The Nobel Peace Price Newsletter - October 10, 2009

The Nobel Peace Price Newsletter - October 10, 2009

“The best part of Obama winning the Nobel isn't the winning. It's getting to watch Limbaugh seizing continuously maxed out on Oxy, Dilantin, Topamax, Keppra and propofol. Someone try to pull Beck's head out of the oven, and finding Hannity unconscious in a gutter with a blood ethanol of .500. Plus or minus Bill Clinton getting titrated on a high dose thorazine infusion.” David Crippen

New York Times Editorial: The Peace Prize. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 9, 2009. President Obama responded to the news of his Nobel Peace Prize the right way. He said he was humbled, acknowledged that the efforts for which he was honored are only beginning and pledged to see them through, not on his own but in concert with other nations. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/opinion/10sat1.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1255197745-ydviMLWPcLM5pf+PDgkl0w

Obama Says He’s ‘Surprised and Humbled’ by Nobel Prize By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG and WALTER GIBBS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/10nobel.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

World Reaction to a Nobel Surprise By SHARON OTTERMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. October 9, 2009, 8:04 AM http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/world-reaction-to-a-nobel-surprise/?ref=global-home

President Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize – Nobel Committee announcement http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/10/09/VI2009100901161.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize – Obama’s Speech http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2009/10/09/VI2009100901161.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

The Top 25 Republican Reactions to Obama Winning the Nobel Peace Prize http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/top-25-republican-reactions-to-obama.html

Alan Grayson: Republicans "probably wish there were a Nobel Prize for fear" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9459P8daPng





International


US clashes with EU and China on trade By Sarah O’Connor in Washington, Alan Beattie in London and Justine Lau in Hong Kong. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/us-clashes-with-eu-and-china-on-trade.html

Central Banks in Europe Hold Rates Steady By CARTER DOUGHERTY and JULIA WERDIGIER. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/business/global/09rates.html?ref=global-home

Polish President Ratifies European Union Treaty. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: October 10, 2009. Filed at 8:41 a.m. ET http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/10/world/AP-EU-Poland-EU-Treaty.html?ref=global-home

Italian Court Overturns Prime Minister’s Immunity. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: October 7, 2009. ROME (Reuters) - Italy's top court ruled on Wednesday that a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution violates the constitution, in a verdict that could reopen trials against him and undermine his government. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/07/world/international-uk-italy-berlusconi-court.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Herta Mueller Wins Nobel Prize in Literature. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/08/arts/AP-EU-Nobel-Literature.html?_r=1&emc=na

North Korea May Be Open to Talks By CHOE SANG-HUN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009. SEOUL — The North Korean leader, Kim Jong-il, told the visiting prime minister of China that his government was ready to return to six-nation talks on its nuclear weapons program if it sees progress in bilateral talks with the United States, state-run media in North Korea and China said Tuesday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/asia/06korea.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Japan and S. Korea Agree to Joint Stance on North By CHOE SANG-HUN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/asia/10korea.html?ref=global-home

More than 160 Killed in Landslides in Philippines By CARLOS H. CONDE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/asia/10phils.html?ref=global-home

Burmese Dissident Leader Meets Western Diplomats By THOMAS FULLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/asia/10myanmar.html?ref=global-home



China

China Yearns to Form Its Own Media Empires By DAVID BARBOZA. Copyright by Bloomberg News. Published: October 4, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/business/global/05yuan.html?th&emc=th

China Aims to Steady North Korea By CHOE SANG-HUN. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 6, 2009. SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea’s leader gave an unusually exuberant welcome this week to the prime minister of China, whose trip was intensely monitored by the rest of the world for progress on efforts to halt North Korea’s nuclear weapons program. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/world/asia/07korea.html?th&emc=th

Beijing’s Afghan Gamble By ROBERT D. KAPLAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. IN Afghanistan’s Logar Province, just south of Kabul, the geopolitical future of Asia is becoming apparent: American troops are providing security for a Chinese state-owned company to exploit the Aynak copper reserves, which are worth tens of billions of dollars. While some of America’s NATO allies want to do as little as possible in the effort to stabilize Afghanistan, China has its eyes on some of world’s last untapped deposits of copper, iron, gold, uranium and precious gems, and is willing to take big risks in one of the most violent countries to secure them. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/opinion/07kaplan.html?ref=opinion


Mess-o-potamia

Elite Guard in Iran Tightens Grip With Media Move By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/world/middleeast/09iran.html?th&emc=th

Iranian Site Reports a Death Sentence for Protester By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/world/middleeast/09tehran.html?th&emc=th

Militants Storm Seat of Military in Pakistan By SALMAN MASOOD. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 10, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/world/asia/11pstan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Bomb at U.N. Food Office in Pakistan Kills at Least 5 By SALMAN MASOOD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/world/asia/06pstan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Market Is Bombed as Pakistan Plans to Strike at Militants By ISMAIL KHAN and SALMAN MASOOD. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: October 9, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/world/asia/10pstan.html?ref=global-home

Afghan Says U.N. Inquiry on Election Was Flawed By SABRINA TAVERNISE and RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 3, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/world/asia/04afghan.html?ref=global-home

Eight U.S. Soldiers Dead in Bold Attack in Afghanistan By SABRINA TAVERNISE and SANGAR RAHIMI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/world/asia/05afghan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

17 Die in Kabul Bomb Attack Near Indian Embassy By SABRINA TAVERNISE and ABDUL WAHEED WAFA. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/world/asia/09afghan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home


National

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Senate climate bill. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 4 2009 19:26 | Last updated: October 4 2009 19:26. The outline climate bill introduced by senators John Kerry and Barbara Boxer last week is much like the Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill passed by the House of Representatives in June. Still, the differences are interesting. This new initiative may in the end do little to spur action on greenhouse-gas emissions in the US. But it is worth noting where the new bill improves on its forerunner, in the hope that its best ideas will stick as the debate grinds on. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/financial-times-editorial-comment.html

The Uneducated American By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009. If you had to explain America’s economic success with one word, that word would be “education.” In the 19th century, America led the way in universal basic education. Then, as other nations followed suit, the “high school revolution” of the early 20th century took us to a whole new level. And in the years after World War II, America established a commanding position in higher education. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/opinion/09krugman.html

Three Win Nobel Prize in Chemistry for Ribosome Research By DENNIS OVERBYE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/science/08nobel.html?ref=global-home

Three Share 2009 Nobel Physics Prize - Nobel Awarded for Harnessing Light By KENNETH CHANG. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 6, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/science/07nobel.html?hpw

Three Americans Share Nobel Prize for Medicine By NICHOLAS WADE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/science/06nobel.html?ref=global-home



Health Care

Swine Flu Vaccine Reaches an Anxious Nation By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/nyregion/06vaccine.html?th&emc=th

Let Congress Go Without Insurance By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 7, 2009. Let me offer a modest proposal: If Congress fails to pass comprehensive health reform this year, its members should surrender health insurance in proportion with the American population that is uninsured. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/opinion/08kristof.html?th&emc=th

Alan Grayson on the GOP Health Care Plan: "Don't Get Sick! And if You Do Get Sick, Die Quickly!"' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usmvYOPfco

U.S. Losing Ground on Preventable Deaths - Despite High Medical Spending, Results Trail Other Wealthy Countries By Ceci Connolly. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, October 6, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/05/AR2009100503798.html?hpid=topnews

Health-Care Bill Wouldn't Raise Deficit, Report Says - Budget Office Assesses Finance Panel's Plan By Lori Montgomery and Shailagh Murray. Copyright by The Washington Post. Thursday, October 8, 2009. Congressional budget analysts gave an important political boost Wednesday to a Senate panel's health-care overhaul, projecting that the $829 billion measure would dramatically shrink the ranks of the uninsured and keep President Obama's pledge that doing so would not add "one dime" to federal budget deficits. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/07/AR2009100704078.html?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

The Baucus Conundrum By DAVID BROOKS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009. The longer the health care debate goes on, the more I become convinced that the American system needs fundamental reform. We need to transition away from a fee-for-service system to one that directs incentives toward better care, not more procedures. We need to move away from the employer-based system, which is eroding year by year. We need to move toward a more transparent system, in which people see the consequences of their choices. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/opinion/09brooks.html?ref=opinion

Health Insurance Exchanges: Will They Work? By REED ABELSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/06exchange.html?th&emc=th

A Heated Debate Is Dividing Generations in AARP By GARDINER HARRIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 3, 2009. MARINETTE, Wis. — In hundreds of meetings with millions of its members to promote a health care overhaul, AARP, the huge organization for older Americans, has often found itself forced to referee a battle between generations. Its 40 million members are split about evenly between those who have access to Medicare, the federal government’s health program for the elderly, and those who are too young to be eligible for such benefits. The younger members, or those between the ages of 50 and 64, sometimes face terrible choices in the private insurance market, with age and declining health status making premiums high and benefits poor. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/policy/04aarp.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

A Texas-Sized Health Care Failure By CAPPY McGARR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/opinion/06mcgarr.html?ref=global

The Public Imperative By ROGER COHEN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. NEW YORK — Back from another trip to Europe, this time Germany, where the same dismay as in France prevails over the U.S. health care debate. Europeans don’t get why Americans don’t agree that universal health coverage is a fundamental contract to which the citizens of any developed society have a right. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05iht-edcohen.html?th&emc=th

Health care for all -- even Republicans By Garrison Keillor. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. October 7, 2009. OK, it was wrong of me to say last week that we should deny health care to Republicans except for aspirin and hand sanitizer, and thank you to the many readers who kindly took me to task. It was so wrong. And I withdraw the idea that death panels should circulate through red states searching for the obese and slow afoot, the wheezy and limpy, spray-painting orange stripes on their ankles, marking them for future harvest. That was very, very bad. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1007keilloroct07,0,3627821.column


GOP Bashing


Losing the Latino Vote - In the Long Run, the GOP Must Be Inclusive By Michael Gerson. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, October 7, 2009. Mel Martinez's recent resignation from the U.S. Senate was for personal and family reasons. But the departure of the Republican Party's most visible Hispanic leader crackles with political symbolism. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/06/AR2009100602835.html

Bush Administration’s Tourist Visa Policy May Have Cost America The 2016 Olympics By By Andrea Nill. Copyright by Think Progress. Oct 2nd, 2009 at 5:15 pm http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/02/chicago-olympics-bush/

Borger: Republicans don't really want to work with Obama By Gloria Borger. Copyright by CNN News. October 8, 2009. Editor's note: Gloria Borger is a senior political analyst for CNN, appearing regularly on CNN's "The Situation Room," "Campbell Brown," "AC360°" and "State of the Union With John King" as well as other programs during special event coverage. Gloria Borger says President Obama is trying to fix problems that have gone untouched for decades. (CNN) -- In my next life, I'd like to be an opposition party leader. What fun to go to work every day knowing you will always be right, largely because your ideas will remain untested. http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/07/borger.opposition/index.html

An American polity blinded by rage By Clive Crook. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 4 2009 20:39 | Last updated: October 4 2009 20:39. Last week, in his column in the New York Times, Thomas Friedman broached a subject that nags at many Americans. “I have no problem with any of the substantive criticism of President Obama from the right or left,” he wrote. “But something very dangerous is happening. Criticism from the far right has begun tipping over into delegitimation and creating the same kind of climate here that existed in Israel on the eve of the Rabin assassination.” http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/politics-of-spite-by-paul-krugman.html

The Politics of Spite By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. There was what President Obama likes to call a teachable moment last week, when the International Olympic Committee rejected Chicago’s bid to be host of the 2016 Summer Games. “Cheers erupted” at the headquarters of the conservative Weekly Standard, according to a blog post by a member of the magazine’s staff, with the headline “Obama loses! Obama loses!” Rush Limbaugh declared himself “gleeful.” “World Rejects Obama,” gloated the Drudge Report. And so on. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/opinion/05krugman.html?th&emc=th

President Barack Obama and the 'socialist' fabrication By Steve Chapman. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. October 8, 2009. Since he's under attack for allegedly being a covert socialist, you would think President Barack Obama would get some love from the overt socialists. But they sound about as enamored of him as Sean Hannity is. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped1008chapmanoct08,0,6061831.column

Bill Maher: RT Palin Book 100209 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDEDwXHLP2U

Texas Governor Rick Perry On Executing An Innocent Man http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRkl42Cwpjo&feature=player_embedded



Immigration

Immigration Hard-Liner Has His Wings Clipped By RANDAL C. ARCHIBOLD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. PHOENIX — The Maricopa County sheriff, who has drawn scorn and praise for a running crackdown on illegal immigrants in this city’s metropolitan area, said Tuesday that federal officials had taken away his deputies’ authority to make immigration arrests in the field. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/us/07arizona.html?th&emc=th

Ideas for Immigrant Detention Include Converting Hotels and Building Models By NINA BERNSTEIN. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: October 5, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/us/politics/06detain.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1254823514-CWtrTpSGiXvuuA3/B4+H/A

Will LGBTs be in new immigration measure? by Sam Worley. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-10-07. Congressman Luis Gutierrez, who represents Illinois' 4th Congressional District, plans to introduce comprehensive immigration-reform legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives within the next couple of weeks. LGBT groups are seeking to make sure that it includes protections for same-sex couples and families. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23099




Chicagoland


Focus in Chicago: Students at Risk of Violence By SUSAN SAULNY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. CHICAGO — The new chief officer of the public schools here, Ron Huberman, a former police officer and transit executive with a passion for data analysis, has a plan to stop the killings of the city’s public school students. And it does not have to do with guns or security guards. It has to do with statistics and probability. The plan comes too late for Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old who was beaten to death recently with wood planks after getting caught on his way home between two rival South Side gangs, neither of which he was a member, the police said. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/us/07chicago.html?th&emc=th

Illiana Expressway: Proposed interstate tollway would link Illinois, Indiana - Road could ease traffic congestion on southern corridor By Richard Wronski. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. October 5, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-illiana-expressway_monoct05,0,2942620.story

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Sun-Times will continue to serve you, Chicago. Copyright by the Chicago Sun-Times. October 9, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1815344,CST-NWS-edit09b.article

Bankruptcy judge approves Sun-Times Media sale to Tyree group. Copyright by The Chicago SUN-TIMES. October 8, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/business/1814098,sun-times-bankruptcy-sale.article

Sun-Times Media Group unions vote to approve concessions BY CHRIS FUSCO. Copyright by The Chicago SUN-TIMES. October 8, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/business/1811775,sun-times-sale-guild-union-agreement-100709.article

Council curbs anti-abortion activists, who vow to fight on By Kristen Schorsch, Hal Dardick. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. October 7, 2009 12:28 PM. The Chicago City Council today voted 27-11 to pass an ordinance creating a so-called bubble zone requiring anti-abortion activists to keep their distance from people entering clinics. http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/considerable-activity-is-expected-inside.html

Gay and Lesbian Politics Dominate the primary race for the 7th district Senate Race in Illinois by Carlos T Mock, MD. October 9, 2009 http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/gay-and-lesbian-politics-dominate.html

Steans files same-sex marriage bill By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. October 8, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3962

Letter to the editor: Copyright by Windy City Times. 2009-10-07. I am writing in response to the views for equal marriage rights by State Sen. Heather Steans and State Rep. Greg Harris. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23113




Economy


US growth could pass 3%, says Greenspan By Anna Fifield in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 4 2009 22:29 | Last updated: October 5 2009 13:19. US growth could exceed 3 per cent this quarter as the economic recovery takes hold, Alan Greenspan, former Federal Reserve chairman, said on Sunday, in spite of a rise in unemployment numbers. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/us-growth-could-pass-3-says-greenspan.html

ISM: Service Sector Grows in September. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: October 5, 2009. Filed at 10:41 a.m. ET. NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. service sector grew in September for the first time in 13 months, an encouraging sign for the fledgling economic recovery although jobs remain scarce. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/10/05/us/AP-US-Economy.html?scp=1&sq=US%20services%20sector%20grows%20in%20September&st=cse

US retailers show signs of improvement - September same-store sales beat expectations By Jonathan Birchall and Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 8 2009 14:54 | Last updated: October 8 2009 14:54. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/us-retailers-show-signs-of-improvement.html

Fed Is Split Over Timing of Rate Rise By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/business/economy/09bernanke.html?th&emc=th

Support Is Building for a Tax Credit to Help Hiring By CATHERINE RAMPELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. The idea of a tax credit for companies that create new jobs, something the federal government has not tried since the 1970s, is gaining support among economists and Washington officials grappling with the highest unemployment in a generation. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/business/07tax.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

After More Job Losses, Democrats Move to Extend Benefits. Copyright By THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: October 3, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/us/politics/04jobless.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: A Good Return on Investment. Copyright by The new York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. The recession has dealt a heavy blow to low-income families. Many have had to move in with relatives; those still lucky enough to live on their own typically are spending too much of their meager incomes on rent and utilities, which places them at clear risk of homelessness. The problem will only get worse as more people who have lost their homes to foreclosure flood into the rental market, driving up rents and putting even more pressure on lower-income families who are barely making ends meet. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/opinion/07wed3.html?ref=global

U.S. Trade Gaps Narrows Unexpectedly. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: October 9, 2009. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. trade gap narrowed unexpectedly in August as trade in services pushed exports slightly higher and imports fell by a fractionally larger amount, a U.S. Commerce Department report showed on Friday. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/10/09/business/business-us-usa-economy-trade.html?scp=1&sq=US%20trade%20gap%20unexpectedly%20narrows%20in%20August&st=cse

Program to Buy Bad Assets Nearly in Place, U.S. Says By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department said on Sunday that its scaled-down program to help banks unload their troubled mortgages and mortgage securities would begin operating at full strength by the end of this month, more than a year after Congress authorized $700 billion for that purpose. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/business/economy/05tarp.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Prepaid, but Not Prepared for Debit Card Fees By ANDREW MARTIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 5, 2009. Buying a prepaid debit card these days is just about as easy as picking up a bottle of shampoo or a candy bar. Walk into a Wal-Mart or almost any major drugstore, and rows of plastic worth $25, $100 and even $500 beckon from kiosks alongside prepaid phone cards and gift cards for retailers. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/your-money/06prepay.html?th&emc=th

Fannie and Freddie Continue to Struggle, Lawmakers Told By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/business/economy/09loan.html?hpw

U.S. Begins Antitrust Inquiry of I.B.M. By ASHLEE VANCE and STEVE LOHR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/technology/companies/08antitrust.html?ref=global-home



Housing


Treasury Hails Milestone in Home Loan Modifications By PETER S. GOODMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009. Half a million troubled homeowners have had their loan payments lowered under an Obama administration relief plan, the Treasury announced on Thursday, claiming a significant milestone in the effort to spare families from foreclosure. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/business/09home.html?hpw

Democrats May Extend Tax Credit for Homes By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 7, 2009. WASHINGTON — Democratic Congressional leaders are working with the White House to extend an expiring $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, and aides said Wednesday that they were considering making it available to current homeowners who purchase a new residence. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/us/politics/08stimulus.html?th&emc=th

Office leasing activity soars in Manhattan By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 7 2009 05:04 | Last updated: October 7 2009 05:04. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/office-leasing-activity-soars-in.html


Commodities


Financial Times Editorial Comment: A strong US needs a weakened dollar. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 9 2009 22:23 | Last updated: October 9 2009 22:23. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/financial-times-editorial-comment_10.html

Asian countries step in to support dollar - Fears of weak US currency’s impact on exports grow By Kevin Brown in Singapore. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: October 8 2009 15:09 | Last updated: October 8 2009 15:09. Asian central banks intervened heavily in the currency markets on Thursday to slow the slide of the US dollar amid growing concern about the potential impact on the region’s export driven economies. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/asian-countries-step-in-to-support.html

“Dollar demise”: Inexorable but not sudden By Neal Kimberley. Copyright by Reuters. 03:57 October 6th, 2009. LONDON (Reuters) - An article in Britain’s Independent newspaper on Tuesday rightly attracted a lot of market attention with its provocative heading “The demise of the dollar.” While subsequent and almost co-ordinated denials from numerous capitals have taken the steam out of the story, the dollar’s role is again under scrutiny. http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2009/10/06/dollar-demise-inexorable-but-not-sudden/

Stocks and Gold Gain as Investors Shun the Dollar By JACK HEALY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009 Investors clamored to buy pretty much anything on Tuesday — as long as it was not the dollar. http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/stocks-and-gold-gain-as-investors-shun-the-dollar/?scp=2&sq=Stocks%20and%20Gold%20Gain%20as%20Investors%20Shun%20the%20Dollar&st=cse




GLBT


New York Times Editorial: The Damage of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 3, 2009. Sixteen years after passage of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” law, there is reason to hope that the military is edging away from its destructive opposition to allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly. At the very least, a prize-winning essay in a prominent military journal suggests that the issue is open to debate and even dissent. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/opinion/04sun2.html?th&emc=th

Gay Marriage Bill Unveiled Before Packed D.C. Council Chambers By Tim Craig. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, October 6, 2009; 3:12 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/06/AR2009100602259.html

The Gay After Tomorrow http://www.hulu.com/watch/100678/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-the-gay-after-tomorrow

Rights Still to Be Won - Why we March By Julian Bond. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, October 9, 2009. The civil rights struggle for legal equality in America today is no less necessary, nor worthy, than a similar struggle fought by blacks several decades ago. Now, as then, Americans are denied rights simply because of who they are. When lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans gather in Washington on Sunday for the National Equality March, they will invoke the unfulfilled promise in our Constitution that they, too, are due equal protection under the law. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/08/AR2009100803292.html

Views: The March on Washington by Wayne Besen. Copyright 2009 Wayne Besen. 2009-10-07. Fresh off its wing nut wingding on the National Mall, the far-out fringe held its "Values Voter" summit in Washington last week. The highlight was jilted former Miss California, Carrie Prejean, starting a brand new religion—"MEvangelical Christianity." In her remarkably self-centered, narcissistic speech, she cast herself as a martyr on a mission and repeatedly had to remind the audience that she wasn't as stuck up as she appeared on stage. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23111

Obama to Reaffirm His Support for Gay Rights - In Speech Tonight, President Aims to Allay Concerns on Inaction By Ed O'Keefe and Michael D. Shear. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, October 10, 2009; 11:52 AM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/10/AR2009101000627.html?hpid=topnews

Chicago activists to picket Obama HRC address By Matt Simonette. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. October 8, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3961

House Votes to Expand Hate Crimes Definition By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 8, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Gay in America: When culture and sexuality collide - Special to the Online Edition of Windy City Times by Bill Healy. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-10-07 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23086

LGBT judicial candidates on slate. Copyright by The Windy City Times. Wed., Oct. 7, 2009. Appellate Court Justice Sebastian Patti & Supervising Corporation Counsel Linda J. Pauel will bring diversity and experience to the Cook County bench. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23136

Scarlet is back in business By Amy Wooten. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. October 8, 2009 http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3955


Technology


In Test of Water on Moon, Craft Hits Bull’s-Eye By KENNETH CHANG. Copyright by Reuters. Published: October 9, 2009. MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — More than 230,000 miles from Earth, a NASA spacecraft hit a bull’s-eye on the Moon on Friday morning. Actually, two bull’s-eyes. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/10/science/space/10moon.html?ref=global-home

Bug by Bug, Google Fixes a New Idea By STEPHANIE CLIFFORD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. Even at Google, new ideas do not always go as planned. Danielle VanDyke, a young Google engineer working on the company’s latest mobile ad format, discovered that in August. The ad format was supposed to be ready for introduction in two weeks. But, as Ms. VanDyke told her colleagues in a teleconference, she was finding a bunch of bugs. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/business/media/05adco.html?th&emc=th

Just a Touch Away, the Elusive Tablet PC By BRAD STONE and ASHLEE VANCE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — The high-tech industry has been working itself into paroxysms of excitement lately over an idea that is not exactly new: tablet computers. Apple's Newton was withdrawn by Steve Jobs in 1997. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/technology/05tablet.html?th&emc=th

New Amazon Kindle to Download Books Beyond U.S. By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 7, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/07/technology/companies/07amazon.html?scp=2&sq=kindle&st=cse

Microsoft hopes Windows 7 makes you forget about Vista - The new operating system is more consumer friendly and includes several upgrades, including a lightning-fast search function. By David Colker. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. October 4, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-windows4-2009oct04,0,2089099.story

To Start, Push the Windows Logo Button By SAUL HANSELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 6, 2009. When Microsoft decided to revive its ailing cellphone software business, it turned to the marketer who came up with the Staples “Easy Button,” which speaks the tagline “That was easy” when pushed. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/technology/companies/06soft.html?hpw




Other


The Big Surprise of ‘Big Bang’: The Bigger Audience By EDWARD WYATT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 4, 2009. BURBANK, Calif. — The most vibrant buzz this summer around the Warner Brothers lot here and CBS Entertainment headquarters in nearby Studio City was not being generated by the slate of new shows on the CBS fall schedule. Rather, it focused on the sudden emergence — during summer repeats, no less — of a series that had been on the air for two seasons. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/arts/television/05bang.html?th&emc=th

So, you think you can ride a bike.... http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1137883380?bctid=21337502001

Humor


Playing the Race Card http://www.hulu.com/watch/100677/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-playing-the-race-card?c=Comedy

Vasectomy http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/vasectomy.html

How many women with menopause does it take to change a light bulb? http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/10/how-many-women-with-menopause-does-it.html







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

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



In Pride (orgullo),


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

It's expensive to be gay Newsletter - October 3, 2009

It's expensive to be gay Newsletter - October 3, 2009

“Nearly all the extra costs that gay couples face would be erased if the federal government legalized same-sex marriage. One exception is the cost of having biological children, but we felt it was appropriate to include this given our goal of outlining every cost gay couples incur that heterosexual couples may not.” TARA SIEGEL BERNARD and RON LIEBER

The High Price of Being a Gay Couple By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD and RON LIEBER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 2, 2009. Much of the debate over legalizing gay marriage has focused on God and Scripture, the Constitution and equal protection. But we see the world through the prism of money. And for years, we’ve heard from gay couples about all the extra health, legal and other costs they bear. So we set out to determine what they were and to come up with a round number — a couple’s lifetime cost of being gay. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/your-money/03money.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Arizona Governor Takes Away State Domestic Partner Benefits - Says 'God Has Placed Me in This Powerful Position' Copyright by Towler Road.com. September 18, 2009 http://www.towleroad.com/2009/09/arizona-governor-takes-away-state-domestic-partner-benefits-says-god-has-placed-me-in-this-powerful-.html

Marriage Bill introduced in State Senate. Copyright by The Windy City Times. NEWS UPDATE OCT. 1, 2009. Equality Illinois is happy to announce the introduction in the Illinois State Senate of the bill to legalize marriage between two adults of the same sex. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23076



International

Scores Are Killed as Tsunami Hits Samoa Islands By MERAIAH FOLEY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 30, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/world/asia/01tsunami.html?ref=global-home

Death Toll Hits 240 in Philippine Flooding By CARLOS H. CONDE. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 29, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/asia/30phils.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

More Than 1,000 Dead After Indonesian Quake By PETER GELLING and MARK McDONALD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/asia/02quake.html?ref=global-home

Indian PM attacks nuclear treaty - Manmohan Singh says NPT has failed on security By James Lamont in New Delhi. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 29 2009 14:34 | Last updated: September 29 2009 16:26. India’s prime minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday criticised the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as not being up to the “formidable” task of protecting the world from nuclear terrorism just days after Barack Obama appealed to world leaders to support the Treaty. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb5b3a26-acf5-11de-91dc-00144feabdc0.html

Obama Administration Engages Sudanese Regime It Blasted By Stephanie McCrummen. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, September 28, 2009; 2:29 PM. EL FASHER, Sudan -- The volatility of this East African nation -- from the Darfur conflict to the threat of renewed civil war in the south -- is becoming a test of how President Obama will reconcile a policy of engagement with earlier statements blasting a government he said had "offended the standards of our common humanity. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/28/AR2009092802336.html?hpid=topnews

At German Chancellor’s Side, a New Political Power Broker Emerges By NICHOLAS KULISH and JUDY DEMPSEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 28, 2009. BERLIN — The politician everyone was talking about in the German capital the morning after national elections was not Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose party won the most votes, but the small-party kingmaker set to solidify the chancellor’s hold on power. And soon, the rest of the world will become acquainted with the new leading figure, the Free Democrats’ Guido Westerwelle. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/world/europe/29germany.html?th&emc=th

Irish Officials See Victory for a European Treaty By ERIC PFANNER. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: October 3, 2009. Ireland has said yes to a plan to raise the political voice of Europe in world affairs, government officials said based on early results Saturday, voting overwhelmingly to approve a treaty aimed at streamlining the operations of the European Union after rejecting the same pact only last year. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/world/europe/04ireland.html?_r=1&ref=global-home


China

Eight Ideas Behind China's Success By ZHANG WEI-WEI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 30, 2009. BEIJING — Beijing is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the People’s Republic on Thursday, and the fanfare will undoubtedly irk those whose ideological inclinations do not tolerate a “Communist country” being so self-righteous. Yet it is worthwhile to look at China objectively, to see what has enabled it to change within one generation from a poverty-stricken country to one of the world’s largest economies. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/opinion/01iht-edzhang.html?ref=global

China’s Mr. Wu Keeps Talking By DAVID BARBOZA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 26, 2009. AT 79, Wu Jinglian is considered China’s most famous economist. In the 1980s and ’90s, he was an adviser to China’s leaders, including Deng Xiaoping. He helped push through some of this country’s earliest market reforms, paving the way for China’s spectacular rise and earning him the nickname “Market Wu.” http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/business/global/27spy.html?th&emc=th

Chinese Economic Juggernaut Is Gaining on Japan By HIROKO TABUCHI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. TOKYO — For years, Japan has been readying itself for the day that it is eclipsed economically by China. But as a result of the global slowdown, Japan’s difficulty in managing its economy and China’s rise — on vivid display Thursday as Beijing celebrated the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic — that day may come sooner than anyone predicted. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/business/economy/02yen.html?th&emc=th

China seeks big stake in Nigerian oil - CNOOC in talks to buy a sixth of the country’s reserves By Tom Burgis in Lagos. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 28 2009 23:30 | Last updated: September 28 2009 23:30 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d714f96-ac60-11de-a754-00144feabdc0.html

China’s Ties With Iran Complicate Diplomacy By MICHAEL WINES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 29, 2009. BEIJING — Leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee swept into Beijing last month to meet with Chinese officials, carrying a plea from Washington: if Iran were to be kept from developing nuclear weapons, China would have to throw more diplomatic weight behind the cause. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/asia/30china.html?th&emc=th

Mess-o-potamia

Iran Agrees to More Nuclear Talks With U.S. and Allies By STEVEN ERLANGER and MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/middleeast/02nuke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Iran Agrees to Send Enriched Uranium to Russia By STEVEN ERLANGER and MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/middleeast/02nuke.html?th&emc=th

Nuclear Debate Brews: Is Iran Designing Warheads? By WILLIAM J. BROAD, MARK MAZZETTI and DAVID E. SANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/world/middleeast/29nuke.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Iran Conducts New Tests of Mid-Range Missiles By ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 28, 2009 http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifp://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/world/middleeast/29tehran.html?ref=global-home

U.S. Is Seeking a Range of Sanctions Against Iran By MARK LANDLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 27, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is scrambling to assemble a package of harsher economic sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program that could include a cutoff of investments to the country’s oil-and-gas industry and restrictions on many more Iranian banks than those currently blacklisted, senior administration officials said Sunday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/world/middleeast/28iran.html?hpw

In Dispute With Iran, Path to Iraq Is in Spotlight By SCOTT SHANE. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: September 29, 2009. WASHINGTON — To many Americans, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s February 2003 speech to the United Nations on Iraq’s unconventional weapons was powerfully persuasive. It was a dazzling performance, featuring satellite images and intercepts of Iraqi communications, delivered by one of the most trusted figures in public life. Then a long and costly war began, and the country discovered that the assertions that Iraq possessed illicit weapons had been completely unfounded. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/middleeast/30intel.html?th&emc=th

UN Official Out After Afghan Vote Fraud Dispute. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: September 30, 2009. KABUL (AP) -- The top American official at the U.N. mission in Afghanistan is losing his job after he disagreed with superiors over how to deal with widespread fraud charges from the presidential election, people familiar with the decision said Wednesday. The U.S. diplomat, Peter Galbraith, denied he had been fired. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/09/30/world/AP-AS-Afghanistan.html?hpw

30 Killed in Southern Afghan Bus Explosion By ABDUL WAHEED WAFA and TAIMOOR SHAH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 29, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/asia/30afghan.html?ref=global-home

A War President? By ROSS DOUTHAT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 27, 2009. All spring and summer, it looked as though Joe Lieberman, the independent from Connecticut, would play the same role in the debate over President Obama’s Afghanistan policy that he played in the struggle over Iraq: as a champion of the surge-style counterinsurgency that Obama endorsed in March and as a defender of a wartime White House against the Democratic Party’s leftward flank. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/opinion/28douthat.html?th&emc=th

General Says Iraq Troop Reductions May Quicken By THOM SHANKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 29, 2009. WASHINGTON — The senior American commander in Iraq said Tuesday that he could reduce American forces to 50,000 troops even before the end of next summer if the expected January elections in Iraq went smoothly. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/world/middleeast/30military.html?th&emc=th

U.S. Says Taliban Has A New Haven in Pakistan By Pamela Constable. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, September 29, 2009. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- As American troops move deeper into southern Afghanistan to fight Taliban insurgents, U.S. officials are expressing new concerns about the role of fugitive Taliban leader Mohammad Omar and his council of lieutenants, who reportedly plan and launch cross-border strikes from safe havens around the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/28/AR2009092803751.html?hpid=topnews

McChrystal Rejects Scaling Down Afghan Military Aims By JOHN F. BURNS and ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. LONDON — The top military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, rejected calls for scaling down military objectives there on Thursday and said Washington did not have unlimited time to settle on a new strategy to pursue the eight-year-old war. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/world/asia/02general.html?ref=global-home



National

Justices Will Weigh Challenges to Gun Laws By ADAM LIPTAK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 30, 2009. WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court announced on Wednesday that it would decide whether state and local gun control laws may be challenged under the Second Amendment. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/us/01scotus.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: The Courts and Privacy. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 2, 2009. To the delight of headline writers, the Alabama Supreme Court recently decided the case of 1568 Montgomery Highway Inc. — also known as Love Stuff — v. the City of Hoover. In a 7-to-2 ruling, it upheld a state law banning the sale of sex toys. The dispute may seem a bit frivolous, but it rests on a fundamental question: After the Supreme Court’s 2003 ruling striking down sodomy laws, how free is the majority to impose its morality through the law? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/opinion/02fri2.html?th&emc=th

Partial Shutdown Ended in Michigan By MONICA DAVEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. After months of trying to solve a $2.8 billion state deficit, fatigued and frustrated Michigan lawmakers reached some budget agreements early Thursday, but only after a standoff had shut down the government briefly for a few hours overnight. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/us/02michigan.html?hpw

Puerto Rico asks Washington for federal aid By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: September 28 2009 23:03 | Last updated: September 28 2009 23:03. Puerto Rico has appealed to the Obama administration for federal assistance as it battles a $3.2bn budget deficit, a three-year recession and the worst credit rating of any state or territory in the US. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/7a9eab28-ac77-11de-a754-00144feabdc0.html

Letterman Admits Affairs In $2 Million Extortion Case By Lisa de Moraes. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, October 2, 2009. David Letterman surprised his studio audience Thursday during the taping of his CBS show when he announced that he'd had sex with female "Late Show" staffers and that someone had tried to extort $2 million from him to keep quiet about the relationships http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/01/AR2009100105253.html?hpid=topnews



Health Care

Global AIDS Detection and Treatment Sees Major Increase By CELIA W. DUGGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 30, 2009. JOHANNESBURG — The number of people being tested for H.I.V. more than doubled in dozens of countries last year, improving detection of AIDS and contributing to a major surge in those being treated. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/world/01aids.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: Medicare Scare-Mongering. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 26, 2009. It has been frustrating to watch Republican leaders posture as the vigilant protectors of Medicare against health care reforms designed to make the system better and more equitable. This is the same party that in the past tried to pare back Medicare and has repeatedly denounced the kind of single-payer system that is at the heart of Medicare and its popularity. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/opinion/27sun1.html?th&emc=th

Doctors on Coverage — Physicians’ Views on a New Public Insurance Option and Medicare Expansion By Salomeh Keyhani, M.D., M.P.H., and Alex Federman, M.D., M.P.H.. Copyright by The New England Journal Of Medicine. September 14th, 2009. n the past few months, a key point of contention in the health care reform debate has been whether a public health insurance option should be included in the final legislation. Although polls have shown that 52 to 69% of Americans support such an option, the views of physicians are unclear. Physicians are critical stakeholders in health care reform and have been influential in shaping health policy throughout the history of organized medicine in the United States. http://healthcarereform.nejm.org/?p=1790

Oregon's leadership in end-of-life care offers lessons for the rest of the country By Dennis Peck, Copyright by The Oregonian. September 02, 2009, 4:52AM http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/09/oregons_leadership_in_endoflif.html

Democratic Super Majority http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-september-30-2009/democratic-super-majority

Senators Reject Pair of Public Option Proposals By ROBERT PEAR and JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 29, 2009. WASHINGTON — After an intense debate that captured the essence of the national struggle over health care, a pivotal Senate committee on Tuesday rejected two Democratic proposals to create a government insurance plan to compete with private insurers. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/health/policy/30health.html?th&emc=th

Billionaires for Wealthcare http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHVwrCzRUX0




GOP Bashing

Today's GOP a political bedlam - I find myself wondering today whether Abraham Lincoln would feel comfortable in the Republican Party of 2009. By Don Wycliff. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 27, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-perspec0927gopsep27,0,7538012.story

For Some Republicans, Their Party’s Seal of Approval Doesn’t Impress By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/us/politics/27hill.html?th&emc=th

John Ensign's parents paid $96K to his mistress By MANU RAJU. Copyright by Politico.com. 7/10/09 12:19 PM EDT. Sen. John Ensign's parents shelled out big bucks to pay off their son's mistress, the latest twist in an unfolding scandal that has upended the political career of the one-time rising GOP star. The scandal has also touched Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), another prominent conservative, who revealed that he had confronted Ensign about the affair and urged him to end it, but says he will refuse to divulge any conversations with Ensign — even under inquiry from ethics investigators. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/24748.html

The Wizard of Beck By DAVID BROOKS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 2, 2009. Let us take a trip back into history. Not ancient history. Recent history. It is the winter of 2007. The presidential primaries are approaching. The talk jocks like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity and the rest are over the moon about Fred Thompson. They’re weak at the knees at the thought of Mitt Romney. Meanwhile, they are hurling torrents of abuse at the unreliable deviationists: John McCain and Mike Huckabee. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/opinion/02brooks.html?th&emc=th

McCain manager predicts Palin could prove 'catastrophic' by Alexander Mooney. Copyright by CNN News. Posted: October 2nd, 2009 04:06 PM ET. WASHINGTON (CNN) — The man who ran John McCain's presidential campaign warned Friday that Sarah Palin could lead to a 'catastrophic' election result for the GOP in 2012 if the former Alaska governor captures the party's presidential nomination. http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

New Cheney Taking Stage for the G.O.P. By MARK LEIBOVICH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 28, 2009. NASHVILLE — Liz Cheney looks nothing like her father, but it is clear who he is. She was introduced as “our favorite vice president’s daughter” at a recent gathering of conservative women here. She kept invoking him in her speech, conveying his best regards, and likes to share cute stories about Dad trying to master his new BlackBerry. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/us/politics/28cheney.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Jon Krakauer http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-september-30-2009/jon-krakauer

Rep. Alan Grayson on the Situation Room http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H3gND4M9HA




Immigration

Agency Plans for Visa Push by Residents Made Legal By JULIA PRESTON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. Although President Obama has put off an immigration overhaul until next year, the federal agency in charge of approving visas is planning ahead for the possibility of giving legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, the agency’s director said Thursday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/us/politics/02immig.html?th&emc=th


Chicagoland

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Be proud, Chicago. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 10:49 a.m. CDT, October 2, 2009. So that's all there is. Chicago in 2016 will watch the Summer Olympic Games on television along with the most of the world. Chicago lost. We don't like losing. We don't like being embarrassed either, which, let's admit, was the near-universal reaction to being knocked out in the first round of voting by the International Olympic Committee. But we'll be fine. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chicagoolympics/chi-091002chicago-loses-olympics-editorial,0,4298088.story

Rio Wins Bid for 2016 Olympic Games By JULIET MACUR and LYNN ZINSER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 2, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/sports/03olympics.html?hp

Chicago out after first round of voting - Early exit stuns Chicago By David Heinzmann. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 10:33 a.m. CDT, October 2, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-091002chicago-olympics-2016-eliminated,0,3121819.story

Obama sending AG here to discuss fatal beating by Katherine Skiba. Copyright by The Associated Press. October 1, 2009 4:47 PM. WASHINGTON -- President Obama is taking up the case of Derrion Albert, the 16-year-old Fenger High School honor student whose fatal beating was captured on cell phone video, by dispatching two Cabinet secretaries to Chicago. http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/10/obama-sending-ag-to-chicago-to-discuss-fatal-beating.html

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Stroger and a subpoena. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 28, 2009. Only the foolhardy think they can guess precisely why prosecutors resort to subpoenas in any given case. In this case, though, we have an excellent clue: The Tribune's Hal Dardick and Matt Walberg report that Cook County prosecutors have subpoenaed county financial records in what sources tell the newspaper is a widening criminal investigation. The probe began with questions about Stroger's 2008 hiring -- and oddly rapid promotion -- of steakhouse busboy Tony Cole: You'll recall that Cole's county salary shot from $48,000 to $61,000 in only four months. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0928edit1sep28,0,2968956.story

Report rips Huberman's oversight of contracts - Inspector general says 'management failure' cost city $2.25 million BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter fspielman@suntimes.com. Copyright by The Chicago Sun Times. October 2, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/1802378,CST-NWS-huberman02.article

Kiddieland has an emotional last day - Thousands enjoy and say goodbye to amusement park in Melrose Park on its last day open to the public By Georgia Garvey and Steve Brosinski. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. September 28, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-kiddieland-closes-28-sep28,0,7923084.story




Economy


Big Merger Deals Signal Restored Confidence By ANDREW ROSS SORKIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 28, 2009. The corner office is getting a bit more bullish about the economy. While investors have been bidding up shares in the stock market for months, many chief executives and boards had privately remained skittish about their own businesses — until recently. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/29/business/29sorkin.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1254240111-V1KRtF1L9XqfA7xisiCTPg

Bernanke, in Nod to Critics, Suggests Board of Regulators By EDMUND L. ANDREWS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben S. Bernanke, told skeptical lawmakers on Thursday that the Fed should be put in charge of regulating the nation’s biggest financial institutions. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/business/economy/02regulate.html?hpw

Fed Proposes Rules on Credit Cards. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 29, 2009. WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The Federal Reserve proposed tough credit card rules on Tuesday to protect consumers from potentially costly practices by lenders, and moved to put in place legislation enacted in May. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/30card.html?th&emc=th

Banks to Prepay Assessments to Rescue F.D.I.C. By STEPHEN LABATON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 29, 2009. WASHINGTON — Acknowledging that they had greatly underestimated the problems plaguing the nation’s banks, federal officials on Tuesday proposed a $45 billion plan financed by the industry to rescue the ailing insurance fund that protects bank depositors. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/30/business/economy/30regulate.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

U.S. Job Seekers Exceed Openings by Record Ratio By PETER S. GOODMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 26, 2009. Despite signs that the economy has resumed growing, unemployed Americans now confront a job market that is bleaker than ever in the current recession, and employment prospects are still getting worse. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/business/economy/27jobs.html?th&emc=th

Jobs Report Highlights Shaky U.S. Recovery By PETER S. GOODMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 2, 2009. After several months in which the American economy flashed tentative signs of improvement, a sobering report on the national job market released on Friday amplified worries that a lengthy period of lean times lay ahead. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/business/economy/03jobs.html?hpw

GE appears ready to hand over control of NBC Universal to Comcast - Comcast to pool cash, cable channels into new firm that would control 51 percent stake; GE to contribute NBC Universal, own By Meg James and Ben Fritz. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. October 3, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-sat-comcast-nbc-1003oct03,0,5727052.story




Housing


Home prices rise for 3rd straight month, still off from 2008. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 9:26 a.m. CDT, September 29, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/dow-home-prices-case-shiller-sep29,0,5688181.story

Foreclosure Rate Rises 17 Percent By Renae Merle. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, September 30, 2009; 10:46 AM. The number of homes lost to foreclosures rose about 17 percent in the second quarter of this year despite the launch of an extensive government program aimed at helping borrowers save their home, according to government data released Wednesday. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/30/AR2009093001696.html?hpid=topnews

Evicted owners stripping homes of all valuables BY CAROLE SHARWARKO AND STEFANO ESPOSITO. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. September 26, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/1792042,CST-NWS-strip27.article




GLBT

Prop 8 deja vu in Maine by Rex Wockner. Copyright by The Windy City Times and by Rex Wockner. 2009-09-30. Maine voters will decide Nov. 3 whether to veto a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor that legalized same-sex marriage. The law has not yet taken effect pending the outcome of the election. The TV ad war got under way Sept. 15, and it looks and smells like the Proposition 8 ad war last year in California. Some analysts believe gays lost marriage in California because the No on 8 campaign lost the TV ad war. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23041

Maine to scrutinize anti-gay groups by Lisa Keen ©2009 Keen News Service. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009. The Maine campaign ethics committee voted 3-2 Oct. 1 to launch a formal investigation into the funding of an anti-gay ballot initiative in that state this year. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23075

Chicago Free Press Editorial: Memo to the Vatican: Stop blaming us. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. October 1, 2009. The late Rev. Jerry Falwell, who most in the GLBT community probably don’t miss so much, had a famous quote about gays, reportedly told to his (gay) speechwriter Mel White: “Thank God for these gay demonstrators. If I didn’t have them, I’d have to invent them. They give me all the publicity I need.” The same now goes for the Catholic Church. But the Church is not looking for free publicity in its rhetorical attacks on GLBTs; it’s looking for scapegoats. http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3941

Speakers Announced for National Equality March. Copyright by The Windy City Times. NEWS UPDATE Sept. 30, 2009. Washington, DC, September 30, 2009 — Longtime gay activist David Mixner, who in May called for a national march on Washington "to empower our young and to show the nation that anything less than full freedom is unacceptable," is among the featured speakers at the October 11th National Equality March ( NEM ) in Washington, organizers announced today. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23073

Views: The fight for equal marriage by State Sen. Heather Steans and State Rep. Greg Harris. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-09-30 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23022

Politics aside, gay marriage gets a boost - Illinois senator, rival both push it -- that's a good thing BY MARK BROWN. Copyright by The Sun-Times. October 1, 2009 http://www.suntimes.com/news/brown/1800741,CST-NWS-brown01.article


Technology

A Burst of Technology, Helping the Blind to See By PAM BELLUCK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 26, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/health/research/27eye.html?th&emc=th

Unicom to Sell Apple iPhones In China From October. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: September 28, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/09/28/technology/tech-us-chinaunicom.html?scp=1&sq=iphones%20in%20china&st=cse

Cisco Buys Norwegian Firm for $3 Billion By ASHLEE VANCE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — Cisco Systems continued to show just how serious it was about videoconferencing, announcing late Wednesday night the $3 billion acquisition of Tandberg, a Norwegian video communications company. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/technology/companies/02cisco.html?th&emc=th

Texting While Driving Banned for Federal Staff By MATT RICHTEL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: October 1, 2009. Federal employees will not be allowed to text while driving, according to an executive order signed Wednesday night by President Obama. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/technology/02distracted.html?th&emc=th



Other

New York Times Editorial: High Cost of Death Row. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: September 27, 2009. To the many excellent reasons to abolish the death penalty — it’s immoral, does not deter murder and affects minorities disproportionately — we can add one more. It’s an economic drain on governments with already badly depleted budgets. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/opinion/28mon3.html?th&emc=th

Eyes on Texas DA as new leader of forensics panel By JEFF CARLTON © 2009 The Associated Press. Oct. 2, 2009, 3:01PM. DALLAS — Gov. Rick Perry's surprise appointment of a conservative ally to lead a panel investigating whether Texas executed an innocent man has raised the question of whether politics will trump science on the state's forensics board. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/6649290.html


Humor

"Pittsburgh Irates" http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-september-28-2009/pittsburgh-irates

Free Hugs in Amsterdam http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BE1YqDYlLo

Yom Kippur vs. Lent http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2009/09/yom-kippur-vs-lent.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

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



In Pride (orgullo),


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

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