For a devotee of Israel, I had a surprisingly emotional reaction to seeing Ambassador Gabriela Shalev at New York’s Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, on March 30, literally on the eve of Benjamin Netanyahu’s second ascendence to the office of prime minister. I was overcome by a sense of unease and anger. Amb. Shalev, a retired professor of law at Hebrew University, may be a perfectly fine individual, but I had trouble with the whole scene.
Stephen Wise is a prominent Manhattan Reform temple, and its senior rabbi is Ammiel Hirsch, who had previously been executive director of ARZA, the Association of Reform Zionists of America. I indicated to my companion that this could be a tough venue for Ms. Shalev, certainly tougher than an Orthodox synagogue, for example. But I was wrong.
There were no critical or challenging questions for the new representative of Israel at the UN, who had been appointed under the embarrassingly failed centrist government of Ehud Olmert, now being succeeded by the center-right coalition of Netanyahu. Nothing difficult or probing arising, for example, from the bloody humanitarian disaster of the Gaza Strip offensive of a couple of months ago.
Not only were the questions posed by the audience all soft balls, but Rabbi Hirsch’s remarks were an embarrassment for their overzealous declaration of undying love and devotion for Israel. I mean, I love Israel, but I hate most of what it has done to the possibility of peace that was so much the expectation of ten years ago, when Netanyahu was defeated by Ehud Barak.
The failure of peace is definitely not all Israel’s fault. But a lover of Israel could at least express honest concern that the two-state solution that is so vital for Israel’s future is slipping away. Yet all we got from Rabbi Hirsch and the audience was fawning and cheerleading.
Ms. Shalev made the point that she is "non-partisan," having never been a member of a political party. This may give her the stomach she needs to represent the views of a government that will likely do some reprehensible things. But it doesn’t make me want to cheer her. And all I heard from her address, and the Rabbi’s introduction, were pious recapitulations of conventional and tired notions that Israel always strives for peace and that its non-obtainment is always the other side’s fault.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Pictures from Lafayette, LA
Their first tournament was a success, with 25 doubles teams and wonderful weather.Winners were Collin & Steve, with Hassam & John in second place. All from Lafayette. Tomie & Gordon who drove in from Baton Rouge took third place.
The day before Mayor Joe Durel officially opened the new terrain in Girard park, with an inaugural game with Bernard Champey, who had brought special "fleur-de-lys" boules for the occasion.
Well done, guys! Looking forward to more Louisiana petanque events.
Pictures from Lafayette, LA
Their first tournament was a success, with 25 doubles teams and wonderful weather.Winners were Collin & Steve, with Hassam & John in second place. All from Lafayette. Tomie & Gordon who drove in from Baton Rouge took third place.
The day before Mayor Joe Durel officially opened the new terrain in Girard park, with an inaugural game with Bernard Champey, who had brought special "fleur-de-lys" boules for the occasion.
Well done, guys! Looking forward to more Louisiana petanque events.
Opinion: Arts Advocacy Day testimony from Linda Ronstadt
This well-known singer delivered testimony to Congress telling them how important it is to have all the arts taught in school. We agree. - - Donna Poisl
Linda Ronstadt, Special to the Mercury News
Editor's note: The following is the full testimony Linda Ronstadt is delivering today to a Congressional subcommittee as part of Arts Advocacy Day. Ronstadt, a Grammy-award winning singer, is artistic director of the San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival.
Mr. Chairman and Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to be here. My name is Linda Ronstadt, I am a singer, and I am pleased to be a part of the Americans for the Arts delegation and to come to our nation's capitol for Arts Advocacy Day. I am also here to testify in favor of a Fiscal Year 2010 appropriation of $200 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Before I discuss the topic of my remarks, I would like to share a bit about my personal background, which informs my conversation with you today.
I grew up in the desert in Tucson, Arizona on what was then a rural route. My grandfather's cattle ranch had been whittled down considerably in size as a result of the financial storms of the last depression, but we were pretty happily established there amid the cactus and the cottonwoods. My family had built a little compound with my grandparents in one house, my father and mother and the four of us kids in the other.
Be sure to read the rest of this testimony! This is only a small part of it.
Linda Ronstadt, Special to the Mercury News
Editor's note: The following is the full testimony Linda Ronstadt is delivering today to a Congressional subcommittee as part of Arts Advocacy Day. Ronstadt, a Grammy-award winning singer, is artistic director of the San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival.
Mr. Chairman and Distinguished Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to be here. My name is Linda Ronstadt, I am a singer, and I am pleased to be a part of the Americans for the Arts delegation and to come to our nation's capitol for Arts Advocacy Day. I am also here to testify in favor of a Fiscal Year 2010 appropriation of $200 million for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Before I discuss the topic of my remarks, I would like to share a bit about my personal background, which informs my conversation with you today.
I grew up in the desert in Tucson, Arizona on what was then a rural route. My grandfather's cattle ranch had been whittled down considerably in size as a result of the financial storms of the last depression, but we were pretty happily established there amid the cactus and the cottonwoods. My family had built a little compound with my grandparents in one house, my father and mother and the four of us kids in the other.
Be sure to read the rest of this testimony! This is only a small part of it.
This is Why I’m H.O.T.
UC Irvine students are teaching high school students in English literature or history. These classes are often neglected and this is good for students and teachers. - - Donna Poisl
By Marissa Osato
Travel a few miles up the 55 North and the prim, polished, perfectly planned community of Irvine transforms into the graffiti-ridden, overpopulated metropolis of Santa Ana. According to School Data Direct, a service of the Council of Chief State School Officers next door to one of the most affluent, first-rate research universities in California, the Santa Ana Unified School District stands as one of the lowest-ranked school districts in Orange County. We remain aware of these curious socio-economic contrasts, yet the question remains – what can we do?
H.O.T., or Humanities Out There, seeks to answer that question. It is an educational outreach program in which UC Irvine undergraduates visit Santa Ana high schools once a week to teach English literature or history lessons devised by graduate students. Each undergrad tutor leads a small discussion group and is given the freedom to alter lesson plans to address individual students’ needs.
UCI English professor Julia Lupton founded H.O.T. 10 years ago to allow undergrads to share their knowledge and build relationships with local community students, a unique enterprise that would bring university education to public school classrooms. UCI’s School of Humanities and the Santa Ana Unified School District established a strong partnership in hopes of improving these students’ academic aptitude and inspiring them to go to college. The idea was that students would feel more motivated to finish high school and pursue a college degree if they interacted with university students.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Marissa Osato
Travel a few miles up the 55 North and the prim, polished, perfectly planned community of Irvine transforms into the graffiti-ridden, overpopulated metropolis of Santa Ana. According to School Data Direct, a service of the Council of Chief State School Officers next door to one of the most affluent, first-rate research universities in California, the Santa Ana Unified School District stands as one of the lowest-ranked school districts in Orange County. We remain aware of these curious socio-economic contrasts, yet the question remains – what can we do?
H.O.T., or Humanities Out There, seeks to answer that question. It is an educational outreach program in which UC Irvine undergraduates visit Santa Ana high schools once a week to teach English literature or history lessons devised by graduate students. Each undergrad tutor leads a small discussion group and is given the freedom to alter lesson plans to address individual students’ needs.
UCI English professor Julia Lupton founded H.O.T. 10 years ago to allow undergrads to share their knowledge and build relationships with local community students, a unique enterprise that would bring university education to public school classrooms. UCI’s School of Humanities and the Santa Ana Unified School District established a strong partnership in hopes of improving these students’ academic aptitude and inspiring them to go to college. The idea was that students would feel more motivated to finish high school and pursue a college degree if they interacted with university students.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Census officials launch bid to win trust of immigrants
Almost 20% of the population is reluctant to give information to census takers. This information is needed to figure out how the government does many things to run this country. We have to know how many people are here and where they are. - - Donna Poisl
By Carrie Dann, Congress Daily
With a year to go until Census Day, earning the trust of historically undercounted communities remains a key challenge for decennial headcounters, census officials and lawmakers said on Monday.
In a kickoff event for "census partnership" organizations ranging from the NAACP to the Target Corp. retail chain, leaders of the 2010 effort stressed the need to demystify the census among hard-to-reach populations that may be reluctant to offer personal information to government workers.
Recent immigrants, low-income urban workers and others may confuse a census worker with a police officer or tax collector, they warned.
"We have one year to convince populations that may approach 18 to 20 percent who are cynical about the census that this is a good thing to do," said Arnold Jackson, associate director of the 2010 census.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Carrie Dann, Congress Daily
With a year to go until Census Day, earning the trust of historically undercounted communities remains a key challenge for decennial headcounters, census officials and lawmakers said on Monday.
In a kickoff event for "census partnership" organizations ranging from the NAACP to the Target Corp. retail chain, leaders of the 2010 effort stressed the need to demystify the census among hard-to-reach populations that may be reluctant to offer personal information to government workers.
Recent immigrants, low-income urban workers and others may confuse a census worker with a police officer or tax collector, they warned.
"We have one year to convince populations that may approach 18 to 20 percent who are cynical about the census that this is a good thing to do," said Arnold Jackson, associate director of the 2010 census.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Students advocate at Tempe MU for education immigration reform
It is good to see university students getting involved in the process. If everyone works for it, maybe we can get immigration reform and the DREAM act is a good first step. - - Donna Poisl
By: Griselda Nevarez
ASU students will gather outside the Tempe campus Memorial Union this week encouraging passersby to support the DREAM Act by calling their congressional representatives.
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, introduced to Congress on Thursday by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would put undocumented students on the path to legalization. It was first introduced in 2001 in the House of Representatives and the Senate but fell eight votes short of the 60 necessary to proceed to a debate on the Senate floor in 2007.
Durbin said in a press release that undocumented students should be given a chance to contribute to the nation’s future.
“These children are tomorrow’s doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen, firefighters, soldiers and senators, and we should give them the opportunity to reach their full potential,” Durbin said.
If passed, the DREAM Act would give undocumented students six years to complete two years of either satisfactory military service or postsecondary education. Upon completion, they could apply for legal residency.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By: Griselda Nevarez
ASU students will gather outside the Tempe campus Memorial Union this week encouraging passersby to support the DREAM Act by calling their congressional representatives.
The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, introduced to Congress on Thursday by Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., would put undocumented students on the path to legalization. It was first introduced in 2001 in the House of Representatives and the Senate but fell eight votes short of the 60 necessary to proceed to a debate on the Senate floor in 2007.
Durbin said in a press release that undocumented students should be given a chance to contribute to the nation’s future.
“These children are tomorrow’s doctors, nurses, teachers, policemen, firefighters, soldiers and senators, and we should give them the opportunity to reach their full potential,” Durbin said.
If passed, the DREAM Act would give undocumented students six years to complete two years of either satisfactory military service or postsecondary education. Upon completion, they could apply for legal residency.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Report Urges President to Use Existing Law to Cut Off Flow of Military-Style Guns to Mexico
PRESS RELEASE
Study of Gun-Trafficking Problem Concludes President Obama and Attorney General Holder Could Use 1968 Law to Immediately Stop Import Into U.S. of AK- 47s and Other Assault Weapons Smuggled to Mexico
WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released Iron River: Gun Violence and Illegal Firearms Trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico Border, a comprehensive study of how the U.S. civilian firearms market contributes to the ongoing drug-related violence in Mexico. The report (see http://www.vpc.org/studies/ironriver.pdf) urges the Obama administration to take immediate action under the federal 1968 Gun Control Act to cut off imports into the U.S. of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons and "cop-killer" handguns capable of piercing police body armor. Such weapons are imported into the U.S. and then llegally trafficked into Mexico.
"With the stroke of a pen President Obama could immediately stop tens of thousands of foreign-made assault rifles from being dumped onto the U.S. market. These cheap military-style guns, mostly AK-47 variants, are not only being smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico, but are also killing police officers in the United States from Oakland to Miami," stated VPC Senior Policy Analyst and study author Tom Diaz.
Part One of Iron River provides an overview of the conflict in Mexico and its links with the United States, including the "war on drugs," the U.S. civilian firearms market, and transnational street gangs. Part Two describes in detail the role of the U.S. civilian gun market in helping fuel the war in Mexico, focusing on the deliberate introduction of semiautomatic military-style firearms that today defines the U.S. civilian marketplace and the weak regulation of guns in America that facilitates illegal trafficking. Part Three offers concrete steps to control the illegal firearms traffic, including non-legislative measures such as enforcing the import ban.
The report emphasizes "upstream" measures to inhibit the movement of firearms from legal commerce into the illegal trade, as opposed to relying solely on law enforcement efforts, which are aimed "downstream" and focus on apprehending and prosecuting illegal traffickers and criminals after the damage is done.
The Violence Policy Center (www.vpc.org) is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury.
SOURCE Violence Policy Center
03/31/2009
/CONTACT: Mandy Wimmer, Communications Associate of Violence Policy Center, +1-202-822-8200, ext. 110, mwimmer@vpc.org /
Study of Gun-Trafficking Problem Concludes President Obama and Attorney General Holder Could Use 1968 Law to Immediately Stop Import Into U.S. of AK- 47s and Other Assault Weapons Smuggled to Mexico
WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released Iron River: Gun Violence and Illegal Firearms Trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico Border, a comprehensive study of how the U.S. civilian firearms market contributes to the ongoing drug-related violence in Mexico. The report (see http://www.vpc.org/studies/ironriver.pdf) urges the Obama administration to take immediate action under the federal 1968 Gun Control Act to cut off imports into the U.S. of military-style semiautomatic assault weapons and "cop-killer" handguns capable of piercing police body armor. Such weapons are imported into the U.S. and then llegally trafficked into Mexico.
"With the stroke of a pen President Obama could immediately stop tens of thousands of foreign-made assault rifles from being dumped onto the U.S. market. These cheap military-style guns, mostly AK-47 variants, are not only being smuggled from the U.S. to Mexico, but are also killing police officers in the United States from Oakland to Miami," stated VPC Senior Policy Analyst and study author Tom Diaz.
Part One of Iron River provides an overview of the conflict in Mexico and its links with the United States, including the "war on drugs," the U.S. civilian firearms market, and transnational street gangs. Part Two describes in detail the role of the U.S. civilian gun market in helping fuel the war in Mexico, focusing on the deliberate introduction of semiautomatic military-style firearms that today defines the U.S. civilian marketplace and the weak regulation of guns in America that facilitates illegal trafficking. Part Three offers concrete steps to control the illegal firearms traffic, including non-legislative measures such as enforcing the import ban.
The report emphasizes "upstream" measures to inhibit the movement of firearms from legal commerce into the illegal trade, as opposed to relying solely on law enforcement efforts, which are aimed "downstream" and focus on apprehending and prosecuting illegal traffickers and criminals after the damage is done.
The Violence Policy Center (www.vpc.org) is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury.
SOURCE Violence Policy Center
03/31/2009
/CONTACT: Mandy Wimmer, Communications Associate of Violence Policy Center, +1-202-822-8200, ext. 110, mwimmer@vpc.org /
Latino Entrepreneurs and Economic Experts Converge at First Latino Economic Summit
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- More than 150 key Latino entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the country will converge today in Washington, D.C., for the first U.S. Latino Economic Summit hosted by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and LATINO Magazine. Gene Sperling, adviser to U.S. Department of the Secretary Timothy Geithner and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress will keynote the summit at noon and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will lead a town hall forum later in the day. This day-long summit, held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, will address many of the financial challenges these entrepreneurs are currently facing across the country.
Summit attendees will have one-on-one opportunities to meet with top economic and business experts to discuss, develop and provide input on business strategies to best navigate these difficult economic times and understand the regulatory environment. Wal-Mart is sponsoring this first Latino Economic Summit as part of its ongoing commitment to Hispanic-owned businesses, particularly the company's Hispanic suppliers.
Please visit http://impact-o.com/Wal-Mart.Summit for more information.
WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- More than 150 key Latino entrepreneurs and business leaders from across the country will converge today in Washington, D.C., for the first U.S. Latino Economic Summit hosted by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and LATINO Magazine. Gene Sperling, adviser to U.S. Department of the Secretary Timothy Geithner and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress will keynote the summit at noon and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez, Chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will lead a town hall forum later in the day. This day-long summit, held at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, will address many of the financial challenges these entrepreneurs are currently facing across the country.
Summit attendees will have one-on-one opportunities to meet with top economic and business experts to discuss, develop and provide input on business strategies to best navigate these difficult economic times and understand the regulatory environment. Wal-Mart is sponsoring this first Latino Economic Summit as part of its ongoing commitment to Hispanic-owned businesses, particularly the company's Hispanic suppliers.
Please visit http://impact-o.com/Wal-Mart.Summit for more information.
House Hearing On Kingston Tennessee Coal Ash Spill
The House Infrastructure Committee Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment held a hearing today on "The Tennessee Valley Authority's Kingston Ash Slide: Potential Water Quality, Impacts of Coal Combustion Waste Storage." The purpose of the hearing was to receive testimony from representatives from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Duke University, and other interested parties. The purpose of this hearing was to investigate the potential causes of the coal ash spill at the TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant, the response and cleanup, as well as receive information on potential water quality implications from the ash spill.AAEA President Norris McDonald spoke to Tom Kilgore, President and CEO of the Tennessee Valley Authority, after the hearing about the feasibility of increasing the use of fly ash in the production of concrete. Mr. Kilgore, pictured upper right, said about 40% of the fly ash from TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant is already used to produce concrete.
The Subcommittee is Chaired by Eddie Bernice Johnson, pictured upper left.
MORE INFORMATION (pdf)
Link to video of hearing
January 8, 2009 Senate Hearing on Kingston Coal Ash Spill
"Revelation and the Bible" to be placed online
Carl F.H. Henry, editor, Revelation and the Bible: Contemporary Evangelical Thought. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1958 / London: The Tyndale Press, 1959.
With the help of members of the Theology on the Web Facebook Group I have been able to contact the literary executor of the late Dr Carl F.H. Henry and I am delighted to be able to report that I have been granted permission to place the entire contents of this book on-line.
As you will see from the Table of Contents (below) all the articles look really interesting. I have added them to my long "to do" list, but would like to place one of them online straight away. I am therefore going to ask my readers to vote on which one they would most like to read by leaving a comment below. The closing date for suggestions is 12th April.
Table of Contents
Preface by Carl F.H. Henry, pp.7-10
Chapters:
1 G.C. Berkouwer - General and Special Divine Revelation, pp.11-24
2 Gordon H. Clark - Special Divine Revelation as Rational, pp.25-41
3 Paul K. Jewett - Special Revelation as Historical and Personal, pp.43-57
4 William J. Martin - Special Revelation as Objective, pp.59-72
3 Paul K. Jewett - Special Revelation as Historical and Personal, pp.43-57
4 William J. Martin - Special Revelation as Objective, pp.59-72
5 N.B. Stonehouse - Special Revelation as Scriptural, pp.73-86
6 James I. Packer - Contemporary Views of Revelation, pp.87-104
7 Alan M. Stibbs - The Witness of Scripture to its Inspiration, pp.105-118
8 Pierre Ch. Marcel - Our Lord's Use of Scripture, pp.119-134
9 Roger Nicole - New Testament Use of the Old Testament, pp.135-151
10 Edward J. Young - The Canon of the Old Testament, pp.153-168
11 G. Douglas Young - The Apocrypha, pp.169-185
12 Herman Ridderbos - The Canon of the New Testament, pp.187-201
13 Geoffrey W. Bromiley - The Church Doctrine of Inspiration, pp.203-217
14 R.A. Finlayson - Contemporary Ideas of Inspiration, pp.219-234
15 Everett F. Harrison - The Phenomena of Scripture, pp.235-250
16 Bernard Ramm - The Evidence of Prophecy and Miracle, 251-263
17 J. Theodore Mueller - The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, pp.265-281
18 Ernest F. Kevan - The Principles of Interpretation, pp.283-298
19 Donald J. Wiseman - Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament, pp.299-316
20 F.F. Bruce - Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament, pp.317-331
21 N.H. Ridderbos - Reversals of Old Testament Criticism, pp.333-350
22 Merrill C. Tenney - Reversals of New Testament Criticism, pp.351-367
23 J. Norval Geldenhuys - Authority and the Bible, pp.369-386
24 Frank E. Gaebelein - The Unity of the Bible, pp.87-401
6 James I. Packer - Contemporary Views of Revelation, pp.87-104
7 Alan M. Stibbs - The Witness of Scripture to its Inspiration, pp.105-118
8 Pierre Ch. Marcel - Our Lord's Use of Scripture, pp.119-134
9 Roger Nicole - New Testament Use of the Old Testament, pp.135-151
10 Edward J. Young - The Canon of the Old Testament, pp.153-168
11 G. Douglas Young - The Apocrypha, pp.169-185
12 Herman Ridderbos - The Canon of the New Testament, pp.187-201
13 Geoffrey W. Bromiley - The Church Doctrine of Inspiration, pp.203-217
14 R.A. Finlayson - Contemporary Ideas of Inspiration, pp.219-234
15 Everett F. Harrison - The Phenomena of Scripture, pp.235-250
16 Bernard Ramm - The Evidence of Prophecy and Miracle, 251-263
17 J. Theodore Mueller - The Holy Spirit and the Scriptures, pp.265-281
18 Ernest F. Kevan - The Principles of Interpretation, pp.283-298
19 Donald J. Wiseman - Archaeological Confirmation of the Old Testament, pp.299-316
20 F.F. Bruce - Archaeological Confirmation of the New Testament, pp.317-331
21 N.H. Ridderbos - Reversals of Old Testament Criticism, pp.333-350
22 Merrill C. Tenney - Reversals of New Testament Criticism, pp.351-367
23 J. Norval Geldenhuys - Authority and the Bible, pp.369-386
24 Frank E. Gaebelein - The Unity of the Bible, pp.87-401
April Giveaway - Vox Evangelica Vol. 25
This month's Giveaway is Volume 25 of Vox Evangelica. You can view the table of contents by clicking here. To enter the competition just leave a comment below saying which of the articles in the volume you would most like to read (and why - optional). I will chose a winner at random from these entries on the evening of Sunday 12th April.
The March Giveaway still remains unclaimed, so this is the last call for ChrisEisbrenner to do so. If I don't hear from you by the 12th April I will chose another winner from the entries already received.
Cannes, again
Cannes' Film Festival is always an occasion for petanque games. Some time ago, we had Elke Sommers, now here is our dear Charles Aznavour, with Pascale Petit and Mylene Demongeot in 1959.Look at the size of those polka dots! Big as boules.
From the Life archives
And here is Robert Mitchum impressing Michele Morgan with his juggling talents in 1954.
Cannes, again
Cannes' Film Festival is always an occasion for petanque games. Some time ago, we had Elke Sommers, now here is our dear Charles Aznavour, with Pascale Petit and Mylene Demongeot in 1959.Look at the size of those polka dots! Big as boules.
From the Life archives
And here is Robert Mitchum impressing Michele Morgan with his juggling talents in 1954.
Myners knew about Goodwin's pension
From today's FT.....
Lord Myners, City minister, was told of Sir Fred Goodwin’s “enormous” pension rights and made no effort to stop the ex-chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland receiving them, the former chairman of the rescued bank said on Tuesday.
Sir Tom McKillop, in a letter to MPs, denied claims by Lord Myners that RBS had engaged in an “elaborate ruse” to double Sir Fred’s pension to £703,000 a year, and accused him of making “unfair and unjustified” allegations.
Who is going to take the long walk first; Jacqui Smith or Lord Myners? It is a tough question, but I think the answer will come to us very quickly.
Lord Myners, City minister, was told of Sir Fred Goodwin’s “enormous” pension rights and made no effort to stop the ex-chief executive of Royal Bank of Scotland receiving them, the former chairman of the rescued bank said on Tuesday.
Sir Tom McKillop, in a letter to MPs, denied claims by Lord Myners that RBS had engaged in an “elaborate ruse” to double Sir Fred’s pension to £703,000 a year, and accused him of making “unfair and unjustified” allegations.
Who is going to take the long walk first; Jacqui Smith or Lord Myners? It is a tough question, but I think the answer will come to us very quickly.
Theme scheme in Google Apps
Today we're excited to announce a little something to bring some flair to people's Gmail accounts for all editions of Google Apps.
Google Apps now offers more than 30 Gmail account theme choices ranging from weather themes that are customized for your location, to nature themes that change with your timezone, to themes that are just plain fun and funky.
Themes in Gmail give you a chance to customize your inbox, and your theme settings travel with you wherever you log in to your account, just like all the information in your inbox. You can customize your inbox by clicking 'Themes' in the 'Settings' menu once your account administrator enables the 'Turn on new features' checkbox in the Google Apps control panel.
Please note that not all Gmail accounts will have these immediately – we're rolling out Themes right now, and all domains with new features enabled by their admins will see 'Themes' in 'Settings' in the next few days.
Explore the Themes possibilities – they might make opening your inbox a little more fun.
Posted by Monali Narayanaswami, Google Apps Team
Google Apps now offers more than 30 Gmail account theme choices ranging from weather themes that are customized for your location, to nature themes that change with your timezone, to themes that are just plain fun and funky.
Themes in Gmail give you a chance to customize your inbox, and your theme settings travel with you wherever you log in to your account, just like all the information in your inbox. You can customize your inbox by clicking 'Themes' in the 'Settings' menu once your account administrator enables the 'Turn on new features' checkbox in the Google Apps control panel.
Please note that not all Gmail accounts will have these immediately – we're rolling out Themes right now, and all domains with new features enabled by their admins will see 'Themes' in 'Settings' in the next few days.
Explore the Themes possibilities – they might make opening your inbox a little more fun.
Posted by Monali Narayanaswami, Google Apps Team
Suburban Shopping Malls Dying
The vital signs are not good. Even before the recession hit, consumers had developed mall fatigue, and the classic enclosed shopping mall was in decline. More than 400 of the 2,000 largest malls in the U.S. have closed in the past two years.
The Week
Suburban Shopping Malls Dying
The vital signs are not good. Even before the recession hit, consumers had developed mall fatigue, and the classic enclosed shopping mall was in decline. More than 400 of the 2,000 largest malls in the U.S. have closed in the past two years.
The Week
EPA vs Army Corp of Engineers on Mountaintop Removal
There appears to be a competition, or conflict, going on between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding mountaintop removal coal mining. ACE approved the expansion of a mountaintop removal project without EPA input just one day after the EPA announced plans to reassert its powers to protect mountain streams from the pollution and rubble produced by of mountaintop coal mining.
Hundreds of miles of Appalachian streams are at stake that could be buried with pollutant-laden debris if pending mining permits are approved. This represents a tough choice for the Obama administration, which is being pressured to deliver environmental protections while not hurting the coal industry. Coal is an important economic product in the Appalachian states, particularly during the current deepening recession. Of course, some environmentalists want to close down the coal industry altogether, even though coal generates more than half the country’s electricity. In fact, America is the Saudi Arabia of coal.
ACE's Louisville district approved a 1.5-square-mile expansion of a mountaintop mine in Southeast Kentucky with no input from the EPA. The expansion of the International Coal Group’s Thunder Ridge mine allows the company to fill four valleys with debris, burying nearly two miles of streams that drain into the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River. That river supplies drinking water to more than 700,000 people — roughly one-sixth of the state’s population. The permit approval, according to many environmentalists, directly contradicts the EPA’s vow to play a larger role in the permit process. Under the Clean Water Act, the Corps handles most permit decisions, but the EPA can step in to delay pending permits — or veto those already approved — if the agency has reason to believe the disposal sites will harm water supplies or ecosystems.
Hundreds of miles of Appalachian streams are at stake that could be buried with pollutant-laden debris if pending mining permits are approved. This represents a tough choice for the Obama administration, which is being pressured to deliver environmental protections while not hurting the coal industry. Coal is an important economic product in the Appalachian states, particularly during the current deepening recession. Of course, some environmentalists want to close down the coal industry altogether, even though coal generates more than half the country’s electricity. In fact, America is the Saudi Arabia of coal.
ACE's Louisville district approved a 1.5-square-mile expansion of a mountaintop mine in Southeast Kentucky with no input from the EPA. The expansion of the International Coal Group’s Thunder Ridge mine allows the company to fill four valleys with debris, burying nearly two miles of streams that drain into the Middle Fork of the Kentucky River. That river supplies drinking water to more than 700,000 people — roughly one-sixth of the state’s population. The permit approval, according to many environmentalists, directly contradicts the EPA’s vow to play a larger role in the permit process. Under the Clean Water Act, the Corps handles most permit decisions, but the EPA can step in to delay pending permits — or veto those already approved — if the agency has reason to believe the disposal sites will harm water supplies or ecosystems.
The controversy involves mountaintop mining, a process in which companies blast the tops off of mountains to reach the coal seams, creating moonscapes in old Appalachian Mountains. The process produces large quantities of debris, which is disposed by pushing it into adjacent valleys, some of which contain streams. The technique is used in Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky because of its efficiency: Companies can retrieve nearly all of the coal within the seam, and they can rely more on explosives and machines than manual labor.
The issue is turning out to be: coal jobs versus water quality. The issue is timely because hundreds of permits have been backlogged awaiting a court ruling on the Corps’ authority to issue permits without more extensive environmental impact studies. Overturning a lower court’s ruling, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, based in coal-friendly Virginia, found last month that the Corps does have the power to issue mountaintop permits without broader reviews. (The Washington Independent, 3/30/09)
The Dunfermline - What happened?
We are becoming numb to financial scandals. We have seen far too many. So when a mid-sized regional bank fails, it barely registers.
However, the failure of the Dunfermline building society is scandalous. Yet again, the FSA failed to properly supervise an institution that was taking unacceptably dangerous risks. It was also an institution that had a highly paid but basically incompetent management team. The FSA missed it all. Yet again, the taxpayer has been lumbered with a huge bill to clean up yet another FSA supervisory disaster.
The FSA had a opportunity to step in when the Dunfermline building society prepared their Basel II Pillar 3 Disclosures 2007 document. This submission is supposed to outline the institution's exposure to various kinds of risk. This is what the Dunfermline management said about their commercial property risk profile.
Our commercial risk appetite is confined to loans secured on property where the Society is able to achieve an adequate return for that risk, where the commercial investment is in lower risk areas, and where the Society is able to take advantage of risk mitigation such as guarantees to limit its risk.
The Society seeks to limit its risk to any one area of commercial lending by imposing sector limits.
This wasn't a terribly accurate representation of the magnitude of their commercial property exposure. The Chancellor - Alistair Darling - picked up on this point on Monday when he was forced to explain why the Dunfermline failed.
"This is a building society that, unfortunately, took out over £650million in loans in commercial property. In the last couple of years, it bought some mortgages from an American company that had gone bad. It's had to write off some of its IT systems because of difficulties it's had and it needed between £60 million and £100 million to keep it going. When you bear in mind that the society has never made more than about £5 million or £6 million a year in the recent past, it couldn't even service that sort of loan, let alone repay it.”
Presumably, someone at the FSA took a look at the Basel II document and concluded that everything was fine. Yet if someone had bothered to look at the loan portfolio, they would have quickly realized that the Dunfermline was far too exposed to a commercial property downturn.
After all, as the 2007 annual report pointed out, the institution had assets amounting to ₤3.3 billion. It had ₤117 million in capital, giving it a leverage ratio of 28. Holding a £650million exposure to commercial property was a very precarious position for a bank like the Dunfermline. The FSA should have picked this up.
The Dunfermline debacle sadly reveals that the FSA continues to incompetently supervise the financial sector. In fact, it is worse than that. The institution is dangerous. With each bank failure, it pushes huge clean up costs onto the taxpayer. In summary, it has wrecked the financial viability of UK public finances. It has to be stopped before it does any more damage.
However, the failure of the Dunfermline building society is scandalous. Yet again, the FSA failed to properly supervise an institution that was taking unacceptably dangerous risks. It was also an institution that had a highly paid but basically incompetent management team. The FSA missed it all. Yet again, the taxpayer has been lumbered with a huge bill to clean up yet another FSA supervisory disaster.
The FSA had a opportunity to step in when the Dunfermline building society prepared their Basel II Pillar 3 Disclosures 2007 document. This submission is supposed to outline the institution's exposure to various kinds of risk. This is what the Dunfermline management said about their commercial property risk profile.
Our commercial risk appetite is confined to loans secured on property where the Society is able to achieve an adequate return for that risk, where the commercial investment is in lower risk areas, and where the Society is able to take advantage of risk mitigation such as guarantees to limit its risk.
The Society seeks to limit its risk to any one area of commercial lending by imposing sector limits.
This wasn't a terribly accurate representation of the magnitude of their commercial property exposure. The Chancellor - Alistair Darling - picked up on this point on Monday when he was forced to explain why the Dunfermline failed.
"This is a building society that, unfortunately, took out over £650million in loans in commercial property. In the last couple of years, it bought some mortgages from an American company that had gone bad. It's had to write off some of its IT systems because of difficulties it's had and it needed between £60 million and £100 million to keep it going. When you bear in mind that the society has never made more than about £5 million or £6 million a year in the recent past, it couldn't even service that sort of loan, let alone repay it.”
Presumably, someone at the FSA took a look at the Basel II document and concluded that everything was fine. Yet if someone had bothered to look at the loan portfolio, they would have quickly realized that the Dunfermline was far too exposed to a commercial property downturn.
After all, as the 2007 annual report pointed out, the institution had assets amounting to ₤3.3 billion. It had ₤117 million in capital, giving it a leverage ratio of 28. Holding a £650million exposure to commercial property was a very precarious position for a bank like the Dunfermline. The FSA should have picked this up.
The Dunfermline debacle sadly reveals that the FSA continues to incompetently supervise the financial sector. In fact, it is worse than that. The institution is dangerous. With each bank failure, it pushes huge clean up costs onto the taxpayer. In summary, it has wrecked the financial viability of UK public finances. It has to be stopped before it does any more damage.
UK unit labour costs increasing at almost 5 percent a year
Here is another data series warning us that unemployment is about to rise. It also suggests that we are still a long way from deflation.Unit labour costs, as the name implies, measures the employment cost of producing one unit of output. Two things determine unit labour costs; the productivity of workers, and wages. In the fourth quarter of last year, this series was increasing at 4.7 percent; its fastest rate in eight years.
At a previous post pointed out, UK labour productivity turned negative towards the end of last year. However, the rapid rise in unit labour costs also highlights the fact that wages are outstripping productivity.
The extraordinarily sharp rise in unit labour costs tells us that workers have not yet bought into the deflation story. If they had, they would have expected prices to fall, and they would have moderated their wage claims. Therefore, we wouldn't have seen the sharp Q4 rise in unit labour costs.
Firms facing such a rapid increase in costs are faced with a stark choice. Either they pass these costs on to their customers in the form of higher prices, or they try to reduce costs by firing workers. In practice, firms will try both strategies.
This data neatly complements the unexpectedly high CPI data in February. In the short run at least, firms are trying to push higher labour costs onto customers in the form of higher prices.
Whether they can sustain this cost price inflationary push remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the labour market hasn't yet received the memo from the monetary policy committee on deflation.
TASTE OF MARIETTA
Yuengling is proud to sponsor the 16th Annual Taste of Marietta food festival in our newest territory of Georgia. The festival will take place on April 26th from 11am-7pm in the Historic Marietta Square. This event saw a crowd of 70,000 people last year, and that was in the rain! Yuengling will be ready for the day, pouring Traditional Lager, Light Lager, and Black & Tan. Admission is free and food samples range from $0.50-$4.00. There will be plenty of food choices to go along with your Yuengling for the day, as over 50 restaurants will be offering tasting selections at the festival. In addition to the great beer and food selection, there will be four stages set up with live entertainment throughout the day. Come out and join us for this annual event. To learn more about The Taste of Marietta, visit the official website at http://tasteofmarietta.com/.
Spam data and trends: Q1 2009
Editor's Note: The spam data cited in this post is drawn from the Google enterprise security and archiving security network (Postini), which delivers an added layer of security for standalone mail servers and Google Apps Premier Edition customers. For a discussion of the anti-spam measures included in Gmail, please see this post from the Gmail blog.
In providing email security to more than 50,000 businesses and 15 million business users, Google security and archiving services, powered by Postini, process and cull spam from more than three billion enterprise email connections every day. This gives us strong insights into the state of the spam industry, some of which we share in regular posts to this blog.
Read on for a quick overview of spam trends and events in the first quarter of 2009.
Read on for a quick overview of spam trends and events in the first quarter of 2009.
What we saw in the Postini data centers
The most significant spam-related event in the first quarter of 2009 occurred when spam volume returned to pre-McColo takedown levels. By the second half of March, seven-day average spam volume was at the same volume we saw prior to the blocking of the McColo ISP in November 2008.
Spammers have clearly rallied following the McColo takedown, and overall spam volume growth during Q1 2009 was the strongest it's been since early 2008, increasing an average of 1.2% per day. To put that number into context, the growth rate of spam volume in Q1 2008 was approximately 1% per day – which, at the time, was a record high.
Of course, like every year before it, 2008 set a new record for overall spam volume. But in 2008 spam growth flattened over the summer and early fall, and then fell off a cliff after the McColo takedown (daily growth declined to .8%, .3%, and then .01% in the last three quarters of the year). This pattern raises some interesting questions regarding what we can expect in the rest of 2009: Will spam growth once again flatten or decline after a strong first quarter? Or have spammers – as part of their recovery from the McColo takedown – rebuilt botnets to be capable of sustaining or even accelerating this early growth spurt?
New types of spam
The most significant development in spam vectors this quarter was the appearance of location-based spam. In this type of attack, users click on a link in a spam message and are directed to a page that contains a fraudulent news headline describing a crisis or disaster in a major city nearby. The attack customizes the location for each user by determining the geolocation of the user's source IP and then identifying the nearest major city. The addition of location creates a heightened level of interest, and the user is tempted to click on the embedded video – which in turn downloads a virus to his or her machine.
Meanwhile, the economy, financial markets, job cuts, and resume help continue to be the most prominent topics spammers are employing as lures for more traditional attacks. We also saw increased spam activity around the U.S. presidential inauguration and St. Patrick's Day, in keeping with the recent propensity spammers have demonstrated for reading the news and keeping their eyes on the holiday calendar in targeting their attacks.
Virus roundup
In early 2008, a trend emerged in which we saw spam messages with attached viruses (otherwise known as "payload viruses") spiking every Sunday, possibly targeting a maintenance window to catch corporate defenses when they were undergoing scheduled updates.
This year we've seen the payload viruses spread out across every day of the week, with no immediately obvious pattern in their distribution. It's difficult to say for certain what prompted the change, but one possible explanation is that spammers switched tactics because they weren't seeing the success they'd hoped for from the focused attacks.
Of course, payload viruses have also seen a recent spike overall -- in the month of March we saw a 9x increase from February. This pales in comparison to the highs we saw last summer, but it may indicate a developing trend that's worth keeping a close eye on.
Viruses delivered as a blended threat (when a spam message directs a user to a malicious website, which then results in a virus being downloaded to the user's computer) continue to be popular with spammers. E-cards are one of the best examples of this vector, and Valentine's Day saw a flurry of activity using e-cards to direct users to malicious websites.
Conclusions
Spammers continue to prove their resilience -- whether it's bouncing back from the biggest takedown on record or finding new ways to exploit the ways we communicate for malicious purposes, they're clearly here to stay. And Google believes firmly in the power of the cloud to protect your enterprise from them: Outsourcing message security to Google enables you to leverage our technical expertise and massive infrastructure to keep spammers from your door. See how much spam is costing your business, learn how much you could be saving with Google Message Security, or contact us for more information.
Posted by Amanda Kleha, Google security and archiving team
UK labour productivity collapses
UK labour productivity is collapsing. In the fourth quarter of 2008, it declined by 1.5 percent.The reason for the decline in straightforward. Firms are hoarding workers. Demand is falling, firms are producing less, but they haven't yet got round to downsizing their workforces. However, firms are not charities. Sooner or later, firms will start to the painful process of cutting cuts and making workers redundant.
So this number is telling us to brace ourselves, unemployment is about to increase very rapidly.
SHAMROCK MARATHON PICS
Check out the pictures from The Yuengling Shamrock Marathon that was held in Virginia. Thanks to everyone who participated in the event!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Our English language, weird and difficult
Lovers of the English language might enjoy this. It is yet another example of why people learning English have trouble with the language. Learning the nuances of English makes it a difficult language.
There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver. We warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car... At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses..
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
And this up is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP for now as my time is UP, so time to shut UP!
Oh...one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night?
U P
Don't mess UP. Send this on to someone you look UP in your address book.
Now I'll shut UP.
There is a two-letter word in English that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is 'UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as being used as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP? At a meeting, why does a topic come UP ? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends and we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver. We warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car... At other times the little word has a real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses..
To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special.
And this up is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP !
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP , look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions
If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it does not rain for awhile, things dry UP.
One could go on & on, but I'll wrap it UP for now as my time is UP, so time to shut UP!
Oh...one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning & the last thing you do at night?
U P
Don't mess UP. Send this on to someone you look UP in your address book.
Now I'll shut UP.
Minding your business: Immigrants embracing entrepreneurship
Immigrants start more businesses in this country than people born here, and this is one of the many reasons we need more immigrants. - - Donna Poisl
By Ann Meyer | Special to the Tribune
To hear Greg Wozniak tell it, immigrants hold an advantage in building a business.
"Being an immigrant gives you an edge. You have better instincts when talking to consumers from all over the world," said Wozniak, president of Doors for Builders Inc., which has built an international market for its wooden entry doors via its Web site, DoorsForBuilders.com.
Wozniak's Bensenville business had sales of $1.5 million last year, up 16 percent from 2007, despite a tough economy.
Experts agree. Immigrants tend to have a drive to succeed, a tolerance for risk and a strong work ethic, all characteristics that contribute to their disproportionate rate of entrepreneurship in this country.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Ann Meyer | Special to the Tribune
To hear Greg Wozniak tell it, immigrants hold an advantage in building a business.
"Being an immigrant gives you an edge. You have better instincts when talking to consumers from all over the world," said Wozniak, president of Doors for Builders Inc., which has built an international market for its wooden entry doors via its Web site, DoorsForBuilders.com.
Wozniak's Bensenville business had sales of $1.5 million last year, up 16 percent from 2007, despite a tough economy.
Experts agree. Immigrants tend to have a drive to succeed, a tolerance for risk and a strong work ethic, all characteristics that contribute to their disproportionate rate of entrepreneurship in this country.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Immigration courts face huge backlog
This gives a good indication of the backlog in the immigration courts and we can see why we so desperately need immigration reform NOW. - - Donna Poisl
By Brad Heath, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The nation's immigration courts are now so clogged that nearly 90,000 people accused of being in the United States illegally waited at least two years for a judge to decide whether they must leave, one of the last bottlenecks in a push to more strictly enforce immigration laws.
Their cases — identified by a USA TODAY review of the courts' dockets since 2003 — are emblematic of delays in the little-known court system that lawyers, lawmakers and others say is on the verge of being overwhelmed. Among them were 14,000 immigrants whose cases took more than five years to decide and a few that took more than a decade.
"It's an indication that they just don't have enough resources," says Kerri Sherlock Talbot of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Brad Heath, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The nation's immigration courts are now so clogged that nearly 90,000 people accused of being in the United States illegally waited at least two years for a judge to decide whether they must leave, one of the last bottlenecks in a push to more strictly enforce immigration laws.
Their cases — identified by a USA TODAY review of the courts' dockets since 2003 — are emblematic of delays in the little-known court system that lawyers, lawmakers and others say is on the verge of being overwhelmed. Among them were 14,000 immigrants whose cases took more than five years to decide and a few that took more than a decade.
"It's an indication that they just don't have enough resources," says Kerri Sherlock Talbot of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
AAEA Attends Wilderness Bill Signing at The White House
AAEA President Norris McDonald attended the signing of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 at the White House today. The bill signing ceremony was held in the East Room and President Obama gave a speech before sitting down to sign the bill. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar spoke before the bill signing too. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also attended the signing. Council on Environmental Quality Chairwoman Nancy Sutley and NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco were also in attendance.The House approved the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R.146) on a vote of 285 to 140 on March 25, 2009 that includes the largest expansion of the wilderness system in 15 years -- 2 million acres in nine states -- and launched one of the most ambitious river restoration efforts in the West. The bill passed in the Senate on March 19, on a vote of 77-20. (The White House)
The bill was a massive omnibus, incorporating 164 different pieces of legislation. Major Highlights include:- Protecting treasured places like: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan, Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, Oregon’s Mount Hood, Idaho’s Omyhee Canyons, the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Zion National Park in Utah, as well as lands in Virginia and New Mexico;- Designating more than 2 million acres of federal lands as wilderness;- Creating the 26 million acre National Landscape Conservation System within the Dept. of Interior;- Protecting more than 1000 miles of rivers by adding them to the National Wild and Scenic System;- Designating thousands of miles of trails for the National Trails System and creating several new National Conservation Areas. (More)Photos: President Obama in background in upper photo and Norris McDonald with former Maryland State Senator Gloria Lawlah (now Maryland Secretary of Aging) in lower photo.
Ireland's credit rating downgraded; worse to come
Ireland has just been downgraded. It lost its coveted AAA credit rating. Standard & Poor’s weren't comfortable with the country's rapidly deteriorating public finances.
As soon as I heard, I quickly logged onto the Irish Department of Finance website, eager to find some lurid fiscal numbers as a basis for a new post.
Alas, the website is a total mess. The only thing I could find out for sure was that in 2008, the deficit was over 6 percent of GDP. As for recent performance, the Irish are keeping it quiet. As far as I can tell, they don't publish monthly tax or expenditure data.
Undeterred, I logged onto the Irish Central Statistical Office website. There I found some data that pointed to the source of Ireland's difficulties; the housing market, or to be more precise, housing construction.
The Irish bubble was totally different from the one in the UK. Whereas UK planning laws restricted housing construction, Irish planning laws encouraged new building. Over the last 15 or so years, Ireland embarked on a frantic construction frenzy. Between 1991 and 2008, the Irish built over 873,000 new dwellings. In a country with just 4 million inhabitants, this number was extreme.
More recently, the housing construction frenzy accelerated. Between 2002 and 2006, 378,000 homes were built, while census data recorded just 182,000 new households. Rough For every new household created, the Irish economy built two new dwellings.
In 2008, the construction boom came to a ruinous conclusion. The number of completed dwellings fell 45 percent from the 2006 peak. The collapse in construction activity pushed the Irish economy into an appalling recession. Tax revenues have crumbled, and the Irish government is now running up colossal deficits.
There is worse to come. The European Commission forecast that Ireland’s budget deficit may widen to 11 percent of GDP. Credit default swaps, i.e. the cost of insuring Irish government bonds from default, are hovering around 250 basis points. Wallpapering the deficit with Irish government paper is now extremely expensive.
As a member of the Eurozone, the Irish government has few policy options. It cannot devalue the exchange rate, nor can it adjust monetary policy.
With the cost of borrowing rising, it may have to consider an agonizing deficit reduction programme. This will, of course, only serve to reinforce and prolong the present recession. However, housing bubbles are like that. During the good times, they bestow prosperity, and then they cruelly steal it all back.
As soon as I heard, I quickly logged onto the Irish Department of Finance website, eager to find some lurid fiscal numbers as a basis for a new post.
Alas, the website is a total mess. The only thing I could find out for sure was that in 2008, the deficit was over 6 percent of GDP. As for recent performance, the Irish are keeping it quiet. As far as I can tell, they don't publish monthly tax or expenditure data.
Undeterred, I logged onto the Irish Central Statistical Office website. There I found some data that pointed to the source of Ireland's difficulties; the housing market, or to be more precise, housing construction.
The Irish bubble was totally different from the one in the UK. Whereas UK planning laws restricted housing construction, Irish planning laws encouraged new building. Over the last 15 or so years, Ireland embarked on a frantic construction frenzy. Between 1991 and 2008, the Irish built over 873,000 new dwellings. In a country with just 4 million inhabitants, this number was extreme.
More recently, the housing construction frenzy accelerated. Between 2002 and 2006, 378,000 homes were built, while census data recorded just 182,000 new households. Rough For every new household created, the Irish economy built two new dwellings.
In 2008, the construction boom came to a ruinous conclusion. The number of completed dwellings fell 45 percent from the 2006 peak. The collapse in construction activity pushed the Irish economy into an appalling recession. Tax revenues have crumbled, and the Irish government is now running up colossal deficits.There is worse to come. The European Commission forecast that Ireland’s budget deficit may widen to 11 percent of GDP. Credit default swaps, i.e. the cost of insuring Irish government bonds from default, are hovering around 250 basis points. Wallpapering the deficit with Irish government paper is now extremely expensive.
As a member of the Eurozone, the Irish government has few policy options. It cannot devalue the exchange rate, nor can it adjust monetary policy.
With the cost of borrowing rising, it may have to consider an agonizing deficit reduction programme. This will, of course, only serve to reinforce and prolong the present recession. However, housing bubbles are like that. During the good times, they bestow prosperity, and then they cruelly steal it all back.
12 Days in Israel
I have just returned from a very intensive 12-day stay in Israel, most of it in the framework of Meretz USA's annual seminar in Israel, the "Israel Symposium". It will probably require another few weeks to sort out the many and diverse perspectives that I heard, and synthesize them into a full and organized report, but - with so many raw impressions fresh in my mind - I would like to use this column to share with you a set of initial thoughts.
First, the political context: I arrived in Israel less than a month after the elections that voted a clear right-wing majority into Israel's Knesset, and that dealt a severe body blow to both the Labor and Meretz parties. And it was less than two months since the end of the Israel-Hamas war, a military action that was supported by 96%(!) of Jewish Israelis. An even more telling statistic: 65% of Israel's Jews continue to believe that the government ended the war too soon, and that it should have "finished the job" of eradicating the Hamas in Gaza, regardless of the political and human costs.
Understandably, I encountered an Israeli left that was still in a state of shock and disarray. Nonetheless, amid the pessimism, and perhaps because of it, some on the Left have already begun to address how the peace and human rights camp can redefine and reorganize itself to take up the challenges of the 21st century.
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is a key area in which new thinking is already underway. On the Symposium's opening night, Prof. Naomi Chazan argued that the bilateral negotiating process launched at Oslo in 1993 and that continued through Annapolis in 2007 is no longer relevant. The election of a right-wing Knesset was the last nail in the coffin.
Therefore, she (and many others) said, the hope for peace must be buoyed by much more emphatic international and, primarily, American engagement. Phrases such as "international trusteeship" as a way-station to Palestinian statehood have entered diplomatic parlance, as has "the use of American leverage".
Prof. Chazan was hopeful that President Obama was equal to this task. Others, like Haaretz journalist Akiva Eldar, were more skeptical.
READ MORE...!
First, the political context: I arrived in Israel less than a month after the elections that voted a clear right-wing majority into Israel's Knesset, and that dealt a severe body blow to both the Labor and Meretz parties. And it was less than two months since the end of the Israel-Hamas war, a military action that was supported by 96%(!) of Jewish Israelis. An even more telling statistic: 65% of Israel's Jews continue to believe that the government ended the war too soon, and that it should have "finished the job" of eradicating the Hamas in Gaza, regardless of the political and human costs.
Understandably, I encountered an Israeli left that was still in a state of shock and disarray. Nonetheless, amid the pessimism, and perhaps because of it, some on the Left have already begun to address how the peace and human rights camp can redefine and reorganize itself to take up the challenges of the 21st century.
The Israeli-Palestinian peace process is a key area in which new thinking is already underway. On the Symposium's opening night, Prof. Naomi Chazan argued that the bilateral negotiating process launched at Oslo in 1993 and that continued through Annapolis in 2007 is no longer relevant. The election of a right-wing Knesset was the last nail in the coffin.
Therefore, she (and many others) said, the hope for peace must be buoyed by much more emphatic international and, primarily, American engagement. Phrases such as "international trusteeship" as a way-station to Palestinian statehood have entered diplomatic parlance, as has "the use of American leverage".
Prof. Chazan was hopeful that President Obama was equal to this task. Others, like Haaretz journalist Akiva Eldar, were more skeptical.
READ MORE...!
Mortgage approvals up
Mortgage approvals are unquestionably up. In February, 38,000 home buyers persuaded their banks to hand out a loan. Approvals are now at their highest level since last May.However, does this number represent the bottom? As the months roll forward, will we see mortgage approvals continue to recover? Possibly yes. Lending could pick up quickly. Suddenly, I am feeling slightly nauseous. This might be the beginning of something really nasty.
Over the last six months, the government dispensed unparalleled levels of state aid to the banking system. While the recapitalizations were essential, the guarantees could set off a sudden gushing torrent of lending. It is, after all, precisely what Brown and Darling would like to see.
At the same time, the Bank of England slashed interest rates to zero. I said at the time, it was an unnecessary over-reaction. Now I think it might be worse than that. For all practical purposes, the bank rate has now become totally detached from the rest of the economy. If lending does accelerate, the Bank of England has no effective means of controlling credit growth.
Mervyn King might also be waking up to the danger. Already he is back tracking on the quantitative easing. Other members of the MPC are warning that should inflation take off, rates might have to rise awfully quickly. Still, I am not sure if they really mean it. After all, inflation would eat into those oppressive household and public sector debt ratios.
The serious point here is that the Bank of England and the Treasury may have enormous difficulty in unwinding the policy errors of the last six months. It will be hard to withdraw those generous guarantees, eliminate all that excess liquidity and hike interest rates high enough to re-establish monetary control.
In the meantime, the UK economy continues to spin around in the chaotic and incoherent policy framework established by Brown, Darling and King.
A sigh of relief - the Dunfermline will cost us just ₤1.6 billion
I suppose we should be relieved; the Dunfermline BS failure will cost the taxpapers just ₤1.6 billion. This is peanuts compared to other recent UK financial disasters.
Alistair Darling's comments on the Dunfermline were priceless:
"This is a building society that, unfortunately, took out over £650million in loans in commercial property. In the last couple of years, it bought some mortgages from an American company that had gone bad. It's had to write off some of its IT systems because of difficulties it's had and it needed between £60 million and £100 million to keep it going. When you bear in mind that the society has never made more than about £5 million or £6 million a year in the recent past, it couldn't even service that sort of loan, let alone repay it.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Nationalist Party accused the government in London of undermining a Scottish financial institution. Is there anything stopping the SNP from pumping in a couple of billion from the Scottish budget to prop up the Dunfermline?
This is one occasion where I would be happy to see greater independence from our North British sisters and brothers.
Alistair Darling's comments on the Dunfermline were priceless:
"This is a building society that, unfortunately, took out over £650million in loans in commercial property. In the last couple of years, it bought some mortgages from an American company that had gone bad. It's had to write off some of its IT systems because of difficulties it's had and it needed between £60 million and £100 million to keep it going. When you bear in mind that the society has never made more than about £5 million or £6 million a year in the recent past, it couldn't even service that sort of loan, let alone repay it.”
Meanwhile, the Scottish Nationalist Party accused the government in London of undermining a Scottish financial institution. Is there anything stopping the SNP from pumping in a couple of billion from the Scottish budget to prop up the Dunfermline?
This is one occasion where I would be happy to see greater independence from our North British sisters and brothers.
February food inflation - highest in four years
Does anyone still believe in the deflationary myth? Thought not.Monthly food inflation this February was 1.5 percent. That is the highest rate in at least four years. To tell the truth, it could be longer than that, but I got bored calculating the monthly inflation rates. Going back four years was far enough.
A SITE TO SEE (Part 3)
Spring is upon us here in Pennsylvania! If you are looking for a nice way to enjoy the weather, take a ride to scenic Schuylkill County and come visit America's Oldest Brewery. You can check out the January blog archives to read the first two posts in this series.If you need one more reason to visit the brewery, besides the decorative brew house and a front row view of the bottling process, we’ve got something else for you. The Pottsville brewery is built on the side of a mountain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The brewery literally extends into the mountain! In 1831 the brewery capitalized on the location by digging storage caves into the side of the mountain. These caves still exist today and visitors have the opportunity to walk through them at the end of the tour. The caves remain at a constant temperature of 42 degrees Fahrenheit year round. They were created for the purpose of cold storage. The caves were hand dug, because the use of explosives may have disrupted the brewery above. The caves are U shaped and roughly 150 yards in total length. They sit 50’ below the surface and extend into the mountain roughly 75’. During prohibition times this area was closed up by the government in the form of permanent brick walls. In honor of our 175th Anniversary, in 2004 we opened up this area for the public, and it is still included on our tours to this day. After you view the caves we invite you to end your tour with a sample in our brewery Rathskellar, built in 1936.
Now that you have the basics, along with a couple of photos that let you know what to expect, we really do hope you come and visit America’s Oldest Brewery in person. Pottsville tour times are 10am and 1:30pm Monday thru Friday. Saturday hours begin in April and run through December. Saturday tour times are 11am, 12pm, and 1pm. All visitors are required to wear completely closed footwear, no exceptions. Please visit Yuengling.com for complete tour information before you plan your visit.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Reversing course for survival
Many immigrants have gone back to their home countries after being laid off their jobs in the U.S. The economy is no better there, and they are trying to find work to support their families. - - Donna Poisl
As jobs in the U.S. dry up, immigrants return home to work for a fraction of the pay — and many never leave Mexico at all
By JAMES PINKERTON
SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE, MEXICO — A few miles outside this Mexican resort city, Jose Nicolas Pichardo laid the stone foundation of a new store. The 56-year-old is glad to have the job, but he makes a fraction of the $11 an hour he earned in Texas.
“I was working in Houston doing stonework like here, but at apartments,” said Pichardo, whose 22-year-old son still lives in Houston. “What they pay me here — 200 pesos a day — I earned in two hours in Houston.”
Pichardo said he is not likely to make the dangerous journey to cross the Texas-Mexico border since he has restarted his life in his home state of Guanajuato. He returned home in September 2007 after an arrest on immigration charges, and now can’t afford the expensive smuggling fees to cross the border. He’s also heard work is increasingly scarce.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
As jobs in the U.S. dry up, immigrants return home to work for a fraction of the pay — and many never leave Mexico at all
By JAMES PINKERTON
SAN MIGUEL de ALLENDE, MEXICO — A few miles outside this Mexican resort city, Jose Nicolas Pichardo laid the stone foundation of a new store. The 56-year-old is glad to have the job, but he makes a fraction of the $11 an hour he earned in Texas.
“I was working in Houston doing stonework like here, but at apartments,” said Pichardo, whose 22-year-old son still lives in Houston. “What they pay me here — 200 pesos a day — I earned in two hours in Houston.”
Pichardo said he is not likely to make the dangerous journey to cross the Texas-Mexico border since he has restarted his life in his home state of Guanajuato. He returned home in September 2007 after an arrest on immigration charges, and now can’t afford the expensive smuggling fees to cross the border. He’s also heard work is increasingly scarce.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Pass DREAM Act: Immigrant kids should repay 'loan'
Read this whole opinion piece, there is some amusing sarcasm here and quotes from various people who commented on his blog posting. Passing the DREAM Act is good economics. We educated these kids, now we should help them become tax paying citizens. - - Donna Poisl
by E. J. Montini -
We should stop visualizing the children of illegal immigrants as human beings. It only confuses us.
Particularly when we are talking about children who were not born in this country but who were carried across the border as infants or toddlers and who have grown up as what some have called "non-citizen Americans."
If we look at such children as human beings we tend to get all emotional and divide the kids into one of two groups: victims or criminals. I found this out last week after writing a blog for azcentral.com about the DREAM Act, which was introduced last week in Congress.
Under this proposal, undocumented immigrant children could obtain citizenship if they came to the U.S. before they turned 16, are younger than 30, have lived in the U.S. for at least five years, have graduated from high school or passed an equivalency exam, have "good moral character" and either attend college or enlist in the military for two years.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
by E. J. Montini -
We should stop visualizing the children of illegal immigrants as human beings. It only confuses us.
Particularly when we are talking about children who were not born in this country but who were carried across the border as infants or toddlers and who have grown up as what some have called "non-citizen Americans."
If we look at such children as human beings we tend to get all emotional and divide the kids into one of two groups: victims or criminals. I found this out last week after writing a blog for azcentral.com about the DREAM Act, which was introduced last week in Congress.
Under this proposal, undocumented immigrant children could obtain citizenship if they came to the U.S. before they turned 16, are younger than 30, have lived in the U.S. for at least five years, have graduated from high school or passed an equivalency exam, have "good moral character" and either attend college or enlist in the military for two years.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Why Immigrant Workers Will Fill the Streets This May Day
May Day is the day to recognize working people. This May Day will probably see marches of immigrant workers, asking for immigration reform. - - Donna Poisl
By David Bacon
In a little over a month, hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of people will fill the streets in city after city, town after town, across the US. This year these May Day marches of immigrant workers will make an important demand on the Obama administration: End the draconian enforcement policies of the Bush administration. Establish a new immigration policy based on human rights and recognition of the crucial economic and social contributions of immigrants to US society.
This year's marches will continue the recovery in the US of the celebration of May Day, recognized in the rest of the world as the day recognizing the contributions and achievements of working people. That recovery started on Monday, May 1, 2006, when over a million people filled the streets of Los Angeles, with hundreds of thousands more in Chicago, New York and cities and towns throughout the United States. Again on May Day in 2007 and 2008, immigrants and their supporters demonstrated and marched, from coast to coast.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By David Bacon
In a little over a month, hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of people will fill the streets in city after city, town after town, across the US. This year these May Day marches of immigrant workers will make an important demand on the Obama administration: End the draconian enforcement policies of the Bush administration. Establish a new immigration policy based on human rights and recognition of the crucial economic and social contributions of immigrants to US society.
This year's marches will continue the recovery in the US of the celebration of May Day, recognized in the rest of the world as the day recognizing the contributions and achievements of working people. That recovery started on Monday, May 1, 2006, when over a million people filled the streets of Los Angeles, with hundreds of thousands more in Chicago, New York and cities and towns throughout the United States. Again on May Day in 2007 and 2008, immigrants and their supporters demonstrated and marched, from coast to coast.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Immigration reform advocates to march in Santa Rosa
These marchers expect the President to keep his promise to enact immigration reform. - - Donna Poisl
By MARTIN ESPINOZA, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Last Modified: Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of immigrants, farm workers and their supporters are expected to march through downtown Santa Rosa this afternoon as part of a statewide United Farm Workers campaign aimed at encouraging President Barack Obama to make good on his promise to change the nation’s immigration laws.
The march, part of the UFW’s annual celebration honoring Cesar Chavez, the union’s legendary founder, starts at noon in the parking lot of the Old Albertsons supermarket on Sebastopol Road.
From there, it winds through Historic Railroad Square and into Old Courthouse Square, where a rally will be held. Casimiro Alvarez, UFW regional director, said he expects several thousand participants.
“Before the election, President Obama sought our support and we gave it,” said Alvarez. “We sent hundreds of farm workers to knock on doors for him in Colorado, a hard-fought state he ultimately won.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By MARTIN ESPINOZA, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
Last Modified: Saturday, March 28, 2009
Hundreds, and possibly thousands, of immigrants, farm workers and their supporters are expected to march through downtown Santa Rosa this afternoon as part of a statewide United Farm Workers campaign aimed at encouraging President Barack Obama to make good on his promise to change the nation’s immigration laws.
The march, part of the UFW’s annual celebration honoring Cesar Chavez, the union’s legendary founder, starts at noon in the parking lot of the Old Albertsons supermarket on Sebastopol Road.
From there, it winds through Historic Railroad Square and into Old Courthouse Square, where a rally will be held. Casimiro Alvarez, UFW regional director, said he expects several thousand participants.
“Before the election, President Obama sought our support and we gave it,” said Alvarez. “We sent hundreds of farm workers to knock on doors for him in Colorado, a hard-fought state he ultimately won.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Michael Parsons on the Term "in Christ" in Paul
The following article is now on-line in PDF:
Michael Parsons, "'In Christ' in Paul," Vox Evangelica 18 (1988): 25-44.
Paul uses the term "in Christ" 216 times in his writings, but what did he mean by it? Michael Parson's concludes:
Michael Parsons, "'In Christ' in Paul," Vox Evangelica 18 (1988): 25-44.
Paul uses the term "in Christ" 216 times in his writings, but what did he mean by it? Michael Parson's concludes:
We have seen, then, that the ‘in Christ’ formula is important in the thought of the apostle Paul. It primarily designates a close and indissoluble relationship with the Lord, but more than that it speaks of solidarity with Christ in his death and resurrection as the representative head of his people, the church. However, in its implication the term underlies much of the apostle’s explanation of the believer’s awareness of the sanctifying work of Christ’s Spirit conforming him to the image of the Lord to whom he belongs and in the manifestation of this relationship in the life and communion of the body of Christ, the church. We have also seen, in passing, the importance of this teaching as it relates to Paul’s ethical thinking and exhortation. Lives in the present are to evidence the believer’s characteristic union with Christ in godliness and in obedience to him within the context of his church and by the power of his Spirit.
N.Y.'s newest power players: Immigrant voters emerge as a key swing bloc
When some people think of immigrants, they think of illegal residents. But there are many legal immigrants who are citizens and vote responsibly and wisely. Some vote as a bloc, especially when they are new voters. Political candidates must work with them and listen to them. - - Donna Poisl
By Errol Louis
One of the most important races in America - Tuesday's neck-and-neck special election to fill the upstate congressional seat left vacant by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - could be decided by an increasingly powerful, often-overlooked constituency: immigrant voters.
That would be sweet irony in a country where, all too often, immigrants are treated as an afterthought at best, a menace at worst.
It may come as a shock to those who are obsessed with illegal immigrants that there are lots of legal immigrants who have dreams, brains, citizenship - and, increasingly, the political power that comes with the right to vote.
In the 20th District, which stretches from Hyde Park north to Saranac Lake, "there's almost 10,000 Latino voters and 3,000 or 4,000 Asian voters," many of them immigrants, says Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, a statewide coalition of more than 200 groups.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Errol Louis
One of the most important races in America - Tuesday's neck-and-neck special election to fill the upstate congressional seat left vacant by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - could be decided by an increasingly powerful, often-overlooked constituency: immigrant voters.
That would be sweet irony in a country where, all too often, immigrants are treated as an afterthought at best, a menace at worst.
It may come as a shock to those who are obsessed with illegal immigrants that there are lots of legal immigrants who have dreams, brains, citizenship - and, increasingly, the political power that comes with the right to vote.
In the 20th District, which stretches from Hyde Park north to Saranac Lake, "there's almost 10,000 Latino voters and 3,000 or 4,000 Asian voters," many of them immigrants, says Chung-Wha Hong, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition, a statewide coalition of more than 200 groups.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Don’t judge them by their English
English is a difficult language to learn, most immigrants are not refusing to learn it, they are just struggling. When people complain about them, maybe they should be helping instead. - - Donna Poisl
by BILL HALL
I’ve been wondering how much hostility my immigrant great-grandparents from Denmark had to put up with years ago because they were slow to learn a tough language like English.
They didn’t come here ready to roll with a head full of English. So maybe I’m smarter than they were because I’ve been speaking English since my first birthday, if Daddy, Mommy and Kitty constitute an English vocabulary.
On the other hand, it took me several years to develop a full ration of usable English. I didn’t really get my little brain and big mouth into speaking gear until I was about 4 or 5. And immigrants, legal or illegal, who come to this country also take considerable time to learn our language.
But I have been receiving e-mails lately from easily agitated friends who send me their disapproval of people who arrive from Mexico “and don’t have the decency to learn English.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
by BILL HALL
I’ve been wondering how much hostility my immigrant great-grandparents from Denmark had to put up with years ago because they were slow to learn a tough language like English.
They didn’t come here ready to roll with a head full of English. So maybe I’m smarter than they were because I’ve been speaking English since my first birthday, if Daddy, Mommy and Kitty constitute an English vocabulary.
On the other hand, it took me several years to develop a full ration of usable English. I didn’t really get my little brain and big mouth into speaking gear until I was about 4 or 5. And immigrants, legal or illegal, who come to this country also take considerable time to learn our language.
But I have been receiving e-mails lately from easily agitated friends who send me their disapproval of people who arrive from Mexico “and don’t have the decency to learn English.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
A Heated Campaign for a Ceremonial Post
Korean-Americans in New York have more than 1,000 associations and churches. These groups help new immigrants and others in their community. - - Donna Poisl
By KIRK SEMPLE
The three candidates have spent upward of $200,000 each, much of it from their own pockets. They have hired campaign staffs, opened campaign offices, speechified and debated, conducted polling, recorded campaign songs and distributed carloads of posters, banners, T-shirts, pamphlets and balloons.
All for this: the presidency of the Korean-American Association of Greater New York, a volunteer position in an organization that many Korean-Americans, including its staff members, say is largely ceremonial.
The campaign, which comes to a close with the election on Sunday, is a biennial rite that stirs up the Korean-American community here — riveting some, dismaying others — even as it unfolds out of view of most other New Yorkers.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By KIRK SEMPLE
The three candidates have spent upward of $200,000 each, much of it from their own pockets. They have hired campaign staffs, opened campaign offices, speechified and debated, conducted polling, recorded campaign songs and distributed carloads of posters, banners, T-shirts, pamphlets and balloons.
All for this: the presidency of the Korean-American Association of Greater New York, a volunteer position in an organization that many Korean-Americans, including its staff members, say is largely ceremonial.
The campaign, which comes to a close with the election on Sunday, is a biennial rite that stirs up the Korean-American community here — riveting some, dismaying others — even as it unfolds out of view of most other New Yorkers.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Russian immigrants Mark and Vera Mednikov taught me about life in my own country—the U.S.
This lovely story tells how much this woman learned about her own country through the eyes of an immigrant. - - Donna Poisl
By Bonnie Miller Rubin
Thirty years ago, back when we were a young married couple living in Minneapolis, my husband and I volunteered to help a family of Russian immigrants.
I'm not sure why we raised our hands. Now, I think it was some combination of longing for family, altruism and a nod to our roots (our own grandparents had made the same trip almost a century earlier).
Our job was simple: Guide these greenhorns as they became acclimated to American life, from opening a checking account to registering their then-5-year-old daughter for kindergarten.
Easy enough. We'd fulfill our six-month commitment, chalk up some mitzvah (good deed) points and call it a day.
How could we possibly know that when our designated family—Mark and Vera Mednikov and their daughter Maria—walked off the plane, we'd be the ones embarking on a lifelong adventure?
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Bonnie Miller Rubin
Thirty years ago, back when we were a young married couple living in Minneapolis, my husband and I volunteered to help a family of Russian immigrants.
I'm not sure why we raised our hands. Now, I think it was some combination of longing for family, altruism and a nod to our roots (our own grandparents had made the same trip almost a century earlier).
Our job was simple: Guide these greenhorns as they became acclimated to American life, from opening a checking account to registering their then-5-year-old daughter for kindergarten.
Easy enough. We'd fulfill our six-month commitment, chalk up some mitzvah (good deed) points and call it a day.
How could we possibly know that when our designated family—Mark and Vera Mednikov and their daughter Maria—walked off the plane, we'd be the ones embarking on a lifelong adventure?
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Chinatown’s hospitality during times of change
When new immigrants move to this country, they look for "their own people" and Chinatown helps Chinese immigrants get settled. But the housing for almost all new immigrants is usually very expensive compared to their limited income. - - Donna Poisl
By Samuel Tsoi
Housing profoundly shapes many aspects of our lives. The home is the main setting for personal, domestic and social development. Not only does it determine our access to community and commercial resources, but it also contributes to a significant portion of household budgets.
In expensive and cold climate areas such as Boston, the costs of shelter greatly affect a household’s social mobility. Unfortunately, the challenge of meeting high costs is even more overwhelming for immigrant and minority neighborhoods as the economic downturn perpetuates existing gentrification and urban renewal.
According to the latest census data, Asian households on average pay the highest rent among non-white groups in Massachusetts. Expensive rent not only takes up a significant part of a household’s budget but also slows upward mobility
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Samuel Tsoi
Housing profoundly shapes many aspects of our lives. The home is the main setting for personal, domestic and social development. Not only does it determine our access to community and commercial resources, but it also contributes to a significant portion of household budgets.
In expensive and cold climate areas such as Boston, the costs of shelter greatly affect a household’s social mobility. Unfortunately, the challenge of meeting high costs is even more overwhelming for immigrant and minority neighborhoods as the economic downturn perpetuates existing gentrification and urban renewal.
According to the latest census data, Asian households on average pay the highest rent among non-white groups in Massachusetts. Expensive rent not only takes up a significant part of a household’s budget but also slows upward mobility
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
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