Monday, April 6, 2009

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Kate Moss COOKBOOK In The Works? Top
Kate Moss, one of the most famously waifish women of all time, is working on a cookbook. What are the recipes going to be like? "Remove celery from refrigerator. Chop. Marinate in apple cider vinegar. Swallow whole." In all fairness, perhaps it's not such a bad idea to cook like a woman who knows how to stay so trim. Alas, according to Vogue.com: "Moss has reportedly been trying her hand at some traditional Jewish recipes - including chicken noodle soup, salt beef and potato latkes - with the help of Stasha Palos; the step-daughter of her Topshop boss Philip Green." [DO WE BELIEVE IT? TBD]
 
Miles J. Zaremski: Health Care and Its Reform: A Right vs. a Service? Top
It occurred to me from a conversation I had with a professional colleague recently that what I have previously written about health care being a right for all Americans may not be precisely what it is. In previous blogs, I scribed that health care is a right, for, without it, we are not of value to ourselves, our families, our communities, and, in the end, the American economy. Just the opposite would be true -- we would be a drag on the economy by having the health care system treat and care for us, particularly if we could not afford to pay for these services. From my recent conversation, it may not be totally appropriate to declare that health care is a right, because everyone could claim something as a right. For example, those who favor a pro-life stance may claim that after there is always a right to life. Those who favor freedom of choice for the woman could certainly claim that the woman has the right to choice. Ditto for all those seeking housing, i.e., can't there be a right to affordable living? And certainly we all have a right to procreate within the four walls of our abodes? The list can go on and on, of course. There then may well be a dilemma in saying that we all have a right to health care, as I have penned in my posts here previously. Though I have written that most "rights" are not constitutionally based or in the Bill of Rights, a right could engender issues of what is proper in a moral sense. So, with all the hullabaloo surrounding health care reform, what is the proper springboard for changing our health care system? Well, why not view health care as a service, as my recent discussions led me to seriously consider. After all, if it is a service (to which we would all be entitled), there is no moral dilemma about it being a right. Concomitantly, in the book he wrote about his experiences and last days after acquiring a terminal disease ( The Last Lecture ), Professor Randy Pausch of Carnegie Mellon (with Jeffrey Zaslow) wrote that rights come from the community -- as if to say that a right is a service which a community requires to function. Let me put this notion somewhat differently. How many of you reading this blog receive water services in your community? How about garbage pickup? Or certainly utilities (gas, heat, electric) for where you live? Certainly, we all receive these types of services. We need them. But, are they rights? According to the likes of Professor Pausch, we would say they are rights, because they arise out of needs required by the community. But we should not receive them because we have a right to them under some sort of moral perrogative. Likewise by clear analogy, we need our health because, without it, we can't function either. But if viewed as a service, then there exists no moral dilemma for us to consider. Certainly there will be some of those reading this piece that say I am just "splitting hairs", so to speak. But the distinction is critical, because a service has no moral implications. Moreover, we know that health care is a business. As with any business, decisions are predicated upon what makes the business more efficient, and thus more profitable. If business decisions intersect with issues of morality, like health care being a right for everyone, then mountains of problems arise, certainly in the moral sense. But, if the community requires a service, like health care, then the dilemma only becomes how much it will cost to provide that service --again, just like gas, heat or electricity. With all the struggle going on currently with how to revamp our health care system (see, e.g., Iglehart, "The Struggle for Reform...." (http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp0902651?query=TOC), perhaps President Obama should declare health care a service for all Americans rather than as a right as he did when he debated Senator McCain last fall in Nashville.
 
Leighton Woodhouse: Raping Afghanistan Top
What a pickle for the human rights hawks spraining their wrists to applaud President Obama's renewed focus on "The Right War" in Afghanistan. As it turns out, despite Laura Bush's much publicized entreaties on behalf of Afghan women , the government her husband put in place as the solution to the Taliban problem is even more misogynistic than its predecessors. Last month, President Karzai legalized marital rape , in a move that apparently constitutes political pandering in Afghanistan. This is the Afghan political leadership that the U.S. has fought for seven and a half years to install and protect, and that -- depending on the outcome of the upcoming election in Afghanistan -- 21,000 more U.S. troops may be defending against the Taliban resurgence. To be fair, like so many other crises America and the world faces today, President Obama is not responsible for having created this problem. Moreover, he has been crystal clear that his administration's objectives in Afghanistan have little to do with the welfare of Afghan civilians. So at least he can't be blamed for hypocrisy. "We have stated very clearly that we object to this law," the President stated over the weekend . "But I want everybody to understand that our focus is to defeat al Qaeda and ensure that they do not have safe havens from which they can launch attacks against the Alliance." (Some of his pro-war supporters have been far less clear on that point .) The interests Obama's escalation are designed to protect are solely American ones -- this is no Wilsonian foreign policy at work here. But what of the Secretary of State? Here's Senator Hillary Clinton in a Time magazine column in 2001 : Thanks to the courage and bravery of America's military and our allies, hope is being restored to many women and families in much of Afghanistan.....President and Mrs. Bush have properly highlighted the mistreatment of Afghan women by the Taliban and insist that women play a role in Afghanistan's future.....we, as liberators, have an interest in what follows the Taliban in Afghanistan....A post-Taliban Afghanistan where women's rights are respected is much less likely to harbor terrorists in the future.....We can start by including women in the rebuilding process in Afghanistan. And just as the Clinton Administration withheld recognition of the Taliban government and condemned its treatment of women, we must not recognize any successor government until women have the right to determine what role they will play in 21st century Afghanistan. Can we, "as liberators," now then expect Secretary Clinton to retract U.S. recognition from the Karzai government until it repeals this abomination of a law and allows women to have an active role in rebuilding their country instead of being forced by their own elected leaders to submit to violent domination by their husbands? After all, a future of self-determination for Afghan women is pretty much exactly what then-Senator Clinton insisted American soldiers fought and died for -- not just the limited aims that now define the mission she represents. Political rhetoric, of course, is cheap. But one would hope it would be a little less so when it comes to matters of war. With the release of his AfPak policy review, the President has sparked a healthy and serious debate over the prospects of attempting to make America safer through the use of military force in the region. There is plenty for people of good faith to disagree about within that limited frame. But unless and until the Secretary of State stands behind her words from eight years ago and directs U.S. diplomats to withhold recognition of the Karzai regime -- an unlikely prospect to say the least -- then advocates of escalation in Afghanistan need to quit pretending that the interests of the Afghan people have a thing to do with the rationale for continuing this endless war. One thing is clear from Afghanistan: military means do not well serve social or humanitarian ends, and nor does lofty and empty rhetoric. If it did, the administration would not now be in the position of being forced to consider what to do about a U.S. puppet regime that endorses the rape of its own citizens. If there's something good to be said for Obama's policy review of the conflict in Afghanistan -- and I don't believe there is much good to be said for it -- at least it's honest about the depressingly limited objectives a military-first approach can achieve. See more at RethinkAfghanistan.com and GetAfghanistanRight.com . More on Afghanistan
 
Dave Johnson: Update on RealDVD vs MPAA Top
I've been following on my blog the story of the movie industry (MPAA) lawsuit to keep RealDVD off the market and why you care . I wrote about business models, "If this is about stopping people from watching their movies on their computer without having to have the actual DVD present, then MPAA is trying to fit customers into their business model, not the other way around. [. . .] By holding up RealDVD MPAA may be trying to get the company to decide to just dcqapay them a license fee to get them off their back. If that is the case this isn't an argument over the definition of piracy at all, it is an abuse of the law and court system." A survey commissioned by the National Consumers League was released today and it found that an overwhelming number of DVD owners watch their DVDs on their computers (69%) and want to be able to save them on their computers (90%). Not only that but "more than a third said they've had to rebuy lost or damaged DVDs," And for those with children that rose to 45%. This is called a business opportunity. An overwhelming number of people want something and RealDVD has developed a product satisfies what those customers want. So you would think MPAA would be happy that a product is out there that promotes the idea of people buying DVDs and then using them the way they want to use them. Where is the business case for the MPAA to object to this? The product doesn't let people give copies of the DVDs to others to the harm to MPAA isn't clear. Maybe the MPAA has a different kind of business model in mind: Instead of making a product that people want, they're trying that other kind of business model - the one where you get the government to force someone to hand you money (or hand you money themselves.) Maybe they see RealDVD as a money-making opportunity in which Real reaches a "settlement" of giving MPAA a fee per unit sold? It was recently announced that the case goes to court on April 24 . So keep an eye out for that.
 
Matthew Stein: We're Running Our World Like a Ponzi Scheme! Top
Bernie Madoff sure made a name for himself, didn't he? First he made a name for himself as a "Wall Street Genius" whose coveted firm not only promised, but consistently delivered, extraordinarily high annual returns on investment, even when the economy was down. More recently he made a name for himself as the architect of the largest and most notorious " Ponzi Scheme " in history, bilking investors out of as much as 50 billion dollars! So what is a Ponzi scheme, anyways? A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that promises, and delivers (at least for a while) exceptionally high and consistent financial returns to investors. These returns are paid to its investors from their own money, and the money paid by subsequent investors, rather than from any actual profit earned by bona fide income generating investments (such as manufacturing, mining, or rental income). In ways similar to "pyramid schemes" or "chain letters", in order for a Ponzi scheme to work, it must continuously attract an ever increasing pool of investment from unsuspecting customers, in order to provide an ever increasing supply of money to draw upon to maintain payments to its ever increasing pool of investors. The trick is to promise such glorious results that the greed factor overcomes its victim's common sense as they turn a blind eye to the fact that the scheme lacks a solid foundation and can't go on forever. It is absolutely critical to the success of all Ponzi schemes that an aura of respectability and impeccability be maintained for as long as possible, for as soon as suspicions spread concerning the fraudulent nature of the business, new investments dry up and the Ponzi scheme collapses, since it has no source of true earned income with which to maintain payments to investors. So, is it true that we are running our planet like a Ponzi scheme? And if this is true, does it mean that we must inevitably face collapse, as all Ponzi schemes must eventually end in catastrophe? The illusion that the "Free Market" is the logical savior of our world has been maintained by the promise of riches and an ever increasing standard of living and lifespan that has been demonstrated by the industrialized world for the past several hundred years. On the surface, who can look at the apparent success of America, and not come to that quick conclusion? However, when you look deeper, you will find that this success is built on a business model based upon exponential growth, and that this growth must be fed by a similar exponential growth in consumption of energy, natural resources, raw materials, and in the continuous expansion to new markets. All of this is well and good when the world has an abundant supply of undeveloped lands and unused resources, but it starts coming apart as that same world approaches its natural limits to growth and consumption. Our world-wide Ponzi scheme got its start with the industrial revolution in Western Europe, and it was colonialism that provided ever increasing sources for the raw materials and markets that kept this giant Ponzi scheme rolling. It spread to America with the colonial takeover of vast untapped resources and huge tracts of lands previously occupied by Native American hunter-gatherers. As America industrialized, its population grew and its resources were drawn down, the giant Ponzi scheme continued to grow through globalization and it continued to feed its ever growing appetite by drawing down the natural resources in the world's oceans, forests, and more remote areas, and by expanding it markets into the farthest reaches of the globe. We are witness to a five hundred year run on this giant ever-expanding global Ponzi scheme, and unless we change the way we are playing this game, that run is now drawing dangerously close to a natural and catastrophic conclusion. Here is a brief summary of a few current trends that illustrate my point: 1. Trees: About 1/2 of the world's forests are already gone (most were cut in the last 50 years), and a significant percentage of the rest are in trouble. At the current rate of destruction, it has been estimated that the world's rainforests will be completely eliminated within forty years . Trees play a necessary role in stabilizing our planet's weather, atmosphere and soils. A single large mature tree has the evaporative surface area on its needles or leaves equivalent to a 40 acre lake. A process called "desertification" occurs near areas that have been deforested once the trees stop recycling moisture back into the atmosphere to fall as rain somewhere down wind. A recent study shows that deforestation contributes roughly 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions every year. Figure 1. Trees and their part in the water cycle (Illustration by Karen Frances ) 2. Atmosphere: Global greenhouse gas emissions have increased by a factor of four since 1950. We have been burning fossil fuels for over 500 years, but half of all of those burned fuels have been consumed in the past thirty years! There is a scientific consensus to 90% certainty that these atmospheric changes will result in catastrophic, potentially civilization busting, climate changes within the next 50 years. Even if you do not believe in global warming, data indicates that the increasing concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere (the primary greenhouse gas) caused by our rapidly increasing consumption of fossil fuels, is increasing the acidity of the oceans , and that if this trend continues much longer, it has the potential to kill most of the planktons, diatoms, and coral reefs of the ocean, knocking out the bottom of the food chain, killing most of the life in the oceans of the world, and destroying one of the legs of our world's oxygen cycle. 3. Oceans: 11 out of 15 of the world's major ocean fisheries are either already in collapse, or are in serious decline and danger of collapse. All large open ocean predatory fish, such as marlin and tuna, are already 90% depleted. By 2004, an estimated 20% of the world's coral reefs had been destroyed (up from just 11% in 2000), an additional 24% were close to collapsing, and another 26% were under long-term threat of collapse. A recent British government report showed a drop in the world's oceanic zooplankton of an astounding 73% since 1960. Zooplankton are a critical element in the bottom of the world's food chain as well as its oxygen cycle. 4. Oil and other fossil fuels: Our modern industrial global machine essentially eats, sleeps, and sh_ts oil. Nearly all of the world's giant oil fields (they produce over half the world's oil) are mature and exhibit declining rates of oil production. In 2008, the International Energy Agency (IEA) shocked the world when it released an authoritative public study revealing that the world's oil fields are declining at an average rate of 9.1% , which is much faster than previously thought. Even with huge capital investments to implement Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) methods, this rate of decline would only improve to 6.4%. What does this mean? It means that if our world is to maintain its current rate of oil consumption (our world's recent globalization has been fueled by an annual oil production growth rate of something like 10%), then we would need to find and develop a Saudi Arabia's worth of oil every year for the next year or two from now to eternity--an impossible fantasy! 5. Soil: A third of the original top soil in the United States is now gone. It has been estimated that the world has from 50 to 100 years of farmable soil, using current farming practices. The US has cut soil losses to 18 times the rate of nature's replacement, the developing world averages a soil depletion rate of 36 times natural replacement, and China averages 54 times the rate of replacement. 6. Fresh water: Irrigated land comprises only 16% of the world's croplands, but produces 40% of the world's crop production. Many of the world's major rivers (China's Yellow River, America's Colorado River, the Nile, the Rio Grande, the Ganges, the Indus, the Amu Darya, the Syr Darya, and Africa's Chao Phraya) now run dry, or nearly dry, for significant parts of the year due to expanding irrigation and population demands. Unsustainable over pumping from aquifers is causing increasing salinity, lowering aquifer levels, and failed wells in many of the world's irrigated bread baskets, such as California's Central Valley, the US' giant south central Ogallala aquifer, China's grainbelt middle plains, India's principle breadbasket, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. If the previous list is not enough to convince yourself that we are operating a giant Ponzi scheme, and that we are running out of new sources of energy, untapped markets, and raw materials to keep it running, then the following two figures should open your eyes. Figure 2. Ecological footprint by region. (Illustration courtesy of Global Footprint Network ) Figure 2 depicts a scientifically calculated global footprint by region. What this show us is that if our current planetary population of nearly 7 billion people were to live like we do here in North America, we would need an Earth with 9 1/2 hectares worth of productive land per person to sustainably supply us with the necessary raw materials, and to absorb our wastes. Yet we now have only roughly 1.7 global hectares of usable land per person. This means that we would need roughly 5 1/2 earths to support our planet if everyone in the world averaged the consumption levels of North America! Figure 2. Ecological footprint of humankind from 1961 to 2003. (Illustration courtesy of Global Footprint Network ) Figure 3 shows us that back in the mid 1980's, when our world had just over half its current population, we first exceeded the capacity of our planet to continuously supply us with the food and raw materials that we consume, and to process our wastes. What this means, is that we have been consuming our planet's resources faster than they regenerate, and polluting its natural systems faster than they can recover. This "drawing down" of our resources, is essentially spending the money from investors (all of us) in this Ponzi scheme, and when the remaining "money" (the natural resources and ecosystems of our world) can't support the payments anymore, it will most certainly collapse! Unfortunately, it's going to take more than minor changes in the way we do business to get off this giant Ponzi scheme. It will not be easy, but I do believe it is doable. For a good idea of what it is going to take to make the shift to sustainability and get off this Ponzi scheme, see my prior Huff Post blog, 12 Tips for the Sustainability Shift . The question to ask ourselves, is do we wish to adopt the attitude of Mr. Madoff, saying essentially, "F__k it! The world will do what the world will do, so I might as well enjoy one hell of a ride while it lasts!" Or do we decide to transform the way we do business, halt and reverse population growth and over-consumption, and collectively work together to nurture and rebuild the natural systems and biodiversity of our planet that are absolutely critical for supporting and maintaining a viable world for generation upon generation? Matthew Stein is the author of When Technology Fails: A Manual for Self-Reliance, Sustainability, and Surviving the Long Emergency from Chelsea Green . For more information, visit chelseagreen.com and whentechfails.com . More on Green Living
 
Eleanor Norton: Bill Would Bring Mass Shootings To D.C. Top
Two mass shootings last week could be a harbinger of things to come in the District if a proposed gun amendment is allowed by Congress, according to Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. Norton said the deaths of three police officers in Pittsburgh and the 13 people shot to death in Binghamton, N.Y., emphasize the importance of removing a gun amendment tacked onto the D.C. House Voting Rights Act.
 
Attorney General Madigan Sues Two Firms Over Mortgage Rescue Fraud Top
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan announced this morning at a news conference in Washington that she has filed lawsuits against two Chicago-area companies alleged to be involved in mortgage rescue scams. More on Housing Crisis
 
Jane Minogue: Rutting Teens...It Must be Spring Top
They were doing it in the spring sunshine yesterday afternoon. A young boy and girl were doing it on a chaise down by the pool area that we share with about 30 other homes -- in full view of 10 homes and another teen-aged boy. The only vestige of modesty was the beach towel that covered their bodies. The third teenager wandered around the pool area, opening up the sun umbrellas. I had left my balcony door open to let in the air and listen to my wind chimes as I cleaned the house. Our cat Henry had just awoken from a year of torpor and killed a sparrow. Since our old cat died last year, Henry spends his time sleeping, as territorial negotiations for various sofa cushions are moot. After I removed the bird and little gray feathers from our living room rug, I went out on the balcony because I heard noises near the pool. I've seen public displays of affection, of course, but not a public display of the full act. And I understand that privacy is one of the issues with teen sex. There has been plenty of semi-private sex in cars, in basements, in movie theaters, in dorm rooms, in alleys, in rest rooms. There has been sex in the home when the parents are away. But in public and in front of a friend? I closed the balcony door; this was enough nature for one day. Of course, two (well, maybe three) dropouts from the school's abstinence-only program does not a trend make, but it starts speculation. Does watching sex on television or a movie with a group of friends break down barriers enough so the line between fiction and reality disappears? Or are there emerging concepts of what's appropriate in public? Possibly. Recently, I was waiting at a ladies room at the library of our local State University, and both girls coming out of the stalls were engaged in conversations on cell phones. No one in line seemed to care. Since this is a medievalist's love and marriage blog, I look to history for insight on our notions, for example, of adolescent sexuality and of privacy. The thought that controlling adolescent sex is an issue that arose in the nineteenth or twentieth century is fantasy. Medieval and early modern societies had a system where young men and women left their parents and went to learn a trade or be a domestic servant in someone else's household. A typical contract between a master and an apprentice lasted seven years. With close living quarters and delayed marriage, adolescent sexuality was considered to be a problem. For example, an apprentice's contract from the Guild of English Merchant Tailors for 1451 states that the apprentice is "not to commit fornication in or out of his master's house, nor make any contract of matrimony nor affiance himself without his master's permission." Abstinence-only programs didn't work then either. So far as personal and bodily privacy are concerned, medieval people had very little. Most people slept in close proximity to each other -- and, sometimes, to their livestock. Houses in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries had interlocking suites of rooms without a hallway, so one had to pass through bed chambers to get to other rooms. Only in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century did house plans change to accommodate privacy for family members. Also, apprentices began to live away from the master's family, with the payment to them in food and lodging turning into wages. Notions of what's appropriate in private and public do change over time. After about half an hour, I checked out our pool area again. The teens were clothed now, sitting at a table. The girl looked at a cell phone and rested her head on the shoulder of one of the boys. I have no idea who they are, if they live near me or just jumped the fence, or what their relationships mean to them. All I know is it must be spring. More on Sex
 
Over 20 Illinois Firms Warn Of Massive Layoffs Top
More than 20 companies alerted the state in March that they plan plant closure or "mass" layoffs, putting nearly 2,500 workers out of work. More on Economy
 
Macedonian Election Winner Pledges End to Name Dispute With Greece Top
The man who has won Macedonia's presidential elections has pledged to solve a dispute with Greece over his country's name, which has delayed its entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. More on Greece
 
Michael Wolff: The Wall Street Journal Is Really, Really Mad at Us Top
Robert Thomson, Murdoch's editor of the Wall Street Journal, thinks Newser is a tapeworm. Newser and other news aggregators are "parasites or tech tapeworms in the intestines of the Internet," he told The Australian newspaper. This is doubly amusing to me because when I was writing my biography of Murdoch, I'd refer to Thomson, a smirking, sallow-faced Aussie with a fetishistic devotion to both Rupert Murdoch and skinny ties, as "the tapeworm." What Thomson means, of course, is that Newser and its fellow Internet news aggregators are eating the Journal's lunch. And this is certainly true. Thomson is now part of the new old media backlash , which is suddenly, a day late and a dollar short, saying content ought to be paid for. He's even issuing strange, apocalyptic sorts of threats: "There is a collective consciousness among content creators that they are bearing the costs and that others are reaping some of the revenues--inevitably that profound contradiction will be a catalyst for action and the moment is nigh." It would, of course, have been smart if Thomson, along with his patron, Murdoch, had realized that the Journal and all other newspapers had technological competitors, tapeworms or otherwise, that would profoundly undermine the traditional news business before buying the WSJ . That deal cost Murdoch $5.6 billion in cash and another $30 billion in share price value, making it the most expensive newspaper in history and the biggest blunder of Murdoch's career. Continue reading at newser.com More on Wall Street Journal
 
Fashion Flashback: Jackie Kennedy's 1961 Visit To France (SLIDESHOW) Top
A lot of comparisons were drawn between Michelle Obama's travels through Europe last week, and Jackie Kennedy's equally fashion-forward trip to France in 1961. And in case you've already forgotten what Michelle Obama wore last week in Europe, here's a look back . Don't forget to vote for your favorite. More on Photo Galleries
 
Levi's Family On Tyra: Bristol Palin Doesn't Like Us, We're Living A "Nightmare" (VIDEO) Top
Levi Johnston, whose wedding plans with teen mom Bristol Palin were recently broken off, appeared on The Tyra Show Monday afternoon with his sister Mercede and his mother Sherry. Both Levi's mother and sister said the experience has been hard on the family, especially the fact they have only been able to see Levi's baby Tripp once a month since his birth, because of ongoing feuds with Bristol Palin. MERCEDE JOHNSTON: There's so much bad being said about my family and I think everyone deserves to know the truth, we are good people and definitely want to be in Tripp's life and it's really hard because it's complicated to be able to see Tripp. Banks: To see him now? Why is it complicated? Mercede Johnston: Mostly because Bristol and I don't see eye to eye. And that's mostly because I have a lot of girlfriends, a lot of friends that Levi's previously dated. So that's the main issue going on. Sherry Johnston discussed her family's relationship with the Palins, and called the situation a "nightmare." Sherry Johnston: You know it's not like we would go over for dinner or anything, but we started being mutual friends through hockey is when everyone started getting together and that's when Levi and Bristol, one of their first dates was on a hockey trip in Fairbanks and everything escalated from there. They started dating and we get the news about the baby and everything is good. And now it just turned to a nightmare. The Johnstons told Banks that they were very restricted during the campaign as far as being able to talk to the media or answer any questions on their own. Banks: Were you advised by the campaign to not say anything? Mercede Johnston: Yeah. We were supposed to say that all questions need to be brought up by the McCain campaign ... And other than that, we had to say 'no comment.' Banks: Was that hard, holding things in, when you wanted to explode and tell the truth? Mercede: Especially for me. Responding to a statement from Bristol Palin that Levi and the Johnston family were seeking to "cash in on the Palin name," Banks made it clear the family was not receiving payment for their appearance on the show. Banks told viewers, "One thing that i want to make very clear to everybody is that the johnston family is not getting paid to be on The Tyra Show. There is no exchange of money. They came here on their free will and there are journalists that pay for interviews. I am not saying that's the worst thing in the world but what I am saying is that you all are not being paid and you are just here and I think it's so important and I think they deserve a round of applause because everybody is getting paid these days for interviews." WATCH: MORE TYRA VIDEO HERE : Levi says he'll likely take Palin's family to court for custody, and addresses rumors of cheating and drug use. Get HuffPost Politics on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter . More on Video
 
Juliette Powell: John Galt Has Left the Building Top
It is mind boggling to think about how many millions of people in the world, let alone in America, still consider whatever is said in the news to be the 'truth'. Whose 'truth'? Last week's post Colbert Shrugged: Ayn Rand Institute Responds to 'Rand Illusion' prompted such a strong reaction from fans of both Rand and Colbert that 136 comments later, truths of all shapes emerged from the heated discussion. One topic that came up time and again was the importance of media literacy. 
Part 2 of my interview with Onkar Ghate, senior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute looks at the way Ayn Rand's classic 1957 work 'Atlas Shrugged' has been mediatized in recent months to communicate political messages. How have the political left and right used Rand's characters, stories and philosophy in the media of late to reinforce their positions within a larger audience? I don't think liberals or democrats are making use of Rand; rather, they are attacking her and Atlas Shrugged. (I suspect that Stephen Colbert is a liberal.) Conservatives are making use of Atlas Shrugged, but only in a limited political sense. They rarely mention the fact that Atlas Shrugged is about a moral revolution and not a political one. One major reason they fail to mention this aspect of Atlas Shrugged is that the morality of rational self-interest stands opposed to religious ethics, which demands that an individual subordinate himself to something that is supposedly higher than himself. Explicitly or implicitly, most conservatives support a religious approach to morality. And of course religious ethics is the source of the slogan that we are our brother's keeper. On Rand's view, therefore, conservatives are not actually opponents of socialism but its enablers, because they, like the liberals, advocate the opposite of a morality of rational self-interest: they advocate selflessness and altruism. How much of what we're seeing in the media's recent references to Atlas Shrugged is actually reflective of Rand's philosophy of Selfishness? It is true that Atlas Shrugged depicts an America in which the government, through various "emergency" measures, seizes control of the economy. But what most commentators miss is that politics is not the focus of Atlas Shrugged. Its focus is on morality and philosophy. The story of Atlas Shrugged is about productive individuals learning fully to value their own lives and happiness, and coming to understand that this requires uncompromising devotion to their own minds and to what is in fact morally right. They must learn that to fully live their own lives and achieve happiness, they need a new morality of rational self-interest. As one aspect of this issue, Atlas Shrugged in effect argues that only such a morality can in fact explain, justify and defend why an individual has the moral right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Contrary to the Declaration of Independence, Rand does not regard these rights as self-evident. Notice that the rights Jefferson lists all sanction self-interest: my moral right to my life, my moral right to my freedom to think and act, my moral right to pursue my happiness. If selfishness is evil, then these rights are wrong, morally wrong. And so in a society that regards the pursuit of self-interest as evil, like the society depicted in Atlas Shrugged and like today's society, these rights will be tossed aside as wrong. If we are our brother's keeper, as Obama declares (echoing the conventional wisdom) -- if your moral duty is to serve your neighbor and anyone else who is in need, then you don't have the moral right to pursue your own life and happiness. As in the case of any controversial figure, there is no substitute for going to the source. To discover what Rand maintained, read her works. To understand the meaning and importance of Atlas Shrugged, pick up the novel. Ayn Rand's work was introduced to this author when I began my first job in journalism as an eager teen. Over a decade later, Rand's books remain constant reminders of the powerful influence media has in shaping perceptions of who we are as individuals, as a society and of the great responsibility that accompanies such influence. Where broadcast media beams a one-way signal into your living room, digital media opens up the debate to non media pundits. That's you. This is where you get a voice. What's your truth around the mediatization and politization of Ayn Rand's work and about the importance of media literacy in general? More on Stephen Colbert
 
Phil Singer Takes On The Weekly Standard's Spitzer/Vitter Hypocrisy Top
Bit by bit, former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has made his way back into the limelight, thanks to the growing interest in the origin story of the financial crisis. Obviously, if you had wondered what it would take to bring the much-mocked and scandal plagued "Client No. 9" back near the forefront of the news and within spitting distance of respectability, wonder no more. Spitzer's rise was fueled by his reputation as a Wall Street watchdog, and his overall proximity -- politically and geographically -- to the epicenter of the financial collapse, makes his opinion a potentially valuable one -- at worst, it's a harmless curiosity. But the Weekly Standard ? Well, they ain't having it! And in their Scrapbook, they go off on a bit of an extended rantlet : Not so long ago, when a politician was caught in bed with a whore, it meant not only the end of his political career, but extended exile from polite society. This was particularly true of politicians--Client No. 9, for example--who wore their virtue on their shirtsleeve. Britain's Profumo scandal, a generation ago, did not involve a politician who was holier-than-thou, but did prompt the guilty party to withdraw from political office and devote the balance of his life to good works. Even Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives. Now we may confidently assert that progress has been made, and the calendar is dramatically accelerated. For it was exactly one year ago (March 2008) that Governor Spitzer was revealed to be the habitual client of a prostitution ring--some of whose employees have since gone to prison--and obliged to step down from office "in disgrace." Now all is forgiven! I'm going to assume that the bridge too far here is the actual contracting of a prostitute, and that, say, Newt Gingrich's infidelities have been absolved wholly through an indulgence bought from the Catholic Church he so recently embraced. But, to get a bit more contemporaneous here, I think Phil Singer makes an excellent point, here, regarding the continued acceptance of Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) : By the Weekly Standard's standards, Vitter should also be in "extended exile from polite society." Spitzer left elected office but Vitter is running for another term in the Senate. If the Standard thinks Spitzer should be in extended exile, presumably it thinks Vitter should join him. It is, indeed, a puzzlement. Far from exiling himself, Vitter seems to have been lately attempting to step back into the spotlight. Maybe it's just me, but over the past year, he seems to have been offering up his opinion a lot, lately. And, like the good folks at the Weekly Standard have about Spitzer, I've found myself wondering how it was Vitter had managed to so quickly finish the heaping helping of Shut Your Cakehole that I felt he should have been feeding himself. But, look, if a man wants to sex up a prostitute at the Mayflower or pay a sex worker to help work through his infantilist fantasies , perhaps I should be willing to look past it, so long as he doesn't pretend to be a spotless moralizer in the future. Naturally, Vitter has also lately distinguished himself by throwing a pisspot tantrum at airport security at Dulles Airport . Vitter has escaped from that incident, unpunished, but I can assure you, it will be a cold day in hell before I have any use for his opinion on matters of national security. On that subject, he should probably stick to a self-imposed cone of silence. [Would you like to follow me on Twitter ? Because why not? Also, please send tips to tv@huffingtonpost.com -- learn more about our media monitoring project here .] More on Eliot Spitzer
 
More Americans Volunteering, But Funding For Services Down Top
Michael Stoops says the recession is bringing out a volunteer spirit in America. "When we're in times like these, there's a greater willingness on the part of the American people to volunteer," says Stoops, director of the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. "We've seen an upsurge in people willing to do direct service volunteering, not just when it's cold" or on religious holidays, Stoops says. Stoops says he's never had so many applications from people across the country interested in unpaid internships or AmeriCorps positions with his organization . "We've been getting about triple the number of applications over the last two years as homelessness has become more newsworthy or hot issue." But there's a flip side. Funding sources are diminishing and "the food pantries are running low on food" since the recession started, says Stoops. Elizabeth Evancho is a development coordinator for ThriveDC, a nonprofit that provides daily meals and services for poor and homeless people in the capital city. She says many of the charitable foundations that give money to ThriveDC are telling her to expect as much as 30 percent less this year, and other foundations are not taking new applications. On the volunteer front, ThriveDC is doing just fine. Resource coordinator Nathan Mishler says ThriveDC has already booked Sunday volunteers -- a dozen or so folks to help cook and clean in the kitchen and greet folks on the floor -- for the rest of 2009. Bread for the City, which provides food and other assistance to families in Washington, announced pay cuts in March in the face of lower-than-expected revenues. "It's a painful irony that we have to make sacrifices just to maintain our current levels of services, even as the need for those services is increasing," writes Bread for the City spokesman Greg Bloom in an email to the Huffington Post. Need for these services is increasing -- the government reported last week that one in ten Americans is using food stamps to buy food. The Huffington Post wants to report on the extraordinary effort of Americans who volunteer to help their communities. Do you know of a coordinator in who's done great things to improve the lives of others in your community? Or do you know of problem -- a funding shortage, for example -- that's crippling service for the needy? The Huffington Post wants to know! Email us at submissions+service@huffingtonpost.com . Get HuffPost Politics on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter .
 
David Frum: Bank CEOs Still In Denial About Bailout Top
If the Politico report is to be believed, some of the bank CEOs who met with President Obama last week actually used some of their scarce time to defend -- yes, defend rather than apologize for -- the compensation practices of the banks since they all received TARP funds. After all this time, are these people still in denial to this degree?
 
Plan B Ruling: State Can't Force Pharmacists To Dispense 'Morning-After' Pill Top
A judge has ruled state officials can't force pharmacists to dispense the so-called "morning-after" pill. Two Illinois pharmacists won the temporary restraining order in Sangamon County Circuit Court on Friday. They claim a 2005 order from former Gov. Rod Blagojevich that they must dispense such pills violates state law prohibiting enforcement of health care decisions over religious objections. The pill reduces the chance of pregnancy if taken within 72 hours of sex. The pharmacists believe it's tantamount to abortion. The Supreme Court ruled in December that a circuit court had to hear arguments in the case. A hearing could be held in June. More on Health
 
The Progress Report: The End Of The Nuclear Age? Top
by Faiz Shakir, Amanda Terkel, Satyam Khanna, Matt Corley, Benjamin Armbruster, Ali Frick, Ryan Powers, and Igor Volsky To receive The Progress Report in your email inbox everyday, click here . Yesterday, North Korea launched a rocket "that it said propelled a satellite into space but that much of the world viewed as an unsuccessful effort to prove it is edging toward the capability to shoot a nuclear warhead on a longer-range missile." The rocket's payload landed in the Pacific Ocean, and the U.S. Northern Command said that nothing entered orbit. Analysts called the launch a failure, "suggesting it might reveal a significant quality control problem." Just hours after the launch, President Obama gave a speech affirming "America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons." Citing the danger of the black-market weapons trade and the threat of nuclear terrorism, Obama said the missile test illustrated "the need for action, just not this afternoon at the U.N. Security Council, but in our determination to prevent the spread of weapons." A MEASURED REACTION: Joseph Cirincione, president of Ploughshares Fund and former Center for American Progress senior fellow, argued that the missile test, while disturbing, "is not a serious threat to the United States, nor does it justify a crash program to deploy an expensive, unproven anti-missile system." North Korea would still have to make three more key breakthroughs to create a nuclear missile capable of reaching the U.S., he wrote. However, as President Obama declared, "Rules must be binding. Violations must be punished. Words must mean something." He called on the U.N. Security Council to take action against North Korea, although "it remained unclear exactly what the West will be able to do" regarding punishment. The Security Council remained "at an impasse" on Sunday night, and the session ended inconclusively. Cirincione, for one, said that now is not the time to shy away from negotiations: "Recall that North Korea's biggest nuclear advances came from 2001 to 2006 after the Bush administration scuttled the 1994 Agreed Framework and attempted to coerce North Korea into surrender or collapse. Instead, Kim Jong Il restarted his programs, tested more missiles and their first nuclear explosion." In a statement after the launch, Obama said the U.S. "will continue working for the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through the Six-Party Talks." RIGHT-WING FEARMONGERING: Predictably, the right wing immediately seized upon the missile launch to fearmonger. On Friday, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton intoned, "A ballistic missile that can reach the United States, can easily reach Japan, is a substantial threat." On Fox News Sunday, the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC), and former House speaker Newt Gingrich all agreed that, as Kristol put it, "We can't tolerate these North Korean launches," and the U.S. must "act accordingly." However, last week he called for "preemptive actions" against North Korea -- possibly with lasers of some kind -- Gingrich was vague on exactly how he would go about it. "There are three or four techniques that could have been used, from unconventional forces to standoff capabilities, to say we're not going to tolerate a North Korean missile launch, period," he blustered. The National Review's Rich Lowry indicated that America's only option was to "develop a robust missile defense" and lamented that the "Obama administration is falling down" in that respect by possibly giving up a missile defense site in Eastern Europe. Gingrich and Kristol even used the test to beat the war drums for their favored target: Iran. "This test, in a sense, is a de facto Iranian test, and it makes more immediate the threat of the North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs," Kristol said. On Twitter, Gingrich referred to the "north korean-iranian missile launches," adding, "We know they work together. Is this launch a dual threat?" OBAMA'S NUCLEAR PLAN: Hours after the launch, Obama "announced an ambitious U.S. arms-control campaign aimed at drastically reducing atomic weapons globally while still recognizing developing nations' rights to pursue nuclear power." He emphasized the leadership role the U.S. must take in reducing its weapons stockpile in order to persuade other nations to follow. "As a nuclear power -- as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon -- the United States has a moral responsibility to act," Obama said. "We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it." He will convene an international summit in Washington aimed at shrinking the world's nuclear arsenal, and will "propose creating a new international agency to pursue the effort, a senior U.S. official said." Obama is also working to create an international nuclear-fuel bank and pledged Sunday to "immediately and aggressively" push the Senate to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. "Nearly 148 countries have ratified the treaty, but it still awaits approval by the United States, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and Iran." Sunday's speech follows last week's announcement that the U.S. and Russia aim to negotiate a new arms reduction treaty by the end of this year. More on Turkey
 
The Hollywood Ham: Pyramid-Sized Shia LaBeouf Erected In Egypt Top
Located just outside of Cairo, Giza has been the home to the Egyptian pyramids for thousands of years. Today, it is also home to Shia LaBeouf. Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, cut the ribbon on what he's calling the nation's finest achievement, a pyramid-sized Shia LaBeouf. Fulfilling the nation's longtime demand for a giant Shia LaBeouf, Mubarak did not hesitate to compare it to the original pyramids, built thousands of years ago and regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. "At first, we thought it might take away from the historical significance of the actual Pyramids," Mubarak said of The Shia. "But have you seen The Greatest Game Ever Played ? I think that more than explains our pride in this achievement." Talks of The Shia have dated back to his breathtaking performance in Holes , but it wasn't until the charming actor came to Egypt for the filming of Tranformers 2 that the construction crew finally got the permits. The chief architect of the project was Kamal Nazif, who claims to have followed the styles of Imhotep, the architect that designed the Pyramid of Djoser, built during the third dynasty. "I really think my creation will blend in seamlessly with the landscape," said Nazif, who repeatedly took pictures of himself next to the giant Shia LaBeouf as if he were at a Wax Museum. "You think the Pyramids didn't stick out like sore thumbs when they were built?" After the ribbon cutting ceremony, President Mubarak added that he'd like to be buried inside The Shia with all his riches, including his prized possession: The Even Stevens Boxed Set.
 
The Recession's Upside: Everything From Cheaper Homes To Fewer Highway Deaths Top
Yes, there is an upside to the recession. Home prices have fallen, vacations are cheaper and you can buy that pair of boots you've been ogling for months at 50% off. In addition to cheaper consumer goods , there are some surprising benefits to the economic slump, like fewer highway deaths. On Monday, the AP reported that just 37,313 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes last year, 9.1% lower than 2007. It's the fewest deaths since 1961. Some industries are also getting a boost. Take the media companies, for example. TV viewership is soaring as more of us stay home and watch the evening news rather than shell out $10 at the movies. More on The Recession
 
Earthquake In Italy: Scientist Predicted Quake Weeks Earlier But Was Muzzled Top
ROME (Reuters) -- An Italian scientist predicted a major earthquake around L'Aquila weeks before disaster struck the city on Monday, killing more than 100 people, but was reported to authorities for spreading panic. More on Italy
 
Offshore Wind Power Could Replace Most Coal Plants In US, Says Salazar Top
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Windmills off the East Coast could generate enough electricity to replace most, if not all, the coal-fired power plants in the United States, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Monday. The secretary spoke at a public hearing in Atlantic City on how the nation's offshore areas can be tapped to meet America's energy needs. "The idea that wind energy has the potential to replace most of our coal-burning power today is a very real possibility," he said. "It is not technology that is pie-in-the sky; it is here and now." Offshore energy production, however, might not be limited to wind power, Salazar said. A moratorium on offshore oil drilling has expired, and President Barack Obama and Congress must decide whether to allow drilling off the East Coast. "We know there are some people who want us to close the door on that," he said. "We need to look at all forms of energy as we move forward into a new energy frontier." Salazar said ocean winds along the East Coast can generate 1 million megawatts of power, roughly the equivalent of 3,000 medium-sized coal-fired power plants, or nearly five times the number of coal plants now in the United States, according to the Energy Department. Salazar could not estimate how many windmills might be needed to generate 1 million megawatts of power, saying it would depend on their size, and how near or far from the coast they were located. Monday's hearing was hosted by Salazar and is the first of four to be held around the country to discuss how energy resources including oil, gas, wind and waves should be utilized as the new administration formulates its energy policy. It was held at the Atlantic City Convention Center, whose roof-mounted solar energy panels are the largest in the nation. In 2007, the Outer Continental Shelf, a zone extending roughly three to 200 miles from shore, accounted for 14 percent of the nation's natural gas production, and 27 percent of its oil production. Salazar said it is essential that the nation fully exploit renewable energy resources to reduce its reliance on imported oil. By buying oil from countries hostile to the United States, "we have, in my opinion, been funding both sides in the war on terrorism," he said. Environmentalists are urging the Obama administration to bar oil and gas drilling off the East Coast, and invest heavily in wind, solar and other energy technology. "This is a defining moment, whether we're going to have a clean energy future or continue to rely on oil drilling," said Jeff Tittel, New Jersey director of the Sierra Club. "Right now the government is fossil-foolish, and we need to change that." U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said offshore drilling should not be allowed, citing the economic cost of a spill. "The risks are great, the rewards are less," he said. "It perpetuates our reliance on oil. Frankly, we simply just don't want it." But Skip Hobbs, a petroleum geologist from New Canaan, Conn., said oil and gas drilling has been shown to be safe. "We should recognize that as a practical matter, fossil fuel will rule for another generation," he said. Rep. Rob Bishop, R-Utah, said the nation needs to drill more, saying "it can be done intelligently." "We need to start looking at the self-inflicted energy dependence we have because we refuse to develop our domestic energy industry," he said. New Jersey is tripling the amount of wind power it plans to use by 2020 to 3,000 megawatts. That would be 13 percent of New Jersey's total energy, enough to power between 800,000 to just under 1 million homes. In October, Garden State Offshore Energy, a joint venture of PSE&G Renewable Generation and Deepwater Wind, was chosen to build a $1 billion, 345 megawatt wind farm in the ocean about 16 miles southeast of Atlantic City. That plant would be able to power about 125,000 homes. In Atlantic City, the local utilities authority has a wind farm consisting of five windmills that generate 7.5 megawatts, enough energy to power approximately 2,500 homes. Rhode Island Gov. Gov. Don Carcieri, a Republican, said renewable energy's appeal crosses partisan lines. "There is a sense of urgency that we get this moving and get it right," he said. "There is a national emergency right now; the dependence on oil and natural gas has gone on for too long."
 
Alex McCord: Covering Rashes & Creating Your Brand Top
It's pouring rain and I've caught the plague from my son. A round of Fifth's disease (short definition: flu + rash) went through his school, and slowly but surely we all got it. Problem is that when an adult gets it you feel incredibly run-down along with that fabulous flu feeling. Yay, not. This too shall pass, and today I actually consider myself lucky that I don't have to put on a suit, and can instead huddle at my kitchen island with endless cups of tea and soup for a few hours. Later I'll head out for a career transition seminar on salary negotiation, which no doubt will amuse a few insiders and hopefully prove useful. I'll be wearing trousers to cover this lovely rash on my leg. Have you noticed that tensions and emotions are high everywhere? Almost everywhere I went this week people were being rude to one another. It seems to stem from self-protection. People are now so concerned with their own bottom line and self-interest that they forget how to listen to one another. It's as though everyone has forgotten how to communicate, or are so scared for themselves that they no longer care. Are we as a large-scale community heading toward Lord of the Flies territory? Example #1 - a man shoved a woman on the subway. He tried to step into the car before she was fully out and the impact sent her reeling; she was caught by another passenger. He justified his action by muttering, "I have to get on this train; I have to get to work." Everyone understands that fear - with tough economic times, no one wants to give their employer any ammunition to put their job in jeopardy - but I think we can all draw the line at shoving. Example #2 - my boys were playing in the backyard yesterday, as they often do. Kickball, whiffleball, swingset competition and climbing anything solid enough to put a foot on were all on the agenda. One thing that's great about townhouse neighborhoods in any borough of the city is that kids can interact with each other through backyard fences. Our property line adjoins the one behind us, and in each back corner four yards adjoin; the neighborhood kids pass notes and little toy cars through the fence. Even better, impromptu playdates can be organized by simply throwing one kid over to the hosting kid's parent. With that similarity to Anytown, USA, also comes cranky neighbors. In this case, when my son was chatting with another boy through the fences, Cranky Old Lady who owns the neighbors' house screamed at my son to get off her property, though he wasn't on it. When I addressed her regarding her rudeness, she said it was her right to be nasty in order to keep him safe. It makes me laugh when people make up excuses to account for rude behavior, but it makes me angry when I have to find a way to explain her behavior to my 5 year old. "Sometimes people are mean for no reason." I briefly considered the wonderfully terrible things that could happen if she had flowerbeds and I had a dog. Down, girl. Also this week on numerous occasions, miscommunications occurred simply because people weren't listening. One thing I've had to force myself to do as a busy person is to be present (or Be Here Now , thank you Ram Dass,) in my current situation. If you're at work, be at work. If you're with the kids or filming or at a party or standing on your head, be there. That axiom saved my sanity, particularly when working 40-50 hours a week, shooting the show, renovating the house and keeping the boys well fed and happy. When people are stuck in their own heads, you may say X but they hear Y, and then everyone is at cross-purposes. Don't call me "Sancti-Mommy," though - I'm often guilty of all of the above too. Well, not the shoving bit. Unless someone is trying to steal my cab. The one place I didn't find fear, rudeness and negativity this week? The career transition center. Wow. I think the difference is that people there acknowledged and owned their fear. "Yes, I don't have a job. Yes, I'm looking for one. Yes, it's tough out there. Now what?" What a refreshing attitude. While there I attended a seminar about self-branding. Now, in my recent career I've had great fun working on corporate brand identity, copy writing, etc., but never really turned those skills inward. As an actress I always auditioned to play someone else, supporting someone else's brand & project. However for the first time in my career outside acting, I am the brand. In today's multi-media economy, is it necessary to advertise yourself? Short answer? YES. Being good at your job is a great first step. While Mom always said to keep handy a great resume for your next job and a great dress for your next date, that resume package now includes a sharp, kicky 15 second commercial for you and your skills. Everyone always asks "What do you do," at parties, so it's high time we practiced our answers. In the seminar, people tore into each other's commercials with gusto. "Clarify that." "It's too long." "Shorten, shorten, shorten. People can't pay attention long enough, and what the hell does 'information specialist' mean?" After helping the others with theirs, I finally came up with mine...graphic design at the speed of your business. Like it? More on Reality TV
 
Yoani Sanchez, HuffPost Blogger In Cuba, Accused Of 'Provocation' Top
Cuban authorities accused blogger Yoani Sanchez on Wednesday of staging a "provocation against the Cuban Revolution" after she and others spoke publicly about censorship during an arts performance in Havana. More on Cuba
 
Weekend Late Night Round-Up: Michelle Obama, The Queen, And Wife Swap (VIDEO) Top
The jokes about the Obamas meeting the Queen just kept on coming this week with Seth Myers, Jay Leno and Bill Maher all poking fun at the world leaders. Maher took it to the next level by saying: "[Barack Obama is] the 11th president the Queen has met with and the first one where she spent the entire meeting clutching her purse." In other highlights, "The Soup" found the craziest family to ever appear on "Wife Swap." For last weekend's round-up, click here. WATCH: More on Late Night Shows
 
Tamil Tigers Last Stronghold Falls To Sri Lankan Troops Top
The capture of last LTTE bastion of Pudukudiriyirippu by Sri Lankan troops has triggered a record exodus of Tamil civilians from LTTE controlled areas, the army said today. A record 2127 Tamil civilians yesterday sought refuge in camps in Mullaittivu, hours after the army run over the last LTTE stronghold and pushed the rebels into a narrow 'no-fire zone' packed with civilians. More on Sri Lanka
 
Sam Panayotovich: David vs. Goliath: The NCAA National Championship Top
The old adage says that everything happens for a reason. Luckily for college basketball fans, we only have to wait until Monday night. As the clock struck midnight Saturday on Big East powerhouses Connecticut and Villanova, it became an instant revelation that America would witness the highly anticipated re-match between North Carolina and Michigan State. Just four months ago, the Tar Heels steamrolled into Detroit on Dec. 3 and shellacked State by 35 points, the program's most lopsided loss since 1996. This time around, Tom Izzo and Co. are determined and motivated to prove that they belong on the same floor. Despite winning the Big Ten regular season title and placing as high as fifth in the polls this year, Sparty came into March Madness with little expectations from the general population. In fact, only 25 percent of ESPN.com Tournament Challenge entrants had MSU in the Final Four. However, just like the little engine that could, State keeps chugging along. First, the experts said they couldn't beat Kansas twice in the same season. Then, they weren't athletic or offensively skilled enough to hang with Louisville. And most recently, they weren't big and strong enough to bang down low with the "bruising" Connecticut front court. Talk about silencing the critics. Still, State is a monumental underdog against a Tar Heel squad equipped with nine high school All-Americans and at least three future lottery picks. Carolina is the best offensive team in the nation by far and they have incredible equilibrium of perimeter shooting and low post finesse. Mainstream media continues to praise UNC and deems them the best team since the UNLVs and Dukes of the early 90s. So the Heels are going to run Sparty out of the building, right? Not this time. For as great as North Carolina is (I wrote this past December that when they're healthy, they are hands down the best team in the country), there is something special about this bunch from East Lansing. Something "Magical" you could say. Something I didn't fully appreciate until I witnessed them completely exploit two of the tournament's four No. 1 seeds. In watching film and studying State's last two games, it became apparent how relentless they truly are in terms of getting to the glass and playing the type of physical defense that goes hand-in-hand with the blue collar toughness of Detroit. MSU's toughness and brute force down the stretch wore down the Cardinals and Huskies, allowing Sparty to pull away around the eight minute mark in both games. And with the best Xs and Os coach in the country on the side of the green and white, it's very hard for me to picture the colossal blowout that most of the pundits are predicting. I implore you to discount the December meeting as it means absolutely nothing to Monday's contest. You can throw all this 35-point nonsense out the window as Michigan State playing with a banged up Delvon Roe and without Goran Suton is like eating cereal without milk -- it's passable, but you wouldn't wish it upon your worst enemy. Tyler Hansbrough and Deon Thompson had their way with the depleted MSU frontcourt, one that saw Draymond Green and Marquise Gray seeing the majority of the minutes. No offense to them, but these guys are role players, not players that should be expected to guard the reigning Player of the Year and the most improved big man in the ACC. These mismatches opened up the floodgates for the drive-and-kicks to Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green and it continued to plunge downhill from there. Fast forward to today, where you insert a healthy Suton and the most efficient Roe we've seen all year long, making this an entirely different ballgame. Need I remind you that Michigan State is the best rebounding team in the nation? Or how about how they outworked and outhustled Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien on the boards? MSU's ability to win the rebounding battle is crucial if they want any shot at striking down Goliath. In order to be crowned national champions, State has to accomplish three things: win the aforementioned battle on the glass, slow down the pace of the game and have the discipline to take good shots to prevent Carolina from getting easy looks in transition. Knowing full well what the Heels are capable of on the break, you have to believe Tom Izzo has the perfect gameplan mapped out in his mind. Not that Roy Williams is a slouch, but since Izzo's bunch won their last three games with three different styles of basketball, I'll give the coaching advantage to Sparty. Also, bench points will be huge as Michigan State is able to comfortably give its starters a breather since its supporting cast is filled with players that can knock down big shots. Durrell Summers, Chris Allen and Korie Lucious have all had their shining moments this postseason and they anchor an impressive bench, one that outscored Connecticut 33 to 7 just two days ago. If I were a betting man, it'd be hard to shy away from the eight points that Vegas will be giving MSU backers by tip-off. Carolina comes into the championship having won every single game by double digits, although none were really that close. UNC's first two games were a joke, Gonzaga is a mid-major hack and Oklahoma and Villanova completely shot themselves out of contention. State, on the other hand has been in three dogfights in which pinpoint execution was a must. They've been battle tested all tournament and have excelled in all facets of the game. State needs to control the pace of this ball game and not let it turn into the Indianapolis 500. If Carolina gets out in transition time and time again, I agree this one could get real ugly, real fast. But I know that Izzo knows that his guys need to be smart with the basketball and take efficient shots in order to slow down the Carolina Express. Izzo is renowned for running the best offensive sets in the half-court game. And State can shoot it from deep too, let's not discount that. The Spartans are 22-0 this season when they shoot 30 percent or better from three. From a defensive standpoint, slowing down Lawson, Hansbrough and Ellington is going to be an extremely difficult task as these three players are as skilled and seasoned as any collegiate players in the past five years. But don't underestimate the speed and playmaking abilities of Kalin Lucas, the superior interior defense of Suton and Roe, and the hard-nosed, intensified defense of Travis Walton, who will be responsible for disrupting Ellington's sweet stroke. Let's not forget that Walton's defensive assignments against Sherron Collins, Terrence Williams and A.J. Price/Kemba Walker were easily the deciding factors in State's victories over Kansas, Louisville and UConn respectively. Michigan State is the toughest team I've seen in years and they never, ever give up. Knowing that they are workaholics on defense and they rarely make bad decisions with the rock, I believe they have a realistic chance to hoist the trophy in their home state in front of the largest crowd in Final Four history. MSU is playing its best basketball of the season at the perfect time and how fitting that the title game is in Detroit, where upwards of 50,000 green and white clad fans will make for the most hostile environment Carolina has seen all year. Sparty has been the underdog since the Sweet 16, but they've continued to rise to the challenge and play perfect basketball when it matters most. Keep doubting the Spartans folks, it'll only make this extremely underrated underdog bark louder and bite harder. More on Sports
 
Leslie Griffith: Cheney's Toys Top
How many times did former vice president Dick Cheney whisper undermining, surreptitious words into the ears of Israeli and high-ranking Pentagon officials? Every day? Once a week? Several seditious rumors a month? Those who listened are simply Cheney's Toys. Sadly, Dick does not understand his play date is done and his tinker toys need putting away. In the words of Shakespeare, "Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look." This week Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh reported some sobering news. Now that the clock has run out on Bush/Cheney, the former vice president has, according to Hersh, not only called Israeli officials and told them "not to trust Mr. Obama because he was pro-Palestinian and not ready for the major leagues," but Hersh went on to report that Cheney/Bush "Stay behinds," loyal senior officials in the Pentagon, National Security Agency and even inside the White House, are still reporting back to Cheney. Those of us who regard Hersh as one of the greatest journalists of our generation tend to believe him. Sleep deprived and soaked in worry after stomaching that gaseous news, a startling look at an often-ignored declassified military document leads one to consider how back-room whispers can stir up funnel clouds capable of causing long-term hurricanes. Past is prologue. Shakespeare wrote it and it is carved in stone on the National Archives Building. Many secrets are buried in the piles of paper held in that building, but one document gives a clue to just how far those who proclaim love of country, but seem to prefer love of power, will go to destabilize it in the name of a poisonous "patriotic" ideology. Although seemingly unrelated to JFK's murder, a plan for attacking Cuba called Operation Northwoods was declassified by the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board in 1997. It remained clouded in obscurity until James Bamford wrote about it his book on the National Security Agency titled "Body of Secrets" back in 2001. Even so, it has remained unknown to most, another victim of the mainstream media's memory hole. Written in May of 1962, a month after the Bay of Pigs fiasco; five months before the Cuban missile crisis; and a year before President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated; the Northwoods document illustrates in horrifying language that Kennedy, like Obama, had "hold overs" and "loyalists" willing to risk millions of American lives to further their own agenda. Despite a legion of Soviet Missiles pointed toward America, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, guided by Chairman Lyman Lemnitzer and goaded by Curtis "Bombs Away" LeMay, were itching to kill themselves some Communists -- even after Kennedy made it clear he did not want a war with Cuba. Scorning the wishes of the President and the restrictions of the U.S. constitution, the Joint Chiefs contrived and plotted a way to stir one up. Duplicitous whispers no doubt echoed through the halls of power then, too. Mr. Cheney cannot keep his telescopic gun scopes from covertly targeting Iran, just as The Joint Chiefs' fixation on Cuba led them to concoct a chaos-inducing secret plan to undermine their President, as the follow memo proves: Page One: And Page Five: How far were the Joint Chiefs of 1962 willing to go? Would they kill American citizens to get what they wanted? Yes, is the answer, even American children. • "It is possible to create an incident which will demonstrate convincingly that a Cuban aircraft has shot down a chartered civil airliner...the passengers could be {American} college students off on a holiday." • "We could blow up a US ship in Guantanamo bay and blame Cuba." • "We could develop a communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even Washington." For the complete Joint chiefs/Cassius collage see: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/northwoods.pdf We all remember how plotting and conniving against a democratically-elected president ended in November of 1963. And we have heard the comparisons between the young, vibrant JFK and this new President. May the parallels end there. Past cannot be Prologue. "Forever and Forever farewell Cassius." More on Dick Cheney
 
Ariston Anderson: 10 Lessons from Anvil! the greatest heavy metal band you're never heard of Top
Who would have thought the feel good movie of the year stars fifty-year old heavy metal has beens? Don't take my word for it. I watched Anvil! The Story of Anvil! with a veteran music industry exec who proclaimed "this is genius!" after the first five minutes. And I've watched it with a girly-girl whose initial response was "Are you kidding me?" but who managed to break down in tears three times before the credits fell. You don't have to be a heavy metal fan to appreciate this film. You don't even have to love music, although it will help. Anvil! The Story of Anvil is a touching film that will reach out to any audience member big or small, in times like this, when all we need is a little hope. Take a journey through the eyes of Lips, who some might call naïve, some might call simple-minded, and some might just call Canadian. At heart, he's true Rock n' Roll. He started a band with his teenage friend Robb Reiner, called Anvil. In 1984 they were at the height of their career, traveling the world with their album Metal on Metal , what some call the album that started it all. They paved the way for bands like Metallica, Anthrax, and Guns N' Roses. They played Japan alongside the Scorpions, Whitesnake, and Bon Jovi. While those bands went on to sell millions of records, Anvil somehow ended up stuck in Canada. While some bands, after failing to attract a major label may call it quits, Lips has kept Anvil together in one form or another for over thirty years. We tour Europe with him where he's stood up by a club owner, take a loan from his sister to self-produce their 13th album, and finally, once again become big in Japan. Today Anvil is touring with the launch of the film: the Anvil experience. Once again they seem to be climbing up the ranks. They're sharing a manager with Slayer, a booking agent with Coldplay, and their next big gig will be to play for over 65,000 people at Glastonbury, opening for Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, and Fleetwood Mac. As director Sacha Gervasi tells me, "It's mental." How did they finally make it, you might ask. Here are ten lessons to take from Anvil! The Story of Anvil . And while their path to success may have been an unconventional one, they're lessons that we can all take with us on our own journeys. Find your mentors. Gervasi discovered the band at the age of 15, when he saw them play at a London Marquee Show. "They played faster, heavier and more intensely than any band I'd ever seen," he says. He sneaked his way backstage and the band took him up on his offer to show them around London the next day. They instantly adopted him, giving him the tender nickname of "Teabag." Eventually he went out on the road with them, touring with them three times throughout the 80s. "I was a big fan of Robb Reiner's drumming," says Gervasi, "so I got to go out on tour with them and set up Robb's drums everynight. I learned how to play from Robb." Reconnect with old friends. Gervasi lost touch with the band after the 80s, but one night in 2005 he decided to Google them. "I thought they'd died or broken up, you know, I didn't know what had happened. They produced 13 albums and they never stopped. And they still hadn't made it," he says. So Gervasi called up Lips and wrote to the website. Lips wrote back and said "Teabag, we thought you'd died or became a lawyer." Gervasi flew them out to L.A. and said, "within 10 minutes it was as if those 20 years had melted away. And he was so, like as I remembered him. It wasn't just that they'd play music, it was that he really knew if they put in the work some miracle would happen someday. It was so infectious, his enthusiasm, and I thought, there's a film." The relationship between director and subject is not a typical one. It's apparent on screen the love the band feels for the director as we become more and more intimate with their story. Find your own pleasure in life, even if your day job involves school cafeteria food. In one of the opening scenes of the film, we drive around with Lips in Snowy Toronto as he delivers meals to children's schools. "Anvil gives me my happiness," he says. Although he wasn't making any money with the band, it's the joy he needs to get through life. Things can only get better he says, and by having a creative outlet, he knows this is true. 
Don't let obstacles on the path to success deter you
. "The film is about musicians who realize the movie is just about the struggle," says Gervasi. "99% of people don't make it. All of those people who did make it, recognize that that was them, or that could be them. It's a story for every under dog." Have the right attitude. Some Anvil fans might think Metallica stole the thunder out from under them. But Anvil isn't bitter. "They're so grateful to have influenced all these megabands, but they truly belive their time will come," says Gervasi. "And it's so crazy, because who in their right mind, in their 50s, thinks they're going to make it." If you have the right attitude, and don't blame others, your time will come. Stay true to your style, fannypack and all. When the band finally landed a meeting with a record label, EMI in Canada, they didn't put on an interview suit. No, they showed up in their long rocker hair and skinny jeans, which makes them look much younger than their 50 years, and of course kept the fanny packs on. Ultimately they weren't signed, but this led them to self-distribute their album, in true Anvil style. Don't give up the first time around, nor the second, nor the third. Lips and Reiner had a million opportunities to call it quits. Instead, they're going to rock until they die. Gervasi did call it quits in real life, with a band that went on to become Bush, and sell over 10 million records. But then he found his true calling in filmmaking, paying testament to his friends' perseverance. Don't take anything for granted. The one thing about Anvil is they have no ego. And perhaps you need some ego to get by in this business, but it's refreshing to see a band that relies on their talent alone. "You know what's great, is these guys, have so been ruled out, down for the count, over so many times, that they really appreciate what's going on," says Gervasi. "They know it's a miracle, every second they're living it. If they'd have got it in their twenties, they would have blown it. All bands that get it, they think it's going to be here forever, and then suddenly, with their third album, they're like wait, hold it, what happened. These guys have been through it. They've been killed so many times, that they're actually able to enjoy this moment and remain totally who they are. They're exactly as they were 30 years ago." Believe in Miracles. "People need stories of hope," says Gervasi. "This is a real story about endurance and perseverance, what it means to have friendships, what it means to be a part of a family, and the miracle that's going on for the band in the ending is if we just don't quit then maybe something good will happen. And I think that's what people need to hear. It's a very timely, timeless story. And it's a universal one, so I think people should see the movie because I think they're going to feel good when they leave the theater." Go see this movie, now. Truth be told, anyone in their right minds who had gone through what Anvil had gone through, poor managers, poor sound recordings, 30 years of never catching a break, would have given up by now. But they're not normal guys, and their story is worth seeing for exactly this reason. The film opens in New York and Los Angeles April 10th, followed by a national roll-out. Click here to buy tickets for screenings or for information on the Anvil experience. VH1 will host the worldwide television premiere this summer.
 
Netanyahu 'Easily Blackmailed:' Livni Top
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni blasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as being "easily blackmailed" in light of the many cabinet posts he handed out while putting his government together. More on Israel
 
Chris Kyle: One Not So Shiny Moment Top
The best part of tonight's national championship game probably won't be the game. It will happen after the game, after the nets are cut down, when CBS plays its "One Shining Moment" montage. Set against the backdrop of the song, it's always a huge hit for the network and serves as a time capsule of highlights and defining moments. It is how some of the players will be remembered, forever, but not all of the players. I know this because I remember Greg Newton. He played basketball for Duke when I student and I rooted for him from the stands. He was a big-time recruit and a sometimes starter who was suspended from school for cheating. But that's not why I remember him. I remember Greg Newton because he once said something stupid about Tim Duncan, his rival at Wake Forest. That Tim Duncan and Greg Newton were ever rivals is hard to imagine now, much like it's hard to image that once upon a time Christian Laettner owned Shaq. But he did. They played against each other twice when they were at Duke and LSU respectively and Laettner dominated Shaq both times. Actually, to compare Laettner to Greg Newton is probably unfair. Although they both played at Duke in the '90s, the similarities largely end there. Laettner is remembered as one the greatest college basketball players of all time, while Wikipedia remembers that Greg Newton left college just "one away from Duke's top 10 in blocks." Tim Duncan, meanwhile, went on to earn a much bigger Wikipedia page by becoming the best player in the NBA. He has won more championships and MVP awards than Kobe and LeBron, combined, and he could win another championship this year. Anyway, back in the '90s, long before Duncan and Newton went their very separate ways, the two did what many of us do every day, whether it's on the golf course, at the water cooler, or on a message board. They talked a little trash. Greg Newton went first. Big mistake. When talking trash, it's not advisable to go first, unless you're Simon Cowell or Shaq. It's not fair, really, but Shaq and Simon always win. Just ask Megan Joy or Kobe. Megan lobbed a grenade at Simon last week and memorably went down in flames. As for Shaq, he once asked Kobe, "How my ass taste?" Kobe wisely did not respond. Newton, for his part, unwisely started his war of words with Tim Duncan by calling him "soft" and Duncan ended it by saying that "Greg Newton is everybody's All-American." Chalk up another victory for Mr. Duncan. Everyone knew that Newton didn't have the talent to be an All-American, and he didn't have the passport either. He's Canadian. So now I think of Greg Newton whenever I think of Tim Duncan, and I think of Tim Duncan a lot. I can't help it. The calendar may say April but March Madness is forever. More on March Madness
 
Pillow Fight: Wall Street Became Center Of Giant Pillow Powow (SLIDESHOW) Top
Pillow Fight NYC 2009: The rules were simple: 1) Take off your glasses. 2) Maybe wear a costume. 3) Hit strangers with soft pillows. And this time Pillow Fight NYC was held on Wall Street, so pillow fighters added "financial frustration" to their soft, friendly and slumber-party-esque rage. But once the feathers had settled, it was clear that there were neither winners nor losers, only proud and ridiculous fighters in togas, gas masks and glittery wigs. Mark your calendars for 2010!
 
Diane Dimond: Can A Month Change The World? Top
I've never been a joiner. As a child I didn't join the Girl Scouts or go out for cheerleader. I would never have considered joining the Math Club or commemorating Save the Earthworm Day. But as I've matured I've come to realize that only when people ban together around a specific cause or purpose do others become educated and aware. It's only when passionate people form a movement that things truly change. For example, it was the nationwide campaign highlighting the startling number of traffic deaths that got us to change our habits and wear seat belts. When a concerted campaign showed us the insides of our bodies and the harm done by cigarettes our national smoking rate began to plummet. And when drinking and driving, once tolerated and hardly punished, became the cause celeb of a group of women called Mothers Against Drunk Driving the rest of us began to change our thinking about this now taboo practice. So, it's with great fascination that I watch another group of women and their current campaign to change the way we view sex crimes and domestic abuse against women. Will their movement to stop the violence get traction? Interestingly, their crusade revolves around something that happened thousands of miles across the ocean a decade ago. A young woman in Italy took a driving lesson. Her 45 year old instructor guided her to drive to a lonely country road. There something terrible happened. She called it rape, he called it consensual. After he was convicted of rape his lawyers appealed all the way to Italy's Supreme Court. In an astonishing turnaround the justices ruled that since the 18 year old woman had been wearing "very tight jeans" it could not have been rape. She, they concluded, would have to have helped remove the jeans before any intimacies could occur. When this true story made it to America women's groups here were outraged at the stupid notion that a woman wearing jeans cannot be raped. They began to discuss what they could do to show solidarity with the Italian woman and to educate people about sexual and domestic violence. In planting the seeds of their idea for a national campaign they discussed different teaching tools they could employ. The jeans, they thought ... the campaign had to revolve around those jeans! 10 years later the disciples of the movement have gotten the month of April declared "Sexual Abuse Awareness Month" and during this month "Denim Day" will be marked in cities across the country. It's a day during which all Americans are asked to wear jeans to work or school to spark a conversation about the problem. If you think this movement has nothing to do with you take a look at the bone-chilling government statistics on sexual assaults against both women and men. The FBI reports, one in six women will be the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime. Imagine that - one in every six women! Most of the time it's not the scary stranger who attacks, it is someone known to the victim. And the Centers For Disease Control reports 22% of victims are men. Your sons, daughters, brother, sisters, nephews, nieces and spouses are all at risk. This month Denim Day will be observed (on various dates) in states from Hawaii to Connecticut, from New York to California where April 22nd has been declared Denim Day. In Los Angeles the victim's rights group Peace Over Violence is organizational ground zero, having inspired more than 250 thousand supporters to participate in last year's event there. Nationwide, more than 600 thousand individuals and organizations signed up and this year organizers hope to double that figure. It's beginning to look like a bone fide national movement. Peace Over Violence Executive Director, Patti Giggans tells me, "Our goals are to support survivors, it's never too late to heal ... and to educate the public to prevent and end sexual violence." Their slogan, which has now gone nationwide, is: "There is no excuse. There's never an invitation to rape." But can a designated month and supporters wearing jeans really change human behavior? Can these groups attach enough shame to the act of sexual and domestic abuse to actually curb it? Are our children absorbing the lessons to never resort to physical assault? Are grownups that grew up with violence in the home suddenly able to turn on a dime and stop the ugly cycle? In a day and age where singing sensation Rihanna can be brutally pummeled by her boyfriend, Chris Brown, followed by teen age girls exclaiming, "Well she probably did something to make him mad," I have my doubts. Then again I never thought I'd see the day when attitudes changed about seat belts and cigarettes. Diane Dimond's web site is: www.DianeDimond.net - Write her at: Diane@DianeDimond.net
 
Levi Johnston On Tyra Show: Talks Bristol Break-Up, Drug And Cheating Rumors (VIDEO) Top
Levi Johnston's interview with Tyra Banks aired on Monday. Early on, Levi explained that he had decided to "break his silence" about his split with Bristol Palin to counter negative stories about himself in the news. Levi Johnston: I have seen a lot of stuff, read a lot of things in the newspapers and news and it's time we get our story out there. I have seen a lot of stuff saying I've done steroids and drugs and cheated on Bristol and that kind of thing, and it's not true. Tyra Banks: What does it feel to read those things about you that are lies? Johnston: It's ridiculous how someone could come up with a lot of things like that. But at the same time it's kind of funny, they ain't got nothing better to do than pick on young kids. Asked to clarify why he and Bristol had actually broken up, Johnston said, "I think it it was after we had had the baby, things got a lot complicated. We started fighting. we just wouldn't seeing eye to eye with each other anymore and we thought it would be better to be friends and try to work things out this way." WATCH: More updates soon... Get HuffPost Politics on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter .
 
Syrian Arrested For Obama Assassination Plot: Reports Top
Turkish security services have arrested a Syrian man who was planning to assassinate US President Barack Obama during his current trip to Turkey, the Saudi daily Al Watan reported Monday. More on Syria
 
Bill Moyers, William Black Interview Top
For months now, revelations of the wholesale greed and blatant transgressions of Wall Street have reminded us that "The Best Way to Rob a Bank Is to Own One." In fact, the man you're about to meet wrote a book with just that title. It was based upon his experience as a tough regulator during one of the darkest chapters in our financial history: the savings and loan scandal in the late 1980s. WILLIAM K. BLACK: These numbers as large as they are, vastly understate the problem of fraud.
 
Gates Reveals Plans For Pentagon Overhaul (WATCH LIVE VIDEO) Top
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is recommending cuts for high-tech weapons programs he calls wasteful or ill-suited for the low-tech tasks of fighting insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gates is laying out plans Monday to rearrange the huge Pentagon budget, some $534 billion for the coming year, to better address the wars the United States is fighting now and may fight in the future. WATCH GATES LIVE AT 1:30 PM: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News , World News , and News about the Economy
 
Tuna And Mercury: What's Best For You Is Best For The Planet Top
Polar bears are cute, cuddly, and everyone is sad that they might run out of ice and become extinct like the pathetic animated bear in An Inconvenient Truth. Tuna are neither cute nor cuddly, and no one is winning a Nobel Prize for a touching movie about their imminent demise. For the average American, though, the status of the tuna fishery has bigger implications for daily life than the status of the polar bear. Basically, it'd be great if we all stopped eating tuna, for both of the reasons you mention: due to being high on the food chain, they often contain high levels of mercury (a byproduct of industry, particularly coal-fired power plants); and many species are overfished. Longlines, the sixty-foot-long baited lines used to catch many kinds of tuna, have a high bycatch. Purse seining for Pacific yellowfin tuna was responsible for all those dead dolphins, but this has apparently been improved. No official agency is going to recommend that we stop eating tuna because a) the tuna people would be annoyed; b) when has the government ever told us to stop doing anything bad (have you seen cigarette labels in Europe?); and c) eating fish is still kind of good for you. And we love our tuna: Americans ate about 2.7 pounds of canned tuna per person in 2007. More on Food
 
Tom Vander Ark: Incentives for Equitable Education Top
The US Education Department (USED) will soon be writing checks totaling more than $100 billion (yes that's a b) to states and districts. About 95% is just backfilling budget holes--a good thing given the precipitous and potentially disastrous drop in state and local revenues. Unfortunately, USED will be criticized because the money didn't come soon enough, wasn't enough, wasn't fairly distributed, and won't last forever. Let's focus on the roughly $5 billion that could really make a difference. The biggest program, the Race to the Top fund, is a $4.3 billion incentive fund that will be distributed to states on a request basis. USED has a great deal of flexibility in setting criteria for this money. It's not an easy task implementing a grant program of this size effectively. To put it into perspective, it took a large talented team eight years to invest this amount at the Gates Foundation. Duncan has about eight weeks. And there's a lot riding on these decisions--the success of Obama's first term, at least from an education standpoint, will rest on the decisions that are made in the coming weeks. As USED thinks about a set of forward leaning investment criteria--incentives for equitable outcomes not equitable distribution of funds--the principles of the Education Equality Project (www.EdEquality.org) serve as a great model: • Ensure that there is an effective teacher in every classroom, and an effective principal in every school, by paying educators as the professionals they are, by giving them the tools and training they need to succeed, and by making tough decisions about those who do not; • Empower parents by giving them a meaningful voice in where their children are educated including public charter schools; • Create accountability for educational success at every level--at the system and school level, for teachers and principals, and for central office administrators; • Commit to making every decision about whom we employ, how money is spent, and where resources are deployed with a single-minded focus: what will best serve our students, regardless of how it affects other interests; • Call on parents and students to demand more from their schools, but also to demand more from themselves; • Have the strength in our convictions to stand up to those political forces and interests who seek to preserve a failed system. Let's take these principles down one level and get specific about grant criteria. I'd suggest that no state gets a dime without agreeing to: 1. Adopting national standards. It's time to end the race to the bottom and adopt clearer, fewer, and higher standards. We're just cheating low income students by giving out diplomas based on watered down standards. And it would be nice to be able to make comparisons of schools and programs across states lines--something that's very hard to do with different standards everywhere. 2. Tracking and using longitudinal data. We've added more measurement to the system but most states, districts, and schools don't have and don't use data they way they should. A year end multiple choice dipstick is better than nothing, but schools should be making frequent use of online adaptive assessment and assessing writing, problem solving, and science projects in much more sophisticated (and yes, expensive) ways. Like Florida, we should be able to track young people into college and work so we really begin to understand the educational effectiveness. Better longitudinal data is key to everything else on the list. 3. Eliminating tenure. There's no place for job guarantees in a performance-based system. You wouldn't want tenured airline pilots and the work that teachers do is just as important. We're not very sophisticated about selection and preparation, so the best we can do is leave enough flexibility to retain teachers that add value and non-renew teachers that don't. Master teachers could be given attractive multi-year contracts recognizing their responsibility and contribution. 4. Differentiated and Performance pay. Higher standards and lower drop out rates will mean twice as many students taking higher level math. We need more great math teachers--fast. That will mean paying more for good teachers and paying more for math teachers. Higher starting salaries and a chance to move quickly to a salary of $70,000 or more will change the applicant pool. 5. Equitable charter funding. First of all, states need a strong charter school law. Second, they need to fund charters equitably and provide facilities. 6. Equitable funding. We still spend, on average, $1000 more on rich kids than poor kids--how does that make sense if you take equity seriously? States need to adopt a weighted student funding model where money follows students. 7. Close and replace failing schools. We're eight years into NCLB and have identified thousands of persistently failing schools, but Joel Klein and Arne Duncan have closed and replaced more schools in New York and Chicago than any state. It's time for a little political courage (with the backing of a big grant program). If we take equity seriously, we need to close and replace failing schools. Most states need to follow Louisiana's lead and set up a Recovery School District with a courageous leader like Paul Pastorek. 8. Effective governance. Let's admit that our history of local control has left us in a strange place with thousands of very small districts and dozens of very large districts--the former inefficient, the later ineffective. We have enough data to indicate that it is not possible to elect and sustain an effective urban school board. It's time for a UK-style reform limiting local board authority to decisions about the kids of schools local kids need, and pushing more authority to the school level, and relying on state funding, data, and human capital systems and policies. USED needs to require states seeking grant funding to present plans for serious governance reform. These are obviously controversial grant criteria. They are the opposite of the 'spread it like peanut butter' approach, but that's what the other $95 billion is for. The risk is that only six or eight states meet these criteria. But that's not all bad--concentrated funds in places serious about reform is better than funding thin poorly constructed grants. In addition to a lack of political courage for reform, there's another problem--a lack of capacity. States simply don't have the capacity to put together a coherent forward leaning grant proposal. Foundation funding can help provide political coverage and capacity to develop and implement large complicated grant programs. Again, the UK provides a good model. Michael Barber ran a program management office for Tony Blair. They developed policy proposals, monitored implementation, and provided targeted intervention support where intermediate milestones were not met. Thanks largely to the Gates Foundation, there are a number of consulting firms with a robust consulting practice that could provide these planning, monitoring, and intervention services to states. With help, there may be a dozen states that could meet these eight criteria (or at least agree to begin phasing them in). Other states would adopt part of the program and make progress. The combination would be enough of a critical mass that, in four years, the results of fundamental results-oriented redesign would signal a big win for the Obama administration. A laundry list of grant criteria with matching philanthropic grants is an attempt to create a framework for a transition to a system that takes results--equitable results--seriously. As Chancellor Klein said recently, "the difference between a process driven and a results driven school system is the difference between day and night." Our system of locally define input-driven schools has yielded decades of inequitable results. The USED incentive fund has the potential to live up to its name and be a Race to the Top where, as Klein said the same interview, "there's no inconsistency between excellence and equity." More on Stimulus Package
 
Sheldon Filger: G20 Summit Confronts "Unknown Unknowns" of the Global Economic Crisis Top
Now that the world's 20 leading economic powers have concluded their gathering in London for their summit on the Global Economic Crisis, an anxious world awaits with hope the impact of the summit's decisions regarding the synchronized global recession that has spread like the plague. Much of that hope is enshrined in the symbolism of a single head of state, U.S. President Barack Obama. Unfortunately, the contrived consensus reflected in the communique unveiled at the conclusion of the G20 Summit is, if nothing else, a cosmetic palliative to assure a ravaged world that it can have confidence that the leading political figures of our planet Earth will somehow figure a way out of the Global Economic Crisis. The logical impediment to such hopes is that one must comprehend the primary dynamics of this global financial and economic crisis in order to formulate effective policy responses. I don't believe anything in the G20 communique even hints at those destructive currents. For an answer, we must actually turn to a discredited former cabinet secretary of the recent Bush administration. As Bush's defense secretary and a leading architect of the Iraq war, Donald Rumsfeld is not fated to go down in history as one of the most inspiring and admired government officials. However, without actually realizing it, Rumsfeld gave a tortured explanation of what may go wrong with the Iraq war that is a perfect description for what underlies the Global Economic Crisis. Before commencing "shock and awe," Rumsfeld told a news conference that he was a bit nervous about what he referred to as "unknown unknowns." That two-word paradox actually defines the essence of our current global economic calamity. Capitalism is based on risk management. Those who place large bets with capital investments but are able to effectively manage those risks win big, in the process facilitating overall economic growth. That has been the core of classical capitalist, free enterprise ideology. However, in our post-regulatory world, risk management as a scientific business concept broke down in many economies, including one as large as the United States and another as small as Iceland. Derivatives were sliced and diced upon a black hole of debt, with a system of incentives that led decision-makers to abandon sound risk management principles, and instead embrace reckless gambling. Classical capitalism morphed into casino capitalism, leading the global economy to our present catastrophe. In effect, the financiers and tycoons have transformed global capitalism from a system predicated on sound risk management to the Rumsfeld alternative universe of unknown unknowns. What does this Rumsfeld verbal masterpiece mean in economic terms? Fundamentally, we are all now inhabiting a global economy infused with uncertainty. No one knows how bad bank balance sheets really are, or how much value can be placed on toxic assets. Counterparties are paralyzed with uncertainty, in the process blocking normal flows of credit. If bank number 1 knows its balance sheet is full of toxic assets but has no concept of their true value, it is left with no basis to believe that bank number 2 has a balance sheet any more solvent or definable in terms of its market value. The end result is that banks don't trust each other; multiply that behavior by a factor of many thousands and one can begin to comprehend how corrosive uncertainty is to the numerous fragile linkages that are the superstructure of the modern global economy. Nothing has emerged from the G20 Summit that will even begin to address the tyranny of these economic unknown unknowns. As long as no one trusts each other in the financial and commercial world, no rational basis for economic recovery exists. In fact, this Rumsfeld disease is spreading contagiously. Recently, China's premier gave expression to the weight of the unknown unknowns that are now impacting Beijing's perception of the Global Economic Crisis. When the premier told a news conference that he was a "little worried " about the credit worthiness of the United States, which has received $1 trillion from China to finance its massive government deficits, he was manifesting how virulent, acute uncertainty has replaced risk management, even at the level of state-to-state relationships. With sovereigns now regarding each other with suspicion as intense as that which exists between financial counterparties in the commercial world, it is clear that massive uncertainty is metastasizing beyond the point of what the artfully constructed G20 communique can hope to contain. More on Global Financial Crisis
 
Johanna Smith: Operation Salad: Take 1 Top
I have a keen recollection of a conversation that transpired on a houseboat shanty on the Thames that my friend Laura was living on. Her friend Somerset was raving about the salads she was growing in pots in her garden. Fresh lettuce, she enthused, was the most glorious thing on a hot summer's day. When I moved to an apartment with a roof deck last fall, this salad concept remained at the back of my mind. And now that winter seems to have finally thawed, and the neighborhood is bright with forsythias and clusters of daffodils, I decided to take action. Despite a limited amount of gardening experience , I was nevertheless eager to start my little urban garden from seed. So I traipsed along to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and bought some organic dirt and a few Seeds of Change packets -- chives, basil, red ridinghood lettuce (which is supposed to tolerate sunny rooftop climes) and beetberry (whose leaves are supposedly tasty.) On Thursday, however, I was slightly disheartened to read in the NY Times Home & Garden section that this is the biggest conglomerate of organic seed sellers in the country. So much for mom and pop seeds. But then I happened to pop by the co-op later that day and discovered that they sell Fedco seeds which were not only produced on a smaller scale but are also designed to be planted in Maine's hardy northern climes. The more rugged the seeds, the better, I figure. And they cost only 98 cents per packet, about a quarter of the price of Seeds of Change. So I scored some "Pink Lettucy Mustard" Greens, and some Sweet Pea flowers, which are now happily installed in a pot of soil on my fire escape. I had been saving a few empty egg cartons to start my seedlings in, but was dismayed to realize that the 12 slots per carton would only technically accommodate about 24 seeds. Apparently, you are only supposed to plant a couple of seeds per little soil nodule. Since each seed packet holds about 50 seeds, I began to panic. We would have to eat a lot of eggs -- and fast -- in order to free up the kind of space required by my recent seed purchases. I quickly came to my senses and dashed out to the hardware store to buy a tray of 60 starter cells made of cardboard-y stuff that supposedly disintegrates when planted in dirt. I also decided that given my inexperience, I would seed each cell with say, 4 or 5 seeds, just in case. I hope that I do not come to regret this unorthodox decision. Apparently, the thing to do is wait until the seeds begin to sprout and then cut back all but the strongest seedling so that if can flourish fully in its cell before being transferred to the garden, ahem, terra cotta pot on the roof. At the hardware store, I checked out the inventory of said pots. The pickings were slim, but the lady in charge assured me that she would be getting in a new shipment in a week or so. I inquired about a couple of quirky looking pots in the corner -- one blue and white glazed, with minor crack down the side, the other quite shallow and attractively polka-dotted green. The lady explained that they were just left-overs from last year and offered them to me for free. Score. Since they did not have holes in the bottom for drainage, however, she suggested that I fill the bottoms with pebbles. I then bought a $5 bag of rocks, which felt rather odd, but never mind. I have a feeling that that foraging for rocks in Prospect Park is more challenging and/or illicit than it sounds.I began by filling an egg carton with dirt and then poking a few (ok, several) chive seeds into each cell. I then watered the carton profusely, as the chive packet suggested that "consistent, even moisture" is essential in the sprouting phase. The dirt seemed to repel the water, however, and I wound up having to kind of stir each pot to distribute the water with the end of a fork. Concerned that the seeds were buried deeper than the recommended 1/4 inch, I decided to revise my tactic and pre-water the soil going forward. I dumped a bunch of soil into a Ziploc baggie and watered it, squeezing it like dough. I then proceeded to pack it into each cell and rather gingerly add the seed. Although a slightly worrying amount of dirt that washed down my kitchen sink, I reckon that this method was superior. So now my seeds are all set up on windowsills around my apartment. Nothing much seems to have happened yet. I spritz them daily and hope that something green transpires shortly. In the meanwhile, I am considering composting.
 
Jim Lichtman: How Does America Get Back Its Integrity? Top
Halfway through the Jim Carrey movie, The Majestic , the story takes a sharp turn away from romantic comedy to a drama that examines one man facing a moment of principle. Blacklisted writer Peter Appleton must choose between reading a pre-arranged statement that provides a list of communist sympathizers or take a stand against the Committee on Un-American Activities and stand for the second amendment. The fact that he's even considering the choice is due to the influence of a small town that adopts him after a car accident caused him to be washed up on a beach without a friend or a memory. Appleton bears an uncanny resemblance to long-lost, local war hero Luke Trimble. Unaware of his real identity, Appleton wants to believe this is his life. Even Trimble's girlfriend is convinced it's him, until Appleton begins to remember. And this is where his past catches up to him. It's also when we realize what the movie is really about - having the courage to stand up for a principle. A self-declared coward, Appleton reads the last letter Trimble writes to his girl explaining why he chose to enlist: "When bullies rise up, the rest of us have to beat them back down, whatever the cost." The words inspire Appleton to face the committee like the principled Luke. Greed, corruption, dishonesty - these are just of few of the bullies we face today. And the real question that faces us all is: How do we restore America's integrity? On the brink of nuclear war, a calm but resolute President Kennedy assured the nation that "The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards, as all paths are; but it is the one most consistent with our character and courage ..." Facing a nationwide depression, President Roosevelt gave us the strength that would assuage our deepest doubts and fears when he declared that "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Both Kennedy and Roosevelt succeeded, in large part, because the country believed in them - trusted them to lead us out of the crisis. Today, trust is hard to come by in the midst of billion-dollar bailouts, grotesque corporate bonuses, banks on the brink of failure, and a growing segment of the media that has replaced rational dialog with loud-mouthed monologue. Challenged with rising unemployment, and an economic crisis on multiple fronts, President Obama faces staggering expectations to not only solve these problems, but do it in a way that restores trust and confidence in the many varied and complex systems, both corporate and governmental, that we depend upon. But it's not just his problem, it's ours as well. Today, we are facing our own "moment of principle." And if we want to reclaim America's integrity, it will require all of us to stand up and stand for the kind of change that requires both discipline and determination that are "...consistent with our character and courage," as Kennedy said. It's about changing a culture from doing "whatever it takes to win" to doing the right thing even when it costs more than we want to pay. I'm not suggesting that this is easy. Good character is formed by living under conditions that demand good conduct. But in such ethically challenged times, there are things we can all try to do. Let's try working with others in a truly cooperative way. Let's try elevating a reputation for honor more than we honor the bottom line. Let's understand that we may not get all the business we might want, but that the people we do work with will get the highest level of talent, performance and integrity possible. Let's recognize that we can be honest and fair and still be tough. Let's elevate leadership over salesmanship. And let's understand that we may be able to negotiate many things, but we will never negotiate our integrity. We can achieve all these things and get the job done, if we think before we act; treat others as we expect to be treated. We can, if we remember that it's okay to be skeptical but destructive to be relentlessly cynical because it damages the long-term ideal that we can always be better than we are. We can, if we embrace compassion not when it's used as part of a catch phrase, but as the universal truth that it is and that the individual value of seeing ourselves in another is so critical to our progress. "If I read the temper of our people correctly," Roosevelt said in his first Inaugural address, "we now realize as we have never realized before our interdependence on each other; that we can not merely take but we must give as well; that if we are to go forward, we must move as a trained and loyal army willing to sacrifice for the good of a common discipline, because without such discipline no progress is made, no leadership becomes effective." Speaking with my 95-year-old uncle, a man who has experienced both good and bad in his life, I asked him, "What will it take to turn things around; for people to begin to demonstrate more integrity for themselves and their communities?" "It'll take a miracle," he said. A few days later, I happened on a quote by novelist, Thomas Wolfe. "America is a fabulous country," Wolfe wrote. "It is the only place where miracles not only happen but where they happen all the time." Maybe the miracle lies within each of us. Maybe the greatest gift we could give each other is a stronger commitment to honesty, civility, tolerance, responsibility, fairness and compassion. Maybe that's the way we get back America's integrity. Jim Lichtman's commentaries can be found at www.ethicsStupid.com .
 
Bachmann: Obama Wants "Re-Education Camps For Young People" (AUDIO) Top
Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has levied the most bizarre and outlandish critiques against President Obama since before he came into office, did not disappoint this weekend. Appearing on Minnesota radio station KTLK-AM, (h/t Minnesota Independent ) the Republican congresswoman expressed her concern that that White House was trying to put in place "re-education camps for young people, where young people have to go and get trained in a philosophy that the government puts forward." Furthering the Obama-as-autocrat theme, Bachmann said the youngsters would "then they have to go to work in some of these politically correct forums." Listen: The launching point of Bachmann's remarks was the widely popular and bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which would expand national community service programs from 75,000 positions to 250,000. "It's under the guise of -- quote -- volunteerism. But it's not volunteers at all. It's paying people to do work on behalf of government," said the Minnesota Republican. "I believe that there is a very strong chance that we will see that young people will be put into mandatory service. And the real concerns is that there are provisions for what I would call re-education camps for young people, where young people have to go and get trained in a philosophy that the government puts forward and then they have to go to work in some of these politically correct forums." The Obama White House did not immediately return request for reaction. The Kennedy Serve America Act passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 275 to 149 and the Senate, by a vote of 79 to 19. More on Michele Bachmann
 
Georgianne Nienaber: Remembering The Rwandan Genocide 15 Years Later (SLIDESHOW) Top
The historical event is straightforward and easily summarized. The plane carrying Hutu Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana and Burundi President Cyprien Ntaryamira was shot down on April 6, 1994, on approach to the Kigali airport. Their assassination sparked the Rwandan genocide, which lasted for 100 days. Up to one million Tutsis and moderate Hutus lost their lives. In the initial bloodshed a majority of the dead were Tutsi. A French judge has since blamed current Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, for orchestrating the rocket attack. Others still hold to the theory that it was members of Habyarimana's inner circle who ordered his assassination. In 1994, Kagame was leader of the Tutsi rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), which was training in Uganda. Kagame led his troops into Kigali in July, the Hutu government fell, and over 2 million Hutus fled into neighboring Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo). Among the refugees were members of the Interahamwe, and their presence in Congo has resulted in continuing bloodshed. This tension is exploited by multi-national interest in the wealth of Congo. As Australian journalist Helen Thomas and I prepared for our visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, we discussed the importance of revisiting the events of the Rwandan genocide. Before journeying to the genocide memorials depicted here, we huddled together on a bed in a small room at the Gorilla Hotel in Kigali to watch a bootleg copy of the PBS Frontline Series: "The Ghosts of Rwanda" . Having seen the program, I wanted Helen to be prepared for what we were about to witness. She was shaken as the program unfolded. I fell asleep and later wondered what she must think about my apparent callousness. The question we kept asking one another was: "What is the responsibility of the journalist? " The journalist's job is to convey information. We knew we had a duty to report the "who," "what," "where," "when," and "why," but also realized that we must become a voice for the voiceless. What we would bear witness to in Rwanda happened fifteen years ago, but its impact was seemingly endless. The best we could do would be to describe the horror without assigning blame, responsibility, or guilt. In the case of the Rwandan genocide and the ongoing of war in Congo, we could remind our readers and listeners that the relentless bloodshed in Congo is the immediate legacy of the genocidal history of the Great Lakes Region of Africa. As storytellers first and foremost, Helen and I knew that we must leave analysis to the scholars, and assignment of punishment to the international courts and tribunals. The public would have added responsibility to not believe every word that we write. Morality cannot and must not be spoon-fed. The images in this report are atrocious and in some cases obscene. But, they speak the truth of what happened during 100 days in 1994, and how the repercussions of those events of fifteen years ago have led to the deaths of six million or more in Congo. Incredibly, just as happened in the years following the Holocaust, there are some who say that genocide never took place. Most Americans cannot visit the memorials depicted in this article. It is reason enough to show the photos. In the United States, if a rapist or child molester is released from prison, the perpetrator is hounded from civil society, driven from neighborhoods and ostracized forever. Every American has access to databases that indicate the residence of every known child abuser and criminal. Imagine having the world community tell you that you must live side by side with individuals who murdered millions, including your loved ones. To say "we are all Rwandans now," is a public relations attempt to mask the undercurrent of rage and despair that still permeates Rwandan society. This is a lie and the world press continues to paint Rwanda as a miraculous post-genocidal society that has somehow risen from the ashes of recent atrocities. Our collective guilt has given Rwanda a free pass. Ask the Hutus in Ruhengeri how they feel about millions in foreign aid going first to Tutsi President Paul Kagame's vision for his modern city of Kigali. Ask the poor who are being moved from the outskirts of Kigali to an already overburdened countryside so that modern high rises and apartment buildings can replace their wooden shacks. How they will feed their families? Ask the Tutsi survivors of 1994 if they still feel hunted and afraid if they live close to the Congolese border, or even in the Hutu community of Ruhengeri. Ask the Hutu survivors in Rwanda and Congo about the retaliations forced upon them and their families by Kagame's victorious RPF in 1994 and 1996. Ask the Congolese Tutsi, known locally as Banyamulenge Tutsi, and other villagers of Kivu province how they feel about the FDLR remnants of the Hutu Interahamwe--acting in collusion with Mai Mai, and with tacit approval and support of the Kabila government-- murdering raping, burning, and pillaging. The same accusations have been made against Tutsi Bosco Ntaganda by an international war crimes tribunal. Yet, Rwanda, the United States, the United Nations and the Kabila government of Congo have put him in charge of troops in eastern Congo. Any political discussion of these worries is done quietly and never in public in Rwanda. The feeling is that the government has eyes and ears everywhere and that "nothing happens without Kigali knowing about it." The same is true in Congo. Discussions in public are whispered, cell phones are turned off, and even hotel rooms feel unsafe. The fingers of blame point in all directions. When the world lost Alison Des Forges, senior advisor to the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, who tragically died in the recent crash of Flight 3407 from Newark to Buffalo on February 12, 2009, a moral compass was also lost. Her book "Leave None to Tell the Story" was a meticulous documentation of the genocide, and she didn't hesitate to criticize the government of President Paul Kagame when it violated Rwandans' rights. As a result, des Forges was banned from Rwanda. Des Forges was a brilliant combination of storyteller and scholar. As the Economist said in its obituary , "her storytelling mattered." Read her book . Read Canadian UNAMIR commander Romeo Dallaire's book Shake Hands With the Devil and learn how the United States and the United Nations betrayed Rwanda. Look at the photographs here and ask yourself who is really to blame. Please follow the suggested links in the text-- documents that will only lead to more questions if you are vigilant and seek the elusive truth. Also take the time to listen to Helen Thomas's report from the ABC Australian network. It is an excellent example of what Congo endures post genocide. There is also testimony available online from the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) . More on Genocide
 
Ezra Merkin Charged With Fraud Top
NEW YORK — New York's attorney general has filed civil fraud charges against a hedge fund manager who funneled billions of dollars in client money to Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff. The complaint charges J. Ezra Merkin with lying to his investors about how he was handling their money. Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says Merkin invested $2.4 billion in client cash with Madoff without their permission. The complaint says Merkin collected $470 million in management fees from the accounts. Merkin has claimed he was victimized by Madoff like everyone else. He is the former chairman of the financing arm of General Motors Corp.
 

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