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