Sunday, April 12, 2009

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Bella DePaulo: Marriage Wars: The Real Fight is Over Moral Superiority Top
Have you seen the "Gathering Storm" ad ? It is the latest from the anti-gay marriage machine. Set against a gray, lightening-pocked, ominous background, it begins with the words: "There's a storm gathering. The clouds are dark and the winds are strong and I am afraid." It continues with one person after another (actors, all) declaring that same-sex marriage advocates are a threat. "Those advocates want to change the way I live," says one. The ad touched off a televised maelstrom, with pairs of pundits yelling at and over each other with arguments that go round and round and never seem to come to any sensible resolution. The key question that befuddles gays who want to marry, and straights who have no problem with that, is this: How can one person's marriage threaten another person's? How is that even possible or plausible? As Mike Barnicle asked when he was guest hosting Hardball , "I still don't get it. How, you know, if the couple upstairs, Ray and Tommy - what do they have to do with my life downstairs?" The predictable arguments are trotted out: God doesn't want it. Marriage is for procreation. It is the foundation of civilization. By now, all of these are high hanging curve balls for the batters on the other team who have been swinging away at these pitches for so long. (See, for example, this parody of the "Gathering Storm" ad, and this blog.) Even if granted, though, none of the anti arguments answer that puzzling question - what does one person's marriage have to do with another person's? Just how, exactly, are gay marriage advocates going to "change the way [opponents] live?" They aren't. But they are a threat nonetheless. If advocates were to succeed in achieving complete cultural and legal acceptance - maybe even celebration - of same-sex marriage, something truly significant would be lost by the other side. It is not something that those opponents can see or feel or hold in their hands, but they cling to it nonetheless. It is their view of the world. Both sides have a worldview and wish fervently for theirs to prevail. Among some of those who oppose same-sex marriage, marriage really does have a sacred place. In their minds, it truly is the bedrock of civilization (anthropologists be damned!). Getting married is, to them personally, a transformative experience. It doesn't just make them more mature or more adult or just different from those who are not married - it makes them better. That, I think, is the real reason why some (though not all) of the opponents of same-sex marriage are so vehement. It is why they feel so threatened. To open the door of marriage to gays is to let them in on the one resource that opponents are most reluctant to share (especially with gays) - their own sense of moral superiority. The dark and scary motif of the gathering-storm ad aptly expresses a genuine sense of foreboding. Even though the arguments in the ad may be bogus, the fear is real. [Continue reading here , at the "Living Single" blog at Psychology Today ] More on Religion
 
Deputy US Marshal John T. Ambrose To Be Tried For Leaking Secrets To The Mob Top
CHICAGO — Once known as a tireless bloodhound who tracked down fugitive gang leaders, deputy U.S. marshal John T. Ambrose now faces trial himself on charges alleging he betrayed his oath and leaked secrets to the mob. Ambrose, 50, is due to go on trial Monday for allegedly telling organized crime figures seven years ago that a so-called made member of the Chicago mob had switched sides and was providing detailed information to federal prosecutors. Ambrose denies he ever broke the law in handling secret information. "The feds are guaranteed to see this as the worst sort of treachery," says mob expert John Binder, author of "The Chicago Outfit." "I don't think I'm overblowing it. They're going to see him the way the military sees a Benedict Arnold." If convicted, Ambrose could face years behind bars. U.S. District Judge John F. Grady has ordered extraordinary security including screens in the courtroom to conceal the faces of key witnesses from spectators. Inspectors in the government's supersecret Witness Security Program operated by the U.S. Marshal's Service will testify behind the screens and use pseudonyms. The idea is to prevent anyone from identifying the inspectors, whose job it is to guard heavily protected witnesses from mob assassins, terrorists or others who might want to silence them. Ambrose defense attorney Francis C. Lipuma objected to the screens and testimony under false names. "This is going to sensationalize the trial," Lipuma said at a recent hearing. Ambrose is accused of leaking information to the mob about an admitted former hit man, Nicholas Calabrese, who was the government's star witness at the landmark 2007 "Family Secrets" trial that targeted top members of the Chicago mob. As a trusted federal lawman, Ambrose was assigned to guard Calabrese on two occasions when witness security officials lodged him at "safe sites" in Chicago for questioning by prosecutors. Ambrose is charged with stealing information from a Witness Security Program file on Calabrese and passing it to a go-between believing it would go to reputed mob boss John "No Nose" DiFronzo. He's accused of leaking information only about the progress of the investigation _ nothing about the whereabouts of the closely guarded witness _ but prosecutors say it still could have put Calabrese in jeopardy. "Anyone who has even occasionally read a Chicago newspaper in the last 20 years knows what the potential consequences of testifying against the so-called Mafia are," the judge told attorneys at a hearing last week. The "Family Secrets" trial was Chicago's biggest mob trial in years. Three of the top members of the mob including Calabrese's brother, Frank, were sentenced to life in prison and two other men received long terms behind bars. Nicholas Calabrese admitted he was involved in the murders of Tony "The Ant" Spilotro and his brother, Michael. Tony Spilotro was the model for the character played by Joe Pesci in the movie "Casino." Nicholas Calabrese also said one of the Family Secrets defendants, reputed mob boss James Marcello, was among those present when the Spilotro brothers were strangled. Calabrese agreed to cooperate in the Family Secrets investigation in 2002 after a bloody glove yielded DNA evidence placing him at a murder scene. Ambrose was charged after federal agents bugged the visitors room at the federal prison in Milan, Mich. James Marcello was an inmate there and was visited by his brother, Michael Marcello, a video game company operator who eventually pleaded guilty to racketeering. Authorities overheard the Marcello brothers discussing a mole they had inside federal law enforcement who was providing security for Calabrese. They called him "the babysitter." The government says agents narrowed the possible suspects to Ambrose when one of the Marcellos said "the babysitter" was the son of a Chicago policeman who went to prison decades ago as a member of the Marquette 10 _ officers convicted of shaking down drug dealers. Prosecutors also say Ambrose's fingerprint was later found on the file.
 
Blaise Nutter: Obama Doesn't Need Honorary Degrees From ASU, Notre Dame Top
Over the last few days, there's been an odd kafuffle in the media over Arizona State University apparently choosing not to award President Barack Obama an honorary doctorate when he gives the university's commencement speech later this year. After intense scrutiny by people who clearly have very little to do with their time, ASU has caved , in a way, and announced instead that it's naming a scholarship after him, now called the "President Barack Obama Scholars" program, probably one of the more awkwardly named scholarships available, at least until Dick Cheney gets one. But by giving in to criticism, ASU has just shown itself to be as tone deaf as the people who criticized the university in the first place. Obama will be delivering a May 13th speech to ASU graduates at the university's Tempe campus, and over the years, many commencement speakers have received ceremonial degrees there, including "pioneering scientists and college presidents, titans of oil and computer microchips, newspaper publishers and generous donors, a foreign communist educator and a successful movie director." (See a full list here .) And to all of these distinguished figures, an honorary doctorate from the nation's third biggest party school (according to Playboy in 2006) might be a nice little trinket to put on the mantelpiece. But no sitting president has ever delivered a commencement at ASU, and not all speakers have received honorary degrees. So why should President Obama receive an honorary degree anyway? Right here on Huffington Post , Dawn Teo says Obama is getting "stiffed," and that complains that Obama's done quite enough already to merit the honor. Writing two best-sellers? Not outstanding. Developing one of the largest grassroots organizations in the world? Nothing special. Becoming the first African American President of the United States? Good, but nothing to write home about. But this flippant, and no one at ASU is suggesting such. The university wouldn't be inviting Obama to deliver their commencement speech if they didn't think he was an impressive and important person with a message its graduates would benefit in hearing. An editorial by the East Valley Tribune , after noting that the University of Notre Dame has chosen to honor Obama with an honorary degree, snarked that, "perhaps Notre Dame has a better understanding of what Obama already has accomplished simply by reaching our nation's pinnacle of political power and public service." Perhaps. Or maybe Notre Dame just has lower standards and wants the media attention, or Arizona State's administrators have a better understanding of what an honorary degree means. Or maybe the comparing the two universities is completely fallacious to begin with. Yes, it's a momentous achievement for Obama to be our first black president. Yes, his campaign was a stunning example of how grassroots organizing and the internet can be leveraged to involve more people in politics than ever before. But Obama already lives every day with one of our country's greatest honors: he's the President of the United States of America. He's got the nation's top job as the world's most powerful person. We the people have entrusted this job to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. That's nice company. So at this point, no offense to ASU, but Obama doesn't need the honor of any university. Obama is honored every day by kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents. In Obama's recent visit overseas, French President Sarkozy couldn't look more desperate to please him, and we haven't had the French so in love with us since the British burned down the White House in the 1800s. More importantly though, Sharon Keeler, an ASU spokeswoman, was right when she defended the university's actions initially by telling the AP that, "His body of work is yet to come. That's why we're not recognizing him with a degree at the beginning of his presidency." I'm sure Obama would agree with this assessment - he has barely gotten started. Not yet 100 days into his presidency, he, like the rest of us, hopes and believes that his best and brightest days are in front of him. When he does, however, complete his work in the White House, after one term or two, then we will honor him, as we honor all our presidents. We will remember him; we will analyze and interpret his policies, his successes and failures - and no one will ever recall whether or not Arizona State gave him an honorary degree on some beautiful spring morning in 2009.
 
Dr. Susan Corso: 5 Reasons to Love the IRS Top
It's tax time. The filing deadline is this week for those who don't opt for an extension -- something which is never denied. How many people have you heard cursing the IRS in the past month? I've lost count. So here for your contemplative pleasure are five reasons to love the IRS. 1. People The IRS is an organization like any other. If you work in a corporate setting, you work in a place similar to the Internal Revenue Service. The people who work for Internal Revenue are just like you and me. This is their tough time of the year. They merit our blessings. 2. Life Review When I do my taxes, I look at it as a yearly review. Seeing where and how I spend my financial resources is an opportunity to calculate the value I received or gave. Itemizing your taxes means you look at everything you did in the past year on a fiscal level, and thereby on a life review level. It helps you learn who you really are. Enjoy it! 3. Moral Check-In Do you think of yourself as an honest person? Doing your taxes tests your mettle. How honest are you? I think it's only human nature to want to get away with something in the face of the faceless Internal Revenue Service. Do what you will, but know too that yours is the only face you have to look at in the mirror every day. 4. Order Filling out your accountant's prep form or your own tax return requires an orderly mind. You have to pay attention so that you don't make a mistake. Years ago, I was careless on one form and ended up in a three-year audit. It was my own mistake! Tax time asks for presence and an attention to detail that only helps you. 5. Completion When I'm done with my accountant's form, there are only three more steps: receive the completed tax forms, write the checks and mail them. There are very few processes in life that go from beginning to middle to end in a timely fashion. Completion is good for you. It's a feeling of accomplishment, a job done, if not well done. It never fails to amuse me that tax time is scheduled near crucifixion time in the Christian calendar. Instead of viewing tax time as crucifixion itself, why not consider it the prelude to Resurrection -- surely the whole point of the Christian story? Visit Susan Corso's spiritual blog or subscribe to Seeds at www.susancorso.com .
 
Mohsin Mohi-Ud Din: Metal Music Morocco: Where West and East Co-Exist Top
Hey world, Mo here, current Fulbright Scholar and drummer of Kashmiri/NYC band Zerobridge , reporting to you from Tangier, Morocco. Today's question: "Do Arabs rock?" Yes, they do. I witnessed a crazy show by the Moroccan Metal band called WANTED in the Cinema Rif. The place was packed. Young Arabs wearing crazy hoodies and Korn and AC/DC t-shirts, rocking out. The young Arab rock fans here are no different from the routy, bored, confused teen rockers in America. Yet, there is something really cool and special about seeing a girl wearing the conservative head covering (Hijab) who throws up the universal Metal/Rock sign with her hands! Such is not your typical image of Arab, Muslim youth, yet the Arab world is dynamic and rich and in the universal realm of music and art, Western and Middle Eastern; non-Muslim and Muslim, actually can co-exist and communicate with one another. Case in point: Metal music, (a type of aggressive rock music originating in the West), being played by young Arab-Muslims in Morocco. Or even visually, you can see this when a young Arab metal head is walking around the Old Medina or Casbah in a 'Korn' t-shirt. I asked the band Wanted about the status of Rock music in Moroccan-Muslim society and also their thoughts on Islam, America, and the strained relationship between America and the Middle East. I hope you take the time to hear what these Arab youth are saying. It might surprise you. These are peace loving, practicing Muslims who love to play rock and roll. Great players. Hope you dig. Here is the link to my video interview with Wanted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMpxSgk2VBg&feature=player_embedded Cheers from Morocko, Mohsin Current American Fulbright Scholar Drummer for Zerobridge More on Africa
 
Sean L. McCarthy: The SNL FAQ: #34.21 (Zac Efron) Top
It's Sunday. You have questions about last night's Saturday Night Live . We have answers. Did they open with a political sketch? YES. Vice President Joe Biden (Jason Sudeikis) got caught acting all too comfy in the oval office when President Obama (Fred Armisen) returned from his first big trip overseas. No gifts for Biden! How did the host do, and did he/she do anything outrageously funny? Zac Efron played the straight man, so to speak, and instead of putting him in a dress or making him seem foolish (other than singing with Kathie Lee as Cody Gifford), his night was spent mostly allowing the craziness to happen around him. I suppose if you were a tween who stayed up late (or recorded this), you were just happy to see Efron. Who played President Obama? Armisen. Why do we even keep including this question... Was there a digital short? NO. Was there a fake ad? Sort of, kind of. Sudeikis played David Pappas, president of the alliance of direct mail marketers, in a video short explaining exactly how much a tree is worth in terms of all of that "junk" that shows up in your mailbox. The people at Chili's will be happy to see anyone mentioning their "fake" ad that ran during the first commercial break. Did the musical guest lip-sync or otherwise do something worth mentioning? The Yeah Yeah Yeahs continued a recent trend, in which a loved but not well-known musical act performs its new single first ("Zero"), and returns later in the show with one of their first big hits ("Maps") that all the hip kids have loved for years already. Did my favorite character return? YES. If you enjoy the parodies of the fourth hour of NBC's Today with Hoda Kotb (Michaela Watkins) and Kathie Lee Gifford (Kristen Wiig), Wiig's troublemaking student Gilly (which seems to be shaping up as a one-trick pony the show will be riding a la Debbie Downer or Pat), the New Jersey gay couple (Bill Hader and Armisen), celebrity blogger Angie Tempura (Watkins), and opposite band Jon Bovi (Will Forte and Sudeikis). Were there any celebrity cameos? NO. Did any celebrities get impersonated? YES. Fred Armisen played Penny Marshall sending well-wishes to Wiig's Kathie Lee Gifford (alongside Watkins as Hoda Kotb). Darrell Hammond appeared all-too-briefly (again), this time as a thawed-out Walt Disney, in a sketch in which Efron reprised his High School Musical role as Troy Bolton. Did any politicians get impersonated? YES. Sudeikis as VP Biden, and Bill Hader as disgraced former New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer. For the full recap and analysis of this episode of SNL, click here . More on Barack Obama
 
Obama Easter 2009: Pastor Says "The Fate Of Easter Is In Your Hands" Top
A pool report on the Easter church service attended by the Obamas, filed on Sunday afternoon by Washington Times reporter Christina Bellantoni (read much more about the service HERE ): * * * * No more news, but a few more details and some quotes from the Easter sermon given by Rev. Luis Leon at St. John's. Also, a statement from Josh Dubois that didn't go out to entire press list is pasted below. Details - Rev. Leon's sermon included a reference to Bonnie Raitt's "Love comes just in the nick of time," saying, "I think Easter comes just in the nick of time." He also talked about the "joy of spring" after the long season of Lent. "Don't you just love this time of year? After a few months of cold storage, energy comes pouring out of the ground. ... The robins have come back and joined those pigeons that have been around all winter long," Leon said. "Overhead and under foot and all around us we can hear we can see we can feel the news and the joy of spring." Then he dove into a subject very close to President Obama's heart. "Of course it's made even better," he said, adding that a friend asked him, "How are you going to get into your Easter day sermon that the Tarheels won the NCAA championship?" He said he wasn't sure he'd be able to reference the winning team, but added: "But anyway, it's a great day, I'm delighted the Tarheels won this year. We are delighted in our household." "Not only that, baseball season has started," Leon said, adding the church drummer is a big New York Yankees fan. Leon said he wanted to remind everybody that the Orioles have beaten the Yankees twice so far, and therefore, "The world lives in hope" "I'm a fairly charitable person, but I have to tell you - I hate the Yankees," he said, and laughter erupted from the pews. "Let's get on with the cosmic quality of the day," he continued. "I'm not here to dampen the enthusiasm of those of you who can believe 100 percent of the time. I'm not here to mount any guilt on any of you who are skeptics. I'm not here to add any discomfort to any of you, who may be here for whatever reason drew you to this church today. To all of you, I say welcome, regardless of where you are in your journey of faith." "Easter is available to believers as well as to doubters alike," he said. He said he would not try to explain the resurrection. Leon said, "I think that the resurrection of Christ is one of those mysteries of the heart," like "the B-minor mass," "like lovers," "like starlight, like sunset." "I can't explain Easter to you - it just can't be done. It's like a professor trying to explain one of E.E. Cummings' poems. It can't be done. You ruin it if you try to explain it. It's not meant to be explained. It's intended to be felt, it's intended to be experienced." "Do not be alarmed if you don't have 100 percent faith. Do not be alarmed if you don't understand everything. It takes time to be a believer," he said. "As much as we may want to have the whole thing wrapped up and resolved once and for all in one single episode of 60 Minutes, faith cannot be forced and faith cannot be coerced. Faith is hard work," Leon said. "Faith is often frustrating, faith is forever inconclusive." "Knowledge can take us so far and then what is required is a leap of faith," he said. "I think it's important that you believe in as much of God as you can today. And that's good enough. It's good enough because it's true, it's good enough because it's honest, it's good enough because God will accept it." Leon said he personally believes in the "power of resurrection" but won't say anything for certain. "That's beyond my payscale, I can't figure it out, and I won't try to fool you," he said. "I am convinced that there is more." "The fate of Easter is in your hands. Whether the message of hope lives or dies is up to all of us," he said. During communion, regular congregant Ann Compton of ABC News (married at St. John's) spotted your pool in the back pew. She informed us from her up-close view that the first family chose to intinct the wafer in the chalice of wine instead of drink from the communal goblet. ("They dipped but didn't sip," she said.) Finally, a statement from Joshua Dubois, the head of White House Faith Office: "The First Family has not made a decision yet on which church they will formally join in Washington, but they were honored to worship with the parishioners at St. John's Episcopal Church and at 19th Street Baptist Church earlier this year."
 
Phillips Family Statement On Rescue (VIDEO) Top
The family of Captain Richard Phillips reacted to his rescue through a spokeswoman. [WATCH} Phillips is a graduate of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The Academy held a press conference to discuss the situation and react to news of Phillips' release. [WATCH] More on Pirates
 
GOP Chairman: Party Can't Have Another Bitter Primary In 2010 Top
llinois' Republican chairman acknowledged today that his party's often-bitter 2006 primary for governor "was not constructive" in helping nominee Judy Baar Topinka challenge wounded incumbent Democrat Rod Blagojevich's bid for a second-term.
 
Obama Statement On Richard Phillips Top
Statement by President Obama regarding the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips. I am very pleased that Captain Phillips has been rescued and is safely on board the USS Boxer. His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this is a welcome relief to his family and his crew. I am also very proud of the efforts of the U.S. military and many other departments and agencies who worked tirelessly to secure Captain Phillips's safe recovery. We remain resolved to halt the rise of piracy in this region. To achieve that goal, we must continue to work with our partners to prevent future attacks, be prepared to interdict acts of piracy and ensure that those who commit acts of piracy are held accountable for their crimes. I share the country's admiration for the bravery of Captain Phillips and his selfless concern for his crew. His courage is a model for all Americans. More on Barack Obama
 
The Highest Paid CEO's In Chicago Top
Chief executives' pay has become the Enron of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression -- how can leaders who make tens of millions of dollars preside over the meltdown of the country's major industries? More on CEOs
 
James Warren: This Week in Magazines: Where Have All the Christians Gone? How Corporate America's Self-Interest May Trump Concern with Drugs and Guns in Mexico, Katha Pollitt Critiques the Michelle Obama Critiques Top
Now that millions of Americans have cleaned up after the Easter egg rolls, both indoor and outdoor, it's time to mull Newsweek 's essay cum cover opus, " The Decline and Fall of Christian America ." Jon Meacham, the magazine's editor and co-author of the Washington Post 's lively " On Faith " blog, opens by noting that an important survey of how we characterize ourselves religiously notes that the Northeast has replaced the Pacific Northwest as bastion of the "religiously unidentified." To lose New England, says one influential seminarian, "struck me as momentous." Meacham does well in sorting out facts and myths, seeing Christianity as less a force in politics and culture (which he argues is a good development) but refraining from announcing its death, while correctly noting the wide-ranging diversity of religious experience. And, certainly, he won't do that with religion in general in the U.S., especially given both the large numbers calling themselves born again and a rising Hispanic immigrant population within the Roman Catholic Church. Meacham and colleague Eliza Gray depend heavily on R. Albert Mohler Jr, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the man who was taken aback by changes in the Northeast. He recently wrote a column titled, " Does Your Pastor Believe in God? " and has written columns on abortion and assisted suicide, plus on what he deems a changing generation of pastors. The new one, he tells Newsweek , "intends to push back against hell in bold and visionary ministry. Expect to see the sparks fly." In his mind, "What we are seeing now is the evidence of a pattern that began a very long time ago of intellectual and cultural and political changes in thought and mind. The conditions have changed. Hard to pinpoint where, but whatever came after the Enlightenment was going to be very different than what came before." Now if this is all too ambiguous for you, stay within the supposedly endangered newsweekly fraternity. April 20 Time just happens to review a new book, God is Back , by John Micklethwait, editor of the Economist , and Adrian Wooldridge, the weekly's Washington bureau chief. They argue that, "The great forces of modernity----technology and democracy, choice and freedom---are all strengthening religion rather than undermining it." The review contends the argument is unduly limited when it comes to non-Christian faith. But, together, get Newsweek , buy the book, and sort this fascinating matter out by the time you, or neighbors, are coloring next year's eggs. ---Forget about what we think of religion. What about our views on, ah, our supermarkets?! May Consumer Reports surveys 32, 599 readers and its " Shop Smart & Save Big " rates the top ten as Wegmans, Trader Joe's, Publix, Raley's, Harris Tweeter, Fareway, Costco, Whole Foods Market, Market Basket and WinCo Foods. It offers 13 characteristics ways to save, including being a bit wary of products on aisle ends, which actually may be about to expire or aren't really the bargain you assume. When it comes to "Great Everyday Products," it will make manufacturers of these quite happy: Windex, Comet, Tide laundry detergent, Quaker Steel Cut Oats, Mrs. Smith's Dutch Apple Crumb pie, Eight O'Clock 100% Colombian coffee, Cheerios and Smucker's Natural peanut butter, among others. ---April 13 Sports Illustrated has the expected solid coverage of the NCAA final win by North Carolina but its best is Phil Taylor's " March Madness Comes to High School Hoops. Is That a Good Thing? " It's the tale of a somewhat odd entity, Findlay College Prep of Las Vegas which just won the inaugural ESPN RISE National High School Invitational tournament. Findlay is really a team, not a school, with the players living together, traveling extensively and taking classes at a private school. The big national federation of high school associations bar members from participating in national championships, as is true with many state athletic associations, in part to limit the length of seasons and the challenges to classroom time. But Findlay Prep, and other competitors in the ESPN gambit, aren't members of such federations. In sum, the problem presented by Findlay is put thusly: "The Pilots represent the latest step in the evolution of elite high school basketball: a program that operates completely outside the traditional high school system and makes no pretense about its top priority---to acquire the best talent from all over the world. (Players from Canada, Mexico, Nigeria and Sweden have passed through Findlay Prep.) Not being sanctioned by the national federation means the Pilots have no academic eligibility requirements and no restrictions on travel, transfers or practice time, as conventional high schools do." ---Katha Pollitt has had about enough of the amateur psychoanalyzing of Michelle Obama, as well as those who seem somehow threatened, even by her bare arms. Then there are the de facto cheers when she surfaces with symbols of being a traditionalist homebody: "Some days I think just being a highly visible admirable black woman is a social cause all by itself, given how little of that side of black life most white Americans see," writes Pollitt in April 20 Nation 's " Mad About Michelle ." "Still, there's something depressing about the joy and relief with which the high-end media have greeted Michelle's makeover from accomplished professional and outspoken social critic to new-traditionalist homebody. They're not only not ready for Hillary Clinton, they're apparently not even ready for Eleanor Roosevelt." ---The April 10 The Week 's " Mexico's Brutal Drug War " and April 20 Business Week 's cover, " Mexico: Why Business Is Standing Its Ground " offer rather contrasting takes. The former offers a primer which includes how the U.S. is not only the biggest consumer of Mexico's illegal drugs, "it also is the source of most of the cartels' munitions. In fact, more than 90 percent of AK-47s and other guns seized at the border or after raids and shootings in Mexico have been traced to the U.S.---most of them apparently purchased openly and legally by 'straw buyers' who then sell the weapons to the gangs." Meanwhile, Business Week suggests why economic self-interest may trump moral or ethical qualms since "Manufacturers have good reason to hang tough. The 41% drop in the peso against the dollar since August has made Mexico an even cheaper place to manufacture: Factory workers in Juarez can be hired for $1.50 an hour. When President Barack Obama visits Mexico in mid-April, he will find a nation that has enhanced its position as a global manufacturing and design base for everything from appliances to aircraft parts. If Mexico can rein in the drug cartels---a huge if---it cold emerge a more valuable partner than ever for U.S. industry." Indeed, this offers evidence that most U.S. companies plan to expand in Mexico at a far more rapid pace than they do in China. ---For those who are plan roughing it with an Outward Bound vacation, check Dorothy Wickenden's "Roughing It" in April 20 New Yorker . It's a most curious and enjoyable tale of two young women of privilege who left their boring lives in the East and headed to Elkhead, Colo., in 1916, taking up offers from a very calculating lawyer-cattle rancher to teach at his new school in the mountains (turns out he had both education and procreation on his mind). For sure, they didn't know much about teaching, had to ride four hours by horseback to the school, taught grades one through nine (apparently no union strictures back then) and had their problems with disciplining some of the rough-hewn lads. But somebody better get the movie treatment of this in shortly, since Hollywood should inspect this tale of a somewhat comic dalliance, which didn't last very long but still left a distinct, positive impression on some of the students. I'd go with Anne Hathaway and Renee Zellweger to front a small, wonderful story. ---And put aside the microwave for a week or so and dissect " The New American Classics " in May Bon Appetit . If offers alternative ways to revive old standbys, such as beef stew, pizza, a burger, mac and cheese, a chef's salad, spaghetti and meatballs and fried chicken, among others. The one which seems to be close to impervious to change is mac and cheese, with the magazine convinced it "will be appearing on American tables hundreds of years from now." For the moment, it can only suggest getting creative with the cheese and, here, uses a combo of Gouda and Edam i.e. our standby is infiltrated by cheese from the Netherlands! More on Michelle Obama Style
 
Community Organizing Career Becomes An Enviable Option Top
QUINN RALLINS, 23, graduated magna cum laude last year from Morehouse College with a dual major in international studies and Spanish. This spring, Mr. Rallins is finishing his master's degree in comparative social policy at Oxford. He has analyzed research for the Rand Corporation in England, led workshops in Malaysia for Amnesty International and founded an organization to help orphans in the Dominican Republic. More on Barack Obama
 
Raymond J. Learsy: A Nation's Shame: Bailing Out Wall Street By The Bucketful- Supporting Our Great Art Traditions With An Eyedropper Top
Incredibly, where Wall Street is showered with billions upon billions, having brought the nation to its knees, destroyed the savings of millions, wrecked havoc on the nations homeowners, crushing our confidence in the capitalist impulse that had been a meritocracy and a beacon unto others. Our financial sector has become a perverse exemplar of a system of vested and influential interests that have stacked the game to such one sided advantage that it has lost all credibility. Billions have been showered on them with barely the most perfunctory oversight. Banks both domestic and foreign are being paid out 100 cents on the dollar for derivatives that would barely fetch 20 cents in the open markets. This to the tune of tens of billions shoveled out without a modicum of restraint permitting the perpetrators of this disaster to walk away with "year-end bonuses'" and so called "retention fees" running into the hundreds of millions at AIG alone. As though the surest way to be awarded in today's financial environment is to create a financial implosion. And all hands of the governing class will be on deck bailing them out for having navigated the nation into an iceberg, handing out ever more millions along with lifejackets while the perpetrators of this disaster are busy, busy assigning themselves seats on the lifeboats, away from women and children. But when it comes to the arts and arts institution, a brave and brilliant part of our societal whole that has done so much to define our nation and our culture, that has brought us important moments of personal joy and insight as well as communal celebration vastly enriching our lives, Washington and the good burghers of the Beltway become scandalously obtuse. The government has set aside $50 million with massive strings attached, from these vast trillion dollar plus stimulus monies being spread around. Of these $50m, $20m is to be parceled to state and regional arts agencies, leaving $30 million to be distributed to arts groups through the National Endowment of the Arts (N.E.A.) . The N.E.A. has already received well over 2000 applications from cultural organizations throughout the land. Bringing insult to injury, the funds, to be distributed in stipends of $25,000 to $50,000, will only be doled out to pay for salaries or to pay contractual workers. It cannot be used for general operating expenses. Lucky are those art organizations located in southern climes as they only have limited heating bills. Humiliatingly the funds will only be reimbursed or made available by specific request 30 days before they are incurred which in turn will result in hundreds of cash requests with extensive reporting requirements. This from the same governing class that permitted AIG to pour $160,000,000 into the pockets of its astute managers, and the likes of John Thain of Merrill Lynch /Bank of America rushing to parcel out year-end bonuses of nearly $4 billion of Tarp monies to his loyal staff that "earned" their windfalls by bringing in a $15 billion Merrill Lynch loss for the year. An act that outrageously held up to public ridicule what had been a common perception of the inherent fairness of our system's standards of risk/reward. Taking a page from their brethren at Treasury, whereby in formulating the operational agenda of the near trillion dollar TALF program the Treasury Department had initially tried to restrict their dealings with the ultimate insiders and Tarp beneficiaries such as the likes of PIMCO and Goldman Sachs, until being shamed into broadening the universe of who would be eligible. The N.E.A. in turn, has limited eligibility to only those who had received a grant from the Endowment over the last four years. This has caused the likes of such wonderful and worthy institutions as the Bronx Museum of the Arts to be cut from the list according to the New York Times (N.E.A. Struggles... 4.11.09). "It was a huge blow for us" its executive director Holly Block was quoted as saying, money that would have been used to pay for a curator, security guards and maintenance staff. As a former member of the Endowment's National Council I have always been astounded by the hesitant and grudging support our government gives the arts and its infrastructure. The halting beneficence in these past turbulent and frightful months where private giving has fallen off dramatically for many of these organizations, speaks volumes. Perhaps the moment has come for all in the art world to simply say to Washington-"We are given so little respect. What we do we will continue doing, because it is our passion, it is our existence. If you feel our contribution to the fabric of the nation's life is so limited that you can continue your patronizing ways toward us, time and again, and especially at this moment of particular hardship and need, perhaps it is time for you to just keep your money. We will muddle through as best we can because we must!" More on Merrill Lynch
 
Captain Richard Phillips Freed From Somali Pirates Top
***UPDATE 3:33PM*** According to a report by CNN , citing a senior U.S. official with knowledge of the situation, Captain Phillips jumped overboard from the lifeboat in which he was held hostage and U.S. Navy SEALs took this opportunity to take out three of the four pirates who kidnapped him. The fourth pirate has been taken into custody. FROM AP : MOMBASA, Kenya - An American ship captain was freed unharmed Sunday in a U.S. Navy operation that killed three of the four Somali pirates who had been holding him for days in a lifeboat off the coast of Africa, a senior U.S. intelligence official said. One of the pirates was wounded and in custody after a swift firefight, the official said. Capt. Richard Phillips, 53, of Underhill, Vermont, was safely transported to a Navy warship nearby. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. A government official and others in Somali with knowledge of the situation had reported hours earlier that negotiations for Phillips' release had broken down. The district commissioner of the central Mudug region said talks went on all day Saturday, with clan elders from his area talking by satellite telephone and through a translator with Americans, but collapsed late Saturday night. "The negotiations between the elders and American officials have broken down. The reason is American officials wanted to arrest the pirates in Puntland and elders refused the arrest of the pirates," said the commissioner, Abdi Aziz Aw Yusuf. He said he organized initial contacts between the elders and the Americans. Two other Somalis, one involved in the negotiations and another in contact with the pirates, also said the talks collapsed because of the U.S. insistence that the pirates be arrested and brought to justice. Phillips' crew of 19 American sailors reached safe harbor in Kenya's northeast port of Mombasa on Saturday night under guard of U.S. Navy Seals, exhilarated by their freedom but mourning the absence of Phillips. Crew members said their ordeal had begun with the Somali pirates hauling themselves up from a small boat bobbing on the surface of the Indian Ocean far below. As the pirates shot in the air, Phillips told his crew to lock themselves in a cabin and surrendered himself to safeguard his men, crew members said. Phillips was then held hostage in an enclosed lifeboat that was closely watched by U.S. warships and a helicopter in an increasingly tense standoff. Talks to free him began Thursday with the captain of the USS Bainbridge talking to the pirates under instruction from FBI hostage negotiators on board the U.S. destroyer. A statement from Maersk Line, owner of Phillips' ship, the Maersk Alabama, said "the U.S. Navy had sight contact" of Phillips earlier Sunday -- apparently when the pirates opened the hatches. Before Phillips was freed, a pirate who said he was associated with the gang that held Phillips, Ahmed Mohamed Nur, told The Associated Press that the pirates had reported that "helicopters continue to fly over their heads in the daylight and in the night they are under the focus of a spotlight from a warship." He spoke by satellite phone from Harardhere, a port and pirate stronghold where a fisherman said helicopters flew over the town Sunday morning and a warship was looming on the horizon. The fisherman, Abdi Sheikh Muse, said that could be an indication the lifeboat may be near to shore. The U.S. Navy had assumed the pirates would try to get their hostage to shore, where they can hide him on Somalia's lawless soil and be in a stronger position to negotiate a ransom. Three U.S. warships were within easy reach of the lifeboat on Saturday. The pirates had threatened to kill Phillips if attacked. On Friday, the French navy freed a sailboat seized off Somalia last week by other pirates, but one of the five hostages was killed. Early Saturday, the pirates holding Phillips in the lifeboat fired a few shots at a small U.S. Navy vessel that had approached, a U.S. military official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The official said the U.S. sailors did not return fire, the Navy vessel turned away and no one was hurt. He said the vessel had not been attempting a rescue. The pirates are believed armed with pistols and AK-47 assault rifles. Phillips jumped out of the lifeboat Friday and tried to swim for his freedom but was recaptured when a pirate fired an automatic weapon at or near him, according to U.S. Defense Department officials speaking on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk about the unfolding operations. "When I spoke to the crew, they won't consider it done when they board a plane and come home," Maersk President John Reinhart said from Norfolk, Virginia before news of Phillips' rescue. "They won't consider it done until the captain is back, nor will we." In Phillips' hometown, the Rev. Charles Danielson of the St. Thomas Church said before the news broke that the congregation would continue to pray for Phillips and his family, who are members, and he would encourage "people to find hope in the triumph of good over evil." Reinhart said he spoke with Phillips' wife, Andrea, who is surrounded by family and two company employees who were sent to support her. "She's a brave woman," Reinhart said. "And she has one favor to ask: 'Do what you have to do to bring Richard home safely.' That means don't make a mistake, folks. We have to be perfect in our execution." More on Pirates
 

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