Mage Soapbox

EGYPT - Partial Vote Results and Consequences

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

"Partial Vote Count in Egypt Reveals Deep Rifts Among Public" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/25/2012

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): And we turn to Egypt, where the vote count from round one of the presidential elections reveals deep rifts among the public. Preliminary results showed the two most-polarizing candidates for president might very well face each other in a mid-June runoff. That would set up a battle between the secular, military-backed elite that's ruled Egypt for decades and the Islamist forces it long suppressed.

The leading vote-getter appeared to be the Muslim Brotherhood's candidate, Mohammed Morsi, with roughly 25 percent. The Brotherhood was banned in Egypt until last February's revolution toppled Hosni Mubarak. It dominated parliamentary elections late last year. Neck and neck with Morsi in the voting was Mubarak's final prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq.

The former general promised a return to law and order amid a cresting crime wave.

On Cairo streets today, the stark divisions were clear.

AHMED IBRAHIM, Egypt (through translator): Morsi is a religious man, not corrupted, and this is what we need.

DALAL ANWAR, Egypt (through translator): I am very upset with the results. I don't want an Islamist for president, and if there is a runoff, I will vote for Shafiq.

JEFFREY BROWN: In third place for now, just behind Shafiq, sat Hamdeen Sabahi, a socialist whose candidacy attracted liberal and leftist voters.

ADHAM EL KAMOUNY, Egypt (through translator): Hamdeen Sabahi is like what he says. He is one of us. He is not considered an Islamist or from the former Mubarak regime. He is just an Egyptian.

JEFFREY BROWN: Largely left out of the bidding was the fractious liberal contingent that fomented revolution in early 2011. It didn't coalesce behind one candidate, splitting its vote among several.

Two men who had recently shared frontrunner status with Morsi appeared well behind. Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh's liberal Islamist candidacy had attracted voters seeking to blunt the Muslim Brotherhood's political force. And Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister and Arab league secretary-general, finished with a small percentage of the vote.

The runoff election is scheduled for the weekend of June 16 and 17, with a winner declared June 21.

"What a Muslim Brotherhood Win in Egypt Could Mean for U.S."
PBS Newshour 5/25/2012

POLITICS - Senate, FDA Overhaul

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:09:00 +0000

"Senate agrees on FDA overhaul" by Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times 5/25/2012

In a momentary flash of bipartisanship, the Senate approved legislation that would allow Americans speedier access to generic drugs as well as breakthrough treatments for life-threatening diseases as part of a Food and Drug Administration revamping that now heads to the House.

But the comity didn't last, and the FDA accord was quickly followed by another round of partisan fighting over President Obama's push to keep student loan interest rates low. On party-line votes, senators blocked Democratic and Republican efforts to prevent interest rates from rising this summer.

The outcome of Thursday's session sends senators home for the Memorial Day recess with a toolbox for campaign season: On one hand, they can say they're working together to produce results; on the other, they can spread the blame for the partisan standoff in Congress.

"I wouldn't make too much of it, but we have had a string of legislative successes that have been bipartisan," said Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.). The FDA bill was approved 96 to 1, and the House is expected to consider similar legislation next week. "We are going to pass out a very comprehensive set of reforms that are going to be meaningful to patients and also to the bio-science community."

The FDA bill includes routine financial provisions as well as new policies that supporters say could save lives by bringing new drugs and medical devices to the marketplace more quickly.

The legislation would allow the continued collection of fees agreed to by brand-name drug and medical device manufacturers — in addition to launching new fees on generic drug makers — to fund FDA review and approval of product applications.

At the same time, the legislation would allow the FDA to create a "breakthrough" designation to speed the development of drugs that "may demonstrate substantial improvement over existing therapies" for those with serious or life-threatening illness.

The bill also would tighten oversight of the drug supply chain by requiring foreign manufacturers to register additional information about their facilities with the FDA, and it would enhance penalties for drug counterfeiting. More manufacturers would be required to give six months' notice to the FDA if they discontinued certain drugs or had a supply shortage.

The fees are a key source of funding for the FDA, and failure to pass a bill before the existing authorization expires in September would result in layoffs. The bill would extend the fee agreements for five years, through fiscal 2017.

Proponents say the new fee on generic drug makers, estimated to bring in $300 million a year, would slash the time it takes to approve new drugs from 30 months to 10.

Senators rejected an effort by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) to regulate nutritional supplements and another by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to loosen restrictions on Canadian drug imports.

Moments after passing the FDA bill, the Senate was squabbling again, blocking dueling measures that would prevent interest rates on new Stafford student loans from doubling to 6.8% on July 1.

Democrats and a handful of Republicans rejected the House-passed GOP proposal to gut a federal public health and prevention fund to pay for the $6-billion cost of the federal student loan subsidy.

Republicans followed suit by voting down the Democratic proposal that would close a tax loophole on wealthier households whose profits through their S corporations are not counted as income.

COMMENT: Now lets see if the no-governance House Republicans will block this much needed reform, or underfund it so it's ineffective.

SPACE - Mars Rover Opportunity Update

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:01:00 +0000

In this undated image provided by NASA, Mars Rover Opportunity catches its own late-afternoon shadow in a view eastward across Endeavor Crater on Mars. The rover used a panoramic camera between about 4:30 and 5:00 p.m. local Mars time to record images taken through different filters and combined into this mosaic view. Most of the component images were recorded during the 2,888th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity's work on Mars, which corresponds to March 9, 2012 on Earth. The view is presented in false color to make some differences between materials easier to see, such as the dark sandy ripples and dunes on the crater's distant floor. Opportunity has been studying the western rim of Endeavor Crater since arriving there in August 2011. (AP Photo/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell/Arizona State University)

"Say cheese! NASA Mars rover photographs own shadow" by AP, Boston Globe 5/25/2012

Even robots like to have fun. NASA's rover on Mars showed off its playful side by snapping a picture of its own shadow. It's the latest self-portrait since the rover, named Opportunity, landed on the red planet in 2004.

The photo was taken in March and NASA released it this week. The solar-powered, six-wheel rover was at an outcrop on the rim of a massive crater. The late afternoon sun set the crater aglow and Opportunity waited for just the right lighting to send a postcard back to Earth.

The result was a dramatic view of Opportunity casting a shadow with the crater in the background.

After nearly five months in one spot, the tireless rover is rolling again to explore more rocks.

Its twin, Spirit, stopped communicating in 2010.

SPACE - SpaceX Dragon Captured!

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:09:00 +0000

"SpaceX Dragon Capsule Successfully Captured by ISS" by Chloe Albanesius, PC Magazine 5/25/2012

The SpaceX Dragon capsule was successfully captured by the International Space Station Expedition 31 crew this morning, making SpaceX the first commercial company to send a spacecraft to the ISS.

The station's robotic arm captured the Dragon at 9:56 a.m. ET after a journey that took three days, six hours, 11 minutes, and 23 seconds. At the time of capture, the ISS was 250 miles above northwest Australia and now continues over the Pacific Ocean.

The ISS crew is currently working to install the Dragon on the bottom side of the station's Harmony node.

"SpaceX has done it," NASA Mission Control in Houston announced shortly after Dragon had been captured.

"CAPTURE COMPLETE!!!" an excited SpaceX tweeted shortly thereafter.

"Looks like we caught a Dragon by the tail," Astronaut Don Pettit chimed in from the ISS.

The Dragon was originally scheduled to link up with the ISS at 9:10 a.m., but was delayed slightly while SpaceX resolved an issue with the primary navigation sensors caused by reflections from the external pallet attached to the Japanese Kibo module, NASA said.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Dragon spacecraft from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday morning at 3:44 a.m. ET.

According to NASA, Dragon is carrying about 1,200 pounds of supplies for the ISS crew - most of which is food and clothing - as well as student-designed experiments. The spacecraft can actually hold up to 7,300 pounds of supplies, but NASA and SpaceX are taking it slow and limiting the amount of cargo on this first run to only critical items.

The Dragon will remain docked at the ISS for about three weeks while cargo is unloaded. Astronauts will then remove it using the robotic arm, at which point it will return to Earth via parachutes and land in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast.

EUROPEAN UNION - Economy and the 27-Ring Circus

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:54:00 +0000

"In Europe, Balancing Germany's Austerity Push With Hopes for Growth" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/24/2012

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): There was no clear way forward today for European leaders, as economic problems reached new crisis points. The continent's debt burden has now been joined by looming recession and deepening political divisions.

New data showed a worsening economic contraction throughout Europe today. The gloomy news came the morning after an inconclusive meeting of European leaders in Brussels. The summit reinforced the divisions between the two top eurozone economies, France and Germany, a main issue: how to balance Germany's push for budget austerity with the new French government's emphasis on economic growth.

GUIDO WESTERWELLE, German foreign minister: For the German, government austerity is not everything.

JEFFREY BROWN: In fact, Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister, acknowledged today a need for a balanced approach, including growth policies.

He echoed comments reportedly made behind closed doors in Berlin by Chancellor Angela Merkel. But Westerwelle said one proposal to ease the crisis, by issuing so-called euro bonds to lower interest rates in debt- laden nations, would make matters worse.

GUIDO WESTERWELLE: We think that we cannot solve a debt crisis by making it easier to take up new debts. And if we allow to make it easier to take up new debts, we do not solve the crisis. From our point of view, we increase the difficulties and the problems that we have.

JEFFREY BROWN: Left unsaid, euro bonds would mean higher interest rates in Germany, which has benefited greatly from its lower borrowing costs.

But Francois Hollande, the new president of France, in office just 10 days, has promoted the euro bond idea. He again stressed the need for growth as he headed into last night's meeting in Brussels.

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, French president (through translator): We must work based on economic challenges, like how to bring growth back, on financial challenges, how to bring back liquidity, but also on the political challenges. What do we want to do together in Europe? What kind of project do we have?

JEFFREY BROWN: Hollande was joined by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. His nation is imperiled by its enormous debt, but it's largely the byproduct of a burst housing bubble, not public overspending, as in some other eurozone nations.

MARIANO RAJOY, Spanish prime minister (through translator): For Spain, the most urgent thing is that we need financing, we need liquidity, and we need sustainability for the debt. There are many countries which are making enormous efforts in order to control their public deficits and make structural reforms.

JEFFREY BROWN: And, as elsewhere, there is increasing public pushback in Spain, with unemployment at a crushing 25 percent. Miners went on strike today, and protesters gathered outside the parliament to denounce labor reform.

NEFTALI RODRIGUEZ, civil servant (through translator): This will put an end to all the workers' rights that have been fought for 30 years. It leaves us workers sold out under the power of businessmen.

JEFFREY BROWN: But the businessmen are not immune either. This shop owner is shutting down after 40 years and liquidating his stocks of fabric and carpeting.

MANUEL AGUIRRE, business owner (through translator): Since 2009, it has been a torture. We have got to a point when this is impossible. Not only we do not have any profits, but we just can't keep our activity, guaranteeing the salaries of our staff.

JEFFREY BROWN: It was announced yesterday that Spanish banks badly damaged by the housing bubble will undergo an extensive audit to ensure that they can survive. Banks in Greece saw a modified run on their holdings earlier this week, as their fate in the Eurozone was openly debated in Brussels and on the streets of Athens.

A once-unthinkable return to the traditional drachma currency was on many Athenians' minds.

MAN (through translator): I prefer euro to drachma.

MAN: Euro is for Merkel, not for Greeks.

JEFFREY BROWN: Whether the Greeks stay with the euro may now rest on the outcome of elections next month. They were mandated after voting this month failed to produce a government.

"Fate of Eurozone: Back on the Brink?" (Part-2)
PBS Newshour 5/24/2012

COMMENT: When will the EU get its act together, not soon IMHO. This is bad since this effects our U.S. economy and the rest of the world.

As to the primary concern, Greece, they are paying for decades of bad economic policies. We should not be surprised that the Greek citizen does not want to pay the piper. This is a no-win situation.

PAKISTAN - Doctor's Conviction and Effect on Aid Groups

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:08:00 +0000

"U.S.-Pakistani Relations Roiled Again With Punishment of Man Who Helped CIA" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/24/2012

Excerpt

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): It's been a year since the U.S. raid on this compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, killed Osama bin Laden and roiled relations between the two countries.

Yesterday, there was fresh fallout, when a Pakistani court sentenced this man, Dr. Shakil Afridi, to 33 years in prison. Afridi, seen here highlighted in red, was convicted of treason for trying to help the CIA track down bin Laden. He was arrested after word leaked that he set up a vaccination program in Abbottabad to try to collect DNA samples from bin Laden's compound.

In Washington today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said there was no basis for Afridi's conviction or sentence.

SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: His help, after all, was instrumental in taking down one of the world's most notorious murderers. That was clearly in Pakistan's interests, as well as ours and the rest of world. This action by Dr. Afridi to help bring about the end of the reign of terror designed and executed by bin Laden wasn't in any way a betrayal of Pakistan.

MARGARET WARNER: The trial took place in Pakistan's Khyber tribal region, a semiautonomous zone where Afridi was raised.

There, courts are governed by a separate set of laws, which human rights groups have criticized for failing to observe basic rights. The case also prompted the Pakistanis to impose new curbs on humanitarian organizations. Afridi had told investigators that one such group, Save the Children, introduced him to the CIA.

News of the doctor's sentence came just days after disappointment at the NATO summit added to tensions between the U.S. and Pakistan. The two sides failed to reach agreement on reopening NATO supply routes into Afghanistan. They have been closed since a U.S. airstrike killed two dozen Pakistani troops last fall.

Meanwhile, back in Washington today, a U.S. Senate committee voted to cut aid to Pakistan by $33 million, $1 million for every year of Dr. Afridi's sentence.

"Bin Laden Raid Led to 'Chilling Effect' on Aid Groups in Pakistan" (Part-2)
PBS Newshour 5/24/2012

TECHNOLOGY - View on Man vs Machine

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 25 May 2012 13:48:00 +0000

"Man vs. Machine: Will Human Workers Become Obsolete?" PBS Newshour 5/24/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Part of his series on Making Sen$e of financial news, Paul Solman has been showcasing the future of technology from a recent conference run by a California think tank -- things such as 3-D printing of prosthetic legs and iPhone heart tests. But the conference also resurfaced an age-old question about the future of human workers.

More significant excerpts

VIVEK WADHWA, Singularity University: One of the problems in America is that we believe that education ends when you graduate from college. Wrong. In the new world, in the new era of technology, we're going to have to realize that education begins when you graduate, when you join the work force.

We have to keep our skills current. We have to keep learning. We have to keep adapting to technology. That's how we're going to create employment.

PAUL SOLMAN (Newshour): Co-founder Gabriel Adauto worries not about putting teachers out of work, but about getting their digitally undereducated students into the game.

GABRIEL ADAUTO, co-founder, Motion Math: The digital divide is a big problem. Although national unemployment is high, we're having trouble finding the engineers we need in our small company.

PAUL SOLMAN: And those engineers, says partner Jacob Klein, will be part of the Motion Math mission.

JACOB KLEIN, Motion Math: The kids who play our games are going to have better math skills, they're going to be more likely to master engineering skills that will make them employable in the future. It's a long-term strategy, but I think creating better science, technology, engineering, math education is really the route of solving the digital divide.

VIVEK WADHWA: Right now, the apps economy, building up the applications for devices like this (SmartPhones, etc.), employs half-a-million Americans. It came out of nowhere. So what's going to happen is that the convergence of these technologies will create jobs in areas we can't even think of.

EGYPT - First Elections Overview

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

"Millions in Egypt Cast Ballots in First Free Election" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

GWEN IFILL (Newshour): All across Egypt, people did something today that they'd never done before, voting in a genuinely competitive election for president.

For some, it was a day to savor new freedoms. For others, there was skepticism about what comes next.

Millions of Egyptians waited hours in line for the chance to cast a history-making ballot. Voters went to the polls 15 months after mass protests toppled President Hosni Mubarak, who ruled Egypt for nearly 30 years. Election monitors said the first of two days of voting went smoothly.

MOHAMED FAYEK, vice president, National Council for Human Rights (through translator): We have received some complaints about the delay in opening some of the polling stations and about campaigning in front of the polling stations, but these were few, and we immediately contacted those responsible and put an end to these violations.

GWEN IFILL: Fifty million people were eligible to choose from a field of 13 candidates. They included figures from the Mubarak regime and leaders of the Islamist parties that dominated elections for parliament earlier this year.

Among the four main candidates, Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, the oldest and largest Islamist group, many of his supporters favor installing a version of Islamic Sharia law.

AYAT ADBEL HAMID, Egypt (through translator): I believe that Egypt has to be an Islamic state that follows the Islamic Sharia, and those who refuse using the Sharia do not really understand it, which is why they are against following it.

GWEN IFILL: Another Islamist, Abdel-Moneim Abolfotoh, is considered a moderate, with support from secular liberals and minority Christians. The leading secular candidates include Mubarak's former prime minister, Ahmed Shafiq, who insisted he was his own man then and now.

AHMED SHAFIQ, Egyptian presidential candidate: I worked for myself. I worked for my family. I worked for the big family of Egypt, not for someone or for regime.

GWEN IFILL: Former Foreign Minister Amr Moussa is also a veteran of the Mubarak years, but says he firmly supports Egypt's turn to democracy.

AMR MOUSSA, Egyptian presidential candidate (through translator): This is a good start for the second republic, and if God wills it, the majority of votes will bring the right president to Egypt.

GWEN IFILL: Many of those votes were expected to be influenced by rising concerns about crime and the economy.

FATHEYA MOHAMED, Egypt (through translator): Regardless of the fact that Mubarak was corrupt, life was easier. Life was a lot cheaper.

GWEN IFILL: And no matter who wins, it remains unclear whether the losers will accept the outcome and whether the ruling military council will readily cede power. Voting lasts through tomorrow, with a runoff likely in mid-June and a winner announced June 21.

"Egypt's Historic Election: 'Even the Most Jaded Were Moved'" (Part-2)
PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

PBS Newshour Slide-Show

IRAN - Nuclear Talks Update

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:37:00 +0000

Off the bat, I do NOT trust Iran as far as I could pickup the White House and throw it across the Potomac River.

"Iran Holds New Talks Over Curbing Nuclear Program" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

Excerpt

JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): For the cameras at least, there were smiles among the diplomats who gathered in Baghdad today. Iran's top negotiator and the European Union's foreign policy chief were among those arriving for the latest talks. The same parties met last month in Istanbul, Turkey.

Today, the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany presented a proposal to rein in Iran's uranium enrichment and prevent any move to building nuclear weapons.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the detailed proposal included unspecified "confidence-building" measures.

VICTORIA NULAND, State Department spokeswoman: What we are endeavoring to do is to lay out a path for Iran to demonstrate the peaceful intent. We will see how that goes, but, as we have said consistently, we need concrete actions.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Iran has said its program is only for peaceful purposes. It made a counteroffer today, apparently aimed at easing the bite of international economic sanctions.

A breakthrough appeared unlikely, but there were signs that some progress might be possible. On Monday, the head of the U.N. nuclear agency, the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, met with the Iranian negotiator, Saeed Jalili, in Tehran. As a result, Amano said a deal could be in the works to give U.N. inspectors access to critical Iranian sites, including the top-secret Parchin military complex seen here in a satellite image.

YUKIYA AMANO, director general, International Atomic Energy Agency: A decision was made by me and Mr. Jalili to reach agreement on the structured approach.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Amid the diplomacy, the threat of military action loomed in the background, in the form of possible airstrikes by Israel or the U.S. to destroy Iran's nuclear sites before any bomb can be built.

"Iranian Nuclear Talks: Are Expectations Seriously Mismatched?"
PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

HISTORY - San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge at 75

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

"As Golden Gate Bridge Turns 75, History Revised to Honor Engineer" PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

Excerpt

GWEN IFILL (Newshour): ..... the Golden Gate Bridge, an icon of American engineering and architecture, turns 75 this week. Its impact, its legacy and even some of the controversy that initially surrounded it are once again the center of attention.

NewsHour correspondent Spencer Michels has our story.

SPENCER MICHELS: Even before it opened on May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was hailed as a modern wonder, a spectacular feat of engineering. In the midst of the Great Depression, the bridge, then the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world, brought hope and pride to a city and a country in need of optimism. It was far more than a roadway linking San Francisco with counties to the north.

WALL STREET - The Facebook IPO Fiasco

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:50:00 +0000

"Facebook I.P.O. Raises Regulatory Concerns" by EVELYN M. RUSLI and MICHAEL J. DE LA MERCED, New York Times 5/22/2012

Excerpt

Just days before Facebook went public, some big investors grew nervous about the company’s prospects.

After publicly warning about challenges in mobile advertising, Facebook executives held conference calls to update their banks’ analysts on the business. Analysts at Morgan Stanley and other firms soon started advising clients to dial back their expectations. One prospective buyer was told that second-quarter revenue could be 5 percent lower than the bank’s earlier estimates.

As investors tried to digest the developments, Morgan Stanley was busy setting the price and the size of the stock offering. While some big institutions scaled back on their plans, others placed large orders. And retail investors clamored for shares.

In the end, Facebook and the Morgan Stanley bankers decided they had enough demand and interest for Facebook to justify an offering price of $38 a share.

They didn’t.

When Facebook went public on Friday, its shares barely budged — and they have been falling ever since. On Tuesday, the stock closed at $31, more than 18 percent below its offering price.

The I.P.O. of Facebook was supposed to be Morgan Stanley’s crowning achievement, but it is turning out to be a big embarrassment, raising broader questions from regulators about the I.P.O. process.

Over the last year, Morgan helped usher in a new generation of technology companies, leading the offerings of LinkedIn, Groupon, Pandora and more than a dozen other start-ups. Facebook was poised to be the biggest and most ambitious. When the dust settles, Morgan Stanley could make more than $100 million in fees on the I.P.O.

But rival bankers and big investors have complained that Morgan Stanley botched the debut. They contend that the bank set the price too high and sold too many shares to the public. Facebook’s management team is also shouldering some blame. David Ebersman, the company’s chief financial officer, spent more than a year orchestrating the stock offering, drafting the prospectus and meeting with investors long before the company picked its bankers.

"Facebook's 'Botched' IPO: What Went Wrong and Why?"
PBS Newshour 5/23/2012

COMMENT: Do you wonder if Wall Street has learned ANYTHING from our nation's recent economic crash (and 'crash' is an applicable term)? I don't think so.

EDUCATION - The Worth of College

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:35:00 +0000

"College: 'The Best Rehearsal Spaces We Have for Democracy'" PBS Newshour 5/22/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: In "College: What it Was, Is, and Should Be," Columbia University professor Andrew Delbanco presents a biting defense of a traditional four-year college experience with a liberal arts education -- as opposed to a pre-professional training experience increasingly popular in a tough economy. Jeffrey Brown hosts the conversation.

COMMENT: I shouldn't have to say, but Mr. Delbanco is not exactly objective. Having said that....

Significant excerpt

ANDREW DELBANCO: ... I think that we want to keep in mind as firmly as we can and we want to defend this historical function of the American college, which is to help students discover themselves and to become citizens, not just competent employees, but thoughtful citizens. And that includes self-criticism.

There are ways to do that by, I think notably, having those students participate in classes which are, in my mind, the best rehearsal spaces we have for democracy. The college classroom should be a place where students learn to speak with civility, to listen with respect to each other, to know the difference between an argument based on evidence and an opinion, and most of all to realize that they might walk into the room with one point of view and they might walk out with another.

That adds up to a certain kind of humility. And I think all of our colleges have the responsibility to try to inculcate that as much as possible.

I totally agree with the above excerpt, and note I did not go to college. Just high school and technical training that gave me a very good career before I retired.

But some reminders from the 'I need a job' view:

Only some professions REQUIRE a college education (doctors, lawyers, etc.).

Students need not go to college directly from high school, especially considering the cost. There are other routes; get a job that is in a field you are considering for college (test the waters concept), go to a community college first, just to name two.

Students need to evaluate the availability of job in the profession/area of study. If the job market is bad, they MAY want to consider another field of study.

A Liberal Arts degree does give the widest opportunity in getting a job later in life. That is, except for the special professions you need not need college to train for a specific profession. Later you can work for a more formal degree while on-the-job.

There is nothing WRONG with technical schools or training. Note that a trained machinist can make more that a person with a college degree, especially in today's job market.

Of course, this is just my opinion.

AMERICA - Joplin Missouri Today

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:55:00 +0000

"A Year After Joplin's Tornado, Disaster's 'Immensity' Still a Challenge" PBS Newshour 5/22/2012

Excerpt

GWEN IFILL (Newshour): Now, the city of Joplin, Mo., rebuilds and remembers one year after it was leveled by a deadly twister.

This was Joplin one year ago, after a tornado packing 200-an-hour winds tore through town. It killed 161 people, injured hundreds more, and destroyed 8,000 buildings, many of them homes. This is how the city of 50,000 looks today. Three million cubic yards of debris have been hauled away. Damaged homes have been torn down, leaving empty foundations.

Others have been rebuilt, but at a cost. The storm caused $2.8 billion in damage, the costliest tornado since 1950. And emotional, physical and psychological scars remain.

SPACE - Another View of SpaceX Launch

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:29:00 +0000

"SpaceX Blasts Into 'Uncharted Territory,' Hoping to Make Space Cheaper" PBS Newshour 5/22/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: After several delays -- including a last-second abort on Saturday when computers spotted a bad engine valve, Space Explorations Technologies Corporation on Tuesday became the first private company to send a vessel to the International Space Station. Jeffrey Brown and Miles O'Brien discuss the significance of the SpaceX launch.

PAKISTAN - The Havoc of Violence

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:14:00 +0000

"For Pakistanis, Violence Has 'Profound Impact' on Everyday Life" PBS Newshour 5/22/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Pakistani documentarians Naziha Ali and Bushra Hyder, whose alternative teaching materials are now used by thousands of students, offer a first-hand take on what's fueling extremism in their country and what should be done about it. Margaret Warner reports.

MARGARET WARNER (Newshour): Across Pakistan, life is often interrupted by terrorist attacks and sectarian violence.

Last year alone, there were more than 600 bomb blasts. The Pakistani government says it's trying to fight extremism through military means and economic development. The United States is assisting with military aid and drone strikes to kill militant leaders, and by funding projects to boost the economy, civil society and education.

Recently, 12 Pakistani civic leaders, all women, came to Washington to meet with U.S. officials. Among them, Bushra Hyder is the founder and director of two schools in Northwestern Pakistan that seek to promote non-violence and tolerance. And Naziha Ali is a freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker in Karachi who's written widely on militant organizations.

I spoke to them at the Institute for Inclusive Security, a nonprofit group that promotes the role of women in conflict zones. They began by describing what it's like to live in the midst of so much violence.

Another significant excerpt

MARGARET WARNER: But, bottom line, you both are saying that this level, this continuing violence in Pakistan isn't going to change unless these cultural influences are changed. Is that right?

BUSHRA HYDER, school director: Yes.

You know what? The surprising thing and interesting thing is that, even in Pakistan, there is no public discourse regarding extremism. We only discuss the effects. But we are not talking about or not addressing the root causes and how are we going to tackle these extremist activities.

MARGARET WARNER: That's a very tall order, to change these cultural influences, isn't it?

NAZIHA ALI, journalist and documentary filmmaker: It may be a tall order, I agree. But the underlying fact is that people in Pakistan want to live in peace.

YEMEN - Parade Bomb Update

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:44:00 +0000

"Yemen Says Soldier Carried Parade Suicide Bomb" by Mohammed Hatem, Bloomberg 5/22/2012

Excerpt

The suicide bomber who killed more than 90 people during the rehearsal of a Yemeni military parade yesterday was a soldier, a senior official said today after the country’s president attended a Unification Day procession shielded by bullet-proof glass.

The bomber was a member of Yemen’s central security forces, Ali Mohammed al-Anisi, national security chief, told reporters after today’s celebration. Central security forces are a police unit whose second-in-command is the nephew of the country’s ex- president, Ali Abdullah Saleh. Al-Anisi declined to give further details on the bomber, saying only that a committee chaired by President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi will investigate the attack.

Today’s parade was moved to the aeronautics college and was restricted to students of military colleges. Hadi appeared behind bullet-proof glass during the event, attended by senior government and military officials as well as diplomats. The president pledged yesterday to continue the fight against al- Qaeda, whose Yemeni affiliate claimed responsibility for the bombing in an e-mailed statement, saying its target was Defense Minister Mohammed Naser Ahmed.

The minister and Chief of Staff Ahmed al-Ashwal both escaped uninjured, the Defense Ministry said on its website. It said the bombing near the presidential palace in Yemen’s capital also wounded about 220 people.

Yemen’s army has been battling militants from al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, as the government fights to recapture cities in the southern province of Abyan. Government forces and allied fighters forced al-Qaeda militants to flee the suburbs outside the city of Lawdar on May 17.

Joy ‘Into Sorrow’

The perpetrators “wanted to turn the joy of our people with the Unification Day into sorrow,” President Abdurabuh Mansur Hadi said in a speech to the nation. “The war on terrorism will continue until it is uprooted and defeated completely, whatever the sacrifices.”

MIDDLE EAST - Iran Nuclear Inspections, Israel Still Skeptical

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:34:00 +0000

"Israel skeptical of Iranian pledge to open nuclear facilities to UN inspectors" by AP, Washington Post 5/22/2012

Israel’s defense minister voiced skepticism on Tuesday over an agreement by Iran to open up its nuclear facilities to U.N. inspectors, saying the Iranians are trying to create a “deception of progress” to stave off international pressure.

The cool reception from Defense Minister Ehud Barak signaled that Israel will not ease up pressure on the international community to curb Iran’s nuclear program. Israel has repeatedly hinted it is ready to use force if it concludes international diplomacy has failed to stop the Iranians.

Barak spoke shortly after the U.N.’s nuclear chief announced he had reached a preliminary deal to allow his inspectors to restart a long-stalled probe into suspicions that Iran is secretly developing nuclear arms. The announcement came a day before Iran and six world powers were to meet in Baghdad for another round of negotiations.

“It looks like the Iranians are trying to reach a technical agreement that will create a deception of progress in talks in order to reduce the pressure ahead of talks tomorrow in Baghdad and postpone harshening of sanctions,” Barak said during a discussion at the Defense Ministry, according to a statement from his office.

“Israel believes that a clear bar should be set for Iran that won’t leave room for any window or crack for Iran to proceed toward military nuclear capability,” Barak said. “It’s forbidden to make any concessions to Iran. World powers demands must be clear and unequivocal.”

Barak held out the possibility that Iran be allowed to keep a “symbolic amount” of low-enriched uranium for medical or research purposes, but only if it is under “strict” international supervision.

Israel wants Iran to halt the enrichment of uranium — a key step toward building a nuclear bomb — and agree to ship most of its stockpile of enriched uranium out of the country and open its nuclear facilities to inspection.

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Israel, along with the West, suspects that Iran is developing a nuclear bomb. Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran a mortal threat, citing Iranian calls for Israel’s destruction, Iran’s support for Arab militant groups and Iran’s development of missiles capable of striking Israel.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

SPACE - SpaceX Successful Launch!

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:28:00 +0000

"SpaceX Launches for Space Station—Like 'Winning the Super Bowl'" by Ker Than, National Geographic 5/22/2012

Excerpt

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched today in the early morning darkness carrying what could soon be the first commercial spacecraft to visit the International Space Station (ISS).

The rocket lifted off at 3:44 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying an unmanned version of the private firm's Dragon space capsule.

This morning's successful launch comes after numerous delays and a launch abort on Saturday, which was triggered by an anomalous pressure reading in the combustion chamber of one of the rocket's nine launch engines.

Today "Falcon flew perfectly!!," SpaceX CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter moments after the launch. "Feels like a giant weight just came off my back :)."

At a press conference held after the launch, Musk said that "every bit of adrenalin in my body released at that point," and that the elation he felt was like "winning the Super Bowl."

"I would really count today as a success no matter what happens for the rest of the mission."

NASA administrator Charles Bolden called Falcon 9's flight a picture-perfect launch.

"It's a great day for America. It's a great day for the world," Bolden told reporters afterward.

"There were people who thought that [NASA] had gone away [with the retirement of the space shuttles]. But today says no, we're not gone away at all. We've got the SpaceX-NASA team, and they came through this morning with flying colors."

SpaceX CEO Gwen Shotwell also confirmed at the press conference that, as part of its mission, Falcon 9 carried cremated remains, which were released into orbit.

The ashes were flown as part of a deal with Celestis, a company that specializes in "memorial spaceflights."

Today's payload reportedly contained the remains of more than 300 people, including actor James Doohan—who played Scotty on the original Star Trek television series—and Mercury program astronaut Gordon Cooper. But Shotwell didn't comment on the identities of the ashes.

CBS This Morning
Report

AFGHANISTAN - Pullout Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:11:00 +0000

"Obama Stresses Afghan Stability and Exit Plan at NATO Summit" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 5/21/2012

Excerpt

JUDY WOODRUFF (Newshour): The world leaders who gathered in Chicago this morning, discussing the future of NATO's commitment to Afghanistan, were welcomed by the Windy City's most prominent citizen.

President Obama renewed his pledge to draw down international forces known as ISAF while bolstering the Afghan military and police.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This will be another step toward Afghans taking full lead for their security as agreed to by 2014 when the ISAF combat mission will end.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The president thanked the Central Asian nations and Russia for assistance in ensuring supply routes into Afghanistan, but he pointedly omitted any mention of Pakistan.

The Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari, had been invited to the summit at the last minute, as the U.S. tried to negotiate the reopening of vital supply routes from Pakistan. They have been closed since last fall, when an American attack mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani troops along the border.

Mr. Obama met with Zardari today on the summit's sidelines, but a new accord remained elusive.

BARACK OBAMA: We're actually making diligent progress on it. I don't want to paper over real challenges there. There's no doubt there have been tensions between ISAF and Pakistan, the United States and Pakistan over the last several months. I think they are being worked through both military and diplomatic channels.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The president had welcomed Afghan President Hamid Karzai to the summit on Sunday.

HAMID KARZAI, president of Afghanistan (through translator): The partnership that we signed a few weeks ago in Kabul has turned a new page in our relations. And the new page is a page of two sovereign countries working together for the mutual interests.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The two men signed that long-term strategic agreement just three weeks ago in Kabul.

The Chicago summit was supposed to ensure financial assistance for the Afghan police and army. The U.S., the Afghans and non-NATO countries planned to put up a combined $2.8 billion per year. They sought another $1.3 billion from the allies, but that fund-raising effort came up well short of its goal.

It was also unclear how many NATO nations would stay in Afghanistan and for how long. On Sunday, the new French president, Francois Hollande, reaffirmed plans to extract his nation's 3,400 combat troops one year earlier than planned.

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, French president (through translator): It was a pledge I made to the French people. I explained it to President Obama and I told my colleagues that it wasn't a negotiable issue, that it was a matter of French sovereignty, and each one of them understood it well.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Whether a residual French training force stays in Afghanistan remained to be seen. For its part, the Taliban seized on the French announcement, saying on its Web site: "We call upon all the other NATO member countries to avoid working for the political interests of American officials and answer the call of your own people by immediately removing all your troops from Afghanistan."

And in the streets of Chicago, demonstrators rallied for a third day to denounce the war and demand withdrawal. An outbreak of violence yesterday resulted in dozens of arrests. But for the most part, the protests were peaceful. And they came as a clear majority of Americans now say in public opinion polls the war is no longer worth fighting.

"After NATO Leaves, Will Afghan Forces Be Ready?" (Part-2)
PBS Newshour 5/21/2012

EDUCATION - Youth Learning by Doing

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:30:00 +0000

"Helping High School Youth Learn by Doing" PBS Newshour 5/21/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Since 1994, YouthBuild has trained 110,000 high school dropouts around the country to put up houses for their community and think critically in the classroom while earning their GEDs or diplomas. As part of the American Graduate series, Paul Solman reports on a program designed to keep kids learning inside and outside of class.

More significant excerpts

PAUL SOLMAN (Newshour): The results are tangible -- 120 YouthBuild homes stud the streets of Bloomington and its twin city, Normal, a former crack house where syringes littered the floor, an erstwhile empty lot now affordable housing for 10 families.

Drive 15 minutes outside town, through Illinois' windswept fields and one its newest industries, power generation, and you will find an entire low-income subdivision built by former dropouts.

PAUL SOLMAN: YouthBuild McLean County is a charter school that's part of the local system, bankrolled in part by the Department of Labor, of Housing and Urban Development, and by AmeriCorps.

PAUL SOLMAN: Hands-on is one YouthBuild edge, says Suzanne Fitzgerald, who runs the program here.

SUZANNE FITZGERALD, YouthBuild McLean County: If you're someone who's more mechanically inclined, if you're someone who needs a project, touch it, feel it, take it apart, put it back together, you don't see a lot of that available in the school systems or in the colleges. We would reach many more of our failing young people if we were able to teach in the way that they learned.

MIKE SEEBORG, Illinois Wesleyan University: They move back and forth from skill training in construction to literacy training, working towards their diploma or their GED.

And as they do that, many of them see the relevancy more of literacy and math skills. And so, as they're learning to build homes, they're really building their lives and a future perhaps outside of construction.

PAUL SOLMAN: So, bottom line, what's not to like? It may seem like bad timing to train kids for today's dormant construction industry, but it's more job training than most kids get in school, and certainly most dropouts. So YouthBuild's benefits seem obvious.

But it costs more than $16,000 per year per student.

Economist Robert Lerman.

ROBERT LERMAN, American University: Up until this point, we have not had really serious research that proves that it's highly effective -- it could be -- or modest, or maybe even on just balance may not even capture its costs.

PAUL SOLMAN: YouthBuild director Fitzgerald's response?

SUZANNE FITZGERALD: YouthBuild is a relatively expensive program. It's a longer-term program than many of the other programs out there.

But when you look at any program, I think you have to look at what the return on investment is. And so, if you have young people coming out of YouthBuild and going back into the system, obviously that's a poor return on investment. But that's not what we see with YouthBuild.

PAUL SOLMAN: When you say, go back into the system, I'm not sure I understood what you meant.

SUZANNE FITZGERALD: I'm talking about going into the Department of Corrections.

PAUL SOLMAN: Exactly, says economist Mike Seeborg: Pay now so you don't have to pay later for prison, welfare, food stamps, housing assistance.

MIKE SEEBORG: So the benefits basically from programs like this come from costs not incurred from dropping out and not finishing high school.

PAUL SOLMAN: So one way to get kids through school and into the job market is learning by doing, as they practice it here.

But the other answer is even simpler. Spend what YouthBuild spends to prepare young people for the work force.

Michael Donnelly, himself a former dropout and YouthBuild grad, is a guidance counselor at the high school in Normal.

So if you here at Normal had the kind of money per pupil as YouthBuild has, you could have the same level of success?

MICHAEL DONNELLY, guidance counselor, Normal West Community High School: Oh, yes, easily. I believe that wholeheartedly.

If you could go through and say, you know what, each one of these students, we're going to give them a personal experience, we're going to put all these resources around them to make sure that they succeed, to make sure that they do the things that they need to do, oh, yes, 100 percent, and schools would be a lot better.

PAUL SOLMAN: We wouldn't have a dropout problem?

MICHAEL DONNELLY: I think we would still have a dropout, but I don't know if it would be a problem.

POLITICS - Opinion, Regulation of Wall Street

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:37:00 +0000

"Shields, Brooks on Campaign Ads, JPMorgan Losses, Debt Ceiling Debate" PBS Newshour 5/18/2012

Excerpts on Wall Street

DAVID BROOKS, New York Times columnist: The Obama ad against the Bain activity and this steel company are mostly unfair.

This was a company that was on the way down. They had no other buyer. Bain comes in, buys the money -- buys the company, puts in $100 million. They hang to it for eight years, so it is not like they are just dumping it, and then the thing ends up folding anyway.

And so I think it was a legitimate business transition, an attempt to make a success. The 20 percent that's accurate is that they did load it with a bunch of debt. And Bain -- even though the company went down, Bain did okay. And so that part, they are right about. But it gets into a larger argument about creative destruction, that we have had this. . .

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): And what capitalism is, right?

DAVID BROOKS: Really a ruthless pruning on the part -- especially pats of the economy that are globally competitive, manufacturing, high-tech.

And it's involved tremendous productivity gains, but also tremendous layoffs. And so it's perfectly legitimate for to us have a debate about that, in part, I think because Mitt Romney and a lot of Republicans see that churning as the model for the whole economy. And so that's a legitimate thing to talk about.

JEFFREY BROWN: That a big debate about what capitalism is, right, but how does it work politically?

MARK SHIELDS, syndicated columnist: But it is one that Mitt Romney has chosen not to make. Mitt Romney has sold us about Staples, a success. He helped this company. And Sports Authority and the jobs, 100,000 jobs.

If you are going to say I have created 100,000 jobs, I mean, the people who got hurt were the workers. I mean, the officers didn't. The officers of the company didn't. And Bain didn't. So, I mean, this reflects a value. I mean, is it going to be decisive? No.

JEFFREY BROWN: Now, speaking of the nature of capitalism, another thing we learned this week is JPMorgan Chase, the largest bank, loses at least $2 billion and now it's probably more like $5 billion, right? Brings up all the focus on did the banks not learn a thing from the financial crisis and did regulation do anything and is more needed?

DAVID BROOKS: Well, I don't think regulation is more needed. I think parts of regulation are more needed, but not to regulate failure.

Companies are allowed to fail. People are allowed to be stupid. And they lost $2 billion or $5 billion. That's being stupid. They pay the price, the head of the investment strategy out. And that's the way capitalism is supposed to work. That's how you chase in companies.

Where we have a public interest -- the idea of getting regulators involved and telling them, no, you can't make that hedge, you can't make that bet, you can't make that investment, that seems to me a recipe for disaster. Where we do have a public interest is making sure when people are stupid, they don't bring down the whole system.

And so making sure the capital requirements are high enough, that seems to me perfectly legitimate. But regulating within companies, and what bets they can do and hedges and upping the regulation in that sense seems to me completely wrong.

JEFFREY BROWN: What do you see, Mark?

MARK SHIELDS: I disagree.

I mean once you've got these banks that are insured by the public, as they are, and the Volcker rule, which is very straightforward, endorsed by five secretaries of the treasury, which says with these deposits, you can't get into speculative enterprises, and expect that you are going to be bailed out.

And I think there's an overwhelming public interest here. You know, I think Barney Frank had some legitimacy today by saying they're complaining about the cost of applying and complying with the Dodd-Frank law, the banks are, saying it's $400 million or $600 million, and they're talking about losing 10 times as much.

And so I think there is a public interest. I stand in awe of the fact that none of these guys has walked into the bar of justice and what happened to this country, what they did to this country?

COMMENT: The bottom line as far as I am concerned it Wall Street wants to continue taking big risks with OUR money while 'they' remain protected and reaping profits. Then they come crying to 'mama' when they need a bailout.

Of course, this does not apply in the current JPMorgan Chase problem since they ARE capitalized enough to absorb the hit.

USAID - Is Global Food Security Achievable?

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:02:00 +0000

"USAID Administrator: Food Security a 'Grand' But 'Achievable' Goal" PBS Newshour 5/18/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: President Obama outlined Friday a private-public partnership to work on global poverty issues ahead of the Group of Eight summit in Camp David this weekend. Ray Suarez and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah discuss the initiative to lift millions out of poverty and hunger through farming partnerships.

HEALTH - Different Concept in the Digital Age

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Mon, 21 May 2012 17:24:00 +0000

"'The Information Diet': Should Americans Exercise More 'Conscious Consumption'?" PBS Newshour 5/18/2012

Excerpt

JEFFREY BROWN (Newshour): Next, a different concept of health and nutrition in the age of digital technology.

Hari Sreenivasan has our book conversation.

HARI SREENIVASAN (Newshour): Information has become so abundant and so cheap that, like food, many of us consume too much of it. And what we consume isn't always the best around.

In "The Information Diet," author Clay Johnson lays out the case for
conscious consumption.

COMMENT: Rescuetime is a time-management site, which means it is NOT for everyone.

Also, I learned way, way back from a retired Executive Secretary (using MS Office Outlook) the following 'time-management' tips:

She checked eMail only twice a day, when she first logged on to her system and in the afternoon. The first is logical if you think about it, she needed to know what her boss wanted done that day. The afternoon was to see if anything needed doing before she went home.

She just use the bottom Read Pane to see what eMails contained FIRST, only read the full eMail text if it was important. Also gave her the opportunity to delete unimportant eMails.

She had her [Inbox] with sup-folders for eMails from specific senders (like her boss, other VPs, some departments) and had filters that automatically routed incoming eMails to the appropriate box. When I was working I had a sub-inbox for FEDEX where all eMails form them would automatically be routed so I would get the notifications for deliveries, etc.

In her Address Book she also had [Distribution Groups] for addressees so she could easily find an individual within the group or send to the entire group.

The bottom line is you can get caught up in paying too much time with eMail and find it is consuming too much of your time. Not everyone is as organized as some people, we are all different.

POLITICS - Local San Diego, Campaign Funding

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:01:00 +0000

"San Diego explores limits on political party campaign donations" KFMB-TV CBS San Diego 5/16/2012

New limits on financial contributions by political parties to candidates for San Diego's ostensibly nonpartisan municipal offices were proposed Wednesday to the City Council's Rules Committee.

The plan drawn up by the city's Ethics Committee stems from a federal court ruling that struck down San Diego's old ban on donations from political parties. A temporary $1,000 ceiling was later rescinded by the judge in the case, so there are no limitations on such giving in the current election year.

The commission proposed a limit of $12,000 per election for citywide races, and $3,000 for City Council races. The cap would be a combined total of all levels of the parties, whether local, state or federal, said Stacey Fulhorst, the commission's executive director.

Councilman Kevin Faulconer said the limits were necessary, but their levels were a big question.

"In a city as big as San Diego, a $3,000 limit might be tough to justify," Faulconer said.

Fulhorst said the proposed limits were in line with most of the 15 largest cities in the U.S., with Jacksonville an outlier with a $50,000 party contribution cap.

She said during commission meetings, the San Diego County Democratic Party proposed that the lid be somewhere around $5,000 to $10,000, while the Republican Party of San Diego County suggested figures of $29,000 to $3 million.

A GOP representative told members of the Rules Committee that their numbers were based on current law, and significantly lower limits could invite a lawsuit.

Councilwoman Marti Emerald said lower limits were necessary so "the little guy" could meaningfully participate in the political process.

"We're hearing from the Republican Party to let us buy the election, or we'll take you to court," Emerald said.

Committee members unanimously requested that the City Attorney's Office study the legality behind various limitation levels in order to avoid litigation, and return with a report in two months to the full City Council, which would have final approval over an ordinance.

The new limits would most likely go into effect at the beginning of next year, according to Fulhorst.

HUNOR - Gay Marriage 'Evolution'

noreply@blogger.com (Tecknomage) — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:46:00 +0000

Could not resist, just too funny.

"Jon Stewart Applauds Obama's Gay Marriage "Evolution"
NBC Late Night Political Comedy 5/10/2012

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