Are some states, some sections of the country, casting themselves into scientific irrelevance, in their rejection of stem cell research?
This is the case in legislative initiatives in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Texas in the Southeast and in Montana and North Dakota in the Plains/Mountains West. (To be sure, this list of states also includes Maryland in the Mid-Atlantic section.) Click to this March 11, 2009 article in "USA Today," "Some states push back against stem cell research." Here, a March 31, 2009 "Houston Chronicle" reference to stem cell research resistance in Texas.
Bucking the above cited southeastern trend is North Carolina. Major efforts have been underway at Wake Forest University in the state's Research Triangle. Click to this archived 2006 installment of Terri Gross' "Fresh Air" on public radio, "Stem Cell Research: Science and the Future."
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Free bug fix to protect from Conficker April 1 worm
I won't guarantee that it is 100% protection,
but here is the official Microsoft Windows Live OneCare site for a PC scan,
cited by Yahoo Tech news, in their news on the anticipated havoc that the Conficker worm could pose.
Know anyone able to hack the worm-writers? There is a $250,000 bounty on them. (See above Yahoo Tech link.)
but here is the official Microsoft Windows Live OneCare site for a PC scan,
cited by Yahoo Tech news, in their news on the anticipated havoc that the Conficker worm could pose.
Know anyone able to hack the worm-writers? There is a $250,000 bounty on them. (See above Yahoo Tech link.)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Obama zaps back at agenda-setting reporter
Pres. Barack Obama zapped back a rude, agenda-setting reporter from CNN.
And twitter-philes logged in to jeer at the reporter.
CNN's Ed Henry got uppity at Pres. Obama at his press conference (his second in about a month) last night, Tuesday night.
From the Christian Science Monitor:
And twitter-philes logged in to jeer at the reporter.
CNN's Ed Henry got uppity at Pres. Obama at his press conference (his second in about a month) last night, Tuesday night.
From the Christian Science Monitor:
The fun thing about watching the presidential press conference with Twitter in the background are the real time reactions of people sitting at home remarking on the event.
Like all of the teleprompter jokes that began as soon as the press conference started.
Or when President Obama flashed some anger at CNN correspondent Ed Henry for asking why it took him days to express outrage over the bonuses paid to executives at AIG.
“It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak,” Obama snapped.
The Twitterverse snapped too. “Ed Henry” soon became one of the most searched items and people quickly typed out what they thought of the exchange.
daveburkevt wrote, “Obama slams CNN dufus…”
EdJLucio typed, “Daaaamn CNN’s Ed Henry got roasted!”
c3ane agreed saying, “CNN/Ed Henry you got spanked. Deal with it.”
crutis saw things differently though. “I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak. When did THAT start?”
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Atlantic Monthly's ideas on the future for American cities
Here are the general patterns that we can see in American cities, regions and the nation:
Creative people, graduates of the more competitive colleges, high technology industries, entertainment industries, finance industries concentrate in coastal California and in the Northeast, particularly in the metropolitan areas. (David Brooks has cited this, and has connected this to the liberalism and the Republican Party's lost of an educated audience for a "sensible center.")
A basic social contract in the broadly conceived Midwest, spanning from Minnesota, following all of the states adjacent to the Great Lakes, on through the Erie Canal belt of central New York State, of industries committed to the region, to the country, to their employees was broken. Manufacturing plants, coal and steel operations closed down, as corporate America shifted jobs to the Sun Belt, the anti-union states from Arizona to the Deep South states of the former Confederacy.
And a general migration of other industries, jobs and people flowed to those states, encouraged by a smattering of conservative journalists breezily boosting this migration.
{Not mentioned in the article cited below, but related to this are the political side-products of these unequal patterns of population settlement and power: power envy, and the competing values that people in the regions place on certain economic sectors. As industry has left the Northeast, there is less interest in sustaining troubled industries than there is in the Midwest. States with lower proportions of farmers in their populations are less enthusiastic about federal crop maintenance programs and price supports than are the farm region areas that are densely situated in states west of the Mississippi River.}
* * *
Now, the Atlantic Monthly (in its March 2009 issue and an associated web-exclusive site) is posing its own prediction of what grand trends will portend from the shake-up engendered by the current meltdown. (Before we look at the magazine's predictions of a Sun Belt's loss and a gain for New York, we can give attention to particular considerations and patterns. There are weather-related challenges in the Sun Belt: life in much of the Southwest has been made bearable with air conditioning. In the new conservationist philosophy and thrift minded climate, power for air condition may be seen as a bane for the environment, and a drain on the pocketbook. Southern Florida and parts of the Gulf Coast are beset by increasingly intense hurricanes. The Southwest and the Southeast have divergent social structures. Incomes are divergent; unionized workplaces are rare, owing to "right-to-work laws." In New Mexico, high tech employees live side by side with a huge percentage of the state struggling by on minimum wages. Taxes are less progressive in both Souths, with a heavy emphasis on sales taxes.)
Next, to the Atlantic Monthly's web-only interactive map of the United States. From the website's introduction to the site:
* * *
The interactive web-site accompanies Richard Florida's article, "How the Crash Will Reshape America."
"How the Crash Will Reshape America
Urban theorist Richard Florida explains how the current meltdown will forever change our geography.
“No place in the United States is likely to escape a long and deep recession. Nonetheless, as the crisis continues to spread outward from New York, through industrial centers like Detroit, and into the Sun Belt, it will undoubtedly settle much more heavily on some places than on others. Some cities and regions will eventually spring back stronger than before. Others may never come back at all. As the crisis deepens, it will permanently and profoundly alter the country’s economic landscape. I believe it marks the end of a chapter in American economic history, and indeed, the end of a whole way of life."
SEE ALSO, The Atlantic's interview, Feb. 11, 2009, with Florida, "The Great Reset," in which Florida argues that recession is the mother of invention.
Creative people, graduates of the more competitive colleges, high technology industries, entertainment industries, finance industries concentrate in coastal California and in the Northeast, particularly in the metropolitan areas. (David Brooks has cited this, and has connected this to the liberalism and the Republican Party's lost of an educated audience for a "sensible center.")
A basic social contract in the broadly conceived Midwest, spanning from Minnesota, following all of the states adjacent to the Great Lakes, on through the Erie Canal belt of central New York State, of industries committed to the region, to the country, to their employees was broken. Manufacturing plants, coal and steel operations closed down, as corporate America shifted jobs to the Sun Belt, the anti-union states from Arizona to the Deep South states of the former Confederacy.
And a general migration of other industries, jobs and people flowed to those states, encouraged by a smattering of conservative journalists breezily boosting this migration.
{Not mentioned in the article cited below, but related to this are the political side-products of these unequal patterns of population settlement and power: power envy, and the competing values that people in the regions place on certain economic sectors. As industry has left the Northeast, there is less interest in sustaining troubled industries than there is in the Midwest. States with lower proportions of farmers in their populations are less enthusiastic about federal crop maintenance programs and price supports than are the farm region areas that are densely situated in states west of the Mississippi River.}
* * *
Now, the Atlantic Monthly (in its March 2009 issue and an associated web-exclusive site) is posing its own prediction of what grand trends will portend from the shake-up engendered by the current meltdown. (Before we look at the magazine's predictions of a Sun Belt's loss and a gain for New York, we can give attention to particular considerations and patterns. There are weather-related challenges in the Sun Belt: life in much of the Southwest has been made bearable with air conditioning. In the new conservationist philosophy and thrift minded climate, power for air condition may be seen as a bane for the environment, and a drain on the pocketbook. Southern Florida and parts of the Gulf Coast are beset by increasingly intense hurricanes. The Southwest and the Southeast have divergent social structures. Incomes are divergent; unionized workplaces are rare, owing to "right-to-work laws." In New Mexico, high tech employees live side by side with a huge percentage of the state struggling by on minimum wages. Taxes are less progressive in both Souths, with a heavy emphasis on sales taxes.)
Next, to the Atlantic Monthly's web-only interactive map of the United States. From the website's introduction to the site:
These interactive maps show historic changes in different U.S. cities, suggesting how well each area might bounce back from the current downturn.
The first map displays innovation, in the for of patents issued between 1975 and 2007. The second map reflects changing income levels between 2001 and 2008. The third follows shift in population between 1980 and 2007.
Use the sidebar at the bottom of each map to view these changes over time. You may click on a city to view more data or compare it with a second city.
* * *
The interactive web-site accompanies Richard Florida's article, "How the Crash Will Reshape America."
"How the Crash Will Reshape America
Urban theorist Richard Florida explains how the current meltdown will forever change our geography.
“No place in the United States is likely to escape a long and deep recession. Nonetheless, as the crisis continues to spread outward from New York, through industrial centers like Detroit, and into the Sun Belt, it will undoubtedly settle much more heavily on some places than on others. Some cities and regions will eventually spring back stronger than before. Others may never come back at all. As the crisis deepens, it will permanently and profoundly alter the country’s economic landscape. I believe it marks the end of a chapter in American economic history, and indeed, the end of a whole way of life."
SEE ALSO, The Atlantic's interview, Feb. 11, 2009, with Florida, "The Great Reset," in which Florida argues that recession is the mother of invention.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Gov. Jindal's lie about his Hurricane Katrina role
Childish, disaster, these were words, not only used by Democrats, and also by Republicans.
From the Associated Press, on GOP-leaning commentators' reactions:
So, Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.) will sit on the shelf of buffoonish Republican "leaders," and "stars."
And several Republican governors will attract a lot of voter anger in 2010, over their rejection of unemployment compensation aid. News reports have already registered voter anger at governors that that have rejected federal unemployment aid.
Frank Rich has pointed out that Gov. Jindal now has a budget with a $1.7 million deficit; in his campaign he offered in his campaign, and a promise of some kind of "alternative" administration.
GOV. JINDAL'S KATRINA LIE
Talking Points Memo has pointed out that Jindal's claim that he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a sheriff that was trying to circumnavigate bureaucratic red tape.
And TPM placed this episode in the larger context, connecting it to the GOP's fight against onerous government regulation: "There's a larger point here, though. The central anecdote of the GOP's prime-time response to President Obama's speech, intended to illustrate the threat of excessive government regulation, turns out to have been made up."
But overall, Jindal failed in the Republicans' quest to resuscitate their ideology that minimal government involvement is best for a comfortable country. Their impact, via the Gingrich Congress in the 1990s and the Bush presidency prove the contrary.
From the Associated Press, on GOP-leaning commentators' reactions:
David Brooks, a conservative New York Times columnist who has criticized aspects of the stimulus plan, nonetheless called Jindal's arguments "insane" and tone-deaf given the dire economic challenges the country faces.
"To come up in this moment in history with a stale, 'Government is the problem, you can't trust the federal government' is just a disaster for the Republican Party," Brooks said on PBS' "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer." "It's not where the country is, it's not where the future of the country is."
Fox News commentator Juan Williams focused on Jindal's delivery.
"It came off as amateurish, and even the tempo in which he spoke was singsongy," Williams said, adding that the content of the speech was "very simplistic and almost childish."
So, Gov. Bobby Jindal (La.) will sit on the shelf of buffoonish Republican "leaders," and "stars."
And several Republican governors will attract a lot of voter anger in 2010, over their rejection of unemployment compensation aid. News reports have already registered voter anger at governors that that have rejected federal unemployment aid.
Frank Rich has pointed out that Gov. Jindal now has a budget with a $1.7 million deficit; in his campaign he offered in his campaign, and a promise of some kind of "alternative" administration.
GOV. JINDAL'S KATRINA LIE
Talking Points Memo has pointed out that Jindal's claim that he stood shoulder-to-shoulder with a sheriff that was trying to circumnavigate bureaucratic red tape.
Jindal had described being in the office of Sheriff Harry Lee "during Katrina," and hearing him yelling into the phone at a government bureaucrat who was refusing to let him send volunteer boats out to rescue stranded storm victims, because they didn't have the necessary permits. Jindal said he told Lee, "that's ridiculous," prompting Lee to tell the bureaucrat that the rescue effort would go ahead and he or she could arrest both Lee and Jindal.
But now, a Jindal spokeswoman has admitted to Politico that in reality, Jindal overheard Lee talking about the episode to someone else by phone "days later." The spokeswoman said she thought Lee, who died in 2007, was being interviewed about the incident at the time.
This is no minor difference. Jindal's presence in Lee's office during the crisis itself was a key element of the story's intended appeal, putting him at the center of the action during the maelstrom. Just as important, Jindal implied that his support for the sheriff helped ensure the rescue went ahead. But it turns out Jindal wasn't there at the key moment, and played no role in making the rescue happen.
And TPM placed this episode in the larger context, connecting it to the GOP's fight against onerous government regulation: "There's a larger point here, though. The central anecdote of the GOP's prime-time response to President Obama's speech, intended to illustrate the threat of excessive government regulation, turns out to have been made up."
But overall, Jindal failed in the Republicans' quest to resuscitate their ideology that minimal government involvement is best for a comfortable country. Their impact, via the Gingrich Congress in the 1990s and the Bush presidency prove the contrary.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Fox's position in news oligopoly
A little historical background on why there --historically-- had been Federal Communications Commission (FCC) restrictions on one company's ownership of multiple media outlets in one media market:
There had been a growing outcry at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century against oligopolies (small numbers of companies controlling an industry) and monopolies (single companies controlling an industry).
In several sectors of industry the United States government established laws and agencies to increase competition and to limit monopolies and the monopolization of industries. The FCC limited media companies, whether headed by individuals, or run by corporations, to one media outlet (such as a newspaper, a radio station or a television station) in one media market.
A few media corporations secured exemptions to these restrictions. Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation secured numerous exemptions to this restriction. His corporation owns the tabloid newspaper, The New York Post, in New York City. And in the same city, his corporation owns channel 5 (WNYW) and channel 9 (WWOR). In Boston his corporation owns the tabloid, The Boston Herald, and channel 25 (WFXT). (See my Sunday February 22 post below to see the other metropolitan areas in which Murdoch's News Corporation owns multiple television stations.)
See Robert Greenwald/ Brave New Films' seminal video, "Outfoxed," on the News Corporation's Fox News' integration with Republican Party talking points.
There had been a growing outcry at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century against oligopolies (small numbers of companies controlling an industry) and monopolies (single companies controlling an industry).
In several sectors of industry the United States government established laws and agencies to increase competition and to limit monopolies and the monopolization of industries. The FCC limited media companies, whether headed by individuals, or run by corporations, to one media outlet (such as a newspaper, a radio station or a television station) in one media market.
A few media corporations secured exemptions to these restrictions. Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation secured numerous exemptions to this restriction. His corporation owns the tabloid newspaper, The New York Post, in New York City. And in the same city, his corporation owns channel 5 (WNYW) and channel 9 (WWOR). In Boston his corporation owns the tabloid, The Boston Herald, and channel 25 (WFXT). (See my Sunday February 22 post below to see the other metropolitan areas in which Murdoch's News Corporation owns multiple television stations.)
See Robert Greenwald/ Brave New Films' seminal video, "Outfoxed," on the News Corporation's Fox News' integration with Republican Party talking points.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Whether to boycott NY Post, News Corp / List of Fox-owned stations
Broad reasons to boycott the News Corporation's Fox Network outlets: It is widely demonstrated that the Fox News Network is an aggressively biased network that distorts the news and promotes Republican Party interests and leads the television networks in booking more Republican Party guests than Democratic Party guests. (See Robert Greenwald's documentary video and web-site, “Out-Foxed” and MediaMatters: www.mediamatters.org, e.g., see this recent report.)
Film director Spike Lee has called on entertainers and athletes to refrain from speaking to the Post. Lawyer and talk radio host Ron Kuby, on WWRL and Air America Radio, has argued that boycotting the post is unproductive, since the newspaper loses money.
Yet, the parent of the New York Post, the News Corporation has other significant holdings to which consumers can direct their protests.
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. media holdings include the Fox News channel and the Fox Network in general. The latter has major shows that viewers can stop watching: American Idol, House, Lie to Me, Fringe, 24, Cops, The Simpsons, Family Guy and King of the Hill.
Also, those seeking to boycott News Corporation can boycott the following 27 Fox Television Stations that it owns:
*in New York City and Secaucus, NJ: WNYW (5) and WWOR (9)
*in Los Angeles: KTTV (11) and KCOP (13)
*in Chicago and Gary, Indiana: WFLD (32) and WPWR (50)
*in Philadelphia: WTXF (29)
*in Dallas-Fort Worth: KDFW (4)
*in Boston: WFXT (25)
*in Atlanta: WAGA (5)
*in Washington, DC: WTTG (5) and WDCA (20)
*in Houston: KTXH (20) and KRIV (26)
*in Detroit: WJBK (2)
*in Phoenix: KSAX (10) and KUTP (45)
*in Tampa-St. Petersburg WTVT (13)
*in Minneapolis-St. Paul: KMSP (9) and WFTC (29)
*in Orlando-Daytona Beach: WOFL (35) and WRBW (65)
*in Baltimore: WUTB (24)
*in Memphis: WHBQ (13)
*in Austin: KTBC (7)
*in Ocala-Gainesville, FL: WOGX (51)
Again, the stations in the above list are Fox-owned stations, not mere affiliates.
Film director Spike Lee has called on entertainers and athletes to refrain from speaking to the Post. Lawyer and talk radio host Ron Kuby, on WWRL and Air America Radio, has argued that boycotting the post is unproductive, since the newspaper loses money.
Yet, the parent of the New York Post, the News Corporation has other significant holdings to which consumers can direct their protests.
Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. media holdings include the Fox News channel and the Fox Network in general. The latter has major shows that viewers can stop watching: American Idol, House, Lie to Me, Fringe, 24, Cops, The Simpsons, Family Guy and King of the Hill.
Also, those seeking to boycott News Corporation can boycott the following 27 Fox Television Stations that it owns:
*in New York City and Secaucus, NJ: WNYW (5) and WWOR (9)
*in Los Angeles: KTTV (11) and KCOP (13)
*in Chicago and Gary, Indiana: WFLD (32) and WPWR (50)
*in Philadelphia: WTXF (29)
*in Dallas-Fort Worth: KDFW (4)
*in Boston: WFXT (25)
*in Atlanta: WAGA (5)
*in Washington, DC: WTTG (5) and WDCA (20)
*in Houston: KTXH (20) and KRIV (26)
*in Detroit: WJBK (2)
*in Phoenix: KSAX (10) and KUTP (45)
*in Tampa-St. Petersburg WTVT (13)
*in Minneapolis-St. Paul: KMSP (9) and WFTC (29)
*in Orlando-Daytona Beach: WOFL (35) and WRBW (65)
*in Baltimore: WUTB (24)
*in Memphis: WHBQ (13)
*in Austin: KTBC (7)
*in Ocala-Gainesville, FL: WOGX (51)
Again, the stations in the above list are Fox-owned stations, not mere affiliates.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Rep. Frank points out Repub. hypocrisy on one-party government
Republicans want to have their cake and eat it too.
Through most of Pres. George W. Bush's tenure (six years) Republicans controlled the White House, the House, the Senate. As Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.) said on Meet the Press, the Republicans had no reservations about governing with one-party government.
Now that the Democrats won their greatest presidential victory in over 40 years, and have secured both houses, now they rant, along with their Rush Limbaugh / Bill O'Reilly allies, against Democratic one party government.
Through most of Pres. George W. Bush's tenure (six years) Republicans controlled the White House, the House, the Senate. As Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.) said on Meet the Press, the Republicans had no reservations about governing with one-party government.
Now that the Democrats won their greatest presidential victory in over 40 years, and have secured both houses, now they rant, along with their Rush Limbaugh / Bill O'Reilly allies, against Democratic one party government.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Senate reaches compromise, on the backs of education / Media giving heavy exposure to Republican critics
THE U.S. SENATE HAS APPARENTLY SETTLED ON A COMPROMISE ON PRES. OBAMA'S STIMULUS PACKAGE
Reports early Friday (2/06/09) evening indicated that a Senate compromise was made. The compromise was reached via the support of three Republicans.
NEEDY SCHOOLS TO PAY FOR COMPROMISE
The Republicans, who gave us eight years of the president (G.W. Bush) who claimed to be the education president, insisted on a thick host of cuts.
Prominent among the cuts was education spending. This will hurt financially needy districts profoundly. They can look forward to increases of student class sizes, such as 30 students in a kindergarten class.
The cuts will pit district against district and school against school (given the combination of cuts and the protection of pay for No Child Left Behind "NCLB"); this from Huffington Post:
2010 RACES START NOW
The Democrats need to call attention to the destructive role that Republicans have played in this mess. When cities and states have to slash budgets, due to Republican-triggered cuts, the Democrats need to publicly highlight this. When the recovery is weak, because of modest federal infusions of cash, Democrats need to call attention to the Republican pressures for austere financial contributions to the recovery.
Democrats need to call attention to the guns/butter dichotomy. Every dollar for the military is money withheld from useful social spending or useful injection into the civilian economy.
The Democrats need to start a drumbeat of these talking points NOW. There are many vulnerable Republican senate incumbents, in seats in economically depressed areas, e.g., George Voinovich of Ohio. The Republicans need to go. Spector too. The Republican pair in Maine are lucky that their seats aren't up for reelection in 2010. They (Collins and Snowe of Maine) and the other so-called moderates have shown their true colors on this urgent stimulus package. Moderate Republicans are generally liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues. That kind of posture is not helpful in this true national emergency.
President Obama has offered an olive branch to the Republicans. They have not responded in kind --not even the moderates. Instead, they have, as he has recently pointed out, pursued the same old thinking that got us into this mess in the first place.
*THANKFULLY, HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI IS COMMITTED TO PROPELLING A STRONG BILL THROUGH CONGRESS, AGAINST THE CALLS FOR BIPARTISANSHIP*
From Glenn Thrush and Patrick O'Connor at Politico, Friday afternoon (2/7/09):
NETWORKS DEMONSTRATE BIAS IN BOOKING MORE REPUBLICAN APPEARANCES THAN DEMOCRATIC APPEARANCES
The Democrats need to hold press conferences, to call attention to the media bias for Republicans, a bias that has led to a (recent) public appetite for austerity.
See this study at ThinkProgress.org, for factual demonstration of this partisan bias in booking of guests.
Reports early Friday (2/06/09) evening indicated that a Senate compromise was made. The compromise was reached via the support of three Republicans.
NEEDY SCHOOLS TO PAY FOR COMPROMISE
The Republicans, who gave us eight years of the president (G.W. Bush) who claimed to be the education president, insisted on a thick host of cuts.
Prominent among the cuts was education spending. This will hurt financially needy districts profoundly. They can look forward to increases of student class sizes, such as 30 students in a kindergarten class.
The cuts will pit district against district and school against school (given the combination of cuts and the protection of pay for No Child Left Behind "NCLB"); this from Huffington Post:
In a key reduction from the bill that reached the Senate floor earlier in the week, $40 billion would be cut from a "fiscal stabilization fund" for state governments' education costs, though $14 billion to boost the maximum for college Pell Grants by $400 to $5,250 would be preserved, as would aid to local school districts for the No Child Left Behind law and special education.
2010 RACES START NOW
The Democrats need to call attention to the destructive role that Republicans have played in this mess. When cities and states have to slash budgets, due to Republican-triggered cuts, the Democrats need to publicly highlight this. When the recovery is weak, because of modest federal infusions of cash, Democrats need to call attention to the Republican pressures for austere financial contributions to the recovery.
Democrats need to call attention to the guns/butter dichotomy. Every dollar for the military is money withheld from useful social spending or useful injection into the civilian economy.
The Democrats need to start a drumbeat of these talking points NOW. There are many vulnerable Republican senate incumbents, in seats in economically depressed areas, e.g., George Voinovich of Ohio. The Republicans need to go. Spector too. The Republican pair in Maine are lucky that their seats aren't up for reelection in 2010. They (Collins and Snowe of Maine) and the other so-called moderates have shown their true colors on this urgent stimulus package. Moderate Republicans are generally liberal on social issues and conservative on economic issues. That kind of posture is not helpful in this true national emergency.
President Obama has offered an olive branch to the Republicans. They have not responded in kind --not even the moderates. Instead, they have, as he has recently pointed out, pursued the same old thinking that got us into this mess in the first place.
*THANKFULLY, HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI IS COMMITTED TO PROPELLING A STRONG BILL THROUGH CONGRESS, AGAINST THE CALLS FOR BIPARTISANSHIP*
From Glenn Thrush and Patrick O'Connor at Politico, Friday afternoon (2/7/09):
In a statement sure to rile Republicans, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Friday dismissed calls for bipartisanship as “process” arguments extraneous to passing a stimulus bill — and warned Senate Democrats against slashing proposed increases to education spending.
. . . .
“Washington seems consumed in the process argument of bipartisanship, when the rest of the country says they need this bill,” the California Democrat said, seeming to sweep aside the Obama administration initial desire to have broad GOP support for the plan.
“We must have a bill [quickly],” she said, in a clear message to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who has spent the past two days wrangling with moderates who want to cut proposed education funding for the states by as much as $50 billion.
“These cuts are very damaging — [the House bill] was put together very carefully. ... The funding goes directly to school districts, they are stimulative because they maintain jobs instead of cutting jobs.”
NETWORKS DEMONSTRATE BIAS IN BOOKING MORE REPUBLICAN APPEARANCES THAN DEMOCRATIC APPEARANCES
The Democrats need to hold press conferences, to call attention to the media bias for Republicans, a bias that has led to a (recent) public appetite for austerity.
See this study at ThinkProgress.org, for factual demonstration of this partisan bias in booking of guests.
REPORT: GOP Lawmakers Outnumber Dem Lawmakers By Almost 2 To 1 In Cable News Stimulus Debate Again»
Last week, ThinkProgress released a report showing that, in the debate over the House economic recovery bill on the five cable news networks, Republican members of Congress outnumbered their Democratic counterparts by a ratio of 2 to 1. The analysis tallied interview segments about the stimulus on CNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC during a three-day period, finding that the networks had hosted Republican lawmakers 51 times and Democratic lawmakers only 26 times.
The economic recovery package passed the House last week with zero Republican votes, shifting the focus to the Senate. Though the venue has changed, the debate on cable has not improved much.
In a new analysis, ThinkProgress has found that Republican lawmakers outnumbered Democratic lawmakers 75 to 41 on cable news interviews by members of Congress (from 6am on Monday 2/2 through 11pm on Thursday 2/5):
Some observations from our analysis:
* Last week, Fox News came the closest to balance with 8 Republicans and 6 Democrats. But the so-called “fair and balanced” network was not able to maintain such a ratio this week, hosting 24 Republicans and only 11 Democrats.
* The business news networks were particularly egregious this week. CNBC had more than twice as many conservatives, with 14 Republicans and 6 Democrats. Fox Business was even worse, hosting 20 Republicans for just 4 Democrats.
* In the previous study, the supposedly liberal MSNBC favored Republicans 15 to 9. This week, however, MSNBC became the only network to host more Democratic members of Congress than Republicans, with 17 Democrats and 12 Republicans.
Though the imbalance is already stark, the tilt of the coverage would have been even more lopsided if the analysis had been broken down into whether a lawmaker who appeared on TV was a supporter or a critic of the economic recovery plan. Some of the most frequent Democratic guests this week were outspoken critics of the proposed stimulus plans, such as Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Kent Conrad (D-ND).
Fortunately, the imbalance on the networks is not going unnoticed. A House Democratic leadership aide told Politico’s Michael Calderone yesterday that “what happened with cable last week is that Republican House members were the only show in town.” A “very senior” Democratic aide told The Washington Post’s Greg Sargent that the leadership is “aware of the problem and are taking steps to fix it.” The aide noted that “there is also an onus on producers to remedy this issue.”
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Pray for Just. Ginsburg's health
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 75, often touted as "the liberal voice" of the United States Supreme Court, has been hospitalized with pancreatic cancer.
Let's wish her a speedy and vigorous recovery.
Another Justice is in more advanced age, Justice John Paul Stevens, 88, appointed in 1975 by Gerald Ford. Stevens is the next most liberal member of the high court. (One wonders, was he waiting for Bush to be replaced, before he considered resigning?)
President Obama will likely have the opportunity this year to nominate two Supreme Court justices. Let's hope that he chooses strong liberals, in the mold of Ginsburg. For those interested in speculating on coming appointments, let's look at this Times piece on the right-ward tilt of the court appointees since the early 1970s.
Adam Liptak, "To Nudge, Shift or Shove the Supreme Court Left" "The New York Times," January 31, 2009.
Let's wish her a speedy and vigorous recovery.
Another Justice is in more advanced age, Justice John Paul Stevens, 88, appointed in 1975 by Gerald Ford. Stevens is the next most liberal member of the high court. (One wonders, was he waiting for Bush to be replaced, before he considered resigning?)
President Obama will likely have the opportunity this year to nominate two Supreme Court justices. Let's hope that he chooses strong liberals, in the mold of Ginsburg. For those interested in speculating on coming appointments, let's look at this Times piece on the right-ward tilt of the court appointees since the early 1970s.
Adam Liptak, "To Nudge, Shift or Shove the Supreme Court Left" "The New York Times," January 31, 2009.
Support "Buy American" provisions stimulus package
The portion of the American economy represented by industry was hemorraging before the current economic crisis. We must act to improve the position of American industry. America has one of the lowest proportions of its economy being industry, among the world's industrial economies. The percentage of the Gross Domestic Product represented by industry is 19.6 percent. Compare this against Germany, 30.1%, Italy, 26.7, Switzerland, 34%.
We cannot rest our economy predominantly on finance or information services. Furthermore, these portions of the services sector have represented sectors with technology supplanting (human) workers.
The other industrial economies of the world have been aided by government industrial policies. The laissez fairists have always promoted doing nothing, saying that doing nothing is the best policy. This has been shown to be an unmitigated disaster. Our industrial sector has plummeted, as has our position in the balance of trade.
We should call on our Congressional officials, and President Obama, to support "Buy American" provisions of the stimulus package.
Here is one of the few news reports on the matter that does not echo the standard pro-laissez faire / do nothing position:
Andrea Holocek, "Steel leaders talk trade, climate change and Buy American" (Most media press has been biased against this provision.
Not only are union leaders behind this provision, but so are some business leaders; indeed, Republican Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania introduced the provision.
From Holocek's article:
We cannot rest our economy predominantly on finance or information services. Furthermore, these portions of the services sector have represented sectors with technology supplanting (human) workers.
The other industrial economies of the world have been aided by government industrial policies. The laissez fairists have always promoted doing nothing, saying that doing nothing is the best policy. This has been shown to be an unmitigated disaster. Our industrial sector has plummeted, as has our position in the balance of trade.
We should call on our Congressional officials, and President Obama, to support "Buy American" provisions of the stimulus package.
Here is one of the few news reports on the matter that does not echo the standard pro-laissez faire / do nothing position:
Andrea Holocek, "Steel leaders talk trade, climate change and Buy American" (Most media press has been biased against this provision.
Not only are union leaders behind this provision, but so are some business leaders; indeed, Republican Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania introduced the provision.
From Holocek's article:
Major U.S. steel industry leaders testified on the sorry state of the industry before the Congressional Steel Caucus Wednesday, asking lawmakers to uphold trade laws and pass sensible climate change regulations that don't hinder domestic steel production unfairly.
The Buy American provision of the Obama administration's almost $900 billion economic stimulus package took center stage.
The caucus, chaired by Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., works in support of the domestic steel industry.
"The single most pressing issue for steel, and our economy as a whole, is revitalization," said Visclosky, adding that his Northwest Indiana congressional district has had almost 600 steelworkers laid off and many more put on a shortened work weeks.
"These layoffs have serious repercussions throughout our local economy, and sitting idly by is just not an option."
Visclosky, who with Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., introduced the Buy American provision that was added to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, said the requirement is a way to support those with jobs and return those currently unemployed to the work force. It would require, with few exceptions, that U.S. produced steel be used in infrastructure projects funded by the proposed federal stimulus bill.
Incentives for doctors to overprescribe must stop
Doctors are receiving incentives, for prescribing medications, from pharmaceutical companies.
Fortney H. "Pete" Stark, a central California Congressman (Dem.), spoke on the practice.
The New York Times gave attention to this issue last month:
Barry Meier, "An Rx for Ethics: New Rules on Doctors and Medical Firms Amid Conflict Concerns," January 24, 2009, p. B1.
Jerry Avron of Harvard Medical School said that "Most of what doctors know about drugs comes from the industry, and that's not healthy." (Elizabeth Williamson and Christopher Lee, "Conflict Alleged in Drug Firms' Education Role" "Washington Post" June 27, 2007 p. A 3.)
Until these incentives (and any kickbacks from pharmaceuticals to doctors) are entirely eradicated, we should be apprehensive when doctors are eager to get us onto regular prescription regimens.
Fortney H. "Pete" Stark, a central California Congressman (Dem.), spoke on the practice.
The New York Times gave attention to this issue last month:
Barry Meier, "An Rx for Ethics: New Rules on Doctors and Medical Firms Amid Conflict Concerns," January 24, 2009, p. B1.
Jerry Avron of Harvard Medical School said that "Most of what doctors know about drugs comes from the industry, and that's not healthy." (Elizabeth Williamson and Christopher Lee, "Conflict Alleged in Drug Firms' Education Role" "Washington Post" June 27, 2007 p. A 3.)
Until these incentives (and any kickbacks from pharmaceuticals to doctors) are entirely eradicated, we should be apprehensive when doctors are eager to get us onto regular prescription regimens.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
NEWSFLASH: Gov. Paterson to announce Senate choice
Governor David Paterson will announce his choice to succeed Hilary Clinton in the junior U.S. senate seat in New York State, tomorrow, Friday, at 10 AM. Eastern Standard Time.
As anyone who has noticed the news in the last twenty-four hours, the choice will not be Caroline Kennedy. A Paterson administration source has revealed that Paterson had never seriously considered her.
As anyone who has noticed the news in the last twenty-four hours, the choice will not be Caroline Kennedy. A Paterson administration source has revealed that Paterson had never seriously considered her.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
NEWSFLASH! Lady Caroline Kennedy drops out!!!
Lady Caroline, Kennedy Duchess of the Hamptons and Hyannis, has withdrawn. The aristocrat cited "personal reasons" for her withdrawal. (The New York Times, The New York Post and MSNBC are among the sources for this story.)
Who is the front-running now? -Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Attorney General son of the former governor, Mario Cuomo. Yes, he is another political dynasty member. But he does have a full resume, as opposed to a nearly empty one (as in Lady Caroline), and has a public record of his policy positions (again, unlike the mystery surrounding Lady Caroline, until gave a public response to a limited number of questions.
Who deserves Hilary Clinton's former senate seat? One of the most qualified and having true liberal bona fides: Carolyn Maloney. Maloney has a sound record on lunch bucket issues of working families of New York State (specifically, representing parts of Manhattan and Queens).
A superimpressive progressive would be former Congresswoman Liz Holtzman (representing Brooklyn and Queens from 1973 to 1981). Holtzman more recently is remembered as a former district attorney of Kings County (more widely known as Brooklyn).
Alas, it is quite likely that Gov. David Paterson will give the seat to Cuomo. It would behoove him to appoint Cuomo, so as to eliminate a major opponent to his 2010 election campaign.
Who is the front-running now? -Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Attorney General son of the former governor, Mario Cuomo. Yes, he is another political dynasty member. But he does have a full resume, as opposed to a nearly empty one (as in Lady Caroline), and has a public record of his policy positions (again, unlike the mystery surrounding Lady Caroline, until gave a public response to a limited number of questions.
Who deserves Hilary Clinton's former senate seat? One of the most qualified and having true liberal bona fides: Carolyn Maloney. Maloney has a sound record on lunch bucket issues of working families of New York State (specifically, representing parts of Manhattan and Queens).
A superimpressive progressive would be former Congresswoman Liz Holtzman (representing Brooklyn and Queens from 1973 to 1981). Holtzman more recently is remembered as a former district attorney of Kings County (more widely known as Brooklyn).
Alas, it is quite likely that Gov. David Paterson will give the seat to Cuomo. It would behoove him to appoint Cuomo, so as to eliminate a major opponent to his 2010 election campaign.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Obama, the trains, and race / why it matters where Amtrak is sold out / OBAMA TRAINS INTO DC
WHERE AMTRAK IS SOLD OUT or NOT
As of earlier this afternoon the only trains today, Saturday, to Washington, DC, from points north on the Northeast Corridor (e.g., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston) were evening trains, particularly the uber-expensive Acela train.
By 5 PM, all the trains were sold out. (Sunday and Monday departures were already sold out by early this afternoon; return trips only become available again on Wednesday, aside from a red eye wee hour AM departure.)
The pattern for trains from Pittsburgh, on the Cumberland route, is that there were seats available earlier today for Saturday. Sunday and Monday are sold out. One needs to wait til Thursday for a return trip. (Return trips are sold out.)
Now, to the interesting stuff:
Tickets from seemingly all points south, on the various lines from North Carolina and Virginia, are available on several itineraries (Sunday, Monday trips; returns on a range of days).
(A little bit of an exception: The Crescent, from the trajectory from New Orleans -Atlanta, Charlotte- is sold out for Monday, but tickets are available, folks, for Sunday. Return trips on the 20th and the 21st are sold out, but the 22nd is available.)
This is the old South, remember folks? While we have Obama-mania in the Northeast, enthusiasm is cooler in the South, by this measure. A sad statement, that this is still a divided country.
CONTRAST AGAINST PLESSY
Plessy vs. Ferguson was the Supreme Court decision in the 1890s, sanctioning segregation. The case was concerned with a black passenger and a railroad train. And it was not until the years between 1946 and 1950 that the Court struck down segregation on trains.
Could Obama, as an ordinary citizen, in the early 1940s, make the inauguration train itinerary to Washington, without restrictions?
So, there is additional special significance in Barack Obama's presidential inauguration and his train trip this weekend.
*INAUGURATION TRAIN, AND THE MEDIA REPORTS*
*CNN's interactive map of Obama's "Whistlestop tour."
*Dispatches from Candy Crowley and other CNN correspondents along the route.
*Obama had "ordinary folks" as guests, 51 guests, this included 16 families from 15 states.
*By mid-afternoon, Obama and family, and Joe Biden, arrived in Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.
(The NY Times report.)
As of earlier this afternoon the only trains today, Saturday, to Washington, DC, from points north on the Northeast Corridor (e.g., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, Boston) were evening trains, particularly the uber-expensive Acela train.
By 5 PM, all the trains were sold out. (Sunday and Monday departures were already sold out by early this afternoon; return trips only become available again on Wednesday, aside from a red eye wee hour AM departure.)
The pattern for trains from Pittsburgh, on the Cumberland route, is that there were seats available earlier today for Saturday. Sunday and Monday are sold out. One needs to wait til Thursday for a return trip. (Return trips are sold out.)
Now, to the interesting stuff:
Tickets from seemingly all points south, on the various lines from North Carolina and Virginia, are available on several itineraries (Sunday, Monday trips; returns on a range of days).
(A little bit of an exception: The Crescent, from the trajectory from New Orleans -Atlanta, Charlotte- is sold out for Monday, but tickets are available, folks, for Sunday. Return trips on the 20th and the 21st are sold out, but the 22nd is available.)
This is the old South, remember folks? While we have Obama-mania in the Northeast, enthusiasm is cooler in the South, by this measure. A sad statement, that this is still a divided country.
CONTRAST AGAINST PLESSY
Plessy vs. Ferguson was the Supreme Court decision in the 1890s, sanctioning segregation. The case was concerned with a black passenger and a railroad train. And it was not until the years between 1946 and 1950 that the Court struck down segregation on trains.
Could Obama, as an ordinary citizen, in the early 1940s, make the inauguration train itinerary to Washington, without restrictions?
So, there is additional special significance in Barack Obama's presidential inauguration and his train trip this weekend.
*INAUGURATION TRAIN, AND THE MEDIA REPORTS*
*CNN's interactive map of Obama's "Whistlestop tour."
*Dispatches from Candy Crowley and other CNN correspondents along the route.
*Obama had "ordinary folks" as guests, 51 guests, this included 16 families from 15 states.
*By mid-afternoon, Obama and family, and Joe Biden, arrived in Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.
(The NY Times report.)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Birds collide with jet / plane lands on water / preflight safety lessons relevant
MSNBC reported that a flock of geese went into the intake engine of US Airways 1549, causing at least one engine to fail. (The flight was from LaGuardia Airport, heading to Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina.)
One passenger, interviewed on WNBC-TV, said that he saw left engine burn up. Recent reports say that both engines blew out. (PopSci.Com: "Explaining the US Airways Crash")
The engines went out too soon for the pilot to guide the flight to an airport at Teterboro, in that other state, New Jersey. Accordingly, the pilot turned the plane southward, to steer into the Hudson River. Given the rapidly falling altitude, the plane missed the George Washington Bridge by 900 feet.
The pilot guided the flight to the Hudson River, roughly at the latitude of 48th Street. Fortunately, all of the 150 passengers were able to take rescue rafts and reach land alive.
WCBS-TV reports that the moment that birds pose the greatest to planes is right at take-off.
* * *
Well, this proves that it is worth putting down the Sky Mall magazine and paying attention to the safety directions.
* * *
We are awaiting former mayor Rudy Giuliani's accusing the birds of ties to Al-Qaeda.
UPDATE:
From democraticunderground:
"Please note airlines are trying to get rid of older pilots that make more. This is a great reason to keep the experienced pilots where they belong, in the pilots seat!"
DU post linked to this opinion piece on Examiner.com.
One passenger, interviewed on WNBC-TV, said that he saw left engine burn up. Recent reports say that both engines blew out. (PopSci.Com: "Explaining the US Airways Crash")
The engines went out too soon for the pilot to guide the flight to an airport at Teterboro, in that other state, New Jersey. Accordingly, the pilot turned the plane southward, to steer into the Hudson River. Given the rapidly falling altitude, the plane missed the George Washington Bridge by 900 feet.
The pilot guided the flight to the Hudson River, roughly at the latitude of 48th Street. Fortunately, all of the 150 passengers were able to take rescue rafts and reach land alive.
WCBS-TV reports that the moment that birds pose the greatest to planes is right at take-off.
* * *
Well, this proves that it is worth putting down the Sky Mall magazine and paying attention to the safety directions.
* * *
We are awaiting former mayor Rudy Giuliani's accusing the birds of ties to Al-Qaeda.
UPDATE:
From democraticunderground:
"Please note airlines are trying to get rid of older pilots that make more. This is a great reason to keep the experienced pilots where they belong, in the pilots seat!"
DU post linked to this opinion piece on Examiner.com.
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