Tuesday, May 26, 2009

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Broadway Posts Record Ticket Sales Despite Recession Top
Broadway theaters defied the recession to post record ticket sales in the 2008/09 season in what the Broadway League attributed to a need for escapism.
 
Marcel Pacatte: Roland Burris, Off The Hook Top
I've just read the U.S. Attorney's filings Tuesday, asking to send along a recording of a telephone call the government says our junior senator had with the brother of our impeached former governor. It's a bit of information the Senate Ethics Committee might find interesting. I've followed Roland Burris his entire political career and covered him while he was Illinois Attorney General and during his gubernatorial campaign in 1994. I've always thought of Roland Burris, as he likes to call himself, as basically an honorable man. Until today. Even through the post-appointment revelations, I was still still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. I thought, seriously, 'Here is a nice man who is out of his depth and it's probably not as bad as it seems.' Well, I was wrong, and I sadly admit to being wrong. What we hear here is damning and damnable. Burris knows exactly what he is doing. All these years I thought he was decent but dim. Turns out it was an act that I, and many others in Illinois, bought. There may or may not be anything legally actionable in the footsie Burris plays with Rob Blagojevich in wondering how to raise the money the brothers Blagojevich wanted and still make it look as though he wasn't buying his way into the U.S. Senate, but it's morally and ethically repugnant. The fact that he audibly works through this amoral relativism is damning enough. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin had it right the first time, before this evidence was public: He is unfit. Burris is a disgrace and should resign. We know, however, that he won't. But how he will ever be able to look a single citizen of the state of Illinois in the eye and proclaim that he isn't dirty is unfathomable. I thank Patrick Fitzgerald for having the tenacity to tap these phone lines. And I thank the timing of the release of this transcript. The Illinois General Assembly is in the end-of-session throes of deciding what to do about the recommendations of the Illinois Reform Commission appointed by Gov. Patrick Quinn. Seeing this now makes it all the more imperative that legislators act on the pure recommendations sent up by commission chief Patrick Collins and his fellow commission members. Enough. More on Rod Blagojevich
 
Mel Gibson Throws Stones At OctoMom's Lips (PHOTOS) Top
After the National Enquirer and TMZ broke the news his girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva is expecting his eighth child, he went on Leno Monday to confirm it in an odd victory tour that included nothing new to promote and a clips reel of previous appearances. In addition to some backhanded compliments about his estranged wife, he talked up his new girlfriend's respectability, calling her almost 40 and complimenting her musical skills. As Gibson told Leno, "I fell in love with her voice before I ever saw her." Mel then tried to win over the audience by mocking an easy target - Nadya Suleman, a move pointed out elsewhere. As he said, "I guess I'm OctoMel now," Gibson pulled his lips out to make fun of the puffy pucker of Nadya Suleman. Meanwhile, Grigorieva looks more like Suleman than almost anyone else. See if you can tell them apart in the slideshow below. PHOTOS: More on Photo Galleries
 
C. Brian Smith: If I Weren't Gay, I'd Probably be an Asshole Top
I was born white and male and spent most of my childhood eating cheeseburgers at an exclusive country club in Connecticut. My nickname was "Mr. Pleasure." I attended a private elementary school, a private boarding school, and an Ivy League university, thanks to exceptional parents who spent half of a million dollars on my education. I had a housekeeper named Alice who loved and spoiled me. I knew my way around Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and Deer Valley and The White House. There were no wars into which I was drafted and no hurricanes from which I fled. I was never seriously ill. I won $2,860 in the New York Lottery. The day after graduating college I was offered a job analyzing companies at a premiere investment bank despite having studied neither economics nor math. (That bank no longer exists, strangely.) As a ten-year old, I insisted on warming my towel in the dryer while taking forty-five minute showers. I should definitely be an asshole by now. To be clear, I am not claiming that white children of means should, inherently, grow up to be assholes. I am claiming, however, that white children of means have the luxury, if they so choose, of not concerning themselves with misfortune or hardship or injustice. That's the pleasant part of being handed a pleasant life. It's particularly easy to hide your head in the sand when the sand is on a beach in the Virgin Islands. I was an ignorant, unimpressive dolt with a shitload of sand in my hair. Everything changed the first time I was called a faggot. Suddenly I was a member of the world's most maligned minority. (The week I came out, Israel and Palestine joined together to ban the gay pride parade in Jerusalem.) When someone calls you a "faggot" - and really, really means it - you can't help but instantly appreciate the wickedness of its etymological cousins, like "spic" and "retard" and "nigger" and all the rest. In that sense, being a "faggot" made me a much, much better man. I am so impressed and humbled by the millions of straight Americans who have adopted the gay cause as their own, mostly because they didn't have to. I'm not sure I would have. I am equally unimpressed - baffled, really -- by the inaction of President Obama, whose career has benefited so greatly from the empathy of those who simply didn't have to care about his struggle to be the first black president, and whose parents benefited so greatly from the empathy of those who simply didn't have to care if interracial marriage was legalized. Empathy aside, it just seems so silly to oppose gay marriage when such a stance is so clearly going to fail. My former boss, Seth MacFarlane, laid it out perfectly: "Anyone who tries to fight the advancement of any particular minority group is going to lose. Whether it's now or whether it's twenty years from now, they are wasting their time." So, as my friends and I once again prepare to pound the streets of Los Angeles in protest - as we will continue to do, for as long as it takes - I urge President Obama, and all those who subscribe to marriage inequality, to stop wasting your time. Stop being wrong. Stop being an asshole. More on Barack Obama
 
Democrats Seek GOP Help Raising Illinois Taxes Top
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Caught between a ticking clock and a massive budget deficit, Democratic leaders asked Tuesday for Republicans' help in raising Illinois income taxes. Democrats hold the governor's office and a majority in both chambers of the Legislature, but many lawmakers are balking at a vote to raise taxes, even when the state faces a budget deficit of more than $11.6 billion. "I think we need some help from the Republicans. That's why we've asked for their support," said Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago. Republican lawmakers may see little reason to help with a policy that so many of them consider anathema. If Democrats don't pass a budget by Sunday, then Republicans automatically gain new negotiating power because it requires a three-fifths vote, rather than a simple majority, to approve legislation after May 31. In addition, the GOP may not feel particularly cooperative after being left out of budget talks until the final week of the legislative session. "At this point, the answer is pretty clearly 'no,'" said Rep. Mark Beaubien, a budget negotiator for House Republicans. Some lawmakers say that instead of taking the politically risky step of raising taxes and cutting spending to balance the budget, the Legislature could end up passing a stopgap budget that would simply keep state government operating until late this year or early next year. "Do I think it's a possibility? Yes," said Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville. "A very real possibility." That would delay the real budget decisions until after the filing deadline for next year's primary election. Legislators would not have to worry about a tax vote inspiring someone to launch a primary challenge. State government faces the worst financial crisis in its history. Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed closing the deficit by using federal stimulus money, trimming spending in some areas, reducing the state's annual payment to government pensions and raising income taxes. He wants to raise the personal tax rate to 4.5 percent, up from 3 percent, and pair that with a much larger personal exemption to shield poor and middle class families from the increase. The idea has not fared well, but no solid alternatives have emerged. Erasing the deficit solely through spending cuts would require gutting state government. A proposal to legalize more casinos failed in the Senate, and even that would only have put a small dent in the problem. Quinn kept out of sight Tuesday, canceling his only public appearance. He was meeting with lawmakers to pursue "a comprehensive, fair and balanced budget," a spokeswoman said. Cullerton said that in a meeting Tuesday among the governor and legislative leaders, he asked the two Republicans to help produce votes for a tax increase. Democrats are being asked to cut the budget and take steps that will anger their union allies, so Republicans should make similar concessions and help raise taxes, he said. "I've personally appealed to both of them by telling them that this is not an election year, that we've asked that the Democrats not act like Democrats, the Republicans not act like Republicans," Cullerton said. Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said she wouldn't discuss a tax increase with her members unless she sees far more progress from Democrats on a raft of issues. She listed Medicaid cost-cutting, an overhaul of state pension systems, political redistricting and campaign donation limits - an agenda she acknowledges would be almost impossible to address before May 31. "We shouldn't ask people to send more money to a dysfunctional system," Radogno said. -ASSOCIATED PRESS More on Taxes
 
Obama Calls For Release Of Aung San Suu Kyi Top
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama called on Myanmar's government Tuesday to immediately free Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize-winner detained under house arrest since 2003. Suu Kyi is currently on trial in her country, accused of violating her detention by allowing an uninvited American to stay at her home. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges but faces five years in prison if convicted. In a statement Tuesday, Obama condemned Suu Kyi's house arrest and detention. He called on the government of Myanmar, also known as Burma, to release her immediately and unconditionally as a sign of respect for its laws and its people. "Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention, isolation, and show trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime's willingness to be a responsible member of the international community," Obama said. "This is an important opportunity for the government in Burma to demonstrate that it respects its own laws and its own people, is ready to work with the National League for Democracy and other ethnic and opposition groups, and is prepared to move toward reconciliation." Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party won national elections in 1990, but Myanmar's military junta refused to relinquish power. She has spent 13 of the past 19 years in detention without trial for her nonviolent promotion of democracy. Her latest round of house arrest was to expire this week. Obama noted that Suu Kyi's detention has also been condemned worldwide. "By her actions, Aung San Suu Kyi has represented profound patriotism, sacrifice, and the vision of a democratic and prosperous Burma. It is time for the Burmese government to drop all charges against Aung San Suu Kyi and unconditionally release her and her fellow political prisoners," the president said. "Such an action would be an affirmative and significant step on Burma's part to begin to restore its standing in the eyes of the United States and the world community and to move toward a better future for its people." The 63-year-old Nobel laureate testified Tuesday in her defense, insisting that she did not break the law by allowing John W. Yettaw, 53, of Falcon, Mo., to stay at her home for two days after he swam across a lake to enter her house uninvited earlier this month. She said security forces were responsible for keeping intruders away from her home. Yettaw has pleaded not guilty to the same charge. The charges against Suu Kyi are widely considered a pretext to keep her detained ahead of elections planned for next year. Earlier this month, Obama extended for another year a state of emergency regarding Myanmar, keeping in place tough sanctions against the country.
 
Paul Hogarth: Calif. Supreme Court Perverts Power of Initiative Process Top
In 1964, Stanley Kubrick produced the Cold War film Dr. Strangelove , or "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb." By upholding Proposition 8, the California Supreme Court has learned to stop worrying and love the initiative process. It's an apt analogy, because today's decision leaves an unchecked power of the voters to strike a "bomb" through our basic Constitutional protections. Not only did the Court minimize Prop 8's effect on the right to marry, using logic that contradicted last year's decision on the same subject. It set up a dubious distinction between "amendments" and "revisions" to the state Constitution, which will allow virtually any ballot measure to pass as a mere "amendment." Without adequate safeguards that a "revision" was meant to place, equal protection is no longer sacred - because the power of the ballot is supreme. At the same time, the Court ruled that the 18,000 same-sex couples who legally wed last year are still married - because to invalidate these licenses would be an undue violation of due process and property rights. While that was a wise decision, it remains a mystery why such a right is more important than equal protection. California is famous for its wacky initiative process - where the voters get to decide on a myriad of complicated matters, much of which could arguably be better left to elected leaders. But the grounds for overturning Prop 8 was not about the 48% of voters who disagreed with taking marriage rights away from same-sex couples. It was that some rights are too important to be stricken by mob rule, and the state Supreme Court's job is to protect these constitutional protections - even if a bare majority of the electorate (without safeguards) wants to change the Constitution. The Court has declared "open season" on the rights of all minorities, setting a dangerous precedent for future elections. Here's why ... Court Contradicts Itself on the Term "Marriage" In May 2008, the state Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry - as a natural extension of the right to privacy, due process and the right to raise a family. Now, the same Court says Prop 8 is not unconstitutional because it carves out a "narrow exception" to these rights. It only changes the definition of "marriage," not the rights or benefits that committed same-sex couples enjoy with domestic partnership - nor does it alter the right to raise a family. This opinion clearly contradicts last year's ruling - where the Court said the very term "marriage" was a necessary component, so that same-sex couples can have their family relationships accorded the "same dignity, respect and stature of others." What the Court effectively said today is that gay people didn't really lose anything substantive with the passage of Prop 8. But if true, they also did not gain anything important from last year's Court decision. Back then, the Court made it clear it was a crucial right. The Unchecked Power of Voters to Change the Constitution Granted, the Court will say Prop 8 changed the state Constitution - and thus last year's interpretation is irrelevant and obsolete. But while the people have "sovereign power" and can "alter or reform" the Constitution as they see fit, our framework does not allow them to make all changes to the state Constitution. A minimum threshold of voters can collect signatures to put an "amendment" on the ballot, but only the state legislature - or a constitutional convention - can initiate a major "revision." And the Court failed to understand both the history and basic structure of this distinction. Before 1911, California did not have an initiative process - and all "amendments" had to come from the state legislature. Every state that distinguishes between "amendments" and "revisions" (and California based its constitution off New York) has a common thread - none of them allow the people alone to make the most profound changes. An "amendment" to the California Constitution is there to "improve" the existing framework, but a "revision" would substantially alter its "substance and integrity." Even states that passed equivalents of Prop 8 only generally did so after the legislature put it on the ballot. The Court said Prop 8 was not a revision because it "simply changes the substantive content of ... one specific subject area - the ... designation of 'marriage.'" It did not alter the "scope" of the Constitution, and only has a "limited effect on the fundamental rights of privacy, due process and equal protection." The Court even implied that only changes affecting a wide spectrum of our Constitution are protected from the whims of the public opinion - and explicitly said that a revision is not anything that "abrogates a foundational constitutional principle of law." Based upon the Court's narrow definition, it is hard to see how any change to the Constitution would qualify as a "revision." Open Season on the Rights of Minorities Prop 8 is a major change to the Constitution that cannot just be left to the voters, because it deprives equal protection to a specific minority group. But the Court quietly dismissed this concern, because it was not the first time in California history that a majority took rights away from a minority. In 1964, the voters passed a measure allowing homeowners to racially discriminate when selling their property - which was struck down in federal court. In 1996, California passed Prop 209 to repeal affirmative action. And in 1894, the state passed a measure to deprive voting rights for anyone who didn't speak English. How did the Court conclude that none of these ballot measures were revisions? At the time, no one sued to have them repealed for that particular reason - a dubious basis to conclude that they were therefore proper "amendments." According to this Court, it is acceptable for the voters - without any scrutiny by the legislature or a constitutional convention - to amend the Constitution to repeal basic rights from a minority group. This creates a dangerous precedent. What if, after September 11th, California had passed an amendment requiring Muslims to travel with passes? The Court dismissed such concerns as a "dubious factual premise of a highly unrealistic scenario of future events." But Property Rights are Protected ... If there is one bright spot from today's Court decision, the 18,000 same-sex couples who wed before November 4th are still legally married - despite efforts by Kenneth Starr to convince the Court otherwise. California law presumes that ballot measures are not retroactive, without clear and unambiguous proof that it was the voters' intent. But the Court also pointed out that these couples had acquired "vested property rights as lawfully married spouses," and to suddenly take their licenses away would be a blatant violation of due process. It is unclear why the Court believes the "will of the people" is more important than the equal protection rights of minorities, but not the due process of property owners. If we are to take the Court's logic on what constitutes a valid "amendment" and uphold the validity of Prop 8, anything that doesn't obviously change the "scope" of the California Constitution can be enacted by the voters - without any restrictions. By that rationale, due process would take a back seat - and the 18,000 marriage licenses would be null and void. EDITOR'S NOTE: Paul Hogarth was a law school intern at Equality California during the summer of 2005, and got his J.D. from Golden Gate University in 2006. He is an attorney licensed to practice law in California. He is the Managing Editor of Beyond Chron, San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily, where this piece was first published .
 
2010 Census: What's At Stake For Illinois Top
The census' main role, prescribed by the U.S. Constitution, is to determine how many seats in the U.S. House of Representatives each state receives. Over time, though, it's taken on far greater importance. The census serves as the basis for rebalancing power at nearly every level of government, distributing federal and state taxpayer money and even helping businesses decide where to build new stores or factories. (via Progress Illinois )
 
Aaron Zelinsky: Why the California Court's Decision Is Good for Gay Marriage Top
The California Supreme Court ruled today that Proposition 8, limiting marriage in California to "opposite-sex couples," is a valid amendment to the California State Constitution. While some commentators criticize the California Court's decision, Strauss v. Horton is actually good for gay marriage in the long term. The Court's decision drives home that the future of gay rights lies at the ballot box and not in the courts. We should view the California Court not as opposing gay marriage, but rather as promoting public deliberation and democratic action on the subject of equal rights. As a technical matter, the central issue in Strauss was whether the sentence "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California" was a constitutional amendment or a constitutional revision. In practice, the political question presented by Strauss was whether the California Supreme Court would strike down a popularly enacted constitutional change and restore its earlier judicial decision supporting same-sex marriage. By upholding Proposition 8, the California Court effectively tossed the ball back to the voters of the Golden State. The Court thereby ensured the long-term outcome of gay marriage: Given the strong support of younger voters, gay marriage will be approved in California by ballot initiative, perhaps quite soon. Moreover, when gay marriage is approved by popular vote, conservatives will not be able to blame a "judicial activist" court for their loss. Gay marriage will stand on sounder footing when it is popularly enacted rather than judicially imposed. One can imagine the wedge issue Strauss could have handed the Republican Party had the Court overturned the decision of the California electorate. Instead, opponents of same sex marriage must fight it out again at the ballot box. Supporters of gay marriage should recognize that we are reaching the limits of judicial leadership on this issue. While Brown v. Board enunciated important values, real change came through the politically enacted Civil Rights Act of 1964. Similarly, repeal of discriminatory measures like the Defense of Marriage Act will take legislative action. Don't Ask Don't Tell must also be retired by political, rather than judicial, means. The popular adoption of gay marriage is on the rise. Gay marriage has been adopted by legislative action in Vermont and Maine. New Hampshire's same sex marriage bill has passed the state legislature, and Governor Paterson's bill has cleared the New York Assembly. There is already a plan to put a pro-gay marriage amendment on the California ballot in 2010. With solid Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress and a Democratic President, now is the time to begin enacting a progressive political agenda through the ballot box. We must recognize that we are reaching the limits of judicial leadership, and that We the People must now take charge. The Court's decision in Strauss is a clarion call for political action. More on Gay Marriage
 
Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown Mulls Stroger Challenge Top
Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown today criticized County Board President Todd Stroger's leadership and said she is mulling a run for his office next year.
 
Matthew Filipowicz: WATCH: "Is Sotomayor Smart Enough?" Attack Ad Top
As we all have heard, President Obama has nominated federal appeals court judge Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. And, as expected, the right wing were ready to pounce. One of their lines of attack, as shown by this just released ad, is that Sotomayor isn't very smart despite her extremely impressive pedigree . Take a look. Alright, that's not a real ad, but it might as well should be. And the line of attack, which began in Jeffery Rosen's mostly anonymously sourced column , is ludicrous. She was valedictorian of her high school. She graduated summa cum laude and Phi Betta Cappa from Princeton. She then studied law at Yale, where she was the editor of the Yale Law Journal. Maybe the problem is that most right wingers don't know what summa cum laude means. Probably not, though. Most likely, they're just desperately making stuff up to try to stop an extremely qualified nominee. Feel free to follow me on Twitter if you're someone who does that sort of thing. More on Sonia Sotomayor
 
Robert Everle, New York Man, Convicted For Running 'Zoo From Hell' Top
WEST HAVERSTRAW, N.Y. — A farm-animal breeder who ran what a prosecutor called "the zoo from hell" was convicted Tuesday of animal cruelty. A jury in West Haverstraw deliberated less than two hours before convicting Robert Everle of all 13 charges of torturing, injuring and starving animals. State police raided Everle's property, 30 miles north of New York City, in July, and witnesses testified that they found several animals dead, many malnourished and dozens living in unsanitary conditions. The animals included ducks, chickens, guinea hens, rabbits, sheep, dogs and cats. At the time of the raid, Rockland County prosecutor Anthony Dellicarri described the property as "kind of like a petting zoo gone out of control" and "the zoo from hell." "To be blunt about it, when the wind shifted, it was one of the worst things that I had ever smelled," he said at the time. During the trial, jurors saw photos of animals sitting in their feces in cages, crates and boxes. They also saw pictures of a ram that allegedly couldn't walk because of overgrown hooves and couldn't turn its head because it had never been sheared. Veterinarians and animal welfare officers described the conditions as horrendous. One described a mixture of animal food with animal droppings. Everle, 59, testified that he had been raising farm animals since 1961 and took good care of his 300 animals, building their cages and feeding them vitamins. A Cornell University professor testified he saw no cruelty in photos of some of the animals. He conceded he never saw the animals live. Sentencing was scheduled for Aug. 11. Everle could lose his animals and be sent to jail for up to two years. At the time of the raid, the 20 worst-off animals were taken away, treated and the survivors eventually relocated, Dellicarri said. About 300 others remain at Everle's place, but under a court order that requires improved conditions.
 
Top Ten Bizarre New Species Of 2008 Top
Every year, biologists brave the world's deserts, jungles and industrial ecosystems looking for new species. And what wonderful things they find. It turns out that the real world is totally like the internet: If you look hard enough, you can find just about anything. This year, scientists found caffeine-less coffee plants, tiny seahorses and a 23-inch long bug that looks like a branch, not to mention a strange white slug no one had ever described that was found in a Welsh garden. More on Animals
 
Disgrasian: North Korea, Do You Need A Hug? Top
Dear North Korea, What's up, guy? Listen, we heard through the grapevine that you did more nuke testing today . DUDE, what have we said about missile testing? That is not playing by the rules. It's so not cool. Buddy, you know that this bid for attention is ultimately going to backfire; and, as always, you'll end up feeling more isolated, alienated, and alone. President Obama kinda nailed it today when he said: ""North Korea's behavior increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia. Such provocations will only serve to deepen North Korea's isolation." Even China is turning on you , and that just isn't rad! Do you want people talking about you like this? Do you like being an outcast? Neener neener neener! We don't think you do. We think you just desperately want--no, need --the attention from the world. It's okay. We get it. We even kinda get you . You're a sad, scared little child that needs approval, respect, maybe a hug. And though we aren't sure what your parents did to you, how much your siblings taunted you, or what the other kids at school said about you, we're here to help you grow. So let's cut the bullshit and grow together. Put down the nukes. Let's go get some ice cream and talk. xoxo, DISGRASIAN More on United Nations
 
Chris Kennedy Not Yet Ready To Announce Senate Candidacy Top
A report that Chris Kennedy would announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate this week was premature, Kennedy told Capitol Fax 's Rich Miller Tuesday. Kennedy also said not to expect any update this week, as it was "physically impossible" for him to make any announcement until next week. Chicago Sun-Times columnist MIchael Sneed reported last week that the son of Robert F. Kennedy was set to enter the race and that he had already hired AKPD Message and Media, the political consulting firm formerly run by President Obama senior advisor David Axelrod, to cut a campaign ad. Kennedy is president of Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., a property owner and management company. On May 1, Kennedy told Crain's columnist Greg Hinz he had conducted polling about the race, but was not yet committed: "I'm a ways from making up my mind," said Kennedy, who has thrown several head fakes in previous years about other political races. "It's really a personal decision." A recent GOP poll obtained by the Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet found Kennedy trailing State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky and embattled incumbent Senator Roland Burris in a potential Democratic primary but was far closer in a general election matchup against GOP Rep. Mark Kirk. More on Senate Races
 
Dennis Markatos: US bike sales higher than car sales in 2009 Top
During the first quarter of 2009, more bicycles were sold in the US than cars and trucks. While the Great Recession is hurting bike sales, they didn't fall as fast as automobiles. Around 2.6 million bicycle purchases were made , compared to ~2.5 million cars and trucks that left our nation's lots. Bicycle Sales Still Hurt by Recession I don't mean to say that bicycle sales are unfazed by the recession. They are actually down more than 30% from the first quarter of 2008. But that percentage drop is slower than the 35+% drop in sales for cars and trucks . Since nationwide gasoline prices are now rising above $2.40 per gallon at the pump , we may see another wave of US residents shifting to bicycles for their everyday trips. The large savings from riding a bike over short distances rather than driving can help consumer confidence and support economic recovery. Even Long Trips Can be by Bike Visionary activists are creating opportunities for cyclists to safely travel longer distances as well. For instance, the East Coast Greenway Alliance aims to connect greenways from Key West, FL, to Calais, ME, on a 3,000-mile long paved trail. For me, it's an exciting potential to visit family and friends in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Rhode Island (or even the longer trip to my native state of North Carolina!) via bicycle. So far, many corridors of the East Coast Greenway (ECG) are built. But gaps in the trail exist that we all can chip-in to connect. One important current opportunity is for us to show our elected leaders that we support the completion of the ECG and other trails throughout our country as part of the federal transportation bill to be deliberated this summer. Climate Benefits of Bicycling Not only are there cost savings from such local and intercity rides, but there are environmental benefits too -- especially in the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. While an average solo car trip or airplane ride emits more than 1 pound of CO2 per mile , bicycling or walking emits close to zero. If we need to travel hundreds of miles, there are great low-carbon strategies for travel that include mass transit and carpooling, keeping our average emissions less than 1/2 a pound of CO2 per mile. Infrastructure Development Crucial For Americans to put these millions of new bicycles to use, government leaders from the federal to the local level need to give more support to the construction and maintenance of safe bike lanes and greenways. Such work can be a much-needed source of job growth. From neighborhood paths to an urban counterpart of the Appalachian Trail, bicycling has great growth potential. Let's make it happen! More on Climate Change
 
Funny & Fine: Who's America's Sexiest Comedienne? You Decide! (SLIDESHOW) (POLL) Top
We've selected 15 of the sexiest funny ladies we know for a HuffPost poll of ridiculous proportions. They're all hilarious, they're all more comedienne than actress, and they're all smarter than you. Think we're missing someone? Complain about it in the comments section! Want the guys list? That comes on Thursday! More on Ellen Degeneres
 
Army Chief Casey: US Ready To Be In Iraq 10 Years Top
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is prepared to leave fighting forces in Iraq for as long as a decade despite an agreement between the United States and Iraq that would bring all American troops home by 2012, the top U.S. Army officer said Tuesday. Gen. George Casey, the Army chief of staff, said the world remains dangerous and unpredictable, and the Pentagon must plan for extended U.S. combat and stability operations in two wars. "Global trends are pushing in the wrong direction," Casey said. "They fundamentally will change how the Army works." He spoke at an invitation-only briefing to a dozen journalists and policy analysts from Washington-based think-tanks. He said his planning envisions combat troops in Iraq and Afghanistan for a decade as part of a sustained U.S. commitment to fighting extremism and terrorism in the Middle East. Casey's calculations about force levels are related to his attempt to ease the brutal deployment calendar that he said would "bring the Army to its knees." Casey would not specify how many combat units would be split between Iraq and Afghanistan. He said U.S. ground commander Gen. Ray Odierno is leading a study to determine how far U.S. forces could be cut back in Iraq and still be effective. President Barack Obama plans to bring U.S. combat forces home from Iraq in 2010, and the United States and Iraq have agreed that all American forces would leave by 2012. Although several senior U.S. officials have suggested Iraq could request an extension, the legal agreement the two countries signed last year would have to be amended for any significant U.S. presence to remain. As recently as February, Defense Secretary Robert Gates reiterated the U.S. commitment to the agreement worked out with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. "Under the Status of Forces Agreement with the Iraqi government, I intend to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of 2011," Gates said during an address at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. "We will complete this transition to Iraqi responsibility, and we will bring our troops home with the honor that they have earned." The United States currently has about 139,000 troops in Iraq and 52,000 in Afghanistan. Obama campaigned on ending the Iraq war as quickly as possible and refocusing U.S. resources on what he called the more important fight in Afghanistan. That will not mean a major influx of U.S. fighting forces on the model of the Iraq "surge," however. Obama has agreed to send about 21,000 combat forces and trainers to Afghanistan this year. Combined with additional forces approved before former President George W. Bush left office, the United States is expected to have about 68,000 troops in Afghanistan by the end of this year. That's about double the total at the end of 2008, but Obama's top military and civilian advisers have indicated the number is unlikely to grow much beyond that. Casey said several times that he wasn't the person making policy, but the military was preparing to have a fighting force deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan for years to come. Casey said his planning envisions 10 combat brigades plus command and support forces committed to the two wars. When asked whether the Army had any measurement for knowing how big it should be, Casey responded, "How about the reality scenario?" This scenario, he said, must take into account that "we're going to have 10 Army and Marine units deployed for a decade in Iraq and Afghanistan." Casey stressed that the United States must be ready to take on sustained fights in the Middle East while meeting other commitments. Casey reiterated statements made by civilian and military leaders that the situation in Afghanistan would get worse before it gets better. "There's going to be a big fight in the South," he said. Casey added that training of local police and military in Afghanistan was at least a couple years behind the pace in Iraq, and it would be months before the U.S. deployed enough trainers. There's a steeper curve before training could be effective in Afghanistan, requiring three to five years before Afghanis could reach the "tipping point" of control. He also said the U.S. had to be careful about what assets get deployed to Afghanistan. "Anything you put in there would be in there for a decade," he said. As Army chief of staff, Casey is primarily responsible for assembling the manpower and determining assignments. He insisted the Army's 1.1-million size was sufficient even to handle the extended Mideast conflicts. "We ought to build a pretty effective Army with 1.1 million strength," Casey said. He also noted that the Army's budget had grown to $220 billion from $68 billion before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He said the Army is two-thirds of the way through a complete overhaul from the Cold War-era force built around tanks and artillery to today's terrorist-driven realities. The Army has become more versatile and quicker by switching from division-led units to brigade-level command. Casey said the Army has moved from 15-month battlefield deployments to 12 months. His goal is to move rotations by 2011 to one year in the battlefield and two years out for regular Army troops, and one year in the battlefield and three years out for reserves. He called the current one-year-in-one-year-out cycle "unsustainable." More on Iraq
 
Christine Pelosi: California Marriage Equality -- How We Will Win Top
Heartbroken at the ruling according second class citizenship to our LGBT families, relieved that our married friends won't endure forced divorces, it is a sad day for civil rights in California. Yet I believe we will win marriage equality through pride, respect, transparency, and optimism. Today's California Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8 all but invited marriage equality proponents back to the ballot box. The action upholding both Prop 8 and the18,000 same sex marriages solemnized during a brief window of legality means that individual rights can be taken away by a ballot initiative. It also means that they can be enshrined through the same process. So back to the polls we go. This ruling comes at a time (7 days after a special election) when California voters suffer from ballot fatigue. We just resoundingly rejected a series of budget measures in the 9th statewide election since the October 2003 gubernatorial recall: (October 2003, primary and general in 2004, special election fall 2005, primary and general 2006, primary and general 2008, special election May 2009). Add in the municipal elections, and we're looking at over a dozen forced marches to the ballot box including two (Props 22 and 8) on same sex marriage. At a certain point, ballot fatigue becomes voter insurrection. So I can already hear some of you grumbling "why another ballot initiative?" and "how can marriage equality succeed after failing twice in the past?" Fair questions. WHY? Civil rights is a moral imperative. The courts and the Governor have kicked marriage equality to the voters - so it is up to us to act. Whether you believe, as I do, that these rights are already enshrined in the California Constitution, or as Prop 8 proponents do, that they are subject to the vote of the people, the public has voted twice on this issue and has more of an appetite to do so than on other ballot initiative topics, such as fees and taxes, that we hire legislators to tackle. HOW? Offer something positive to vote FOR. Rather than drumming up a NO vote - and all the negativity that brings - jump out front with a YES vote. Learn from the past to shape the future. When you get emails and petitions from groups offering a new proposal, and a return trip to the ballot box insist upon these principles: pride, respect, transparency, and optimism. 1. PRIDE. Embrace diversity; don't shy away from it. When presenting the case for marriage equality, showcase the 18,000 families who married between May and November 2008, the thousands more who would like the opportunity to do so, and their loved ones. 2. RESPECT. A statewide campaign needs a statewide dialogue. Unlike the prior 'No" campaigns, this effort must respectfully engage people from all across the political spectrum. and all different faith backgrounds in the freedom to marry discussion. Talking to like-minded people is not enough. Listening to people who disagree and winning them over turns failure into success. . 3. TRANSPARENCY. A top-down small cabal no matter how talented is no match for a bottom-up movement. Let a few take the lead as conveners - and let the people weigh in, offer feedback, and share information in real time. That means meeting offline, not just tweeting our thumbs. It means being transparent with the strategy and the money so people can see their commitment at work. 4. OPTIMISM. Since Prop 8 won, many people have seen the changing dynamics not only in California, but in Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont. Millions have borne witness to the joy, stability, and responsibility that comes with marriage equality. Rather than tell people they got it wrong before, highlight people who voted Prop 8 and then evolved on the issue. That is my view of the how and why we Californians overcome voter fatigue and learn from past campaign defeats. The when is up to us - but I am confident that it will only be a matter of time and effort before marriage equality is the lasting law of the land. More on Civil Rights
 
Tony Sachs: New Amsterdam Gin Made A Mixologist Out Of Me... Sort Of Top
Ever since I wrote a favorable review of New Amsterdam Straight Gin for HuffPost last year, the dedicated and diligent PR folks who promote the stuff have been trying to get me to write about it again. A bottle would arrive in the mail with an electronic press kit on a USB drive tied around the neck. I kept getting invites to try the same New Amsterdam-based cocktails I'd tried before, with the same mixologist, only in different venues. "Guys," I pleaded. "I like your product. But I've already said everything I have to say about it." Finally, they came up with an offer I couldn't resist. "We've got some great new New Amsterdam-based cocktails. Why don't you invite some people over and have a cocktail party? Pick out a couple of recipes and have your friends make them, and you can write about them. We'll provide the gin." Sounded like a plan, but I altered a few of the details. I wanted to make ALL the recipes - there were eight in total - and I wanted to be the sole bartender for the evening. After all, I couldn't resist the opportunity to flex my mixological muscles for my friends and loved ones. If you want to compare my bartending skills to those of a professional, think of someone doing tai chi next to a black-belt who's practicing kung fu. It looks kind of similar, it's just a whole lot slower. I can mix complicated cocktails, provided I have lots of measuring spoons and cups on hand and can consult a mixology manual every 15 seconds or so. And I can whip up from memory the best Manhattan, margarita or martini you've ever tasted - provided you're not in a hurry and have the fortitude to watch me agonize over each drink's creation. And speaking of martinis -- if you say the word "gin" to me, I will automatically respond with "and vermouth, with olives or perhaps a twist of lemon. Mmmm." New Amsterdam has a much softer, citrusy taste than traditional, juniper-heavy gins, which is why people who aren't gin fans like it. On the other hand, the sweet notes make this a gin that simply doesn't work in a traditional martini. Since gin is also known as "martini juice" in my home, I hadn't given my bottle of New Amsterdam a workout in a while. I looked forward to trying it with the fancy-shmancy cocktail recipes I'd been sent. My first error in judgment was thinking I'd gotten a sweet deal in scoring a couple bottles of free gin for the party. Once I looked at all the mixers I needed to get -- everything from pineapple juice to vanilla extract to stalks of lemongrass, not to mention enough food for a dozen hungry, gin-consuming guests -- I was in the hole financially. Well, at least I wouldn't feel bad writing a lousy review of the cocktails if they sucked. My next mistake was deluding myself into believing I'd suddenly start mixing drinks more quickly and efficiently than I have been since I grasped my first shaker so many years ago. In my little fantasy, I'd be able to make all eight cocktails on the list before my guests either got bored, impatient, or overly drunk. I also didn't think to prepare my ingredients beforehand; I started juicing the lemons and limes and making simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water) about 20 minutes before the first guests started trickling in. Thankfully, the promise of free gin, along with the eats my wife had thoughtfully prepared, kept my guests at bay while I measured and mixed -- save one, who kept pointing to his cup and saying, "Hey, Tony, gimme some more gin! I'm thirsty over here!" In the end, I wound up making five New Amsterdam-inspired libations for my friends, and making a huge mess of my bar. I sacrificed neatness for speed, and while I didn't get much faster, I did have all sort of juices and pulps and leaves and goodness knows what else strewn all over every available surface. And how were the drinks, you may wonder? Well, they were powerful. Because New Amsterdam is on the sweet n' fruity side, you can mix a whole lot of it into sweet n' fruity drinks and have it harmonize perfectly with the various juices and other ingredients. I only made half portions of each cocktail for my guests, and they were told they didn't have to finish each one. But by night's end, they were still pretty hammered. They were also, by and large, very good. The hands-down favorite was the Radio City, which sounded kind of gross when I read the recipe. Liquefied honey, elderflower liqueur and a whopping 2.5 ounces of gin, topped with champagne. But it came out luscious without being too cloying, and the dryness and sparkle of the champagne balanced out the sweetness of the honey and liqueur. "Sweet," one of my guests said with tongue only slightly in cheek, "without being impertinent." The only one of the five that didn't go well was the Central Park, a bizarre concoction of tomato juice, lime juice, vanilla extract, a dash of cayenne pepper, and two ounces of New Amsterdam. My friends all sipped, made a face, looked at their glasses and then at me, and uttered a collective, "Huh?" Turns out I'd forgotten the lime juice. Once I recalibrated the elixir, those who were inclined to take a second sip found it much improved. Now that I think about it, I may have forgotten the cayenne pepper, too. (To check out more New Amsterdam recipes, go here ) The cause of my mistake was twofold. After a few hours of nonstop muddling, juicing, stirring, shaking and pouring, I was beginning to get a little punch-drunk. And after liberally sampling each one of the cocktails -- just so I could make tasting notes for the purpose of writing this blog, you understand -- I wasn't just punch-drunk, I was drunk . I wound up not having the time to take tasting notes (and the bar was too wet to write on anyway). Besides, by the end of the evening, I could barely tell you my name, let alone articulate what I thought of the Brooklyn (a lovely drink consisting of muddled raspberries, pear nectar, lemon juice, lots and lots of gin, and of strangely enough, arugula). But maybe that was the point. New Amsterdam brought together a dozen people, ranging in age from 19 -- um, I mean 21 -- to 41, and we all got drunk and had a great time. And not a single one of us wrinkled our noses at any of the cocktails and said "eewww, gin." I couldn't tell you exactly what the New Amsterdam did for each cocktail, but maybe that's also the point. It did more than merely add alcohol to the mix, the way vodka does, but it didn't overwhelm the other ingredients by screaming "I am juniper, hear me roar!" Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that at $13.99 a bottle, New Amsterdam is one recession-friendly spirit. So buy a bottle, invite some friends over, make some cocktails, get drunk and have a great time. Is there a better way to ring in summer?
 
Matthew Modine: Cars Are Like Cigarettes; The New Pariah Top
I am often asked, "Why do you love bicycles?" For a few reasons, but mostly because I am in love with self-propulsion and self-motivation . I love finding solutions to problems and I want to leave the world in better condition than when I arrived. For too long we've behaved as if the resources of our world are infinite. They are not. They are finite. The disappearing species around the globe should be a canary in the coal mine for all of us. Have you ever been witness to a baby's first steps? The open mouth smile and the parents, with arms outstretched, as the child wobbles into their waiting arms. With each step the child builds confidence and ventures further out into the world. I don't remember my first steps, but I remember the first time I found my balance and pedaled away from my father as he let go of the seat of my first bike. I remember. My heart seemed to stop and I gasped for breath. Balance. More than just a word, a metaphor. The bicycle provides a greater sense of self-propulsion because it can carry us further and faster than our feet. At some point during the mid 19th century, during the height of the industrial revolution, the love of two-wheeled transportation began to catch hold in different corners of the world. Since that time there have been countless shapes and forms. But each design provides the rider with the same freedom that the first model gave its operator, the ability to get from one place to another quickly and in style. Sometimes I feel like I am flying when I ride my bike. It's exciting to turn a corner and suddenly find myself in a sea of other bicyclists. They seem to share this feeling of self-empowerment. In love with the knowledge that, as they pass through the air that surrounds them, they are not polluting what we all share and breathe. Bicyclists are free from the petroleum products that have compromised our global environment. They don't have to worry about paying for parking, tipping valets, car insurance, car inspections or car maintenance. And this makes them smile. And, as an added bonus, bicyclists are less tense than the people belted into their metal, four-wheeled boxes. The statistical truth is that 90% of trips made in cars are less than five miles from our homes. A very comfortable journey made on a bicycle. In addition to saving the aforementioned automobile expenses, riding a bike--just a couple hours a week--will reduce a person's risk of heart attack and stroke by 50%, not to mention reduce the risks of obesity and diabetes, two of the biggest killers in the United States. The more people that ride bikes, the safer it gets to share the road with pedestrians and cars. Perhaps the best part of choosing a bike instead of a car is what you are saying by pedaling. You are saying to yourself, your friends, your family, and the cars that clog our roads and highways, that you care about the air we breathe and that you care about the environment. You're saying you want to do something to reduce carbon emissions and that you want to improve your health. This personal and environmental awareness is the legacy that you want to share with your friends and family. You are a person that wants to pose beside your new bicycle instead of a new car. Not to mention how much fun it is to ride. The Zen of bicycling is way cooler than the art of motorcycle maintenance. Our country has had a long love affair with the automobile. Since its invention, the automobile has provided us with the freedom and liberty we yearned for since we took those first baby steps. The automobile took us further and faster than we could have ever done by self-propulsion. But that speed and distance has brought the world to the edge of extinction. We must now look at the automobile with an understanding of what it really is. We must look at the movies and songs that celebrated the automobile with a new consciousness and awareness. We must look at the automobile as a cigarette--a cancer stick--a nail in our collective coffin. The sexy lifestyle that the tobacco industry sold to us contains the same advertising lies and poison which the automobile industry sold and continues to sell to the world. Look at the ads for automobiles and you'll begin to recognize the lies. You'll see open roads with happy smiling drivers. Ask yourself, When was the last time I was NOT stuck in traffic? When was the last time I was not pissed off and stressed out after just a few hours spent driving behind the wheel of a car? The automobile ads always present cars in a setting that is free of traffic and the drivers appear powerful, happy and liberated behind the wheel. Yeah, like that ever happens in the modern world. Just as tobacco has killed millions with different forms of cancer, the automobile industry and the pollution that has spewed from exhaust pipes ever since Henry Ford's Model 'A' rolled off the assembly line, must be looked upon as a carton of cigarettes and a cancer to civilization. The automobile industry should not be bailed out so it can continue to manufacture the same product. The automobile industry should be transformed into an industry that builds non-combustion engines. They should be given contracts to build new light rail trains that can carry passengers comfortably and safely. And the light rail cars should have bike racks so passengers can get home from commutes too long to be made by bicycle. Imagine how many jobs could be created if the US supported light and heavy rail systems. The car is a mode of transportation that cannot propel itself or our country into the future. The burning of fossil fuels and the internal combustion engine is dead. Raise your glass to self-propulsion! Long live the bicycle. Matthew Modine is a Causecast leader, a dedicated and passionate individual who is an enigmatic voice for change. Causecast leaders are a prestigious collection of athletes, artists, students, actors, musicians, politicians, teachers and more. These individuals have set themselves apart from their contemporaries with a spirited dedication to their ideals. More on Climate Change
 
Sonia Sotomayor PHOTOS: Pictures Of Her Childhood And Her Family Top
Sonia Sotomayor was chosen by President Barack Obama to be the first Hispanic Justice on the Supreme Court Tuesday. Read 10 things you should know about Sotomayor here ; for more, check out Sotomayor's BigNews page . In conjunction with her nomination the White House released this afternoon an interesting collection of personal photos from Sotomayor's life. The pictures span from her childhood to the present day, There are some particularly nice photos of Sotomayor and her mother Celina, whom she paid tribute to today by saying: "I stand on the shoulders of countless people, yet there is one extraordinary person who is my life aspiration. That person is my mother, Celina Sotomayor." Photos courtesy of the White House. More on Sonia Sotomayor
 

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