World leaders pay tribute to D-Day veterans at 65th anniversary
World leaders gathered in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer in northern France on Saturday to commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day landing that broke Nazi Germany’s grip on France and changed the course of history.
Obama honors D-day heroes on 65th anniversary of invasion
Standing on the shores of the historic Omaha Beach landing, President Obama paid tribute Saturday to the thousands of servicemen who gave their lives in the D-day invasion 65 years ago and cast it as inspiration for the struggles of today.
Making the Case for Another Fiscal Stimulus
Although President Obama’s $787 billion fiscal stimulus is still working its way through the pipeiline, Berkeley economist — and former Clinton Treasury official — Brad DeLong makes the case for another round.
Unemployment Rates, by Metro Area
The slowing pace of U.S. job losses last month added to hopes that the recession is drawing to a close. But in a sign that the downturn continues to inflict damage, the jobless rate reached its highest level in 26 years.
For Heaven’s Sake!
Bank Accused of Pushing Subprime Deals on Blacks
As she describes it, Beth Jacobson and her fellow loan officers at Wells Fargo Bank “rode the stagecoach from hell” for a decade, systematically singling out blacks in Baltimore and suburban Maryland for high-interest subprime mortgages.
New England economy could see gay-marriage boost
The expansion of legal gay marriage across New England could deliver an economic windfall by attracting a youthful “creative class” of workers to a region with an aging population.
Protests against Putin sweep Russia as factories go broke
From Vladivostok to St Petersburg, Russians are taking to the streets in anger over job losses, unpaid wages and controls on imported cars
Washington state health panel could be model for U.S.
When it’s judging the value of medical treatments it pays for, Washington state imposes a tough standard, the kind that might save tens of billions of dollars a year if it were applied nationally.
Private insurance companies push for ‘individual mandate’
Some may find it hard to believe that the U.S. health insurance industry supports making major changes to the nation’s healthcare system.
The industry, after all, scuttled President Clinton’s healthcare overhaul bid with ads featuring “Harry and Louise” fretting about change.
Obama to Forge a Greater Role on Health Care
After months of insisting he would leave the details to Congress, President Obama has concluded that he must exert greater control over the health care debate and is preparing an intense push for legislation that will include speeches, town-hall-style meetings and much deeper engagement with lawmakers, senior White House officials say.
Paying for Universal Health Coverage
For Congress and the administration to keep the promise of comprehensive health care reform, they will have to find the political will to pay for universal coverage and other investments that are needed right away but will not produce quick savings.
All but over for Coleman, experts say
Seven months after Minnesota’s Senate election, the state’s highest court hasn’t reached a decision but election law experts agree: Norm Coleman doesn’t have a prayer.
Netanyahu wants “maximum understanding” with U.S.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he would strive for “maximum understanding” with Washington on peace issues but gave no sign he intends to bow to its demand to halt settlement expansion.
Tel Aviv rally calls for end to occupation
Hundreds of people rallied Saturday in Tel Aviv to call for an end to Israeli occupation of the West Bank.
After Cairo, It’s Clinton Time
The follow-up to the president’s speech will have to be led by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Her first big test: Iraq.
Official: Al-Qaeda like a fast food franchise ‘ for terrorism’
Deep in the Sahara Desert, along the remote southern borders of Algeria, lies an immense no man’s land where militants roam.
It is here that terrorists linked with al-Qaeda traffic everything from weapons and drugs to illegal migrants. They have planted at least a half-dozen cells in Europe, according to French, Italian and Belgian intelligence. Last week, they announced on the Internet that they had killed a British hostage in Mali, and are still holding a Swiss hostage.
Intolerable Rise in Soldier Suicides
American grandees ‘were thrilled to spy for Castro’
Fidel Castro calls U.S. spy case ridiculous
Introducing America’s First Black, Female Rabbi
Why Nice Guys Should Finish First — but Don’t
When a ‘Chosen’ Tibetan Lama Says No Thanks
Late last month, two Spanish media outlets confirmed that 24-year-old Tenzin Osel Rinpoche, one of the most renowned Buddhist “golden children” — toddlers determined through dreams, oracular riddles and their own “memories” to be tulkus, or reincarnations of high Tibetan Buddhist lamas — has abandoned his foretold identity. Instead of a Lama, he wants to be a filmmaker, and has reverted to his original Spanish name, Osel Hita Torres.
Haven’t you ever asked yourself how you got your nose, eyes, ears, fingers, toes, and everything else? How did your DNA bring all this about?
A Reader’s Guide to the Colbert Issue
Debate on Whether Female Judges Decide Differently Arises Anew
Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, is often quoted as saying that a wise female judge will come to the same conclusion as a wise male judge.
But the opposing argument was bolstered forcefully in April by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, currently the court’s only woman, in a case involving Savana Redding, a 13-year-old girl who had been strip-searched at school by the authorities on suspicion of hiding some ibuprofen pills that may be bought over-the-counter.
Digby took a closer look: “[W]hat’s interesting here is the notion that the way men see things is “normal” and that the way women see things is biased.”
Tough talk from Clinton on Iran, North Korea
Please, DIGG!!! & SHARE!
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Filed under: General
Where’s Lambert’s post calling NYT racist ratfuckers??
All in all, it’s a good day at the NYT. Both Frank Rich and Maureen Dowd are “off today.”
Isn’t Maureen Dowd off everyday?
I’ll have what she’s having. It must take something potent to be that off.
I think she’s been keeping a low profile since she was caught plagiarizing. I wish someone would check her old columns for plagiarism.
They caught her plagiarizing because that column was unusually good.
NYT: >>>>Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, is often quoted as saying that a wise female judge will come to the same conclusion as a wise male judge
But imo that’s NOT what Sotomayor said – and has said many times – that a wise Latina woman would reach a BETTER conclusion THAN a white male.
But Obamedia continues spinning it as the same.
It does seem that there’s a move to pretend several different statements mean the same thing:
A) A woman will generally make better decisions than a man (on average, across the board).
B) A mixed gender/race group is more likely to produce decisions with more perspectives, and hence more accurate decisions
C) On certain issues a woman and/or person of another race is more likely to make better decisions than a white man. (Not all)
D) On certain issues a woman is more likely to make better decisions AND on other issues a man would make better decisions. (Each would have better perspective on certain issues).
E) On certain issues men and women (or people of different races) would make different decisions, which may or may not be more “right” but still, the bias would be more evenly spread, and that, in itself, would be good.
The question to me is whether or not it was A that was said, and, if so, whether there is an attempt to make it look like B, C or D. I don’t think anyone really is going to risk E. Probably a lot more permutations.
Excellent job RWR.
I wanted to write about that remark but you did such a great job explaining it that I could no longer do it justice.
RWR,
My sense is that she’s speaking from Feminist Standpoint Theory and that she was speaking for the benefit of her audience.
As to FST, I take it to be a truism that she her experiences of bumping against the structural barriers that inhibit women’s life choices in our society, are something the men will not encounter, except vicariously. Her inclusion could help the court further avoid unknowingly being such a barrier. This said, I know too little about her to judge how well she will serve this end.
That she was preaching the gospel to the choir, I do not find offensive. It’s not as if her use of argumentum ad populum “stirred the mob” in an unreasonable manner. I imagine she was inspiring where inspiration can make a difference.
As a general rule, your post are clear and insightful. Further, I appreciate that you keep to the issue at hand during disagreements and do not engage in ad hominen forays.
Ty. Now, off to B’s for breakfast!
s
Hi Steven,
I think what you are saying is to some extent she was saying A, but that it was rhetorical and we shouldn’t take it to seriously? I’m kind of inclined to agree, though I think that will get politically tricky.
Mablue2, thanks. I wouldn’t still love to hear any tweaking you have though as I’m undecided myself how to take this.
RWR,
I think B captures FST. This said, it is important to recognize that this does not mean that how people experience things is radically differen, even though it can be substantial.
For example, both will experience an emergency ward as an emergency ward, which, as an aside, is unlike Lawnguylander who might experience it as The St. Patrick’s Day Parade or climbing Mt. Everest. At the same time, one party might experience emergency wards as places that give urgently needed medical care. The other party might experience emergency wards, such as the one at the University of Chicago, as places that confirm their second-class cirtizen status because they do not receive care, they receive a ride elsewhere or they are denied treatment.
This point is important because if someone acts against a care-giver in an emergency ward, it may well be germane to the case that agents of emergency wards are not always angels of mercy.
I think the part about “better” is the rhetorical part.
s
And a little ice cream humor from Vermont
http://edgeoforever.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/ben-and-jerrys-most-excellent-ad/
I just finished watching Hillary on “This Week with George Stephantopolous.” I had flashbacks to every debate: there is absolutely no comparison between Hillary & O. Everything she says is dense with content, nuance, complexity. I have to scramble to keep up with the layers of information she is effortlessly communicating. There is no hemming and hawing, no teleprompter, no pontificating or preaching. It’s all KNOWLEDGE. She was excellent, as usual.
p.s. O uses so many words, pretty as they are, but says so little and/or it is so contradictory. H. is clear, direct, and forceful…
She was wonderful. She always explains things in a way that everyone can understand. Never shirks away from an answer. Ever. She makes me so proud and RELIEVED that she is serving this country.
When I think of how hard Hillary is working and has worked! She worked hard as first lady and even harder as a Senator. She ramped up from that level amazingly as a presidential candidate and has kept at that hyper speed as SOS…she is awe inspiring!
She was amazing. Everything she said was from her vast base of knowledge, not measured statements based on heavily prepped statements.
Oh what could have been.
As Obama’s poll numbers fall, he’s ramping up health care reform to gain an edge.
As long as the “Reform” is better (wildly better) than what we’ve got — That’s totally fine with me. (Sadly there’s little change of “single-payer” and fading chance of a life-changing public plan)
Number of Uninsured Rising as Jobs Vanish
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/video/module.html?mod=0&pkg=11022009&seg=4
It is projected that in less than ten years there will be Sixty-five Million uninsured Americans. Things are getting worse for people who are now losing their jobs and their insurance (if they are lucky to have work provided insurance). In California one million children will lose their health insurance due to budget cuts and will be left without a safety net, because their parents have jobs but not health insurance via their jobs, but are low income earners (these folks are really getting hit).
The number one reason for bankruptcies are due to lack of health insurance, yet we haven’t seen anything started after 100 days?!?
Obama’s Empty Promise to Deliver Single Payer Should Be on Billboards (Video)
http://guerillawomentn.blogspot.com/2009/06/obamas-empty-promise-to-deliver-single.html
It will be interesting to see what Obama supporters do when the signs go up, which don’t mince words about how they feel about his broken promise on Health Care.
Remember when he said he and Elisabeth Edwards would work together ” to figure this out” ?….Lordy,
he’ll pull anything out of his behind that serves the moment
I wish Elizabeth would be advocating Single Payer or Universal Health Care for All Americans, as this would be a long lasting legacy and she being ill would be given media access. Today the press/media isn’t putting the daily struggles of people, front and center and it is most frustrating to me.
What to do when you see dissent on Obot controlled blogs … FEED IT !
http://gabrielsfire.wordpress.com/2009/06/07/firewalking/
Thanks for the h/t flaminglib.
I’ve seen so many blogs who steal our items without giving us any credit.
MABlue? Please check your email.
mablue – i just want to thank you for your morning posts. Your efforts are appreciated.
Thanks.
Actually today was a little strange. After I compiled all the news, I asked myself “was that really the best you could come up with?”
For some bizarre reason, I felt completely insecure once I was ready to press “Publish”.
I felt completely insecure once I was ready to press “Publish”.
No need for that! If the news isn’t that hot, you aren’t to blame! lol! You do a great job.
I second that, mablue2. You do a terrific job every morning.
Thanks for wading through the MCM so I don’t have to.
These days I like my news on a need to know basis.
Mablue2,
I always look forward to the photos, you really take great effort in starting the day.
we really appreciate all the work you do((hugs)))
OFF-TOPIC:
Hi, People,
Sorry this is off-topic — I am trying to help get the word out about Mimi Planas, the first PUMA to ever run for elective office. Mimi is running for County Commissioner in Miami, FL. Mimi was a staunch Hillaryite during the primaries, and she is a longtime PUMA who joined PUMA Pac right after the DNC RBC circus — when they took away Mimi’s vote for Hillary!
Here is an article that was just published about Mimi in the Miami Herald:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/06/miriam-mimi-planas-a-lesbian-mom-activist-announces-candidacy-for-miami-dade-county-commission.html
Mimi told me she really needs help phone banking and fundraising. You don’t have to be located in Miami to help. For more info on her campaign, here’s her website:
http://www.mimiplanas2010.com/
Please spread the word about Mimi and help put a real PUMA in office!
Thanks! BBL.
NYCgirl
That’s good news. There are so many women willing to put themselves out there now. I read on the New Agenda that about 10 or seven women are considering running for the governorship in different states. There are more in other posts. A female politician and human rights activists in Cambodia encourage 25000 women to run for different government positions and 900 got in. In Kuwait, 16 women ran and 4 were elected. Those that are for the 30% solution (50% is better) – I think the strategy is to get as many women as you can to run for any position and hopefully some will win.
New post upstairs