Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Y! Alert: The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Yahoo! Alerts
My Alerts

The latest from The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

Christopher Trumbo: War And Peace (A Sequel) Top
Dalton Trumbo and his wife Cleo at the 1947 HUAC hearings that resulted in his imprisonment Dalton Trumbo was one of the heroes of the dreadful McCarthy era . A top Hollywood screenwriter, he was blacklisted as one of the "Hollywood Ten" - and imprisoned for his refusal to divulge his political beliefs to the self-styled "House Committee on Un-American Activities". He wrote under pseudonyms throughout the 1950s - winning two Academy Awards (for Roman Holiday and The Brave One ) - that were given to the people "fronting" for him. In 1960 he received official on-screen credit for his screenplays for Exodus and Spartacus and that led to the crumbling of the notorious blacklist. Starting this Thursday evening in Los Angeles, the American Cinematheque is presenting a three-night salute to Trumbo at Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. The first night presents the World Premiere of the digitally-restored version of the legendary 1971 film Johnny Got His Gun - based on Trumbo's classic 1939 anti-war novel. Trumbo became a first-time director at the age of 65 - at the height of the Vietnam war - in order to make this timely film. It starred Jason Robards, Donald Sutherland and Timothy Bottoms. It has been hailed as one the greatest anti-war films of all time. Dalton Trumbo's son - Christopher Trumbo - is an acclaimed writer in his own right. He served as Associate Producer on Johnny Got His Gun. To mark the occasion of the American Cinematheque tribute to his father - he has written this essay especially for Huffington Post. *** War And Peace (A Sequel) by Christopher Trumbo Once upon a time during the last century I was in Paris and it was the fourteenth of July, Bastille Day, the Fete Nationale , a party that France throws for itself to remember the day that the gates of the Bastille were forced open and the prisoners streamed out from that place of gloom and pain and death and into the sunlight and they were free. Every year the French do this, and that night when I was in Paris I went to a party and Simone Signoret and Yves Montand were there and around midnight we all tumbled onto the streets and people were laughing and dancing and some of us got lost but later we made it back to the party and it went on until morning. And after we got back James Jones - who wrote the book From Here to Eternity about men and women and soldiers and love and the way they live and what happens to them and the Second World War - began to talk with Dalton Trumbo - who wrote the book Johnny Got His Gun about all the things that Jones had written about except Trumbo was writing about the First World War which had been fought so the Second World War wouldn't happen, about what was called the War to End All Wars. Neither man was sober and when they finished a drink another always appeared and their talk was punctuated with "You're full of shit, Dalton" and "You're full of shit, Jim" and later "You're so full of shit, Dalton" and "You're so full of shit, Jim" as I remember it. They were talking about what a person could do that would change things and, maybe because it was Bastille Day, Jones was glum about the progress of freedom and the prospect of peace in the world and that night he didn't think that one man could make a difference in the way things were going. Another night I think he would have argued differently but that night such was his take on the world, because it's so damned hard to stand up to unjust authority again and again and never see anything happen except maybe see things get worse. Trumbo didn't agree with him. He thought that one man could make a difference and he and Jones went round and round with neither one convincing the other. Trumbo was blacklisted in Hollywood when James Jones and he talked that Bastille Day, and his name hadn't appeared on a film he'd written in almost 13 years because he refused to comply with the standards of political behavior Hollywood came up with in 1947, and his name wasn't on any films not because he'd stopped writing them but because his work appeared under the names of other men, or under pseudonyms, and among the films he wrote during that time were two that brought Oscars to writers who would not normally have received them because it was Trumbo who had written those scripts, not themselves. Ring Lardner was later to say of Trumbo that: "With the possible exception of his astonishing antiwar novel Johnny Got His Gun , I'd rate Trumbo's almost single-handed assault on the blacklist as the major achievement of his career." But Trumbo wasn't able to break the blacklist, to smash it into pieces or obliterate it or crumple it up into a ball and throw it in the trash can - but he was able to cripple it, and when his name appeared on the screen when Spartacus and Exodus opened within a few months of each other in New York it became easier for other writers to get their names on what they had written without having to sign statements about what their political beliefs currently were or what they had been in the past or needing to justify themselves to their employers about anything at all. Years later Trumbo would turn Johnny Got His Gun into a film as the best response he could manage to the carnage of the war in Viet Nam. He didn't believe that it would stop the war, just as it hadn't stopped the Second World War or the Korean War that followed so quickly on its heels and revived the starving military-industrial complex, but he had to do something, he had to add his voice to the voices of others who opposed the war, who said that too many millions have already died and it has to stop. The war in Viet Nam ended and now everybody agrees that people speaking up against it had something to do with that, and those who favored the war and thought it should go on have yet to forgive them and they have studied those who opposed the war in Viet Nam and what they did, determined to learn what they could do the next time to stymie those kind of anti-war efforts, to make opposition to future wars ineffective. Many soldiers wounded in our current War Against Terrorism - a war without borders or horizon, without territory to conquer and occupy and administrate although we will find territory and occupy and administrate something because that is how we will know the war has been won - are men and women who would not survive such wounds had they been received during the war in Viet Nam. They get to hospitals sooner, get treatment sooner, and medical knowledge has advanced exponentially since that earlier war. Perhaps this is the war that will produce a real life Joe Bonham, Joe Bonham the fictional character Trumbo imagined in Johnny Got His Gun - armless, legless, face scraped out by shrapnel who cannot speak or taste or see or smell or hear or eat, yet he still lives and can think and feel, who is helpless and terrified and desperate and alone. The triumph of Joe Bonham is that in spite of his condition he finds a way to communicate with the world and uses Morse code and relentlessly taps his head against his pillow and finally some one out there is able to figure out what he is doing and he is able to make himself understood. Regaining language he finds a way out of the trap his body has become and he bursts out of himself and into the world. And when the world outside asks him what he wants he tells them and they tap back to him that what he wants is "against regulations" and his frantic tapping cry of protest is met by a shot of morphine. But he keeps tapping - tapping tapping tapping until he is unconscious. I don't know when this war our country is fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan will end. I don't know how to stop the endless slaughter and maiming and pain. But I know I must say it is wrong and that it must stop. I know that others are saying the same thing. I know that if enough of us are able to stand together we can make the difference between life and death. I don't know how that will happen, but I know it must. I know that nothing can happen if I remain silent and that everything becomes possible when people find each other and take each other's hand. I know that when enough of us are able to put aside our fears and find courage in the name and power of our common humanity, that when we do that one by one and then another and another, again and again, every day and day after day that we will become a great and irresistible multitude and that this war will end. So be it.
 
Rochelle Lefkowitz: Connected Activism Challenges Code Orange Top
This past weekend, Kuwait's civic glass ceiling got a seismic crack when four women won seats in that small Gulf state's parliamentary elections. News reports said their victory marked the first time that women won parliamentary seats since given the right to vote and run for office in 2005. Amidst the bigger, scarier goings on in the Gulf, this transformation barely registered. Unfortunately, the seemingly objective phrase "given the right to vote" is one of many examples of "credit theft" that silently seeps from headlines into textbooks, fueling the fearful helplessness, in realms from work to governance, that living Code Orange inflames. Time for a bit of history. Kuwaiti women weren't just given the right to vote, like some giant bouquet from a guilt-ridden spouse. They won it. And rather creatively, employing some clever 21st century tools, too. Ten years ago, in 1999, Kuwait's Sheikh Jabir-al-Ahmad al-Jabir as-Sabah issued a decree granting women full political rights (read all about it in Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age by Allison Fine (Jossey-Bass, 2006). The catch? For Kuwaiti women to realize this right, the decree had to become law. The nation's legislature stalled for six long years. "Suddenly, in May, 2005", wrote Fine, "the Kuwaiti legislature voted by a surprisingly large margin of thirty five to twenty three, with one abstention, to remove the word men from Article One of the election laws, thereby guaranteeing women the right to vote and the opportunity to run for elective office." Why? The cool part somehow didn't make this week's reporting. According to Fine (who blogs nowadays at http://afine2.wordpress.com/) "privately, often beneath their burkas, women used their blackberries and cellphones to text and email, urging legislators to vote for full women's suffrage. "In the click of a mouse" Fine observed "we have traveled from... silent majorities to connected activism." Part of the way Code Orange works is through erasing what it took to catalyze change. That cedes some real power to violence, or at least the constant threats of violence. Meanwhile, peaceful, gamechanging transformations are reported as if one day, some powerful leader awoke and simply opted, in a vacuum, to change more than just his playlist. Whether it's Rosa Parks in a bus or Kuwaiti women taking up digital tools for women's suffrage, social change rarely happens on the spot or in a vacuum. Perhaps that's why spot news coverage, without context, gropes in vain to explain sea changes that happen in five minutes plus many years, even decades, after many meetings and missteps. If we're to lower our anxiety levels and make more waves, we need to know more about the back stories to social change. That way, we can more effectively wield all the tools at our disposal to become actors, directors and playwrights in our civic lives. Now, off to vote in a little noticed, but significant election that will determine, among other things, if my community has school libraries. I wonder who'll report those results. More on Voting
 
Drew Peterson Grand Jury Ends Without Indictments In Fourth Wife's Disappearance Top
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- The special grand jury convened to look into the disappearances of Stacy Peterson and Lisa Stebic and the killing of Kathleen Savio will end, but officials say investigations into the cases will continue. The Will County State's Attorney's office said Wednesday that the special grand jury's 18-month term expires Thursday after members met for their final session Tuesday. There are no pending indictments. Authorities say investigations will now be taken over at regular weekly meetings of the Will County grand jury. The special grand jury returned indictments May 7 on two first-degree murder counts against former Bolingbrook police officer Drew Peterson in Savio's death. He has pleaded not guilty. -ASSOCIATED PRESS
 
Cenk Uygur: World's Dumbest Talking Point Gets Traction Top
For weeks now, Republicans have been talking about how we can't bring Guantanamo detainees to the US as if we'd be bringing them in for a picnic. They have pretended that bringing them to the US is the same thing as releasing them out in the middle of Kansas or Oklahoma (or right by Ground Zero as the dumbass Peter King suggested ). We've talked about this on our show from time to time to mock them mercilessly , but I didn't bother writing about it because who would be dumb enough to believe this inane talking point? Well, now we have our answer. Almost the entire Senate. They just voted 90-6 to say that the Obama administration cannot have the funds they need to close Gitmo and bring the detainees for trial here in the US. Rep. King was outraged at the idea that the people who carried out 9/11 would be tried near Ground Zero. Where the hell else would they be tried? That's where the crime happened. That's how our system works. Where are we supposed to try them - on Mars? Well, the Bush administration came up with the novel idea of turning our military base at Guantanamo Bay into a legal version of Mars. And since it's been ongoing for almost eight years now, everybody seems to find that a credible solution. But that's crazy. The United States cannot create a legal black hole where we put anyone we don't like and hold them there indefinitely. That was the whole problem with the Bush administration and Gitmo in the first place. Imagine if another country took our soldiers and held them on an island and said to us, "Don't worry, no laws apply there, so we can legally do whatever we like to your guys and keep them there forever." Would we be assuaged by that nonsensical and clearly illegal explanation? Of course not. That's why we were going to get rid of Gitmo. Anyone remember any of this? I thought we had an election about this. So, let's get to the main and most obvious point here - bringing detainees to America does not mean we release them in America. The people who planned and carried out the first World Trade Center bombing are now in the United States! Everyone, panic! Oh no, that's right, they're locked up in a Supermax prison in Colorado, from which they will never emerge. Problem solved. Why is that so hard to understand? FBI Director Robert Mueller testified today in Congress that if they are even held in a prison in the US, they could radicalize the other prisoners. Here are some of the other prisoners at the Supermax in Colorado - the Oklahoma City bomber Terry Nichols, World Trade Center bombers Ramzi Yousef and the Blind Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman, the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, the Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph. Who are the Gitmo detainees going to radicalize, the Unabomber? This is absurd. If we're going to try people for crimes they have committed against the United States, of course we have to try them in the United States. We have plenty of prisons that are completely secure and that they have absolutely no chance of breaking out of and that they can spend the rest of their lives in. Under the breakout theory (another one probably inspired by a Fox network show, Prison Break this time - do these idiots get their ideas from anywhere else?), couldn't they break out of Gitmo, get on a raft, come to the Florida and then spread like a virus through the US (at which point, you'd have to get Jack Bauer to go collect them all). Maybe we should move them further away from the mainland. Maybe we should try them in the Artic Circle?! If they thought the treatment at Gitmo was bad, wait till they get a load of Santa and his reindeer games! So, the final concern is if they're found not guilty and have to be released. Has no one considered that at that point we would know that they are not guilty? Is that not a relevant consideration to anyone? I get that people are worried they are going to get off on a technicality or something inane like that (yeah, they're going to let Khalid Sheikh Mohammed slide because someone filled out the wrong paper work), but what about the people we actually imprisoned wrongly? Like the Uighurs, for example. I don't want anyone to think I'm biased because my last name is Uygur (it's the Turkish spelling of Uighur) because what I'm actually biased by is the fact that they are not fucking guilty. We've been holding these guys who we know did not plan any attacks against us for six years now. First of all, can anyone do diplomacy anymore? Here's how you solve this supposedly unsolvable problem. Of course, you don't return them to China where they might be tortured or killed, as Newt Gingrich has suggested . I understand why it's politically untenable to release them here in the US. So, you broker a deal. Here's a country that might work with us - Turkey. You give them some trade concessions, so some rich Turks in the textile industry get a little richer and the government who gets paid by those guys take these Uighurs off our hands. There are already plenty of Uygurs running around Turkey anyway, I know because they're my family (all kidding aside, the Uygurs in Turkey are not related to the Uighurs in China, they have just taken on the name as a sign of respect because the Uighur Turks have a long and proud history of emphasizing education and writing). Turkey is a moderate Muslim country and for the right price they're always ready to make a deal. Look, this is just a suggestion from a layman who doesn't know the intricacies of local politics in these countries. But there's no way there isn't some Central Asian Republic that can't take a couple of Uighurs for the right price. Let's go, call the banker, let's make a deal. The case of the Uighurs also applies to anyone else who might be found not guilty, whether it's because they're actually innocent or because we somehow couldn't convict them. You don't have to release them in Wichita or Akron or Fifth Avenue. You can make diplomatic deals to send them to other willing countries. Will we have to sacrifice some things to get them out of the country even though we brought them here by detaining them in the first place? Yes, but that's the price you pay for your mistakes. Especially, if you're not willing to pay the political price of releasing them here. The bottom line is we were supposed to bring these guys to justice. Instead we've done the exact opposite; we have taken them out of the justice system. The legal black hole we have left them in is obviously unacceptable. Bringing them to the US for trials is sensible, just and safe. So, let's get beyond these senseless talking points meant to scare the American voters (and Democratic politicians, who are far easier to scare). The minute Ted Kaczynski makes a run for it out of the Supermax in Colorado is the minute I'll agree that it's unsafe to bring the Gitmo detainees here. To paraphrase George Bush, don't denigrate our correctional officers. They know perfectly well how to keep people locked up in the US. The Senate needs to stop giving into Republican fear mongering and recognize that it's about time that we brought the Gitmo detainees to justice here in the United States. Watch The Young Turks on You Tube More on Barack Obama
 
Shashi Tharoor: Which way India? Decision next week Top
New Delhi - A month after they first queued to vote in India's mammoth general election, the country's voters will learn the outcome on May 16. The election, staggered over five phases -- involving five polling days over four weeks, rather than one "election day" -- will determine who rules the world's largest democracy. Only one thing is certain: no single party will win a majority on its own. India is set for more coalition rule. That may not be a bad thing. India's last two governments each served a full term and presided over significant economic growth, even though they comprised 23 and 20 parties, respectively. Coalition politics gives representation to the myriad interests that make up a diverse and complex society, and ensures that the country as a whole accepts the policies ultimately adopted. But coalition rule can also often mean governance of the lowest common denominator, as resistance by any of the government's significant members to a policy can delay or even thwart it. In India's parliamentary system, if a coalition loses its majority, the government falls, and keeping allies together can sometimes prove a greater priority than getting things done. Sonia Gandhi holds up an ink stained finger to show that her vote has been cast at a polling station during the fourth phase of polling, in New Delhi on May 7. AFP India's national elections are really an aggregate of thirty different state elections, each influenced by its own local considerations, regional political currents, and different patterns of political incumbency. Soon after May 16, the largest single party that emerges will seek to construct a coalition out of a diverse array of victors from the various states. Several outcomes are possible. The most likely is that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Indian National Congress, currently leading the government, emerges once again as the largest single party and assembles a new ruling coalition. The main alternative would be majority alliance put together by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), led by the 82-year-old Lal Krishna Advani. But there is a third possibility: a motley collection of regional parties, together with the Communists, gets enough seats to prevent either of the two big parties from forming a government. In that case, a "hung parliament" could see a "third front" coming to power as a minority government, supported tactically by one of the big parties. This has happened before -- and each time, the government that resulted fell within a year. Each alternative could have serious implications for India. Though the big parties are broadly committed to continuing an economic policy of liberalization and growth, the BJP is mostly focused on the well-being of India's merchant class, whereas Congress wishes to redistribute enhanced government revenues to the poor through generous social programs. The left, which would strongly influence any "third front" government, are staunchly opposed to economic liberalization and wish to strengthen, rather than dilute, India's large public sector. In foreign policy, India's growing closeness with the United States under both the BJP and the Congress has proved controversial at home, with leftist parties threatening to scrap the Indo-US nuclear deal and break defense ties with Israel if they come to power. Should the regional parties dominate the government, domestic politics would strongly impact India's foreign policy: the anger of Tamil voters over events in Sri Lanka, or of Muslims over Gaza, would be reflected in the government and therefore constrain policy options. The BJP has promised a more hawkish security posture than Congress in the wake of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, but when it was in power it conducted itself remarkably similarly to its rival, initiating a peace process with Pakistan. The biggest differences among the various groupings consist in the tone and tenor of their respective visions of India. Congress remains a "big tent" party, committed to preserving India's pluralism and conscious of the multiple identities and interests of India's many peoples. The BJP, which accuses Congress of "appeasing" India's minorities, hews to a staunchly Hindu-chauvinist line, and has received support from some of the most bigoted and intolerant sections of Indian society. The "third front" involves assorted petty particularisms -- parties representing the sectarian interests of specific castes, sub-regions, or linguistic groups. The danger is that such groups could accentuate the divisions of a fractious society, rather than pull everyone together in the collective national interest. That would be a startling change from five years ago. The 2004 elections were won by the Congress party, led by a woman political leader of Roman Catholic faith and Italian descent (Sonia Gandhi), who made way for a Sikh prime minister (Manmohan Singh) to be sworn by a Muslim (President Abdul Kalam) in a country that is 81% Hindu. That single moment captured much of what elections have meant for this diverse democracy. But the ultimate reality will remain that of a coalition government trying to make progress in a contentious polity. In India, policy changes require political consensus within the ruling coalition, labor laws are strongly defended by unions and political parties, and controversial decisions can be challenged on the streets, in the courts, and ultimately at the polls. Necessary policy reforms advocated by a ruling party are often held hostage to the prejudices of its allies. So change comes slowly. But it does come, and once a policy consensus has been established, it tends to be durable. Indian democracy has often been likened to the stately progress of the elephant -- ponderous in its gait and reluctant to change course, but not easily swayed from its new path when it does. The elephant of Indian democracy will acquire a new set of mahouts before the month's end. Who they are will have a major impact on the fortunes and prospects of one-sixth of humanity. That alone makes the election results due on May 16 worth the world's attention. NOTE: This piece was originally published on 10 May 2009 by Project Syndicate More on India
 
Katherine Goldstein: Adventures in (Secret) Dining: Dinner Down on the (Queens County) Farm Top
As much as New Yorkers love the city, there's nothing we love more than a getaway. That's why when I found out that the launch of Huffpost Blogger Cathy Erway and Akiko Moorman's supper club Hapa Kitchen was going to be a benefit dinner for the Queens County Farm Museum, I could not hold myself back from buying a ticket. And convincing four friends to come with me. Supper clubs, where excellent amateur chefs who are passionate about food host under the radar dinner parties in people's apartments for a relatively cost, are my new obsession. Why go out for an anonymous restaurant meal where you are just another customer when you can have a completely unique food adventure, hang out with the chefs, and actually talk to people you don't know at a fraction of the cost of a similar quality restaurant evening? I'm sold. I'd never heard of the Queens County Farm until I sat next to its head farmer Michael Grady Robertson at a One Big Table supper club . An NYC parks department-owned 47 acre farm in Floral Park, Queens, it's been a working farm for over 300 years, and is a very last remnant of the city's agrarian tradition. The farm is a living, breathing education center where people can take tours or just wonder around and see historical, sustainable agriculture practices in action. After surviving the experience of Friday rush hour at Penn Station, my posse and I were whisked out to Queens on the LIRR. When we arrived at the farm, we were invited to explore in the musty wet spring evening. "Check out the cow over that way, her name is Daisy," we were told. "She's 23 years old!" (Apparently that is very old in cow years?) As soon as we started walking around everything started to feel so much calmer and all that frenetic energy the city demands of its residents seemed to fade away. We saw the rows of salad greens the farm sells at the Union Square farmers market, chickens with shiny feathers prancing around, ducks, clean and happy (and swine flu-free) pigs poking around in their pen, and a butterfly garden. I noticed that when I looked in one direction I could immediately feel confident I was in the middle of Amish country, turn in the other direction and I could see tall city buildings. This is the magic of urban agriculture. I was charmed before I even had my first bite. But what a first bite it was -- fried wonton wrappers with edamame hummus. Hapa Kitchen is inspired by poly-cultural culinary influences from Asian cuisine, with a focus on local, seasonal and organic. I tried to restrain my appetite as we munched on the hummus, curried deviled eggs and lamb pate. One of the servers handed out flowers with hair clips for women to put in their hair (the maypole and garland weaving had to be canceled because of the rain. No really, there was gonna be a MAYPOLE.) My inner hippie child, who I deeply try to hide in my everyday life, swooned. After some appetizers and a glass or two of wine from the New York Wine & Grape Association, the farmers who'd raised the lamb that we'd be eating in multiple courses that evening from Apple Pond Farm gave a little talk. Based in the Catskills, Dick Riseling and Sonja Hedlund run an organic farm where they humanely raise animals and and power themselves through green energy. They've now helping other farms green their operations, and have become a renewable energy education center. When people think of organic farmers, it may unfortunately come with connotations of prissy idealists. This couple could not put that stereotype further out of your mind. Dick is a gruff but grandfatherly man with a deep voice, a white beard and a potbelly. When he started talking about how he felt mother earth was seriously hurting, he was so cast against type you couldn't not take him seriously. And then we were off to the farmhouse for dinner. I somehow managed to forget my corset and hoop skirt, which would have been a perfect aesthetic fit. Long wooden tables with lanterns, stone hearths and fireplaces going, several small rooms with intimate tables -- hello 19th century! There were sometimes leisurely pauses between the courses -- maybe the cooks were scrambling with their ambitious dinner for 40, but it gave us plenty of time to drink more wine, move to other tables, and further chat up our dinner companions. This was not the sort of night you wanted to go by quickly. When the menu advertised a meal "featuring lamb," they weren't kidding. Lamb from Apple Pond was featured in every course but dessert, but with very good reason. This was the kind of lamb that was so decadent and flavorful in its many preparations that it made me question the lamb-like substance I'd been thinking was lamb all these years. I particularly liked the savory-sweet combination of lamb gyoza with apples, honey and yogurt sauce, and the Taiwanese-style "Three Cup" braised lamb with turnip-apple puree was so stupendous, that when one of the waitresses came by with an extra plate of it, thinking someone hadn't gotten one yet, we implored her to leave it with us and I and my 5 tablemates lapped it up in spoonfuls. The dish that I had to pick my jaw up off the floor over, however, was dessert: Curry carrot ice cream with cinnamon-sugar dosa. Yes, it was as exciting as it sounds. At the end of the meal I tracked down both Cathy and Michael to tell them how great it was, and how much fun I'd had. They both, separately, looked at me sort of wide-eyed, and replied with a humble, "Really?" As if they couldn't quite believe it has all come together as the rousing success that it was. Yes, really. The only thing left I could possibly ask for is a seat at Hapa Kitchen's next dinner. For a parting gift, here's the recipe for the Curry Carrot Ice Cream courtesy of Cathy Erway's awesome blog, Not Eating Out in New York . Curry Carrot Ice Cream (makes about 1 quart) 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 1 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup packed finely shredded carrots 4 egg yolks 3/4 cup light brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons Indian or Japanese curry powder squirt of lemon or lime In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and brown sugar until fluffy and the lighter in color. Set aside. Combine the milk, cream, coconut milk, carrots and curry powder in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes. (Do not let boil.) While beating the egg yolk mixture, pour in a small spoonful of the hot milk mixture and continue to beat. Repeat process with a larger spoonful, while beating, then repeat again, and again. (This will temper the eggs, so that they don't cook lumpy.) Next, scoop all the egg yolk mixture into the hot milk mixture. Return heat to medium-low. Cook about 8-10 minutes longer, stirring frequently with a spatula to scrape all corners of the bottom of the pot. Do not let boil. The custard should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but have no lumps. Let custard cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and completely chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours. Add the squirt of lemon or lime juice. Follow your machine's instructions for churning length. Add the chopped nuts in the last minute of the churning process. Transfer ice cream to an airtight container and freeze for 2 hours to "ripen."
 
Fill The Fridge To Save Energy Top
Government and commercial experts agree that the cooling section should be kept full, with enough room for some cool air to circulate for even cooling, and that the freezer compartment should be tightly packed, so the frozen foods can keep one another cold. More on Green Living
 
New Hampshire Lawmakers Reject Gay Marriage Bill Top
MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (Reuters) - New Hampshire lawmakers unexpectedly rejected a bill on Wednesday that would have made the state the sixth in the United States to authorize gay marriage. More on House Of Represenatives
 
Quigley: Make It Easier To Override County President's Veto Top
In an interview this morning on WLS' Don Wade & Roma Morning Show, the former commissioner criticized the county code requirement that a four-fifths majority is needed to override a veto by the board president, an issue he has raised consistently since 2003.
 
Robert Naiman: Will Speaker Pelosi Stand Up to the IMF? Top
It would be an exaggeration to say that Congress has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity this week to reform the policies of the International Monetary Fund. If the future is like the past, if Congress misses this opportunity, another one will come along - in about 10 years or so. This week, House and Senate leaders are meeting in a conference committee to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the supplemental appropriations bill. The Senate version of the bill is likely to include $100 billion and new authorities for the IMF, but the House version of the supplemental bill did not include funds for the IMF. The Senate is debating amendments now as I write. The conference committee will almost surely meet soon after Senate passage; the stated goal is to pass the supplemental before the Memorial Day recess. Concrete, observable reforms of the IMF's policies in poor countries should be part of any agreement: there should be no "blank check" for the IMF. The IMF is imposing policies in developing countries we wouldn't accept in the U.S. - when we have a recession, our government spends money to help the economy recover, as we did in President Obama's stimulus package. When developing countries have a recession, the IMF demands budget cuts. With Democrats in charge in Washington, the IMF - in which the United States has overwhelming influence - should not be imposing Republican economic policies. In particular, the IMF should not be imposing Republican economic policies in Pakistan and Afghanistan, since that fundamentally undermines the quest for political stability in these countries. It's the height of self-defeating absurdity to appropriate US tax dollars for reconstruction and development in these countries while with the other hand - the IMF hand - we tell them that their governments can't stimulate their economies. What happens in the conference process is largely controlled by key leaders on particular issues. Regarding the IMF, what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Chris Dodd, and Congresswoman Nita Lowey do will greatly determine whether the IMF will get a blank check or will have to implement meaningful reforms. In the past, Pelosi, Dodd, and Lowey have been leaders on issues of World Bank and IMF reform, international debt relief, HIV/AIDS, and global health. If you care about these things, now would be a good time to pick up the phone. If you live in Connecticut, call Senator Dodd: (202) 224-2823. If you're a constituent of Rep. Lowey in New York, call her office: 202-225-6506. Otherwise, call Speaker Pelosi's office: (202) 225-0100. When you speak to the receptionist, you could say something like the following: "My name is ___________ and I'm calling from _______________[city/state]. In the conference committee on the supplemental, [Speaker Pelosi /Senator Dodd/ Congresswoman Lowey] has the power to be a champion for reform of the IMF's policies which have limited access to health care and education in poor nations and poor country debt relief. I urge [Speaker Pelosi/Senator Dodd/Congresswoman Lowey] to include language in the conference report that ensures IMF agreements do not impose contractionary, recession-worsening policies as they currently are doing, which is resulting in rising unemployment and the closure of hospitals and schools. Thank you." More information can be found here . More on Barack Obama
 
Denise Bode: Rebuilding Our Economy - One Bolt at a Time Top
Bob Drake used to work for an auto industry parts supplier. When he joined that company, it had 120 employees. By the time he was laid off in 2008, "they were down to about 20." Jobless at 56, Bob was fearful about his prospects for finding work, and deeply concerned about supporting his family. Thankfully, Bob's story, unlike the story of so many who worked for the auto industry and its thousands of component supplier companies, has a happy ending. Several months ago, he landed a job with Cardinal Fastener, a small Bedford Heights, Ohio-based firm that makes bolts for wind turbines and other industrial products. Cardinal employs Bob on a thread roller, the same machine he used to run for the auto parts company, so his transition has been a smooth one for all concerned. Cardinal has its own success story, quite a bit like Bob's. Its bolts are already used in some hallowed American icons, including the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge. Now its products are a small but critical piece of a new icon--the modern wind turbine. Over the past eight years, Cardinal has doubled in size and is continuing to expand its business and add new employees to serve the wind energy industry. What's the big deal with bolts? Well, Cardinal Fastener's bolts are used in four critical areas of a wind turbine -- the foundation, towers, blades, and nacelles -- and there are a couple of thousand bolts used in each turbine. Last year, the wind energy industry used 2.4 million bolts in new installations alone. Today's wind turbine is a modern miracle of engineering. With more than 8,000 parts, it's larger than a Boeing 747 and combines complex, high-tech electronics gear with an industry average of over 200 tons of steel and around 13 tons of fiberglass. All of those parts, ranging from steel tower sections to wind direction sensors, mean one thing: new manufacturing jobs. America's manufacturing sector has been losing jobs for decades, but as the move toward using more renewable energy like wind and solar accelerates, those industries are beginning to buck the trend. Last year, in the face of a collapsing economy, the wind industry added 35,000 jobs, for a one-year increase of 70 percent. In 2007 and 2008, the industry announced or expanded more than 70 factories. These numbers are modest on a nationwide scale, but still good cause for optimism. Here's why: there are at least 16,000 companies employing over 1 million people that could manufacture wind energy turbine components in the U.S., and Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis says, "We can expect that many green jobs will pay 10 percent to 20 percent better than other jobs." Wind energy's growth is all the more remarkable given that it has occurred despite a decade of on-again, off-again federal tax incentives that has led to several booms and busts. Now Congress is considering a new approach -- a national Renewable Electricity Standard (RES), which would require that renewable energy sources be used to generate a minimum percentage of the electricity our country uses within a certain time frame, such as 25 percent by the year 2025. An RES would provide the first long-term national commitment to renewable energy -- the commitment that businesses need to invest billions of dollars in new manufacturing plants. Not surprisingly, studies of the RES conclude that it would result in the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs. According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, for example, the 25-percent-by-2025 RES would create 297,000 jobs. Once these jobs are created, they are likely to stick around. One of wind power's great virtues is the predictable cost of the electricity it generates. It uses no fuel, so the cost is not affected by fuel price spikes and speculative bubbles; and it creates no emissions, so there is no risk of future cost from emissions regulation as there is with fossil fuels. So far in Congress, however, opponents of the RES have succeeded in watering it down so that states would find it easy to meet the targets without adding significant amounts of renewable energy. This is a problem, and not just for the renewable industry. Our analysts estimate that the RES currently being considered would leave more than 100,000 new jobs on the cutting-room floor. Wind energy can literally help us rebuild our economy, one bolt at a time, one worker at a time, one factory at a time -- but only if Congress passes a strong Renewable Electricity Standard. More on Global Financial Crisis
 
Lane Hudson: The Dallas Principles, a new approach to LGBT equality Top
As anyone who has been following my blogging here will know, I've been pushing very hard to hold folks accountable for a stunningly absent effort to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in our code of laws. It's become even more important to me as we elected a visionary man to the Presidency and a wide Democratic Majority in both houses of Congress. Lately, there has been increasing public discourse on issues like 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Marriage Equality, and the Defense of Marriage Act, among others. For the first time, mainstream media such as Jake Tapper and Bill Press are asking tough questions in the White House briefing room. Things are definitely changing. Except they're not really changing. On private list serves, I've been just as aggressive, though more frequently, about my frustration at a lack of honoring campaign promises and a seeming willingness on the part of our organizations to take only that which the power establishment is willing to give. Also, although the media has been giving more attention to issues of inequality, they still give voice and airtime to anti-gay bigots. So, when a fellow list serve member asked if I had an interest in coming together with some like-minded folks to brainstorm on how to achieve equality faster, I didn't hesitate. Phone calls were exchanged, emails were sent, and ultimately, twenty-four people met at an airport hotel in Dallas, TX. The end result is something we've come to call ' The Dallas Principles '. It's about raising the bar for all stakeholders: LGBT people, allies, organizations, politicians, the media, any anyone else with an interest. Please take a moment to peruse the information below or to visit www.TheDallasPrinciples.org . We'd like to have as many Americans from as many different backgrounds as possible to sign on to these principles so we can help change the debate. All we're seeking is the same rights and responsibilities that non-LGBT people have. Nothing more, nothing less. PLEASE JOIN IN ENDORSING THESE PRINCIPLES AS A GUIDE TOWARDS ACHIEVING FULL CIVIL RIGHTS FOR LGBT AMERICANS. THE DALLAS PRINCIPLES PREAMBLE President Obama and Congress pledged to lead America in a new direction that included civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. We now sit at a great moment in our history that inspires the nation to return to its highest ideals and greatest promise. We face a historic opportunity to obtain our full civil rights; this is the moment for change. No delay. No excuses. Nearly forty years ago, a diverse group of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people stood up to injustice at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. In doing so, they submitted themselves to bodily harm and criminal prosecution. Their demand was simple -- equal protection under the law. Still today, full civil rights has eluded the same community that rioted forty years ago. Instead, untold sums of resources have been spent to divide our nation and turn our lives into a political football. At several junctures in American history, the stars have aligned to deliver the promise of equal protection under the law to those previously denied. At this unique time in history, our nation must once again exercise the great tradition of making its people equal. Justice has too long been delayed. A clear path toward full civil equality for the LGBT community is overdue and must come now. Using fear and misunderstanding to justify discrimination is no longer acceptable in this nation. Those content with the way things are will be judged harshly by history. Those who do not actively advance these ideals or offer excuses will be judged just as harshly. Those who attempt to divide our community or to delay and deny action on civil equality, waiting for the right moment to arrive, will be held accountable. We reject the idea that honoring the founding principles of our country is controversial. We believe in the inherent human dignity of all people. No longer will we submit our children, our family, our friends and ourselves as a political tool for any Party or ideology. A new day has arrived. PRINCIPLES The following eight guiding principles underlie our call to action. In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow: 1. Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable. 2. We will not leave any part of our community behind. 3. Separate is never equal. 4. Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights. 5. The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue. 6. Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged. 7. Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised. 8. Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles. FULL CIVIL RIGHTS GOALS Being united by common principles and engaging in united action, we will achieve the following goals: 1. DIGNITY AND EQUALITY. Every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person has inherent dignity and worth, and has the right to live free of discrimination and harassment. 2. FAMILY. Every LGBT person has the right to a family without legal barriers to immigration, civil marriage or raising children. 3. ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. Every LGBT person has the right to economic opportunity free from discrimination in employment, public housing, accommodation, public facilities, credit, and federally funded programs and activities. 4. EDUCATION. Every LGBT child and youth has the right to an education that is affirming, inclusive and free from bullying. 5. NATIONAL SECURITY. Every LGBT person should have the opportunity to serve our country openly and equally in our military and foreign service. 6. CRIME. Every LGBT person should enjoy life protected against bias crimes. 7. HEALTH CARE. Every person should have access to affordable, high quality, and culturally competent health care without discrimination. CALL TO ACTION 1. We demand that government officials act now to achieve full civil rights without delay. 2. Our organizations and individuals need to develop a collaborative and revolutionary new organizing model that mobilizes millions of supporters through emerging web and phone technologies. 3. All LGBT individuals must accept personal responsibility to do everything within their power for equality and should get involved in the movement by volunteering, giving and being out. 4. We will hold elected officials and our organizations accountable for being transparent and achieving full civil rights by active participation when possible and active opposition when necessary. 5. Our allies need to be proactive in public support for full civil rights. 6. Every government measure that quantifies the US citizenry must permit LGBT individuals to self-identify and be counted in every way citizens are counted. 7. We demand that the media present LGBT lives in fair, accurate and objective ways that neither include nor give credence to unsubstantiated, discriminatory claims and opinions. More on Barack Obama
 
Spencer Green: Coming This Summer: Gitmo by the Dozen! Top
The following preview has been approved for all audiences by the Motion Picture Association of America: (INT. COURTROOM - LAURA SONNEE (Sandra Bullock) is questioning an elderly male witness, who breaks down in tears. She slaps him, then laughs.) Announcer (voice-over): She was a high-powered lawyer... (INT. CONFERENCE ROOM - BENJAMIN SONNEE (Matthew McConaughey) is in the middle of a PowerPoint presentation, which ends with the image of a giant "Monopoly Man" crushing poor people; everyone in the room applauds, Benjamin takes off his shirt.) Announcer (voice-over): He was a powerful investment banker... (INT. SONNEE HOUSE - Benjamin and Laura are canoodling on a luxurious sofa lined with hundred-dollar bills as their adorable dog WINKY sleeps nearby.) Announcer (voice-over): They were the perfect couple, except for one thing... Benjamin: Come on, honey--let's start a family. Laura: Oh, Ben--it's not the right time. Our shallow, materialistic lives are perfect just the way they are. (Doorbell rings; Benjamin opens the door and there is a FEDERAL MARSHAL.) Federal Marshal: Are you Benjamin and Laura Sonnee, the perfect couple? Laura: Why, yes we are. Federal Marshal: These belong to you. (REVEAL one dozen SUSPECTED TERRORIST DETAINEES.) Benjamin/Laura: WHAAAAAAA...?!!! (ANGLE ON Winky, rubbing his eyes in disbelief.) TITLE UP: "GITMO BY THE DOZEN!" Announcer (voice-over): It's a comedy of politically hilarious proportions! (INT. SONNEE HOUSE - The detainees are jumping up and down on the furniture, playing Wii, writing "Death to America" on the walls in blood, as Benjamin tries to calm them all down by taking off his shirt.) Laura: There must be some sort of mistake. Federal Marshal: Sorry, ma'am. We have to move all the Guantanamo Bay detainees to the homes of random affluent, attractive young couples in the United States because no other countries will take them. Have a nice day. (ASADEL approaches Laura, holding a prayer rug.) Asadel: Excuse me--which way does Mecca face from inside your shameful, imperialist dwelling? (INT. COURTROOM - Laura is in the middle of an opening statement.) Announcer (voice-over): It's a fish out of water story...only the fish is twelve Muslim detainees. Twelve of 'em! Half a dozen! Laura: We will prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that-- (Laura's cell phone rings and she answers.) Laura: What? (INT. SONNEE HOUSE - Asadel is reading Internet instructions and building a bomb as REYHAM watches; KHAYRAT is on a cell phone.) Khayrat (to Laura): Asadel is building a bio-chemical weapon and he won't let me help! Laura (voice-over): Tell Asadel we'll all build a bio-chemical weapon when I get home and not a minute sooner! Reyham: Hurry up, Asadel! I have to take the Facebook "Which Partridge Family character are you?" quiz! (INT. COSTCO - Benjamin pushes NASAWI and Reyham in a stroller while Laura carries QASSIM in a baby holder. The others run around in a frenzy, screaming and knocking things over.) Qassim: Look at this Western decadence! It's a blasphemy that--ooh! I want five plasma TVs! Laura: I don't think I can take this much longer. Nasawi: Please, Benjamin and Laura. As my Uncle Mouza used to say: "riHlit il-alf miil tabda' bixa Twa." Laura: What does that mean? Nasawi: How the hell should I know? I grew up in Texas. Go Longhorns!! (EXT. PARK - Benjamin, Laura and the detainees skip through a field of flowers; CUT TO: Qassim handing Laura a bunch of daisies; a bee pops out of them and stings him on the nose, causing his head to inflate; CUT TO: Nasawi and Asadel flying Qassim like a kite as everyone laughs.) (EXT. SONNEE HOUSE - A cranky NEIGHBOR (Dick Cheney) confronts Benjamin as Nasawi and Asadel mow the lawn.) Neighbor: Your new "enemy combatants" are creating a nuisance! If you don't do something about it, I will! (The neighbor menacingly holds up a garden hose; Winky growls, bites the neighbor's crotch, drags him up and down the street as he screams in pain.) Nasawi: Ah--that takes me back! (INT. INVESTMENT FIRM - Benjamin's BOSS (Kurtwood Smith) confronts Benjamin.) Announcer (voice-over): It's a movie that will steal your heart, take it hostage and never let it go! Boss: Benjamin--ever since those detainees showed up, your work ethic has changed! (CUE swelling James Newton Howard music score) Benjamin: No. Maybe I've changed. Maybe...I've...changed. For the BETTER! (INT. SONNEE HOUSE - As Benjamin and Laura are giving all of their possessions to Goodwill, the twelve detainees come downstairs like the Von Trapp children, wearing clothes made out of American flags.) Detainees (singing): So long, farewell, your kindness makes us weep Asadel (singing) I'm through with trying to kill you in your sleep Detainees (singing): So long, farewell, dear Allah had it wrong Qassim (singing): Your land is great and so's this touching song... Benjamin: So, Laura...now can we think about having a family? Laura: Oh, Ben--we already have one! Detainees: Yay! (The detainees ululate; FREEZE FRAME as everyone hugs and laughs.) Announcer (voice-over): "Gitmo by the Dozen!" Featuring the number one hit "Waterboard of Love" by Beyoncé! (ANGLE ON Winky, wearing keffiyeh, barking.)
 
Pavel Somov, Ph.D.: From Start to Finish and Back: the Mouthfeel Top
While most know the term finish as a measure of wine, few apply it to food. The finish is both an after-taste and an after-feel (a residual mouth-feel). Take dark mint chocolate, for example. The subtle bitterness you taste is the after-taste of the dark chocolate, but the breezy coolness you feel is a residual mouth-feel from the mint. The finish reveals the subtle characteristics of the flavor and may have a deciding role in whether we come back to a given food or not since the finish is what we're left with after we finish eating. Study the finish as you eat. Has the food left a sweet, lingering, velvety touch or a bitter footprint of astringent gruffness? Time the finish to see how long foods linger invited or uninvited in the doorway of your mouth. Noticing the finish can slow down your eating. Often, after we swallow the food, we consider ourselves to be finished with the bite. But you're not finished with the bite until you've experienced its finish! You can make the experience of eating last by overeating or you can prolong the experience of taste by studying its finish. With some foods the finish is the start of the enjoyment. Pavel Somov, Ph.D., author of Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time (New Harbinger, 2008) www.eatingthemoment.com
 
STUDY: Why Autism Affects Boys More Than Girls Top
Among the many mysteries that befuddle autism researchers: why the disorder affects boys four times more often than girls. But in new findings reported online today by the journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers say they have found a genetic clue that may help explain the disparity. More on Autism
 
US Army Allegedly Burned Bibles So As Not To Proselytize Top
Following a report it ran earlier this month regarding evangelical US soldiers in Afghanistan seeking to distribute bibles in Pashtun and Dari, Al Jazeera now reports that those bibles have been confiscated and burned. According to Al Jazeera: "My understanding is that the [military] leadership confiscated these bibles so that they could not be distributed around Afghanistan, Colonel Greg Julian told Al Jazeera on Wednesday. "It was their best judgement at the time, that the best way to deal with it, was to destroy them and I understand that they were burnt." The Al Jazeera report earlier this month is said to have been filmed about a year ago. It shows a small contingent of Bagram Air Force Base soldiers convening for prayer with stacks of the bibles in question. One soldier who is interviewed describes the difference between "proselytizing" and giving gifts as justification for trying to distribute the Bibles. Watch: Get HuffPost World On Facebook and Twitter! More on Afghanistan
 
Ted Johnson, Maegan Carberry, Teresa Valdez Klein: "Economic Collapse 101: Lessons from Skid Row Karaoke" Top
As the recently released film, "The Soloist," has focused the country's attention on the hidden beauty in Los Angeles' Skid Row , music photographer Scott Schultz has taken things a step further by embedding himself within the community, where he discovered a thriving scene of artists - songbirds and warblers alike - making the most of their situation at Skid Row Karaoke. After months of visiting with residents and participating in their performances, Shultz has begun a photo essay for LARecord.com which shows the faces of poverty in a new light. Schultz joins hosts Ted and Maegan to share the story of how he discovered this group of people who gather each week in the basement of a church to sing, dance, and take their minds off their troubles. (Since the last time they had updated music was in the mid-90s, it's not surprising that the most popular song is Will Smith's "Wild Wild West.") The pictures, which can be seen here , are inspiring and remind us that Skid Row is more than just a street corner where people with bad luck end up. It's a community, with photography groups, basketball clubs, and other organizations. The big question is, can these images, and The Soloist, change people's perception of homelessness or inspire them to take action? Schultz encourages anyone interested in donating new karaoke tunes or heping out in another capacity reach out to him at scott@larecord.com. He also recommends visiting the Downtown Women's Center or Food Not Bombs . In other news we discuss the gossip surrounding Jon Huntsman, the GOP Governor of Utah, who was named Ambassador to China. He's a telegenic figure, a moderate and popular Republican, and a possible threat to Obama in 2012, so is this a shrewd move by the President, eliminating a major challenger? Is he the best person for the job? (Who cares? What are his politics? That's FAR more important than qualifications!) Could this work against Democrats in the long run, elevating Huntsman and giving him real foreign policy credentials for a 2016 run? And why is Huntsman agreeing? A curious situation, all around. Maegan also addresses a new study released by the Center for American Progress, showing overwhelming support for progressive issues among younger voters. It's from a liberal think-tank, so you have to take it with a grain of salt, but still, it's an interesting development. And finally, the first Twitter lawsuit has emerged, where a conservative blogger, #tcot founder Michael Leahy, is suing someone for tweeted libel because she mocked his tax situation. If successful, it would set a huge precedent for online rights, and Maegan and Ted ponder its possible ramifications on the online world for both "citizen" and "real" journalists. Listen to the show here , subscribe to the iTunes podcast , or use the Blog Talk Radio player: Wilshire & Washington, the weekly Blog Talk Radio program that explores the intersection of politics, entertainment, and new media, features co-hosts Ted Johnson, Managing Editor of Variety; conservative blogger Teresa Valdez Klein ( www.teresacentric.com ), and liberal blogger Maegan Carberry ( www.maegancarberry.com ). The show airs every Wednesday at 7:30am PST on BlogTalkRadio.com.
 
5 New Uses For Your Old (Maybe Toxic) Water Bottles Top
The water bottle that (kind of) defined a generation…is really a killer. Last year, toxic plastic struck close to home. In April 2008, the FDA deemed Nalgene water bottles—those awesome, never-break, never-leak containers you had come to depend on—as unsafe for use, due to dangerous levels of toxicity in the plastic. Durability, in other words, came at a higher price than ten bucks. Most of us tossed our bottles out with the trash, and went for the stainless steel varieties deemed safe. But many stubbornly continued to use their Nalgenes anyway; what doesn't have chemicals, right? Well, according to Mark Schapiro , author of Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products and What's at Stake for American Power , you really don't want to mess around with this stuff. What the FDA found in these old Nalgenes is enough to make you run for the hills. Bisphenol A (BPA), a highly toxic chemical and plastic additive, "makes plastic more rigid and unbreakable," according to Schapiro. But this should not be considered a dream product for the outdoors enthusiast. In fact, he adds, "BPA has been linked to the development of prostate and breast cancer in adults," and in regard to the latter, "mimicking estrogen and being carcinogenic." Case closed. When the FDA broke this news, Nalgene stopped making bottles with BPA at the price of super-durability, and now we're safe. To the burn pile! But not so fast—throwing them out doesn't really do the environment any good either, and the last thing we want to do is create more toxic waste to clog the dumps. So what do we do with all our old Nalgenes? I've heard some nutty ideas, the best of which include detailed plans for a canine flotation device, lobster trap buoys, and a time capsule. But this isn't MacGyver. Here are five easy ways you can make the most of yours: Convert them into solar lanterns: All you need is a solar-powered LED Light Cap200 to replace your old top, and voila. This water bottle cap is good for any bottle, actually, with a 2" mouth. All you have to do is fill your Nalgene with water (for weight against wind) and use for nighttime picnics or beside your bed. The brighter the color, the better. Make your own toothbrush holder: Get your art on! Glue or tape a weird family photo on the bottle, and impress your guests. If your toothbrush isn't long enough to clear the lip, fill the bottom of the bottle with gravel, sand, or marbles. Just remember not to store your brush upside down... Use for a flower vase: Considering you're going to cut them anyway, there's no harm keeping them in BPA plastic, unless you're planning on eating them as well (do I hate myself for saying this? Are flowers people, too?) Fashion a hot water bottle: I know a guy who fills his old Nalgene with boiling water, wraps it in a ripped sock he can't wear anymore, and brings to bed come winter. Handy picnic weights: How many times has your picnic been ruined by a blown over blanket? Never again, if you bring a nalgene filled with sand and weight down the corners. Think about it. Reclaim toxicity. More on Green Living
 
Michael B. Laskoff: The Black Helicopters of The Health Care Takeover Top
In a kinder, gentler era, some of the self-styled sons of Edmund Burk and Ronald Reagan feared that UN troops in black helicopters were waiting right over the horizon. Their mission consisted of imposing a world order based on peace, love and understanding - administered by a world (non-American, non-Christian) government. To me, that doesn't sound all that different apocalypse/utopian fantasy, aka the Rapture, about which some fundamentalists seem so enthusiastic, but that's probably because I don't personally either to be very likely. In fairness, I doubt that anyone beyond the lunatic fringe took these mythical airships too seriously, but that doesn't mean that the message wasn't effective. You don't have to believe fully in something for it to create doubt, or perhaps even dread. So long as the specter of blue helmeted commandos became affixed as an image, it had real power. Since those quaint days, we've had a lot to worry about, and the helicopter images have faded away: the underlying strategy has not. This time, the reactionaries are spearheading a new message through a gentleman named Richard Scott. He helms an organization called Conservatives for Patient's Rights http://www.conservativesforpatientsrights.com/ , and until I saw a segment on The Daily Show, I didn't realize that we had him to thank for the phrase, "health care takeover." In a recently launched ad campaign, Mr. Scott can be heard intoning the following, "Imagine waking up one day and all your medical decisions are made by a central national board. Bureaucrats decide the treatments you receive, the drugs you take, even the doctors you see." This message has not fallen on deaf ears: everyone from leaders of the Republican old guard (Newt) to its hysterical pundits on Fox (Beck) has sought to amplify the "take over" message at every given opportunity. As they do, I can imagine the Dickensian bureaucrats denying insurance coverage to innocent. That, of course, is the idea. But before drawing your concealed handgun to defend the status quo, I would ask that you recall a few facts. Forty-five million Americans currently have no health insurance. Medical expenses are the largest cause of personal bankruptcy. Insurance bureaucrats have already taken decision-making power from doctors. And the Republican Party has never put forward a detailed health care reform plan. But here's the kicker. According to the journal Health Affairs http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/content/abstract/hlthaff.28.2.w346 , "Public payers [state and federal government] are expected to become the largest source of funding for health care in 2016 and are projected to pay for more than half of all national health spending in 2018." In other words, continuing the status quo leads effectively to state control in a decade. Knowing that, you've got to wonder why the libertarian wing of the Republicans are really so intent on keeping everything the same. There never were any black helicopters, and there is no Republican plan to deal with the economic and epidemiological crisis that is the current state of American health care. In its place, there is a simply an advertising campaign and a party line calculated to distract us from the miserable state of the status quo. Perhaps that's good electioneering, but it's hardly in the best interest of the country that these 'patriots' so frequently remind us that they love. More on United Nations
 
Susan J. Demas: Why Obama Won't Tap Jennifer Granholm for the Supreme Court Top
Jennifer Granholm is a shoo-in for the U.S. Supreme Court. After all, if the president appoints her, Lt. Gov. John Cherry ascends to the Michigan governor's mansion and ambles into the 2010 election as an incumbent. The Mitten State's economy is in freefall and unemployment is threatening to hit 20 percent, thanks to Chrysler's bankruptcy and a likely one at GM. Michigan will have hemorrhaged 1.2 million jobs by next year -- a staggering one in four. Voters used to routinely blame George W. Bush for the state's woes, but now Granholm's Tefflon has worn off in polls , although her personal approval rating remains higher. The lieutenant governor, alas, lacks her sunny smile, Hollywood looks and whizbang oratory. The chipmunk-faced Cherry is universally regarded as a nice man with a far better grip than his boss on the legislative process. But many Democrats lie awake at night fearing he'll be pilloried next year for the rotten economy and end up dragging the party down with him. If Granholm gets to don the black robe, problem solved. Cherry has instant gravitas as the state's CEO and a chance to show his stuff. And thus, a wobbly governorship stays in the Democratic column. There's just one hitch with this conventional wisdom theory swirling in Lansing and Washington alike. Hillary Clinton didn't win last November. No, it's not that Granholm backed her over Barack. President Obama adroitly showed he could push pettiness aside when he tapped Clinton as secretary of state. He's been nothing but complimentary about the governor, appearing at a slew of events with her and naming her to his economic transition team. She's been on the short-list for at least two cabinet posts. But it's safe to say that if we had President Clinton II, we'd probably already be calling Cherry "Governor" by now. Granholm would be energy secretary as a reward for her undying loyalty; that's just the way the Clintons roll. If there was any doubt, since the governor didn't exactly deliver a knockout Michigan primary blow, the fact that her appointment would buoy the Democrats here would seal the deal. There's little indication that Obama does business that way. In fact, in naming Joe Biden VP and Ken Salazar Interior Secretary, the president has left two Senate seats in Delaware and Colorado ripe for Republican picking. The Arizona governorship has already gone red with Janet Napolitano (another High Court short-lister) departing for the Department of Homeland Security. The GOP also has a great chance to pick up Kansas next year, since Gov. Kathleen Sebelius nabbed the last spot in Obama's cabinet. Consider the two people who beat Granholm out for other White House gigs -- Labor Secretary Hilda Solis has rock-solid ties to the unions, as opposed to Granholm's sometimes rocky relationships with the UAW and teachers groups. Energy Secretary Steven Chu is a Nobel Laureate. The governor would have done a top-notch job selling cap and trade, but couldn't match the physics professor's global warming expertise. For the Supreme Court, Granholm again faces stiff competition, including Solicitor General Elena Kagan, Appeals Court Judge Sonia Sotomayor and former Deputy Attorney General James Comey. Granholm has been a federal prosecutor and attorney general, but she hasn't been a judge and it's unclear what kind of jurist she'd be. She proceeded over the brief ouster hearing of disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and won rave reviews, but that doesn't exactly compare to Comey standing up to Bush on warrantless wiretapping , now does it? It's hard to argue that the governor didn't make the High Court list just to add some star power. Indeed, every TV station in the country wants to snag an interview with the camera-ready governor, although she's been declining them by the dozens -- on this topic, anyway. After her hairdresser blabbed to the press that Granholm was ready to pack up for a cabinet post, she's been very careful to adopt Obama's solemn tone and vow to finish her job as governor. For Obama, there would be a personal political downside if he appointed Granholm. While Sotomayor was excoriated in a cowardly New Republic story brimming with anonymous sources, the governor's myriad critics are only too happy to go on the record. Guys like former state GOP Chair Saul Anuzis and former Speaker Craig DeRoche have made careers out of trashing her ( always managing to work in her "Dating Game" past ) and would love some airtime. Her Senate confirmation hearing would be must-see TV. Last fall, Granholm humiliated Republican Sens. Richard Shelby and Bob Corker over their attempts to kill the Big Three, and they would certainly relish their chance to return the favor. That's all just a bit too much drama for Obama. Nevertheless, the former actress is auditioning for a role in Washington -- that much is clear. She's in D.C. at least once a month to lobby for Michigan (and subtly for herself). Turn on CNN and MSNBC , and you'll see the bespectacled governor waxing on about health care and the economy. The Supreme Court talk is flattering for Granholm, though she pretends to loathe it. But there is a danger here, of which those in her inner circle are keenly aware. When you don't get asked to dance at Prom enough times, the invitations tend to dry up. More on Barack Obama
 
Michael C. Moynihan: Newspaper Bailout Hypocrisy Top
With the proliferation of news on the Internet, Americans aren't supporting their local newspapers. Circulation and ad revenues are way down, while web readership at places like the Huffington Post and my publication, Reason magazine -- where the news is likely to be free and up-to-the-minute -- is way up. Technology has changed the game. But for those who see a connection between American democracy and the demise of the newspaper industry, it's time to get the government involved to save the news business. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) recently introduced the Newspaper Revitalization Act, a bill that would allow newspapers to operate as nonprofits and Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) warns of the "serious consequences for our democracy" if his hometown paper, The Boston Globe , goes belly up. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has publicly argued for an antitrust exemption to save the San Francisco Chronicle , a paper that has long supported her political career. Rep. Hank Johnson (D-Ga.) recently argued that "If Congress does not act...a major city in the United States will be without a newspaper in the fairly near future." Washington can give newspapers tax breaks or generous subsides to keep them afloat; there are many ways of extending the life of a terminally-ill patient by forcing onto life support. But why should the government support an industry that consumers are rejecting? The more important point, though, is that if failing newspapers are propped up by Washington -- in the name of democracy, of course -- what mechanism would force them to innovate or to address the deep institutional problems of a declining industry? Such interventions could potentially ensure survival, albeit temporary, of failing media outlets, but it is ludicrous to assume that a government bailout would reverse a steep decline in readership. Short of a Nicolas Sarkozy-like plan to force newspaper subscriptions upon those indolent, insolent, and ill-educated youths of Denver, a Washington stake in the Rocky Mountain News would be an investment only Jim Cramer could love. YouTube video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQy6s--ZGbs More on Newspapers
 
Sheldon Filger: GM is Doomed Top
During the Texas oil bust of the 1980s, a major real estate developer told me, "I thought I was in the real estate business, only to discover I was really in the oil business." His comment was made as the collapse in the price of a barrel of oil inflicted massive collateral damage on all segments of the Texas economy. Similarly, the executives running the world's major automobile companies, including those based in Detroit, have learned that they were actually in the subprime mortgage, credit default swaps and financial derivatives business. Decisions made on Wall Street drove a stake into the heart of GM, once one of the mightiest industrial enterprises in the world. In previous posts I have commented on the strategic miscalculations and erroneous management decisions made by General Motors and its domestic competitors as contributing factors towards their imminent demise. However, it is the Global Economic Crisis, driven by financial chicanery engineered largely on Wall Street, that is sending GM, Chrysler and possibly Ford to a rendezvous with the undertaker. While U.S. politicians, who have shoveled trillions of taxpayer dollars into the hands of reckless Wall Street firms and banks with virtually no strings attached, enjoy lambasting Detroit and the auto unions for their supposed misdeeds, a recent statistic adds ambiguity to this generalization. In April, Toyota --considered to be the best run auto company in the world -- actually had a sharper drop in U.S. auto sales than GM, which is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. In desperation, GM has announced it will dump 1,600 domestic dealerships in the short-term, and ultimately eliminate 2,600, reducing its total dealership franchises by more than 40%. This is only part of an array of measures designed to reduce operating costs. More auto assembly plants will be shut down; additional layoffs will be undertaken while remaining employees will see their wages and benefits shrink further. However, in the wake of the financial storm that is wrecking the global economy, these last ditch and desperate stratagems are almost certainly doomed to failure. In the next several weeks, GM will file for bankruptcy protection, shed several of its brands, and accelerate the death spiral that it is now locked in. With unemployment surging, not only in the United States but throughout the world where GM has significant market share, and credit essential for auto purchases being denied to consumers -- macroeconomic factors that are far more relevant to the auto industry than brand elimination and dealership disposal -- the extinction of General Motors as an industrial corporation seems all but certain. Possibly brands such as Cadillac or Chevrolet may survive independently or be absorbed by other auto manufacturers, but the behemoth known as GM is destined for the scrapyard of history. While Teddy Roosevelt was completing his second term as U.S. president in 1908, the first GM automobile was manufactured. In 1954, General Motors saw its 50 millionth car roll off the Detroit assembly lines, at a time when more than half a million Americans worked for GM. Now, at death's door, GM has announced that its dwindling workforce will shrink by a further 38%, reaching a planned level of 38,000. That represents a reduction of 93% from the 1954 employment figures! The financial and political elites who dominate policymaking in America seem unperturbed. They apparently prefer having companies exist that engineer exotic financial derivatives than a manufactured product that is assembled by a skilled, well-compensated workforce. In their alternative universe, GM is expendable while AIG is "too big to fail." However, even with this melancholy certainty in front of us, I will always imagine a ride in a 1957 Chevrolet convertible as being infinitely more romantic than cruising the lanes on foot with a pocketful of securitized subprime mortgages or credit default swaps. So, America, where does the economic road ahead lead us? Rest in peace, General Motors. More on Auto Bailout
 
Jon Stewart Mocks The Nonsensical Aversion To Closing Guantanamo Bay Top
Previously, on Eat The Press, I had taken great pains to mock many of the inane arguments for why it is nonsensical to be told by the grown-ups who preside in the House and Senate, as well as those who pundit for a living on the teevee that American prisons -- sufficient to house all manner of depraved criminals -- were not up to the task of also housing the terrorists currently at Gitmo. Apparently, these grown-ups are unaware of America's awesome and terrifying ability to incarcerate people while simultaneously possessed by the belief that these detainees have MAGIC POWERS. Last week, the House GOP crafted a dumb bill called the Keep Terrorists Out Of America Act , sculpted from pure angel feces. And this week, the Senate Democrats caved in to the nonsense, removing the funding that President Barack Obama requested in the war spending bill to close the prison. Jon Stewart took up the matter last night, and in just six minutes time, delivered what should be considered the most comprehensive mocking of this cavalcade of poor reasoning, bad decisions and unadulterated stupidity. You get the weird fears over the detainees, the illogic of NOT housing them in the middle of a prison in the middle of an Army base and the shrugging irresponsibility of Republicans and Democrats alike. And just for good measure, he adds to the mix a guy named Joseph Garner, who pulled someone's brain out of a person, ATE it, and is TERRIFYINGLY INDIFFERENT about it. By the way, I'm guessing that the plucked brain was the one that used to belong to New York Representative Peter King. [WATCH.] The Daily Show With Jon Stewart M - Th 11p / 10c Guantanamo Baywatch - The Final Season thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor [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 Video
 
Harut Sassounian: British House of Commons: Demanding Justice For Armenians, Not Just Genocide Recognition Top
At the invitation of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group (BAAPPG), I spoke on May 7 at a special conference on the Armenian Genocide held at the House of Commons, Committee Room 3, the British Parliament, London. Dr. Israel Charny, Director of the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide in Jerusalem, was also invited to speak at this conference. Regrettably, due to a last minute illness, Dr. Charny could not attend. His prepared remarks titled, "Denial of Genocide is not only a political tactic, it is an attack on decent people's minds and emotions," was read by Peter Barker, a former broadcaster of BBC Radio. The conference was chaired by House of Lords member Baroness Cox, Chairman of BAAPPG. In attendance were members of the House of Lords, the Armenian Desk officer of the Foreign Office, representatives from the Embassies of Greece, Kuwait, Serbia, Slovenia, and Syria, non-governmental organizations, scholars, journalists, and other distinguished guests. In my remarks entitled, "Armenian Genocide and Quest for Justice," I cited the acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide by the United Nations, European Parliament, legislatures of more than 20 countries, U.S. House of Representatives, Pres. Reagan, 42 out of 50 U.S. States, and the International Association of Genocide Scholars. I concluded that "after so many acknowledgments, the Armenian Genocide has become a universally recognized historical fact." I expressed regret that the United Kingdom remained one of the rare major countries that has yet to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. I pointed out that "Britain's siding with a denialist state is not so much due to lack of evidence or conviction, but, sadly, because of sheer political expediency, with the intent of appeasing Turkey." I urged British officials to heed the cautionary words of Prime Minister Winston Churchill who said: "An appeaser is someone who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." I suggested that Armenians no longer needed to convince the world that what took place during the years 1915-23 was "a genocide." Here are excerpts from my May 7 speech: "A simple acknowledgment of and a mere apology, however, would not heal the wounds and undo the consequences of the Genocide. Armenians are still waiting for justice to be meted out, restoring their historic rights and returning their confiscated lands and properties." "In recent years, Armenian-American lawyers have successfully filed lawsuits in U.S. federal courts, securing millions of dollars from New York Life and French AXA insurance companies for unpaid claims to policy-holders who perished in the Genocide. Several more lawsuits are pending against other insurance companies and German banks to recover funds belonging to victims of the Armenian Genocide." "In 1915, a centrally planned and executed attempt was made to uproot from its ancestral homeland and decimate an entire nation, depriving the survivors of their cultural heritage as well as their homes, lands, houses of worship, and personal properties." "A gross injustice was perpetrated against the Armenian people, which entitles them, as in the case of the Jewish Holocaust, to just compensation for their enormous losses. "Restitution can take many forms. As an initial step, the Republic of Turkey could place under the jurisdiction of the Istanbul-based Armenian Patriarchate all of the Armenian churches and religious monuments which were expropriated and converted to mosques and warehouses or outright destroyed." "In the absence of any voluntary restitution by the Republic of Turkey, Armenians could resort to litigation, seeking 'restorative justice'." "In considering legal recourse, one should be mindful of the fact that the Armenian Genocide did neither start nor end in 1915." "Large-scale genocidal acts were committed starting with Sultan Abdul Hamid's massacre of 300,000 Armenians from 1894 to 1896; the subsequent killings of 30,000 Armenians in Adana by the Young Turk regime in 1909; culminating in the Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915 to 1923; and followed by forced Turkification and deportation of tens of thousands of Armenians by the Republic of Turkey." "Most of the early leaders of the Turkish Republic were high-ranking Ottoman officials who had participated in perpetrating the Armenian Genocide. This unbroken succession in leadership assured the continuity of the Ottomans' anti-Armenian policies. The Republic of Turkey, as the continuation of the Ottoman Empire, could therefore be held responsible for the Genocide." "An important document, recently discovered in the U.S. archives, provides irrefutable evidence that the Republic of Turkey continued to uproot and exile the remnants of Armenians well into the 1930's motivated by purely racist reasons. The document in question is a 'Strictly Confidential' cable, dated March 2nd, 1934, and sent by U.S. Ambassador Robert P. Skinner from Ankara to the U.S. Secretary of State, reporting the deportation of Armenians." "In the 1920's and 30's, thousands of Armenian survivors of the Genocide were forced out of their homes in Cilicia and Western Armenia to locations elsewhere in Turkey or neighboring countries. In the 1940's, these racist policies were followed by the Varlik Vergisi, the imposition of an exorbitant wealth tax on Armenians, Greeks and Jews. And, during the 1955 Istanbul pogroms, many Greeks as well as Armenians and Jews were killed and their properties destroyed." "This continuum of massacres, genocide and deportations highlights the existence of a long-term strategy implemented by successive Turkish regimes from the 1890's to more recent times, in order to solve the Armenian Question with finality." "Consequently, the Republic of Turkey is legally liable for its own crimes against Armenians, as well as those committed by its Ottoman predecessors. Turkey inherited the assets of the Ottoman Empire; And, therefore, it must have also inherited its liabilities." "Finally, since Armenians often refer to their three sequential demands from Turkey: 'Recognition' of the Genocide; 'Reparations' for their losses; and the 'Return' of their lands, Turks have come to believe that once the Genocide is recognized, Armenians will then pursue their next two demands." "This is the main reason why Turks adamantly refuse to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. They fear that acceptance of the Genocide would lead to other demands for restitution. They believe that by denying the first demand, they would be blocking the ones that are sure to follow." "The fact is that, commemorative resolutions adopted by legislative bodies of various countries and statements made on the Armenian Genocide by world leaders have no force of law, and therefore, no legal consequence." "Armenians, Turks and others involved in this historical, and yet contemporary issue, must realize that recognition of the Armenian Genocide or the lack thereof, will neither enable nor deter its consideration by international legal institutions." "Once Turkish officials realize that recognition by itself cannot and would not lead to other demands, they may no longer persist in their obsessive denial of these tragic events. "Without waiting for any further recognition, Armenians can pursue their historic rights through proper legal channels, such as the International Court of Justice (where only states have such jurisdiction), the European Court of Human Rights and U.S. Federal Courts." "Justice, based on international law, must take its course." Following an extensive question and answer period, Armenia's Ambassador to Great Britain, Vahe Gabrieliyan, delivered the closing remarks. Based on the speeches of the two speakers, the BAAPPG issued a statement calling on the British Government to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. More on Genocide
 
Frank McCourt Has Melanoma Top
NEW YORK — A publicist for Frank McCourt confirms the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "Angela's Ashes" has cancer. Scribner spokesman Brian Belfiglio (bel-FIG'-lee-oh) says the 78-year-old writer is being treated for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. McCourt's brother Malachy (mal-uh-KEYE') says reports that his brother is gravely ill are "exaggerated" and the cancer is in remission. He says his brother is "a hearty fellow and he's survived worse than this." McCourt's agent, Molly Friedrich, says the New York-born author was in the hospital about a month ago but is back home. She says he is "doing pretty well" and undergoing chemotherapy. McCourt's other books include "'Tis" and "Teacher Man."
 
Chris Rodda: Conspiracy Theorist Military Chaplains Promote Anti-American Militia Activity Top
Every once in a while, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) stumbles into a story that's so crazy that even we have a hard time believing it's true, and, it just happened again. But, before getting into this story, I would be remiss in not extending, on behalf of MRFF, a sincere thank you to former Navy chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, without whose recent actions we never would have paid attention to an organization whose members include some of the most bizarre and dangerous chaplains we have ever come across in the U.S. military. For those who don't remember the story of Gordon Klingenschmitt, he's the ex-chaplain who made headlines a few years ago for his publicity stunts for Jesus, such as holding a hunger strike over military chaplains being able to pray in Jesus' name. Klingenschmitt claimed, and continues to claim, that he was booted out of the Navy because of the form of his prayers, when, in reality, he deliberately got himself court-martialed by disobeying a direct order not to appear in uniform at a political rally, an activity that is strictly prohibited by military regulations. But, Klingenschmitt needed to get himself court-martialed in order to embark on his new career as a martyr, and seizing the opportunity to disobey this direct order would do the trick, so he did it. So, here's how Gordon Klingenschmitt led MRFF into the astonishing story that follows. About a month ago, both MRFF and Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) began receiving a lot of emails about Klingenscmitt using a photo of himself in his Navy uniform and identifying himself as "Chaplain" in order to promote political causes and solicit money, a perceivable violation of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, so MRFF and AU decided to issue a joint letter to the Chief of Naval Operations requesting an investigation into Klingenschmitt's current activities. This letter led Klingenschmitt to do two things. One was to issue an imprecatory prayer calling on his followers to essentially pray for the deaths of AU's Barry Lynn and MRFF's Mikey Weinstein and their families. The other was to post a very strange disclaimer on his website , in which he called Lynn and Weinstein "bone-heads," and defended his right to call himself "Chaplain," stating that he has a current endorsement as a "Chaplain and Evangelist to America" from the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches (CFGC). It was this statement that led MRFF to take a closer look at the CFGC, a chaplain endorsing agency headed by retired Army colonel and chaplain Jim Ammerman, and authorized by the Department of Defense to provide the ecclesiastical endorsement required by the military for all military chaplains, with several hundred of its chaplains currently serving in all branches of the military. Right off the bat, MRFF found the expected stuff -- which alone provides ample reason to demand that the DoD revoke the chaplain endorsing authority of Jim Ammerman and the CFGC. CFGC should be disqualified as an endorsing agency because of its repeated denigration of all other religions and Christian denominations that aren't Charismatic or Pentecostal, which is completely contrary to Department of Defense Instruction Number 1304.28. They go after Muslims, Wiccans, and other minority religions, of course. For example, the CFGC's September 2006 newsletter included an article titled "Can a Good Muslim be a Good American?," which gave 10 reasons why the answer is "no," including: "Because he cannot accept the American Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt." and "Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' the Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is never referred to as heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names." Based on reasons such as these, the article concludes that: "Therefore after much study and deliberation, perhaps we should be very suspicious of all muslims in this country. They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and good Americans." And Jim Ammerman was also the chaplain endorser who revoked the CFGC endorsement of Don Larsen, the chaplain who converted from Christianity to Wicca. Endorsing agencies have an agreement to keep the current endorsement of a chaplain who is converting to another religion in effect while the chaplain is in the process of obtaining their endorsement from their new religion or denomination, but CFGC refused to extend this courtesy in the case of Chaplain Larsen. This is what Ammerman said about Wicca and Chaplain Larsen, from a Washington Post article by Alan Cooperman. "Jim Ammerman, a retired Army colonel who is president and founder of the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches, acknowledges that there is a longstanding agreement among endorsers not to summarily pull the papers of a chaplain who wants to make a valid switch. "'But if it's not a valid thing, all bets are off,' Ammerman says, adding that Wiccans "run around naked in the woods" and "draw blood with a dagger" in their ceremonies. 'You can't do that in the military. It's against good order and discipline.'" The CFGC is also clearly anti-Catholic, describing Catholics in its July 2007 newsletter as being "bound by traditions and ceremonies, and without a real thirst for the truth." MRFF could have stopped there, and almost did, but then we stumbled upon an Army major named James F. Linzey, one of the military chaplains currently endorsed by Ammerman and the CFGC, and that's where we found ourselves entering what seemed like another universe. What we found was that both Maj. Linzey and Jim Ammerman belong to a Topeka, Kansas based organization called the Prophecy Club, and have been speakers at Prophecy Club events and put out videos through this organization. Finding out that Maj. Linzey had made the local news when, in New Orleans with the National Guard after Hurricane Katrina, he performed an exorcism to cast the demons from the city was nothing compared to this. The Prophecy Club promotes a plethora of conspiracy theories against the U.S. government -- everything from 9-11 being a government conspiracy to the entire U.S. government being an illegal government founded by the Illuminati and satanists. Among the many Prophecy Club conspiracy theories is one claiming that the mainstream Protestant churches in America have been taken over by demonic world bankers as part of their diabolical plan to control the world. This one is a favorite of Linzey, who proclaimed in a Prophecy Club event video: "Remember, the demons believe in Jesus Christ. They believe in the truth -- see that's Jesus Christ -- and they tremble. And so the demons inside these greedy world bankers are trembling that Americans would come to find the truth about what they're all about. They are as scared as little tiny mice running up and down the curtains in the cathedrals. Now, they're in the cathedrals. They're in the churches. They're controlling pulpits. That's how mainstream Protestantism has declined. Because they invaded the churches, and the mainstream Protestant churches stopped hearing the truth. So they want to squelch the truth by taking over the church. Now, this is not in my notes, but I was inspired by God because these are demonic, dastardly creatures from the pit of hell, and we need to stomp them out." Other Prophecy Club videos say similar things about mainstream Protestants. For example, they have a video declaring that all translations of the Bible other than the KJV are the work of Satan to confuse people, so any Protestant denominations using these Bibles are deluded. Looking further into the Prophecy Club and its videos, we kept coming across references to an old video by Jim Ammerman titled "Imminent Military Takeover of the U.S.A.," which was reportedly circulating among militia groups. Thanks to a friend of MRFF, we were able to get a copy. The date of this video is 1999, but its message -- carried on by Ammerman's protégé Maj. Linzey -- has not changed. The following was the promo for one of Maj. Linzey's several appearances on a radio show called "The Edge." "Major James F. Linzey; U.S. Army Officer, Chaplain, and director of Operation Freedom, exposes how the satanic forces in the U.S. Government allow illegal immigration, giving access to terrorists to invade America's heartland. Find out the myths and lies, and how illegal immigration effects the politics, domestic issues, national security, and terrorist ring in the United States, and you can do about it. Get your questions in early. It's going to be hot! "He will expose unknown satanic forces and how they are using illegal immigration to: * Affect American politics * Sway Domestic issues * Destroy National Security * Create a Terrorist Ring which could start an internal revolution." A good part of this two hour interview was about another of Maj. Linzey's pet conspiracy theories -- a communist takeover of the U.S. in which the U.S. government is complicit. According to Linzey, the Chinese are going to to take over the United States with the help of Mexico. He claims that Chinese soldiers are already in Mexico training the Mexicans for an invasion into the United States to reclaim the Southwest for Mexico. In typical fashion, Linzey, like his mentor Jim Ammerman and other Prophecy Club members, claims to have inside information from government officials that there is a government conspiracy and/or cover-up going on. "I've got friends who work for the CIA and the FBI and I know things from the inside. Now, the CIA several months ago, arrested four Chinese military soldiers who came across the Mexico-Texan border with a dirty bomb and the CIA has them in custody." Maj. Linzey also went into all the conspiracy theory stuff about the "masonic, Illuminati wackos" who have gotten into government office by deception, and the 9-11 conspiracy theory stuff, but it's his statements inciting the taking up of arms against the government that are most disturbing. Linzey first talked about his "friend, Jim Gilcrest, who's heading up the Minuteman Project," promoting the group with statements like this: "I'm trying to avoid saying we need to take up arms and go take care of it ourselves, but it appears that we might be needing to head this way." He also promoted militias in general because there will be "blood bath" when the "invasion from the south" and battle with foreign U.N. forces and the Chinese in the U.S. commences. "I suggest that Americans get their arms to be ready to defend themselves and their own homes when they come knocking on your door, demanding your food, demanding your money, and raping your wives. The U.N. troops will be here to start patrolling the cities, the streets, the highways, and we will be under, basically, European rule." Among his other fear-mongering claims are that there are detention camps already set up by the U.S. government for "patriots" who won't go along with the government's agenda, that these detention camps are equipped with facilities to kill the detainees by gassing the "patriots," and that the government already has a list of the "patriots." This radio show is also one where Maj. Linzey directly stated that his military chaplain endorser Jim Ammerman knows exactly what he's out there doing. When the interviewer asked Linzey: "If what you are saying is true, wouldn't the government -- if the government is any way culpable to some of these events -- wouldn't they want to not have you, say go on a speaking tour or anywhere else, or even be on this show? Linzey responded: "Would they not want me to? Well, you know, probably not. Now -- but that doesn't matter. As long as I'm abiding within the law, I can say that I'm speaking as Jim Linzey, not in my official capacity as an officer or military chaplain, then I prefaced it right, and I can proceed. And Col. Jim Ammerman -- he's my endorser -- and he knows exactly what I'm doing, and, so, that's it." But, of course, Jim Ammerman would approve of what Maj. Linzey is spewing. Ammerman's own "Imminent Military Takeover of the U.S.A." video contains the same kind of seditious incitement, which, no doubt, accounts for its popularity among militia groups. A good part of Ammerman's video consists of the insane Prophecy Club conspiracy theory stuff about the Illuminati, the world bank, the U.N., FEMA, government run concentration camps, foreign troops already being positioned within the U.S., etc. -- just about every conspiracy theory currently spewed by the Prophecy Club except for 9-11, because that hadn't happened yet when the video was made. But, all this conspiracy theory stuff is, of course, necessary to induce the fear of things like the imminent threat of martial law being declared in America -- the things that drive the militia groups. The following are a few quotes from Ammerman's video to give an idea of its tone. "As far as free America is concerned, we are in the death throes of America -- a free America. Most of our freedoms are gone. We're basically operating in a police state, and you'll see this as we go along. Martial law has not yet been declared, but it could be at any time. It could be this very night. It's that imminent. And we already have more foreign troops -- and I'll give you the numbers -- in this land -- in the forty-eight states -- than we have our own military left here that's not been shipped somewhere overseas, so the takeover could happen at any given hour -- not a month away or anything." Referring to a questionnaire allegedly given to U.S. Marines, Ammerman claimed: "You get down to the last question and it said, 'If America should choose to disarm its citizens and they refused, would you shoot American civilians?' And they were supposed to answer it yes or no. And some answered yes. Would you believe they were put in a special detachment for special training and were given a United Nations I.D. card when they finished the training. That's pretty serious stuff, isn't it? They were placed under United Nations control because they would shoot civilians." He follows this by relating what happened when he told a group in Texas about this U.N. force, which is supposedly made up of troops from up to thirteen nations, and also includes police officers from many cities: "Some of those east Texas rednecks came up and said, 'You know, they probably haven't thought about it, chaplain, but we'll shoot those foreigners in our country quicker, just like they'll shoot us quicker. And we'd hate to shoot one of our own soldier or marine sons, but we won't bat an eye to shoot those foreigners when they come in to take our home.' And I said, 'Good for you.'" He then bolstered his claims with the typical line about having "inside" information, in this case obtained from a former head of the police academy in Fort Worth, Texas who had gone through this secret U.N. training, allegedly taking place at Fort Polk. According to Ammerman, this police official told him that because of what he had seen, he was resigning from his position and moving back to North Carolina to gather up his family, and said that "If they come after us
 
Patricia Stark: Confidence Killers Top
They stalk you, they sneak up on you, and sometimes they're right in front of your face and you don't even see them. What are your confidence killers? Worry, blame, stress, jealousy, doubt, dishonesty, negative people -- the list goes on and on and it can be a monster. There are a lot of things we do to ourselves that are confidence killers. Watch video: Lack of personal TLC Not getting enough sleep, letting ourselves get run down, over-eating, over-drinking, taking drugs... all of these things steal our confidence because they throw us off balance. Our body can't do its job correctly and we are not the fine, working machine we were designed to be. Since our body and mind are connected, we can feel unmotivated and unable to handle the different situations that confront us. Worry and Dwelling They're a team of natural-born killers. It seems to be easier for us to think about what can go wrong and what we don't want, instead of focusing on what can go right and what we do want. Remember the biblical proverb: "As a man thinketh, so is he." So start thinking about what can go right and focus only on what you want to have happen in your life .Try it for a few days... you'll be amazed at the different it makes. Dishonesty Many people who lack confidence use dishonesty to cover insecurity, lack of ability, and to protect their ego. The problem with dishonesty is that you subconsciously live in fear of being found out. Everything you do is built on a shaky foundation. It's almost impossible to be dishonest and feel good about yourself, unless you are really good at fooling even yourself. Dishonesty is like a beach ball being held under water, once your wet hand slips off, it's going to surface for all to see, and, boy, does it make a splash! When you have a clear conscience, you can stand up to the toughest challenge and the toughest people. External Definition It's been said that confidence is an "inside job" and that's right on the money. When you define yourself by things outside yourself, it's really hard to be confident in multiple areas of your life. You are not your job, you are not your finances, and you are not your alma mater. Focusing on the Past The father of positive thinking, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, said "The person who has the philosophy of the new beginning is the person who will never continue to associate with his failures. Never hang around with your failures. Never talk about them. Never think about them. Walk away from them -- no matter what they are. Never settle for a failure." You cannot change the past, what's done is done. Why relive it in your mind? Move on. A shark will die if it doesn't keep moving forward. So keep moving forward. I used to write down things that I thought I had failed at on a piece of paper, crumple up that paper and throw it into the garbage. Somehow the physical act of discarding that piece of the past made it easier to put it behind me and be done with it. Gossip and Criticism It's all just negative energy. The most confident people are always building others up. As mothers throughout history are known for saying "If you don't have something nice to say about someone else, don't say anything at all." When you build others up and look for the good in others, amazingly, you find it in yourself. When you hear others gossiping or bad-mouthing someone, bow out gracefully or change the subject to something positive. There will always be negative people out there, and they love to get support from others to justify their negativity. Don't be an accomplice to energy that stinks, because then you stink, too, and other people can smell it from a mile away! Comparing Yourself to Others You cannot compare an apple to an orange -- the two will never be the same. There is no one in the world like you. Out of the billions of people in the world, it is truly incredible that we each have our own set of finger prints. Think about that. It's your personal code that proves you are unique. This means that when your hand touches this life, it's never been done in just that way by anyone else before. Everything you do is marked with your own personal energy. Just because others have done something before, it has never been done your way before, with your unique life force. And it will never again be done in the same way by anyone else. Minimizing Yourself This one's a doozy. Can you accept a compliment? When someone says something nice about you, do you downplay whatever it is? Or do you say, "Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!" or "Hey, thanks! You made my day." People who can accept compliments also seem to find it easier to spread them around to others. Do you minimize your past accomplishments? Do they somehow seem like they were easy to attain, now that they are in your past? I heard a soap opera actor being interviewed on the radio one day and he kept making it sound like what he does is not as impressive as the "big" movie he was trying to write with a friend. He wanted to prove that he was working on something that he thought to be of a higher standing or of more importance than acting. But as someone once said "There are no small parts, only small actors." To all those out of work actors that might have been listening at the time, I'd bet that soap opera job looked like winning the lottery. Self-Focus Being overly self-conscious can really throw you off your feet. When you focus too much on yourself, it's really hard to focus on others and what's going on around you. It's easy to believe people are watching your every move until you realize they are watching their every move. People really aren't that concerned about you (with the exception of your family and close friends). They're thinking about themselves and hoping they make a good impression. Or they're thinking about all the stuff going on in their own lives. And once you get out of your own head and starting focusing on others, you forget about yourself for a little while. That kind of "forgetfulness" can be very liberating. It allows you to live in the present and respond in a genuine and natural way to the world around you. That's one of the reasons why volunteering or helping others has been proven to bring us better health. When we stop dwelling on ourselves, we begin to see our connections to each other and we are more alive. When your thoughts are "How can I help?", instead of "I hope they like me," the whole world changes. Patricia Stark is the host of Craving Confidence , a weekly show about confidence, life, and business skills. To subscribe to the show or the monthly newsletter, visit www.cravingconfidence.com More on Health
 
Sandy Maisel: Obama: Agent of Change or Compromiser in Chief Top
Warren G. Harding, John F. Kennedy, Barack Obama. What do they have in common? They represent the sum-total of all Presidents of the United States who have gone to the White House from the Congress since 1900. You can add three more names to that list -- Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson, Gerry Ford -- three Presidents who succeeded to the presidency but whose governmental careers were dominated by service in Congress. Are there lessons to be learned from the experiences of Obama's five predecessors whose pre-presidential careers were largely legislative, not executive? On the one hand, it is hard to say. Harding's brief administration was rife with scandal; Kennedy's, cut short before his potential was reached; Ford's dominated by the shadow of Richard Nixon. Truman and Johnson might prove better models; they each were elected in their own right and governed with a keen awareness of working with the Congress. But, Obama's career in the Senate was much shorter than theirs and was dominated by his running for President. Not much there to go on. On the other hand, Obama's style in his first four months in office points to the significance of his understanding of the Congress. Not only is he the first President in nearly half a century to come to the White House directly from the Senate, but he has deliberately placed former legislators in prominent roles in his administration. Vice President Biden had a 36-year career in the Senate before moving to the Executive Branch. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel gave up the third-ranking position among House Democrats to follow Obama to the White House. Two Cabinet officers -- Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of the Interior Salazar -- came from the Senate; two others -- Secretary of Labor Solis and Secretary of Transportation LaHood -- left the House to join the administration team. Numerous staff members led by OMB director Peter Orszag, who headed the Congressional Budget Office in the 110th Congress, and Senior Advisor Pete Rouse, who had worked not only for then-Senator Obama but also former Democratic leader Tom Daschle, have had long-time, high-level Hill experience. Much of what has gone on in the first months of this administration can be attributed to the governing style of these leaders. They come out of a highly partisan, contentious experience in the Congress. But they also come out of an institution in which leaders know that they must compromise in order to get ahead. Liberals have questioned whether Obama can be the agent of change he promised during the campaign. Or will he be just another politician willing to accept half a loaf? The answer is in a combination of his style and the experience he and his team bring to governing. When candidate Obama first talked about "change," he was talking about changing the way things are done in Washington. He was talking about changing the tone of politics. And President Obama, Obama the Cool, has maintained a steadfast focus on that kind of change. He has reached out to the Republicans; he has remained calm when Minority Leader Boehner has demanded a united front against his policies. And he remains committed that more can be done by lowering partisan rhetoric than by flaming ideological passions. Look at his two commencement addresses last week. At Arizona State he used self-deprecating humor to alleviate the concerns over whether he had been slighted by the university's not bestowing an honorary degree. In South Bend, where Notre Dame's awarding the honorary degree aroused passionate opposition, he sought to bring the dialogue to a "common ground." To change the tone of the debate. He assumes that the opposition will come around if the nation accepts his tone. But he and his staff also know the legislative process. The issues on the table in the months ahead -- health care and energy policy, closing of Guantanamo, changing the face of our military, education policy, the list is all but endless -- will require working across the partisan aisles in Congress. Obama has shown he is ready to do that -- and if he is successful, he might not get the whole loaf, but he will get much more than others anticipate. The United States government -- political scientists have been teaching their students for generations -- involves separated institutions sharing powers. The President is clearly the agenda setter, but he is not, as President Bush tried to be, "the decider." In Richard Neustadt's classic phrase, which President Kennedy never forgot, "presidential power is the power to persuade." The verdict on Obama is clearly still out, but the early returns are positive. L. Sandy Maisel is director of the Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Colby College. More on Obama Transition
 
Poem By Teenage Bob Dylan Up For Auction Top
Poem written by a teenage Bob Dylan for a summer camp newspaper in 1957. Christie's auction house is putting it up for sale in June. Little Buddy Broken hearted and so sad Big blue eyes all covered with tears Was a picture of sorrow to see Kneeling close to the side Of his pal and only pride A little lad, these words he told me He was such a lovely doggy And to me he was such fun But today as we played by the way A drunken man got mad at him Because he barked in joy He beat him and he's dying here today Will you call the doctor please And tell him if he comes right now He'll save my precious doggy here he lay Then he left the fluffy head But his little dog was dead Just a shiver and he slowly passed away He didn't know his dog had died So I told him as he cried Come with me son we'll get that doctor right away But when I returned He had his little pal upon his knee And the teardrops, they were blinding his big blue eyes Your too late sir my doggy's dead And no one can save him now But I'll meet my precious buddy up in the sky By a tiny narrow grave Where the willows sadly wave Are the words so clear you're sure to find Little Buddy Rest In Peace God Will Watch You Thru The Years Cause I Told You In My Dreams That You Were Mine Bobby Zimmerman
 
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.: Deficit Record Of $33.5B Top
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which guarantees private pension payments for 44 million Americans, said on Wednesday that it faces a massive, unprecedented deficit. The PBGC reported a $33.5 billion deficit for the first half of fiscal year 2009, a period that ended on March 31.
 
Shirin Mohammadi: Iran's Forgotten Movement Top
In a country where over seventy percent of its population is under the age of thirty, the future of the Islamic Republic of Iran is undoubtedly in the hands of its youth. Since the establishment of Iran's first university in 1934, students have been the strongest advocates of political and social change. Yet as the international community continues to focus its attention on Tehran's nuclear activities and its hostile stance towards Israel, the efforts of the Iranian student movement are being left behind. Blinded by the rhetoric of Islamic fundamentalism, the international community tends to overlook Iran's ongoing reform movement. Despite the Islamic regime's incessant attempts to silence the student movement, their struggle continues to this day. As political repression and human rights violations expand under an increasingly oppressive regime, political opposition continues to grow. Press censorship, government corruption, university crackdowns, and social intrusions into people's lives contribute to the general dissatisfaction. As in the years preceding the Islamic Revolution, the student movement today is paralleled with a women's rights, human rights, and labor movement. The dynamics of the current student movement, however, are by no means comparable to those of the Shah's era. The student movement today is more complex. There is a faction now that supports the regime while such a faction never existed under the Shah. Nevertheless, demand for democratic change remains widespread. Until recently, US policy towards Iran has been giving the radical elements more legitimacy. Incessant talk of 'regime change' has allowed the Iranian government to suspect and detain not only Iranian Americans, but also leaders and elements within the student movement itself. Students who promote democracy and human rights in Iran are subsequently accused of working for the US. Senator John Kerry's recent statement declaring that the US no longer wanted 'regime change' in Iran was followed shortly thereafter by the release of journalist Roxanna Saberi. Despite increasing hostilities, the US and Iran should focus on common interests and proceed with engagement. It remains imperative for the US to consider the student movement as it establishes its policies towards Iran. Although the Obama Administration should not publicly state its support for the Iranian student movement, it should ensure that its policies do not undermine it. Sanctions should not interfere with the movement by any means. A careful approach would enable the US to reconcile its strategic interests with its desire to see democracy flourish in Iran. A general support for human rights in future negotiations would give the student movement the international help it seeks. International pressure on human rights violations in Iran would encourage the movement and ultimately compel the regime to ease political repression. Organizations such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders are valuable assets that should not be overlooked. An open and direct dialogue between the US and Iran is necessary to alleviate tensions concerning both Iran's domestic politics (which ultimately affect its foreign policy) and in terms of regional security. The Obama administration needs to prove that it is not after regime change by offering direct talks, economic incentives, and respecting Iran's rights to peaceful uranium enrichment. The Iranian government would then be less inclined to keep its political system shut, as fears of US plots to overthrow the regime diminish. As the political system opens up, the student movement will gain the momentum it needs to drive the reform movement, alongside the labor and women's rights activists. In this manner, an alliance between the US and Iran would give the Iranian student movement an opportunity to achieve basic reforms, and would help the US to stabilize the Middle East. More on Iran
 
Hartmarx Bankruptcy: Workers At Obama's Suit Maker Pin Hopes On British Company Top
DES PLAINES, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is urging Wells Fargo to save jobs at a suburban Chicago suit maker by making a deal to sell the company to a bidder. Quinn said Wednesday that U.S. taxpayers are investing billions to rescue the country's banking system, including Wells Fargo. He says it's "only right and just" that the bank make an agreement to sell Hartmarx Corp. Union officials say London-based Emerisque has offered more than $100 million for Hartmarx. Emerisque let a previous bid for Hartmarx expire earlier this month. Hartmarx filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January. The clothier makes suits for President Barack Obama. Workers say they plan to fight liquidation, even promising to stage a sit-in if necessary. -ASSOCIATED PRESS More on Barack Obama
 
Klobuchar: Minnesota Suffers Without Second Senator Top
For the past five months, Senator Amy Klobuchar has been operating alone, without a second senator from her home state to help handle the responsibilities that come with the office. The grind, she admits, has had its affect. As Al Franken and Norm Coleman enter the next stage of an already drawn out recount process, Klobuchar has watched as the work has piled up. She has inherited 400 constituent cases from Coleman, witnessed a 30 percent increase in the number of meetings her office has hosted, as well as a five percent increase in the number of phone calls received. She has also been forced to handle a whole slew of weighty political responsibilities: from an additional committee assignment to waves of constituent requests: from passport problems to veteran benefits. "This is unique," said the Minnesota Democrat of her going-solo predicament in an interview in the Huffington Post. "I had the Senate historian look into it. And it turns out this happened back to the 1970s in New Hampshire... But it has never happened in the modern day of email and computers." As Coleman drags out his appeal of the 2008 senate race, the weight on Klobuchar's shoulders, and the possibility of Minnesota suffering legislatively, grow greater. Observers inside the state -- known for its even political temperament -- say that Minnesota's current and lone senator has done yeoman-like work handling the situation. They also applaud the job done by Minnesota members of the House, who have worked to ensure that the state has its voice in all major legislative decisions -- specifically appropriations. But with each passing day, the possibility of losing out on some political benefit weighs on their minds as well as on members of the Democratic party as a whole. "We have not seen a tangible effect yet," said former vice president and Minnesota Democrat Walter Mondale. "But that's because we are in the early days of the new Congress. As we go along and these issues come up where there are only one or two votes dividing Democrats from being filibustered, the difference of one senator is massive. If we get both senators, and I'm assuming it is going to be Franken, I think you will find the Senate will loosen up and start acting and compromising on measures. I'm an old senator and I know when you get close to cloture the attitude changes. When you think you can filibuster there is utter rigidity. When it looks close to passage there is more willingness to compromise." The effects felt from the absence of a second senator from Minnesota are, as Mondale notes, both broad and localized. During the stimulus debate, for instance, the state was able to secure approximately $2.02 billion in federal dollars, more than all but 19 others. And yet, the process would have been dramatically different had Franken or, for that matter, Coleman, been in office. "You had Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Arlen Specter," as the key votes, said John Shockley, a political science professor at Augsburg University. "If Franken had been there on January 3, imagine how different that would have been. We will never know." The state has benefited from the high-ranking roles played by members of its delegation in the House of Representatives. Rep. Colin Peterson chairs the agriculture committee while Rep. Jim Oberstar runs transportation. But when political issues being considered don't fall in those domains, the state runs the risk of being fleeced in the final outcome. "Obviously we are a man down," said Lawrence Jacobs, a professor at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute for Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. "And when it comes time to negotiating health care reform -- where Minnesota has always been a big player -- we just don't have the same presence. It is not just theoretical. It is a real issue." As Klobuchar notes, the closest Minnesota came to such a scenario was during a debate on Medicaid funding earlier this Congress. "[Sen. Chuck] Grassley had a proposal that would have cost our state $200 million," she recalled. "I led the fight to make sure we defeated the amendment and we won by only two votes... At some point there is going to be a vote where one vote makes a difference." Indeed, down the road, the absence of a second senator from Minnesota looms large. Klobuchar took on an assignment on the Judiciary Committee when it became clear that she would be operating solo. But having a second senator from the state could be critical when it comes time for Obama to make additional judicial appointments. And while the most noteworthy work from Congress has been on the president's agenda, in the non-flashy committee hearings where bills are marked-up, not having a second Minnesotan has likely already had a large impact. "What gets less attention is that Minnesota has had only one senator serving on committees, which are making a lot of decisions behind the scenes, and every other state has two senators looking out for the particular interest of their state during the legislative process," said Kathryn Pearson, a political science professor at the University of Minnesota. Finally, if Franken were to end up in the seat, he will now be entering a legislative landscape buzzing with activity. The time to get up to speed, staffed, and fluent in the political process will be drastically different than had he been declared the winner on November 5. That said, Klobuchar is not soliciting pity. Her profile has been elevated, as have her approval ratings, for the work she has done in the absence of a Senate colleague. And while she certainly pines for Franken to help her carry the weight, at this juncture she says she remains up for the task. "Some days [the work load gets to be overwhelming]," said the senator. "But today I'm in an upbeat mood... I'm a mom with a 13-year-old and I have always been able to juggle a lot of things. Maybe I have been preparing for this." Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!
 
The Six Secrets Of Sneezing Top
I've always looked forward to my dad's sneezes. (Yeah, I know how weird that sounds.) Not that I'm constantly hoping he'll catch a cold, but he has the best sneeze I've ever heard. It's loud, powerful, and it sounds like he's crying out "Blllleeessss ya!" each time he does it. His sneezes sound wholly satisfying--the antithesis to the barely-audible squeaks emitted by the woman I sat next to on the bus this morning. The same kind of irritants (dust, pepper, etc.) can create the same internal reaction in all of us, but its externalization is highly individualized. We all know that everyone sneezes differently, but have we ever considered why? For being such a common, everyday occurrence, that little (or big) expulsion of air is actually a complex process involving more nuances than many of us realize. More on Health
 
Ana Ortiz: Saving the Brooklyn Bridge Top
This is Ana Ortiz, from Ugly Betty . I'm writing to bring everyone's attention to a troubling situation that's brewing in a neighborhood that I and many other people care about deeply, my own neighborhood of DUMBO, Brooklyn. What's happening here, literally THIS week, could change the New York City skyline forever. Believe it or not, the Brooklyn Bridge, as we know and love it, is in danger of being completely overshadowed by a monstrous commercial development. When you watch a TV show or film in which New York is featured, there's almost inevitably an image of the Brooklyn Bridge. Why? Because it's a dramatic landmark, an emotional representation of the history and spirit of New York. Any shot of the Bridge is an image that anchors you, one that tells you you're not anywhere else in the US or in the world, but in New York. It is as effective an image of the New York state of mind and soul as the Empire State Building or our ubiquitous yellow cabs. Two Trees Development wants to plunk a 17-story building literally 92 feet from the edge of the bridge, and the powers that be in NYC planning are extremely close to approving their plan! How is it possible that it would be OK to desecrate the iconic, distinctive Brooklyn Bridge with a monstrosity would rise as high as the towers of the mighty span itself? You know how you see photos of NYC with the Twin Towers and you know the landscape has changed? That's what this will be like, purely from an aesthetic standpoint of course, that sweeping vista of the Brooklyn Bridge will no longer exist. That visual representation of New York could end up as an image from the past, sacrificed just for profit. I am a native New Yorker. I was born and raised in this magical city. Little by little, we watch as what is wonderful and unique about the city is paved over and homogenized. This is my neighborhood. Does that developer own the bridge? No. He owns a tiny plot of land next to it. He says the present zoning doesn't make it worthwhile for him to develop, so he wants a 'variance' so that he can make the development 'profitable'. He knew the zoning rules when he bought the land! I'm sorry, so we here in Brooklyn, we here in New York City, we here in New York State, we here in the United Sates of America, and those thousands of visitors around the world who come and walk that bridge literally everyday should lose that experience so that this guy can make a profit? I don't think so! This is a family that has made hundreds of millions off of development in the neighborhood, and has mostly done good work. But this is not their bridge, this is a global symbol of New York, and it belongs to people, people from all over the world. Dozens of important historians, preservations and New York notables, including Pulitzer Prize winner David McCullough, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Municipal Art Society and fellow thespian Gabriel Byrne, have also vigorously voiced opposition to this proposed venture and will continue to do so. The members of the NYC City Council need to be reminded that their job is to serve in the greater interest of the public...not just New Yorkers but all the many millions of travelers from around the world who visit to witness our iconic city in the flesh. But, it's still not too late to stop this. We have an opportunity to preserve something beautiful, and to honor a national treasure. Believe me, if the fight fails and this building goes up, everyone will wonder how was this allowed to happen? By then, it will be too late, and it will set a precedent, and it will be a blemish on all citizens of New York and the US as we lacked the foresight to protect something we treasured. This project is going before the New York City Council this week for a vote. Here's what you can do to help save a national Landmark, whether you live in New York or not: Please email New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn cquinn@council.nyc.gov or call Mayor Bloomberg at 311. Tell them to do the right thing. To stay informed on this situation, go to dumbo-dna.org . And thanks for taking the time to fight to protect a National treasure. Let's not be apathetic when we can make a difference and preserve a glorious landmark for the future of New York. More on Real Estate
 
Michelle Madhok: Your Summer Flip-Flops Should Be Cheap, So We Found Five That Are Top
These cheap summer shoes are an absolute staple -- we wear out a pair almost every year -- precisely because they're so affordable. This pair costs $3.50 and comes in 14 colors -- take a wild guess where they're from. These embellished bronze flip-flops ($10) are a little fancier than the rubber kind, but no more pricey. You'll save 20% on J. Crew's preppy ribbon-strap versions ($24.50) if you buy two or more. Havaianas ($18) are flexible, incredibly comfortable, and definitely light enough to carry in your work bag. For the fashionably indecisive, this flip-flop two-pack ($10) comes with one basic black and one patterned pair. More summer shoe fun: 20 of our favorites, all under $100. More on Fashion
 
Shula: Car Bomb Blast Kills 34 In Northwest Baghdad Top
BAGHDAD — Police and hospital officials say at least 34 people have been killed and 72 wounded when a car bomb went off near a restaurant in the northwestern Baghdad district of Shula. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. The blast in the mostly Shiite district is a reminder that Sunni insurgents remain capable of striking despite the improvement in security in Baghdad and much of the rest of Iraq over the past two years. Nearly 250 people were killed in major bombings in Baghdad alone last month. U.S. forces are scheduled to leave Iraqi cities by June 30. The move will test the capabilities of Iraq's nascent security forces. More on Iraq
 
Jonathan Singer: Newsom: "Progressive Values are Becoming Increasingly Mainstream" Top
In an interview with the progressive blog MyDD, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, a Democratic candidate for California Governor in 2010, said he believed "progressive principles and progressive values are becoming increasingly mainstream." "They're looking for someone who isn't going to say one thing in private and do another in public," Newsom stated. "You may not support me all of the time, but you know where I stand on these issues." Newsom also called for constitutional reform in California, looking at structural reforms including potential changes to the requirement for two-thirds support in the legislature on taxation and budgetary measures, as well as Proposition 13, the 1978 measure limiting property taxes the Mayor called a "third rail issue." "I've of course been identified and associated with many third rail issues," explained Newsom, "So I have no problem engaging in these kinds of discussions because I think they're necessary to discuss and deliberate about." Click here to read or listen to the entire interview.
 
Jeff Norman: Newsom Targets Innocent Smokers Top
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom wants smokers in his city to pay an extra 33 cents for each pack of cigarettes purchased, to cover the cost of picking up discarded butts and help reduce a daunting budget deficit. That would be on top of the $1.88 per pack in state and federal taxes consumers already pay. I have a better idea: Raise the fine for befouling the community, and start enforcing the law. When I briefly lived in San Francisco a couple of years ago, I never saw or heard about anybody being cited for littering, whereas I witnessed plenty of people carelessly flicking cigarette stubs onto sidewalks and streets. The same is true of every other city in America I've ever visited. I think it's safe to assume cops on patrol see litterbugs in action at least as often as I do on the few occasions I venture out of my ramshackle quarters. So it seems urban leaders everywhere have failed to make pollution-control a high enough priority. They should do so not only for public health and fiscal reasons, but because smokers who don't litter shouldn't be penalized for the crimes of others. Sorry to drag fairness into the discussion, Mayor. Jeff Norman blogs at CitizenJeff.com . More on Taxes
 
Mindy S. Lubber: Why Businesses (Big and Small) Should Support the Waxman-Markey Bill Top
Tom Benson, owner of the World's Largest Laundromat in Berwyn, Illinois, is tired of listening to conservative industry groups' bluster that climate change legislation is bad for business. That's because clean energy saved his. When Benson bought his business a decade ago, all that hot water helping scrub everything from Speedos to sheets ate up a staggering 25 percent of total monthly revenues. With 153 washers using thousands of gallons of hot water daily, you can only imagine the energy costs. And that is before you factor in the 148 dryers. So to cut his natural gas costs, Benson installed a solar hot water system on his roof. The three-dozen 10-by-4-foot solar panels produce more than 2,400 gallons of hot water daily, saving him some $25,000 a year. "Our energy bills could have sunk this business," says Benson. "Now, they're a source of pride." That's why Benson joined 10,000 small business leaders -- hundreds of them Chamber of Commerce members -- in signing Moveon.org 's petition last week asking the chamber to stop lobbying against the Waxman-Markey clean energy bill . The small biz shout-out echoes the dozens of major U.S. companies already calling for strong policies to build a 21st century clean energy economy. Benson got a grant from the state that paid for the half of the system's cost. He knows firsthand that renewable energy incentives like those in the Waxman-Markey bill are critical for putting clean energy options within reach of small businesses. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been re-playing its classic fear-mongering tune with the Waxman-Markey bill, saying it's "unworkable and would cause significant economic harm by imposing a multitrillion-dollar tax on businesses." It's a tired song. This is the same crowd that fought ozone-protection legislation measures in 1995, saying the costs would exceed $135 billion and that industries would collapse. The actual costs were barely one percent of that, the health benefits were enormous, and chemical companies made millions producing less dangerous chemicals. But if 10,000 businesses say the chamber doesn't speak for them, just whom does it represent? Not major U.S. businesses like Nike, Starbucks, Levis & Strauss Co., the Gap and Sun Microsystems, who are members of Business for Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) . The BICEP coalition of consumer companies has publicly endorsed Waxman-Markey and published its own core principles for getting the country on a clean energy path. "The way we see it," says Ben Packard, Starbucks VP of Global Sustainability, "addressing climate change will help companies like ours reduce operating costs and mitigate future economic instability due to extreme weather conditions, agricultural loss and the very real human costs they bring." Starbucks already sees the imprint of climate change on coffee growing regions around the world. Global rainfall and harvest patterns are shifting, hurting farming communities and shrinking the availability of arable land. Nor does the chamber speak for the U.S. Climate Action Partnership , a coalition of dozens of major corporations, many heavy carbon emitters, that also support pollution reductions, CO2 limits, and immediate steps to improve energy efficiency and boost clean energy. And then there's the Northwest Business Leaders for Climate Solutions , a network of 300 businesses and executives in the Pacific Northwest who share a common belief that leadership on clean and efficient energy is good business. Its members include regional giants like Puget Sound Energy, the McKinstry Co. and Vulcan. Dean Allen is the CEO of the McKinstry Co. , a Seattle-based leader in the built environment that operates in 15 states spanning from Washington to Wisconsin to Texas. Allen grew his business over the last decade by focusing on making buildings more energy efficient. He says that focusing on energy efficiency and sustainability has helped the company weather economic downturns, and even helped it expand. "Our results have proven that a focus on green does create significant numbers of sustainable, family-wage and career track jobs," says Allen, who now employs 1,600 people. From Benson to Packard to Allen, these business leaders see strong climate and energy policy as pro-business because increased energy efficiency and clean energy save money. And what about AVOIDED costs? Burying our heads in the sand by letting a warming planet heat up even faster -- as the Chamber would have us do -- could be catastrophic. Each new scientific report brings proof of a changing climate that promises to disrupt agricultural patterns, raise sea levels, propel population shifts and require massive emergency spending as we try to react to the growing crises. The cost of switching to cleaner energy and lowering emissions will spur competitive gains, cost far less than claimed, and come more quickly once we set our goals and adjust our incentives. The U.S. Chamber should listen to the businesses it purports to represent. As Benson told a Roll Call reporter, "I don't think the business community ought to do knee-jerk reactions to something just because there's a change in the ballgame." Mindy Lubber is president of Ceres, a leading coalition of investors, environmentalists and public interest groups working with companies to address sustainability challenges such as climate change More on Small Business
 
Ariane de Bonvoisin: Things You Can Control During Transitions and Change! Top
I did a radio interview with a great guy called Jim Lobaito the other night. He shared with me this list below and I so loved it, I asked him if i could post it on my site. When we go through change, we desperately try to control things, the outcome, other people, how long the transition is taking. There are only a few things we can really control as you will see below. Chapter 6 in my book is all about trying to control change specifically. (Check out the book at http://www.first30days.com/book.) Enjoy the list and spread it around to anyone you know going through change. Things you can control during transition: * Journal daily. Especially your successes. * Make a list of things in which you are uniquely gifted. Go do them and remind people as you do them that you are gifted in these areas. * Stand guard of your confidence by doing activities that feed your confidence. * Stand guard of your confidence by quitting the things you are not good at. You don't have the energy right now to perfect yourself - you are already perfect. * Develop a plan and work your plan and have confidence in your plan. As you develop your plan remember to always make your future larger than your past. * Exercise, strenuously, each day. * Schedule "decompression" time where you are alone with just you. * Figure out what you are doing right and do more of it. * Remember that in order for doors to open, doors must close. It is only after doors close do we see the ones being opened. Don't fear closed doors, go close some. * What are you tolerating that you should not be tolerating? Make a list and eliminate the items. * Eliminate all "energy" drainers, whether it is people or things. * Thoughts become things. So take inventory of what you spend the majority of your time thinking about. Do you think about what is currently wrong or where ideally you want to be in the future? * Remember people react the way you react. React positively. * Express gratitude to at least one person each day. * Remember that who you are is not defined by the roles you occupy. Jim Lobaito • The Performance Group • 515-262-9509 • www.pmgllc.net
 
Dave Hackel: "The Hannitus" Top
Sit still for a moment. Feel the breeze? Let me guess. A lot of it's coming from your right, isn't it? Thought so. It's a bird. A big one. Big enough to actually create the wind that you're feeling. Called the Hannitus Blabanoxia, it's a loud, spineless, flightless bird who tirelessly squawks and flaps his wings but never seems to take flight. It's but one of many such birds from the subphylum "Talkus Non-Interruptus." They're known for their closed minds and their unparalleled ability to continuously perpetuate deception by spinning, backpedaling and talking over all other animals in their proximity. If you found this annoying creature in your yard, you'd definitely shoo it away. Or move. If we could somehow hook the Hannitus up to a generator, we could solve the energy crisis that it would tell you we don't have. Lately, its basic problem seems to be that it just can't stand that people like President Obama so much better than they liked Bush. It resents having had to work so hard trying to convince the public that Bush was smart, caring and responsible, and it just can't stomach the fact that Obama is all of those things naturally. So it jukes and jives and twists and lies and... flails. I'll give you just a few examples: The Hannitus berates Obama for traveling too much, saying that the president should spend more time behind his desk solving problems. Then when one of his guests -- recently it was the far smarter Jesse "The Body" Ventura -- mentioned that W spent almost a third of his term of office on vacation, the Hannitus answered by saying that's not a problem because "a president is always working." Convenient? Hypocritical? Oh, just a little. Flap, flap, flap. On another show one of the blonde Fox political strategists -- actually an entertainment reporter named Courtney Friel -- was the voice of reason. No really -- she was. And I'm guessing you'll never see her with the Hannitus again because she kept disagreeing with him. He was trying to foment the recent Nancy Pelosi controversy into a full blown political scandal and Courtney said, "Well, Sean, both sides have their scandals." His answer? "Yeah, but the Democrats are in charge now." For the Hannitus -- surprisingly honest. Flap, flap, flap. Every single day the Hannitus goes on and on about how Obama's not a great orator because he uses a teleprompter. Horror of horrors. We have a president who wants to be precise instead of a self-described cowboy who thought it was cool to shoot from the hip. So the Hannitus flails away. (By the way -- Bush used a teleprompter on many occasions. The fact that he may have had trouble reading all the big words is an entirely different problem.) Flap, flap, flap. When told that Obama inherited a huge financial crisis from his predecessor, the Hannitus denied that it was true. He claimed that Bush was merely babysitting the financial crisis handed to him from the Clinton administration. That the numbers don't support that doesn't seem to bother him at all. He's so used to saying "It's Clinton's fault" that he just goes on autopilot. (There's a crow outside my office right now cawing for no good reason. He can't help it. Just like the Hannitus, it's his nature.) Flap, flap, flap. Other pertinent facts about The Hannitus: It feeds on fear, loves to drill, admires Newts, thinks the words "safety" and "Cheney" are synonymous and that animals called Rove and Giuliani are still relevant. It flaps incessantly about the merits of waterboarding but always manages to forget that it happens to be against the law. It feeds at a trough called Murdoch and thinks what makes Americans great is their ability to agree with him. Flap, flap, flap. There are other instances of this bird's bizarre behavior. Tons of them. After all, the Hannitus is out there squawking every... single... day. But if we're lucky... like some other creatures which served no good purpose... eventually it will become extinct. More on Political Humor
 
Louis Susman: Obama's UK Ambassador Pick Another Chicago Ally Top
A little bit of Chicago is about to descend on the Court of St James's. Barack Obama, in spite of promising to end cronyism in Washington, is about to name one of his hometown friends and financial backers to the plum London posting. More on England
 
You're So Vain: Karl Lagerfeld's Ex-Assistant Publishes Tell-All Top
Titled Merci Karl!, the book, as Maillard puts it, intends to reveal "a different side" of Lagerfeld. Specifically, the side that "needs an eternity to get ready in the morning," Maillard told Germany's Spiegel. As for the distinct narcissism: "he takes photos of himself at every photo shoot and puts them everywhere. He surrounds himself with a kind of royal court, nobody disagrees with him." More on Fashion
 
Maddisen K. Krown: Ask Maddisen: How to Get Off the Fence about Your Relationship Top
Dear Maddisen: My boyfriend and I have been together for 5 years and I love him very much. We are very compatible, but there's one issue that won't go away, and that is I want children and he does not. I'm so confused. How can we make this work? Signed, MC Dear MC, Thank you for your question, which speaks to an issue that can be quite difficult to resolve. My job in this case is to provide support and to assist you in " getting off the fence ", so that you may both move forward into clarity, resolution, and fulfillment. If you haven't already done so, the first thing you might explore is your desire for children. Where does this desire come from? For example, is it something you think you must do, or is it a strong instinct or heartfelt desire that beckons from deep within? I'm not suggesting you over-analyze it, but rather tune into the origin of the desire and the desire itself, to help you understand and be clear about its importance in your life, which will ultimately help you in making decisions about your relationship for your highest good and highest joy. Next, I recommend that you and your boyfriend practice the four steps of communication together: Step 1: Observe What are you observing? Describe the issue. Step 2: Feel What are you feeling? Express the feelings you are experiencing as a result of this issue. Step 3: Need What do you need? Share how you would prefer to feel and what you sense is necessary to feel resolved with this issue. Step 4: Request What resolve do you seek? Describe the action or solution you are seeking, and respectfully request this of your partner. This process is outlined in my earlier column: Ask Maddisen: How to Resolve Communication Blocks. All of this should help to clarify your needs and requests in a loving and respectful way, and make the next steps easier. Let's say you have both done this and know what is true and necessary for you -- that you want children and your boyfriend does not. Now, here's the critical part: Overlap It's important for you to realize, that in any partnership, there are most likely some areas in which you are both in full alignment and agreement. For example, you both subscribe to the same spiritual practice, or you both have the same political affiliation, etc. Partial Overlap And there are some areas where you have partial overlap, but not enough to make or break the relationship. For example, you love sci-fi, and your boyfriend doesn't, but he has no issue with you watching your favorite sci-fi shows. Or, for example, he loves watching football, and you do not, but you actually enjoy his excitement about the games. No Overlap - Deal Breaker And finally, there may be some areas where you have no overlap and no agreement. These are deal-breakers . For example, you are decidedly certain that you want children and he is decidedly certain he does not. If this is the case, dear MC, you can see for yourself that "getting off the fence" may mean that you and your boyfriend must separate in order for your both to have what you want. And if you stay together, you must realize that you are forfeiting your truth and heartfelt desire to have children. Is it worth it? Only you can decide. But I can tell you this with certainty, based on my life experience and the experiences of my clients, that if you follow your heart and take action to support your highest joy, it will indeed turn out to be the highest good for your boyfriend and all concerned. Honor your heartfelt desire. Make a choice. Get off the fence. And let providence, or divine intervention, take it from there. You have my support and best wishes. Your Coach, Maddisen You may submit your questions for ASK MADDISEN at askmaddisen@krown.us More on Relationships
 
Sean Carasso: Meticulous and Marching - The Rwandan Exit from Congo Top
Today was a wild day and one I don't think I'll soon forget. Woke up at sunrise to head, once again, to the border and attempt to gain entrance. The details of this whole ordeal are a little confusing, but let me give you the basics as well as I understand them. Apparently they changed the Immigration laws two days ago and now we need our Letter of Invitation emailed to the Chief of Immigration who will then respond via email with a Letter of Admittance. Which of course sounds very efficient and logical because we live in an era dominated by smart phones baby, if it aint 3G it just aint fast enough, but this isn't an iPhone holding Chief, this is Congo and oh my goodness, could it go any slower. So now we're waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Apparently for some guy, somewhere, to check his email and just.press.reply. Of course all of this is to be expected, but it's taking me a couple days to regain African Patience. The guy won't reply and we've sent the email three times over two days and it might just be time to start thinking of alternatives. After fruitless attempts I head back to the hotel to wake the fellas and let's at least be productive. It's 9am and we can interview Rwandans, write blogs, organize accounting, take meetings with NGO's (Non-Governmental Organizations, essentially the non-profits of the developing world), research the economy, review local budgets, the list goes on and on. Jon is ready to roll, Dan a little disgruntled, Red is hungry and Dav doesn't look so good. Wonder what's going on there... Jon heads off with a fellow named Kenneth, who is actually quite remarkable, and we hunker down to work. Kenneth speaks four languages and believes language is the silver bullet solution to the problems plaguing his home. Like a quest against Babel, he has studied and studied and now teaches and teaches, attempting to bring cultures together by giving them the simple chance to have a conversation with one another. The west likes to claim credit for Social Entrepreneurs, but these guys here are the true heroes. This kid has so little and has not only survived, but thrived and is now living for others. This is seriously inspiring stuff. We find a beautiful balcony at the front of the hotel to set up shop and just as we're diving into work, a car skids up to the front gate urgently honking. The hotel security runs to let them in and Kenneth and Jon come storming up. "The soldiers are coming the soldiers are coming!" Like Paul Revere, we're called to action and go guys go, gotta grab that equipment, set yourself straight and let's move boys move. This is our first day truly "in the field" and the team is a little slow to respond. I've no doubt that by day 4 they'll be hardened and trained, but today the cameras, pens and monopods still feel clumsy. Off we go and what is happening right in this moment, I've certainly never seen anything like it, but what do I know really? Must be hundreds, hundreds, could it be over a thousand? maybe even thousands, so many soldiers, I simply cannot count, meticulous and marching, meticulous and marching, meticulous and marching. Pouring across the Congo border, well over a thousand Rwandan soldiers are marching back into their homeland. But why? Who are these guys? Why are they so public? So clean? Many unanswered questions in this moment, but the commotion leaves no time to pause, jump right in and start asking questions. Though we're on the Rwandan side of the border, I'm still hesitant to show my camera. Creep a shot, and maybe another. As I get closer and they ignore me, my confidence builds. Closer and closer, moving in and wait a minute - these guys don't seem to care at all. Nobody seems to care. This is not normal. Walking up to the soldiers, they almost welcome the camera. Directly up to RPG's and filming, nobody pays me any mind and this.just.cannot be right. Running to keep up with the march, soon I'm alone and sweating. Leading the parade is a truck packed with speakers blaring the Rwandan national anthem, grab a moto and follow the sound. After about an hour of meticulous and marching, there is a field ahead. A soccer field? Some kind of field and by this time they've picked up a crowd of who knows how many, definitely over a thousand Rwandans celebrating the return of their troops. Marching and meticulous and eventually one entire side of the field is lined with Rwandan soldiers and the other entire side of the field is lined with Rwandan civilians. The music is still blaring and I'm a little confused about the climate, cause everyone seems happy, but there is a hesitation in the air. Side to side the soldiers begin swaying to the sound of the music, step snap, step snap, slowly moving and feeling their freedom. A single soldier walks forward with some slight swagger and begins to dance with a still hesitant sway. Two others trail delicately behind him. His swagger turns to dance and others begin to break rank and step snap their way forward. This slow forward motion begins to happen down the line and the momentum is heading toward something significant, but I can hardly tell what. And then it happens. The moment. That single soldier brave enough to walk forward just breaks. And dances. And another walks forward with a whistle and starts blowing and the other soldiers fall-in and the dancing spreads. Gaining enthusiasm, hundreds of AK's and RPG's and every other kind of terrifying tool become props in this dance and they shake and stir in ways that seem to be from a long forgotten era. A sound from behind and turning there is a boy coming out of the civilian crowd perfectly imitating the lead soldier as he breaks into the same dance and boom. He breaks the hesitation of the civilians and these two crowds come after each other en mass. Standing in the middle of the field and watching the two groups head toward each other, I feel like I'm living through Braveheart when the Irish rush the Scottish and meet in the middle with nothing but handshakes and hugs. Colliding together and becoming a single intermingled force, what follows is an hour of pure, unbridled celebration. Rwandan soldiers dancing with guns held high among Rwandan civilians hugging their brave men. A man puts his camouflage hat on what appears to be his son. Another wraps his jacket over the shoulders of what appears to be his wife. Trying to film, I just can't help myself, so caught up in the moment. I'm dancing like a fool with the camera held high. In the passion of the hour, they dance and dance and sweating and smiling, this moment feels like a good one, but who can be sure. If nothing else, it's deeply human and that seems to be the thing so rarely shown - their camouflage hides more than just their bodies, it hides the humanity within even these men of war. Thirty or so trucks pull up and the whistles turn from tools of music to tools of command and the men pile in. Men hug wives, children hug fathers, thirty dusty minutes later and off they go. So many unanswered questions, time for basecamp, internet and someone who knows what exactly is going on. Asking anyone who will listen, what we can gather is this: The President of Congo, Kabila, made what seems to be a unilateral agreement with the President of Rwanda, Kagame, to allow Rwandan soldiers into Congo to begin ousting the Rwandan rebels within Congo, the FDLR. Sound confusing? It's gets even trickier, but we'll do our best to explain over the coming weeks. With few hard facts available, the Rwandan soldiers seemed to be operating under Congo control. This parade was their public exit from Congo, proving to the world that they would in fact keep their word and leave at the agreed upon time. And this explains why they so relished our cameras, because that was their job - to put on a show. The day seems to have been organized for PR purposes but a local NGO researcher warns us - "Not all is as it seems. Never be so foolish as to believe what you're told here. Today the press will announce that Rwanda has left Congo and the FDLR has been ousted. But there are still Rwandan soldiers out there in the jungle, some maybe in fake uniforms, and the FDLR is only been scattered. They'll be back. It's even possible that this is a set up by Rwanda. The FDLR will come back as a force and the Congo army will not be able to handle them. Then the Rwandans will return to save the day. Or maybe not. All I know is this - don't believe all you see." A day filled by human expression has left us breathless, but all signs point to her accuracy. In the coming weeks we'll have to learn to take her advice, or leave more confused than we came. Peace. Sean D. Carasso www.FALLINGWHISTLES.com ***Because of slow internet and posting constraints, the circumstances of this blog happened over a month ago, however understanding this element of the ongoing FDLR problem is still pertinent.*** Photos by Dan Johnson
 
Rick Allen: A Genuine Memorial Day Top
Exactly 140 years ago next week, America observed its first Decoration Day, meant to commemorate the lives lost by Union soldiers in the Civil War. Not until after World War I did what we now call Memorial Day come into being, a remembrance of all of the warrior lives lost in each of America's wars. Sadly, just as Christmas and Hanukkah for far too many have become associated with nothing so much as shopping and parties, Memorial Day for some has been bleached of meaning, merely the first of summer's three long weekends, kicked off by the Indy 500. When that checkered flag drops at the Brickyard, the season of Hollywood blockbusters will have already commenced, with Avatars battling Monsters vs. Aliens for box office supremacy. But it is up to each of us to engage in the bigger battle, for mindshare and individual action -- and Memorial Day is a great first beachhead. Our nation is at war, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and no matter what one thinks of those engagements, we grieve when the faces of the fallen are shown in our newspapers, when the roster of the dead runs as a crawl across our television screens. This year, there is a way of reflecting further on the sacrifices war forces on soldiers and civilians. Great documentaries are superb entertainment that can connect us with the past and inspire our future action. That's why SnagFilms is presenting a slate of films this Memorial Day weekend that enable us all to honor the fallen, and to reflect on our own duties of remembrance and conduct. As always, the non-fiction films we offer are free to view online, and you can easily "snag" any widget from the SnagFilms site to create a "virtual movie theater" on your own website, blog, or page on Facebook, MySpace or other social network services -- you can start by taking the one below. Featured films include Return To Tarawa , the story of a veteran of one of the bloodiest battles ever fought by U.S. Marines, who returns to that Pacific atoll only to discover that what should be hallowed ground has become a garbage dump -- and that the bones of warriors remain in place, unidentified and apparently ignored, at least by our government. Leon Cooper won't forget, and the film outlines his last battle: to clean up "Bloody Tarawa" and venerate the dead. Nanking is the highly-honored documentary that picked up its Peabody Award this week -- now online for the first time. It brilliantly depicts the heroism of civilians just prior to World War II who tried to prevent a Holocaust from occurring when Japanese troops marched into the then-capital of China in 1937. Nanking reminds us that bravery is not the sole province of the soldier, and that moral and physical courage can come from unlikely sources. In Vietnam, Long Time Coming , U.S. and Vietnamese soldiers embark on a 1600-mile bicycle tour throughout Vietnam, reflecting with their former enemies on our long war. A similar approach to post-war understanding, On Common Ground , tells the story of American and German World War II veterans meeting 55 years later on the very battlefield where once they'd fought. Other Memorial Day films featuring World War II themes include Battle of the Midway , and Pearl Harbor: Day of Infamy . East LA Marine tells the story of US Marine PFC Guy Gabaldon, who captured over 1500 Japanese soldiers and civilians -- single-handedly. For those who wish to reflect on Memorial Day along the contours of its original creation, SnagFilms is showing Arlington Field of Honor , which offers a tour of America's most sacred warrior graveyard. Other films in the special offering include Devil Dog Diaries (National Geographic's inside look at a unit in action during Desert Storm), and So Very Far from Home , the true stories that were the basis of Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun. Memorial Day is the kick-off of the summer season. Enjoy the sunshine, the beach, the barbecues and blockbusters. But also take the time to watch and share one of these and other films -- with an uncle who served, a neighbor with a niece overseas, or a teenager only dimly aware of the holiday's heritage -- to honor this weekend's special meaning. And use the comment space below to share your own Memorial Day memories. Rick Allen is the CEO of SnagFilms. More on Iraq
 
Stephen Parkinson: Lessons from the Cambridge Union for the British House of Commons Top
-- London, 20 May 2009 It's been a dramatic week in Westminster. Yesterday, the Speaker of the House of Commons was forced from office for the first time since 1695. (Seven of his unluckier predecessors were beheaded, so perhaps there's some consolation.) The search for a successor - who must be picked by MPs from among their number, relinquish his party allegiance, and chair Parliamentary debates - has brought into focus the debating skills of our current crop of politicians. The Parliamentary sketchwriter Quentin Letts recently lamented the poor speaking skills of modern Members of Parliament. 'We might have a better standard of oratory from the green leather benches,' he suggests, 'if more MPs had belonged to debating societies such as the Cambridge Union.' Being accused of making a 'Cambridge Union' speech in Parliament is usually meant as a term of abuse - the Union and its counterpart at Oxford supposedly being nurseries of clever but immature wit. As the author of a new history of the Cambridge Union , I feel I should join this rallying to the Union's defence. Since its foundation in 1815, the Cambridge Union been somewhere for students to test their opinions and hone their skills of debate - clashing not only with their peers, but going head-to-head with experts in their field. The Union has attracted a long list of distinguished guests: Prime Ministers like Stanley Baldwin and Winston Churchill; Presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan; eminent figures like Stephen Hawking and the Dalai Lama. They came not to deliver rigid speeches, but to be cross-examined by a chamber full of challenging undergraduates. This exposure to great speakers - and the chance to take them on in debate - is clearly a huge privilege. But even the less awe-inspiring performances in Union debates can provide important lessons to eager students. Michael Howard, the future Tory leader, recalls watching a senior politician fumble his way through a disastrous speech, drop his notes, and knock a glass of water over the hapless Union Secretary. Such performances, he says, 'helped to disabuse us of any notion that Cabinet ministers were gods from another land.' Some Union lessons were learnt more brutally. Our own Arianna Huffington - then a second-year economics student at Girton College - was enlisted to speak alongside J. K. Galbraith against William F. Buckley, Jr. on the motion: 'The market is a snare and a delusion.' If her fellow speakers and the packed chamber weren't daunting enough, the debate was being recorded by NBC. Egged on by Galbraith (whose own speech had gone badly) Arianna interrupted Buckley's flow with a carefully crafted question about the free market. But it was elegantly dismissed. In front of the cameras and the rows of crowded benches, Buckley turned and replied: 'Well, madam, I do not know what markets you patronize...' Arianna confesses it still makes her cheeks burn to remember it - but it did not hinder her Cambridge career: she was elected President of the Union later that year. Battle-hardened by experiences such as these, it is perhaps unsurprising that ex-Presidents of the Union have prospered in 'adult' politics. Twenty-four of their number have been elected to the House of Commons since the Second World War; seventeen (with some overlap) have entered the House of Lords. Indeed, the Union can already boast two Speakers of the House of Commons - W. C. Gully and Selwyn Lloyd - as well as the current Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords. So perhaps it's unsurprising, in their current hour of need, that today's Times advises MPs to turn to Vincent Cable - another ex-President of the Cambridge Union...
 
Pope2You.net Brings Pope To Facebook, iPhones Top
There is no poking or hugging and you cannot send a flower or throw a sheep, but in an attempt to bridge the digital divide between the church and its flock, the Vatican has launched several applications, including ones for Facebook and the iPhone, to help a younger generation of Catholics get closer to Benedict XVI. More on iPhone
 
Tuesday's Late Night Round-Up: Barack Obama, Mel Gibson, And The RNC's Rebranding (VIDEO) Top
Jay Leno gave us a sneak peek at Obama's overly-competitive behavior last night with previously unseen video of the president at his daughter's soccer game. Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, on the other hand, both marveled at the RNC's rebranding efforts, mocking both the party's chairman and ideas. WATCH: Get HuffPost Comedy On Facebook and Twitter! More on Late Night Shows
 
Prius Solar Panels To Power Ventilation System Top
Kyocera Corporation has announced that the company is producing thin-film solar panels for the world's best-known eco-car, the Toyota Prius. The hybrid car will feature roof-mounted solar modules, which will power the car's ventilation system even when the car is parked. More on Cars
 
Portfolio.com To Return Under Condé Nast Cousin Top
Portfolio.com will return. Hours after we reported it first, Condé Nast announced this morning that it has transferred full control of Portfolio.com to its sister publisher, The American City Business Journals. More on Conde Nast
 
Fed sees hopeful signs but downgrades '09 forecast Top
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve expects the economy to improve in coming months, even as policymakers have downgraded their outlook for all of 2009. Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues believe business sales and factory production will begin to gradually recover later this year as President Barack Obama's stimulus package and the Fed's aggressive efforts to end the recession take hold. In new Fed documents, they also pointed to signs that the recession's grip was easing in the current quarter. The Fed now expects the economy will shrink this year between 1.3 and 2 percent. The old forecast called for a contraction between 0.5 and 1.3 percent. The unemployment rate may hit nearly 10 percent, up from 8.8 percent in the old forecast. More on The Fed
 
Geithner: Major banks have raised $48 billion Top
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner says banks identified in stress tests as having capital shortfalls have raised $48 billion of the $75 billion that the government said they needed to get through an adverse turn in the economy. Geithner told the Senate Banking Committee in written testimony that the government's review of the nation's 19 biggest banks has helped increase confidence in the financial system. He said nine of the banks without shortfalls have also raised about $8 billion that they will use to repay the government. The 10 banks that were found to need more capital after the stress tests, including Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp., have until June 8 to develop such a plan and have it approved by regulators. More on Timothy Geithner
 
Amtrak Cutting Some Summer Fares By 25 Percent Top
WASHINGTON — Amtrak is cutting fares by 25 percent on some Eastern trains this summer as the national passenger railroad looks to boost demand during the recession. The discount runs from June 2 through Sept. 3. It applies to those taking regional trains on the Northeast Corridor which runs from Washington to Boston. The discount also is available from Washington to Newport News, Va. In addition, Amtrak is extending a February price cut on its higher-speed Acela service, which runs from Washington to Boston. Passengers must make reservations two weeks in advance to get the lower fares. Amtrak carried a record 28.7 million passengers last fiscal year, but ridership is down this year as businesses cut back on travel and because of lower gas prices. More on Moving America
 
Pakistan Reclaims Stronghold From Taliban Top
ISLAMABAD — Pakistani forces killed 80 militants and drove the Taliban from a major urban stronghold on Wednesday, the army said, as U.S. military planes brought aid for civilians fleeing fierce fighting in the northwest. In an indication that the fighting in the Swat Valley area and the resulting humanitarian emergency may drag on, a U.S. military official predicted that 250,000 refugees will still be in camps at the end of the year. Pakistani troops launched an offensive last month after Taliban militants based in Swat pushed into the district of Buner, bringing them within 60 miles (100 kilometers) of the capital of Islamabad and prompting intense U.S. pressure for a stiff response. Government forces cleared Sultanwas, the main Taliban-held town in Buner, overnight following intense clashes, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said. He said troops destroyed several vehicles used by black-clad militants and defused a string of homemade bombs. "Sultanwas was the main stronghold of terrorist-miscreants in Buner, where they have made concrete underground bunkers and ammunition dumps," Abbas said at a news conference. The army claims it has killed more than 1,000 militants and won back swaths of territory from militants in Swat, a valley whose scenery and cooler climate once drew hordes of summer tourists. More than 50 troops have died, including one soldier Wednesday as troops battled insurgents entrenched in several other key towns in the valley, Abbas said. However, authorities say the clashes have prompted about 1.9 million people to flee their homes, creating a humanitarian crisis that could sap Pakistani enthusiasm for similar action against Taliban and al-Qaida sanctuaries near the Afghan border. Pakistani generals have refused to predict how long it will take to eliminate militants from Swat. Two previous offensives ended in short-lived peace deals from which the militants emerged stronger. Still, the top U.S. military official at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad forecast Wednesday that between 200,000 and 250,000 will be living in refugee camps at least until the end of 2009. Rear Adm. Michael A. LeFever also said the Pakistani military had set up roadblocks to keep militants away from the camps, just south of the battle zone. Relatives have taken in most of those driven out of Swat in fear of their lives. But about 160,000 refugees have registered so far at the camps, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said Wednesday. Many thousands more are believed to be hunkered down in their homes in Swat, unwilling or unable to move. Abbas, the Pakistani army spokesman, said the military had used radio broadcasts to urge the remaining residents to leave _ and to warn that anyone "harboring and helping militants will be treated like one of them." Washington describes eliminating militant havens in Pakistan as vital to turning around the faltering war in Afghanistan. It has strongly backed the military operation and is keen to protect the pro-Western government from the political fallout. The U.N. and international relief groups are also trying to drum up assistance. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced Tuesday that Washington would provide $110 million in immediate humanitarian assistance to Pakistan. "As long as this crisis persists, our assistance will continue," Clinton said. "We know that the work ahead is difficult, but we have seen an enormous amount of support and determination out of the Pakistani government, military and people in the last weeks to tackle the extremist challenge." As part of that support, two American military planes touched down on Wednesday at an air base near Islamabad laden with air-conditioned tents and 120,000 pre-packed meals, the U.S. Embassy said. U.S. authorities say they already delivered shipments of wheat and vegetable oil valued at about $28 million to Pakistan last week. More on Pakistan
 

CREATE MORE ALERTS:

Auctions - Find out when new auctions are posted

Horoscopes - Receive your daily horoscope

Music - Get the newest Album Releases, Playlists and more

News - Only the news you want, delivered!

Stocks - Stay connected to the market with price quotes and more

Weather - Get today's weather conditions




You received this email because you subscribed to Yahoo! Alerts. Use this link to unsubscribe from this alert. To change your communications preferences for other Yahoo! business lines, please visit your Marketing Preferences. To learn more about Yahoo!'s use of personal information, including the use of web beacons in HTML-based email, please read our Privacy Policy. Yahoo! is located at 701 First Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94089.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)