Chances are the movements of the euro as against the dollar will be relatively moderate.
Robert C. Solomon
China calls for new reserve currency to replace dollar By Jamil Anderlini in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 23 2009 12:16 | Last updated: March 23 2009 14:22. China’s central bank on Monday proposed replacing the US dollar as the international reserve currency with a new global system controlled by the International Monetary Fund. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7851925a-17a2-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
International
Japan prepares interception missiles © Reuters Limited. March 27, 2009. TOKYO, March 27 – Japan on Friday ordered its military to prepare to intercept any dangerous debris that might fall on its territory if a missile launch planned by Pyongyang goes wrong. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/93ee9180-1a76-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Washington Post Editorial: Bad Example - Mexico's justified retaliation against U.S. trucking protectionism. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, March 23, 2009; Page A14. AS PRESIDENT Obama and many of his supporters articulated it during the 2008 campaign, the case against President George W. Bush's foreign policy emphasized his highhanded treatment of countries with which we disagree. Too often going it alone in pursuit of asserted national interests, the United States under Mr. Bush showed contempt for international law, which alienated existing friends and repelled potential new ones. The new president has made a number of gestures toward correcting America's standing in the world. But on at least one occasion he and his party have acted as if the only thing that matters is what's good for the United States -- or, rather, certain people in the United States. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/22/AR2009032201456.html
World Economic Woes
Eurozone businesses report rosier outlook By Ralph Atkins in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 24 2009 11:15 | Last updated: March 24 2009 11:15 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ae67a19a-1860-11de-bec8-0000779fd2ac.html
EU leader condemns US ‘road to hell’ By Tony Barber in Brussels and Edward Luce in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 20:00 | Last updated: March 26 2009 00:12. European Union hopes for a new era in relations with the US were thrown into chaos on Wednesday when the holder of the EU presidency condemned American remedies for the global recession as “the road to hell”. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1d3fa8fa-1975-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Aided by Safety Nets, Europe Resists Stimulus Push By NICHOLAS KULISH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/world/europe/27germany.html?_r=1&hp
Europe needs a better plan for its banks By Wolfgang Münchau. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 22 2009 18:08 | Last updated: March 22 2009 18:08 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/95c99be4-170b-11de-9a72-0000779fd2ac.html
Two European banks report good start to '09 Copyright by Reuters. Published: March 24, 2009. LONDON: Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse Group said Tuesday that 2009 had started well after they posted losses last year and cut the compensation of their chief executive officers by about 90 percent http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/24/business/banks.php
Barclays stress test signals no new funds By George Parker and Jane Croft. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 23:30 | Last updated: March 27 2009 11:23 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/52f0ac48-1a4b-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Irish economy plunges deeper into recession © Reuters Limited. March 26, 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/97dc768a-1a04-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Czech currency falls on vote against PM By Jan Cienski in Warsaw and Nikki Tait in Strasbourg. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 24 2009 22:41 | Last updated: March 25 2009 14:46. The Czech koruna lost ground on Wednesday after the country’s government collapsed after losing a vote of confidence over its handling of the economic crisis. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/993d26b0-18c3-11de-bec8-0000779fd2ac.html
Sweden says no to saving Saab By Sarah Lyall. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 23, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/23/europe/23saab.php
Japan suffers record export drop By Mure Dickie in Tokyo. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 03:15 | Last updated: March 25 2009 14:02 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/36020dd2-18ea-11de-bec8-0000779fd2ac.html
China
U.S. sees Chinese military rise By Thom Shanker. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 26, 2009. WASHINGTON: China is seeking technology and weapons to disrupt the traditional advantages of American forces, and secrecy surrounding its military creates the potential for miscalculation on both sides, according to a Pentagon study released Wednesday http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/26/news/27military.php
Beijing’s naval harassment rouses US By Demetri Sevastopulo in Washington and Kathrin Hille in Beijing. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25, 2009 18:37 | Last updated: March 26 2009 03:23 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/38043386-196b-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html.
Mess-o-potamia
Financial Times Editorial: Obama strikes new tone with Tehran Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 22 2009 19:01 | Last updated: March 22 2009 19:01 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/617f1fb4-1713-11de-9a72-0000779fd2ac.html
Iran to attend Afghan meet © Reuters Limited. March 26, 2009. Tehran, March 26 - Iran said on Thursday it would attend a UN conference on the future of Afghanistan which was proposed by Tehran’s old foe the United States and called for a regional solution to the ”crisis”. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/58ee194a-19fc-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Washington Post Editorial: The Price of Realism - President Obama's plan for Afghanistan and Pakistan is ambitious and expensive. It is also hard-headed. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, March 28, 2009; Page A12. THE STRATEGY for Afghanistan and Pakistan announced by President Obama yesterday is conservative as well as bold. It is conservative because Mr. Obama chose to embrace many of the recommendations of U.S. military commanders and the Bush administration, based on the hard lessons of seven years of war. Yet it is bold -- and politically brave -- because, at a time of economic crisis and war-weariness at home, Mr. Obama is ordering not just a major increase in U.S. troops, but also an ambitious effort at nation-building in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is right to do it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032702716.html
Ultimate exit strategy By Karl F. Inderfurth and James Dobbins. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 26, 2009. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has described the upcoming high-level conference on Afghanistan at The Hague as a "big-tent meeting, with all the parties who have a stake and an interest in Afghanistan." With the situation in that country growing more precarious by the day, those attending this meeting must also think big. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/26/opinion/edinderfurth.php
US to take fight to Pakistan border area By Demetri Sevastopulo, Daniel Dombey and Andrew Ward in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 27 2009 15:18 | Last updated: March 27 2009 23:23. President Barack Obama on Friday unveiled a new strategy for Afghanistan that shifts the focus to defeating al-Qaeda and Taliban militants operating from neighbouring Pakistan. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/684a386a-1ae2-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html
Afghan Strikes by Taliban Get Pakistan Help, U.S. Aides Say By MARK MAZZETTI and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 25, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Taliban’s widening campaign in southern Afghanistan is made possible in part by direct support from operatives in Pakistan’s military intelligence agency, despite Pakistani government promises to sever ties to militant groups fighting in Afghanistan, according to American government officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/world/asia/26tribal.html?_r=1&hp
Pakistani and Afghan Taliban Unify in Face of U.S. Influx By CARLOTTA GALL. Copyright by tHe New York Times. Published: March 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/world/asia/27taliban.html?hp
Suicide bomber kills 45 in Pakistan By Pir Zubair Shah and Alan Cowell. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 27, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/27/asia/28pstan.php
Bombings in Iraq Hit Two Dangerous Regions By Anthony Shadid and K.I. Ibrahim. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, March 23, 2009; 2:44 PM. BAGHDAD, March 23 -- Blasts hit in two of Iraq's most dangerous regions Monday, killing as many as 34 people, in the third day of devastating attacks this month. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032300392.html?hpid=topnews
National
Obama takes a different approach as commander in chief By Sheryl Gay Stolberg . Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 23, 2009. WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama rarely, if ever, uses the phrase "war on terror." Like presidents before him, he has a top-secret intelligence briefing every day, yet it is not necessarily first on his schedule. And when he sent 17,000 troops to Afghanistan, he announced the news in a written statement, not a public address. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/23/america/chief.php
Our foundering father Our foundering father By Kathleen Parker. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 23, 2009. WASHINGTON—What a relief to hear Barack Obama tell a California audience the other day: "I am the president of the United States of America." Who knew?! Lately, it's been hard to tell whether Obama himself knows he is the leader of the country formerly known as The Most Powerful Nation on Earth. Obama's self-identification centered around the American International Group's bonus problem, which, Obama reminded us, he did not create, but . . . "the buck stops here." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0323parkermar23,0,7018407.column
Washington Post Editorial: Mr. Geithner's Plan - There are no guarantees, but what he's come up with to deal with banks' toxic assets is worth a try. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, March 24, 2009; Page A12 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302794.html
Geithner lays out new financial rules By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 14:36 | Last updated: March 26 2009 14:52 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d8a6dd2-1a11-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Geithner ‘power grab’ could worry creditors By Tom Braithwaite in Washington and Joanna Chung in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 20:35 | Last updated: March 25 2009 20:35 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a6c2516c-197b-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Bank chiefs hold peace talks with Obama By Andrew Ward and Tom Braithwaite in Washington and Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 27 2009 17:58 | Last updated: March 27 2009 17:58. Top bank chief executives held peace talks with President Barack Obama at the White House on Friday as the administration sought to soothe tensions over lavish Wall Street bonus payments. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e7f61650-1af7-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html
Obama fills key Treasury posts © Reuters Limited. March 23, 2009. WASHINGTON, March 23 – President Barack Obama Monday moved to fill the leadership vacuum at the Treasury department, tapping former Treasury official Neal S. Wolin as Secretary Timothy Geithner’s number two and former White House aide Lael Brainard for the top international job. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6cc5096-1813-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
Chicago Tribune Editorial: A democratic Senate Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2009. U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) thinks the nation's highest democratically elected body ought to be exactly that—democratically elected. At the moment, it's only partly so. Four of the Senate's 100 members, representing 12 percent of voting Americans, got there without the approval of those voters. Feingold wants to keep that from occurring again with a constitutional amendment requiring that vacancies be filled by election, not by gubernatorial appointment. "I think of it as a right-to-vote issue," he told The New York Times. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0322edit2mar22,0,781788.story
Obama answers seven of 90,000 Web questions By John D. Sutter. Copyright by CNN News http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/03/26/online.obama/index.html
See the video: http://www.whitehouse.gov/openforquestions/?elr=KArks8c7PaP3E77K_3c::D3aDhUec7PaP3E77K_0c::D3aDhUiacyKUUr
Heartbreaking triage as Fargo battles floods By Monica Davey. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 27, 2009. FARGO, North Dakota: For some residents in the neighborhoods closest to the fast-rising Red River here, the last-minute announcement by anxious city officials that they would build a second set of dikes to protect the heart of this state's most populous city was anything but soothing. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/27/america/27flood.php
U.S. cities deal with a surge in shanty towns By Jesse Mckinley. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 26, 2009. FRESNO, Calif.: As the operations manager of a outreach center for the homeless here, Paul Stack is used to seeing people down on their luck. What he had never seen before was people living in tents and lean-tos on the railroad lot across from the center. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/26/america/26tents.php
I.R.S. to offer deal to offshore tax evaders By Lynnley Browning. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 26, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/26/business/27tax.php
The US Budget Wars
Washington Post Editorial: The Budget Gimmick's Return - Congress deals a blow to 'honest budgeting.' Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, March 26, 2009; Page A20 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032503061.html
Obama scrambles to defend budget By Andrew Ward and Edward Luce in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 19:15 | Last updated: March 25 2009 23:12 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f1a60d0c-196e-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Washington Post Editorial: Red Ink Red Alert - A congressional report should give the president pause. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, March 22, 2009; Page A18 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/21/AR2009032101761.html
Obama's Campaign Army on Road Again - Volunteers Rally Support for Budget Plan By Peter Slevin and Michael Laris. Copyright by The Washington Post
Sunday, March 22, 2009; Page A01 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/21/AR2009032102249.html?hpid=topnews
GOP Whacking
UK to investigate Guantánamo torture claim By Megan Murphy. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 15:47 | Last updated: March 26 2009 15:47. Police are to investigate whether British agents were complicit in the alleged torture of former Guantánamo Bay detainee Binyam Mohamed. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c682092c-1a19-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
New York Times Editorial: Stopping ‘Stop-Loss’ Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 21, 2009. The men and women who serve in Iraq and Afghanistan have made many sacrifices over the last seven years, including repeated and extended combat deployments. So it is very good news that Defense Secretary Robert Gates has decided to phase out the deeply unpopular stop-loss program, which forces soldiers to remain in the military after their enlistments end. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/opinion/22sun2.html?ref=opinion
Shoddy wiring 'everywhere' on Iraq bases, Army inspector says. From Abbie Boudreau and Scott Bronstein. Copyright by CNN News. updated 8:57 p.m. EDT, Thu March 26, 2009 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of buildings at U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan have such poorly installed wiring that American troops face life-threatening risks, a top inspector for the Army says. These wires installed in Iraq are some of the most important to ensure safety. They all need to be replaced. http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/03/26/military.electrocutions/index.html Editorial comment: Thanks Halliburton for a job well done!
Another McCain Throws Down a Challenge By Kathleen Parker. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, March 25, 2009; Page A15. The GOP's identity crisis just got more interesting with the media splash of Meghan McCain, daughter of the senator who did not become president. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/24/AR2009032402465.html
Why a GOP Benefactor Switched Parties By Kathleen Parker. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, March 29, 2009; Page A11. Just as news breaks that political fundraising is down for both parties, Republicans have lost one of their more generous contributors. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/27/AR2009032702568.html
New York Times Editorial: A Legal Adviser Worthy of the Job. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 26, 2009. In the Bush administration, the Office of Legal Counsel gave a green light to many objectionable policies, from a lawless expansion of executive power to the use of torture. President Obama has nominated Dawn Johnsen to lead the office, but her nomination is being attacked by Republican senators who still prefer the Bush approach. Ms. Johnsen is superbly qualified and has fought for just the sort of change the office needs. The Senate should confirm her without further delay. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/opinion/26thu3.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
Chicagoland
Chicago Parking Meter Revolt... http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/03/chicago-parking-meter-revolt.html
Chicago Sun Times Editorial: Private cops can't replace real officers Copyright by the Chicago Sun Times. March 22, 2009. There is no substitute for a real police officer. And pretending otherwise is asking for trouble. That's why a plan forwarded by two South Side aldermen to give private security guards limited police powers is a non-starter. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1488787,CST-EDT-edit22a.article
Sanchez convicted of rigging city hiring By Jeff Coen and Dan Mihalopoulos. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 23, 2009 3:29 PM. Al Sanchez, the former commissioner of the city's Streets and Sanitation Department in the Daley administration, was convicted this afternoon on charges he rigged city hiring by trading jobs for campaign work. http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/al-sanchez-corruption-trial.html
Chicago Tribune Editorial: Who's next? Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 24, 2009. Another conviction, and another reason for Chicago citizens to ask Mayor Richard Daley why he hasn't cleaned up the corrupt, politics-driven hiring in his administration. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0324edit1mar24,0,1961439.story
How healthy is your Chicago bank? Find out here http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-chicago-banks-html-page,0,3966988.htmlpage
Your Lack of Money
US economy falls 6.3% in fourth quarter By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 13:12 | Last updated: March 26 2009 15:29 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9a973c12-19fe-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Glimmers of hope for a feeble U.S. Economy By Jack Healy. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 25, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/25/business/usecon.php
US consumer spending rises in February By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 27 2009 13:21 | Last updated: March 27 2009 14:41. US consumers upped their spending for the second month running in February as prices rose, but concerns over falling incomes left the savings rate near last month’s 14-year high. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/bab4794c-1ad0-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html
US retail investors flee to savings By Deborah Brewster in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 23:37 | Last updated: March 25 2009 23:37 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/182e200a-1973-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
BofA plans swift payback of Tarp funds By Greg Farrell and Saskia Scholtes in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 21:01 | Last updated: March 26 2009 00:09 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/989391c4-197a-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Victims of class warfare By Garrison Keillor. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 18, 2009. As a member of the board of directors of the American International Group, I am pained by the hailstorm of fecal matter raining on our company for the $450 million in bonuses we are paying out to the traders in credit derivatives after receiving billions from the U.S. Treasury to rescue us from going over the cliff that the derivative traders were driving us toward. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0318keillormar18,0,5921581.column
Nine who got biggest bonuses at A.I.G. pledge to give them back By Mary Williams Walsh and Carl Hulse. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 24, 2009 http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/24/business/bonus.php
GM rethinks survival plan again By Bernard Simon in Toronto and Daniel Schaefer in Frankfurt. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 18:59 | Last updated: March 26 2009 18:59. General Motors is to prepare a third version of the viability plan that forms the basis of US government aid to the ailing carmaker in order to take account of unrelenting weakness in the new vehicle market. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/15942c22-1a36-11de-9f91-0000779fd2ac.html
Hospira to cut 1,450 jobs, 10% of work force By James P. Miller. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 8:21 AM CDT, March 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-hospira-job-cuts-hsp-march24,0,4608558.story
IBM set to lay off 5,000 in North America By Joseph Menn in San Francisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 26 2009 00:21 | Last updated: March 26 2009 00:21 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e70a378a-1999-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Al Baskin Co.: Owner of Mark Shale stores files for bankruptcy - Out-of-state stores to close; 3 in Chicago area to remain open By Sandra M. Jones. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 24, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-tue-mark-shale-bankruptcy-mar24,0,1122535.story
Housing
New US home sales spike in February By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 13:24 | Last updated: March 25 2009 14:58 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5125dae4-193f-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
US home resales show surprise rise in February By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 23 2009 15:22 | Last updated: March 23 2009 15:22 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6897af6a-17bc-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
Chicago home sales sink 40%, prices fall 27% Illinois' housing market remained deeply troubled in February, with home sales down by 27.8 percent from a year ago. By James P. Miller. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 11:09 AM CDT, March 23, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-biz-chicago-home-sales-prices-march23,0,6882813.story
Freddie Mac survey says mortgage rates fall to lowest in 38 years after Fed aids market By ALAN ZIBEL. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 9:47 AM CDT, March 26, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/financing/sns-ap-mortgage-rates,0,1466492.story
Commodities
Copper leads rally for commodity markets By Chris Flood. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 23 2009 11:53 | Last updated: March 23 2009 11:53 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/11d37584-179d-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
Dollar dips on Geithner’s ‘loose talk’ By Krishna Guha and Tom Braithwaite in Washington and Peter Garnham in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 25 2009 14:19 | Last updated: March 25 2009 20:27 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e4c56948-1946-11de-9d34-0000779fd2ac.html
Dollar rises against euro and yen By Miles Johnson and Neil Dennis. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 23 2009 11:32 | Last updated: March 23 2009 14:41 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f6fa1cb2-179d-11de-8c9d-0000779fd2ac.html
GLBT
Portia Apologizes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9sBkgDRzY
Chicago Free Press Editorial: It’s about time. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 25, 2009. International GLBT communities received good news last week when the Obama administration signed onto a U.N. declaration calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3306
Same-sex marriage: At Loyola University, advocates of same-sex marriage find a voice By Mary Schmich. March 27, 2009. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-schmich-27-mar27,0,5736306.column
Gay rights battle puts strain on parties By Dawn Turner Trice. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 23, 2009. They've become a familiar sight in gay bars: women holding bachelorette parties. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-trice-23-mar23,0,1502612.column
Gay marriage vs. democracy By Steve Chapman. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 8, 2009. Response to Steve Chapman By Carlos T Mock, MD March 7, 2009. Copyright by Carlos T Mock, MD http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/03/gay-marriage-vs-democracy-by-steve.html
New documentary challenges gender stereotypes By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 25, 2009. A new documentary about the harmful effects of gender stereotypes and homophobia among high school-aged teens that aims to spark dialogue and action is making its Midwest debut. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3301
Report: LGBs more likely to be poor by Bob Roehr. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-03-25. There are “many reasons to think that LGB people are at least as likely—and perhaps more likely—to experience poverty” than their heterosexual counterparts, according to “Poverty in the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Community,” the first report ever to look at the subject in depth. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=20730
D.C. AIDS activist joins TPAN By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 25, 2009. Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN) last week announced its new executive director, Bruce Weiss. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3298
AFC: Governor's budget proposal hurts HIV services. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-03-25. Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed a state budget plan that reduces some HIV prevention and care spending by 3 percent, according to a press release from AIDS Foundation of Chicago ( AFC ) . The plan is part of reforms designed to balance the state's budget without eviscerating essential health and human services. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=20747
Immigration
International Herald Tribune Editorial: President Obama flinches on immigration. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 24, 2009. In a little-noticed act of political faintheartedness, the Obama administration has pulled back from nominating Thomas Saenz, a highly regarded civil-rights lawyer and counsel to the mayor of Los Angeles, to run the Justice Department’s civil rights division. Mr. Saenz, the former top litigator in Los Angeles for the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or Maldef, was privately offered the job in January. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/24/opinion/edimmig.php
New York Times Editorial: Border Control. Copyright by tHe New York Times. Published: March 28, 2009. The Obama administration has taken sensible steps to keep Mexico’s vicious drug war from spilling over the border. The homeland security secretary, Janet Napolitano, announced that she was sending hundreds more agents and officers to patrol the border region and to work with the authorities in Mexico. She also is bolstering screening technology at border crossings to root out drugs, drug money, guns and violent fugitives. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/opinion/28sat2.html?ref=opinion
Don’t Deport Benita Veliz By LAWRENCE DOWNES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 28, 2009. A question from the realm of the unanswerable: How will this country be a better place once we force Benita Veliz to leave it? Ms. Veliz is an illegal immigrant facing deportation, but she is nobody’s idea of a criminal, social undesirable or drain on the public till. She is a 23-year-old college graduate from San Antonio who works in a church office. She is smart, self-sufficient and hard-working. She is bursting with academic and professional ambitions — dreams that she has set aside because her paths to achieve them have all been closed. Immigration lawyers have told her that she has no hope of avoiding expulsion. She can only postpone it. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/opinion/28sat4.html?ref=opinion
Medical
Microbicide advocates stress options - Researchers hope microbicides are the next step in the fight against HIV/AIDS. By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. March 25, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3299
Drug prices: Wal-Mart/Caterpillar plan may drive down employer health-care costs - Program with Caterpillar aims to reduce employer health-care costs while increasing traffic to stores By Sandra M. Jones. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 28, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-wal-mart-pharmacy-mar28,0,1451349.story
Drugs, Guns and a Reality Check By Eugene Robinson. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, March 27, 2009; Page A17. It's an indictment of our fact-averse political culture that a statement of the blindingly obvious could sound so revolutionary. "Our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters on her plane Wednesday as she flew to Mexico for an official visit. "Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border . . . causes the deaths of police, of soldiers and civilians." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/26/AR2009032603115.html
Clinton Says U.S. Feeds Mexico Drug Trade By MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 25, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/world/americas/26mexico.html?scp=1&sq=hillary%20clinton%20mexico%20drug&st=cse
Clinton: U.S. Drug Policies Failed, Fueled Mexico's Drug War By Mary Beth Sheridan. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, March 25, 2009; 2:51 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/25/AR2009032501034.html?hpid=topnews
What politicians in the US won't tell you about the war on drugs By Carlos T Mock, MD. March 16, 2009. The unfortunate truth Americans can't deal with is despite tough anti-drug laws, a 2008 survey by The World Health Organization (WHO) shows the U.S. has the highest level of illegal drug use in the world. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-politicians-in-us-wont-tell-you.html
International Herald Tribune Editorial: A green light for medical marijuana. Copyright by The International Herald Tribune. Published: March 26, 2009.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced last week that the federal government will no longer prosecute dispensers of medical marijuana if they comply with state law. That should bring relief to people who need marijuana for health reasons and free up law enforcement resources for more important work. http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/03/26/opinion/edmarijuana.php
New York Times Editorial: Broader Access to Morning-After Pills. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 24, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25wed2.html?ref=opinion
Amid Abuse of Girls in Brazil, Abortion Debate Flares By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: March 27, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/world/americas/28brazil.html?_r=1&hp
Pet-related injuries? They do happen. About 86,000 people are hurt each year in accidents involving their pets -- usually by tripping over them, a CDC study says. That figure, however, represents only 1% of injuries from falls. By Carla Hall. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. March 27, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-pet-falls27-2009mar27,0,6082292.story
Lancet lashes out at Pope over condoms By John O’Doherty. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 27 2009 09:28 | Last updated: March 27 2009 10:01. The Lancet has launched a stinging attack on the Pope for his opposition to the use of condoms, branding as “outrageous and wildly inaccurate” his argument that the prophylactics serve to increase HIV infection. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/02826b9e-1aa9-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html. Editorial comment: We know the pope hates Jews, Muslims, and now we learn he's also racist. Telling Africans to stay away from condoms is like telling a child to use gasoline to put out a fire. Somebody ought to impeach this Nazi clown! CTM
Other
Consider This: NPR Achieves Record Ratings By Paul Farhi. Copyright by The Washington Post Tuesday, March 24, 2009; Page C01. At a time when newspapers, magazines and TV news continue to lose readers and viewers, at least one part of the traditional media has continued to grow robustly: National Public Radio. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/23/AR2009032302972.html?hpid=topnews
Newspapers fold as readers defect and economy sours By Stephanie Chen. Copyright by CNN News. March 23, 2009. (CNN) -- The Rocky Mountain News, gone. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, gone. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/03/19/newspaper.decline.layoff/index.html
Financial Times Editorial: Catholic tastes Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: March 27 2009 22:34 | Last updated: March 27 2009 22:34. Who would have thought it? The British royal family, it transpires, is not all that keen on absurd anachronisms. Since 1689, royals who wish to accede to the throne have been banned not only from practising Roman Catholicism but also from wedding people who do. But among reforms being discussed by the Queen and the prime minister is a plan to allow British royals to marry Catholics. About time too. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/65c3d728-1b04-11de-8aa3-0000779fd2ac.html
Humor
If you're jealous of that Blagojevich hair By Bob Hughes. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. March 22, 2009. As a 60-year-old bald person, I'd like to say that my joy at the fall of Gov. Rod Blagojevich was righteous, that it rested solely on moral indignation at his betrayal of the people of Illinois. But pleasure of a much creepier sort filled my heart: the spectacle of Big Hair brought low. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-oped0322hairmar22,0,1407190.story
Basset Hound Beat Box http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NBFRNEztSU
Here is the Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-is-washington-posts-mensa.html
New! Carlos now has an online store. Order your books directly from Carlos and have them signed and dedicated.http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/
In Pride (orgullo),
Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007. Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
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