to take advantage of faster economic growth and rapidly inflating asset prices. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a2f2a88a-70f5-11de-9717-00144feabdc0.html
New York Times Editorial: Bad Business in China. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 17, 2009. One has to be suspicious when China detains an Australian executive on charges of stealing state secrets without providing further details or evidence and waits three days to inform the Australian government. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/opinion/18sat3.html?ref=global
Chicago Tribune Editorial: Danger: Chinese goods. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 16, 2009. During the height of the housing boom, American home builders began to rely heavily on imported Chinese drywall. Domestic supplies couldn't keep up with demand, and imported drywall looked like a godsend. It has turned into a nightmare. Chinese drywall is the suspected cause for persistent foul smells in homes, for corrosion of metals and jewelry and for respiratory problems. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0716edit2jul16,0,7626609.story
Mess-o-potamia
Rafsanjani says Iran is ‘in crisis’ - Former president calls for open debate By Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 12:25 | Last updated: July 17 2009 17:33. Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, Iran’s former president, on Friday threw his weight behind reformists and declared that the country was in “crisis” following the disputed presidential election . He told the hundreds of thousands of protesters attending his address at Friday prayers in Tehran university: “Conditions today are bitter ... and we all have lost.” In the biggest show of dissent since a crackdown by Iran’s security forces, many in the crowd wore the opposition’s trademark green scarves, wrist and headbands after a month in which no one had dared to do so. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8bba5ce0-72c0-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Iran opposition leader to attend public prayers © Reuters Limited. July 16, 2009. TEHRAN, July 16 - Iran’s opposition leader Mir-Hossein Moussavi will attend Friday prayers this week in his first official public appearance since last month’s disputed election, a statement on his website said. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5133e8b8-71e2-11de-b7e1-00144feabdc0.html
Plane Crash Leaves 168 Dead in Iran By ROBERT F. WORTH and NICOLA CLARK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/world/middleeast/16plane.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
Iraq Restricts U.S. Forces - American Officials See Link Between Limits, Spate of Attacks By Ernesto Londoño and Karen DeYoung. Copyright by The Washington Post . Saturday, July 18, 2009. BAGHDAD, July 17 -- The Iraqi government has moved to sharply restrict the movement and activities of U.S. forces in a new reading of a six-month-old U.S.-Iraqi security agreement that has startled American commanders and raised concerns about the safety of their troops. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/17/AR2009071703634.html?hpid=topnews
6 Are Killed and 67 Hurt in Bombings in Iraq Cities By SAM DAGHER and AMIR A. AL-OBEIDI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 11, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/world/middleeast/12iraq.html?th&emc=th
Another Insurgency Gains in Pakistan By CARLOTTA GALL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 11, 2009. TURBAT, Pakistan — Three local political leaders were seized from a small legal office here in April, handcuffed, blindfolded and hustled into a waiting pickup truck in front of their lawyer and neighboring shopkeepers. Their bodies, riddled with bullets and badly decomposed in the scorching heat, were found in a date palm grove five days later. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/world/asia/12baluchistan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home
Marines Waiting on Basic Supplies. Copyright by The Washington Post. July 16, 2009. U.S. Marines pushing deeper into Taliban territory in Afghanistan’s Helmand River Valley are short of basic equipment and supplies ranging from radios and vehicles to uniforms. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/battle-for-helmand/?hpid=topnews
The Middle East chess game Obama needs to win By Philip Stephens. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 16 2009 20:11 | Last updated: July 16 2009 20:11 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a6cd0ad8-7233-11de-ba94-00144feabdc0.html
How to Achieve a Lasting Peace - Stop Focusing on the Settlements By Ehud Olmert. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, July 17, 2009. Israel's partnership with the United States is one of its greatest strategic assets. The United States provides Israel with crucial security and economic aid and invaluable political backing in the international arena. Amid the legitimate rapprochement President Obama has initiated with the Arab and Muslim world, it is important not to underestimate the multifaceted nature of U.S. relations with Israel, the only real Middle Eastern democracy whose founding principles are based on the Western values of liberty and freedom for all. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/07/16/ST2009071603593.html?sid=ST2009071603593
National
Walter Cronkite, Voice of TV News, Dies By DOUGLAS MARTIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/us/18cronkite.html?_r=1&emc=na
Obama tackles racism in NAACP speech By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 01:30 | Last updated: July 17 2009 01:30 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8b073a8-723d-11de-ba94-00144feabdc0.html
State Tax Revenues at Record Low, Rockefeller Institute Finds By MICHAEL COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 17, 2009. The anemic economy decimated state tax collections during the first three months of the year, according to a report released Friday by the Rockefeller Institute of Government. The drop in revenues was the steepest in the 46 years that quarterly data has been available. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/us/18states.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
GOP Bashing
July 14, 2009: White Men Can't Judge http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-july-14-2009/white-men-can-t-judge
White Man’s Last Stand By MAUREEN DOWD. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: July 14, 2009. You can’t judge a judge by her cover. Despite the best efforts of Republicans to root out any sign that Sonia Sotomayor has emotions that color her views on the law, the Bronx Bomber kept a robotic mask in place. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/opinion/15dowd.html?th&emc=th
The Militarization of the Police Force http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5k5y3fBH9Og
Cheney under fire on secret terror project - Congress ‘kept in dark’ on CIA programme By Sarah O’Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 12 2009 21:36 | Last updated: July 12 2009 21:36 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b386a0c8-6f21-11de-9109-00144feabdc0.html
Feinstein Says Law May Have Been Broken By MARIA NEWMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 12, 2009. Senator Dianne Feinstein, the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said on Sunday that the Bush administration may have broken the law if the Central Intelligence Agency concealed a covert spy program from Congress. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/us/politics/13cheney.html?th&emc=th
New York Times Editorial: The Truth About Dasht-i-Leili. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 13, 2009. Add this to the Bush administration’s sordid legacy: a refusal to investigate charges that forces commanded by a notorious Afghan warlord — and American ally — massacred hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Taliban prisoners of war in late 2001. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/14/opinion/14tue2.html?_r=1&ref=global
New York Times Editorial: Illegal, and Pointless. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 16, 2009. We’ve known for years that the Bush administration ignored and broke the law repeatedly in the name of national security. It is now clear that many of those programs could have been conducted just as easily within the law — perhaps more effectively and certainly with far less damage to the justice system and to Americans’ faith in their government. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/opinion/17fri1.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Just One More Thing, Mr. Paulson . . .By William D. Cohan. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, July 12, 2009. When Henry Paulson, the former Treasury secretary, sits down in front of the microphones in Room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building on Thursday to testify before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, he would do the American people a great service by taking a deep breath and, for the first time, answering the simple question: Why? http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/10/AR2009071002388.html
Washington Post Editorial: Mr. Paulson on the Hot Seat - A congressional inquiry into the financial crisis and bailout ignores what went right. Copyright by The Washington Post . Friday, July 17, 2009. HERE, MORE or less, is the state of the U.S. financial system as we enter the second half of 2009: The top 20 U.S. banks -- once thought to be insolvent and possibly in need of nationalization -- have survived a government stress test and begun raising private capital. The three-month London Interbank Offered Rate, which rises when banks are illiquid, has declined steadily since March. Several recipients of government bailout funds have repaid them. The Treasury Department felt confident enough of the system's soundness to deny further help this week to CIT Group, a previous recipient of bailout money http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071603776.html
Palin’s Long March to a Short-Notice Resignation By JIM RUTENBERG and SERGE F. KOVALESKI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/us/politics/13palin.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Sweet, Tweet Revenge By MAUREEN DOWD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 11, 2009. It was only a matter of time, once John McCain joined the 21st century and got himself a Ford Fusion Hybrid, a Facebook page and a Twitter account, that he would reconnect with people out of his past he would rather forget. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/12/opinion/12dowd.html?th&emc=th
Chicagoland
Cubs may file bankruptcy By Bruce Japsen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 9:36 AM CDT, July 13, 2009. The Chicago Cubs may consider a bankruptcy filing as part of closing the sale of the team, according to sources close to the major league ball club. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-chicago-cubs-bankruptcy-july13,0,5186979.story
Chicago Tribune Editorial: More profiles in failure. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 17, 2009. Did you see what happened in Springfield this week? The same legislators who want you to think they passed real ethics reforms have failed you anew, this time in their stewardship of state finances. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0717edit1jul17,0,19833.story
Chicago Sun Times Editorial: Stroger owes answers on Cole. Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times. July 17, 2009. For months now, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has done his best to stonewall the public on the facts behind the Tony Cole scandal. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1670607,CST-EDT-edit17b.article
Daley gives holdout unions new deadline. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 15, 2009 11:34 AM. Midnight was the deadline, but Mayor Richard Daley didn't pull the trigger this morning on layoffs for more than 400 city workers represented by unions that won't agree to his demands for cost-cutting. http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/midnight-deadline-passes-for-city-union-givebacks.html
Chicago, city that works? By Elizabeth Milnikel. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 17, 2009. If you thought the city's handling of parking was abominable, wait until you hear how it regulates small businesses. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0717workjul17,0,1783432.story
FBI: It'll be tough identifying Burr Oak remains By Lolly Bowean, Kristen Schorsch, Jane Fritsch, Kim Janssen. July 13, 2009 3:54 PM. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/carolyn-towns-49-the-former.html
'It's going to be getting worse' - With cemetery records in disarray, authorities finally find 2 key maps By Rex W. Huppke and Jeff Coen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 12, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-grave-robbers-new-12jul12,0,2962026.story
Chicago water: In public reports, city silent over sex hormones and painkillers found in treated drinking water - Pharmaceutical chemicals aren't on list of substances in water that require public notice By Michael Hawthorne. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 14, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-water-testing-14-jul14,0,4303601.story
Abortion ruling: Illinois' parental notification law is cleared to be enforced - Federal appeals court rules on law that's been delayed for years. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 15, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-teen-abortion-notifyjul15,0,3763583.story
Sears Tower name change: Building today officially becomes Willis Tower By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 16, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-talk-willis-towerjul16,0,4222230.story
Mark Kirk: From the People Who Know Him Best. Following Lisa Madigan's decision to seek re-election as Illinois Attorney General, the Washington Post and other news outlets are reporting that Mark Kirk will for the Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris. We, the voters of Illinois' 10th Congressional District, are responding to the many questions we have received about Kirk from other parts of the state, and we decided to send out this information. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/07/mark-kirk-from-people-who-know-him-best.html
Your Lack of Money
Fed sees end to US downturn - Rising unemployment will persist By Sarah O’Connor in Washington and Kiran Stacey in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 20:50 | Last updated: July 16 2009 00:32. The US Federal Reserve believes that the recession will end “before long”, but predicts that unemployment will remain at high levels for several years to come. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5df7e4ac-7177-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
Geithner upbeat on economy By Chris Giles in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 13 2009 18:58 | Last updated: July 13 2009 23:40. Tim Geithner, the US Treasury secretary, sounded an optimistic note on the US and global economy on Monday, suggesting a recovery was at hand and saying there was no need at the moment for another fiscal stimulus. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5c59a1e6-6fd6-11de-b835-00144feabdc0.html
US retail sales rise on swelling petrol prices - Producer price index jumps 1.8 per cent in June By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 14 2009 14:43 | Last updated: July 14 2009 14:49 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4bc0e6c6-700f-11de-b835-00144feabdc0.html
Lenny Dykstra's Financial Career http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-july-14-2009/lenny-dykstra-s-financial-career
US industrial output decline slows - Petrol prices drive US inflation higher By Simone Baribeau in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 14:16 | Last updated: July 15 2009 14:51 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f916a842-7136-11de-877c-00144feabdc0.html
Summers fights concerns over stimulus - Mounting job losses stoke criticism By Sarah O’Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 19:02 | Last updated: July 17 2009 19:02. Rising unemployment in the US does not mean the government’s $787bn economic stimulus has failed, the White House argued on Friday as it tried to counter increasing disillusionment about the package. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/aa043b9c-72f9-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Lender CIT faces bankruptcy filing- US Treasury faces $2.3bn loss of bail-out funds. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 16 2009 01:02 | Last updated: July 16 2009 01:02 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1cefff8c-7198-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
Retailers plead for government help to save CIT Group By Sandra M. Jones. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 1:26 PM CDT, July 15, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-cit-group-july15,0,6677978.story
Troubled CIT calls for $2bn infusion - Bondholders asked for funding bridge By Henny Sender and Saskia Scholtes in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 20:15 | Last updated: July 18 2009 00:55. CIT Group was in crisis talks on Friday night with a small group of its bondholders to cobble together a rescue financing that would stave off a bankruptcy filing. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/856f2f30-7303-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
GE second-quarter profits fall by 47% - Revenue dragged down by finance arm By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 13:13 | Last updated: July 17 2009 16:21 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/82f67586-72c9-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Dell Shares Dip Along With Margins By Ashlee Vance. Copyright by The New York Times. July 13, 2009, 6:59 pm. Dell has spent most of the recession saying that it’s chasing profits over market share. So, investors were understandably unimpressed when the company declared on Monday that it expects to report lower second quarter gross margins. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/dell-shares-dip-along-with-margins/?th&emc=th
Citi and BofA fail to allay fears - Profits boosted by large one-off gains By Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 13:42 | Last updated: July 17 2009 18:32 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/72045088-72cc-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
JPMorgan Chase Posts $2.7 Billion Profit. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: July 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/07/16/business/AP-US-Earns-JPMorgan-Chase.html?hp
Goldman Sachs Reports Big Profit, Beating Forecasts. Copyright by Bloomberg News By GRAHAM BOWLEY. Published: July 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/business/15goldman.html?_r=1&hp
Commodities
Ranks of US primary dealers grow once more - Boom in Treasuries trading attracts new entrants By Michael Mackenzie in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 17:47 | Last updated: July 15 2009 20:27. After a steady decline, which accelerated last year, the ranks of primary dealers, which interact with the US Federal Reserve and bid for Treasury debt, are growing again. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/09e4f92e-715c-11de-a821-00144feabdc0,s01=1.html
SEC wants more disclosure in muni bond market By Nicole Bullock in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 16 2009 01:37 | Last updated: July 16 2009 01:37. US regulators, which are stepping up oversight across the financial markets, are also pushing for greater transparency for municipal bonds. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a03de444-7198-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
California IOUs set for trade - Platform launched as budget crisis drags on By Nicole Bullock in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 19:30 | Last updated: July 15 2009 21:50. A market is set to emerge this week in Californian IOUs as the persistence of the state’s budget crisis is making it increasingly difficult to exchange these emergency instruments for cash. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/07aae6fc-7169-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
Housing
US housing starts hit 7-month high - Construction rise signals housing bottom By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 15:09 | Last updated: July 17 2009 15:09. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/115ee962-72d8-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Mortgages Are Now a Bank’s Best Friend By ERIC DASH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 14, 2009. For the last two years, housing has been at the center of the banking industry’s troubles. But for at least one quarter, it will help lift its results. Even as banks remain cautious about lending and millions of borrowers still risk losing their homes, the mortgage business is returning as one of the most lucrative corners of the financial industry. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/business/15bank.html?th&emc=th
Squeeze in lending rules choking condo market - More developers seeking FHA approval for easier mortgages By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 12, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sun-condo-sales-jul12,0,3624240.story
Chicago housing prices drop even faster - Foreclosures among several factors prompting sellers to adjust By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 13, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-mon-home-prices-0713-jul13,0,7663247.story
GLBT
Senate Votes to Add Sexual Orientation to Hate Crime Protections By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 17, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Senate has agreed to expand the definition of hate crimes to those committed because of a victim’s sexual orientation and gender identity as part of a Pentagon policy measure that is becoming a magnet for tough social issues. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/18/us/politics/18hate.html?th&emc=th
Murphy to lead repeal of DADT by Bob Roehr. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-07-15. Repeal of the antigay military policy known as “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” ( DADT ) has a new champion in the halls of Congress. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Penn., agreed to take over as lead sponsor of the legislation. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=21796
Episcopal Vote Reopens a Door to Gay Bishops By LAURIE GOODSTEIN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: July 14, 2009. ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Episcopal Church voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to open the door to consecrate more bishops who are openly gay, a move that is likely to send shock waves throughout the Anglican Communion, the global network of churches to which the Episcopal Church belongs. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/us/15episcopal.html?th&emc=th
Ocasio now wants wife to succeed him as alderman, dumps controversial minister by Dan Mihalopoulos. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 17, 2009. Former Ald. Billy Ocasio said today he wants his wife to succeed him as 26th Ward alderman, and he has withdrawn his recommendation of a controversial minister as his replacement. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/07/ocasio-dumps-controversial-minister-now-wants-wife-as-aldermanic-successor.html
More reaction to Rev. Wilfredo De Jesús bid for a Chicago City Council Alderman's seat...Copyright © 2009, Blabeando. July 12, 2009 http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/07/intolerable-defense.html
McRaith named to head insurance department. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-07-15 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=21809
Local lesbian files discrimination charge against healthcare giant By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. July 16, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3703
FINANCIAL BARGAINING WITH YOUR LOVER by Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss. Copyright by Gay Chicago Magazine and Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss. July 16-22, 2009 http://www.gaychicagomagazine.com/advice/legallyspeaking.shtml
Immigration
New York Times Editorial: More Immigration Non-Solutions. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 12, 2009. Here’s a rerun we didn’t want to see: President Obama’s Department of Homeland Security announced last week that it was pressing forward with — and even expanding — old, bad Bush administration ideas about immigration enforcement. The schemes were misguided, ineffective and dangerous then, and still are today. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/13/opinion/13mon2.html?th&emc=th
Immigration's Sideshow By Lee Hockstader. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, July 19, 2009. The Obama administration, moving gingerly toward what the president has said will be a far-reaching overhaul of the nation's broken immigration system, is trying to show at the outset that it is serious about enforcing existing laws. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/17/AR2009071703114.html
New Policy Permits Asylum for Battered Women By JULIA PRESTON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 15, 2009. The Obama administration has opened the way for foreign women who are victims of severe domestic beatings and sexual abuse to receive asylum in the United States. The action reverses a Bush administration stance in a protracted and passionate legal battle over the possibilities for battered women to become refugees. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/us/16asylum.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Technology
Google says YouTube on track for first profit - Video site gets boost from online ads By Richard Waters in San Francisco and Matthew Garrahan in Los Angeles. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 20:06 | Last updated: July 17 2009 20:06 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b4d81bde-72f8-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Google Voice Goes Mobile By Miguel Helft. Copyright by The New York Times. July 15, 2009, 12:01 am. Google Voice, the universal voice mailbox and call-routing service that Google rolled out in March, has always been accessible from mobile phones. Users dialed their Google Voice number and could access their voice mail or hit a button and be prompted to make a call. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/15/google-voice-goes-mobile/?th&emc=th
Facebook violates Canadian privacy laws By David Gelles in San Francisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 16 2009 20:20 | Last updated: July 16 2009 23:19 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/08c09c54-723a-11de-ba94-00144feabdc0.html
Twitter files leaked in ‘cloud’ lapse - Potential security weakness in internet-based software By Richard Waters and Joseph Menn in San Francisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 23:53 | Last updated: July 15 2009 23:53 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/21d018e6-7190-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
Little laptops snap at the oligopoly By John Gapper. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 15 2009 22:35 | Last updated: July 15 2009 22:35. What is the most influential piece of personal technology of the past two years? Amazon’s Kindle? Apple’s iPhone? Research in Motion’s BlackBerry? All of these North American devices are worthy but my prize goes to the Asus Eee PC made by Asustek of Taiwan. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/16b1e206-7171-11de-a821-00144feabdc0.html
LCD makers charged with price-fixing - Brussels charges number of companies By Nikki Tait in Brusels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 13 2009 13:08 | Last updated: July 13 2009 13:08 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7eaf9b66-6f9e-11de-bfc5-00144feabdc0.html
Medical
On Health-Care Reform, Obama Looks to the LBJ Model - President Urges Lawmakers to Act. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, July 14, 2009. President Obama returned to domestic affairs yesterday after a weeklong overseas tour with a warning for skeptics of his stalled health-care overhaul: "Don't bet against us." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/13/AR2009071303342.html?hpid=topnews
HMO rates to jump 12% in 2010, Hewitt study projects By Bruce Japsen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 1:00 PM CDT, July 15, 2009. At a time general inflation has virtually disappeared, health-care costs for consumers aren't likely to slow next year with HMO rates projected to jump nearly 12 percent in 2010 for self-insured employers, a new study indicates http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-hmo-costs-jul15,0,6342069.story
New York Times Editorial: A Strong Health Reform Bill. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: July 15, 2009. While the Senate continues to struggle over its approach to health care reform, House Democratic leaders have unveiled a bill that would go a long way toward solving the nation’s health insurance problems without driving up the deficit. It is already drawing fierce opposition from business groups and many Republicans. This is a bill worth fighting for. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/16/opinion/16thu1.html?th&emc=th
Obama Eyes The Purse Strings for Medicare - Lawmakers Now Win Friends at Home by Setting Payout Rates By Shailagh Murray. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, July 16, 2009. At the same time President Obama is asking members of Congress to take one of the most politically difficult votes of their careers, he is also pressing lawmakers to give up one of their most valued perks of office: boosting Medicare payments to benefit hometown providers. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503929.html?hpid=topnews
Health-care debate: Wal-Mart's support of mandate rankles other retailers By David Greising. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 14, 2009. The nation's love-hate relationship with Wal-Mart is taking an unexpected turn now that the "Beast from Bentonville" is endorsing a plan to require employers to provide health coverage for all workers. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-tue-greising-wal-mart-employjul14,0,7948652.column
With Nominee, Obama Presses Ahead on Health Care By William Branigin and Michael D. Shear. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, July 13, 2009; 3:23 PM. President Obama served notice today that his administration will forge ahead with a plan to overhaul the nation's health-care system despite what he described as mounting criticism, and he introduced his nominee for surgeon general, Regina Benjamin, as someone who "understands the urgency" of health-care reform. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/13/AR2009071301817.html?hpid=topnews
TV ads boost Obama health reforms By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: July 17 2009 19:59 | Last updated: July 17 2009 23:44. Harry and Louise have defected. The fictional couple were credited (or blamed) for helping to kill off Bill Clinton’s healthcare reform of 1993 in one of the most famous television campaigns in US politics. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/91eadb7a-72fd-11de-ad98-00144feabdc0.html
Gang Of Six Centrist Senators Demands Delay On Health Care Reform By Ryan Grim. Copyright by The Huffington Post. Updated: 07-17-09 01:17 PM. A bipartisan group of centrist and conservative senators sent a letter to the Democratic and Republican leaders on Friday urging delay in consideration of health care reform http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/17/gang-of-six-centrist-sena_n_237750.html
Washington Post Editorial: Why the Cheers? - The House health-care bill that President Obama is celebrating falls short on two out of three crucial issues. Copyright by The Washington Post Friday, July 17, 2009. IN ASSESSING proposals to overhaul the health-care system, there are three overarching questions: First, would the change make insurance more accessible, affordable and reliable? Second, is it paid for -- not only in a way that makes sense but that is sustainable over time? Third, and related to the second, does the legislation do enough to bend the curve on health-care costs, slowing the trajectory in which the increase in costs greatly outpaces the overall inflation rate? The House bill, which emerged to effusive praise from President Obama this week, falls short on two out of three counts. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/16/AR2009071603775.html
Washington Post Editorial: Dangerous Side Effects- A law meant to spur prescription drug competition has instead delayed it. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, July 16, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/15/AR2009071503378.html
The truth about sunscreen By Fred Tasker. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 19, 2009. We couldn't do without the sun. It keeps us warm, fuels photosynthesis so we have spinach to eat and helps our bodies make Vitamin D. We couldn't see across the street without the sun. But it also has a dark side. http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-tc-health-sunscreen-0729-071.ar0jul19,0,297742.story
Other
10 secrets airlines don't want you to know. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. July 17, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-10-airline-tips,0,2778966.story
Humor
The Queen of England is INDIAN!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyHVl51eNTs
Resarch Translation http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/07/resarch-translation.html
New! Carlos now has an online store. Order your books directly from Carlos and have them signed and dedicated.http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/
In Pride (orgullo),
Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
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