Wednesday, July 29, 2009

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Hillary Clinton Pressured British Government To Not Reveal Details Of Gitmo Detainee's Treatment Top
Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, warned David Miliband that America would consider cutting security co-operation with the UK if a British court releases information about a former Guantanamo Bay detainee, two judges have been told.
 
Yoani Sanchez: Cuba And U.S. Start To Dismantle Their Mutual Insults Top
At night a few red flashes lit up a bit of the Malecon, just where the guards' whistles warned that no one could sit. The United States Interest Section had a lighted news ticker, which few managed to read, to transmit news items, articles about the Declaration of Human Rights, and political messages. A forest of flags in front of it prevented anyone of human height from seeing the scrolling letters slide past. With their constant beat, the enormous fabric flags "contributed" a noise to the neighborhood that made it difficult to sleep in the nearest buildings. Although the official version says that the 138 flagpoles are there to remember the victims of terrorism, we all know that they accomplish the mission of covering, almost entirely, the statements appearing in the windows of the Interest Section. The screen on one side, and the flags on the other, were the visible symbol of the confrontation between the two governments, whose evolution is still very difficult to predict. To vary the repetitive path of the conflict, some days ago the Americans deactivated the luminous notice board that projected over the street. A little before, the Cuban side had also removed the billboards, with their mocking and insulting tone, that had been located on the sidewalk in front. The question many of us have is what will happen now with the beating pieces of fabric if there are no phrases for them to cover up. The enormous costs of replacing the material damaged by the wind and maintaining the masts, strongly attacked by the saltwater, makes no sense if there are no words on the other side. Removing the banners will be gesture that will come about a little later, but in the end it will happen. Some day I will walk along the coastal avenue of my city and nothing will interrupt the union of the two blues made by the sea and sky. If they have already disconnected the digital ticker with its messages, then it's time, also, to lower the flags intended to hide it. "George Bush plus Luis Posada Carriles = Adolf Hitler" Sign formerly in front of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana. "The More You Blockade Me The More I Grow" Sign formerly across the street of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana. In addition to the flag poles, the Cuban government erected a sound stage in front of the U.S. Interest Section where free concerts and other events are held. The red letters of the news ticker that scrolled through the windows of the Interest Section can be seen in this photo (see white arrow). Yoani's blog, Generation Y , can be read here in English translation. More on Cuba
 
Media Barred From Palin's Post-Gubernatorial Debut At Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Top
Sarah Palin is expected to make a visit next week to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in California, in what would be her first public appearance outside Alaska since resigning as governor, and the sponsors said on Wednesday the event will be closed to the media. More on Sarah Palin
 
Emma Ruby-Sachs: What Is Lost When We Settle for Civil Unions Top
[photo by Kimberly Bednarski, KB Image Photography] In the marriage debate, the focus is always on rights, those granted federally and by each state: immigration, taxation, hospital visitation. It's a way to talk about inequality concretely so that those around us can understand what all the fuss is about. I used to think that was sufficient. Then I got married. Last weekend, a slew of family and friends descended upon Chicago to celebrate my relationship with my partner of five years. My mother, a judge in Canada, performed the ceremony and we exchanged rings and vows. But, the wedding wasn't legal. It didn't change the fact that, in the eyes of the state, my partner and I were roommates. I never grew up thinking that marriage was something essential or important. My parents have been together over 35 years, happily, without ever being married. It seemed like nothing more than an invented occasion. What I couldn't have understood until I was standing in front of an audience about to say my vows is that ceremony can be incredibly important. Participating in the rites of passage society expects and supports holds meaning on its own. The simple fact that the marriage pronouncement was not part of our script, couldn't be part of our script, created a deep sense of hurt and exclusion. It was an injustice, separate and apart from the rights we do not enjoy and legal discrimination we suffer. Our status as outsiders was reinforced, even as we were surrounded by so many close friends. In many ways, LGBT people in the United States are luckier than most. Our relationships, themselves are not illegal. Many of us have supportive families and friends. And some of us live in states that recognize same-sex relationships. Still, we cannot underestimate the damage marriage inequality causes. LGBT people are excluded from social institutions that hold real significance in our lives. We look at pictures of our family members on their wedding day. We watch television shows about weddings, see our favorite sitcom actors and movie actors go through the ceremony, wait for the moment where the couple are pronounced legally wed and embrace and kiss. I didn't get to do that in front of the people I love. And, although my wedding was the best day of my life, it was incomplete. That is a loss no civil union and no domestic partnership can undo. More on Gay Marriage
 
Bill Scher: The President's Policies Are More Popular Than the President Top
Pundits keep saying that the president is more popular than his policies, undercutting his mandate to take bold action. But on health care, the opposite is true. Last week, I noted that one Washington Post reporter repeated the knee-jerk conventional wisdom , when in fact, his own paper's poll just showed majority support for the main provisions in pending health care legislation, while Obama's approval rating on health care was below 50%. Today, two more polls show the public strongly supports Obama's actual health care policies, even though their support of Obama has declined. From MSNBC's writeup of the NBC/WSJ poll (emphasis added): Pluralities now say that the president's health care plan is a bad idea, and that it will result in the quality of their care getting worse. What's more, just four in 10 approve of his handling on the issue. The poll also finds that Obama's overall job-approval rating has dropped to 53 percent... ... [But] when read the specifics of his goals for health care -- like requiring insurers to cover those with pre-existing conditions, providing low-income families with subsidies to help them afford insurance, and raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for the subsidies -- 56 percent say they support Obama's plan . Only 38 percent oppose. Now, the NBC/WSJ poll does show more tepid support for the most critical piece, the public plan option, with a plurality of 46%. But that is out of step with every other poll ever taken gauging support for the public plan option, including today's NYT/CBS poll. That poll shows Obama overall approval rating at 58%, and his handling of health care at 46%. But when asked "would you favor or oppose the government offering everyone a government administered health insurance plan," a strong 66% support -- similar to what public plan option has garnered in most previous polls. Yes, Obama's numbers have slipped. Perhaps that's a mix of swing voters buying the spin that "Obama's plan" (as opposed to the actual plan) won't tackle rising costs, and some liberal voters unhappy that Obama hasn't been a stronger advocate for the public plan. Perhaps it's just the mere fact that Obama hasn't handled the issue well enough to get something passed by now. But whatever the reason is, it manifestly is not because the public has soured on the actual pillars of the bills that have advanced in the House and Senate. So there is no reason for pundits to keep saying the president is more popular than his policies. And there is no reason for skittish politicians to flinch from backing the public plan option based on these new polls. If anything, it should motivate them to help the president make the case that his actual ideas are essential to expanding coverage and reducing the deficit. Originally posted at OurFuture.org
 
Single-Engine Plane Almost Causes Disaster At Kennedy Airport Top
A blundering small-town pilot nearly caused a disaster over Kennedy Airport when he steered his single-engine plane for a landing in front of a Boeing 747 and forced controllers to reroute other airliners out of his meandering path. Hundreds of lives were endangered around noon Saturday because 69-year-old John Prendergast of Sterling, Va., couldn't find his way to Republic Airport in Farmingdale, LI. More on Airlines
 

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