The Toyota Crisis Newsletter - February 3, 2010

The Toyota Crisis Newsletter - February 3, 2010

Due to the large number of interesting articles will have a mid week newsletter this week.

“As it worked on solutions to the acceleration problem, Toyota has said that computers on its cars were not at fault. But lawyers, safety advocates and consumers continue to raise questions about the cars’ electronic systems, which they say could cause a car’s throttle to stick. Toyota faces 11 class-action lawsuits over accidents involving the defect. In their letter, Mr. Waxman, Democrat of California, and Mr. Stupak, Democrat of Michigan, told Mr. Lentz that statements he had made in interviews appeared to contradict information Toyota officials gave to committee staff members in a meeting last week. The Energy and Commerce Committee plans a hearing late this month to explore two recalls of Toyota vehicles related to reports of cars speeding up unexpectedly. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform plans its own hearing on Toyota next week. Mr. LaHood is expected to testify, as is Yoshimi Inaba, the chief executive of Toyota’s North American operations.” BILL VLASIC

Toyota’s Slow Awakening to a Deadly Problem By BILL VLASIC. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010. DETROIT — The 911 call came at 6:35 p.m. on Aug. 28 from a car that was speeding out of control on Highway 125 near San Diego. Jordan Ziprin of Phoenix said regulators had focused exclusively on mechanical issues. “I believe this is an electronic issue.” The caller, a male voice, was panic-stricken: “We’re in a Lexus ... we’re going north on 125 and our accelerator is stuck ... we’re in trouble ... there’s no brakes ... we’re approaching the intersection ... hold on ... hold on and pray ... pray ...” The call ended with the sound of a crash. The Lexus ES 350 sedan, made by Toyota, had hit a sport utility vehicle, careened through a fence, rolled over and burst into flames. All four people inside were killed: the driver, Mark Saylor, an off-duty California Highway Patrol officer, and his wife, daughter and brother-in-law. It was the tragedy that forced Toyota, which had received more than 2,000 complaints of unintended acceleration, to step up its own inquiry, after going through multiple government investigations since 2002. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/business/01toyota.html?th&emc=th

Japan Tells Toyota to Test Prius Brakes for Defect By HIROKO TABUCHI. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: February 3, 2010. NAGOYA, Japan — The Japanese government said Wednesday that it had ordered Toyota to investigate a possible defect in its newest Prius hybrid model after receiving 14 reports of brake trouble, another blow for an automaker already embroiled in its biggest-ever recall. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/global/04prius.html?hpw

Stop Driving Recalled Toyotas, Says Agency Chief By MICHELINE MAYNARD. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: February 3, 2010. Ray LaHood, the Transportation secretary, said Wednesday morning during a House Appropriations panel hearing that owners of recalled Toyotas should stop driving them and take them to their dealers to be repaired. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/global/04toyota.html?ref=global-home

Toyota Says It Will Start Fixing Recalled Cars This Week By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/business/global/02toyota.html?ref=global-home

Answers to Questions About Toyota’s Repair Plans By MICHELINE MAYNARD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/business/02questions.html?th&emc=th




International

When Economics Meets Politics By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/opinion/03friedman.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: The Not-So-Safe Euro Zone. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010. The euro is facing the most serious crisis in its 11-year history. Greece, one of 16 European Union members that uses the currency, must raise $76 billion this year — more than $50 billion of it before June 30 — or default. A default would threaten the euro’s global credibility, scare investors away from other struggling European economies and likely reverse Europe’s fragile recovery. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/opinion/02tues2.html?th&emc=th

E.U. Warns of Tough Supervision of Greece’s Budget By STEPHEN CASTLE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 3, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/business/global/04drachma.html?ref=global-home

Eurozone retail sales disappoint By Stanley Pignal in Brussels. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 3 2010 12:25 | Last updated: February 3 2010 12:25. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/eurozone-retail-sales-disappoint.html

U.S. Decision to Skip Meeting Seen as Slight in Europe By STEVEN ERLANGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010. PARIS — President Obama has decided not to attend a United States-European Union summit meeting scheduled for Madrid in May, and European Union officials found out about the decision through news outlets late on Monday, senior European officials said Tuesday morning. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/world/europe/03europe.html?ref=global-home

NEW York Times Editorial: Thinking About a New Haiti. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW York Times. Published: January 31, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/opinion/01mon1.html?th&emc=th

Case Stokes Haiti’s Fear for Children, and Itself. Copyright by Reuters By GINGER THOMPSON. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/world/americas/02orphans.html?th&emc=th

Haiti Is Again a Canvas for Approaches to Aid By NEIL MacFARQUHAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 30, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/world/americas/31reconstruct.html?ref=global-home

Haiti’s Homeless Are Short Hundreds of Thousands of Tents, Aid Groups Say By GINGER THOMPSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/world/americas/25haiti.html?hpw

In Haiti, Many Amputees Have No Place to Go By RAY RIVERA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/world/americas/25amputee.html?scp=1&sq=haiti's%20amputees&st=cse



China


China’s Defiance Stirs Fears for Missing Dissident By ANDREW JACOBS. Copyright by Reuters. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/world/asia/03dissident.html?th&emc=th




Mess-o-potamia


Iraqi Court Overturns Ban on Hundreds of Candidates By STEVEN LEE MYERS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 3, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/04/world/middleeast/04baghdad.html?ref=global-home

Scores Killed in Attack on Shiite Pilgrims in Iraq By STEVEN LEE MYERS. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/world/middleeast/02iraq.html?th&emc=th


National


New York Times Editorial: A Verdict Against Vigilantism. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010. On Friday, a Kansas jury convicted an anti-abortion extremist of first-degree murder for the shooting death of a Wichita abortion provider, Dr. George Tiller. It was a just verdict, but it was not only the judgment of guilt that mattered in this case. The trial sends an important message upholding the rule of law. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/opinion/02tues3.html?th&emc=th

Obama should act more like a president than a prime minister By Fareed Zakaria. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, January 25, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012402300.html

Follow the Leader: We elected him to do the right thing—not take dictation. By Anna Quindlen. Copyright by NEWSWEEK. Published Jan 29, 2010. From the magazine issue dated Feb 8, 2010 http://www.newsweek.com/id/232833

How Obama can reset his presidency By Clive Crook. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 24 2010 20:25 | Last updated: January 24 2010 20:25. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-obama-can-reset-his-presidency.html

Making Sense of the New Political Anger By SAM TANENHAUS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 23, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/weekinreview/24tanenhaus.html?hpw




Chicagoland

Illinois Area Latest Primary Election Results http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/results/index.html

Preckwinkle declares victory in Cook County Board president race - Todd Stroger stung by last-place showing BY LISA DONOVAN, FRANK MAIN AND CHERYL JACKSON. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. February 2, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/2025733,cook-county-board-race-020210.article

Ald. Carothers pleads guilty to corruption in deal with feds BY Jeff Coen and Todd Lighty. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. February 1, 2010 12:49 PM http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/02/ald-carothers-pleads-guilty-to-corruption-charges.html

City awards clout-heavy firm towing contract, again - Company linked to Daley pal has held the job for 20 years BY FRAN SPIELMAN. COPYRIGHT BY THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. February 2, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/cityhall/2024003,CST-NWS-sameguys02web.article



Health Care


“A major British medical journal on Tuesday retracted a flawed study linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. The retraction by The Lancet comes a day after a competing medical journal, BMJ, issued an embargoed commentary calling for The Lancet to formally retract the study. The commentary was to have been published on Wednesday.” The British Medical Journal

Lancet retracts study linking vaccines, autism - British medical journal The Lancet on Tuesday retracted a flawed study published in 1998 linking the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine to autism and bowel disease. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune and The Associated Press. February 2, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-ap-health-lancet-autism-retract-feb02-20100202,0,7730853.story

Who is to blame for obesity, and what should be done about it? Is it individuals or junk food? Regardless, some workplaces now offer health-based initiatives. By Marni Jameson. Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times. February 1, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-he-fat-blame1-2010feb01,0,7067398.story

LaDonna Redmond pushes obesity battle on Chicago's West Side By Dawn Turner Trice. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 7:52 a.m. CST, January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-trice-0125-20100124,0,6373898.column



Health Care Reform


Financial Times Editorial Comment: US healthcare reform falls ill. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 24 2010 19:49 | Last updated: January 24 2010 19:49. Last week’s loss in Massachusetts has stunned the Democratic party and caused panic. One likely consequence is that healthcare reform – Barack Obama’s signature initiative – will go down to defeat. This is a reform that the US badly needs, and which is decades overdue. Must the effort be abandoned? http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/01/financial-times-editorial-comment-us_25.html



GOP Bashing


Paulson says he was scared and clueless during Lehman collapse BY GAIL MARKSJARVIS. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. February 01, 2010 http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/marksjarvis_on_money/2010/02/paulson-says-he-was-scared-and-clueless-during-lehman-collapse.html

G.O.P. Hits Its Stride, but Faces Rifts Over Ideology By ADAM NAGOURNEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 30, 2010. HONOLULU — Republican leaders burst into applause here the other day as their luncheon speaker, Gov. Linda Lingle of Hawaii, shared the latest analysis by a Washington Congressional handicapper: The way things are heading, she read, “you can count on the Democratic majority in the House being toast this fall.” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/us/politics/31gop.html?hpw

Lady BlahBlah By CHARLES M. BLOW. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 15, 2010. I have often accused Sarah Palin of having more fight than strategy in her. But I must concede that her decision to become a contributor to Fox News is a shrewd one. Touché, Barracuda http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/opinion/16blow.html

The Tea Party Last Time By ROBERT ZARETSKY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/opinion/03zaretsky.html?th&emc=th

The Great Tea Party Rip-Off By FRANK RICH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 16, 2010... The entire Tea Party Convention is a profit-seeking affair charging $560 a ticket — plus the cost of a room at the Opryland Hotel. Among the convention’s eight listed sponsors is Tea Party Emporium, which gives as its contact address 444 Madison Avenue in New York, also home to the high-fashion brand Burberry. This emporium’s Web site offers a bejeweled tea bag at $89.99 for those furious at “a government hell bent on the largest redistribution of wealth in history.” This is almost as shameless as Glenn Beck, whose own tea party profiteering has included hawking gold coins merchandised by a sponsor of his radio show. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/opinion/17rich.html

U.S. Examines Whether Blackwater Tried Bribery By MARK MAZZETTI and JAMES RISEN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/world/middleeast/01blackwater.html?th&emc=th

Shame on John McCain....Copyright by John Mixner. Feb 1 2010. John-McCain Just as the President is beginning to show serious leadership and courage on DADT, Senator John McCain of Arizona has announced he will lead the change against repeal. The senator knows better and we all know that he knows better. Most likely in the "Hanoi Hilton" there were gay prisoners of war being tortured with the senator. McCain most certainly has served with men and women he knew were gay and witnessed them serving with distinction. And there is no question in my mind that the senator really doesn't believe that the morale of the United States military is so low that allowing open members of the LGBT community to serve would make this nation weak. http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/02/shame-on-john-mccain.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29

Defending the Long Gay Line By MAUREEN DOWD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010...Before Admiral Mullen and Secretary of Defense Bob Gates even made their opening statements, John McCain went on the attack against overturning the policy. Noting that gays and lesbians had served “admirably” and even given their lives, he said: “I honor their sacrifice, and I honor them.” Just as long as they deny their identity and pretend to be something they’re not. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/opinion/03dowd.html?th&emc=th

Supreme Court ruling calls for a populist revolt By E.J. Dionne Jr. Copyright by The Washington post. Monday, January 25, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012402298.html

Obama Continues Policy Outreach to Republicans By CARL HULSE and JEFF ZELENY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: February 2, 2010. WASHINGTON — Emboldened by the response to President Obama’s face-off with House Republicans last week, the White House is intensifying its push to engage Congressional Republicans in policy negotiations as a way to share the burden of governing and put more scrutiny on Republican initiatives. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/us/politics/03bipartisan.html?th&emc=th

February 1, 2010: Q & O http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-february-1-2010/q---o

February 1, 2010: Faulty Powers http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-february-1-2010/faulty-powers




The Economy



“President Obama got his priorities mostly right in the new $3.8 trillion budget for the fiscal year 2011. It calls for increased spending on education and clean energy technology, shows some restraint on the defense budget, and, most importantly, calls for more spending on job creation. It also rightly lets the Bush-era tax cuts for high-income Americans expire as scheduled at the end of 2010.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: Mr. Obama’s New Budget. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/opinion/02tues1.html?th&emc=th

In $3.8 Trillion Budget, Obama Pivots to Trim Future Deficits By JACKIE CALMES and JEFF ZELENY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010. WASHINGTON — President Obama sent Congress on Monday a proposed budget of $3.8 trillion for the fiscal year 2011, saying that his plan would produce a decade-long reduction in the deficit from $1.6 trillion this year, a shortfall swollen by $100 billion in additional tax cuts and public works spending that he is seeking right away. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/politics/02budget.html?ref=global-home

Early winners and losers from Obama's proposed 2011 budget By Alec Macgillis. COPYRIGHT BY THE WASHINGTON POST. Monday, February 1, 2010; 1:51 PM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/01/AR2010020101869.html?hpid=topnews

Gates Shakes Up Leadership for F-35 By CHRISTOPHER DREW and THOM SHANKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/us/politics/02pentagon.html?hpw

Stumping for Jobs Plan, Obama Pushes Health Bill By PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/us/politics/03obama.html?th&emc=th

Global manufacturing surges back By James Politi in Washington, Stanley Pignal in Brussels and Justine Lau in Hong Kong. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 1 2010 20:16 | Last updated: February 2 2010 02:40. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/global-manufacturing-surges-back.html


US manufacturing sector continues to roar By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 1 2010 14:18 | Last updated: February 1 2010 15:40. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/us-manufacturing-sector-continues-to.html

Wall Street Tries to Shake Off January Blues. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: February 1, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/business/02markets.html?hpw

ADP shows US job cuts at two-year low By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 3 2010 13:59 | Last updated: February 3 2010 16:23. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/adp-shows-us-job-cuts-at-two-year-low.html

Risky Trading Wasn’t Just on the Fringe at A.I.G. By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: January 31, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/business/01swaps.html?th&emc=th

$100 Million Bonus Plan at A.I.G. Draws Fire By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH and SEWELL CHAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/business/03aig.html?th&emc=th

AIG staff agree to bonus cuts By Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 3 2010 00:24 | Last updated: February 3 2010 00:24. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/aig-staff-agree-to-bonus-cuts.html

Volcker plea over Wall St shake-up By Tom Braithwaite in Washington and Francesco Guerrera in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 2 2010 17:27 | Last updated: February 3 2010 01:25. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/volcker-plea-over-wall-st-shake-up.html

The Bernanke Conundrum By Paul Krugman. Copyright by The New York Times. January 23, 2010, 10:54 AM. A funny thing happened on the way to the Bernanke confirmation: the vote in Massachusetts turned an easy coronation into a tough fight. And this isn’t one of those cases where everyone who knows something is on one side. Look at two of my favorite econobloggers: the very judicious Calculated Risk says “We can do better”, while Brad DeLong says, “Don’t block Ben.” http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/the-bernanke-conundrum/?scp=2&sq=ben%20bernanke%20confirmation&st=cse

Allstate may shed 20% of its agents - Insurer also raising expectations for agents, like target of generating annual premiums of at least $4 million per location By Becky Yerak. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 31, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0131-allstate-agents--20100129,0,1436082,full.story



Your Money


Five myths about America's credit card debt By Robert D. Manning. Copyright by The Washington Post. Sunday, January 31, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/29/AR2010012902504.html

Citibank to keep checking accounts free until at least 2011 - The bank had planned to start charging $9.50 a month for balances below $1,500. It holds off in a settlement with the New York attorney general, who said customers did not receive adequate notice. By Nathaniel Popper. Copyright © 2010, The Los Angeles Times. February 2, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/la-fi-citigroup2-2010feb02,0,6696198.story

Moving Big Money By Dennis Santiago. Copyright by The Hoffington Post. January 23, 2010. I have to say I've always had a fondness for the State of New Mexico. I envy them the fact that they got to keep Governor Bill Richardson for themselves after the last election cycle. It doesn't surprise me that this state would be one of the first to recognize that there might be a payoff to bringing its operating accounts back inside its borders so the money can more closely support intra-state needs. That's exactly what legislator Brian Egolf proposes to do. And so we see the transition of the Move Your Money concept beyond the small sums game into big money. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-santiago/moving-big-money_b_434048.html



Housing


No Help in Sight, More Homeowners Walk Away By DAVID STREITFELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010. In 2006, Benjamin Koellmann bought a condominium in Miami Beach. By his calculation, it will be about the year 2025 before he can sell his modest home for what he paid. Or maybe 2040. “People like me are beginning to feel like suckers,” Mr. Koellmann said. “Why not let it go in default and rent a better place for less?” After three years of plunging real estate values, after the bailouts of the bankers and the revival of their million-dollar bonuses, after the Obama administration’s loan modification plan raised the expectations of many but satisfied only a few, a large group of distressed homeowners is wondering the same thing. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/business/03walk.html?th&emc=th

US pending home sales pick up in December By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: February 2 2010 16:44 | Last updated: February 2 2010 16:44 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c3c24978-1012-11df-841f-00144feab49a.html

Area home sales up for 6th month - U.S. home sales plunge nearly 17% in December after tax credit deadline extended By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 10:40 a.m. CST, January 25, 2010. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-chicago-home-sales,0,1278819.story



Energy

Is the $1,500 tax credit for each product? Each year? Each person? http://energystar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/energystar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5595&p_created=1236876860


Travel

Study: Airlines to charge more fees in 2010 By Carol Pucci. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. February 1, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/ct-travel-airline-fees-going-up-story-20100201,0,5597113.story

10 dirtiest hotels in the U.S. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/ct-dirty-hotels-story,0,4952170.htmlstory




GLBT


“History was made on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. More than 16 years after their predecessors helped impose the odious “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, the nation’s two top defense officials called on Congress to repeal the law that bans gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the military. The principled courage of the defense secretary and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is a major step forward for civil rights.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: Equality in the Military. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/opinion/03wed1.html?th&emc=th

Washington Post Editorial: Repeal the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, February 1, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013101870.html

Pentagon supports ending 'don't ask, don't tell' law for gays in military By Craig Whitlock and Greg Jaffe. Copyright by The Washington Post. Wednesday, February 3, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/02/AR2010020200251.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

Forces Pushing Obama on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ By ELISABETH BUMILLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010. WASHINGTON — President Obama and top Pentagon officials met repeatedly over the past year about repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the law that bans openly gay members of the military. But it was in Oval Office strategy sessions to review court cases challenging the ban — ones that could reach the Supreme Court — that Mr. Obama faced the fact that if he did not change the policy, his administration would be forced to defend publicly the constitutionality of a law he had long opposed. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/us/politics/01military.html?th&emc=th

Shame on John McCain....Copyright by John Mixner. Feb 1 2010. John-McCain Just as the President is beginning to show serious leadership and courage on DADT, Senator John McCain of Arizona has announced he will lead the change against repeal. The senator knows better and we all know that he knows better. Most likely in the "Hanoi Hilton" there were gay prisoners of war being tortured with the senator. McCain most certainly has served with men and women he knew were gay and witnessed them serving with distinction. And there is no question in my mind that the senator really doesn't believe that the morale of the United States military is so low that allowing open members of the LGBT community to serve would make this nation weak. http://www.davidmixner.com/2010/02/shame-on-john-mccain.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DavidMixnerCom+%28DavidMixner.com%29

Defending the Long Gay Line By MAUREEN DOWD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010...Before Admiral Mullen and Secretary of Defense Bob Gates even made their opening statements, John McCain went on the attack against overturning the policy. Noting that gays and lesbians had served “admirably” and even given their lives, he said: “I honor their sacrifice, and I honor them.” Just as long as they deny their identity and pretend to be something they’re not. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/opinion/03dowd.html?th&emc=th

'Marriage' benefits costly for gay couples - Heterosexuals are protected by $40 license, but wills and legal safeguards for same-sex couples cost thousands By Rex W. Huppke Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 18, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-gays-pay-more-18-jan18,0,2205178.story

LEGALLY SPEAKING - PROTECT YOUR LOVER BY MAKING YOUR WILL by Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss. Copyright by Gay Chicago Magazine and Roger V. McCaffrey-Boss. February 4-10, 2010 http://www.gaychicagomagazine.com/advice/legallyspeaking.shtml

GAY RIGHTS GROUP PUSHES ILLINOIS CIVIL UNION BILL. Copyright y Gay Chicago Magazine. January 28-February 3, 2010 http://www.gaychicagomagazine.com/news/illinois.shtml

Mona Noriega seeks aldermanic post by Tracy Baim. Copyright by The Windy City Times. January 20, 2010 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24469


Technology

Nine out of 10 premium-priced PCs sold at US retail is a Mac By Joe Wilcox. COPYRIGHT BY BETANEWS.COM. Published February 1, 2010, 1:30 PM http://www.betanews.com/joewilcox/article/Nine-out-of-10-premiumpriced-PCs-sold-at-US-retail-is-a-Mac/1265047893

A Little Chip Designed by Apple Itself By ASHLEE VANCE and BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 1, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/technology/business-computing/02chip.html?th&emc=th

Recharging Your Cellphone, Mother Nature’s Way By ANNE EISENBERG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 30, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/business/31novel.html?hpw

Publisher Wins Fight With Amazon Over E-Books By MOTOKO RICH and BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010. After a weekend of brinksmanship, Amazon.com on Sunday surrendered to a publisher and agreed to raise prices on some electronic books. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/technology/companies/01amazonweb.html?th&emc=th

Is the Day of Tiny Ads Finally Here? By ERIC PFANNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010. Every year around this time, a few brave forecasters declare that advertising on mobile devices is poised to become the next big thing in marketing. And every year, the results disappoint. But this year, with technology powerhouses like Apple and Google introducing whole new mobile devices and buying up ad firms specializing in the small screen, the forecasts may finally be right. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/01/technology/01cache.html?th&emc=th

EBay typos can save you money By Craig Crossman, McClatchy. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 22, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sc-ym-0131-ebay-typos-20100125,0,2036204.story




Entertainment


The 82nd Annual Oscar Nominations By THE NEW YORK TIMES. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. February 2, 2010, 8:34 AM http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/oscar-nominations/?ref=global-home

‘Avatar’ and ‘Hurt Locker’ Lead the Oscar Field By MICHAEL CIEPLY. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. February 2, 2010, 8:54 AM http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/02/avatar-and-hurt-locker-lead-the-oscar-field/?hpw

Avatar' tops $2 billion in ticket sales. Copyright by The Associated Press and Hollywood.com. January 31, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sc-ent-0131-celebs-celebrity-20100131,0,398968.story

Beyonce, Swift score big at the Grammys By Chris Richards. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, February 1, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/31/AR2010013100757.html?hpid=topnews

O’Brien Will Leave ‘Tonight Show,’ NBC Says. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: January 21, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/21/business/AP-US-TV-Conan-Leno.html?scp=5&sq=O%92Brien%20Will%20Leave%20%91Tonight%20Show,%92%20NBC%20Says%20&st=cse

O’Brien Undone by His Media-Hopping Fans By BILL CARTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/business/media/25conan.html?scp=1&sq=O%92Brien%20Will%20Leave%20%91Tonight%20Show,%92%20NBC%20Says%20&st=cse



Other

The Decline of St. Vincent’s Hospital By ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: February 2, 2010. For more than 150 years, St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan has been a beacon in Greenwich Village, serving poets, writers, artists, winos, the poor and the working-class, and gay people. It has treated victims of calamities: the cholera epidemic of 1849, the sinking of the Titanic in 1912, the 9/11 attack and, just last year, the Hudson River landing of US Airways Flight 1549. The poet Edna St. Vincent Millay got her middle name from the hospital, where her uncle’s life was saved in 1892 after he was accidentally locked in the hold of a ship for several days without food or water. But today the hospital is struggling, and last week, in what could mean the death knell of the last Roman Catholic general hospital in New York City, a chain of hospitals proposed to take over St. Vincent’s, shut down its inpatient beds and most of its emergency room services, and convert it into an outpatient center tied to hospitals uptown and on the East Side. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/nyregion/03vincents.html?th&emc=th


Humor


Weakly Humerus News 01-30-10 http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/weakly-humerus-news-01-30-10.html

Hello... http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/hello.html

Growing Old http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/02/growing-old.html





I am on a cast and receiving ultrasonic stimulation for bone regeneration. My cast will come off February 8th, just in time for our trip to Paris February 15th. Thanks to all who prayed and helped take care of me.

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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=a0b517e687814469f8153c5070d69f99

If you received this email and wish to be removed from the list, please return the newsletter with “cancel” on the “subject line.”

Obama's Second Year Newsletter - January 30, 2009

Obama's Second Year Newsletter - January 30, 2009

“The union is in a state of deep and justifiable anxiety about jobs and mortgages and two long, bloody wars. President Obama did not create these problems, and none could be solved in one year. But 2009 offered powerful and, at times, bruising lessons for a new president struggling to fulfill the seismic promise of his election. Mr. Obama used his first State of the Union address to show the country what he has learned and how he intends to govern in the next three years.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: The Second Year. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/opinion/28thu1.html?th&emc=th

A Dose of Reality, a Bid to Restore Magic By PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 27, 2010. WASHINGTON — By now, President Obama can hardly be under any illusions about the depth of the partisan divide as he seeks to reboot his presidency. Yet he still seemed surprised on Wednesday night when he could not get Republicans to applaud tax cuts. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/us/politics/28assess.html?th&emc=th

Obama to Party: Don’t ‘Run for the Hills’ By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 27, 2010. WASHINGTON — President Obama vowed Wednesday night not to give up on his ambitious legislative agenda, using his first State of the Union address to chastise Republicans for working in lock-step against him and to warn Democrats to stiffen their political spines. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/us/politics/28obama.html?th&emc=th

Obama’s Credibility Gap By BOB HERBERT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010. Who is Barack Obama? Americans are still looking for the answer, and if they don’t get it soon — or if they don’t like the answer — the president’s current political problems will look like a walk in the park. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/opinion/26herbert.html?th&emc=th

Speech Therapy - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart http://www.hulu.com/watch/124518/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-speech-therapy

Speech Therapy Post Racial - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart http://www.hulu.com/watch/124519/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-speech-therapy-post-racial

Reactions split on Obama's remark, Alito's response at State of the Union By Robert Barnes. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, January 29, 2010. President Obama called out the Supreme Court. Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. winced at the accusation and muttered, "Not true." And then official Washington and the legal community went to the tape, and examined it frame by frame. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012802893.html?wpisrc=nl_politics

O'Connor Calls Citizens United Ruling 'A Problem' - Retired Justice Says New Rules Could Corrupt Judicial Elections By MATTHEW MOSK. Copyright by ABC News. Jan. 26, 2010. Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor issued her own polite public dissent to the recently decided case on corporate political spending, telling law students that the court has created an unwelcome new path for wealthy interests to exert influence on judicial elections. http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/oconnor-citizens-united-ruling-problem/story?id=9668044

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor talks to Wolf Blitzer on the court's rulings on campaign finance. http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2010/01/28/tsr.wolf.oconner.interview.cnn?hpt=C2

How companies became 'persons' By Clarence Page. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 8:15 a.m. CST, January 27, 2010. Riddle me this: When is a corporation like a freed slave? Answer: When it is trying to win human rights in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/ct-oped-0127-page-20100126,0,5726772.column





International


Japan’s High Debt Prompts Credit Rating Warning BY HIROKO TABUCHI AND BETTINA WASSENER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/business/global/27yen.html?ref=global-home

Britain Breaks Out of Recession, but Just Barely By DAVID JOLLY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/business/global/27pound.html?ref=global-home

Deep in Debt, Spain Cuts Spending by $70 Billion By ANDRÉS CALA and MATTHEW SALTMARSH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/business/global/30euecon.html?hpw

Europe Weighs Possibility of Debt Default in Greece By STEPHEN CASTLE and MATTHEW SALTMARSH. COPYRIGHT BY Bloomberg News. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/business/global/29bailout.html?th&emc=th

Financial Times Editorial Comment: Republican bigotry. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 26 2010 19:59 | Last updated: January 26 2010 19:59. By bluntly insisting that France’s republican values are under threat from a thousand or so women who wear full-face veils, a parliamentary commission that submitted a report opposing the practice on Tuesday merely succeeded in cheapening those values. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/financial-times-editorial-comment.html

Fighting Starvation, Haitians Share Portions By DAMIEN CAVE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/world/americas/26hunger.html?ref=global-home




China


China Leading Race to Make Clean Energy By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 30, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/business/energy-environment/31renew.html?ref=global-home

As China Rises, Economic Conflict With West Rises Too By KATRIN BENNHOLD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/business/global/27yuan.html?ref=global-home

U.S. Deal With Taiwan Has China Retaliating By KEITH BRADSHER. COPYRIGHT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES. Published: January 30, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/world/asia/31china.html?ref=global-home






Mess-o-potamia


New York Times Editorial: Iran, After the Deadline. Copyright by New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010. ran has again proved to be a master at playing for time. Six months after a new diplomatic overture from Washington and its partners, Tehran has shown no interest in resolving the dispute over its nuclear program. It is time for President Obama and other leaders to ratchet up the pressure with tougher sanctions. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/opinion/30sat1.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1264874427-7urzKvW84B8RV2fosTMMTA

Washington Post Editorial: The key to dealing with Iran: Press ties with opposition. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, January 30, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/29/AR2010012904225.html

U.S. Speeding Up Missile Defenses in Persian Gulf By DAVID E. SANGER and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 30, 2010. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is accelerating the deployment of a series of new defenses against possible Iranian missile attacks in the Persian Gulf, placing special ships off the Iranian coast and antimissile systems in at least four Arab countries, according to administration and military officials. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/world/middleeast/31missile.html?ref=global-home

Karzai Sees Taliban Pact as Central to Ending War By JOHN F. BURNS and ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/world/asia/29diplo.html?ref=global-home

Afghan Tribe to Fight Taliban, Prompting Aid From U.S. By DEXTER FILKINS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 27, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/world/asia/28tribe.html?th&emc=th

Bomber Strikes Near U.S. Base in Afghanistan By ROD NORDLAND and ABDUL WAHEED WAFA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/world/asia/27afghan.html?ref=global-home

U.S. Forces Take On Major Role at Ethnic Border in Iraq By STEVEN LEE MYERS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/world/middleeast/27mosul.html?ref=global-home

Blast Hits Central Baghdad as Attacks Accelerate By JOHN LELAND and ANTHONY SHADID. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/world/middleeast/27iraq.html?ref=global-home




National


Bankers in favour of paying global fee By Patrick Jenkins in Davos and Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 30 2010 00:02 | Last updated: January 30 2010 00:02. Some of the world’s most prominent bankers have come out in favour of a global bank wind-down fund, a concession from the industry after weeks of fighting proposals for new taxes in the US and Europe. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/bankers-in-favour-of-paying-global-fee.html

U.S. Drops Plan for a 9/11 Trial in New York City By SCOTT SHANE and BENJAMIN WEISER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/nyregion/30trial.html?th&emc=th

Overdevelopment chokes New Buffalo, Michigan BY Francis X. Donnelly. COPYRIGHT BY The Detroit News. Last Updated: January 30. 2010 1:00AM http://detnews.com/article/20100130/METRO/1300352/Overdevelopment-chokes-New-Buffalo--Michigan




Chicagoland


Don’t forget to vote February 2, 2010! I already did!

Chicago Sun-Times Editoriial: July 3rd cuts sad, but sensible. Copyright by THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES. January 29, 2010. When times are tough, responsible leaders make cuts -- even some that are painful. So we have to agree with the City of Chicago's decision to dispense with its annual July 3 fireworks show in Grant Park, an event so popular that it drew more than 1.2 million spectators last summer. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2017692,CST-EDT-edit29b.article

July 3rd fireworks fizzle for 2010 - Chicago will have three smaller Independence Day shows By John Byrne and Daarel Burnette II. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 27, 2010. Chicago's traditional July 3 Grant Park fireworks extravaganza is shelved this year, eliminating one of the city's largest communal experiences that brings more than a million people to the lakefront to spread out blankets, coolers and lawn chairs to watch the colorful spectacle http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-met-july-3-fireworks-20100127,0,6649103.story

Chicago Tribune Election Center http://elections.chicagotribune.com/

Sun-Times offering online election center http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2007696,CST-NWS-ballot24.article

WINDY CITY TIMES 2010 PRIMARY ELECTION SPECIAL Click for printable charts 2010-01-20. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24192

Fresh Off a Massachusetts Victory, G.O.P. Aims at Illinois By MONICA DAVEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/us/26illinois.html?th&emc=th

Local: Politicians pack the house to get out the vote By Rick Stuckey. Copyright by The Chicago Free Press. Published: January 21, 2010. History was made Tuesday night when more than a dozen openly lesbian or gay candidates running for Illinois public office presented their platforms at an event at Sidetrack. Equality Illinois, the Lesbian and Gay Bar Association of Chicago and Join the Impact hosted the forum to showcase the out politicians. http://dev.chicagofreepress.com/2010/01/21/local-politicians-pack-the-house-to-get-out-the-vote/

Privatize Illinois' tollways? Voters say no - Voters of both parties overwhelmingly reject the idea, but some candidates back idea By Richard Wronski. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-met-0126-tollway-poll-20100125,0,6256936.story

Illinois adds Powerball to lottery game lineup By Angie Leventis Lourgos. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 30, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-met-illinois-lottery-powerball-20100129,0,4814211.story


Health Care


Cigarettes May Cause Infections By Janet Raloff. Copyright by Wired Science. January 29, 2010. The tobacco in cigarettes hosts a bacterial bonanza — literally hundreds of different germs, including those responsible for many human illnesses, a new study finds. http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/01/cigarettes-may-cause-infections/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+wired/index+%28Wired:+Index+3+%28Top+Stories+2

Jury Reaches Guilty Verdict in Murder of Abortion Doctor By MONICA DAVEY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: January 29, 2010. WICHITA, Kan. —It took jurors 37 minutes on Friday to convict Scott Roeder, an abortion opponent, of first-degree murder in the death of George R. Tiller, one of the few doctors in the country to perform late-term abortions. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/us/30roeder.html?emc=na

After Long Decline, Teenage Pregnancy Rate Rises By TAMAR LEWIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010. After more than a decade of declining teenage pregnancy, the pregnancy rate among girls ages 15 to 19 increased 3 percent from 2005 to 2006 — a turnaround likely to intensify the debate over federal financing for abstinence-only sex education. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/us/27teen.html?th&emc=th

Male Abusers Often Sabotage Birth Control With Partners - Study found physical violence often accompanied by attempts to get young women pregnant. Copyright by Business Week. January 25, 2010. MONDAY, Jan. 25 (HealthDay News) -- A new report says that male partners of teenage girls and young women who engage in physical and sexual violence also often try to sabotage the birth control the women are using. http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/635254.html




Health Care Reform


“It would be a terrible mistake for Democrats to abandon comprehensive health care reform just because voters in the Massachusetts Senate race last week decided that they liked the Republican, Scott Brown, more than the Democrat, Martha Coakley.” New York Times Editorial

New York Times Editorial: Don’t Give Up Now. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/opinion/26tues1.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: The Insurer vs. the Hospitals. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010. A bitter dispute between one of the nation’s largest health insurers and a consortium of New York City hospitals illustrates the difficulties of controlling the ever-rising costs of medical care and insurance premiums. In this case, the insurer appears to be acting responsibly, if a bit heavy-handedly. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/opinion/30sat2.html?th&emc=th



GOP Bashing



Citing 9/11, Blair Defends Legacy at Iraq Inquiry By JOHN F. BURNS and ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times
Published: January 29, 2010. Taken together, popular opprobrium over Iraq and the sense that he has used the stature derived from 10 years in office to amass a fortune — said by British newspapers to be worth at least $30 million — have made the 56-year-old former prime minister, once popular enough to win three general elections, into something approaching a pariah at home. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/world/europe/30britain.html?scp=1&sq=Citing%209/11,%20Blair%20Defends%20Legacy%20at%20Iraq%20Inquiry%20&st=cse

Why do people often vote against their own interests? Copyright by BBC News. Page last updated at 00:57 GMT, Saturday, 30 January 2010. The Republicans' shock victory in the election for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts meant the Democrats lost their supermajority in the Senate. This makes it even harder for the Obama administration to get healthcare reform passed in the US. Political scientist Dr David Runciman looks at why is there often such deep opposition to reforms that appear to be of obvious benefit to voters. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm

Tampering at Landrieu Office Called a ‘Stunt’ By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON and BERNIE BECKER. COPYRIGHT BY The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010. The four men were charged by federal authorities with fraudulently entering a federal building for the purpose of “interfering” with Ms. Landrieu’s phone system, a felony that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/us/politics/29landrieu.html?th&emc=th

Tea Party Disputes Take Toll on Convention By KATE ZERNIKE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010. A Tea Party convention billed as the coming together of the grass-roots groups that began sprouting up around the country a year ago is unraveling as sponsors and participants pull out to protest its expense and express concerns about “profiteering.” The convention’s difficulties highlight the fractiousness of the Tea Party groups, and the considerable suspicions among their members of anything that suggests the establishment. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/us/politics/26teaparty.html?th&emc=th





The Economy


U.S. Economy Grew at Fastest Pace in 6 Years Last Quarter By CATHERINE RAMPELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010. The United States economy grew at its fastest pace in over six years at the end of 2009, but a sluggish job market is still souring economists on the sustainability of the recovery. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/business/economy/30econ.html?ref=global-home

US jobless claims in modest fall By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 28 2010 15:08 | Last updated: January 28 2010 15:08. The number of US workers claiming jobless benefits fell modestly last week but remains stubbornly high, labour department figures showed, offering a reminder that unemployment continues to be a problem. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/us-jobless-claims-in-modest-fall.html

US consumer companies see stronger demand By Jonathan Birchall and Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 28 2010 13:54 | Last updated: January 28 2010 16:23. Procter & Gamble, the world’s biggest consumer products company, reported quarterly sales that exceeded Wall Street’s expectations on Thursday, as it increased promotional price cuts and marketing to drive top line growth. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/us-consumer-companies-see-stronger.html

Obama to Seek Spending Freeze to Trim Deficits By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/us/politics/26budget.html?th&emc=th

Ford Sees Profit of $2.7 Billion in Year It Calls ‘Pivotal’ By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/business/29ford.html?ref=global-home

Bernanke Confirmed for Second Term as Fed Chief By SEWELL CHAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/business/economy/29fed.html?hp

Toyota Halts Sales of 8 Models in U.S. for Pedal Flaw By NICK BUNKLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010. Toyota Motor, still struggling to resolve a problem with accelerator pedals, said Tuesday that it would temporarily stop building and selling eight models, including the popular Camry and Corolla sedans, in the North American market. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/business/27toyota.html?th&emc=th



Your Money


Obama Outlines Plan to Increase Employment By SEWELL CHAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 29, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/30/business/smallbusiness/30small.html?th&emc=th

Senate Democrats eye $80B jobs package By By Ben Pershing. Copyright by The Washington Post. January 26, 2010; 11:12 AM ET http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/01/senate-democrats-eye-80b-jobs.html?hpid=topnews




Housing


Home Prices Up Slightly in November By DAVID STREITFELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010. The recovery in the housing market is still alive, barely, according to data released Tuesday. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/business/economy/27econ.html?adxnnl=1&hpw=&adxnnlx=1264528801-rpiuxP0l72iuHwkQSEJRuQ



Energy


Wind Power Grows 39% for the Year By JAD MOUAWAD. COPYRIGHT BY The New York Times. Published: January 26, 2010. Despite a crippling recession and tight credit markets, the American wind power industry grew at a blistering pace in 2009, adding 39 percent more capacity. The country is close to the point where 2 percent of its electricity will come from wind turbines. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/business/energy-environment/26wind.html?th&emc=th



Travel


36 Hours in Buenos Aires By PAOLA SINGER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 31, 2010 http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/31/travel/31hours.html?th&emc=th




GLBT


“In the wake of the Maine defeat, a coterie of liberal bloggers and activists called for a temporary moratorium on DNC donations. The fledgling movement, which has adopted the motto “Don’t Ask, Don’t Give” and has attracted the likes of legendary gay rights activist David Mixner, hopes to discourage donations to the party until the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the repeal of both “don’t ask, don’t tell” and the Defense of Marriage Act. In so doing, these activists are hoping to reshape—if not completely upset—the relationship between gays and the Democratic Party.“ James Kirchick

Gays vs. Democratic Party By James Kirchick. Copyright by The Advocate Magazine. February 2010. They’re fond of your checkbooks — and deaf to your demands for equal rights. What will it take for the Democratic Party to step up? http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Politicians/Gays_vs_Democratic_Party/

The Crazy Eights - Meet the Democratic state senators who helped dash marriage hopes for New York. Copyright by The Advocate Magazine. February 2010. Conventional wisdom for years was that the Republican majority in the New York state senate was all that stood in the way of marriage equality in that state. And Democrats used that hunch—and more than $1 million from gay political action groups—to win control of the body in 2008 for the first time in four decades. That’s why it came as such a surprise in December when eight Democrats joined 30 Republicans to kill a marriage bill in the state senate. Now conventional wisdom is that these eight senators (listed here, clockwise from top left) will face a hell of a fight in their bids for reelection come November. http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Marriage_Equality/The_Crazy_Eight/

Another Tea Party by Carlos T. Mock, MD. January 30, 2009. I voted for Barack Obama as the lesser of two evils. As an openly Gay activist I had serious doubts about his candidacy because Mr. Obama was against the most fundamental human right: same sex marriage. I was swayed by the enthusiasm of the general election and cast my vote for him on November 4, 2008. I hoped he would eventually come to terms with the our community. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/another-tea-party.html

GLAAD Reconsidered - COMMENTARY: Is leading gay media watchdog GLAAD muzzled by the entertainment companies it’s supposed to police? By Michelangelo Signorile. Copyright by The Advocate Magazine. February 2010 issue http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Commentary/GLAAD_Reconsidered/

New York Times Editorial: Ending ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 28, 2010. Toward the end of his State of the Union address Wednesday night, President Obama said something that untold numbers of Americans who suffer discrimination had wanted to hear for more than 16 years. He promised to work to repeal the law that bans gay members of the military from living their lives openly. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/opinion/29fri1.html?hpw

On issue of gays in military, Pentagon will make recommendations to Congress By Craig Whitlock and Ed O'Keefe. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, January 29, 2010. The Pentagon has been studying ways to integrate gays into the military and, for the first time, will offer recommendations to Congress next week "on a way forward," defense officials said Thursday, following President Obama's declaration that he wants to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law this year. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803728.html?wpisrc=nl_politics




Weather


A Deadly Quake in a Seismic Hot Zone By HENRY FOUNTAIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 25, 2010. To scientists who study seismic hazards in the Caribbean, there was no surprise in the magnitude 7 earthquake that devastated the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, two weeks ago. Except, perhaps, in where on the island of Hispaniola it occurred. “If I had had to make a bet, I would have bet that the first earthquake would have taken place in the northern Dominican Republic, not Haiti,” said Eric Calais, a geophysicist at Purdue University who has conducted research in the area for years. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/science/26fault.html?th&emc=th

Technology



With Apple Tablet, Print Media Hope for a Payday By BRAD STONE and STEPHANIE CLIFFORD. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: January 25, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/technology/26apple.html?th&emc=th

With Its Tablet, Apple Blurs Line Between Devices By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 27, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/technology/companies/28apple.html?th&emc=th

The iPad Threat to PCs By Arik Hesseldahl. Copyright by Business Week. Computers January 27, 2010, 11:14PM EST text size: TT. Apple's (AAPL) new iPad, a lightweight device that browses the Web and delivers media, may serve as an alternative to netbooks and pose a threat to PC makers. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100127_783646.htm?campaign_id=widget_topStories

Apple's iPad: What's it really for? It's a way to showcase multi-touch tech, open new doors for Apple By Ryan Faas. Copyright by Computerworld. January 30, 2010 05:49 AM ET http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9150007/Apple_s_iPad_What_s_it_really_for_?taxonomyId

Apple's Effect on Content Partners: More Good Than Bad - Pairing with Apple had mixed results for the music industry, but the iPad may well give struggling publishers an opportunity to rebuild their businesses By Peter Burrows. Copyright by Business Week. January 27, 2010, 10:38PM EST http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jan2010/tc20100127_652056.htm?campaign_id=widget_topStories

Live Blogging the iPad Product Announcement By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. January 27, 2010, 10:30 am. Update | 2:16 p.m. There will be models with 3G wireless connectivity. There will be two 3G plans for iPad owners. The first one, for up to 250 MB of data a month, will cost $14.99 per month. For unlimited data, its $29.99 a month. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/live-blogging-the-apple-product-announcement/?ref=global-home

Amazon Pulls Macmillan Books Over E-Book Price Disagreement By BRAD STONE. Copyright by The New York Times. January 29, 2010, 11:19 pm http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/amazon-pulls-macmillan-books-over-e-book-price-disagreement/?th&emc=th

Revival in PC Sales Lifts Microsoft’s Earnings. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: January 28, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/29/technology/companies/29soft.html?th&emc=th


Entertainment


NBC's late-night lesson: Quit chasing the cool - Baby boomers taste revenge with Leno's return By Neal Gabler. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 27, 2010. Every high school in America has its cool kids, the smart, snarky ones who sit in the prow of culture, and its dorks, the plodding if amiable ones who sit in the middle of the boat and try not to make waves. One needs to be reminded of this in assessing what was really at stake in the headline-making Jay Leno- Conan O'Brien war that ended last week with an agreement to pay $45 million to O'Brien and his staff. http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sc-ent-0126-leno-demographics-20100126,0,1081944.story



Other


J.D. Salinger: voice of America - What creator of Holden Caulfield taught a nation of readers, writers BY LAURA MILLER. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. January 30, 2010 http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/2020103,CST-EDT-open31a.article




I am on a cast and receiving ultrasonic stimulation for bone regeneration. My cast will come off February 8th, just in time for our trip to Paris February 15th. Thanks to all who prayed and helped take care of me.

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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=a0b517e687814469f8153c5070d69f99

If you received this email and wish to be removed from the list, please return the newsletter with “cancel” on the “subject line.”

Ending Abusive Relationships Mini-Newsletter - January 25, 2009

Ending Abusive Relationships Mini-Newsletter - January 25, 2009


“So you could wait for President Obama to try to resurrect the Glass-Steagall Act with a new name maybe starting with the letter V after battling through the legislative process and its attendant lobby ridden minefields, or you could move the money to create the effective outcome of such an act and change behavior patterns using "tangible" persuasion.” Dennis Santiago

Moving Big Money By Dennis Santiago. Copyright by The Hoffington Post. January 23, 2010 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dennis-santiago/moving-big-money_b_434048.html

Bill Maher On Ending Abusive Relationships - With Your Bank http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaFJoGMVcGU&feature=email Go to http://moveyourmoney.info/

Obama Calls for Bank Tax to Recoup Bailout By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 14, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/us/15tax.html?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: Tax Them Both. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 12, 2010. The White House is talking about levying a tax or fee on large banks to recover the $120 billion it spent to bail out the financial system. That is a good place to start, but it shouldn’t stop there. President Obama and Congress should also impose a windfall tax on the huge bonuses that bailed-out bankers plan to pay themselves over the next few weeks. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/opinion/13wed1.html?th&emc=th

Federal Reserve earned $45 billion in 2009 By Neil Irwin. Copyright by The Washington Post. Tuesday, January 12, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/11/AR2010011103892.html?hpid=topnews

Financial Times Editorial Comment: US government to reap the windfall. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 12 2010 22:35 | Last updated: January 12 2010 22:35. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/01/financial-times-editorial-comment-us.html

Banks Prepare for Bigger Bonuses, and Public’s Wrath By LOUISE STORY and ERIC DASH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 9, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/business/10pay.html?ref=global-home

Supreme Court ruling calls for a populist revolt By E.J. Dionne Jr.. Copyright by The Washington post. Monday, January 25, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012402298.html




International


Haiti’s Homeless Are Short Hundreds of Thousands of Tents, Aid Groups Say By GINGER THOMPSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/world/americas/25haiti.html?hpw

In Haiti, Many Amputees Have No Place to Go By RAY RIVERA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/world/americas/25amputee.html?scp=1&sq=haiti's%20amputees&st=cse

Pat Robertson says Haiti paying for 'pact to the devil' Copyright by CNNNews. January 13, 2010 6:58 p.m. EST http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.pat.robertson/




China


Google, Citing Attack, Threatens to Exit China By ANDREW JACOBS and MIGUEL HELFT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 12, 2010. This article was reported by Andrew Jacobs, Miguel Helft and John Markoff and written by Mr. Jacobs. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/world/asia/13beijing.html?th&emc=th

In Rebuke of China, Focus Falls on Cybersecurity By MIGUEL HELFT and JOHN MARKOFF. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 13, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/technology/14google.html?th=&adxnnl=1&emc=th&adxnnlx=1263495684-HaiFeBdwsVBEudNJnBL/Tg

China Becomes Biggest Exporter. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: January 10, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/10/world/AP-AS-China-Trade.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

As China Rises, Fears Grow on Whether Boom Can Endure By MICHAEL WINES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 11, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/world/asia/12china.html?th&emc=th





Mess-o-potamia


Bomb Blast Kills Physics Professor in Tehran By ALAN COWELL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 12, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/world/middleeast/13iran.html?ref=global-home

Iraq Sentences 11 to Death in Ministry Bombings By NADA BAKRI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 14, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/world/middleeast/15iraq.html?ref=global-home



National


Making Sense of the New Political Anger By SAM TANENHAUS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 23, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24/weekinreview/24tanenhaus.html?hpw

Obama should act more like a president than a prime minister By Fareed Zakaria. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, January 25, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/24/AR2010012402300.html

How Obama can reset his presidency By Clive Crook. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 24 2010 20:25 | Last updated: January 24 2010 20:25. One year into his presidency, Barack Obama has come to a defining moment. He needs to reset, and Wednesday’s state of the union address is the place to begin. http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-obama-can-reset-his-presidency.html


Chicagoland


Chicago Tribune Election Center http://elections.chicagotribune.com/

Sun-Times offering online election center http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/2007696,CST-NWS-ballot24.article

WINDY CITY TIMES 2010 PRIMARY ELECTION SPECIAL Click for printable charts 2010-01-20. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24192


Health Care


Facing End-of-Life Talks, Doctors Choose to Wait By DENISE GRADY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 11, 2010. It’s a conversation that most people dread, doctors and patients alike. The cancer is terminal, time is short, and tough decisions loom — about accepting treatment or rejecting it, and choosing where and how to die. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/health/12seco.html?th&emc=th

LaDonna Redmond pushes obesity battle on Chicago's West Side By Dawn Turner Trice. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. 7:52 a.m. CST, January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-met-trice-0125-20100124,0,6373898.column


Health Care Reform


Financial Times Editorial Comment: US healthcare reform falls ill. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 24 2010 19:49 | Last updated: January 24 2010 19:49. Last week’s loss in Massachusetts has stunned the Democratic party and caused panic. One likely consequence is that healthcare reform – Barack Obama’s signature initiative – will go down to defeat. This is a reform that the US badly needs, and which is decades overdue. Must the effort be abandoned? http://newsletter91507.blogspot.com/2010/01/financial-times-editorial-comment-us_25.html



GOP Bashing


The Great Tea Party Rip-Off By FRANK RICH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 16, 2010. Even given the low bar set by America’s bogus conversations about race, the short-lived Harry Reid fracas was a most peculiar nonevent. For all the hyperventilation in cable news land, this supposed racial brawl didn’t seem to generate any controversy whatsoever in what is known as the real world. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/opinion/17rich.html

Lady BlahBlah By CHARLES M. BLOW. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 15, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/opinion/16blow.html



Your Money


The Bernanke Conundrum By Paul Krugman. Copyright by The New York Times. January 23, 2010, 10:54 AM. A funny thing happened on the way to the Bernanke confirmation: the vote in Massachusetts turned an easy coronation into a tough fight. And this isn’t one of those cases where everyone who knows something is on one side. Look at two of my favorite econobloggers: the very judicious Calculated Risk says “We can do better”, while Brad DeLong says, “Don’t block Ben.” http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/23/the-bernanke-conundrum/?scp=2&sq=ben%20bernanke%20confirmation&st=cse

FDIC chief puts blame on Fed for crisis By Tom Braithwaite in Washington. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 14 2010 14:59 | Last updated: January 14 2010 14:59 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0a3b97c8-0114-11df-a4cb-00144feabdc0.html

US retail sales drop in December By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Published: January 14 2010 14:39 | Last updated: January 14 2010 17:23 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/73957524-010d-11df-a4cb-00144feabdc0.html

Recession Spurs Interest in Graduate, Law Schools By REBECCA R. RUIZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 9, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/education/10grad.html?th&emc=th



Housing


Area home sales up for 6th month - U.S. home sales plunge nearly 17% in December after tax credit deadline extended By Mary Ellen Podmolik. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune 10:40 a.m. CST, January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-chicago-home-sales,0,1278819.story


Immigration


Officials Hid Truth of Immigrant Deaths in Jail By NINA BERNSTEIN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 9, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/us/10detain.html?th&emc=th



Travel


Puerto Rico's mild, mild west - Though it's best known for bustling San Juan, this island's west side is relaxing and full of hidden gems. by Margaret Ramirez. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 10, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/sc-trav-0105-puerto-rico-20100108,0,2302886.story

10 dirtiest hotels in the U.S. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 25, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/ct-dirty-hotels-story,0,4952170.htmlstory





GLBT



Mona Noriega seeks aldermanic post by Tracy Baim. Copyright by The Windy City Times. January 20, 2010. Long-time Latina lesbian activist Mona Noriega is seeking appointment by Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley to the 1st Ward aldermanic seat vacated by Manny Flores. The appointment could come as early as this week. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24469

Portugal's parliament votes in favor of same-sex marriages By BARRY HATTON. Copyright 2010 Associated Press. 1:29 p.m. CST, January 8, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-eu-portugal-gay-marriage,0,2551823.story

Personal Focus as Same-Sex-Marriage Trial Opens in California By JESSE McKINLEY. Copyright b y The Associated Press. Published: January 11, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/us/12prop8.html?th&emc=th

New York Times Editorial: Discrimination on Trial, but Not on TV. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 14, 2010 . The trial that started on Monday in San Francisco over the constitutionality of California’s voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage could have been a moment for the entire nation to witness a calm, deliberative debate on a vitally important issue in the era of instant communications. Instead, the United States Supreme Court made it a sad example of the quashing of public discourse by blocking the televising of the nonjury trial. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/opinion/14thu3.html?th&emc=th

Argentinian couple makes history by Emmanuel Garcia. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2010-01-13. Alex Freyre and Jose Maria di Bello made headlines around the world Dec, 28, 2009, as the first same-sex couple in Latin America to marry. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24067


Religion


Religion and Women By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 9, 2010. Religions derive their power and popularity in part from the ethical compass they offer. So why do so many faiths help perpetuate something that most of us regard as profoundly unethical: the oppression of women? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/opinion/10kristof.html?th&emc=th

In Malaysia, Uproar Grows Over Use of Word ‘Allah’ By SETH MYDANS. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 10, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/world/asia/11malaysia.html?ref=global-home


Entertainment


O’Brien Will Leave ‘Tonight Show,’ NBC Says Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: January 21, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/21/business/AP-US-TV-Conan-Leno.html?scp=5&sq=O%92Brien%20Will%20Leave%20%91Tonight%20Show,%92%20NBC%20Says%20&st=cse

O’Brien Undone by His Media-Hopping Fans By BILL CARTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 24, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/25/business/media/25conan.html?scp=1&sq=O%92Brien%20Will%20Leave%20%91Tonight%20Show,%92%20NBC%20Says%20&st=cse

Conan O'Brien slams NBC executives on 'Tonight Show' By Dana Kavan. Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune. January 12, 2010 http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-101112-conan-fires-back-nbc,0,1453491.story



Humor


Anniversary special: The 20 best things HOMER SIMPSON ever said. Copyright by The Washington Post. January 10, 2010 http://voices.washingtonpost.com/comic-riffs/2010/01/anniversary_special_the_20_bes.html?hpid=topnews



My surgery yesterday was successful. I hope to have a speedy recovery so that I can be back up to speed in about six weeks. Thanks to all that have expressed support and concern.

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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=a0b517e687814469f8153c5070d69f99

If you received this email and wish to be removed from the list, please return the newsletter with “cancel” on the “subject line.”

I love this Country Mini-Newsletter - January 9, 2009

"I love this country. It is a great nation, and it wasn't made that way by angry persons." - Garrison" Keillor


International

Chávez Devalues Currency Amid Oil Fall By SIMON ROMERO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/world/americas/09venez.html?hpw



China

China Tries a New Tack to Go Solar By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by Reuters. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/energy-environment/09solar.html?hpw



Mess-o-potamia

Bomber Who Killed C.I.A. Officers Appears in Video By STEPHEN FARRELL. Copyright by Reuters. Published: January 9, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/world/middleeast/10balawi.html?ref=global-home


National

Obama Tries to Turn Focus to Jobs, if Other Events Allow By JACKIE CALMES. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/economy/09assess.html?hpw

Courts Roll Back Limits on Spending in Election Law By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/us/politics/09donate.html?hpw


Chicagoland

Kirk's sexuality questioned; Meister weighs in by Andrew Davis. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2010-01-06 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24004

Climate change


Winter Breaks Budgets and Rules the Road By SUSAN SAULNY. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/us/09roads.html?hpw


Health Care Reform


Obama Says Benefits From Health Care Overhaul Would Be Immediate By JEFF ZELENY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 9, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/health/policy/10webaddress.html?hpw



GOP Bashing


Steele's book release, fiery rhetoric fuel dissatisfaction within GOP By Philip Rucker and Chris Cillizza. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, January 9, 2010 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/07/AR2010010703699.html?wpisrc=nl_pmpolitics

Obama criticized on airline incident when Bush wasn't By Josh Gerstein. December 31, 2009. Copyright © 2010 The Seattle Times Company and Politico.com http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2010643179_airlineprez31.html


Your Money


Newly Frugal Generation Revives Discount Dining - Early bird dinners draw a younger crowd in North Miami. By DAMIEN CAVE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/business/economy/09earlybird.html?hpw

Immigration


For Immigrants, New Travel Concerns By ANNE BARNARD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/nyregion/09screen.html?th&emc=th



GLBT

Marriage repeal efforts in N.H., Iowa. News update Wed., Jan. 5, 2010 by Lisa Keen ©2010 Keen News Service http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24040

A closer look at the N.J. Senate marriage vote. News update Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 by Chuck Colbert ©2010 Keen News Service http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=24053

History-making gay judge set to retire by Byron Flitsch. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2010-01-06 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23990

reliquia portenas http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=IL&hl=en&v=S-mkR-KoPts



Technology


The War For the Web by Tim O'Reilly. Copyright by by Tim O'Reilly and radar o'reilly.com. On Friday, my latest tweet was automatically posted to my Facebook news feed, as always. But this time, Tom Scoville noticed a difference: the link in the posting was no longer active. It turns out that a lot of other people had noticed this too. Mashable wrote about the problem on Saturday morning: Facebook Unlinks Your Twitter Links. http://radar.oreilly.com/2009/11/the-war-for-the-web.html

A Deluge of Devices for Reading and Surfing By BRAD STONE and NICK BILTON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 8, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/technology/personaltech/09reader.html?ref=global-home

H.P. Working on ‘Half-Pint’ Android Tablet By NICK BILTON. Copyright by The New York Times. January 8, 2010, 6:44 PM, Update | 7:33 p.m. Includes Hewlett-Packard’s response. http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/hp-working-on-halfpint-android-tablet/?hpw

The Pogie Awards for the Year’s Best Tech Ideas By DAVID POGUE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 30, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/31/technology/personaltech/31pogue.html?_r=2&th&emc=th


Travel


The 31 Places to Go in 2010 Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 10, 2010 http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10places.html?th&emc=th

36 Hours in New York City By AMY VIRSHUP. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: January 10, 2010. URBAN renewal. The phrase conjures up government-backed megaprojects from the ’70s, but it’s organic to New York, where someone is always getting off the bus, train or plane. In the last year, the city has opened a hot new park, Lincoln Center celebrated its 50th anniversary with a major face-lift that includes a new fountain with 353 custom-made, computer-controlled nozzles, and the center of cool shifted innumerable times (but it’s probably still somewhere in Brooklyn). http://travel.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/travel/10hours.html?hpw



Entertainment


On this New Years Eve we will be blessed with a...Blue Moon... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxpnPKxEA1o

Humor


WEAKLY HUMERUS NEWS 01-09-10 AIMED AT YOUR FUNNY BONE http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2010/01/weakly-humerus-news-01-09-10-aimed-at.html

Bodhisattva in metro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jedd2FiZTqM



My surgery yesterday was successful. I hope to have a speedy recovery so that I can be back up to speed in about six weeks. Thanks to all that have expressed support and concern.

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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=a0b517e687814469f8153c5070d69f99

If you received this email and wish to be removed from the list, please return the newsletter with “cancel” on the “subject line.”

Happy 2010 Newsletter - December 30, 2009

I fractured my left wrist on December 24. I am going for surgery on January 8, 2010. Unfortunately I will not be doing newsletters until my cast comes off.

I wish you all the best in 2010 and I leave you with this personal commentary about Christmas.




Based on observations from the Hubble Space Telescope, there are at least 125 billion galaxies in the universe. It is estimated that at least ten percent of all sun-like stars have a system of planets, there are 6.25×1018 stars with planets orbiting them in the universe. If even a billionth of these stars have planets supporting life, there are some 6.25 billion life-supporting solar systems in the universe.

Would any of these planets celebrate Christmas? Was Christ made flesh only once? Was the Original Sin committed only once, and on this globe? What injustice! Both for the other worlds, deprived of the Incarnation; and for us because, in that case people of the worlds devoid of Original Sin would be perfect, like our progenitors before the Fall. They would enjoy a natural happiness without the weight of the Cross.

Or else, infinite Adams have infinitely committed the original sin, tempted by infinite Eves with infinite Forbidden Fruits and Christ has been obliged to become incarnate, preach, and suffer Calvary infinite times, and perhaps He is still doing so. If the worlds are infinite, his task will be infinite too. Infinite His task, then infinite the forms of his suffering. Therefore, to maintain his presence, He would have to enlarge Himself and be born on every planet with life forms on it.

There lies the mystery which certainly devout Christians refuse to acknowledge. If astronauts discover inhabitants on any other world would these creatures celebrate Christmas? If not, would it be cruel of the Lord God to deprive them of that knowledge?

If those inhabitants of the other worlds unknown to us, which could be an infinite number of worlds, know of the existence of God, how would they resolve the fact that there are other worlds?

In our contempt: we forget that to a flea, the dog is his universe, just like we humans are so small compared to our universe. So following this analogy, wouldn’t if follow that if our God made the universe infinite to us humans; could it not also follow that He made it infinite in both time as well as in space? E=mc2.

Would that make the universe eternal? If this is true, then there is no need of creation and it will be unnecessary to conceive the idea of God. If God is infinite, we can’t curtail His power, He would never cease to operate, and therefore, with a Universe that is infinite there would be no need for creation.

In which case, would there be Christmas anywhere?

Carlos T Mock, MD

Sarah "Paddy" Jones -- Elderly Salsa Queen http://www.urlesque.com/2009/12/18/sarah-paddy-jones-elderly-salsa-queen/

"JCPenny Christmas 2009 "Return To The Dog House" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_zp-I1mQxc&feature=related

A doggy Christmas surprise - Karácsonyi kutyás meglepetés http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUtPKbMwnRo&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Under The Mistletoe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TT9L3_nY_YY



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



In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.carlostmock.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=32&osCsid=006da62aa1b561e59a588cf73b086abb


If you received this email and wish to be removed from the list, please return the newsletter with “cancel” on the “subject line.”

Pass the Bill Newsletter - December 19, 2009

Pass the Bill Newsletter - December 19, 2009

“But let’s all take a deep breath, and consider just how much good this bill would do, if passed — and how much better it would be than anything that seemed possible just a few years ago. With all its flaws, the Senate health bill would be the biggest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare, greatly improving the lives of millions. Getting this bill would be much, much better than watching health care reform fail.” PAUL KRUGMAN

Pass the Bill By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/opinion/18krugman.html?th&emc=th

Democrats Clinch a Deal on Health Bill By ROBERT PEAR, DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 19, 2009. WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats said on Saturday that they had clinched an agreement on a far-reaching overhaul of the nation’s health care system, and that they were on track to approve the legislation by Christmas over fierce Republican opposition. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/health/policy/20health.html?hp

December 15, 2009: For He's a Jowly Good Fellow http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258564/december-15-2009/for-he-s-a-jowly-good-fellow



International

Nearing Arms Pact, U.S. and Russia Look Ahead By PETER BAKER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009. WASHINGTON — Eight months, three presidential meetings, countless Geneva negotiating sessions and one missed deadline later, the United States and Russia appear close to agreement on a new arms control treaty that will reduce their strategic nuclear arsenals by at least one quarter. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/world/18arms.html?ref=global-home

In Shift, U.S. Talks to Russia on Internet Security By JOHN MARKOFF and ANDREW E. KRAMER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/science/13cyber.html?th&emc=th

Attacker Fractures Berlusconi’s Nose By ELISABETTA POVOLEDO and RACHEL DONADIO. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/world/europe/14italy.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Abu Dhabi Gives Dubai $10 Billion for Use on Debt By LANDON THOMAS Jr. and BETTINA WASSENER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/global/15dubai.html?hpw



China

Financial Times Editorial Comment: China’s strong and brittle state. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 14 2009 19:42 | Last updated: December 14 2009 19:42. This year, we have grown accustomed to thinking about China’s strengths. We have been awed by its mountainous foreign exchange reserves and by its ability to power ahead in a global downturn. We have seen its ever-more sophisticated military and naval hardware on display. And we have witnessed its growing confidence on the world stage, to wit, its shrill lectures on the dangers of the US deficit and a weakening dollar. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/financial-times-editorial-comment.html

China’s Rapid Reactor Expansion Raises Concerns By KEITH BRADSHER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/business/global/16chinanuke.html?_r=1&ref=global-home



Mess-o-potamia


New York Times Editorial: A Test for President Karzai. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009. President Hamid Karzai’s inaugural speech last month resonated with high-minded purpose. He vowed to end the “culture of impunity” and “bring to justice” those who threaten Afghanistan’s future with predatory ways. Ministers in his government, he insisted, “must possess integrity and be professionals serving the nation.” Whom Mr. Karzai chooses for his new cabinet will be the first indicator, after his fraud-marred election, of whether he is truly determined to rein in epidemic levels of corruption and incompetence. His speech on Tuesday to an anti-corruption conference in Kabul suggested, ominously, that he still does not get it. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/opinion/16wed3.html?ref=global

New Afghan Cabinet List Draws Ire From Legislators. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: December 19, 2009. Filed at 11:03 a.m. ET. KABUL (AP) -- Afghan legislators complained Saturday that several members of President Hamid Karzai's proposed Cabinet are inexperienced and beholden to warlords -- opposition that threatens to slow the reform Washington believes essential to beating the Taliban. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/19/world/AP-AS-Afghanistan.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

U. N. Officials Say American Offered Plan to Replace Karzai By JAMES GLANZ and RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/asia/17galbraith.html?ref=global-home

Suicide Bomb Blast Near Hotel in Kabul. Copyright By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/15/world/AP-AS-Afghanistan.html?th&emc=th

Pakistan Strikes Down Amnesty for Politicians By JANE PERLEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/asia/17pstan.html?hpw

Pakistan Reported to Be Harassing U.S. Diplomats By JANE PERLEZ and ERIC SCHMITT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/asia/17visa.html?hpw

Iran Test-Fires Its Most Advanced Missile By MICHAEL SLACKMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/world/middleeast/17iran.html?ref=global-home

Credit Suisse to Settle Over U.S. Sanctions on Iran By CLAUDIO GATTI. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009. Credit Suisse, the second-largest Swiss bank after UBS, is expected to pay a fine of $536 million to settle charges with the federal government and state authorities in New York that it violated sanctions against doing business with Iran and other countries, the bank said in a statement on Tuesday. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/business/16bank.html?ref=global-home

New York Times Editorial: Iraq, the Kurds and the Americans. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009. Four months ago, with little fanfare, the State Department sent a full-time senior diplomat, Alan Misenheimer, to live in Iraq’s disputed oil-rich city Kirkuk. For the Obama administration, which had been hoping to back out of its day-to-day involvement in Iraq’s fractious politics, it was a smart, if belated, call. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/opinion/18fri1.html?th&emc=th

Weighing Netanyahu as Peace Maker By ETHAN BRONNER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/world/middleeast/16mideast.html?ref=global-home




National


Obama presses bank chiefs to lend more - White House to push for greater regulation, curbs on executive pay By Binyamin Appelbaum. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, December 14, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/13/AR2009121302760.html?wpisrc=nl_pmpolitics

New York Times Editorial: Guantánamo Must Be Closed. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/opinion/18fri2.html?th&emc=th

Senate passes defense spending bill, turns attention to health care By Paul Kane and Ben Pershing. Copyright by The Washington Post. Saturday, December 19, 2009; 11:20 AM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/19/AR2009121900796.html?hpid=topnews

Democrats Stepping Down (and Republicans, Too) By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 19, 2009. Representative Bart Gordon, a 13-term Tennessee Democrat who is chairman of the House science committee, has never lost any of the 15 counties in his conservative district, let alone been in recent danger of losing his House seat. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/us/politics/20cong.html?hp

Morgan Stanley’s Mack gives up on bonus - Move reflects backlash over compensation By Francesco Guerrera and Justin Baer in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 18 2009 19:03 | Last updated: December 18 2009 21:07 http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/morgan-stanleys-mack-gives-up-on-bonus.html



Climate change


Grudging Accord in Climate Talks By ANDREW C. REVKIN and JOHN M. BRODER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 19, 2009. COPENHAGEN — After two weeks of delays, grandstanding and frantic dealmaking, the United Nations climate change talks concluded here early Saturday morning with a grudging agreement by the participants to “take note” of a pact shaped by five major nations. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/20/science/earth/20accord.html?ref=global-home

U.S. unveils plan to rev up clean technology in poor nations - Nations pledge funds to make renewable energy more accessible By Juliet Eilperin. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, December 14, 2009; 11:03 AM http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/14/AR2009121400844.html?wpisrc=newsletter

Local Governments Can Lead Fight Against Climate Change by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Copyright by the Huffington Post. Posted: December 15, 2009 09:42 AM http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gov-arnold-schwarzenegger/local-governments-can-lea_b_392442.html


Health Care


Building a Baby, With Few Ground Rules By STEPHANIE SAUL. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 12, 2009. Unable to have a baby of her own, Amy Kehoe became her own general contractor to manufacture one. For Ms. Kehoe and her husband, Scott, the idea seemed like their best hope after years of infertility. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/us/13surrogacy.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Washington Post Editorial: HIV/AIDS: The incurable epidemic - Two studies show how difficult it is to eradicate HIV/AIDS. Copyright by The Washington Post . Wednesday, December 16, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/15/AR2009121504873.html

Overuse of CT scans will lead to new cancer deaths, a study shows - Each year that today's scanners are used, 14,500 deaths could result, researchers say. When healthy people are exposed to the radiation, the imaging may create more problems than it solves. By Thomas H. Maugh II. Copyright © 2009, The Los Angeles Times. December 15, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/la-sci-ct-scans15-2009dec15,0,5726817.story

Menopause, as Brought to You by Big Pharma By NATASHA SINGER and DUFF WILSON. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 12, 2009. MILLIONS of American women in the 1990s were told they could help their bodies ward off major illness by taking menopausal hormone drugs. Some medical associations said so. Many gynecologists and physicians said so. Respected medical journals said so, too. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/business/13drug.html?hpw







GOP Bashing


Disaster and Denial By PAUL KRUGMAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 13, 2009. When I first began writing for The Times, I was naïve about many things. But my biggest misconception was this: I actually believed that influential people could be moved by evidence, that they would change their views if events completely refuted their beliefs. And to be fair, it does happen now and then. I’ve been highly critical of Alan Greenspan over the years (since long before it was fashionable), but give the former Fed chairman credit: he has admitted that he was wrong about the ability of financial markets to police themselves. But he’s a rare case. Just how rare was demonstrated by what happened last Friday in the House of Representatives, when — with the meltdown caused by a runaway financial system still fresh in our minds, and the mass unemployment that meltdown caused still very much in evidence — every single Republican and 27 Democrats voted against a quite modest effort to rein in Wall Street excesses. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/opinion/14krugman.html?th&emc=th

In Senate Health Showdown, Round Goes to G.O.P. By ROBERT PEAR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009. WASHINGTON — On the 17th day of Senate debate on health legislation, it came down to this: A rock-ribbed conservative physician from Oklahoma squared off against a self-described democratic socialist from Vermont who was hoping for a full-throated debate on his proposal to establish a system of “Medicare for all.” The Oklahoman, Senator Tom Coburn, a Republican, had propounded a unanimous-consent request, stipulating that no amendment could be offered unless it had been publicly available for 72 hours, with an estimate of its costs. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/health/policy/17health.html?hpw

The Republicans' war within- In California, repercussions of one vote by legislator illustrate fractured state party By Michael Leahy. Copyright by The Washington Post. Monday, December 14, 2009 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/13/AR2009121303042.html?wpisrc=newsletter


Chicagoland


U.S. Said to Pick Illinois Prison to House Detainees By CHARLIE SAVAGE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/us/15gitmo.html?th&emc=th

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: Quinn right to back Thomson. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. December 16, 2009. There aren't many politicians who would push for transferring suspected terrorists to their state on the eve of a primary election. But Gov. Quinn, to his credit, did just that, showing strong leadership by backing the federal government's proposal to turn the Thomson Correctional Center into a new home for Guantanamo Bay detainees. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1941757,CST-EDT-edit16b.article

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial: State needs to put stop to revolving prison door. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. December 15, 2009. Sometimes, it's tempting to think the biggest bunch of repeat offenders in the state can be found right in our own Capitol. Year after year, various governors and legislators have approved policies that add to our prison populations. And year after year, they ignore the ultimate cost. http://www.suntimes.com/news/commentary/1939231,CST-EDT-edit15a.article

Supreme Court delays medical malpractice damage cap ruling By Bruce Japsen Tribune staff reporter. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. 9:45 a.m. CST, December 17, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-medical-malpractice-caps-supreme-court-dec17,0,513112.story

Democrat Alexi Giannoulias and Republican Mark Kirk have big leads in Senate primary, poll says - But 35 percent of Democrats, 46 percent of Republicans are undecided in race to replace Sen. Roland Burris By Rick Pearson. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. December 14, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/elections/chi-poll-senate-14-dec14,0,5398298.story

Silence is the golden rule in city politics BY CAROL MARIN. Copyright by The Chicago Sun-Times. December 19, 2009. Who hired Angelo Torres? Shame on me, I haven't asked in a while. But a headline last week ("City Silence on Misconduct Riles Daley") made me smack my forehead with "I should have had a V8!" clarity. I suddenly remembered what is too important to forget. That for five years, n-o-b-o-d-y at City Hall has ever answered that question. http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1948231,CST-EDT-carol20.article

Judge rules Chicago can acquire Bensenville cemetery for new O'Hare runway - Decision is last of major hurdles for airport expansion By Art Barnum. Copyright © 2009, Chicago Tribune. December 19, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ohare-cemetery-19-dec19,0,2236282.story

Chicago Tribune Editorial: Chicago. Wal-Mart. It's time. Copyright by The Chicago Tribune. December 18, 2009 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-1218edit1dec18,0,5534026.story




Economy


House Considers Reinstating Glass-Steagall - Looking for ways to pressure banks to lend more, Democrats may revisit the 1999 law that allowed Citigroup and others to combine consumer and investment banking By James Rowley and Christine Harper. Copyright by Bloomberg News. December 15, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/dec2009/pi20091215_324681.htm

Senate Panel Backs Bernanke for a Second Term at Fed By BRIAN KNOWLTON and JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/business/economy/18fed.html?hpw

US consumer prices rise in November - New home construction jumps 8.9% By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 16 2009 14:20 | Last updated: December 16 2009 14:20. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/us-consumer-prices-rise-in-november-new.html

Producer Prices Jump, Factory Reports Mixed. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/15/business/business-us-usa-economy.html?scp=1&sq=US%20producer%20prices%20jump%201.8%&st=cse

US jobless claims show unexpected rise - Labour market remains under pressure By Alan Rappeport in New York. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 17 2009 14:23 | Last updated: December 17 2009 14:23 http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/us-jobless-claims-show-unexpected-rise.html

Citigroup Reaches Deal to Repay U.S. Bailout Funds By ERIC DASH and JEFF ZELENY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/economy/15bank.html?ref=global-home

U.S. Said to Reconsider Quick Sale of Citigroup Stake By ERIC DASH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/business/global/17citi.html?hp

New York Times Editorial: Even Bigger Than Too Big to Fail. Copyright by New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009. Asserting that it “is among the strongest banks in the industry,” Citigroup announced on Monday that it would soon repay $20 billion of federal bailout money. This from a bank that has been in the red for most of the past two years, that is expected to limp through 2010 amid a torrent of loan losses, that saw its stock price close after the announcement at a measly $3.70 a share — and that, like other big banks, is still reluctant to lend. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/opinion/15tue1.html?th&emc=th

Exxon’s Natural Gas Holdings Grow With $31 Billion Deal By JAD MOUAWAD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009. In the biggest energy deal in years, Exxon Mobil said on Monday that it had agreed to buy XTO Energy, a domestic producer of natural gas, in an all-stock deal valued at $31 billion to increase its holdings in unconventional resources in the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/energy-environment/15exxon.html?ref=global-home

4 Big Mortgage Backers Swim in Ocean of Debt By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/business/17wards.html?adxnnl=1&hpw=&adxnnlx=1261073054-N0RASHJtEAk6d0iajvR+bQ

G.M. Plans to Close Saab After Sales Talks Collapse By NELSON D. SCHWARTZ. Copyright by Reuters. Published: December 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/business/global/19saab.html?ref=global-home



Your Money


Dec. 31 Is a Big Day for Online Charity By STEPHANIE STROM. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009. For charities that solicit donations online, Dec. 31 is more than New Year’s Eve — it is the most lucrative day of the year. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/us/18charity.html?scp=1&sq=Dec.%2031%20Is%20a%20Big%20Day%20for%20Online%20Charity%20&st=cse

Charities Criticize Online Fund-Raising Contest by Chase By STEPHANIE STROM. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 18, 2009. JPMorgan Chase & Company is coming under fire for the way it conducted an online contest to award millions of dollars to 100 charities. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/us/19charity.html?th&emc=th

Nice Gift, but Ask if You Can Return It By TARA SIEGEL BERNARD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 18, 2009. So you think you’ve picked out the perfect gift for your loved one. But there’s one more thing you should consider: how hard will it be to return it? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/your-money/household-budgeting/19returns.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Estate Tax Is Expiring, but Death Won’t Last By CARL HULSE. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 17, 2009. WASHINGTON — A Congressional tax standoff has opened a window of opportunity for wealthy Americans determined to avoid paying up post-mortem. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/us/politics/18cong.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Housing


Interest Rates Are Low, but Banks Balk at Refinancing By DAVID STREITFELD. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/business/economy/13rates.html?_r=1&th&emc=th


Commodities


Gold: On the flip side. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 15 2009 20:43. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/gold-on-flip-side.html

December 15, 2009: Prescott Financial Sells Gold, Women & Sheep http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/258566/december-15-2009/prescott-financial-sells-gold--women---sheep


Immigration


House Democrats push new comprehensive immigration bill By Ben Pershing. Copyright by The Washington Post. December 15, 2009 http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitol-briefing/2009/12/democrats_push_new_immigration.html?hpid=topnews

Immigration bill fails to mention gays. Copyright by The Windy City Times. News update Wed., Dec. 16, 2009. The measure takes major strides toward repairing America's broken immigration system. However, it does not include workers or same-sex couples. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23864



GLBT


D.C. Council Approves Gay Marriage By IAN URBINA. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009. WASHINGTON — The City Council passed a measure Tuesday legalizing same-sex marriage, making the nation’s capital the first jurisdiction below the Mason-Dixon Line to allow such unions. The bill, which passed by an 11-to-2 vote, may still face obstacles in Congress, among city voters and in the courts, but most advocates say they expect it to become law by the spring. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has said he will sign it. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/us/16marriage.html?_r=1&hp

Houston Is Largest City to Elect Openly Gay Mayor By JAMES C. McKINLEY Jr. Copyright by The Associated Press. Published: December 12, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/us/politics/13houston.html?th&emc=th

Faith, folly and Uganda's anti-homosexuality bill By Michael Gerson. Copyright by The Washington Post. Friday, December 18, 2009. It is sad when someone you care about threatens to do a foolish and destructive thing. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/17/AR2009121703673.html

California Companies Fight Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide By JESSE McKINLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 12, 2009. SAN FRANCISCO — As the political battle over same-sex marriage plays out in state capitals across the country, several California companies have emerged as the go-to players for opponents of the marriages. One of the companies, Mar/Com Services Inc., lists its business address here in San Francisco, a city well known for its large and politically active gay population. When Maine residents opposed to a new law permitting same-sex marriage decided earlier this year to challenge it, they hired Mar/Com to do the production work for the television and radio advertisements. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/13/us/13marriage.html?hpw

City council adopts Mercado resolution. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-12-16. The Chicago City Council adopted a resolution Dec. 2 regarding Puerto Rico teen Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, who was found murdered Nov. 14 in the commonwealth. Mercado, who was gay, was found decapitated, partially burned and dismembered on an isolated street. http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23836

POLITICS: Guide to the Gays. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-12-16 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23847

Linda Pauel: Hoping to hold court - Extended for the Online Edition of Windy City Times by Blair Mishleau. Copyright by The Windy City Times. 2009-12-16 http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=23826




Religion


How to Fight the Religious Right - A guide to defending yourself against Fundamentalist Christians By Brian Elroy McKinley. Copyright © 1995-2008 Brian Elroy McKinle http://www.elroy.net/ehr/fighttheright.html y

New York Times Editorial: A Bishop’s Words. Copyright by New York Times. Published: December 6, 2009. In the end it was not the power of repentance or compassion that compelled the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport, Conn., to release more than 12,000 pages of documents relating to lawsuits alleging decades of sexual abuse of children by its priests. It was a court order. The diocese had spent seven years fighting a lawsuit brought by The New York Times and three other newspapers to unseal the records in 23 lawsuits involving accusations against seven priests. The diocese, which settled those cases in 2002, was ready to battle all the way to the United States Supreme Court to keep the archive secret. It lost in October, when the justices declined to hear its appeal. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/opinion/07mon2.html?_r=1&th&emc=th



Technology


Will Web anonymity end as Facebook monetizes its gigantic customer profile database to become an "identity medium?" By Douglas MacMillan. Copyright by Business Week. December 14, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2009/tc20091214_734087.htm

F.T.C. Accuses Intel of Trying to Stifle Competition By STEVE LOHR. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/technology/companies/17chip.html?ref=global-home

With a New Phone, Google May Challenge Apple By MIGUEL HELFT. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 13, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/14/technology/companies/14gphone.html?th&emc=th

Google Phone May Rankle Android Partners - Marketing its own mobile phone might turn Google into a rival to many companies it now counts as allies in building the Android operating system By Olga Kharif. Copyright by Business Week. December 15, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2009/tc20091215_283413.htm

Google Loses in French Copyright Case. Copyright By REUTERS. Published: December 18, 2009. PARIS (Reuters) — A Paris court on Friday found the Internet giant Google guilty of violating copyright by digitizing books and putting extracts online, following a legal challenge by French publishers. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/technology/companies/19google.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Google Is in Talks to Buy Yelp By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 18, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/19/technology/companies/19yelp.html?hpw

Forecast for 2010: The Coming Cloud 'Catastrophe' Mark Anderson predicts a big remote-computing service disaster, lost momentum for Microsoft, and growth in consumer payments for online news content By Arik Hesseldahl. Copyright by Business Week. December 11, 2009 http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/dec2009/tc20091211_347388.htm

Europe Drops Microsoft Antitrust Case Over Browsers By KEVIN J. O'BRIEN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/17/business/global/17msft.html?_r=1&ref=global-home


Travel


British Airways Crews Vote to Strike By NICOLA CLARK. Copyright by Reuters. Published: December 14, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/business/global/15air.html?_r=1&ref=global-home

Court Halts Strike at British Airways By JULIA WERDIGIER. Copyright by Reuters. Published: December 17, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/18/business/global/18air.html?ref=global-home

A Takeoff, and Hope, for Boeing Dreamliner By WILLIAM YARDLEY. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/us/16flight.html?ref=global-home


Other


Poll Reveals Trauma of Joblessness in U.S. By MICHAEL LUO and MEGAN THEE-BRENAN. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 14, 2009. More than half of the nation’s unemployed workers have borrowed money from friends or relatives since losing their jobs. An equal number have cut back on doctor visits or medical treatments because they are out of work. Almost half have suffered from depression or anxiety. About 4 in 10 parents have noticed behavioral changes in their children that they attribute to their difficulties in finding work. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/us/15poll.html?th&emc=th





Entertainment


Man in the News: James Cameron By Matthew Garrahan. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009. Published: December 18 2009 20:15 | Last updated: December 18 2009 20:15. http://iretiredfromnewsletters.blogspot.com/2009/12/man-in-news-james-cameron.html

‘Up in the Air’ Nabs Some Golden Globe Love By BROOKS BARNES. Copyright by The New York Times. December 15, 2009, 8:58 AM http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/up-in-the-air-nabs-some-golden-globe-love/?ref=global-home

Comcast Introduces a Streaming TV Service By BRIAN STELTER. Published: December 16, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/business/media/16comcast.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Second City Looks Back in Laughter By LARRY ROHTER. Copyright by The New York Times. Published: December 15, 2009 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/16/arts/16second.html?th&emc=th


Humor


Canadian Ice Fishing Crazy Canucks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x768VAsOQSw

Billy Dee Williams Tiger Woods Collectible Plates http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgiCX_y1BW8



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In Pride (orgullo),


Carlos T. Mock, MD
www.carlostmock.com
Author: Borrowing Time: A Latino Sexual Odyssey - Floricanto Press 2003.
Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT
Round Table.
Author: The Mosaic Virus – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Author: Papi Chulo – Floricanto Press 2007.  Nominated for a Stonewall Award by the American Library Association GLBT Round Table, and a Lammie from The Lambda Literary Foundation
Author: Cuba Libre, “Mentirita” The book is out. you can buy it at: http://www.amazon.com/Cuba-Libre-Carlos-T-Mock/dp/1888205164/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259453902&sr=1-4


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