Tell me Why Newsletter - September 26, 2009

Tell me Why Newsletter - September 26, 2009

Tell Me Why-Declan Galbraith http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_j6IBdHW_rY




International

U.N. Security Council Adopts Measure on Nuclear Arms By HELENE COOPER and SHARON OTTERMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009. UNITED NATIONS — The United Nations Security Council, with President Obama acting as chairman, unanimously passed a resolution on Thursday morning aimed at increasing deterrents for withdrawing from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and decreasing the likelihood that a civilian nuclear program can be diverted toward the development of advanced weapons. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/world/25prexy.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Global Economic Forum to Expand Permanently By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009. PITTSBURGH — Global leaders will announce Friday that the once elite club of rich industrial nations known as the Group of 7 will be permanently replaced as a global forum for economic policy by the much broader Group of 20 that includes China, Brazil, India and other fast-growing developing countries, the White House said. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/26summit.html?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: Mr. Obama and Mr. Hu on Warming. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. Of more than 100 world leaders who gathered Tuesday at the United Nations for a summit meeting on climate change, two mattered most: Barack Obama and China’s president, Hu Jintao. Together their countries produce 40 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Together they can lead the way to an effective global response to this clear global threat. Or together they can mess things up royally. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/opinion/23wed1.html?th&emc=th

U.S. and China Vow Action on Climate Threat but Cite Needs By NEIL MacFARQUHAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/science/earth/23climate.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Global trade sees fastest rise for five years By Alan Beattie in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 25 2009 20:04 | Last updated: September 25 2009 20:04 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/851cfa18-a9f8-11de-a3ce-00144feabdc0.html

Eurozone bank lending picks up By Ralph Atkins in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 25 2009 11:15 | Last updated: September 25 2009 11:15. Eurozone bank lending has shown tentative signs of recovering, with companies returning to borrowing for the first time since January, according to European Central Bank figures. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/770db470-a9b8-11de-a3ce-00144feabdc0.html

Venezuela Says Iran Is Helping It Look for Uranium By SIMON ROMERO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/americas/26venez.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


China

Asia poised to lead global recovery - ADB sees dramatic turnaround in 2010 By Kevin Brown in Singapore. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 22 2009 03:18 | Last updated: September 22 2009 08:27 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/78e1321e-a719-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.html

Chinese Exceptionalism By PHILIP BOWRING. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. HONG KONG — Much of the developing world has long chafed against what they have seen as American exceptionalism in the international economic system. Taking up a theme originated by France’s Charles de Gaulle in the 1960s, they resent the ability of the United States to use the dollar’s dominant role as the reserve currency to buy foreign assets and fight foreign wars without needing to worry about financing them. Resentments have been fanned by Wall Street’s role in the current financial crisis and by memories of Washington-inspired harsh treatment of debtors in other crises, like the Asian one of the late 1990s. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/opinion/23iht-edbowring.html?ref=global

Chinese begin petrol supplies to Iran - Move a threat to US-led sanctions efforts By Javier Blas and Carola Hoyos in London and Daniel Dombey in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 22 2009 23:31 | Last updated: September 23 2009 12:50 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b858ace8-a7a4-11de-b0ee-00144feabdc0.html

12 Injured as Restaurant Explosion Rattles Beijing’s Nerves By ANDREW JACOBS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009. BEIJING — At least three people were injured Friday morning in what the authorities say was a gas explosion that leveled a restaurant in a busy shopping district in central Beijing. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/asia/26beijing.html?hpw


Mess-o-potamia

Iran Is Warned Over Nuclear ‘Deception’ By DAVID E. SANGER and HELENE COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009. PITTSBURGH — President Obama and leaders of Britain and France accused Iran on Friday of building a secret underground plant to manufacture nuclear fuel, saying the country has hidden the covert operation from international weapons inspectors for years. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/world/middleeast/26nuke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Cracks in Iran’s Clique By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. For the first time since Iran began enriching uranium that could be used in a nuclear weapon, we have a glimmer of hope for a diplomatic solution to this problem — as long as we are not too diplomatic, as long as the Iranian regime is made to understand that biting economic sanctions are an absolute certainty and military force by Israel is a live possibility. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/opinion/23friedman.html?th&emc=th

Obama to Meet With Mideast Leaders in Bid to Restart Talks By ETHAN BRONNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/world/middleeast/21mideast.html?ref=global-home

Military action on Iran not ruled out, says Israel By Vita Bekker in Tel Aviv. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 21 2009 14:19 | Last updated: September 21 2009 14:19 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5fe1766a-a6ac-11de-bd14-00144feabdc0.html

Changes Have Obama Rethinking War Strategy By Rajiv Chandrasekaran and Karen DeYoung. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, September 21, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/20/AR2009092002878.html?hpid=topnews

One in 4 Afghan Ballots Face Check for Fraud By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and ARCHIE TSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/world/asia/21kabul.html?th&emc=th

General Calls for More U.S. Troops to Avoid Afghan Failure By ERIC SCHMITT and THOM SHANKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/world/asia/21afghan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Taliban Widen Afghan Attacks From Base in Pakistan By ERIC SCHMITT and MARK MAZZETTI. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 23, 2009. WASHINGTON — Senior Taliban leaders, showing a surprising level of sophistication and organization, are using their sanctuary in Pakistan to stoke a widening campaign of violence in northern and western Afghanistan, senior American military and intelligence officials say. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/world/asia/24military.html?th&emc=th

Separate Suicide Blasts Kill 16 in Pakistan By SABRINA TAVERNISE. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/world/asia/27pstan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home


National

The new system offers a real missile defence By Hillary Rodham Clinton. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 20 2009 23:07 | Last updated: September 20 2009 23:07. Last Wednesday, President Barack Obama approved the recommendations of his entire national security team to deploy a stronger and more comprehensive missile defence system in Europe. This decision came after a lengthy and in-depth review of our assessment of the threat posed by Iran’s ballistic missile programme, and the technology that we have to confront it. And it is a decision that will leave America stronger, and more capable of defending our troops, our interests, and our allies. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7b9374ea-a61a-11de-8c92-00144feabdc0.html

Terror Suspect Is Charged With Plot to Use Bombs By WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM and LIZ ROBBINS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/nyregion/25terror.html?ref=global-home

Terror Case Is Called One of the Most Serious in Years By DAVID JOHNSTON and SCOTT SHANE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/us/25zazi.html?ref=global-home

Man charged in plot to blow up U.S. courthouse in Springfield - Decatur resident believed he was working on behalf of al-Qaida, authorities say By Kim Janssen and Jeff Coen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-springfield-federal-court-bosep25,0,4065970.story

Kennedy Confidant Named to Take Over Senate Seat. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 24, 2009. BOSTON, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Paul Kirk, a former Democratic National Committee chairman and a close friend of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, was named on Thursday as a temporary replacement for the liberal champion in the U.S. Senate. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/24/business/business-kennedy-seat.html?hp

Whitman: My voting record is inexcusable by Carey Bodenheimer and Paul Steinhauser. Copyright by CNN News. September 25th, 2009 12:29 PM ET. LOS ANGELES (CNN) — Meg Whitman says she was wrong. The Republican candidate for governor of California Thursday night issued a statement on her failure to vote in multiple elections in California. Whitman, the former eBay CEO and former adviser and surrogate for John McCain's presidential campaign, calls her own record "inexcusable" and "simply wrong." http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/25/whitman-my-voting-record-is-inexcusable/#more-70514

For Edwards, Drama Builds Toward a Denouement By NEIL A. LEWIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 19, 2009. CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The story of the spectacular rise and fall of John Edwards, with its sordid can’t-look-away dimensions, is moving slowly but deliberately to its conclusion here in North Carolina. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/us/politics/20edwards.html?th&emc=th

Democrats Are Jarred by Drop In Fundraising - Complacency, Absence of Big Donors Cited By Paul Kane. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, September 25, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/24/AR2009092404906.html?hpid=topnews



Health Care


For First Time, AIDS Vaccine Shows Some Success By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009. A new AIDS vaccine tested on more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand has protected a significant minority against infection, the first time any vaccine against the disease has even partly succeeded in a clinical trial. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/health/research/25aids.html?ref=global-home

Health Concerns Over Popular Contraceptives By NATASHA SINGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009. The oral contraceptives Yaz and Yasmin are the top-selling pharmaceutical line for Bayer HealthCare, largely as a result of marketing that presents them as much more than mere pregnancy prevention. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/health/26contracept.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Flavors Banned From Cigarettes to Deter Youths By GARDINER HARRIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/health/policy/23fda.html?th&emc=th

Breast cancer ads use lechery for good By Dan Neil. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. September 22, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/la-fi-ct-neil22-2009sep22,0,7204382.column

Watch the ad: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2009/09/25/quot-save-the-boobs-quot-breast-cancer-ads-create-furore.aspx





GOP Bashing

Video: Will Ferrell stands up for the real health care victims http://pol.moveon.org/insurance_execs/?id=17291-5888991-v41vMYx&t=2&reloaded=1

Family visiting cemetery found census worker's naked, hanged body; had been gagged, duct taped By JEFFREY McMURRAY and ROGER ALFORD. Copyright by The Associated Press. 8:54 a.m. CDT, September 26, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-us-census-worker-hanged,0,55654.story

The Cacophony of Health Reform Debate By Ronald Merrell, MD Copyright by General Surgery News. September 22, 2009. We face the crisis of reforming health care with great trepidation, raucous cries of foul and conflicting opinion. There seems to be as much discord over health reform as in the screamfest debate over global warming. Discordant voices claiming impeccable public interest confuse and conflict. That is the cacophony, but so far it does not seem to be leading to a joyful chorus as cacophony does in the last movement of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony but to, well, just unpleasant noise. http://www.generalsurgerynews.com/index.asp?section_id=77&show=dept&ses=ogst&issue_id=558&article_id=13801

G.O.P. Senator Draws Critics in Both Parties By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. WASHINGTON — Nearly three decades ago, Charles E. Grassley was among the Republican conservatives swept into the Senate on the wave that Ronald Reagan rode to the White House. Now he is on the defensive as he seeks a sixth term, no longer conservative enough for those back home in Iowa who style themselves the protectors of the Reagan legacy. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/us/politics/23scene.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: The Numbers and Health Care Reform. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. Two authoritative surveys in recent days have underscored why all Americans have a stake in successful health care reform. Too many people are being hit with relentlessly rising premiums or are at serious risk of losing their coverage to allow the status quo to continue. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/opinion/23wed2.html?th&emc=th

That feverish pitch By Garrison Keillor. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 23, 2009. The president has declined to talk about racism in connection with the carpet-chewers of the right who are suffering road rage over his existence, and he's wise to turn that one down. The country doesn't need a sermon on race or civility right now. What it needs is to believe that our leaders are trying to do the right thing, no matter how inconvenient, and if they forge ahead and fix health insurance, then the ragemeisters of the right will find other hobbies. Mr. Obama is a Chicago guy, and he doesn't wilt if some gin-crazed congressman from South Carolina calls him a liar, so don't trouble your pretty head about civility. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0923keillorsep23,0,2902330.column

Don't Americans Deserve a Health Care System as Good as the One In France? By Robert Creamer - Political organizer, strategist and author. Copyright by the Huffington Post. Posted: September 23, 2009 10:55 AM. We spend $7,290 per person and end up in 37th place. They spend only $3,601 and they are number one. That's just not right. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-creamer/dont-americans-deserve-a_b_296040.html

Justice Dept. to Limit Use of State Secrets Privilege By CHARLIE SAVAGE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is preparing to impose new limits on the government assertion of the state secrets privilege used to block lawsuits for national security reasons. The practice was a major flashpoint in the debate over the escalation of executive power and secrecy during the Bush administration. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/us/politics/23secrets.html?th&emc=th

Why Cosby likes 'The Obama Show' By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 23, 2009. Twenty-five years ago NBC took a risk. In late September, the network launched a half-hour situation comedy about a prosperous, well-educated family where the children actually listened to their parents without a lot of wisecracks. And, oh, by the way, the family also happened to be black. Young people today may have a hard time imagining it, but that was a big deal at the time. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0923pagesep23,0,2771143.column

ACORN can teach the GOP a thing or 2. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune By John Kass. September 23, 2009. Once again, those Republicans have got it all wrong, this time on the ACORN thing. They're beating up those gentle, community-organizing ACORNistas, moving to cut millions in ACORN federal funding just because of a dozen or so underage, fictitious Central American hookers. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-kass-23-sep23,0,1374047.column

Fox producer rallied tea party protesters By Michael Calderone. Copyright by Politico.com. September 20, 2009. On Friday, Fox News boasted in a print ad that other network missed the tea party protest on 9/12, despite the fact that CNN, NBC, ABC, and CBS were all there covering it. (CNN shot back in an ad of their own). But it turns out that while Fox was covering the protest, a Fox producer, at one point, rallied the crowd to cheer while Griff Jenkins was on camera. Media Matters caught this clip a few days back, but now Fox confirms that it was, indeed, a staffer. http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/0909/Fox_producer_rallied_tea_party_protesters.html




Immigration


New York Times Editorial: Border Fantasies. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 21, 2009. Members of Congress who voted for the Southwest border fence as the fix for illegal immigration professed shock — shock at the news that the project is running years behind, and billions of dollars ahead, of the Bush administration’s early, rosy projections. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/opinion/22tue3.html?th&emc=th

Immigrants Cling to Fragile Lifeline at Safety-Net Hospital By KEVIN SACK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 23, 2009. ATLANTA — If Grady Memorial Hospital succeeds in closing its outpatient dialysis clinic, Tadesse A. Amdago, a 69-year-old immigrant from Ethiopia, said he would begin “counting the days until I die.” Rosa Lira, 78, a permanent resident from Mexico, said she also assumed she “would just die.” Another woman, a 32-year-old illegal immigrant from Honduras, said she could only hope to make it “back to my country to die.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/health/policy/24grady.html?th&emc=th


Chicagoland


Chicago Tribune Editorial: Burr Oak and decency. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 23, 2009. The families of loved ones buried at the scandalous Burr Oak Cemetery got some rare good news on Tuesday. The owner of the cemetery has agreed to give up control while it goes through bankruptcy proceedings. A federal bankruptcy court judge approved the appointment of a turnaround expert to run the place. A court-appointed receiver will stay involved to provide some continuity. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0923edit1sep23,0,7036779.story

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Aldermen vs. the people. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 21, 2009. Wal-Mart's plans to build a second store in Chicago remain bottled up in the Chicago City Council. The store that Wal-Mart would like to build on the South Side at 83rd Street and Stewart Avenue, is going nowhere because the aldermen live in fear of organized labor and organized labor despises Wal-Mart. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0921edit2sep21,0,5857128.story

Subpoenas served on 6 Chicago aldermen - Lawyers for indicted developer Calvin Boender seek trial testimony By Todd Lighty and Dan Mihalopoulos. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 23, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-aldermen-subpoenas-23-sep23,0,5314336.story

City's troubles take back seat to Games bid - If only our have-nots drew same level of attention . . . BY MARY MITCHELL. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 24, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/mitchell/1788170,CST-NWS-mitch24.article

Obama may appear before Olympic committee to support Chicago's bid - A presidential advisor says Obama would go to Copenhagen to lobby for the 2016 Games if he can find time away from the healthcare debate. By Christi Parsons. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. September 20, 2009 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obama-olympics20-2009sep20,0,1887986.story

University of Illinois President B. Joseph White resigns - Admissions scandal sinks leader By Jodi S. Cohen, Stacy St. Clair and Tara Malone. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-u-of-i-white-resign-24-sep24,0,161068.story

Jon Stewart interviews Rod Blagojevich on 'The Daily Show' - 'It's hard to believe,' host tells former Illinois governor By Andrew L. Wang. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-talk-blago-on-daily-show-25sep25,0,4617717.story

Watch the interview. Copyright by The Daily Show. September 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-091025-stewart-blagojevich-video,0,6224021.htmlstory




Economy

Fed Sees Recovery but Holds Steady on Rates By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 23, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve acknowledged Wednesday that an economic recovery was under way, but signaled that it was still much too early to start raising interest rates. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/business/economy/24fed.html?hp

US durable goods orders in surprise drop - US home sales rise to 11-month high By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 25 2009 14:18 | Last updated: September 25 2009 16:30. New orders for US durable goods fell in August, as companies held back on purchases out of concern that demand will continue to remain weak, the commerce department said on Friday. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/b15dbc38-a9cc-11de-a3ce-00144feabdc0.html

Grocery stores taking check use off shoppers' lists - In a cost-cutting move, Whole Foods may emulate Fresh & Easy in accepting only cash and credit and debit cards at checkout. By Jerry Hirsch. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. September 21, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-checks21-2009sep21,0,3717069.story

Fed increases scrutiny over bank bonuses - Move to ensure bankers’ pay based on real profits By Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 22 2009 22:24 | Last updated: September 23 2009 02:11 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c3619788-a797-11de-b0ee-00144feabdc0.html

Geithner pushes for stronger financial regulation - US Treasury chief says no institution is ‘too big to fail’ By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 23 2009 16:49 | Last updated: September 23 2009 16:49 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/daeb7618-a854-11de-9242-00144feabdc0.html

Chase and Bank of America Revise Fee Policies By RON LIEBER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009. Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, two of the nation’s biggest banks, announced plans on Tuesday to drastically overhaul their debit card programs by lowering or eliminating fees, changing the way they credit transactions and allowing customers to opt out of overdraft protection. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/23credit.html?th&emc=th

Bank of America Seeks to Pay Back Federal Aid By LOUISE STORY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/business/22bank.html?th&emc=th

F.D.I.C. May Borrow Funds From Banks By STEPHEN LABATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 21, 2009. WASHINGTON — Tired of the government bailing out banks? Get ready for this: officials may soon ask banks to bail out the government. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/business/22bailout.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Regulators close Georgian Bank in Atlanta; 95th US bank closed this year By MARCY GORDON. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 4:51 p.m. CDT, September 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-bank-closures,0,6099722.story

Financial groups hit by surge in loan losses - Crisis takes big toll on non-bank institutions By Sarah O’Connor in Washington and Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 25 2009 01:09 | Last updated: September 25 2009 01:09. The US financial sector’s losses on large loans exploded over the past year, exceeding the combined losses since 2001, with hedge funds and other members of the “shadow banking system” hit the hardest, official figures revealed on Thursday. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fae38354-a960-11de-9b7f-00144feabdc0.html

AP Source: Citigroup focusing on improving retail banking operations in 6 major markets By STEPHEN BERNARD. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 11:58 a.m. CDT, September 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-citigroup-scaling-back,0,5088149.story




Housing

Home value - Obama's mortgage modification plan lagging By John McCarron. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 21, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0921mccarronsep21,0,488924.story

U.S. Home Sales, Jobless Claims Unexpectedly Drop. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 24, 2009. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell last week, but a surprise drop in sales of existing homes in August hinted at a less vigorous economic recovery from a severe recession. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/24/business/business-us-usa-economy.html?scp=2&sq=u%20s%20home%20sales%20in%20august&st=cse

Real estate: Chicago single-family-home sales jump, but condos are still suffering By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-fri-condo-woes-sep25,0,6809023.story



Commodities

Oil Industry Sets a Brisk Pace of New Discoveries By JAD MOUAWAD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 23, 2009. The oil industry has been on a hot streak this year, thanks to a series of major discoveries that have rekindled a sense of excitement across the petroleum sector, despite falling prices and a tough economy. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/24/business/energy-environment/24oil.html?th&emc=th

Dollar Slips to Year's Low; Oil and Gold Gain By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/business/23markets.html?hpw





GLBT

President Clinton at Chicago House event. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-23. President Bill Clinton will be the keynote speaker for Chicago House & Social Service Agency's first-ever Speaker Series Luncheon. Chicago House, the first organization in the Midwest to provide housing and support for people living with HIV and AIDS, will host the luncheon Wed., Nov. 11, at the Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22970

Elk Grove gay bar Hunters Nightclub imposes new rule on cross dressers - Patrons are now required to supply ID that matches their 'gender presentation' By Brian Cox and Lisa Black. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 21, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-talk-cross-dressing-bar-idsep21,0,1404205.story

GAY & LESBIAN HALL OF FAME NAMES RECIPIENTS. September 24-30, 2009. Copyright by Gay Chicago Magazine. CHICAGO – The Chicago Commission on Human Relations’ Advisory Council on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues has released the names of 13 individuals and one organization to be inducted in November 2009 into the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, the only known government-sponsored hall of fame that honors members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, announced Chairman and Commissioner Dana V. Starks. http://www.gaychicagomagazine.com/news/chicago.shtml

Trudeau, Tewksbury among first inductees of the Queer Hall of Fame By Terri Theodore (CP). Copyright © 2009 The Canadian Press. September 19, 2009. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/09/trudeau-tewksbury-among-first-inductees.html

Evanston gay alderman: Mark Tendam says voters are far more concerned with public issues than his private life - Other gay elected officials cite growing acceptance -- but more progress needs to be made, advocates say By Georgia Garvey. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 23, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-evanston-gay-alderman-23-sep23,0,548650.story

Gay Lutherans reflect on advances by Chuck Colbert. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-23. Reaction has been swift and predictable to what happened in Minneapolis last month with more conservative church members feeling disgruntled, if not betrayed, and progressives bursting with joy, albeit measured and tempered. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22954

Chicago Free Press Editorial: How Hugh Hefner turned you gay. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. September 24, 2009. Who knew that sneaking a peak at Dad’s Playboys would make you gay? http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3918

Media leaders unite to create Chicago LGBT calendar. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-23. CHICAGO—In a significant move that unites two of the largest content providers for Chicago's LGBT community, Windy City Media Group and ChicagoPride.com have announced an agreement to create a unified community calendar. The calendar is designed to connect the LGBT population to the numerous diverse possibilities the community has to offer. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22975


Technology

FCC's Net Neutrality Plan Draws Fast Fire By an Paul. Copyright by PC World. Sep 22, 2009 9:22 am. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski announced Monday, that the FCC would prevent broadband carriers from limiting your access to high speed Internet for things like Internet-based voice calls, video streaming, and legal file sharing (that carriers might wish to block or at least charge extra for). In a speech to the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. on Monday, Genachowski said the FCC will begin to formalize net neutrality rules in the United States. http://www.pcworld.com/article/172371/fccs_net_neutrality_plan_draws_fast_fire.html

AT&T Says Google Voice Violates Net Neutrality Principles By SAUL HANSELL. Copyright by The New York Times. September 25, 2009, 6:58 PM http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/att-says-google-voice-violates-net-neutrality-principles/?hpw

Can Amazon Be Wal-Mart of the Web? By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/business/20amazon.html?th&emc=th

Apple's Shadow Hangs Over Game Console Makers By HIROKO TABUCHI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 25, 2009. TOKYO — As video game giants like Sony and Microsoft touted their new gizmos at the Tokyo Game Show this week, industry executives had more than the coming holiday sales season on their minds. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/26/technology/26games.html?hpw

S Korean regulators relent on iPhone sales - Communications watchdog overrides security concerns By Christian Oliver and Song Jung-a in Seoul. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 23 2009 08:56 | Last updated: September 23 2009 08:56 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d268d778-a80f-11de-8305-00144feabdc0.html

Twitter Appears Set to Raise $100 Million, Valuing It at $1 Billion By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/technology/internet/25twitter.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Obama nominates Espinel for IP czar By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 26 2009 01:10 | Last updated: September 26 2009 01:10. The Obama administration on Friday nominated Victoria Espinel as co-ordinator for intellectual property enforcement, a new position demanded by the entertainment industry to help it battle copyright theft. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/eb7be612-aa15-11de-a3ce-00144feabdc0.html

Dell to Spend $3.9 Billion to Acquire Perot Systems By SAUL HANSELL and ASHLEE VANCE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/22/technology/companies/22dell.html?th&emc=th

Best Buy and Verizon Jump Into E-Reader Fray By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/23/technology/internet/23ebooks.html?th&emc=th

Now, an Invention Inventors Will Like By STEVE LOHR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 20, 2009. The world can be a rough place for independent inventors. They can often find themselves in court, battling big corporations, spending piles of money on lawyers and leaving it up to judges and juries to determine the value of their hard-won patents. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/technology/21patent.html?th&emc=th



Other

New York Times Editorial: A Damp Moon Overhead. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 24, 2009. We’re sure that somewhere a marketer is already designing the campaign for Moon Water — available, of course, in attractive, biodegradable containers. Scientists analyzing data collected by three spacecraft have discovered that there may be a fair amount of water — or hydroxyl, which is one hydrogen atom short of being water — on the Moon, albeit spread out in millimeter-thin layers on or near the surface. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/25/opinion/25fri4.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1253894702-bzShtWE5IGPznhkuJI8HjA

Airlines want more fees for the holidays - Carriers tack on more charges, just in time for holiday travel By Julie Johnsson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 26, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-airline-fees-uaua-amrsep26,0,4171728.story

Parisians, travelers get in touch - EnjoYourParis.com organizes social events to help introduce tourists to typically standoffish natives. By Helene Goupil. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune and The Associated Press. September 23, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-paris-travelers-websep23,0,430313.story

Familiarity and a Few Surprises at the Emmys By EDWARD WYATT. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/arts/television/21emmy.html?th&emc=th




Humor


HOLY SOAP http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/09/holy-soap.html


It has come to my attention that you can only read 2 articles per month at the Financial Times if you haven't registered. If you would like to read more of the articles for free, simply sign up for the free account and you can read 10 articles per month. That should be enough. I'll try to keep the FT links to a minimum. - CTM



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
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” To be released late September 2009 by Floricanto Press