Tell me Why Newsletter - September 26, 2009

Tell me Why Newsletter - September 26, 2009

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




International

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


China

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

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

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

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


Mess-o-potamia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


National

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Health Care


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

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

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

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

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





GOP Bashing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




Immigration


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

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


Chicagoland


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




Economy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




Housing

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

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

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



Commodities

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

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





GLBT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Technology

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



Other

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

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

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

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




Humor


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


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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” To be released late September 2009 by Floricanto Press

It's not racism, it's just plain rudeness Newsletter - September 19, 2009

It's not racism, it's just plain rudeness Newsletter - September 19, 2009


“When Joe Wilson yelled at President Obama during a joint session of Congress, was Wilson being a racist? Or was he just being an incredible jerk? Me, I thought he was just being an incredible jerk.” ROGER SIMON

It's not racism, it's just plain rudeness BY ROGER SIMON. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 19, 2009. When Kanye West rushed onstage and grabbed the microphone away from Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards the other day, was he being a racist? Or was he just being rude? Me, I thought he was just being rude. In any case, he apologized. And life moved on. http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/1779700,CST-EDT-simon20.article

As Right Jabs Continue, White House Debates a Counterpunching Strategy By Anne E. Kornblut. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, September 16, 2009. Facing a near-daily barrage of attacks from conservative opponents, White House officials are engaged in an internal debate over how hard to hit back, even as they have grown increasingly aggressive in countering allegations they deem to be absurd. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/15/AR2009091503697.html?hpid=topnews

Fiery rhetoric of Obama's critics By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 16, 2009. People are asking, but President Barack Obama's White House team denies that racism has anything to do with the protests against his health-care reform plan. That's smart. The same approach worked during last year's presidential campaign. In public, Team Obama constantly said race didn't matter, while in private the team never forgot that it mattered a lot. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0916pagesep16,0,4081867.column

As Race Debate Grows, Obama Steers Clear of It By JEFF ZELENY and JIM RUTENBERG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009. WASHINGTON — President Obama has long suggested that he would like to move beyond race. The question now is whether the country will let him. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/us/politics/17obama.html?th&emc=th

Boy, Oh, Boy By MAUREEN DOWD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 12, 2009. Surrounded by middle-aged white guys — a sepia snapshot of the days when such pols ran Washington like their own men’s club — Joe Wilson yelled “You lie!” at a president who didn’t. But, fair or not, what I heard was an unspoken word in the air: You lie, boy! http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13dowd.html?th&emc=th

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Exploring Race: A black man is president, oh my.... Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. September 14, 2009. In her Saturday column, New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd said that she had been loath to attribute any of this summer’s “shrieking lunacy” against President Obama and healthcare reform to race: http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/race/2009/09/a-black-man-is-president-oh-my.html




International

White House to Scrap Bush’s Approach to Missile Shield By PETER BAKER and NICHOLAS KULISH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/world/europe/18shield.html?hp

Russia says it won't deploy missiles near Poland By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV. Copyright by The Associated Press. Sat Sep 19, 10:27 am ET. MOSCOW – Russia said Saturday it will scrap a plan to deploy missiles near Poland since Washington has dumped a planned missile shield in Eastern Europe. It also harshly criticized Iran's president for new comments denying the Holocaust. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090919/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_missile_defense

Putin Applauds ‘Brave’ U.S. Decision on Missile Defense By CLIFFORD J. LEVY and PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/world/europe/19satisfy.html?ref=global-home

Barroso Wins Second Term as E.U. Chief By STEPHEN CASTLE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009. STRASBOURG, France — José Manuel Barroso on Wednesday won a parliamentary vote endorsing his second term as European Commission president, confounding his critics by securing a larger-than-expected majority. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/world/europe/17union.html?ref=global-home

EU sees growth returning in third quarter - Commission underlines fragile nature of recovery By Tony Barber in Brussels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 14 2009 12:12 | Last updated: September 14 2009 14:17 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9e1e53d8-a11d-11de-a88d-00144feabdc0.html

U.S. Kills Top Qaeda Militant in Southern Somalia By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/world/africa/15raid.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


China

Recovery Picks Up in China as U.S. Still Ails By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/business/global/18yuan.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

China Moves to Retaliate Against U.S. Tire Tariff By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/business/global/14trade.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Mess-o-potamia

Billion-Dollar Pyramid Scheme Rivets Lebanon By ROBERT F. WORTH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 15, 2009. TURA, Lebanon — The investor, a heavyset man in a gray polo shirt, sat back in a plastic chair in his hardware store and sighed, unable to explain how his life savings had vanished so quickly into thin air. An investor in Toura, Lebanon, said that at least 500 families in the small village lost much of their life savings in the pyramid scheme. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/middleeast/16lebanon.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: Squandering the Moment. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 15, 2009. Unless something happens soon, Israelis, Palestinians and other Arabs may squander the best chance for Middle East peace in nearly a decade. President Obama is committed to serious negotiations and, for now, there is a lull in regional violence. But all of the region’s major players are refusing to do what is needed to keep their own people safe and move the peace process forward. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/opinion/15tue1.html?th&emc=th

Resolve of West Bank Settlers May Have Limits By ETHAN BRONNER and ISABEL KERSHNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/world/middleeast/14settlers.html?th&emc=th

Israel Assembles Advanced Missile Defense Systems By Howard Schneider. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, September 18, 2009; 12:01 PM. ASHKELON, Israel -- As Israel pushes for international action against Iran's nuclear program, it is steadily assembling one of the world's most advanced missile defense systems, a multilayered collection of weapons meant to guard against everything from the shorter-range Grads that have been used to strike Israeli towns such as this one to intercontinental rockets. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091801787.html?hpid=topnews

Washington Post Editorial: A Test for Iran - Tehran's treatment of Western nationals it has accused of fomenting unrest will show its seriousness about talks. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, September 16, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/15/AR2009091503187.html

Iran Opposition Leader’s Aide Is Freed By NAZILA FATHI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 13, 2009. TORONTO — The main Iranian opposition leader’s top aide, who was arrested last week because of his investigations into the abuse of prisoners in the crackdown after the disputed election, has been released in what appears to be a sign of retreat by the hard-core conservative authorities running Iran. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/14/world/middleeast/14iran.html?th&emc=th

Amid Protests, Iran Leader Gives Harsh Anti-Israel Speech By ROBERT F. WORTH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Iran’s government and its relentlessly defiant critics used an annual day of support for Palestinians Friday to promote their agendas, with tens of thousands of protestors taking to the streets in their largest rally in two months and the president making some of his harshest comments on the Holocaust, which he called “a lie.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/world/middleeast/19iran.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Time to Deal in Afghanistan By Fareed Zakaria. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, September 14, 2009. It is time to get real about Afghanistan. Withdrawal is not a serious option. The United States, NATO, the European Union and others have invested massively in stabilizing that country over the past eight years, and they should not abandon it because the Taliban is proving a tougher foe than anticipated. But there is still a large gap between the goals the Obama administration is outlining and the means available to achieve them. This gap is best closed not by sending in tens of thousands of more troops but, rather, by understanding the limits of what we can reasonably achieve in Afghanistan. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/13/AR2009091302249.html

Obama Offers Ways to Rate Efforts in Afghan Region By DAVID E. SANGER, THOM SHANKER and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/world/asia/17policy.html?th&emc=th

The Unwinnable War in Afghanistan http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-17-2009/the-unwinnable-war-in-afghanistan

Europe Says One-Third of Karzai’s Votes Suspect. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/16/news/news-us-afghanistan-election.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Voter Fraud in Afghanistan http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-17-2009/voter-fraud-in-afghanistan

New Message Reported From bin Laden By MARK McDONALD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/world/15tape.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Suicide Blast Kills 25 in Pakistan By PIR ZUBAIR SHAH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/world/asia/19pstan.html?ref=global-home

Missile Kills 4 in Pakistan; 18 Die in Stampede. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: September 14, 2009. Filed at 8:28 a.m. ET http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/14/world/AP-AS-Pakistan.html?ref=global-home

Qaeda Commander Killed in Drone Attack in Pakistan By PIR ZUBAIR SHAH and MARK McDONALD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/world/asia/18pstan.html?ref=global-home


National

Lab Technician Arrested in Murder of Yale Student By JAMES BARRON and SERGE F. KOVALESKI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/nyregion/18yale.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Ending the 'War on Drugs' By MISHA GLENNY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009. For decades, the idea of legalizing narcotics was supported by only a small minority. But as global markets in illicit drugs have expanded exponentially since the early 1990s, policy makers and law enforcement agencies alike have been overwhelmed by the challenge posed by the prohibition of a long list of drugs. Markets have spread to places that for decades had no significant drug problem, like China and Indonesia, while the numbers of addicts in countries like Iran have grown hugely. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/opinion/19iht-edglenny.html?ref=global

School Book Ban Raises Censorship Concerns in PR. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: September 12, 2009. SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Several university professors in Puerto Rico are protesting a decision to ban five books from the curriculum at public high schools in the U.S. territory because of coarse language. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/12/world/AP-CB-Puerto-Rico-Banned-Books.html?_r=1&emc=eta1

Arizona State Capitol Building For Sale http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xaif19_the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-ari_fun?from=rss


Health Care


45,000 American deaths associated with lack of insurance By Madison Park. Copyright by CNN News. September 18, 2009. (CNN) -- A freelance cameraman's appendix ruptured and by the time he was admitted to surgery, it was too late. A self-employed mother of two is found dead in bed from undiagnosed heart disease. A 26-year-old aspiring fashion designer collapsed in her bathroom after feeling unusually fatigued for days. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/18/deaths.health.insurance/index.html

A weighty issue indeed By Anne Moore. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 13, 2009. Fat consumes 10 percent of our health-care dollars. That's $147 billion we spend, as a nation, treating diseases caused or exacerbated by too much fat on our frames. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-perspec0913fatsep13,0,6756160.story

Proposed Tax on Sugary Beverages Debated By WILLIAM NEUMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/business/17soda.html?th&emc=th

One Injury, 10 Countries: A Journey in Health Care By ABIGAIL ZUGER, M.D. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 14, 2009. With all due respect to the seminar room, the boardroom, the hearing room and the Oval Office, a better vantage point than any of them for evaluating and redesigning our health care system is the hospital room (window bed, please). http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/health/15book.html?th&emc=th

Touched by Mortality By GARRISON KEILLOR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009. The doctor who saw me in the E.R. wrote in her report: “nice 67 y.o. male, flat affect, awake, alert and appropriate.” I had appeared with slurred speech and a balloon in my head, had driven myself to United Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, parked in No Parking, walked in and was triaged right in to a neurologist who trundled me into the M.R.I. Space-Time Cyclotron for 50 minutes of banging and whanging that produced a picture of the stroke in the front of my brain, so off to the Mayo Clinic I went and the St. Mary’s Hospital Neurology I.C.U. and was wired up to monitors. A large day in a nice 67 y.o. man’s life. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/opinion/17iht-edkeillor.html?ref=global

Health Insurer Rules Unveiled - Acne, Pregnancy Among Disqualifying Conditions By David S. Hilzenrath. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, September 19, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091803501.html?hpid=topnews

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Forget job-based health insurance. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 19, 2009. The other day, I was trying to figure out why the paycheck deduction for my health insurance was higher than I had expected. When I called my insurer to ask what the total premium was, the customer service representative said it was none of my business. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1779696,CST-EDT-open19.article

What's your Problem? By Jon Yates - Medical bills caught in former employer's plight. September 20, 2009. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. Ex-employee is stuck with $15,000 debt after COBRA gets canceled. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-sun-problem-health-insurancesep20,0,6593200.column

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Public option essential to health-care reform. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 18, 2009. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1776914,CST-EDT-edit18.article

Baucus Offers Health Plan but Lacks G.O.P. Support By ROBERT PEAR and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/health/policy/17health.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Hear The Bill - We Read...You Listen...We ALL Decide http://www.hearthebill.org/Home_Page.html



GOP Bashing

Closing The Book On The Bush Legacy by Ronald Brownstein. Copyright by The Atlantic. Sep 11 2009, 10:41 am. Thursday's annual Census Bureau report on income, poverty and access to health care-the Bureau's principal report card on the well-being of average Americans-closes the books on the economic record of George W. Bush. It's not a record many Republicans are likely to point to with pride. On every major measurement, the Census Bureau report shows that the country lost ground during Bush's two terms. While Bush was in office, the median household income declined, poverty increased, childhood poverty increased even more, and the number of Americans without health insurance spiked. By contrast, the country's condition improved on each of those measures during Bill Clinton's two terms, often substantially. http://politics.theatlantic.com/2009/09/closing_the_book_on_the_bush_legacy.php

New York Times Editorial: A Long Way Down. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 15, 2009. It is sadly predictable that in a recession, the poor get poorer and the middle class loses ground. But even a downturn as deep and prolonged as this one cannot fully account for the desperate straits of so many Americans. The Census Bureau reported last week that the nation’s poverty rate rose to 13.2 percent in 2008, the highest level since 1997 and a significant increase from 12.5 percent in 2007. That means that some 40 million people in this country are living below the poverty line, defined as an income of $22,205 for a family of four. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/opinion/16wed1.html?ref=global

Justice Dept. Investigates Ex-Official’s Ties to Shell By NEIL A. LEWIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 17, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is investigating whether a former secretary of the interior, Gale A. Norton, violated the law by granting valuable leases to Royal Dutch Shell around the time she was considering going to work for the company after she left office, officials said Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/us/politics/18norton.html?th&emc=th

Fey wins Emmy for TV Palin spoof. Copyright by BBC News. 13 September 2009 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8253188.stm

For 'Capitalism,' Moore Sells Short Politicians of All Denominations By Alec MacGillis. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, September 16, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/15/AR2009091503314.html?hpid=topnews



Chicagoland


'The Chicago way' (and other wayward words) By Mark Jacob. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 13, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-perspec0913chicagosep13,0,4703960.story

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Cut huge pensions that bleed taxpayers. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 15, 2009. Allow us first to review some of the lame excuses, rationalizations and whining, if only so we can ridicule it all. That will make us feel good. Then we'll move on to what can be done about this mess -- the travesty of overly generous public pensions that are bleeding Illinois taxpayers. That's not as much fun as ridicule, but it could save us a few bucks. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1770969,CST-EDT-edit15.article

Gov. Quinn to set 1,000 inmates free early BY DAVE McKINNEY. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 18, 2009. SPRINGFIELD—In another byproduct of Illinois’ fiscal woes, Gov. Quinn Friday signed off on the early release of 1,000 non-violent prison inmates who will be sent home this fall. Quinn’s move is expected to save the state $5 million annually. http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1778603,pat-quinn-inmate-release-budget-091809.article

Rep. Jackson's woes: ethics, fed probes BY CAROL MARIN. Copyright by The Sun-Times. September 19, 2009. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1779349,CST-EDT-carol20.article

As Olympics vote looms, Daley struggles By Dan Mihalopoulos. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 13, 2009... For the first time since he became mayor two decades ago, Daley's critics outnumber his fans, a Tribune/WGN poll found. The mayor's approval rating is at an all-time low of 35 percent in Tribune polls, according to the new survey....http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-daley-bd13sep13,0,7290701.story



Economy


Fed Chief Says Recession Is ‘Very Likely Over’ By STEPHEN LABATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/business/economy/16bernanke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

High Jobless Rates Could Last Years, O.E.C.D. Warns By MATTHEW SALTMARSH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/business/global/17oecd.html?ref=global-home

US households see wealth grow for first time in nearly 2 years as stocks, homes gain ground By JEANNINE AVERSA. Copyright 2009 Associated Press. 11:48 a.m. CDT, September 17, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-us-net-worth,0,6665244.story

Financial Times Editorial Comment: The legacy of Lehman Brothers. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 13 2009 19:34 | Last updated: September 13 2009 19:34 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e534e69c-a091-11de-b9ef-00144feabdc0.html

Why a Lehman deal would not have saved us By Niall Ferguson. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 14 2009 20:15 | Last updated: September 14 2009 20:15 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/f96f2134-a15b-11de-a88d-00144feabdc0.html

Lehman's Lesson - A mistake, revisited. By Roy C. Smith. Copyright by Forbes.com. 09.13.09, 12:26 PM EDT http://www.forbes.com/2009/09/13/lehman-brothers-bankruptcy-barclays-jpmorgan-aig-geithner-opinions-contributors-roy-c-smith.html

Citi explores sale of government stake - State books $10bn in unrealised profit By Francesco Guerrera in New York and Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 15 2009 04:38 | Last updated: September 15 2009 13:19 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c84652ac-a1a2-11de-a88d-00144feabdc0.html

Fed Considers Sweeping Rules to Regulate Pay at Banks By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/business/economy/19pay.html?ref=global-home

3 more down: Bank failure tally hits 92 - Regulators close banks in Illinois, Minnesota and Washington at a cost of more than $2 billion to the FDIC. By Ben Rooney. Copyright by CNNMoney.com. Last Updated: September 12, 2009: 7:01 AM ET http://money.cnn.com/2009/09/11/news/economy/bank_failure/?postversion=2009091207

Judge Rejects Settlement Over Merrill Bonuses By LOUISE STORY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 14, 2009. A Federal District judge on Monday overturned a settlement between the Bank of America and the Securities and Exchange Commission over bonuses paid to Merrill Lynch executives just before the bank took over Merrill last year. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/business/15bank.html?hp

Recession Drives Women Back to the Work Force By STEVEN GREENHOUSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/business/19women.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

US retail sales surge 2.7% in August - Energy prices lift producer price index, while inventories fall By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 15 2009 14:25 | Last updated: September 15 2009 15:49 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1700ed54-a1ed-11de-81a6-00144feabdc0.html

Chicago-area retail sales plunge $5.8 billion, or 11.5%, in first half of '09 -Outlook for holiday shopping looks bleak to analysts By Sandra M. Jones. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 18, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-fri-notebook-shopping-withdrsep18,0,5320410.story



Housing


U.S. Housing Starts Hit 9-Month High. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: September 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/18/business/economy/18econ.html?hpw

Housing Agency's Cash Reserves Will Drop Below Requirement By Dina ElBoghdady. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, September 18, 2009. The Federal Housing Administration has been hit so hard by the mortgage crisis that for the first time, the agency's cash reserves will drop below the minimum level set by Congress, FHA officials said. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/17/AR2009091704594.html?hpid=topnews



Commodities


Gold extends push past $1,000 - Weak dollar and inflation fears boost bullion By Chris Flood. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 16 2009 10:24 | Last updated: September 16 2009 10:24 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5a72046a-a2a1-11de-ae7e-00144feabdc0.html

Hedging loses its lustre for gold - Incentive for forward sales has gone as prices soar. By Javier Blas in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 13 2009 19:26 | Last updated: September 13 2009 19:26. The gold industry’s legacy of forward sales is set to all but disappear by next year following the decision by the largest gold miner to buy back its hedges. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3756f6ac-a08f-11de-b9ef-00144feabdc0.html

Consumer Prices Rise on Energy Costs By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 16, 2009. The rising cost of gasoline pushed overall consumer prices higher in August even as prices for most other goods and services remained in check, the government reported on Wednesday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/business/economy/17econ.html?hpw

Anadarko venture discovers new oil frontier - Potential basin runs 1,000km from Ghana to Sierra Leone By Carola Hoyos. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 15 2009 23:32 | Last updated: September 16 2009 12:31 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/480969e8-a22a-11de-9caa-00144feabdc0.html




GLBT


New York Times Editorial: The Rights of Gay Employees. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 12, 2009. It is remarkable how little progress gay people have made in securing the basic protection against discrimination on the job. In 29 states, it is still legal to fire workers for being gay. But momentum is building in Congress for the first federal law banning such discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/opinion/13sun2.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: DeGeneres on 'Idol' another step toward equality for gays. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 13, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1767155,CST-EDT-edit13b.article

Chicago Free Press Editorial: Do we need Barney Frank for the Respect for Marriage Act? Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. September 17, 2009. Members of Congress Tuesday introduced legislation known as the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act legislation and put into place new rules ensuring federal recognition for all marriages, including same-sex ones. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3896

Jacob Meister: Gay man enters Senate race by Andrew Davis. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-16. Jacob Meister—an openly gay man who has practiced law in Chicago for nearly 20 years and has had government experience at the federal, state county and municipal levels—is a Democratic candidate for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat that will open in 2010, according to a campaign press release. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22893

Banned Book Week begins By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. September 17, 2009. Literature that contains GLBT-positive messages or deals with sexuality is frequently the target of challenges brought forth by conservative parents, individuals and groups. Many people fight to get these materials out of a school’s curriculum or library, or off the shelves of a public library. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3894

Women's bookstore celebrates 30 years by Ross Forman. 2009-09-16. Their walk down Memory Lane has been a wild, emotional journey that, quite often, is more like driving along Rocky Road. But now Ann Christophersen and Linda Bubon—founders of Women & Children First Bookstore, 5233 N. Clark—have hit a milestone that very few in their industry can boast. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22885

Award-winning gay author hopes to spark discussion By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. September 27, 2009. Terry Angel Mason, author of the Pulitzer nominated book “Love Won’t Let Me Be Silent,” is coming to Chicago soon in hopes of sparking a dialogue about sexuality and same-sex relationships within the African American community. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3893

Hall of Fame auction Sept. 22, 2009 @ Sidetrack. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-09 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22844


Technology


Government Urges Changes to Google Books Deal By MIGUEL HELFT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/19/technology/internet/19google.html?th&emc=th

New Clues to Sex Anomalies in How Y Chromosomes Are Copied By NICHOLAS WADE. Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company. Published: September 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/science/15chrom.html?th&emc=th



Other


American Air Said to Consider Buying Stake in Japan Airlines By Chris Cooper. Copyright by Bloomberg News. September 14, 2009. Sept. 14 (Bloomberg) -- American Airlines, the world’s second-largest carrier, may buy equity in Japan Airlines Corp. to prop up an ally that forecasts its fourth loss in five years, people familiar with the plan said. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aZ_w0zlYHNAk

Patrick Swayze, Star of ‘Dirty Dancing,’ Dies at 57 By ANITA GATES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/15/movies/15swayze.html?th&emc=th



Humor


South African Braai Etiquette http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq2SOmwzjUU

Intro - Ernie Anastos' Catch Phrase http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-17-2009/intro---ernie-anastos--catch-phrase


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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” To be released late September 2009 by Floricanto Press

A Clear Responsibility Newsletter - September 12, 2009

A Clear Responsibility Newsletter - September 12, 2009

“In the moving peroration of his speech to Congress Wednesday night, President Obama cast health care reform as a moral issue that reflects on the character of our country. He also made clear that there are some problems that are too big for individuals to solve on their own — and that guaranteeing that all Americans have access to health care is one of them.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: A Clear Responsibility. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009... As Mr. Obama said in his speech, when facts, reason and civility are thrown overboard, he said, “we don’t merely lose our capacity to solve big challenges. We lose something essential about ourselves.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/opinion/11fri1.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: President Obama Steps Forward. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/opinion/10thu1.html?th&emc=th

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Obama shows he's in health-care fight to win. Copyright by the Chicago Sun-Times. September 10, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1762819,CST-EDT-edit10a.article

Obama's Health Care Address to Congress http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/09/10/us/politics/20090910-obama-health.html

New York Times Editorial: Immigrants, Health Care and Lies. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009. Mr. Obama didn’t lie. The bills before Congress declare illegal immigrants to be ineligible for subsidized benefits. It is impossible to imagine any final bill doing otherwise. Mr. Wilson was a boor, but some Republicans still insist that he was right because the bill doesn’t ensure that the undocumented have no insurance. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/opinion/11fri2.html?th&emc=th

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Doctors and lawyers. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 7, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0907edit1sep07,0,347510.story

The Republican Response, Arriving a Little Early - Obama Heckled by GOP During Speech to Congress. The nastiness of August reached from the town halls into the Capitol as President Barack Obama spoke about his health care plan. South Carolina Republican Rep. Joe Wilson shouted "You lie!" after Obama talked about illegal immigrants. By Dana Milbank. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, September 10, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/09/AR2009090902298.html

Health, personal responsibility aren't so simple By Mary Schmich. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 11, 2009. Put down that beer. Toss that Snickers bar. Hand over the remote. Now answer this: Are you responsible for your own health? This idea -- that your health is your responsibility, not the government's -- keeps popping up in the health-care debate. Republican Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany advanced it again Wednesday night in his response to President Barack Obama's speech. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-schmich-11-sep11,0,4556652.column

Obama wins over sceptical Democrats - Party chiefs hope to pass healthcare bill this year By Anna Fifield in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 10 2009 14:40 | Last updated: September 10 2009 23:45 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/94bcc616-9e0d-11de-8de8-00144feabdc0.html


International

Putin hints at bid for Kremlin comeback - PM says he and Medvedev will decide on presidential run By Stefan Wagstyl and Charles Clover in Moscow. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 11 2009 19:07 | Last updated: September 11 2009 19:07 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/287d1ece-9ef8-11de-8013-00144feabdc0.html

Britain Convicts Three in Plot to Blow Up Airliners. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: September 7, 2009. Filed at 12:48 p.m. ET http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/07/world/AP-EU-Britain-Airline-Plot.html?_r=1&hp

Europeans back Obama on foreign policy - Approval soars despite misgivings over Afghanistan By Tony Barber in Brussels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 9 2009 12:34 | Last updated: September 9 2009 12:34 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/92426218-9d2e-11de-9f4a-00144feabdc0.html

Prime Minister of Taiwan Quits Over Typhoon Response By EDWARD WONG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/world/asia/08taiwan.html?hp

Japan economy expands less than expected By Justine Lau in Hong Kong and agencies. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 11 2009 03:18 | Last updated: September 11 2009 06:56 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/3b5c159c-9e79-11de-b0aa-00144feabdc0.html

Japan commits to greenhouse gas target- Incoming PM promises 25% cut by 2020 By Mure Dickie in Tokyo. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 7 2009 12:39 | Last updated: September 7 2009 12:39 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/97701616-9ba0-11de-b214-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Passengers Freed From Hijacked Jet in Mexico By MARC LACEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 9, 2009. MEXICO CITY — Three hijackers threatened to blow up an Aeromexico Boeing 737 that landed at Mexico City’s airport from Cancun Wednesday afternoon, Transport Minister Juan Molinar told Mexican radio. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/world/americas/10mexico.html?hp


China

China to Issue Yuan-Denominated Bonds in Hong Kong By CHRIS V. NICHOLSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009. The Chinese Ministry of Finance said Tuesday that it would issue 6 billion yuan worth of government bonds in Hong Kong, a major step to internationalize its currency at a time of concern about the dollar. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/business/global/09yuan.html?ref=global-home

China Economic Data Tops Forecasts. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 11, 2009. Industrial output grew at a 12-month high of 12.3 percent in August from a year earlier, jumping from 10.8 percent in July and beating expectations of a 12.0 percent rise, data issued by the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Friday. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/10/business/business-us-china-economy-1.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

U.S. Company and China Plan Solar Project By TODD WOODY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009. Chinese government officials signed an agreement on Tuesday with First Solar, an American solar developer, for a 2,000-megawatt photovoltaic farm to be built in the Mongolian desert. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/business/energy-environment/09solar.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

China Oil Deal Is New Source of Strife Among Iraqis By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS. Copyright By The New York Times. Published: September 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/world/middleeast/06iraqoil.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

China Web Sites Seeking Users’ Names By JONATHAN ANSFIELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 5, 2009. BEIJING — News Web sites in China, complying with secret government orders, are requiring that new users log on under their true identities to post comments, a shift in policy that the country’s Internet users and media have fiercely opposed in the past. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/world/asia/06chinanet.html?th&emc=th




Mess-o-potamia

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Israel’s provocation. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 6 2009 19:24 | Last updated: September 6 2009 19:24. On his recent trip to Europe Benjamin Netanyahu was left in no doubt that governments are united in their demand for a freeze on construction in Jewish settlements built on occupied land. Within days of his return home, however, Israel’s prime minister let it be known that he would soon approve the construction of hundreds of new homes in the West Bank. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/831d45bc-9b0f-11de-a3a1-00144feabdc0.html

Iranian Opposition Offices Raided By NAZILA FATHI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009. TORONTO — Iranian authorities raided offices connected to two opposition leaders in Tehran on Monday and Tuesday and seized documents on prison abuse in what appeared to be a direct threat against them, according to the leaders’ Web sites and some news agencies. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/world/middleeast/09iran.html?hpw

Iran says nuclear ‘rights’ are non-negotiable - Ahmadi-Nejad offers public debate with Obama © Reuters Limited. September 7, 2009 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0f26d7b0-9b8f-11de-b214-00144feabdc0.html

High support for new Iran sanctions By James Blitz in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 6 2009 23:10 | Last updated: September 6 2009 23:10 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d6bc717a-9b05-11de-a3a1-00144feabdc0.html

U.S. to Accept Iran’s Proposal to Hold Face-to-Face Talks By MARK LANDLER and DAVID E. SANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 11, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/world/middleeast/12nuke.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Washington Post Editorial: SA Friend to Iran - Does the Obama administration know what Venezuela is doing to assist Tehran's weapons programs? Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, September 10, 2009... But Mr. Chavez has clearly forged a bond with one leader who is as reckless and ambitious as he is: Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The growing fruits of this relationship, and its potential consequences for U.S. security, have not gotten as much attention as they deserve....http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/09/AR2009090902607.html

Pakistan Says It Has Seized Taliban Spokesman By JANE PERLEZ and PIR ZUBAIR SHAH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 11, 2009. MINGORA, Pakistan — The Pakistani Army announced Friday that security forces have arrested the spokesman of the Taliban in Swat, in the troubled area of Swat where the military has largely put down an insurgency. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/world/asia/12pstan-.html?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: ‘Convincing Evidence of Fraud’ Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009. No one ever expected Afghanistan’s presidential election — the country’s second — to be squeaky clean. But the charges of official fraud are now so widespread and so disturbing that we fear many Afghans may never accept the results. That in turn will play right into the hands of the Taliban and other extremists. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/opinion/09wed1.html?th&emc=th

Panel Orders Recount as Tally Gives Karzai 54% By CARLOTTA GALL and SHARON OTTERMAN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 8, 2009. KABUL, Afghanistan — The United Nations-backed commission serving as the ultimate arbiter of the Afghan elections announced Tuesday that it had found “clear and convincing evidence of fraud” in a number of polling stations and ordered a partial recount even as election officials declared that President Hamid Karzai had won a majority of the vote. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/world/asia/09afghan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

U.S. in Delicate Spot Over Marred Afghan Vote By MARK LANDLER and HELENE COOPER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/world/asia/09policy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Seized Times Reporter Is Freed in Afghan Raid That Kills Aide By ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/world/asia/10rescue.html?_r=1&ref=global-home



National

Obama Lectures to Students on Virtues of Hard Work - Pep Talk Comes as Schools Reopen in Northern Virginia By Michael Allison Chandler, Debbi Wilgoren and Nick Anderson. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, September 8, 2009; 1:22 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/08/AR2009090801090.html?hpid=artslot

Not Innocent Enough - The elusive search for the sufficiently innocent death-row victim. By Dahlia Lithwick. Copyright by Slate. Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009, at 7:29 AM ET. For years, death-penalty opponents and supporters have been on what now looks to be an ethical snipe hunt. Everyone was looking for a moment at which everything would change: a case in which a clearly innocent defendant was wrongly put to death. http://www.slate.com/id/2227222/

US citizens in rush for offshore tax advice - Fears of prosecution amid IRS crackdown By Sundeep Tucker in Hong Kong and Vanessa Houlder in London. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 8 2009 22:08 | Last updated: September 8 2009 22:08 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/09800986-9ca1-11de-ab58-00144feabdc0.html


Health Care

FDA panel urges HPV vaccine be given to boys By Saundra Young. Copyright by CNN News. Wed September 9, 2009. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Boys may soon be able to get Gardasil, the vaccine given to girls and young women to prevent infection by four types of human papillomavirus. Gardasil, a vaccine against human papillomavirus, would be given to boys exactly as it is to girls. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/09/fda.gardasil.males/index.html

One Vaccine Shot Seen as Protective for Swine Flu By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009. Defying the expectations of experts, clinical trials are showing that the new H1N1 swine flu vaccine protects with only one dose instead of two, so the vaccine supplies now being made will go twice as far as had been predicted. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/health/11vaccine.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

AIDS advocates: Health care reform matters By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. Local HIV/AIDS advocates are trying to shed even more light on an issue that has the nation talking: health care reform. AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) has been working hard to educate its members and supporters about the importance of health care reform in relation to an epidemic that impacts over 1 million people in the U.S. The organization believes that health care reform could accelerate efforts in the fight against AIDS and get people—namely low-income individuals, those living with chronic medical condition and people with co-occurring medical conditions—the care that the current health care system is failing to provide them. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3874


GOP Bashing

What Torture Never Told Us By ALI H. SOUFAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 5, 2009. PUBLIC bravado aside, the defenders of the so-called enhanced interrogation techniques are fast running out of classified documents to hide behind. The three that were released recently by the C.I.A. — the 2004 report by the inspector general and two memos from 2004 and 2005 on intelligence gained from detainees — fail to show that the techniques stopped even a single imminent threat of terrorism. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/opinion/06soufan.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: Wrestling With His Muse. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 5, 2009. The twin arts of book hawking and political trimming are at work as Tom Ridge makes the rounds with his memoir of serving the Bush administration as the first secretary of homeland security. The book’s most controversial revelation (which any book publisher aiming for the best-seller list must have) is Mr. Ridge’s assertion that he suspected politics at work in 2004 when top Bush advisers pressed him to raise the color-coded national threat level a few days before the election. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/opinion/06sun4.html?th&emc=th

Health Care Reform: The Assault on Truth By: Patricia Barry. Copyright by The AARP Bulletin Today. August 14, 2009. A message about health care reform. Get the Facts. Now it’s getting down and dirty. As expected, the gloves are off in President Obama’s push for health care reform. Democrats and Republicans are battling over how to fix a system they all agree is broken—that’s how Congress is supposed to work. But this summer something new has entered the political arena—a tsunami of rumors, myths, fear-mongering and misinformation about the proposals that surges around the Internet in nanoseconds. “I’m totally confused about what’s going on,” one reader wrote to the AARP Bulletin. “How do I know who to believe?” http://bulletin.aarp.org/yourhealth/policy/articles/health_care_reform2.html

Obama's heckler is sorry, but still wrong By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 10, 2009. Help me out here: does anyone recall the last time a congressman called the president a liar to his face during of a joint session of Congress? That dubious distinction currently belongs to Rep. Joe Wilson, a South Carolina Republican. He’s the face behind the off-camera shout of “You lie” after President Obama declared that his proposed health care legislation will not—repeat not—provide health care to illegal immigrants. Psst! Somebody please tell Rep. Wilson this is the U. S. Congress, not Question Time in Britain’s Parliament or a Town Hall meeting in Beaufort. http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/pagespage/2009/09/obamas-heckler.html

Slinging mud By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 9, 2009. Score one for the right wing. Conservative witch hunters, notably Fox News' Glenn Beck, are claiming victory for hounding President Barack Obama's green jobs czar out of office. Yet the victory also highlights a gaping deficit in America's conservative movement. They've become more adept in recent years at trashing liberal ideas than at coming up with some new ones of their own. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0909pagesep09,0,5392591.column

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Too far, mister. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 11, 2009. All that was missing were the spitballs. Like 4th-graders testing a substitute teacher, members of Congress wisecracked and fiddled with their BlackBerrys while President Barack Obama appealed for common ground on health care reform. Then from the fifth row came an outburst that would have gotten any 10-year-old yanked from his seat and hauled straight to the principal's office. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0911edit3sep11,0,5332839.story

In Lawmaker’s Outburst, a Rare Breach of Protocol By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/10/us/politics/10wilson.html?th&emc=th

Oh, Mr. Wilson . . .A Lawmaker Loses It in More Than One Sense By Kathleen Parker. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, September 11, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/10/AR2009091003635.html

Audacity of the 'Obama effect' By Clarence Page. Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. September 6, 2009. After decades of criticizing public schools as places where hardly anybody learns anything, suddenly conservatives are upset that a 15-to-20-minute live Webcast might teach kids too much. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0906pagesep06,0,3229897.column

Football players baptized http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2009/09/09/alexander.football.baptism.WDRB


Chicagoland

Stroger to face open primary -Democratic leaders snub his re-election bid By Hal Dardick and Rick Pearson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 12, 2009. Cook County Democratic leaders, who anointed Todd Stroger more than three years ago to become County Board president, cast him aside Friday by refusing to endorse the beleaguered incumbent's bid for re-election next year. The unusual refusal by Democratic leaders to slate the current officeholder created an open primary that left Stroger without official organization support as he battles four potential Feb. 2 primary challengers amid voter complaints about patronage hiring and the county sales-tax hike he engineered. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-democrat-slating-12-sep12,0,5906529.story

Todd Stroger's voter approval rating sits at 10 percent, Tribune poll shows - Cook County Board president's low ratings follow a first term marked by tax and hiring disputes By Hal Dardick. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 10, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-stroger-poll-story,0,522197.story

Candidates face West Side, South Side debate BY LAURA WASHINGTON. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 7, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/washington/1756733,CST-EDT-laura07.article

Tyree investor group makes bid worth $25 million for Sun-Times Media Group - Offer from group led by Chicago financier Jim Tyree includes $5 million in cash; pensions, tax liability not part of deal By Michael Oneal and Julie Johnsson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 9, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-wed-sun-times-tyree-0909-sep09,0,6262939.story

Chicago Tribune Editorial: ... and the Madigan Tax. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 10, 2009. To the list of Democratic politicians responsible for Cook County's egregious sales tax increase, add the name of Michael Madigan, speaker of the Illinois House and state chair of his increasingly taxcentric party. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0910edit2sep10,0,4153188.story

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Heck of a block party. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 9, 2009. Oprah Winfrey threw a big block party Tuesday. We had a great view of it from the fourth floor windows at the Tribune, though it was a lot more fun when we slipped out of the building and watched from the street. We did that a lot. Sorry, boss. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0909edit2sep09,0,2313595.story

The high and low points of Oprah's Chicago block party By Maureen Ryan. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 08, 2009 http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/2009/09/oprah-winfrey-black-eyed-peas-jennifer-hudson.html

2016 bid torch passed to Michelle Obama - First lady -- not president -- to fly to Copenhagen to help make final pitch for Chicago to land Games By Katherine Skiba, Kathy Bergen and Philip Hersh. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 12, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-obama-olympics-12-sep12,0,2337639.story

Public pensions, fat retirements - Thousands who worked for government draw 6 figures a year -- the system costs taxpayers more than $800 million every month. BY TIM NOVAK, ART GOLAB AND CHRIS FUSCO . Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 11, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1764823,CST-EDT-pension11.article



Economy


How Did Economists Get It So Wrong? By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 2, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/magazine/06Economic-t.html?th&emc=th

Last Year’s US Poverty Rate Was Highest in 12 Years By ERIK ECKHOLM. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009. In the recession, the nation’s poverty rate climbed to 13.2 percent last year, up from 12.5 percent in 2007, according to an annual report released Thursday by the Census Bureau. The report also documented a decline in employer-provided health insurance and in coverage for adults. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/us/11poverty.html?th&emc=th

Out of Work, and Too Down to Search On By MICHAEL LUO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 7, 2009. They were left out of the latest unemployment rate, as they are every month: millions of hidden casualties of the Great Recession who are not counted in the rate because they have stopped looking for work. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/07/us/07worker.html?hp

US consumer confidence hits 3-month high - Wholesale inventories shrink as sales rise By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 11 2009 16:02 | Last updated: September 11 2009 16:02 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ebe51ed6-9ed8-11de-8013-00144feabdc0.html

US trade gap shows biggest jump for 10 years By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 10 2009 14:51 | Last updated: September 10 2009 14:51. The US trade gap swelled by the most in a more than a decade in July due to a surge of imports driven by a jump in demand for foreign cars, oil and consumer goods, official figures showed on Thursday. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/75fd27ce-9e04-11de-8de8-00144feabdc0.htm

Cautiously, Small Investors Edge Back Into Stocks By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/business/11investors.html?th&emc=th

Obama Outlines Retirement Initiatives By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/06/us/politics/06address.html?th&emc=th

BlackRock to launch trading platform - Move could challenge Wall Street business By Henny Sender in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 12 2009 00:13 | Last updated: September 12 2009 00:13. BlackRock, the asset manager poised to become the world’s largest money manager with $3,000bn under management, is preparing to create its own global trading platform – a move that could challenge the business at the heart of many Wall Street groups. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0709a7c6-9f02-11de-8013-00144feabdc0.html

Kraft to Pursue Cadbury, Even After Rejection By JULIA WERDIGIER and DAVID JOLLY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/business/global/08food.html?hp



Housing

Seven New Rules for the First-Time Home Buyer By RON LIEBER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 11, 2009. Too many people bought too much house for too many years. Yes, the financial system almost collapsed because mortgage bankers and brokers told lies about loan terms and loosened standards in dangerous ways, and investment bankers packaged those loans into bonds that were far more toxic than ratings agencies predicted. But the roots of the mortgage contagion lie with all of us and our desire to own just a bit more house. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/12/your-money/mortgages/12money.html?th&emc=th

LEGALLY SPEAKING - BUYING A CONDOMINIUM; AVOIDING CONDO HELL. Copyright by Gay Chicago Magazine and Roger McCaffrey-Boss. September 10-16, 2009 http://www.gaychicagomagazine.com/advice/legallyspeaking.shtml


Immigration

Immigration march on Monday will add to downtown traffic - Rally to begin in Union Park By Antonio Olivo. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 7, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-immigration-march-07sep07,0,364766.story


Commodities

What's Behind the Gold Price Surge - Some analysts cite inflation fears and increased Chinese demand, while others say the market is ready for a correction By David Bogoslaw. Copyright by Business Week. Editor's Note: This story was updated Tuesday, Sept. 8 http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/sep2009/pi2009097_042500.htm?campaign_id=widget_topStories

Gold Gains and Dollar Declines on Economic Outlook By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/09/business/09markets.html?hpw



GLBT

Showdown on the Hill: Congress tackles gay bills by Lisa Keen ©2009 Keen News Service. 2009-09-09 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22818

States prepare for marriage battles by Lisa Keen. Copyright by Keen News Service. 2009-09-09. In what is being described as perhaps the "narrowest margin ever for qualifying for the ballot, the Washington State Secretary of State's office announced Aug. 31 that opponents of gay relationships in that state collected enough valid signatures to secure a ballot measure this November. The measure, which will be known as Referendum 71 or R-71, seeks to overturn Washington's domestic partnership law, which provides same-sex couples with "everything but marriage." http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22833

Giannoulias' LGBT platform by Andrew Davis. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-09. Current state treasurer and U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias recently unveiled a platform that focused on rights he feels the LGBT community should have. His list included marriage equality; the right to serve openly in the military; and protection against hate crimes as well as discrimination on the job. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22823

Gay alderman shakes up central Illinois by Meghan Streit. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-09 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22840

Ann Sather deliveryman charged in drug case - Suspect allegedly used work vehicle to deliver crystal meth. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 11, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-meth-deal-arrest-11-sep11,0,7333331.story

Hall of Fame auction Sept. 22, 2009 @ Sidetrack. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-09 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=22844


Technology

Copyright Office Assails Google’s Settlement on Digital Books By MIGUEL HELFT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 10, 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — The nation’s top copyright official made a blistering attack Thursday on a controversial legal settlement that would let Google create a huge online library and bookstore. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/technology/internet/11books.html?th&emc=th

Google gives ground in digital books dispute - Concessions offered to European publishers By Stanley Pignal in Brussels and Richard Waters in San Francisco. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 6 2009 22:58 | Last updated: September 7 2009 09:32 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6bec0e02-9b12-11de-a3a1-00144feabdc0.html

Jobs Returns with Devices to Boost Apple's Shares - A modest stock sell-off greeted long-sidelined CEO Steve Jobs' reappearance on Sept. 9, but investors say Apple provided reasons to keep buying By Aaron Ricadela. Copyright by Business Week. September 10, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/sep2009/tc20090910_955978.htm?campaign_id=widget_topStories


Other


Delta Shares Spike on Reports of Talks With JAL by Micheline Maynard. Copyright by The New York Times. September 11, 2009, 1:06 PM. Things have been pretty quiet at Delta Air Lines since it merged with Northwest Airlines last fall. But the airline’s shares were gyrating Friday amid reports that it was in preliminary talks with Japan Air Lines about an investment. http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/delta-said-to-discuss-japan-airlines-stake/?scp=1&sq=delta%20japan%20air&st=cse


Humor

WEAKLY HUMERUS NEWS 09-12-09 - AIMED AT YOUR FUNNY BONE http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/09/weakly-humerus-news-09-12-09-aimed-at.html

YouTube in 1985 (collab) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWDCeEJ9ZfI


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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com   
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” To be released late September 2009 by Floricanto Press