April 19, 2010: These F@#king Guys - Goldman Sachs http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-april-19-2010/these-f--king-guys---goldman-sachs
“Last month Democrats on the Senate banking committee passed a reasonably tough financial regulatory reform bill. Now Republican leaders have suddenly begun lashing out against it. Did they belatedly discover some problem? No. They suddenly realized that their bet that reform would be watered down as it moved along might not pan out. Their battle cry of “no more bailouts” is disingenuous. They are not worried that reform will make bankers’ lives too easy, they are worried that it will make them too hard.” New York Times Editorial
New York Times Editorial: Whose Side Are They On? Copyright by New York Times. Published: April 17, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/opinion/18sun1.html?th&emc=th
Republicans Block Start of Debate on Financial Bill By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 22, 2010. Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked an effort by Democrats to start debate on legislation to tighten regulation of the nation’s financial system, and the two sides traded bitter accusations about who was standing in the way of a bipartisan agreement. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/economy/23regulate.html?hpw
Once critical of financial regulation bill, Republicans change their tone By Brady Dennis and Shailagh Murray. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Key Senate Republicans on Tuesday began to back away from their sharp criticism of proposed new financial regulations and expressed optimism that a bipartisan deal on a bill that would drastically change the way Wall Street operates could emerge in the coming days. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/20/AR2010042005311.html?hpid=topnews
Reality dawns for Republicans over Wall St By Edward Luce in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 22 2010 19:34 | Last updated: April 22 2010 19:34. Until this week, the Republican party hoped it could turn Barack Obama’s financial regulatory reforms into another healthcare saga. By defeating a signature White House effort, the Republicans would thereby damage Mr Obama. Somewhat belatedly, the Republicans have awoken to the fact that healthcare arguably ended up being their “Waterloo”, in the words of David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, rather than that of Mr Obama, who managed last month to scrape the healthcare bill through the House of Representatives by three votes. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/reality-dawns-for-republicans-over-wall.html
Obama to Wall St.: ‘Join Us, Instead of Fighting Us’ By PETER BAKER and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 22, 2010. President Obama took his rhetoric of reform on Thursday to the nation’s financial capital in a high-profile foray to chide Wall Street bankers for their “reckless practices” and to press for tighter regulations meant to avert another financial crisis. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/economy/23obama.html?th&emc=th
Top Goldman Leaders Said to Have Overseen Mortgage Unit By LOUISE STORY. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: April 18, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/business/19goldman.html?th&emc=th
A Glare on Goldman, From U.S. and Beyond By GRETCHEN MORGENSON and LANDON THOMAS Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010. Calls for increased scrutiny of Goldman Sachs emerged on Sunday as two congressmen pressed for investigations into possible taxpayer losses generated in securities sold by the firm, and the British prime minister also asked his nation’s securities regulator to investigate the Wall Street powerhouse because of losses suffered by a major British bank. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/business/19investors.html?hpw
UK regulator launches Goldman probe By Brooke Masters and Kiran Stacey. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 20 2010 10:23 | Last updated: April 20 2010 11:39. UK regulators have launched a formal investigation of Goldman Sach’s London office in the wake of the US decision to file civil fraud charges against the global bank. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/uk-regulator-launches-goldman-probe.html
Gambling With the Economy By ROGER LOWENSTEIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. WHILE the Securities and Exchange Commission’s allegations that Goldman Sachs defrauded clients is certainly big news, the case also raises a far broader issue that goes to the heart of how Wall Street has strayed from its intended mission. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/opinion/20lowenstein.html?th&emc=th
Looters in Loafers By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010... Sure enough, last week the Securities and Exchange Commission accused the Gucci-loafer guys at Goldman of engaging in what amounts to white-collar looting. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/opinion/19krugman.html?th&emc=th
S.E.C. Puts Wall St. on Notice By EDWARD WYATT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010. In the last few years, the Securities and Exchange Commission seemed like the cop in the doughnut shop, sitting idly by while the likes of Lehman Brothers and Bernard L. Madoff ran amok. But with its latest lawsuit against Goldman Sachs, the most powerful, most feared and most envied firm on Wall Street, the S.E.C. is sending a signal that it is back on the beat and that it is going after very big targets. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/business/19sec.html?th&emc=th
Rating Agency Data Aided Wall Street in Mortgage Deals By GRETCHEN MORGENSON and LOUISE STORY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: April 23, 2010. One of the mysteries of the financial crisis is how mortgage investments that turned out to be so bad earned credit ratings that made them look so good. One answer is that Wall Street was given access to the formulas behind those magic ratings — and hired away some of the very people who had devised them. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/business/24rating.html?hp
Lehman Examiner to Testify That S.E.C. Sat on Its Hands By SEWELL CHAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. The court-appointed examiner who dissected the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy is expected to criticize the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday for its decision to “stand by idly” as the investment bank veered toward collapse. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/business/20lehman.html?hp
Documents Show Internal Qualms at Rating Agencies By SEWELL CHAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 22, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/23ratings.html?th&emc=th
Report: SEC staffers surfed for porn instead of policing financial system. Copyright 2010 Associated Press. April 23, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/2191870,porn-sec-computers-crash-042210.article
Moody’s chief admits failure over crisis By Stephanie Kirchgaessner in New York and Kevin Sieff in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. The chief executive of Moody’s admitted to a Senate panel on Friday that the US credit rating agency failed to anticipate the severe deterioration in the US housing market that led to the financial crisis and was “not satisfied” with its performance. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/moodys-chief-admits-failure-over-crisis.html
Goldman Tops Forecast, With $3.46 Billion in Earnings By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/business/21goldman.html?hp
International
Greece Calls for Activation of Financial Rescue Package By NIKI KITSANTONIS and MATTHEW SALTMARSH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. Describing his country’s economy as “a sinking ship,” the Greek prime minister formally requested an international bailout on Friday, an unprecedented step that will test the bonds of the European Union. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/business/global/24drachma.html?hp
Greece grasps for €30bn rescue package By Tony Barber in Brussels and Kerin Hope in Athens and Gerrit Wiesmann in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 23 2010 12:07 | Last updated: April 23 2010 19:36/ Eurozone’s landmark moment: Greece appeals for emergency aid by Tony Barber. April 23, 2010 11:35am. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/greece-grasps-for-30bn-rescue.html
Belgian government collapses, economy at risk. Copyright by Reuters. April 21, 2010. Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme's government collapsed on Thursday after the Flemish liberal party pulled out of his five-month-old coalition, causing a crisis that could damage its fragile economy. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100422/wl_nm/us_belgium_government
UK economy grows 0.2% in first quarter By Chris Giles, Economics Editor. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Britain’s economy grew in the first quarter of the year in spite of severe winter weather and tax rises, diminishing the prospect of a double-dip recession. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/uk-economy-grows-02-in-first-quarter.html
Poland sets date for early presidential election By Jan Cienski in Warsaw. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 21 2010 10:39 | Last updated: April 21 2010 10:39. Poland will hold early presidential elections on June 20 to find a successor to Lech Kaczynski, who was killed in an air crash 12 days ago, Bronislaw Komorowski, the acting president, has announced. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/poland-sets-date-for-early-presidential.html
Bank of Canada signals rate rise By Bernard Simon in Toronto. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 20 2010 15:26 | Last updated: April 20 2010 15:26. The Bank of Canada has signalled it is likely to raise interest rates in the next few months in response to unexpectedly strong domestic growth, including a housing boom that has shown signs of developing into a speculative bubble. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/bank-of-canada-signals-rate-rise.html
Last Argentine dictator jailed for 25 years © Reuters Limited . April 20, 2010. The last leader of Argentina’s 1976-83 dictatorship was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday for his involvement in the kidnapping, torture and murder of 56 people in a clandestine concentration camp. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/last-argentine-dictator-jailed-for-25.html
Financial Times Editorial Comment: Sudan’s election. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 20 2010 22:28 | Last updated: April 20 2010 22:28. Given what is known about the character of Sudan’s president, Omar al-Bashir, it should not come as a surprise that the country’s elections have been sullied by allegations of ballot-rigging. Mr Bashir’s ruling philosophy is to cling to power at all costs. His victory was assured after his two main rivals pulled out of the race, alleging that it was skewed. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/financial-times-editorial-comment_21.html
China
Chinese Military Seeks to Extend Its Naval Power By EDWARD WONG. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: April 23, 2010. The Chinese military is seeking to project naval power well beyond the Chinese coast, from the oil ports of the Middle East to the shipping lanes of the Pacific, where the United States Navy has long reigned as the dominant force, military officials and analysts say. China calls the new strategy “far sea defense,” and the speed with which it is building long-range capabilities has surprised foreign military officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/world/asia/24navy.html?th&emc=th
China under growing currency pressure By Geoff Dyer in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 21 2010 09:54 | Last updated: April 21 2010 09:54. China is facing growing international pressure to begin appreciating its currency ahead of an important meeting of finance ministers and central bank heads from the G20 countries which starts on Thursday in Washington. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/china-under-growing-currency-pressure.html
Mess-o-potamia
“Sometime this spring, but still months later than President Obama predicted, Iran may finally face new United Nations sanctions for its illicit nuclear program. Mr. Obama has done a lot to prepare the ground. He has bolstered American credibility with his — since rebuffed — offer to engage with Iran. He signed a new arms reduction treaty with Russia, improved relations with China and is personally lobbying other United Nations Security Council members to support stronger sanctions.” New York Times Editorial
New York Times Editorial: Iran, Sanctions and the Memo. Copyright by New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/opinion/20tue1.html?th&emc=th
Companies Feeling More Pressure to Cut Iran Ties By PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. While President Obama struggles to negotiate United Nations sanctions with teeth against Iran, a parallel campaign to turn up the heat is gaining momentum by pressuring American and foreign corporations individually to cut their business ties there. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/world/middleeast/24sanctions.html?hp
NATO Backs Plan to Give Command to Afghans By MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. Setting the stage for a gradual withdrawal from Afghanistan, the United States and other NATO countries adopted a plan here Friday that sets conditions for beginning to remove troops from a lead role in Afghan provinces by the end of this year. The plan, which NATO hopes to turn into a formal agreement with the Afghan government in July, would transfer authority to Afghans when they have met three criteria: a competent local police force, a durable civilian government and signs of reconciliation with the Taliban insurgency. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/world/asia/24diplo.html?th&emc=th
Two top Iraqi al-Qaeda leaders killed By Andrew England in Abu Dhabi. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 19 2010 17:34 | Last updated: April 19 2010 17:34. The US military on Monday hailed the biggest blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq “since the beginning of the insurgency” after two of its most senior commanders were killed. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/wo-top-iraqi-al-qaeda-leaders-killed.html
National
“Appoint a Corporation to the Supreme Court: Since the Supreme Court decided the corporations were people maybe Obama should appoint a corporation to the Supreme Court to replace retiring justice John Paul Stevens. Maybe the GOP in the Senate would quickly confirm Wal-mart as a justice on the court.” Gil Ross, J. D.
Obama to Nominate Jesus Christ to Supreme Court. Author Unkown . Copyright Reader Support News. 17 April 2010. This article was originally credited to Rick Chertoff, who we have since found is not the author. We apologize for the error. President Barack Obama is expected to nominate Jesus Christ, an immigrant originally born to a virgin mother in Bethlehem, to fill the new vacancy on the Supreme Court. Although Mr. Christ is over 2,000 years old, He is immortal, so Democrats and Republicans expect that He will serve on the high court forever or until He decides to start the End Times. Republicans are expected to fight the nomination on the grounds that Mr. Christ would radically move the Court to the left. The GOP is also concerned that, despite decades of controversy and speculation, Mr. Christ has never revealed his position on abortion. Mr. Christ, according to many authorities, is expected to oppose the death penalty in all forms. Michael Steele, the head of the GOP national committee, issued a statement: "Christ is a complete mystery to us. He won't reveal His physical appearance and many of His positions are unknown or the subject of speculation. He is a stealth candidate. Why won't He reveal himself? Who does He think He is?" http://readersupportednews.org/opinion/196-supreme-court/1513-obama-to-nominate-jesus-christ-to-supreme-court
Justices Get Personal Over Privacy of Messages By ADAM LIPTAK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/us/politics/20scotus.html?th&emc=th
Justices Reject Ban on Videos of Animal Cruelty By ADAM LIPTAK. Copyright by the New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/us/21scotus.html?th&emc=th
New York Times Editorial: The Court and Free Speech. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. When the Supreme Court ruled 8-to-1 this week that a federal law banning the sale of animal-cruelty videos violates the First Amendment, it reaffirmed the right to engage in even highly unpopular speech. And it wisely declined to create another category of expression outside of the First Amendment’s protection. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/opinion/24sat1.html?th&emc=th
$18.5 Million in Liability for Scouts in Abuse Case By WILLIAM YARDLEY. Copyright by the Associated Press. Published: April 23, 2010. The Boy Scouts of America were ordered Friday to pay $18.5 million in a lawsuit that has focused new attention on the secret files the Scouts keep to document claims of sexual abuse by troop leaders and volunteers. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/24scouts.html?th&emc=th
Search Continues After Oil Rig Blast By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 21, 2010. An explosion on an oil drilling rig off the coast of southeast Louisiana left at least 3 people critically injured and 11 others missing as of Wednesday night. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22rig.html?th&emc=th
A State With Plenty of Jobs but Few Places to Live By MONICA DAVEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. When Joey Scott arrived here recently from Montana, he had no trouble finding work — he signed almost immediately with a company working to drill in the oil fields. But finding housing was another matter. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/us/21ndakota.html?th&emc=th
Defense
U.S. Faces Choice on New Weapons for Fast Strikes By DAVID E. SANGER and THOM SHANKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 22, 2010. In coming years, President Obama will decide whether to deploy a new class of weapons capable of reaching any corner of the earth from the United States in under an hour and with such accuracy and force that they would greatly diminish America’s reliance on its nuclear arsenal. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/world/europe/23strike.html?th&emc=th
Gates Calls for Easing Limits on Exports By ELISABETH BUMILLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates called on Tuesday for an overhaul of the nation’s export control system that he said would loosen sales of sensitive technology to American allies without letting up on restrictions over nations like Iran. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/world/21export.html?scp=1&sq=gates%20exports&st=cse
Chicagoland
“Thousands of Illinois residents -- most of them taxpayers, we can safely assume -- rallied for higher taxes in Springfield on Wednesday. Yes, you read that right. Thousands of consenting adults are willing to pay higher taxes to keep the state from going bankrupt, and most importantly, to continue educating our kids, taking care of our sick and keeping up basic care for the needy. We couldn't agree more and, unlike many of Wednesday's protesters, our own jobs in the private sector aren't even on the line.” Chicago Sun-Times Editorial
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Give us a real budget, not a credit card bill. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. April 22, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2187116,CST-EDT-edit22.article
Chicago Tribune Editorial: Halfway to nowhere. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 5:25 p.m. CDT, April 19, 2010... And what do you hear from Springfield? Whispers that Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton have no hope of crafting a spending plan for the next year. So they might pass a six-month budget and hope nobody notices their utter failure to do their jobs. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-budget-20100419,0,6075414.story
Tax music, movie downloads, Gov. Quinn says - Plan for Illinois to join 19 states is sure to face opposition BY DAVE McKINNEY AND STEVE CONTORNO. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times . April 21, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/maxedout/2182724,CST-NWS-tax21web.article
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Dems take state for a ride. Copyright by Chicago Sun-Times . April 23, 2010. The question of the day for Democrats in Springfield: What part of "we can't afford it" did you fail to grasp Wednesday when you blithely decided to keep throwing away the taxpayers' money on free bus and train rides for all seniors -- rich and poor alike? http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2191002,CST-EDT-edit23b.article
Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: There is no honor in silence. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times . April 21, 2010. The plague of silence that is destroying Chicago neighborhoods -- don't talk to the cops or you're a "snitch" -- is even more deeply ingrained than we had understood. That, we believe, is the lesson to be drawn from Tuesday's Sun-Times story about a dying teen who refused to say who had shot him. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2181702,CST-EDT-edit21b.article
Brady paid almost no U.S. taxes in three of past four years by Greg Hinz . Copyright by Chicago Business. /23/2010 2:08 PM CDT. GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Brady, facing financial setbacks in his family construction business, paid nothing, or almost nothing, in federal income taxes in three of the past four years, according to a summary released by his office Friday afternoon. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hinz.pl?plckController=Blog&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&plckPostId=Blog%3a1daca073-2eab-468e-9f19-ec177090a35cPost%3a951bf217-54a1-4b2a-807d-87b1e1e84581&plckCommentSortOrder=TimeStampAscending&sid=sitelife.chicagobusiness.com
Scott Lee Cohen planning run for governor - Former Democratic lieutenant governor nominee set to take on Quinn, Brady By David Heinzmann and Rick Pearson. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. April 24, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/elections/ct-met-scott-lee-cohen-0425-20100424,0,5783159.story
Emanuel says he wants to be mayor of Chicago By Katherine Skiba and Andrew L. Wang. Copyright by WGN News. April 19, 2010 9:21 PM http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/04/rahm-emanuel-mayor-chicago-richard-daley-election-white-house-chief-staff-barack-obama-president.html
Rahm Emanuel not a cinch to succeed Mayor Richard Daley - If White House chief of staff runs for Chicago mayor, he wouldn’t necessarily be the front-runner to replace Daley By Rick Pearson and Hal Dardick. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 8:53 p.m. CDT, April 20, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rahm-emanuel-0421-20100420,0,5738333.story
GOP Bashing
“There goes Senator John McCain, battling mightily for re-election in Arizona, buzzing off into the desert heat to another rally, another news conference, another television sound bite. Wait, you forgot your principles! During the 2008 presidential campaign, Mr. McCain did his share of contortions to win over a right-wing base that never trusted him....Now he is fighting for survival against a radio host endorsed by border vigilantes. But this pandering is tragic for a man who was one of the architects of the humane, comprehensive approach to immigration he has now disowned — threatening a filibuster to prevent its even coming to a vote.” New York Times Editorial
New York Times Editorial: Come Back, John McCain. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 22, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/opinion/23fri2.html?th&emc=th
April 20, 2010: Bernie Goldberg Fires Back http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-april-20-2010/bernie-goldberg-fires-back
Jon Stewart’s Punching Bag, Fox News By BRIAN STELTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are long gone. Fox News Channel is Jon Stewart’s new enemy No. 1. Last week that comedian did something that the hosts of “Fox & Friends,” the morning show on Fox News, did not do: he had his staff members call the White House and ask a question. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/arts/television/24stewart.html?th&emc=th
Florida's Charlie Crist could use a hug - The GOP's handling of Florida's governor says more about the party than the man. By Dana Milbank. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, April 23, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/23/AR2010042302026.html
Pressured in Senate Race, Crist May Leave G.O.P. By JEFF ZELENY and DAMIEN CAVE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, facing pressure from fellow Republicans to abandon his Senate campaign, said Monday that he would not allow party leaders in Washington to push him from the race and declared that he was considering running for the seat as an independent. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/us/politics/20crist.html?th&emc=th
US Senator Graham asked to Admit His Homosexuality at Tea Party Event http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG78fpj0P4M
Democrats Top G.O.P. in Fund-Raising for Midterms By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. Congressional Republicans are enthusiastic about their performance in the all-important midterm money chase. But the Democratic House and Senate campaign committees still managed to out-raise the Republican organizations last month and have more cash in the bank even though Republicans claim the momentum. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/us/politics/21donations.html?th&emc=th
Democrats Seize on Financial Oversight After Goldman Suit By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/business/19regulate.html?th&emc=th
Health Care
When Heart Devices Fail, Who Should Be Blamed? By BARRY MEIER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. It was a landmark episode brought to light by two Minneapolis cardiologists that changed the way the medical device industry deals with the safety of heart implants. Now the doctors, five years later, are raising a fundamental question about medical safety and the law: who should be held accountable when a company sells a flawed product that can injure or kill patients? Is it the company or the people who run it? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/business/21device.html?th&emc=th
Cancer Fight: Unclear Tests for New Drug By GINA KOLATA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/health/research/20cancer.html?th&emc=th
Weighing the Evidence on Exercise By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 12, 2010. How exercise affects body weight is one of the more intriguing and vexing issues in physiology. Exercise burns calories, no one doubts that, and so it should, in theory, produce weight loss, a fact that has prompted countless people to undertake exercise programs to shed pounds. Without significantly changing their diets, few succeed. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/magazine/18exercise-t.html?th&emc=th
HIV/AIDS in Puerto Rico from A Puerto Rican Perspective By Carlos T Mock, MD. Copyright by Reader Supported News. 21 April 2010 http://readersupportednews.org/pm-section/28-health-care/1548-hivaids-in-puerto-rico-from-a-puerto-rican-perspective
Health Care Reform
“Four years after Massachusetts enacted its ambitious health care reform, the state has achieved its goal: covering most of the uninsured without seriously straining its budget. Most citizens seem to like it.” New York Times Editorial
New York Times Editorial: Reform and Massachusetts. Copyright by The New York Times . Published: April 20, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/opinion/21wed1.html?th&emc=th
Obama Health Team Turns to Carrying Out Law By ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010. The success of the new health care law depends to a large degree on a handful of Obama administration officials, who are scrambling to make the transition from waging political war on Capitol Hill to managing one of the most profound changes in social policy in generations. For these officials, the task of carrying out the law may be as much of a challenge as getting it enacted. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/health/policy/19health.html?th&emc=th
Doctors Hear Many Questions About Health Law By JOHN LELAND. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010. Dr. Roger W. Evans, a cardiologist in Wichita, Kan., is used to answering patients’ questions about their hearts. But lately, he said, he has spent half his time answering a succession of different questions — about the health care law. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/health/policy/19doctors.html?th&emc=th
The Economy
US durable goods orders dip in March By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 23 2010 14:20 | Last updated: April 23 2010 14:20. New orders for durable goods in the US unexpectedly fell in March thanks to plummeting demand for aircraft, official figures showed on Friday, but the details of the data showed continuing strength in the manufacturing sector. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/us-durable-goods-orders-dip-in-march.html
Puerto Rico Forces FDIC to Scramble. By Joe Adler. Copyright by The American Banker. Thursday, April 8, 2010. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. is facing a new challenge in Puerto Rico. Three banks on the island holding more than $20 billion of assets are in trouble, and the agency has to resolve them without causing problems for the seven other institutions in the market. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/puerto-rico-forces-fdic-to-scramble.html
Best Nonholiday Quarter for Apple. By MIGUEL HELFT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. The mobile computing revolution unleashed by Apple three years ago with the release of the iPhone is picking up speed, and Apple is reaping the rewards. The company said on Tuesday that iPhone sales surged 131 percent in the most recent quarter, to 8.75 million units, helping Apple deliver a 90 percent rise in profit and a 49 percent increase in sales. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/technology/21apple.html?th&emc=th
Profit Rose 68% at Amazon, Topping Analysts’ Forecasts Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: April 22, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/technology/23amazon.html?th&emc=th
Yahoo Earnings Nearly Triple as Sales of Display Ads Surge. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: April 20, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/technology/21yahoo.html?th&emc=th
Non-US sales drive strong McDonald’s results. By Greg Farrell in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 21 2010 15:06 | Last updated: April 21 2010 15:06. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/non-us-sales-drive-strong-mcdonalds.html
Microsoft’s Income Rises 35%, Driven by Sales of Windows 7 By ASHLEE VANCE. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: April 22, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/technology/23soft.html?th&emc=th
Morgan Stanley swings to profit By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 21 2010 14:24 | Last updated: April 21 2010 14:24. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/morgan-stanley-swings-to-profit.html
Chrysler Lost $4 Billion but Sees Signs of Improvement By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 21, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/business/global/22chrysler.html?hp
Your Money
“The tax cuts were unaffordable when passed; that has become clearer in retrospect. President Obama has proposed making most of the cuts permanent, at a 10-year cost of $2.5 trillion. However, he would let those for the wealthiest 2 percent of households expire, raising $680 billion in the next decade. Under Mr. Obama's plan, the top marginal tax rates would return to the Clinton-era levels of 36 percent and 39.6 percent, up from 33 and 35 percent. Capital gains rates for the wealthiest taxpayers, now 15 percent, would rise to 20 percent. Economic performance during the 1990s suggests that these are not crippling burdens.” Washington Post Editorial
Washington Post Editorial: The coming tax debate Copyright by The Washington Post . Monday, April 19, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/18/AR2010041802817.html
Our $48 Billion Credit Card Bill By ALBERT A. FOER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. THESE days, it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t use credit and debit cards regularly — they’re convenient and compact and often come with small cash-back incentives. But what almost no one realizes is that those benefits are far outweighed by an implicit transaction fee, set by credit card companies and their issuing banks, that costs consumers more than $48 billion a year. As Congress works toward passing consumer financial reform legislation, it should include new rules about how — and how much — credit card companies can charge. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/opinion/21foer.html?th&emc=th
Learning How to Fight the Collector By ANDREW MARTIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. Among debt collectors, Steven Katz is known as a “credit terrorist.” For years, he has run what he calls the Steven Katz School of Bill Collector Education, otherwise known as the “credit terrorist training camp.” Mr. Katz, a 58-year-old accountant in suburban Tucson, spends his free time schooling debtors on the finer points of consumer protection law to help them turn the tables on debt collectors. On occasion, he thumbs his own nose at them too. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/business/24collection.html?th&emc=th
Housing
New home sales jump from record low By ALAN ZIBEL. Copyright by The Associated Press. Friday, April 23, 2010; 10:16 AM. Sales of new homes surged 27 percent last month, bouncing off the previous month's record low and blowing past expectations as better weather and government incentives boosted sales. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/23/AR2010042301140.html?hpid=topnews
Existing US home sales surge 6.8% By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 22 2010 14:29 | Last updated: April 22 2010 16:01. Sales of existing US homes jumped more than expected in March, as first time home-buyers rushed to make purchases ahead of the expiration of a government tax credit, the National Association of Realtors said on Thursday. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/existing-us-home-sales-surge-68.html
In Sour Home Market, Buying Often Now Beats Renting By DAVID LEONHARDT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/business/economy/21leonhardt.html?hp
Housing crisis in the inner city - Unchecked, foreclosures may lead to even harder times for poor renters By Matthew Desmond. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 5:16 p.m. CDT, April 18, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-0419-evictions-20100416,0,5069289.story
Immigration
“The Arizona Legislature has just stepped off the deep end of the immigration debate, passing a harsh and mean-spirited bill that would do little to stop illegal immigration. What it would do is lead to more racial profiling, hobble local law enforcement, and open government agencies to frivolous, politically driven lawsuits. The bill is a grab bag of measures to enlist law enforcement and government at every level to expose and expel the undocumented. Opponents say it verges on a police state, which sounds overblown until you read it.” New York Times Editorial
New York Times Editorial: Arizona Goes Over the Edge. Copyright by The New York Times . Published: April 17, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/opinion/18sun3.html?th&emc=th
U.S.’s Toughest Immigration Law Is Signed in Arizona By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the nation’s toughest bill on illegal immigration into law on Friday. Its aim is to identify, prosecute and deport illegal immigrants. Even before she signed the bill at an afternoon news conference here, President Obama strongly criticized it. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html?hp
Fleeing Drug Violence, Mexicans Pour Into U.S. By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr.. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 17, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/us/18border.html?th&emc=th
Immigration reform's big moment By Tamar Jacoby. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, April 23, 2010. Lots of people cheered this week when it was reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had agreed to steer comprehensive immigration reform through Congress by year's end. This is a bold, exciting plan -- and if it works, it could be a game-changer. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/22/AR2010042204209.html
Commodities
New $100 bill unveiled By Ed O'Keefe. Copyright by The Washington Post. April 20, 2010 http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/04/new_100_bill_unveiled.html?hpid=artslot
Travel
As British Airports Open, Huge Backlog Remains By NICOLA CLARK and ALAN COWELL. Copyright by Reuters. Published: April 21, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/world/europe/22europe.html?th&emc=th
As Some Flights Resume, New Confusion Emerges By JAD MOUAWAD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 20, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/21/world/europe/21uncertain.html?th&emc=th
Airport Crisis Frustrates Travelers, and Airlines By NICOLA CLARK, JULIA WERDIGIER and STEVEN ERLANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/world/europe/19ash.html?hp
United-Continental merger would land in Chicago - Merger talks moving rapidly; US Airways ends discussions with United By Julie Johnsson. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 10:22 p.m. CDT, April 22, 2010. Chicago would be headquarters to the largest airline in the world if United Airlines successfully consummates a deal with Continental Airlines. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0423-united-usairways--20100422,0,396744,full.story
A musician named Dave Carroll recently had difficulty with United Airlines. United apparently damaged his treasured Taylor guitar ($3,500) during a flight. Dave spent over 9 months trying to get United to pay for damages caused by baggage handlers to his custom Taylor guitar. During his final exchange with the United Customer Relations Manager, he stated that he was left with no choice other than to create a music video for YouTube exposing their lack of cooperation. The manager responded: "Good luck with that one, pal". So he posted a retaliatory video on YouTube. The video has since received over 7 million hits. United Airlines contacted the musician and attempted settlement in exchange for pulling the video. Naturally his response was: "Good luck with that one, pal". Taylor Guitars sent the musician 2 new custom guitars in appreciation for the product recognition from the video that has led to a sharp increase in orders. Here's the video.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo&NR=1
36 Hours in Kyoto, Japan By JAIME GROSS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 25, 2010 http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/04/25/travel/25hours.html?hpw
Environment
April 19, 2010: Volcanolypse 2010 http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-april-19-2010/volcanolypse-2010
Religion
“I am still baffled by her response. When Catholics are willing to put the welfare and reputation of the Church ahead of their own children — does this constitute brainwashing? I am a Christian, not a Catholic — I was tortured by The Church for my sexual views. As I grew up in San Juan, I saw them abuse children in my Catholic High School and was always too afraid to talk for fear of being expelled.” Carlos T Mock, MD
Are Catholics in denial as much as The Church? By Carlos T Mock, MD. Copyright by Reader Supported News 21 April 2010 http://readersupportednews.org//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1541
Bishop, 73, in Belgium Steps Down Over Abuse By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: April 23, 2010. The longest-serving bishop in Belgium resigned Friday after admitting to sexually abusing “a boy in my close entourage” many years ago, becoming the latest cleric to quit in a spreading abuse scandal. The development added to a corrosive catalog of disclosures that has damaged the credibility of the Roman Catholic Church and shaken the trust of many believers in their spiritual leaders. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/world/europe/24vatican.html?th&emc=th
Freedom to discriminate By Christopher Caldwell. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: April 23 2010 20:30 | Last updated: April 23 2010 20:30. It is a bad sign when a court case that seems likely to set precedent is based on a bizarre controversy. This week, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Christian Legal Society v Martinez, which revolves around the question of whether a Christian group violates anti-discrimination law if it insists that its leaders be Christians (as it understands the term). http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/freedom-to-discriminate.html
New York Times Editorial: A Case of Discrimination. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 18, 2010. Hastings College of the Law, part of the University of California, rightly prohibits student organizations from discriminating. A Christian group that bars non-Christian and gay students sued the school for denying it funding and access to its facilities. The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in the case. It should rule in favor of Hastings. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/opinion/19mon2.html?th&emc=th
Death Threats Lead Comedy Central To Censor Controversial ‘South Park’ - With Jon Stewart’s Video. Posted by The Movie God . April 23rd, 2010 at 12:19 am. Trey Parker and Matt Stone have always been known for their fearlessness when it comes to saying whatever they want to say, whether in their movies like Team America: World Police, or whether it’s on their highly-popular hit Comedy Central show, South Park. But as you may have heard, some heavy threats have lead to a big uproar and one of the few times we’ve seen the show be censored more so than it needed to be. http://geeksofdoom.com/2010/04/23/death-threats-lead-comedy-central-to-censor-controversial-south-park/
Media
A Nancy Grace producer is clearly flipping Nancy the bird…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_QaHr7-khw
GLBT
Eye Opener: Gay rights protesters confront Obama By Ed O'Keefe. Copyright by The Washington Post. April 20, 2010. Just days after President Obama extended hospital visitation rights to same-sex couples and amid several other moves extending rights to gay and lesbian Americans, he faced protesters Monday night upset that he has yet to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2010/04/eye_opener_gay_rights_proteste.html?hpid=artslot
Hell's Kitchen Journal: Strange Times, Mixed Emotions By David Mixner. Copyright By David Mixner. Apr 18 2010. The last months have provided us with some very strange times that have elicited a series of mixed emotions. The LGBT community has been reminded strongly how far we have yet to travel for freedom. Even our victories should been granted years ago and amaze me that it has taken so long. http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/04/hells-kitchen-journal-strange-times-mixed-emotions.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
Before Gay Marriage Fight, Clashes on Free Speech By ADAM LIPTAK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. That sound in the distance at the Supreme Court these days is the debate over same-sex marriage. It will be a couple of years until that central issue in the culture wars reaches the court. But two early skirmishes — if not proxy battles — arrived this month. Both are fights over the First Amendment ground rules for the debate. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/us/20bar.html?th&emc=th
Does Supreme Court Battle Halt LGBT Legislation? By David Mixner. Copyright By David Mixner . Apr 15 2010. Supreme-court With most of our legislation already in jeopardy despite promises last year by HRC, our congressional representatives and the White House, another factor might come into play to make it even more difficult. The battle over replacing retiring Supreme Court Justice Stevens might seriously impact our ability to force a vote on key issues. There is no question that the Obama team will be very hesitant to push on LGBT issues when they feel they have to have another tough bruising fight like the healthcare battle. http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/04/does-supreme-court-battle-halt-lgbt-legislation.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29
For Same-Sex Couples, Equality in the Hospital By TARA PARKER-POPE. Copyright by the New York Times. April 19, 2010, 4:48 pm. For people in same-sex relationships, aging carries an added burden of anxiety: the fear that in a health crisis their partner might be excluded from making medical decisions, even visiting their bedside. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/19/for-same-sex-couples-equality-in-the-hospital/?th&emc=th
Add Gay Spirit to Taste, Then Stir By DAVE ITZKOFF. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 23, 2010. How at ease is Leslie Jordan with himself these days? Comfortable enough that when he was hired to perform on a recent Alaska-bound cruise, he invited his mother to take the extra stateroom he was offered. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/theater/24leslie.html?th&emc=th
Center City race has candidate 'outed' as straight By Thomas Fitzgerald. Copyright by The Philadelphia Inquirer. April 22, 2010. It's happened so often that it's now a cultural cliche: the gay politician pretending to be straight. In most parts of the nation, homosexuality or bisexuality is a clear electoral liability. Not in Center City's 182d state House district. There, it's a badge of honor. http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20100422_In_Pa__House_race__identity_politics_with_a_twist.html
Science and Technology
Cyberattack on Google Said to Hit Password System By JOHN MARKOFF. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. Ever since Google disclosed in January that Internet intruders had stolen information from its computers, the exact nature and extent of the theft has been a closely guarded company secret. But a person with direct knowledge of the investigation now says that the losses included one of Google’s crown jewels, a password system that controls access by millions of users worldwide to almost all of the company’s Web services, including e-mail and business applications. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/technology/20google.html?th&emc=th
For Apple, Lost iPhone Is a Big Deal By MIGUEL HELFT and NICK BILTON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: April 19, 2010. For anyone who has ever lost a cellphone, remember this: it could be worse. You could be the person who left his phone in a bar in California. And it wasn’t just any phone; it was a supersecret version of the next iPhone. That model is not expected to be formally unveiled for a couple of months. For the people at Apple, it must be like a bad version of the guy walks into a bar joke. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/20/technology/companies/20apple.html?th&emc=th
Just 39 days to Mars - With hard work, an immigrant’s dream of spaceflight came true. Now, his ticket to America could be our ticket to the Red Planet By ERIC BERGER. Copyright by The HOUSTON CHRONICLE. April 18, 2010, 11:44PM http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/hotstories/6964775.html
Entertainment
Glee’s Sue Sylvester's video homage to Madonna's "Vogue." http://www.fox.com/glee/
Matthew Morrison brings heart to ‘Glee' By Christopher Smith. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. April 18, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sc-ent-0414-celebs-matthew-morrison-20100418,0,7481419.story
Other
Lateral Thinking....not easy http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/04/lateral-thinkingnot-easy.html
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.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=a0b517e687814469f8153c5070d69f99
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