World AIDS Day Newsletter - November 28, 2009

World AIDS Day Newsletter - November 28, 2009

World AIDS day is December 1 http://bethegeneration.nih.gov/

World AIDS Day Events http://www.examiner.com/x-26847-SF-Holidays-Examiner~y2009m11d28-World-AIDS-Day-2009-Events

Chicago World AIDS Day 2009 events. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. November 26, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4118


International

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Mr Obama goes to Copenhagen. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 26 2009 20:15 | Last updated: November 26 2009 20:15. Barack Obama is right to visit the Copenhagen climate talks. The meeting will achieve less than was once hoped for, and Mr Obama’s hands, to be sure, are tied by domestic politics. But his personal commitment is still valuable. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/financial-times-editorial-comment-mr.html

Obama to Offer Firm Pledge on Emissions Cuts in Copenhagen By JOHN M. BRODER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/us/politics/26climate.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

China Joins U.S. in Pledge of Hard Targets on Emissions By EDWARD WONG and KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/science/earth/27climate.html?hpw

New York Times Editorial: The Senate’s Duty on Climate. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009. The news that world leaders have abandoned hope for a comprehensive, legally binding climate change treaty in Copenhagen next month inspired no end of finger-pointing. Environmentalists blamed eight years of inaction under George W. Bush. The Europeans noted that the Chinese and several other big developing nations had done little to move the ball forward. Our own candidate for criticism is the United States Senate. We cannot rewrite the Bush years any more than we can persuade the Chinese of the merits of a binding treaty to control greenhouse gases. What the United States can do is assume responsibility for its own emissions, and this the Senate has manifestly failed to do. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/opinion/22sun2.html?_r=1&ref=global

Bomb Causes Derailment of Russian Train, Killing 25 By CLIFFORD J. LEVY and ELLEN BARRY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/world/europe/29russia.html?ref=global-home

Eurozone PMI growth at two-year high By Ralph Atkins in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 23 2009 11:43 | Last updated: November 23 2009 11:43. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/eurozone-pmi-growth-at-two-year-high.html

Sweden rules out state bail-out for Saab - New parties show interest in GM unit By Andrew Ward in Stockholm. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 17:40 | Last updated: November 27 2009 17:40. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/sweden-rules-out-state-bail-out-for.html

Philippines Declares Emergency After Killings By CARLOS H. CONDE. Copyright by The New York Times and The Associated Press. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/world/asia/25phils.html?ref=global-home

Region Finds U.S. Lacking on Honduras By GINGER THOMPSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 27, 2009. WASHINGTON — Drug cartels are running amok in Mexico, Raúl Castro is tightening his grip on Cuba and Hugo Chávez of Venezuela is making mischief with Russia and Iran, but it is a relatively obscure backwater, Honduras, that has provided the Obama administration with its first test in Latin America. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/americas/28honduras.html?ref=global-home



China


Washington Post Editorial: The currency quarrel - China won't change on command. America must retake control of its own financial destiny. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, November 24, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/23/AR2009112303039.html




Mess-o-potamia


Britain failed to establish ‘legitimacy’ of Iraq invasion - Former ambassador to UN gives evidence By Alex Barker. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 13:23 | Last updated: November 27 2009 18:08. The US and UK launched a war to topple Saddam Hussein in spite of failing to “establish the legitimacy” of the invasion, according to Britain’s former ambassador to the United Nations./‘Tougher’ Blair could have shaped Iraq plan - PM committed to war prematurely, inquiry told By Alex Barker, Political Correspondent. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 26 2009 23:14 | Last updated: November 26 2009 23:14 http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/tougher-blair-could-have-shaped-iraq.html. Editorial Note: I prefer the British version

Britain Begins Hearings in Iraq War Inquiry By JOHN F. BURNS and ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/world/europe/25britain.html?ref=global-home

Iraq’s January Elections Face Near Certain Delay By STEVEN LEE MYERS. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/world/middleeast/24iraq.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1259082011-TWXCLtc6MChhalyMIqzsuQ

Iran Expanding Effort to Stifle the Opposition By ROBERT F. WORTH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/world/middleeast/24iran.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Iran’s Death Penalty Is Seen as a Political Tactic By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/world/middleeast/23iran.html?th&emc=th

U.N. Nuclear Agency Calls Iran Inquiry ‘Dead End’ By DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD. Published: November 26, 2009. The director general of the United Nations nuclear watchdog declared in unusually blunt language on Thursday that Iran had stonewalled investigators about evidence that the country had worked on nuclear weapons design, and that his efforts to reveal the truth had “effectively reached a dead end.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/world/middleeast/27nuke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

China's backing on Iran followed dire predictions - Before Obama's visit, NSC warned leaders of Mideast turmoil By John Pomfret and Joby Warrick. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, November 26, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/25/AR2009112504112.html?hpid=topnews

Russia and China Endorse Agency’s Rebuke of Iran By HELENE COOPER and WILLIAM J. BROAD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 27, 2009. WASHINGTON — The United Nations nuclear watchdog demanded Friday that Iran immediately freeze operations at a once secret uranium enrichment plant, a sharp rebuke that bore added weight because it was endorsed by Russia and China. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/28nuke.html?th&emc=th

Obama to Speak From West Point Tuesday on Afghanistan By HELENE COOPER and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/us/politics/26afghan.html?hpw

Afghans Offer Jobs to Taliban Rank and File if They Defect By DEXTER FILKINS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 27, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/world/asia/28militias.html?th&emc=th

U.S. Still Running Secret Prison in Afghanistan By ALISSA J. RUBIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/world/asia/29bagram.html?ref=global-home

Pakistan warns US on Afghan troop surge By Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 26 2009 17:49 | Last updated: November 26 2009 17:49. Pakistan’s prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani warned on Thursday that a US military surge in Afghanistan could further destabilise his country and urged the Obama administration to consult before making any decision on troop numbers. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/pakistan-warns-us-on-afghan-troop-surge.html

Pakistan Charges 7 in Mumbai Attacks By SAHAR HABIB GHAZI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/world/asia/26mumbai.html?ref=global-home

Israel Offers a Pause in Building New Settlements By ETHAN BRONNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/world/middleeast/26israel.html?ref=global-home

Hopes Grow as Israel and Hamas Discuss Prisoner Swap By ETHAN BRONNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/world/middleeast/24mideast.html?_r=1&ref=global-home





National


Change has come to the national debate By Georgie Anne Geyer. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 26, 2009. This Thanksgiving, coming in the good year of Our Lord 2009, wears a cloak of indecision as it strolls around these gray city streets, topped off by a droopy hat of disappointment and a scarf of desolation. This Thanksgiving, you might say, is not exactly a "Yes, we can" holiday. The predominant hues are gray and brown; the voices, hushed to whispers. Will the cranberries even be red this year? The Republicans are in a festive mood, happy to be full-on attacking the new president. But even some of President Barack Obama's own Democrats and independents are critical -- they feel that their savior/president has let them down by not being more activist in pursuit of his campaign promises. With your permission, of course, I will once again defy popular suppositions. For while the free-floating disappointment with President Obama, not the thinker but the actor, is all too real, the fact is that in less than one short year, he has wrought change so profound in the American scene that one would barely recognize today's country compared to that of 2006 and 2007. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped1126geyernov26,0,4782020.column

Washington Post Editorial: The jobs jam - Political grandstanding never put anyone to work. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, November 22, 2009. ONE OUT OF 10 American workers will not have a job for which to express gratitude this Thanksgiving. If you add what the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls "marginally attached workers" and those who want to work full time but can find only part-time jobs, then the true employment picture looks even bleaker: 17.5 percent of the labor force is now either unemployed or underemployed. This is a disastrous situation, and you would expect voters to pressure the White House and Congress to address it. You would also expect the federal government to respond. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/21/AR2009112101939.html

The Phantom Menace By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 22, 2009. A funny thing happened on the way to a new New Deal. A year ago, the only thing we had to fear was fear itself; today, the reigning doctrine in Washington appears to be “Be afraid. Be very afraid.” What happened? To be sure, “centrists” in the Senate have hobbled efforts to rescue the economy. But the evidence suggests that in addition to facing political opposition, President Obama and his inner circle have been intimidated by scare stories from Wall Street. Consider the contrast between what Mr. Obama’s advisers were saying on the eve of his inauguration, and what he himself is saying now. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/opinion/23krugman.html

Modern Flourishes at Obamas’ State Dinner By RACHEL L. SWARNS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/us/politics/25dinner.html?th&emc=th

Texas marriages in legal limbo because of constitutional amendment, candidate says BY DAVE MONTGOMERY dmontgomery@star-telegram.com. Copyright by The Star-Telegram. Posted Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. AUSTIN — Texans: Are you really married? Maybe not. Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of all marriages in the state. The amendment, approved by the Legislature and overwhelmingly ratified by voters, declares that "marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman." But the troublemaking phrase, as Radnofsky sees it, is Subsection B, which declares: "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage." Architects of the amendment included the clause to ban same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships. But Radnofsky, who was a member of the powerhouse Vinson & Elkins law firm in Houston for 27 years until retiring in 2006, says the wording of Subsection B effectively "eliminates marriage in Texas," including common-law marriages. http://www.star-telegram.com/local_news/story/1770445.html

Terrorism Trial May Point Way for 9/11 Cases By BENJAMIN WEISER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/nyregion/23ghailani.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1258996560-btdmaTSaLetgX64pJD81Rg

Charges Detail Road to Terror for 20 in U.S. By ANDREA ELLIOTT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009. Federal officials on Monday unsealed terrorism-related charges against men they say were key actors in a recruitment effort that led roughly 20 young Americans to join a violent insurgent group in Somalia with ties to Al Qaeda. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/us/24terror.html?th&emc=th

Race haunts politics - Will it ever be OK to go there without name-calling? By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1125pagenov25,0,936143.column

Mass. GOP gov. candidate chooses running mate By Glen Johnson © Copyright 2009 Associated Press. November 23, 2009. BOSTON—Gubernatorial candidate Charles Baker followed a Massachusetts Republican tradition on Monday by selecting a veteran state legislator to be his running mate in next year's election. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/11/23/mass_gop_gov_candidate_chooses_running_mate/

Looking for a Leader in the Post-Oprah Landscape By BRIAN STELTER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/business/media/23oprah.html?th&emc=th



Health Care Reform


“The good news is that the bill just approved by the House and a bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee would implement or test many reforms that should help slow the rise in medical costs over the long term. As a report in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded, ‘Pretty much every proposed innovation found in the health policy literature these days is encapsulated in these measures.’ Medical spending, which typically rises faster than wages and the overall economy, is propelled by two things: the high prices charged for medical services in this country and the volume of unnecessary care delivered by doctors and hospitals, which often perform a lot more tests and treatments than a patient really needs.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: Reform and Medical Costs. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009. Americans are deeply concerned about the relentless rise in health care costs and health insurance premiums. They need to know if reform will help solve the problem. The answer is that no one has an easy fix for rising medical costs. The fundamental fix — reshaping how care is delivered and how doctors are paid in a wasteful, dysfunctional system — is likely to be achieved only through trial and error and incremental gains. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/opinion/15sun1.html?th&emc=th

ER death's sticker shock By Bobby Caina Calvan. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 13, 2009. SACRAMENTO, Calif. - -- For five frantic minutes, emergency room doctors at the University of California Davis Medical Center tried to revive Scott Hawkins. Hospital officials said the 23-year-old beating victim was given the highest level of emergency care, with a phalanx of specialists and nurses at hand. His parents called the effort "heroic." Five minutes later, doctors pronounced him dead. Few question the extent to which doctors tried to save the student's life Oct. 21, but the amount billed for his emergency care has provoked outrage -- evidence, critics said, of health costs spun out of control. The charge for those five minutes: $29,186.50 -- including a single-ticket item for $18,900.50, described on the itemized bill as "Trauma Rescue Service." http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-tc-nw-er-bill-1111-1112nov13,0,2322411.story

From the Hospital to Bankruptcy Court By KEVIN SACK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009. NASHVILLE — Some of the debtors sitting forlornly in this city’s old stone bankruptcy court have lost a job or gotten divorced. Others have been summoned to face their creditors because they spent mindlessly beyond their means. But all too often these days, they are there merely because they, or their children, got sick. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/health/policy/25bankruptcy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Senate Votes to Open Health Care Debate By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/health/policy/22health.html?_r=1&th&emc=th



Health Care



Trying to Explain a Drop in Infant Mortality By ERIK ECKHOLM. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/us/27infant.html?hpw





GOP Bashing


“The so-called purity test is a 10-point checklist -- a suicide pact, really -- of alleged Republican positions. Anyone hoping to play on Team GOP would have to sign off on eight of the 10 -- through their voting records, public statements or a questionnaire. The test will be put up for consideration before the Republican National Committee when it meets early next year in Hawaii.” Kathleen Parker

The GOP's suicide pact By Kathleen Parker. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, November 29, 2009. Some people can't stand prosperity, my father used to say. Today, he might be talking about Republicans, who, in the midst of declining support for President Obama's hope-and-change agenda, are considering a "purity" pledge to weed out undesirables from their ever-shrinking party. Just when independents and moderates were considering revisiting the GOP tent. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/27/AR2009112702325.html

Enthusiasm for Palin, and Echoes of 2008 Divide By KATE ZERNIKE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/us/politics/22palin.html?th&emc=th

Lou Dobbs Weighs Senate Run, as a Steppingstone By DAVID M. HALBFINGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/nyregion/25dobbs.html?th&emc=th

Glenn Beck Stakes Out Activist Role in Politics By BRIAN STELTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/business/media/22beck.html?th&emc=th

Sanford Impeachment Considered By SHAILA DEWAN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 24, 2009. COLUMBIA, S.C. — Over the protests of Gov. Mark Sanford’s lawyers, South Carolina lawmakers on Tuesday began the preliminary steps of a process that could lead to the governor’s impeachment and removal from office. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/us/25sanford.html?th&emc=th

From Shadow to Limelight for a Governor’s Wife By ROBBIE BROWN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 27, 2009. As the political standing of Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina continues to crumble, the career of his wife, Jenny Sanford, seems to be taking off. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/us/politics/28jenny.html?th&emc=th




Immigration


New York Times Editorial: Immigrants, Criminalized. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 26, 2009. A bedrock premise of smart immigration reform is the sharp distinction it draws between criminal aliens and Americans-in-waiting. While it acknowledges that illegal immigrants need to get right with the law, it treats illegal status as a civil matter to be resolved by the machinery of naturalization, not by the police and prisons. To hard-line opponents of legalization, illegal immigrants are irredeemable lawbreakers by definition, and the only thing they should be waiting for is deportation. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/opinion/27fri2.html?_r=1&th&emc=th




Chicagoland


Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Why are we still paying their salaries?. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 24, 2009. Gov. Quinn, consider how the following negative political ad might play out on television. An action shot of federal subpoenas being slapped down on the governor's desk. Then sinister close-ups of an inspector general's report recommending the firing of specific state employees "for unethical and fraudulent activity." Followed by a shot of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the current poster boy for state corruption. Quickly fading to a shot of you, governor. Then the voiceover: "Pat Quinn promised to 'fumigate' state government of Blagojevich appointees and his big-salary hires. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1901012,CST-EDT-edit24a.article

Illinois' Gitmo could bring 3,000 jobs: White House BY LYNN SWEET. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 22, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/1898018,CST-NWS-sweet22.article

Thomson prison: State moving to clear decks on possible sale - Illinois lawmaker wants to speed up federal takeover By Ray Long. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 27, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-thomson-prison27nov27,0,1666098.story

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: It's your call, Cook County. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 24, 2009. To no one's surprise, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger once again on Monday did his one-two punch on taxpayers. He worked to block efforts to give residents a little sales tax relief, by vetoing a half-cent sale tax rollback. And he did his best to frighten our neediest residents that their county health care is at risk. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1901010,CST-EDT-edit24b.article

Ministers, activists exploit Scott's death BY LAURA WASHINGTON. Copyright by The Chicago Sun times. November 23, 2009. 'Are the Ministers Meddling?" blared the headline on a local cable TV talk show. An investigation into the controversial death of Michael Scott has morphed into a political opportunity for political opportunists. Scott, the Chicago Board of Education president and the mayor's go-to guy, was an irreplaceable city asset and singular link between the city's grass roots and downtown towers. After his death, the Rev. Jesse Jackson put it best when he told WMAQ-Channel 5 that Scott "had a real roots connection to Chicago, from the very low zone of pain and poverty to the high zone of the upper echelon of Chicago." http://www.suntimes.com/news/washington/1898952,CST-EDT-laura23.article






Economy


Dubai Fund Asks for Stay on Debt Payments By LANDON THOMAS Jr. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/global/26dubai.html?ref=global-home

Asian Stocks Fall Amid Dubai Fears. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: November 27, 2009. Filed at 2:43 a.m. ET http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/11/27/business/AP-World-Markets.html?ref=global-home

Dubai Debt Woes Raise Fear of Wider Problem By LANDON THOMAS Jr. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 27, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/business/global/28dubai.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Vietnam Devalues Currency and Raises Interest Rates By BETTINA WASSENER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/global/26devalue.html?hpw

Wave of Debt Payments Facing U.S. Government By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 22, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/business/23rates.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

U.S. Fund for Bank Deposit Insurance Falls Into the Red By ERIC DASH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/business/economy/25fdic.html?hpw

Third-Quarter U.S. Growth Revised Lower By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/business/economy/25econ.html?hpw

US GDP growth revised down to 2.8% - Home prices grow for fifth month running By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 24 2009 14:03 | Last updated: November 24 2009 16:27. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/us-gdp-growth-revised-down-to-28-home.html Editorial Note: I prefer the British version

The right reform for the Fed By Ben Bernanke. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, November 29, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/27/AR2009112702322.html

Savers squeezed by low bank, CD, money market rates - Saving is back, but it's hardly paying off; here's how to boost your results By Tom Petruno. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 6:18 a.m. CST, November 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tc-biz-savings-1123-1124-nov24,0,1293501.story

On Wall Street: Apocalypse how? - Conflicting bets on inflation or deflation By Spencer Jakab. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 17:11 | Last updated: November 27 2009 17:11. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/on-wall-street-apocalypse-how.html

Data show rise in consumer spending, drop in jobless claims By Neil Irwin. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, November 25, 2009; 10:09 AM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/25/AR2009112500273.html?hpid=topnews

Price War Brews Between Amazon and Wal-Mart By BRAD STONE and STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/24shop.html?th&emc=th

US retailers report strong ‘Black Friday’ crowds - Strong emphasis on sales of practical items By Jonathan Birchall in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 18:05 | Last updated: November 27 2009 18:0. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/us-retailers-report-strong-black-friday.html

Credit card delinquencies down to 1% By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY. Copyright by The Associated Press. 10:53 a.m. CST, November 23, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-credit-card-delinquencies-nov23,0,318861.story

U.S. Looks to Australia on Credit Card Fees By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/25card.html?hpw

Retailers Extend Deals Beyond Black Friday By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM and CLAIRE CAIN MILLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/26friday.html

Cadbury warms to Hershey tie-up - US group seen as better cultural fit than Kraft By Jenny Wiggins. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 23:30 | Last updated: November 27 2009 23:30. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/cadbury-warms-to-hershey-tie-up-us.html



Housing


October Home Sales Far Exceeded Expectations By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/economy/24econ.html?hpw

Buyers throw a house party in October - Tax credit, low prices and interest rates credited for upsurge, but some say it could be short-lived By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 24, 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue-home-sales-1124nov24,0,7399950.story

New-home sales rise 6.2%. Copyright by The Associated Press. 9:07 a.m. CST, November 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-new-homes-sales-nov25,0,2212321.story

Home Prices Rise at a Slower Pace By DAVID STREITFELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/business/economy/25home.html?hpw

Mortgage rates back at record low Copyright by The Associated Press. 10:42 a.m. CST, November 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-mortgage-rates-nov25,0,6137582.story

Wall St. Finds Profits Again, Now by Reducing Mortgages By LOUISE STORY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/business/22loans.html?th&emc=th

More than 18 percent of Illinois mortgages are underwater By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 10:09 a.m. CST, November 24, 2009. Almost 410,000 Illinois mortgages, or 18.4 percent of home loans, were underwater in September, meaning homeowners owed more on their mortgages than their homes were worth. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-underwater-homeowners-1124-,0,7503564.story




Commodities


Dollar lurches to 16-month low - European and US equities challenge year’s highs By Jamie Chisholm. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 25 2009 07:09 | Last updated: November 25 2009 16:56. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/dollar-lurches-to-16-month-low-european.html

Wall Street Takes Off as Dollar Retreats By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/24markets.html?hpw

Dollar and government bonds rally as investors seek havens - European bourses stabilise after early sell-off By Jamie Chisholm. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 27 2009 07:13 | Last updated: November 27 2009 22:32. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/dollar-and-government-bonds-rally-as.html

Japan Shows Concern as Dollar Slides By BETTINA WASSENER and HIROKO TABUCHI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/28/business/global/28iht-dollar.html?hpw



GLBT


Hate Crimes Based on Sexual Orientation Up in 2008. Copyright by The Windy City Times. News update Nov. 22, 2009 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23588

New York Times Editorial: The Church and the Capital. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: November 22, 2009. Gay people will eventually win full civil rights — including the right to marry — throughout the United States. Between now and then, there will be many more disputes like the one unfolding between the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and the District of Columbia City Council over a bill recognizing same-sex marriages that could be voted on as soon as next week. City lawmakers who are negotiating with the archdiocese over the language of the bill should try to settle it without acrimony — but not by abandoning the District’s equal-rights tradition or by selling out same-sex couples. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/23/opinion/23mon1.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: New Jersey’s Marriage Moment. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 25, 2009. There can come a moment in a politician’s career when doing the right thing requires summoning the courage to buck strong voter sentiment. The drama over same-sex marriage in a lame-duck session of the New Jersey State Legislature is not that kind of moment. Doing the right thing — promptly enacting legislation discarding inadequate civil unions in favor of full marriage equality for same-sex couples — requires no gargantuan amount of courage or risk-taking on the part of rank-and-file New Jersey legislators or their leaders. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/opinion/26thur3.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1259231319-zqYlisqyCuodkbtC+BcPHA

N. Y. Gay Spouses Due Benefits in the State, Court Finds By DANNY HAKIM. Published: November 19, 2009. ALBANY — The state’s highest court on Thursday upheld policies giving some government benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married outside the state, but did not rule on whether gay marriage should be legal in New York, leaving that issue for the Legislature to decide. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20marriage.html?scp=1&sq=ny%20gay%20ouples%20get%20recognition&st=cse

Same-sex marriage legalized in Buenos Aires. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-11-25 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23594

Adam Lambert By Jennifer Vanasco. Copyright by the Chicago Free Press. November 26, 2009. Hiphop artists and women get away with salacious performances all the time without an uproar. Of course, there was that famous Madonna-and-Britney kiss that caused a stir, but that was likely because the artists were—well, Madonna and Britney. And yes, Adam Lambert, your performance on ABC’s American Music Awards this week was not really all that raunchy. A kiss is a kiss, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I could have done without you sticking a guy’s head in your crotch spontaneously, but it happened so quickly, and in the midst of so many other things, that if the dancer didn’t mind, I’m not sure “offensive” is what I’d call it. What I’d call it, instead, is misguided. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4125

Midlife Crisis No. 290: Pussy Wussy Prissy Sissies By St. Sukie de la Croix. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. November 26, 2009. The leaves are crispy brown and dropping from the trees as fall turns to winter and that means two things–1) I slip into my Snuggie and 2) I suffer an attack of vagina flu. Every year about this time my labia gets the sniffles and I prescribe myself a few days on the sofa re-watching old black and white movies and diving headfirst into the Godiva chocolates. Now I’m back at work in time to read the headline: “Prince Harry Kisses Gay Man For a Beer.” http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4135

Windy City Times releases gay news iPhone application. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-11-25 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23612





Technology


A Permanent Outpost on the Moon? By SASWATO R. DAS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/opinion/25iht-eddas.html?ref=global

Near Geneva, Particles Finally Come Together With a Bang By DENNIS OVERBYE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/science/24collide.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: Keeping Personal Data Private. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/opinion/25weds2.html?th&emc=th

Group of Magazine Publishers Is Said to Be Building an Online Newsstand By BRIAN STELTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/business/media/25mag.html?th&emc=th

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Murdoch attempts to weaken Google. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 24 2009 19:47 | Last updated: November 24 2009 19:47. Rupert Murdoch’s effort to change the economics of the internet by stopping Google linking to stories in his newspapers looks, at first glance, like an act of self-destruction. That is how News Corp’s negotiations on a deal to favour Microsoft’s search engine Bing instead is viewed by many rivals and technology experts. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/financial-times-editorial-comment.html

Facebook Will Form 2 Classes of Stock By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/25/technology/internet/25facebook.html?th&emc=th


Religion


“The cover-ups spanned the tenures of four Dublin archbishops and continued through to the mid-1990s and beyond, even after the church was beginning to admit to its failings and had professed that it was confronting abuse by its priests. But rather than helping the victims, the church was concerned only with ‘the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the church, and the preservation of its assets,’ said the 700-page report, prepared by a group appointed by the Irish government and called the Commission of Investigation Into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.” SARAH LYALL

Report Says Irish Bishops and Police Hid Abuse By SARAH LYALL. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 26, 2009. LONDON — The Roman Catholic Church and the police in Ireland systematically colluded in covering up decades of child sex abuse by priests in Dublin, according to a scathing report released Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/world/europe/27ireland.html?ref=global-home

Obama can't let bishops set U.S. Policy BY CAROL MARIN. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 25, 2009. Barack Obama, the unapologetic pro-choice presidential candidate, needs to find his strong voice again on the issue now that he is president. And he needs to stand up to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, a tax-exempt religious organization, declaring that reproductive rights of women will not be sacrificed in the fight over a universal health-care bill. Time is running out. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1903920,CST-EDT-carol25.article



Other


Toyota Will Fix or Replace 4 Million Accelerator Pedals By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/business/26toyota.html?ref=global-home

Romancing the Road http://growingbolder.com/media/technology/vehicles/romancing-the-road-259598.html#content_tabs

2.1 Million Cribs Are Recalled in U.S. and Canada By SARAH WHEATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 23, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/24/business/24crib.html?scp=1&sq=crib%20recall&st=cse


Toys deemed dangerous: Research group lists Trouble in Toyland report - Lunchbox, picture book among perilous playthings, group says By Cynthia Dizikes. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 25, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-dangerous-toys-25nov25,0,7557481.story



Humor


Mom is Santa! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmQDt7jVdXQ

Silent Monks Singing Halleluia http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU&feature=related

Weakly Humerus News 11-28-09 http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/weakly-humerus-news-11-28-09.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. - I used a link that will open the Financial Times articles this week. CTM

Ps. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, just go to my website: www.carlostmock.com and go the the subscription link. It will appear in your email every week.



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” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.amazon.com/Cuba-Libre-Carlos-T-Mock/dp/1888205164/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259453902&sr=1-4

Lost, but it's not losing Newsletter - November 21 2009

Lost, but it's not losing Newsletter - November 21 2009



“In time, though, it will be apparent that granting same-sex couples substantive equality has none of the calamitous consequences imagined by gay-rights opponents. At that point, some of them will find themselves saying: Tell me again why we don't let them get married? Many gay-rights advocates reject anything short of full access to marriage as a disgraceful revival of the old "separate but equal" policy -- which was anything but equal for African-Americans. But you don't get across a broad river in a single leap. You get there by building a bridge that allows you to travel across one step at a time. As a destination, civil unions leave a lot to be desired. But as an avenue, they're hard to beat.” Steve Chapman

Lost, but it's not losing By Steve Chapman. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 15, 2009. Opponents of same-sex marriage waxed triumphant recently when voters in Maine rejected a measure allowing gays to wed. Maggie Gallagher, head of the National Organization for Marriage, crowed, "This victory in Maine interrupts the cultural narrative that was being manufactured, that somehow American opinion is shifting on the gay marriage issue." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1115chapmannov15,0,552216.column


International

Obama Takes Stern Tone on North Korea and Iran By HELENE COOPER and MARTIN FACKLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. SEOUL, South Korea — President Obama delivered a stern message on Thursday to North Korea and Iran that they risk further sanctions and isolation if they do not rein in their nuclear ambitions. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/world/asia/19prexy.html?th&emc=th

Obama Says Russia ‘Reset Button’ Has Worked By HELENE COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/world/asia/16prexy.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Medvedev Says ‘Backwardness’ Undermines Party By ELLEN BARRY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009. MOSCOW — President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia accused the governing party, United Russia, of “backwardness” on Saturday, warning its leaders that they must learn to win elections honestly if it is to survive. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/world/europe/22russia.html?ref=global-home


China

Fears of China property bubble - Developer’s concerns over stimulus package By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 18 2009 23:09 | Last updated: November 18 2009 23:09. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/fears-of-china-property-bubble.html

China’s Role as Lender Alters Dynamics for Obama’s Visit By HELENE COOPER, MICHAEL WINES and DAVID E. SANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/world/asia/15china.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

China Holds Firm on Major Issues in Obama’s Visit By HELENE COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/world/asia/18prexy.html?hpw



Mess-o-potamia


Cleric Wields Religion to Challenge Iran’s Theocracy By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009. CAIRO — For years, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri criticized Iran’s supreme leader and argued that the country was not the Islamic democracy it claimed to be, but his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Now many Iranians, including some former government leaders, are listening. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/world/middleeast/22ayatollah.html?ref=global-home

Inspectors Fear Iran Is Hiding Nuclear Plants By DAVID E. SANGER and WILLIAM J. BROAD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/world/middleeast/17nuke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Minister Says Iran Won’t Ship Uranium Abroad By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. CAIRO — Iran’s foreign minister said that his government would not ship its stockpile of low enriched uranium out of the country, making him the highest ranking official so far to declare that Iran would renege on a deal aimed at defusing a confrontation with the West over its nuclear program. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/world/middleeast/19nuke.html?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: Mr. Obama’s Task. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. There is no doubt that the prospects for success in Afghanistan are so bleak right now because former President George W. Bush failed for seven long years to invest the necessary troops, resources or attention to the war. But it is now President Obama’s war, and the American people are waiting for him to explain his goals and his strategy. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/opinion/19thu1.html?th&emc=th

Karzai Sworn In for Second Term as Afghan President By ALISSA J. RUBIN and MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/world/asia/20afghan.html?ref=global-home

Afghans Angry With Leadership See Few Options By ALISSA J. RUBIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/world/asia/19karzai.html?ref=global-home

U.S. Demands Clear Results From Afghan Reforms By PETER BAKER and MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 18, 2009. WASHINGTON — President Obama’s top diplomat privately pressed Afghan President Hamid Karzai to deliver “measurable results” on governance and corruption as the White House prepared specific new demands to accompany an American troop buildup. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/world/asia/20policy.html?th&emc=th

As Afghans Resist Taliban, U.S. Spurs Rise of Militias By DEXTER FILKINS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/world/asia/22militias.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

U.S. Asks More From Pakistan in Terror War By ERIC SCHMITT and DAVID E. SANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/world/asia/16policy.html?th&emc=th

Suicide Attack Is Pakistani City’s 7th in 2 Weeks By ISMAIL KHAN and SAHAR HABIB GHAZI. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/world/asia/20pstan.html?ref=global-home

Veto of Iraq’s Election Law Could Force Delay in Vote By ROD NORDLAND. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

U.S. Fears Iraqis Will Not Keep Up Rebuilt Projects By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/world/middleeast/21reconstruct.html?th&emc=th

U.S. Says Kuwait Company Overbilled It by Millions for Troops’ Food By ROBBIE BROWN. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/world/middleeast/17fraud.html?hpw


National


Holder's reasonable decision By Jim Comey and Jack Goldsmith. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, November 20, 2009. Reasonable minds can disagree about Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to prosecute Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four other alleged Sept. 11 perpetrators in a Manhattan federal court. But some prominent criticisms are exaggerated, and others place undue faith in military commissions as an alternative to civilian trials. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/19/AR2009111903470.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Don't let fear decide fate of Gitmo inmates. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 17, 2009. America's federal prisons are full of people who scare the hell out of us -- mob hit men, mass murderers and international terrorists. We arrest and charge such fiends, give them a fair trial and, if they are found guilty, lock them up. We do not quake in fear. We do not shelve our values. We do not cheap out on due process -- a fair day in court for even the worst human beings, homegrown or foreign. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1887512,CST-EDT-edit17a.article

Law & Order: KSM http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-november-16-2009/law---order—ksm

A Racial Divide Is Bridged by Recession By SHAILA DEWAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009. McDONOUGH, Ga. — During the housing boom, Henry County, a suburb of Atlanta, had its share of racial tension as more and more blacks joined the tens of thousands of others pouring in, creating a standoffish gap between the newcomers and the county’s oldtimers. But the recession has begun to erase those differences. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/us/17county.html?th&emc=th

Ruling on Katrina Flooding Favors Homeowners By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. NEW ORLEANS — A federal judge found Wednesday evening that poor maintenance of a major navigation channel by the Army Corps of Engineers led to some of the worst flooding after Hurricane Katrina. The ruling was a major victory for homeowners who suffered damage in the aftermath of the storm. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/us/19orleans.html?ref=global-home

A Crown Jewel of Education Struggles With Cuts By TAMAR LEWIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009. BERKELEY, Calif. — As the University of California struggles to absorb its sharpest drop in state financing since the Great Depression, every professor, administrator and clerical worker has been put on furlough amounting to an average pay cut of 8 percent. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/education/20berkeley.html?th&emc=th



Health Care Reform

Just In: Democrats Clinch Health Debate Vote By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009 WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats said they had clinched the votes needed on Saturday to propel major health care legislation to the floor for weeks of full debate, as the majority party’s two last holdouts said that they would not block consideration of President Obama’s top domestic initiative. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/health/policy/22health.html?emc=na

“The good news is that the bill just approved by the House and a bill approved by the Senate Finance Committee would implement or test many reforms that should help slow the rise in medical costs over the long term. As a report in The New England Journal of Medicine concluded, ‘Pretty much every proposed innovation found in the health policy literature these days is encapsulated in these measures.’ Medical spending, which typically rises faster than wages and the overall economy, is propelled by two things: the high prices charged for medical services in this country and the volume of unnecessary care delivered by doctors and hospitals, which often perform a lot more tests and treatments than a patient really needs.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: Reform and Medical Costs. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009. Americans are deeply concerned about the relentless rise in health care costs and health insurance premiums. They need to know if reform will help solve the problem. The answer is that no one has an easy fix for rising medical costs. The fundamental fix — reshaping how care is delivered and how doctors are paid in a wasteful, dysfunctional system — is likely to be achieved only through trial and error and incremental gains. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/opinion/15sun1.html?th&emc=th

ER death's sticker shock By Bobby Caina Calvan. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 13, 2009. SACRAMENTO, Calif. - -- For five frantic minutes, emergency room doctors at the University of California Davis Medical Center tried to revive Scott Hawkins. Hospital officials said the 23-year-old beating victim was given the highest level of emergency care, with a phalanx of specialists and nurses at hand. His parents called the effort "heroic." Five minutes later, doctors pronounced him dead. Few question the extent to which doctors tried to save the student's life Oct. 21, but the amount billed for his emergency care has provoked outrage -- evidence, critics said, of health costs spun out of control. The charge for those five minutes: $29,186.50 -- including a single-ticket item for $18,900.50, described on the itemized bill as "Trauma Rescue Service." http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-tc-nw-er-bill-1111-1112nov13,0,2322411.story

Failed cancer treatment doubly painful for widow by Jon Yates. What's Your Problem? November 17, 2009. Fanny Gonzalez was hit with a $161,601.50 bill for cancer treatment after Blue Cross denied their claim for a chemo drug. http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-tue-problem-cancer-1117-nov17,0,7272346.column

Drug Makers Raise Prices in Face of Health Care Reform By DUFF WILSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/16drugprices.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Rising Prices of Drugs Lead to Call for Inquiry By DUFF WILSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19drugs.html?th&emc=th

In House, Many Spoke With One Voice: Lobbyists’ By ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009. WASHINGTON — In the official record of the historic House debate on overhauling health care, the speeches of many lawmakers echo with similarities. Often, that was no accident. Statements by more than a dozen lawmakers were ghostwritten, in whole or in part, by Washington lobbyists working for Genentech, one of the world’s largest biotechnology companies. E-mail messages obtained by The New York Times show that the lobbyists drafted one statement for Democrats and another for Republicans. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/us/politics/15health.html?th&emc=th

My Near Death Panel Experience By EARL BLUMENAUER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009. But now that I and my fellow lawmakers in the House have passed a health care bill, I’m finally free to explain what I learned as the author of the now-famous end-of-life provisions. My experiences during the bizarre controversies of the summer should provide a note of caution about what potential troubles and political distortions might lie ahead as health care legislation moves forward in the Senate, through the reconciliation process and toward a final bill. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/opinion/15blumenauer.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: The Senate Health Reform Bill. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 21, 2009. The long struggle by Senate Democratic leaders to merge two versions of health care reform into a single bill was worth the wait. The bill that the majority leader, Harry Reid, hopes to bring to the floor soon for debate is an improvement in many respects from the Senate Finance Committee’s bill, which had previously been considered a possible template for what the Senate was likely to approve. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/opinion/21sat2.html?th&emc=th

Senate Says Health Plan Will Cover Another 31 Million By ROBERT PEAR and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. WASHINGTON — Democratic leaders in the Senate on Wednesday unveiled their proposal for overhauling the health care system, outlining legislation that they said would cover most of the uninsured while reducing the federal budget deficit. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/policy/19health.html?_r=1&th&emc=th



Health Care


Washington Post Editorial: Advice and dissent on breast exams - The uproar over a task force's new cancer screening guidelines. Copyright by The Washington Post Wednesday, November 18, 2009. WOMEN AGES 40 to 49 who do not have family histories of breast cancer should no longer be routinely given mammograms. Nor should all women be taught how to do breast self-exams. Those were two of the recommendations from an independent federal task force that were bound to be controversial. With breast cancer being the second-leading cause of death among women in the United States, the uproar over the change in guidelines is understandable. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/17/AR2009111703427.html

New Mammogram Advice Finds a Skeptical Audience By JENNIFER STEINHAUER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 17, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/health/18mammogram.html?hpw

Screening Policy Won’t Change, U.S. Officials Say By KEVIN SACK and GINA KOLATA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/health/19cancer.html?hpw

In Reversal, U.S. Urges Mammograms at 50, Not 40 By GINA KOLATA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/health/17cancer.html?_r=1&hp

Screening Debate Reveals Culture Clash in Medicine By KEVIN SACK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009. This week, the science of medicine bumped up against the foundations of American medical consumerism: that more is better, that saving a life is worth any sacrifice, that health care is a birthright. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/health/20assess.html?th&emc=th

Guidelines Push Back Age for Cervical Cancer Tests By DENISE GRADY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009 New guidelines for cervical cancer screening say women should delay their first Pap test until age 21, and be screened less often than recommended in the past. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/health/20pap.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Signs That Swine Flu Has Peaked By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009. Although federal health officials decline to use the word “peaked,” the current wave of swine flu appears to have done so in the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/health/21flu.html?th&emc=th

FDA warns against mixing Nexium or Prilosec with Plavix - The heartburn drugs can interfere with the blood thinner, which is used to ward off heart attack and stroke. By Andrew Zajac. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. November 18, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-na-plavix18-2009nov18,0,4174624.story

Hospital report cards: Illinois Web site with prices, quality ratings and more will launch Thursday - Advocates hope Web site will improve hospital quality and lower costs By Judith Graham. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 19, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/chi-hospital-report-card-19-nov19,0,7124137.story





GOP Bashing


“Green hawks believe otherwise. We believe that in a world getting warmer and more crowded with more ‘Americans,’ the next great global industry is going to be E.T., or energy technology based on clean power and energy efficiency. It has to be. And we believe that the country that invents and deploys the most E.T. will enjoy the most economic security, energy security, national security, innovative companies and global respect. And we believe that country must be America. If not, our children will never enjoy the standard of living we did. And we believe the best way to launch E.T. is to set a fixed, long-term price on carbon — combine it with the Obama team’s impressive stimulus for green-tech — and then let the free market and innovation do the rest. So, as I said, you don’t believe in global warming? You’re wrong, but I’ll let you enjoy it until your beach house gets washed away. But if you also don’t believe the world is getting more crowded with more aspiring Americans — and that ignoring that will play to the strength of our worst enemies, while responding to it with clean energy will play to the strength of our best technologies — then you’re willfully blind, and you’re hurting America’s future to boot.” THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

What They Really Believe By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 17, 2009. If you follow the debate around the energy/climate bills working through Congress you will notice that the drill-baby-drill opponents of this legislation are now making two claims. One is that the globe has been cooling lately, not warming, and the other is that America simply can’t afford any kind of cap-and-trade/carbon tax. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/opinion/18friedman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=What%20They%20Really%20Believe%20&st=cse

Leaders Agree to Delay a Deal on Climate Change By HELENE COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 14, 2009. SINGAPORE — President Obama and other world leaders have decided to put off the difficult task of reaching a climate change agreement at a global climate conference scheduled for next month, agreeing instead to make it the mission of the Copenhagen conference to reach a less specific “politically binding” agreement that would punt the most difficult issues into the future. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/world/asia/15prexy.html?th&emc=th

Obama Hobbled in Fight Against Global Warming By JOHN M. BRODER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009. WASHINGTON — President Obama came into office pledging to end eight years of American inaction on climate change under President George W. Bush, and all year he has promised that the United States would lead the way toward a global agreement in Copenhagen next month to address the warming planet. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/science/earth/16climate.html?th&emc=th

Seas Grow Less Effective at Absorbing Emissions By SINDYA N. BHANOO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. The Earth’s oceans, which have absorbed carbon dioxide from fuel emissions since the dawn of the industrial era, have recently grown less efficient at sopping it up, new research suggests. Emissions from the burning of fossil fuels began soaring in the 1950s, and oceans largely kept up, scientists say. But the growth in the intake rate has slowed since the 1980s, and markedly so since 2000, the authors of a study write in a report in Thursday’s issue of Nature. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/science/earth/19oceans.html?ref=global-home

Washington Post Editorial: Giving hypocrisy a bad name - Republicans slammed filibusters of Bush judicial nominees. Now they see things differently. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, November 17, 2009. DURING THE BUSH administration, Republicans decried Democratic attempts to filibuster judicial nominees. Some went so far as to label such filibuster attempts unconstitutional and threatened to exercise the "nuclear option" to ban the procedural tool in nomination matters. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/16/AR2009111603258.html


Republicans Are Shocked The Public Is Mad At Them For Voting Against Franken’s Anti-Rape Amendment By Amanda Terkel. Copyright by Think Progress. Nov 13th, 2009 at 5:26 pm... The GOP senators who sided with defense contractors at the expense of women — such as John Thune (SD) — have been facing an intense backlash. David Vitter (LA) refused to give a rape victim a straight answer when she confronted him about his vote, claiming that he is “absolutely supportive of any [rape] case like that being prosecuted criminally to the full extent of the law.” http://thinkprogress.org/2009/11/13/republicans-franken-shocked/

Panel to Consider Sanford Impeachment By SHAILA DEWAN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 20, 2009. COLUMBIA, S.C. — A legislative committee will convene next week to begin preliminary impeachment proceedings against Gov. Mark Sanford, according to a letter sent Friday by the chairman of the state’s House Judiciary Committee. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/us/politics/21sanford.html?th&emc=th

Giuliani Is Said to Have Decided Not to Run for Governor By DANNY HAKIM. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/nyregion/20rudy.html?emc=na

Palin Onstage, Still Moving Off Message By ALESSANDRA STANLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009. There were no questions about the Bush doctrine, but Sarah Palin’s appearance Monday on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to promote her memoir looked less like a celebratory comeback than a redo of the presidential campaign. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/arts/television/17watch.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Sarah Palin and the conservative descent By Steve Chapman. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 19, 2009. The 19th century American writer Henry Adams said the descent of American presidents from George Washington to Ulysses S. Grant was enough to discredit the theory of evolution. The same could be said of the pantheon of conservative political heroes, which in the last half-century has gone from Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan to Sarah Palin. That refutation may be agreeable to Palin, who doesn't put much stock in Darwin anyway. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1119chapmannov19,0,4222240.column

The Rogue Warrior http://www.hulu.com/watch/109887/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-rogue-warrior

Excitement Over Sarah Palin's Book Release http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-november-18-2009/excitement-over-sarah-palin-s-book-release?xrs=rss_tdsvids

A Florida Republican Becomes a Right-Wing Target By KATE ZERNIKE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009. NEWBERRY, Fla. — In retrospect, even Charlie Crist admits that “the optics” of The Hug are not great. It was in the glow of a new day in politics last February when Mr. Crist, this state’s popular Republican governor, took the stage with President Obama and declared that Republicans and Democrats had to rise above partisanship in support of an economic stimulus. And Mr. Obama embraced him. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/us/politics/16crist.html?th&emc=th

FOX rolls wrong video, heads may roll - FOX executives are looking at serious disciplinary action in the control room. by Mark Silva. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. Posted November 18, 2009 8:00 PM. FOX has done it again, and this time, once again, FOX says its misplay of the wrong crowd video was another regrettable mistake. Today, FOX News host Gregg Jarrett was talking about Republican Sarah Palin's book tour and the crowd she is drawing at the start of it - no small turnout, with some 1,500 people lining up early this morning for a chance to get into this evening's premier book-signing for Going Rogue in Grand Rapids. http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/11/fox_rolls_wrong_tape_heads_may.html

Hannity on TEA Party: 'We screwed up' by Mark Silva. Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. Posted November 12, 2009 10:15 AM http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/11/hannity_on_tea_party_we_screwe.html


Immigration


Washington Post Editorial: The HIV travel ban - An unfair policy comes to an end. Copyright by the Washington Post. Thursday, November 19, 2009. THE UNITED STATES is a leader in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent to assist those living with the disease and to help the uninfected stay that way. But since 1987, there has been a blot on that leadership. While the United States was urging an end to the stigma that keeps people from protecting themselves, getting tested and seeking treatment, it was one of 12 nations perpetuating that stigma by enforcing a ban on entry by people who are HIV-positive. That ended last month when President Obama lifted the prohibition. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/18/AR2009111803195.html

Hospital Falters as Refuge for Illegal Immigrants By KEVIN SACK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/health/policy/21grady.html?hpw



Chicagoland


A Rebuke, but No Penalty, for an Illinois Senator By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Senate Ethics Committee issued a sternly worded rebuke on Friday to Senator Roland W. Burris, Democrat of Illinois, saying he had made misleading and inaccurate statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment by Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich. But it made no recommendation for further punishment. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/us/politics/21burris.html?th&emc=th

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: County Board gives taxpayers a break. Copyright by the Chicago Sun-Times. November 18, 2009. So, this is what democracy looks like. We hadn't seen it for a while on the Cook County Board. On Tuesday, Cook County commissioners, with an election staring them in the face, figured it was a swell idea to listen to the people. They voted to give them a break on the county's portion of the sales tax. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1889558,CST-EDT-edit18a.article

Changes sought after 2nd trade show leaves McCormick Place - Mayor Richard Daley, McPier chief want unions to cut fees, eliminate onerous work rules By Kathy Bergen and John Byrne. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 18, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-wed-plastics-show-nov18,0,4031278.story

Sources: Restaurant show considers leaving Chicago By Kathy Bergen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 18, 2009 5:40 PM http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/11/sources-restaurant-show-considers-leaving-chicago.html

Police hold off on ruling in Michael Scott's death - Gunpowder residue, money clip discovered in river point to suicide By Annie Sweeney and Azam Ahmed. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 19, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-michael-scott-death.1nov19,0,2994152.story

Grief alone doesn't explain Daley's rant BY CAROL MARIN. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 21, 2009. Grief and anger, like clouds of a coming storm, moved back and forth across the landscape of Mayor Daley's face in public appearances last week. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1896770,CST-EDT-carol22.article

Block 37 developer Joseph Freed and Associates loses control of retail project - Bank of America wins ruling appointing CB Richard Ellis as receiver; Freed vows to appeal By Julie Wernau and Sandra M. Jones. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 21, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-block-37-nov21,0,1574002.story



Economy


Obama warns on US public debt pile - Threat of ‘double-dip recession’ By Edward Luce in Beijing and Krishna Guha in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 18 2009 13:35 | Last updated: November 18 2009 21:07/ OECD warns on impact of unemployment - Jobless numbers set to rise well into 2010 By Vanessa Houlder in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 19 2009 10:11 | Last updated: November 19 2009 10:11. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/obama-warns-on-us-public-debt-pile.html

Bernanke reassures markets on dollar By Krishna Guha in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 16 2009 18:53 | Last updated: November 16 2009 18:53. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/bernanke-reassures-markets-on-dollar.html

U.S. Wholesale Prices Show Few Inflation Pressures. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: November 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/18/business/economy/18econ.html?hpw

New Consensus Sees Stimulus Package as Worthy Step By JACKIE CALMES and MICHAEL COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009. WASHINGTON — Now that unemployment has topped 10 percent, some liberal-leaning economists see confirmation of their warnings that the $787 billion stimulus package President Obama signed into law last February was way too small. The economy needs a second big infusion, they say. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/economy/21stimulus.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Cadbury Bid Under Study at Hershey By MICHAEL J. de la MERCED and ANDREW ROSS SORKIN. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: November 20, 2009. Hershey, after months of internal debate, is now considering a bid for the British candy maker Cadbury, a move that would challenge Kraft’s existing $16.7 billion hostile offer for the company, according to people briefed on the matter. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/21/business/21hershey.html?ref=global-home

AOL Plans to Cut Its Work Force by One-Third By TIM ARANGO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/technology/companies/20aol.html?ref=global-home

Retail Sales Numbers Give Markets a Lift. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: November 16, 2009. Shares on Wall Street rose sharply on Monday after a new report showed retail sales rebounded more than expected in October because of a increase in auto sales. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/business/17markets.html?_r=1&hpw

Home Depot lifts outlook as profits beat estimates - Retailer sees signs of housing market improvement By Jonathan Birchall in Atlanta. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 17 2009 13:06 | Last updated: November 17 2009 13:38. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/home-depot-lifts-outlook-as-profits.html

Target 3Q profits jump 18% Copyright by The Associated Press. 7:39 a.m. CST, November 17, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-target-earnings-nov17,0,1201727.story

3Q profit surprise for Saks. Copyright by The Associated Press. 7:27 a.m. CST, November 17, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-saks-earnings-nov17,0,6827399.story

G.M. Is Said to Soon Begin Paying U.S. Debt By MICHELINE MAYNARD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 15, 2009
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/economy/16gm.html?th&emc=th

G.M., Citing Progress, Reports Loss of $1.15 Billion By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/business/17auto.html?hp




Housing


30 year mortgages still below 5%. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 11:17 a.m. CST, November 19, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-mortgage-rates-nov19,0,6268657.story

5 myths about home sweet homeownership By Joseph Gyourko. Copyright by the Washington Post. Sunday, November 15, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111302214.html

Mortgage woes slow, still at record By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY. Copyright by The Associated Press. 6:39 a.m. CST, November 17, 2009. NEW YORK — The pace at which people fell behind on their mortgages slowed in the summer for the third consecutive quarter, but the overall delinquency rate hit another record, a new report shows. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-mortgage-delinquencies-nov17,0,3990097.story

U.S. Mortgage Delinquencies Reach a Record High By DAVID STREITFELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009. The economy and the stock market may be recovering from their swoon, but more homeowners than ever are having trouble making their monthly mortgage payments, according to figures released Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/business/20mortgage.html?th&emc=th

Home Building Unexpectedly Slumps in October By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 18, 2009. Home construction slowed unexpectedly in October to the lowest level in six months, the Commerce Department said Wednesday, resurrecting fears that the housing market may be slow to recover. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/19/business/economy/19econ.html?hpw

Chicago home builders group files for Chapter 11. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 2:41 p.m. CST, November 20, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-homebuilders-association-bankruptcy-nov20,0,3915360.story


Commodities


Dollar relapse pushes gold to new peak - Wall Street hits high for 2009 By Jamie Chisholm, Global Markets Commentator. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 16 2009 07:16 | Last updated: November 16 2009 14:51. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/dollar-relapse-pushes-gold-to-new-peak.html

Short-term US interest rates turn negative - Banks stockpile securities in frantic effort to polish balance sheets By Michael Mackenzie in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 20 2009 01:40 | Last updated: November 20 2009 01:40. Short-term US interest rates turned negative on Thursday as banks frantically stockpiled government securities in order to polish their balance sheets for the end of the year. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38f71676-d56a-11de-81ee-00144feabdc0.html




GLBT


Washington Post Editorial: The Blade's hard times - A Washington paper provided a critical voice. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, November 18, 2009. THE FINANCIAL problems of Window Media, the parent company of the Washington Blade, had been known for a while -- so much so that the 20 staffers of the weekly newspaper put in a bid to buy the publication last summer. No action was taken. And so, on Monday morning, after 40 years of chronicling the gay and lesbian community in the nation's capital and elsewhere, the Blade and several other gay publications ceased operation. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/17/AR2009111703408.html

For transgender people, acceptance is hard to find-even in LGBT community By Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune
11.17.09 http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye/2009/11/transgender-acceptance.html

Gay Puerto Rican teen murdered; local vigil planned. Copyright by The Windy City times. News Update Nov. 17, 2009. Note: A candlelight vigil is being planned in Humboldt Park this Sunday, Nov. 22, from 4-6 p.m. in memory of Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, a gay teenager who was murdered, decapitated and burned in Cayey, Puerto Rico. The vigil is planned to begin at California & Division. More details to come. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23506

Gaywatch - Peter Vadala & William Phillips http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-19-2009/gaywatch---peter-vadala---william-phillips




Technology


Oracle wins more time for Sun merger - Approval deadline put back to January 27 By Nikki Tait in Brussels and Richard Waters in San Fransisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 20 2009 12:42 | Last updated: November 20 2009 17:39 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d33358d0-d5ce-11de-b80f-00144feabdc0.html

Though Dell’s Profit Slips, Its Outlook Turns Brighter By ASHLEE VANCE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/technology/companies/20dell.html?th&emc=th

Rolltop http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=7H0K1k54t6A


Religion


Anglican Leader Defends Faith as Vatican Welcomes His Members By RACHEL DONADIO. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 19, 2009. ROME — When the Vatican announced last month that it was creating a new Anglican rite within the Roman Catholic Church aimed at Anglicans uncomfortable with the ordination of women and gay clergy members, a headline in a British newspaper read, “Rome Parks Tanks on Rowan’s Lawn.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/world/europe/20anglicans.html?th&emc=th

Christian Leaders Unite on Political Issues By LAURIE GOODSTEIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 20, 2009. Citing the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s call to civil disobedience, 145 evangelical, Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian leaders have signed a declaration saying they will not cooperate with laws that they say could be used to compel their institutions to participate in abortions, or to bless or in any way recognize same-sex couples. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/us/politics/20alliance.html?sq=Christian%20Leaders%20Unite%20on%20Political%20Issues&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=1&adxnnlx=1258830395-SXOEGawOFaI3dHhjoQc1fg



Other


Winfrey Bets on Her Future With Cable By BRIAN STELTER and BILL CARTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 19, 2009. Oprah Winfrey is giving network television one of her trademark aha moments. Ms. Winfrey, the billionaire queen of daytime television, is planning to announce on Friday that she will step down from her daily pulpit, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” in two years in order to concentrate on the forthcoming cable channel that will bear her name. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/20/business/media/20oprah.html?th&emc=th

Costco drops Coke. Copyright by The Associated Press. 6:49 a.m. CST, November 17, 2009. PORTLAND, Ore. — Costco is no longer carrying Coca-Cola products in its stores nationwide because of a pricing dispute with the beverage maker. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ap-costco-coke-nov17,0,100089.story


Humor


Gynecologist's assistant http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/11/gynecologists-assistant.html

Things Not to Be Thankful For - Silverdome, Goldman Sachs & Congressional Recess http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-19-2009/things-not-to-be-thankful-for---silverdome--goldman-sachs---congressional-recess

How to Eat a Chicken Wing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRcOY-PvOC8&feature=fvhl






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. - I used a link that will open the Financial Times articles this week. CTM

Ps. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, just go to my website: www.carlostmock.com and go the the subscription link. It will appear in your email every week.



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

The Don't Ask Don't give Newsletter - November 14, 2009

The Don't Ask Don't give Newsletter - November 14, 2009

The idea is this: Gays and lesbians should stop giving money to the DNC and President Obama until ENDA passes and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and DOMA are overturned. “It’s really more of a ‘pause,’” than a boycott,” Aravosis and Sudbay say on Americablog.com. “Boycotts sounds so final, and angry. Whereas this campaign is temporary, and is only meant to help some friends—President Obama and the Democratic party—who have lost their way. We are hopeful that via this campaign, our friends will keep their promises.” This is exactly the right thing to do. Americablog lists almost 40 grievances, large and small, against the President, the leader of the Democratic Party. Together, the grievances paint a portrait of a man who is not just refusing to show leadership on our issues—he seems unaware of why our issues are important. And the DNC, despite including us in their platform, seems to be hardly aware that, post-campaign, we exist. Jennifer Vanasco

Does the DNC deserve our money? By Jennifer Vanasco. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. November 12, 2009. President Barack Obama was AWOL when it came to the marriage vote in Maine and the partnership vote in Washington. The DNC was worse, actively working against us by sending out an email to Maine Democrats asking them to campaign for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine—instead of asking them to man phones in their home state, working for marriage equality. Despite a supposed commitment to gay civil rights expressed in the DNC platform and by the Obama campaign and administration, there has been relative silence on our issues. That needs to change. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4075

Markos on "Don't Ask Don't Give" DNC boycott Posted by John Aravosis (DC). Copyright by Americablog.com. Thursday, November 12, 2009.... We did our part. It's now our party's turn to deliver. Until they do, it seems ludicrous for them to ask for money, especially with whines about "Republican obstructionism". The obstructionism is coming within our own party. When it gets its house in order and delivers on their promises, then that'll be different.....http://gay.americablog.com/2009/11/markos-on-dont-ask-dont-give-dnc.html

More on the Don't Ask Don't Give pledge here. And as I mentioned earlier, Markos is advising readers to avoid the DCCC as well, and to only give directly to good progressive candidates, not party organs. Take the Don't ask Don't give pledge at: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6006/t/5410/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=727

Election (Part One): Enough, No More, Enough By David Mixner. Copyright by David Mixner. Nov 4 2009. National March Crowd Today I write more from my gut than maybe you have ever heard. Quite honestly to all those who have found my words inciting in the past, just move on. You are not going to be happy this morning reading further. After a very restless night of sleep and some deep thought, I am ready to share with you some thoughts (this might not be my most 'smooth' writing). Forgive me that it has taken a while for me to compose myself so that I can write from my values and principles and not anger. Because my anger will blind me to the truths of yesterday. Let me do my best to share my deep beliefs and not out of anger or fear like the people who insist that we continue to create a system of Gay Apartheid in America. This will be part one of two parts on the election. First and foremost, Enough! http://www.davidmixner.com/2009/11/election-part-one-enough-no-more-enough.html

Election (Part Two): What Now By David Mixner. Copyright by David Mixner. Nov 5 2009.... How can we have any dignity, honor or pride in ourselves if we validate this continued process of ballot box terrorism? How can we stand tall next to each other if we explain away another's cowardliness? How can we allow people to dehumanize our relationships and our very integrity if we give people passes to sit out the battle for our very freedom? No longer are political timelines a reason for delay, no longer are incremental approaches acceptable and no longer can the political process expect us to be patient and wait our turn. Our turn came long ago and there will be no more waiting. Our national organizations should be put on notice that we expect more from them and that we want more accountability and more dynamic leadership. For example, who talked to the President about Maine? Why did the White House refuse to become heavily involved? Why was Attorney General Eric Holder's statement not disavowed by the White House? Did we have direct access to the President or not? Wanting to know these answers is fair. Holding organizations that ask for our money and support accountable is not divisive it is common sense. We want leaders and organizations that represent our interests and are not beholden to the trappings of political power. Time to end the cozy relationship between our national leaders and Washington power brokers and start playing tough....http://www.davidmixner.com/2009/11/election-part-two-what-now.html





International


Euro Zone Officially Out of Recession By MATTHEW SALTMARSH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/business/global/14euro.html?ref=global-home

With Wall Just a Memory, German Divisions Fade By NICHOLAS KULISH. Copyright by Reuters. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/world/europe/08germany.html?th&emc=th

The Legacy of 1989 Is Still Up for Debate By STEVEN ERLANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/world/europe/09berlin.html?ref=global-home

Washington Post Editorial: Mr. Medvedev's glasnost - Does his blunt description of what ails Russia portend real change? Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, November 14, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111303956.html

In Tokyo, Obama Makes Concession on Marine Base By HELENE COOPER and MARTIN FACKLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14prexy.html?ref=global-home

Okinawans Grow Impatient With Dashed Hopes on U.S. Base By MARTIN FACKLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 11, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/world/asia/12okinawa.html?_r=1&hpw


China


China hints at stronger renminbi - Move comes ahead of Obama Beijing visit By Geoff Dyer in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 03:36 | Last updated: November 11 2009 19:11. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/china-hints-at-stronger-renminbi-by.html

Obama Says U.S. Seeks to Build Stronger Ties to China By HELENE COOPER and MARTIN FACKLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14prexy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

China Focuses on Territorial Issues as It Equates Tibet to U.S. Civil War South By EDWARD WONG. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/asia/14beijing.html?th&emc=th



Mess-o-potamia


Afghan Enclave Seen as Model to Rebuild, and Rebuff Taliban By SABRINA TAVERNISE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/world/asia/13jurm.html?ref=global-home

Allies Uncover Vast Cache of Bomb Material in Afghanistan By DEXTER FILKINS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/world/asia/11afghan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Russian Deal on Afghan Supply Route Not a Deal Yet By PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009. WASHINGTON — When he met President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia in April, President Obama sought to open an important new supply corridor for Afghanistan by flying American troops and weapons through Russian airspace. Visiting Moscow in July, he sealed a deal for as many as 4,500 flights a year, in what he called a “substantial contribution” to the war and a sign of improving relations with Russia. Seven months after the idea was raised and four months after the agreement was signed, the number of American flights that have actually traversed Russian airspace? One. And that was for show. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/world/europe/14flights.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Gates Condemns Leaks on U.S. Afghan Policy and Ft. Hood By ELISABETH BUMILLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/us/politics/13gates.html?hpw

Militants Hit Pakistan Spy Agency in New Escalation By SABRINA TAVERNISE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/world/asia/13pstan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Car Bomb Adds to Toll in Northwest Pakistan By ISMAIL KHAN. Copyright by Reuters. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/world/asia/11pstan.html?ref=global-home

Pakistan Blast Kills Anti-Taliban Mayor By SABRINA TAVERNISE. Copyright by Reuters. Published: November 8, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/world/asia/09pstan.html?ref=global-home

Iran Said to Ignore Effort to Salvage Nuclear Deal By DAVID E. SANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/world/middleeast/09iran.html?th&emc=th

Iran Accuses 3 American Hikers of Espionage By JACK HEALY and NAZILA FATHI. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/world/middleeast/10hikers.html?ref=global-home

U.S. alleges company laundered money for Iran. Copyright by CNN News. November 12, 2009 6:42 p.m. EST. New York (CNN) -- The federal government said Thursday it is seeking forfeiture of properties belonging to the Alavi Foundation and Assa Corp. -- accused of transferring money to a bank owned by the Iranian government -- including a Manhattan skyscraper and at least three mosques. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/11/12/mosque.seized/index.html

U.S. Moves to Seize Properties Tied to Iran By BENJAMIN WEISER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan began legal action on Thursday to seize properties in Queens and across the country where several mosques are located in a broad move against a nonprofit organization that was accused of illegally providing money and other services to Iran. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/nyregion/13seize.html?th&emc=th

Iraq Passes Crucial Election Law By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS and SA’AD IZZI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/world/middleeast/09iraq.html?th&emc=th

Bush officials lead Iraq business push - Soldiers and diplomats turn to trade By Roula Khalaf in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 9 2009 23:10 | Last updated: November 9 2009 23:10. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/bush-officials-lead-iraq-business-push.html

Blackwater Said to Approve Iraqi Payoffs After Shootings By MARK MAZZETTI and JAMES RISEN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 10, 2009. WASHINGTON — Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/world/middleeast/11blackwater.html?_r=1&emc=na

Palestinian Authority’s Future Is in Question By ETHAN BRONNER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/world/middleeast/10mideast.html?th&emc=th



National


Washington Post Editorial: Terrorism on trial - There are good reasons to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed in New York. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, November 14, 2009. ONE FACT has largely been glossed over in the debate triggered by the Justice Department's announcement that it will prosecute some terrorism suspects in federal court: After more than six years in custody, Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, will finally be brought to justice in a forum that is unquestionably legitimate in the eyes of most of the world. The move represents an important step for the victims, their families and the country. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/13/AR2009111303957.html

New York Times Editorial: A Return to American Justice. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009.... On Friday, Attorney General Holder announced that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, and four others accused in the plot will be tried in a fashion that will not further erode American justice or shame Americans. It promises to finally provide justice for the victims of 9/11....http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/opinion/14sat1.html?th&emc=th

Key 9/11 Suspect to Be Tried in New York By CHARLIE SAVAGE. Copyright by the Associated Press. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/us/14terror.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

9/11 Trial Poses Unparalleled Legal Obstacles for Both Sides By ERIC LICHTBLAU and BENJAMIN WEISER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/us/14legal.html?th&emc=th

How New York May Tighten Security Vise By CARA BUCKLEY and BENJAMIN WEISER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009. Convoys of heavily armed officers, fields of barricades and additional checkpoints are likely to sprout in and around the jail where the accused will be housed and the courthouse where they will be tried. Access to nearby streets and areas may be sealed off. And bands of plainclothes officers — “people in civilian clothes with earplugs,” as one former law enforcement official put it — will probably be scanning the crowds to spot anyone with ill intent. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/nyregion/14security.html?hpw

Justices Weigh Life in Prison for Youths Who Never Killed By ADAM LIPTAK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/us/08juveniles.html?th&emc=th

President’s Top Lawyer Is Leaving White House By JEFF ZELENY and PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009. WASHINGTON — Gregory B. Craig, the White House counsel, said Friday that he would resign at the beginning of next year, ending a sometimes tumultuous tenure as President Obama’s top lawyer after 10 months at the center of some of the toughest issues and stormiest internal debates that have confronted the administration. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/us/politics/14craig.html?th&emc=th

Obama Travels to Texas for Service at Fort Hood By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. and DAVID STOUT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/us/11hood.html?ref=global-home

Major Held in Fort Hood Rampage Is Charged With 13 Counts of Murder By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/us/13inquire.html?th&emc=th

U.S. Knew of Suspect’s Tie to Radical Cleric By DAVID JOHNSTON and SCOTT SHANE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/us/10inquire.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Complications Grow for Muslims Serving in U.S. Military By ANDREA ELLIOTT. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/09muslim.html?th&emc=th



Health Care Reform


“Where the House Democrats' bill would expand coverage to an estimated 36 million of the uninsured, the Republican alternative would cover only 3 million, leaving the same proportion of the population uninsured as now. And while it's fair to criticize House Democrats' legislation for not doing enough to control the growth of health costs, the Republicans' version does even less and takes some steps in the wrong direction. For example, it would repeal a new entity, created by the stimulus bill, to coordinate comparative effectiveness research. And it would do nothing to address the runaway costs of Medicare; indeed, the bill trumpets the fact that Medicare benefits would be untouched. The primary focus of the Republican measure is to lower premiums, especially in the individual and small-group markets. Individuals would be allowed to purchase insurance in any state, not just the one in which they live. Small employers could join together to purchase insurance without having to comply with state rules. Overall, according to the Congressional Budget Office, premiums in the individual market would fall by an average of 5 to 8 percent; those in the small-group market would be reduced by 7 to 10 percent; and those in the large-employer market, which accounts for 80 percent of premiums, would be trimmed by zero to 3 percent.” Washington Post Editorial

Washington Post Editorial: Health-care reform, GOP-style - The minority party, too, comes up short. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, November 9, 2009. COMPARING THE House Republican and Democratic health-care bills is like comparing a mouse to an elephant. The two measures are different in ambition and therefore in size: The newly released GOP bill is deliberately modest and has an accordingly modest impact. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/08/AR2009110817875.html

Medical Industry Grumbles, but It Stands to Gain By DUFF WILSON and REED ABELSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 8, 2009. For any industry, there has to be at least some good news any time Congress votes to expand the market by tens of millions of customers. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/health/policy/09industry.html?th&emc=th

Maybe a New Day for Doctors’ Pay By ROBERT H. FRANK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/business/economy/08view.html?hpw

Sweeping Health Care Plan Passes House By CARL HULSE and ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08health.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Abortion Was at Heart of Wrangling By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/health/policy/08scene.html?hpw

Louisiana Republican Breaks Ranks on Health Bill By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/us/politics/09cao.html?th&emc=th

Republican who voted for health bill gets dose of racism. November 10, 2009. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/race/2009/11/lone-republican-to-vote-for-health-bill-treated-to-racist-tweets-.html

Was I hired to stand in the way of health care reform? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6LgYDyU2ag

Health Care: Bigger, Longer and Uncut http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-5-2009/health-care--bigger--longer-and-uncut

The Men Who Stare at Votes http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-november-9-2009/the-men-who-stare-at-votes


Health Care



Now Is the Time to Weigh Medicare Options By WALECIA KONRAD. Copyright by The The New York Times. Published: October 30, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/31/health/31patient.html?hpw

Helene Gayle: Leading the anti-AIDS war By Dahleen Glanton. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 8, 2009. It is not as though Dr. Helene Gayle didn't have enough on her hands fighting poverty across the globe as president and CEO of CARE. But she has never been known to turn down a chance to do battle against HIV/AIDS. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-perspec1108hivnov08,0,3933535.story

Teens and sex: Can we talk? By Niesha Lofing. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 8, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/family/chi-tc-fam-teen-sex-1022-1025nov08,0,151773.story



GOP Bashing


Idaho GOP leader Hall fired as deputy prosecutor, quits national committee after stalking conviction By Dan Popkey - dpopkey@idahostatesman.com. Copyright by The Idaho Stateman. Published: 11/09/09. The Party Of Family Values In Idaho wants us to think of someone other than Larry Craig....http://www.idahostatesman.com/newsupdates/story/966677.html

Senator Faces G.O.P. Rebuke Back Home. Copyright By THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: November 11, 2009. WASHINGTON — Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, has been censured by local Republican officials in his home state. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/politics/12graham.html?th&emc=th

King: 'Going Rogue' reignites Palin divide, even in her hometown By John King, CNN Chief National Correspondent. Copyright by CNN News. November 13, 2009 12:29 p.m. EST http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/11/12/sotu.king.alaska/

Former McCain aides angrily deny Palin allegation about vetting costs By Michael D. Shear. Copyright by the Washington Post. Thursday, November 12, 2009; 6:52 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/12/AR2009111209502.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Writers go rogue on Palin - Ex-governor's memoir already drawing parodies, including a coloring book By Erika Bolstad. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 8, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-talk_palin_coloringnov08,0,4006059.story

Lou Dobbs to Quit CNN By BRIAN STELTER AND BILL CARTER. Copyright by The New York Times. November 11, 2009, 6:21 PM. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/lou-dobbs-to-depart-cnn/?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: A Farewell to Lou. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/opinion/13fri3.html?th&emc=th

Lou Dobbs Goes Rogue http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-12-2009/lou-dobbs-goes-rogue

Hannity on TEA Party: 'We screwed up' by Mark Silva. Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. Posted November 12, 2009 10:15 AM http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/11/hannity_on_tea_party_we_screwe.html

Jon Stewart responds to Sean Hannity's apology Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. November 13, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-091113-daily-show-hannity,0,1682459.htmlstory

Paranoia Strikes Deep By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009. Last Thursday there was a rally outside the U.S. Capitol to protest pending health care legislation, featuring the kinds of things we’ve grown accustomed to, including large signs showing piles of bodies at Dachau with the caption “National Socialist Healthcare.” It was grotesque — and it was also ominous. For what we may be seeing is America starting to be Californiafied. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/09/opinion/09krugman.html?ref=global

Jon Stewart channels Glenn Beck. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 6, 2009. Brilliant. I didn't know Stewart did impressions, but this Beck bit is spot on. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/pagespage/2009/11/jon-stewart-channels-glenn-beck.html The 11/3 Project http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-november-5-2009/the-11-3-project


Immigration


White House Plan on Immigration Includes Legal Status By JULIA PRESTON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009. The Obama administration will insist on measures to give legal status to an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants as it pushes early next year for legislation to overhaul the immigration system, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Friday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/us/politics/14immig.html?th&emc=th


Chicagoland


Illinois prison in running to house Gitmo detainees BY LYNN SWEET Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. November 14, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1884238,gitmo-illinois-thomson-prison-111409.article

Governor signs Cook County veto bill. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 07, 2009 http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2009/11/quinn-to-sign-cook-county-veto-bill.html

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Kill the whole tax hike. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 10, 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-1110edit1nov10,0,24423.story

Chicago Tribune Editorial: It's our money. Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. November 9, 2009. Desperate times call for desperate measures. To bridge a $520 million deficit in the 2010 budget, Mayor Richard Daley says he'll cut 220 vacant jobs, require city employees to take unpaid furlough days and tap into the reserves set aside in last year's parking meter lease deal. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-1109edit1nov09,0,6184823.story

Medical group pulling trade show from Chicago after one visit- Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society cites high cost of electrical services for moving 2012 meeting to Las Vegas By Kathy Bergen. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 12, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chicago/chi-thu-mccormick-trade-show-nov12,0,4538483.story


Economy


Dow Hits High for Year as Dollar Weakens By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/business/10markets.html?_r=1&emc=na

New York Times Editorial: Jobless Recovery. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/opinion/08sun1.html?ref=global

Obama Announces Jobs Summit By JEFF ZELENY. Copyright by The New York Times. November 12, 2009, 10:00 AM. Updated President Obama announced on Thursday that he will convene a jobs summit at the White House next month, saying “the economic growth that we’ve seen has not yet led to the job growth that we desperately need.” http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/obama-to-announce-jobs-summit/?hpw

Under Attack, Fed Chief Studies Politics By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/11fed.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Senate Plan Would Expand Regulation of Risky Lending By STEPHEN LABATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/business/11regulate.html?hpw

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Senate vs Wall St. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 20:14 | Last updated: November 11 2009 20:14. Where Barney Frank, chairman of the US House of Representatives financial services committee, uses a scalpel, Chris Dodd, his counterpart in the Senate, wields a machete. Mr Dodd’s draft financial regulation bill cuts through the regulatory thicket, reserving some particularly savage slashes for the Federal Reserve. It improves on the House version; however, it does not avoid pitfalls of its own./ Plan to end Fed supervisory role draws fire By Tom Braithwaite and Sarah O’Connor in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 19:51 | Last updated: November 11 2009 19:51 http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/plan-to-end-fed-supervisory-role-draws.html

White House hits out at plan to strip Fed powers By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 13 2009 19:02 | Last updated: November 14 2009 00:09. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/white-house-hits-out-at-plan-to-strip.html

A Squeeze on Customers Ahead of New Rules By ANDREW MARTIN and LOWELL BERGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009. Banks are struggling to make money in the credit card business these days, and consumers are paying the price. Interest rates are going up, credit lines are being cut and a variety of new fees are being imposed on even the best cardholders. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/10rates.html?th&emc=th

Cold Response to Kraft’s Cadbury Bid By JULIA WERDIGIER and MICHAEL J. de la MERCED. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/business/global/10kraft.html?ref=global-home

Walmart beats forecasts with $3.2bn profits - US same-store sales fall 0.4% By Jonathan Birchall in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 12 2009 13:12 | Last updated: November 12 2009 15:41. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/walmart-beats-forecasts-with-32bn.html

AIG furious over White House-imposed cuts - Relationship with government paymasters close to breaking point By Francesco Guerrera in New York and Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 23:32 | Last updated: November 11 2009 23:32. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/aig-furious-over-white-house-imposed.html

Runaway Toyota cases ignored - Safety investigators dismissed numerous reports of sudden acceleration, then said data were lacking. By Ralph Vartabedian and Ken Bensinger. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. November 8, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-toyota-recall8-2009nov08,0,6544559.story


Commodities


Plea to reduce demand for dollar reserves By Krishna Guha in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 20:55 | Last updated: November 11 2009 20:55. The world should try to mitigate flaws in the dollar based global monetary system by reducing demand for dollar reserves and exploring alternative reserve assets, a group of economists from the International Monetary Fund said on Wednesday. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/plea-to-reduce-demand-for-dollar.html

Russia aims to cool rouble passion - ‘Not a one way bet,’ says central bank By Peter Garnham. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 10 2009 11:01 | Last updated: November 10 2009 19:23. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/russia-aims-to-cool-rouble-passion-not.html

Inside the Global Gold Frenzy By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/business/global/08gold.html?th&emc=th

More people selling gold for cold, hard cash - Some host parties where guests part with jewelry By Ken Manson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 13, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northnorthwest/chi-melted-gold-13nov13,0,313100.story



GLBT


New York Times Editorial: Equality’s Ragged March. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009. Last Tuesday’s Election Day results showed how far the nation has traveled in the struggle for gay equality — and the distance still to go. The returns also added fresh urgency to promising efforts in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia to legalize marriage for same-sex couples. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/opinion/08sun2.html?th&emc=th

A quiet voice for gay marriage - Legalization could avert doomed relationships, straight ex-spouses say By Theresa Vargas. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, November 8, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/06/AR2009110602953.html?hpid=topnews

"Obedience" -- Bigotry at Work in Maine Filed by: Patricia Nell Warren. Copyright by Bilerico. November 5, 2009 2:00 PM. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. When we go head to head at the polls with an ideological enemy who is more numerous than we are -- who has more money than we do to spend on lobbying and campaigning -- we are risking defeat. We can lose the way we did over marriage in Maine just now -- and in California over Prop 8 in 2008, and everywhere else that we've gotten clobbered on ballot measures, including Maine in 1998. http://www.bilerico.com/2009/11/obedience_--_bigotry_at_work_in_maine.php

Rep. Deb Mell may be off re-election ballot Posted by Greg Hinz. Copyright by Crain's Blogs Chicago Business. 11/9/2009 3:49 PM CST on Chicago Business http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/article.pl?page_id=2308&plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog:1daca073-2eab-468e-9f19-ec177090a35cPost:302ff3a4-5c01-4cc1-9ea0-af10afd2bbed&sid=sitelife.chicagobusiness.com&seenIt=1

Catholic Church gives D.C. ultimatum - Same-sex marriage bill, as written, called a threat to social service contracts By Tim Craig and Michelle Boorstein. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, November 12, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111116943.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

New York Gay Rights Foe Sees Nuance in His Stand By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and JEREMY W. PETERS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 9, 2009. ALBANY — Every Sunday morning, the deep, melodious voice of State Senator Rubén Díaz Sr. rumbles across the congregation at his Bronx church. On weekdays, it echoes across the Senate chamber as he rails against Medicaid cuts or abortion. Earlier this year, it enthralled thousands at a boisterous rally against same-sex marriage. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/nyregion/10marriage.html?th&emc=th

N. Y. State Senate Delays Vote on Same-Sex Marriage Bill By JEREMY W. PETERS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/nyregion/11albany.html?th&emc=th

Madigan Testifies to Support ENDA by Lisa Keen, Keen News Service © 2009 Keen News Service. 2009-11-11. Thursday, Nov. 5—Restrooms and religion arose as the only objections today during the U.S. Senate's first hearing on the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act ( ENDA ). And the testimony from the Obama administration struck an unusually ironic note just two days after Maine voters rejected an equal-marriage law there. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23456

Mormon Support of Gay Rights Statute Draws Praise By KIRK JOHNSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 11, 2009. The Mormon Church has been a target of vituperation by some gay rights groups because of its active opposition to same-sex marriage. But on Wednesday, the church was being praised by gay rights activists in Salt Lake City, citadel of the Mormon world, for its open support of a local ordinance banning discrimination against gay men and lesbians in housing and employment. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/12utah.html?hpw

15 more plaintiffs file suit against alleged anti-gay cop: Alvarez takes cop off witness stand and throws out his pending DUI cases By Amy Wooten and Matt Simonette. Copyright by the Chicago Free Press. November 12, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/4064


Technology


Swiss take Google to court over Street View - Country seeks greater protection of privacy By Maija Palmer, Technology Correspondent. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 13 2009 13:11 | Last updated: November 13 2009 13:11. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/swiss-take-google-to-court-over-street.html

New York Times Editorial: Intel’s $1.25 Billion Settlement. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 12, 2009. Intel’s antitrust and patent settlement with Advanced Micro Devices is good news for A.M.D., which now finds itself $1.25 billion richer, but it is less clear what it does for the general public. Intel has been accused of stifling competition and driving up prices through a wide array of anticompetitive practices, which may or may not continue now that Intel has agreed to write a large check. Government agencies that have sued Intel or are considering it should not back away. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/opinion/13fri1.html?th&emc=th

A.M.D.-Intel Settlement Won’t End Their Woes By STEVE LOHR and JAMES KANTER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/13/technology/companies/13chip.html?th&emc=th

Hewlett-Packard buys 3Com in run at Cisco By Joseph Menn in San Francisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 11 2009 23:57 | Last updated: November 11 2009 23:57 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/64850f9e-cf1d-11de-8a4b-00144feabdc0.html

Water Found on Moon, Scientists Say By KENNETH CHANG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 13, 2009. There is water on the Moon, scientists stated unequivocally on Friday, and considerable amounts of it. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/14/science/14moon.html?hp&emc=na

Religion


Who Is a Jew? Court Ruling in Britain Raises Question By SARAH LYALL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/world/europe/08britain.html?_r=1&hpw

Rep. Kennedy and Bishop in Bitter Rift on Abortion By ABBY GOODNOUGH. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: November 11, 2009. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy of Rhode Island was to meet Thursday with Thomas J. Tobin, the Roman Catholic bishop of Providence, and perhaps start healing a bitter rift over whether health care legislation now before Congress should restrict abortion coverage. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/politics/12kennedy.html?_r=1&hpw

Catholic Church gives D.C. ultimatum - Same-sex marriage bill, as written, called a threat to social service contracts By Tim Craig and Michelle Boorstein. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, November 12, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/11/AR2009111116943.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Archdiocese investigating sexual abuse claims against retired priest By Manya A. Brachear. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. November 13, 2009. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago has found credible evidence that a priest on Chicago's West Side sexually abused two children, church officials said Thursday. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-priest-removed-13-nov13,0,2728418.story

Mormon Support of Gay Rights Statute Draws Praise By KIRK JOHNSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 11, 2009. The Mormon Church has been a target of vituperation by some gay rights groups because of its active opposition to same-sex marriage. But on Wednesday, the church was being praised by gay rights activists in Salt Lake City, citadel of the Mormon world, for its open support of a local ordinance banning discrimination against gay men and lesbians in housing and employment. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/us/12utah.html?hpw



Other


Same Street, Different World: ‘Sesame’ Turns 40 By ALESSANDRA STANLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: November 3, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/08/arts/television/08stan.html?th&emc=th

Stephen Colbert Mops Up ‘Sesame Street’ By DAVE ITZKOFF. Copyright by The New York Times. November 12, 2009, 8:57 am http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/stephen-colbert-mops-up-sesame-street/


BA and Iberia agree merger - Deal creates Europe’s third-largest airline by revenue By Pilita Clark in London and Mark Mulligan in Madrid. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 12 2009 12:02 | Last updated: November 13 2009 09:02. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/ba-and-iberia-boards-meet-to-discuss.html

BA looks beyond Iberia for new deals - American Airlines could be candidate By Pilita Clark, Aerospace Correspondent. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: November 13 2009 21:32 | Last updated: November 13 2009 21:34. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/11/ba-looks-beyond-iberia-for-new-deals.html

Britons among the ugliest people, dating site says. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune and Reuters. November 12, 2009. LONDON -- Britons are among the ugliest people in the world, according to a dating Web site that says it only allows "beautiful people" to join. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-talk-ugly-britonsnov12,0,5474168.story





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. - I used a link that will open the Financial Times articles this week. CTM

Ps. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, just go to my website: www.carlostmock.com and go the the subscription link. It will appear in your email every week.



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