Monday, March 9, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hillary-clinton-emails-benghazi-committee-chairman-alleges-huge-gaps/

Benghazi committee chairman: "Gaps" in Clinton emails
By REBECCA KAPLAN FACE THE NATION
March 8, 2015

Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-South Carolina, the chairman of the special committee House Republicans created last year to investigate the 2012 attacks on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, said there are "gaps of months and months and months" in former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails she provided for his committee's investigation.

Clinton's email has come under public scrutiny since revelations last week that she used only her personal email account rather than a government address while at the State Department. Gowdy said his committee has received 800 pages of emails so far, but that there are Clinton shouldn't be in charge of deciding what is public record and that he has "lost confidence in the State Department" to do so.

"They're the ones who allowed this arrangement. They're the ones who did nothing about this arrangement until they got a request from our committee," he said. He added that the public deserves a "neutral, detached arbiter" to determine what is a matter of public record and what should be turned over to the special committee.

"I don't want everything. I just want everything related to Libya and Benghazi," he said.

In particular, Gowdy expressed concern that the committee received none of Clinton's emails from a trip to Libya in 2011. There is a well-known photo from that trip of Clinton aboard a C-17 military plane wearing sunglasses and checking her Blackberry.

"It strains credibility to believe that if you're on your way to Libya to discuss Libyan policy, that there's not a single document that's been turned over to Congress. So there are huge gaps," Gowdy said.

He did say, however, that he will not release any of the emails from his investigation because "it's frankly not fair to the secretary....or my fellow citizens to selectively release information."

The five Democrats on the Benghazi committee disagree, however, and say the emails should be made public.

"Allowing these emails to be made public will help clear up any misperceptions and will also help return the Committee to its original purpose, investigating the tragic events in Benghazi, rather than allowing it to become a surrogate for the Republican National Committee," they said in a statement.

At least one Democratic senator thinks the controversy will blow over in the near future.

"The bottom line is she's a national figure, a potential presidential candidate. People are going to shoot at her," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, in a separate interview on "Face the Nation." He and Clinton served together as New York's two senators during most of last decade.

"She is one of the most finest, most upstanding, most honorable people. Always trying to do the right thing. Cares deeply about the country and the middle class. So, you know, this is politics. This is how it is. But I don't think the public's going to pay much attention to this. They care much more about middle class people. Who's going to get their wages going up again? Who's going to create good paying jobs?" Schumer said.

He said that she has turned over more documents than any other former secretaries of state, and that there are not yet allegations that Clinton deleted any of the emails within her control.

In another interview, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, raised security concerns about the emails.

"They would have been prime targets for cyberattacks. But I don't know what the law is. I think the administration is taking a look at that. And hopefully, we'll find out in the coming weeks just what the legal situation is with regard to that," he said.

In an exclusive interview with CBS News' Senior Washington correspondent Bill Plante over the weekend, President Obama said he only learned of Hillary Clinton's private email address use for official State Department business after a New York Times report.

"The policy of my administration is to encourage transparency, which is why my emails, the BlackBerry I carry around, all those records are available and archived," Mr. Obama said. "I'm glad that Hillary's instructed that those emails about official business need to be disclosed."




“Clinton's email has come under public scrutiny since revelations last week that she used only her personal email account rather than a government address while at the State Department. Gowdy said his committee has received 800 pages of emails so far, but that there are Clinton shouldn't be in charge of deciding what is public record and that he has "lost confidence in the State Department" to do so. "They're the ones who allowed this arrangement. They're the ones who did nothing about this arrangement until they got a request from our committee," he said. He added that the public deserves a "neutral, detached arbiter" to determine what is a matter of public record and what should be turned over to the special committee. … He did say, however, that he will not release any of the emails from his investigation because "it's frankly not fair to the secretary....or my fellow citizens to selectively release information." The five Democrats on the Benghazi committee disagree, however, and say the emails should be made public. "Allowing these emails to be made public will help clear up any misperceptions and will also help return the Committee to its original purpose, investigating the tragic events in Benghazi, rather than allowing it to become a surrogate for the Republican National Committee," they said in a statement.”

Hillary Clinton was operating within the law as it stood at that time when she used a personal email account. The rule has since been amended to prohibit this. I agree with the Democrats who feel that all emails should be released to the public, rather than oversight by an RNC chosen “independent” investigator. The problem would not exist, however, if she had used a government server and email account. Also, if I were Hillary, I wouldn't want my personal emails to be made public, so it would be better to have them in a separate account. The RNC is milking this for their 2016 election candidates, of course, and so the hearings will go on and on. I don't believe she is trying to hide anything, however. If there are “gaps” and she has already turned over 800 pages, I can only think that the lapses were inadvertent.



SELMA – TWO ARTICLES


http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-on-the-legacy-of-selma/

​Obama on the legacy of Selma
CBS NEWS
March 8, 2015

Photograph – President Barack Obama with correspondent Bill Plante at the National Voting Rights Museum in Selma, Ala.
CBS NEWS

President Barack Obama marked the 50th anniversary of the "Bloody Sunday" civil rights march in Selma, Ala., Saturday, telling those assembled -- many of whom had marched for voting rights that day -- that "our march is not yet finished."

In an exclusive interview with CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante (who covered the civil rights marches in 1965) at the nearby National Voting Rights Museum, Mr. Obama spoke about Selma, then and now.

"Mr. President, when you look at this mural here, I'm reminded that you said here eight years ago, that you're here because somebody marched," said Plante.

"Not only would I not be here, because I think our society wouldn't have changed as much in 50 years, but this is also the source of inspiration that got me involved in public service in the first place," said Mr. Obama. "Now, when I was young I didn't have aspirations to be the President of the United States, but by the time I was in my late teens, early 20s, I'd started reading about the civil rights movement, and it fascinated me.

"And the reason it fascinated me was the idea that ordinary people, humble people -- maids and domestics and Pullman porters -- that they could have the courage to take on some of the most powerful forces in our society.

"And to see the concept of non-violence mobilized in this way, to bring about ultimately changes in the law that made America better -- what an extraordinary gift that is."

"As several people in the movement keep saying, you can change the law but you can't change peoples' minds," said Plante. "How do you do that?"

"I think Dr. King was asked about that some time during the movement, and he said, 'Well, I might not be able to immediately change somebody's heart and mind, but if I can prevent them from lynching me, that's important, too," said the president. "What happens is, when laws change, then attitudes begin to change.

"When I hear people say, 'Oh, not much has changed,' that's just not true. Bill, you were here, and you know how much it's changed. It's changed not just because we have an African-American president; it's changed in all kinds of people's daily interactions."

"Mr. President, why is there such a disparity in the way blacks and whites see race relations?"

"Well, there's been obviously a different experience of race relations in this country," said Mr. Obama. "You know, the good news is that, despite I think a lot of people saying that the country's divided around these issues, the truth is in the aftermath of Ferguson and what happened in New York, you've seen a pretty constructive debate, a pretty constructive conversation."

Plante asked about the Voting Rights Act, which in a 2013 decision the Supreme Court elected to ease federal oversight of voting laws in several states. Chief Justice Roberts even cited Selma's current mayor, an African-American, as evidence that the Act has already achieved many of its goals. Critics have charged that voter ID laws passed in many states actually make participation int eh franchise more difficult for some, especially minority voters.

"You urged Congress to do something to repair what the Supreme Court took away," said Plante. "But at the same time you've got a large majority of both blacks and whites in our polling who say voter ID, no problem, they're for it."

"Well, you know, voter ID in and of itself is not the sole issue," said the president. "The issue is, does the Justice Department have the tools through the Voting Rights Act to make sure that if a local jurisdiction is discriminating against a certain set of voters -- black, Hispanic, white, Asian -- that the Justice Department can actually get in there and fix it?

"And when it comes to voter ID, I think what the average person says to themselves [is], 'Yeah, there's nothing wrong with a photo ID,' until perhaps they get the information -- which is not always provided during polling -- that in some jurisdictions getting a voter ID might cost 75, 100, 150 bucks. If you are somebody who is a senior citizen, on a fixed income, and you're not driving anymore and you don't automatically have a driver's license, that may be hard."

In response to a question about the ongoing negotiations with Iran to halt their pursuit of nuclear weapons, the president said, "I think it is fair to say that there is an urgency because we now have been negotiating for well over a year. And the good news is that during this period Iran has abided by the terms of the agreement. We know what's happening on the ground in Iran. They have not advanced their nuclear program. So we're not losing anything through these talks.

"On the other hand, you get to a point in negotiations where it's not a matter of technical issues any more; it's a matter of political will."

"And you said that if there's no deal you're willing to walk away, that's it?" asked Plante.

"Absolutely," said Mr. Obama. "If there's no deal then we walk away. If we cannot verify that they are not going to obtain a nuclear weapon, that there's a breakout period so that even if they cheated we would be able to have enough time to take action, if we don't have that kind of deal, then we're not going to take it."

Another of the president's concerns in the Middle East is the so-called Islamic State in Iraq.

"Right now Iran is allied with, fighting alongside Iraq to take out the Islamic State near Tikrit," said Plante. "And the U.S. is sitting on the sidelines. Are you comfortable with that?"

"I don't think that the U.S. is sitting on the sidelines," said the president. "We've got a lot of stuff going on in Iraq. What we've been very clear about is that our top priority is making sure that ISIL is rolled back. What is also true, though, is that the only way to maintain long-term stability inside of Iraq is if the Sunni minority feels invested in their country the same way that the Shia majority does."

Mr. Obama was also asked about the current controversy in Washington, with news that Hillary Clinton improperly used her personal e-mail account while serving as Secretary of State.

"Mr. President, when did you first learn that Hillary Clinton used an email system outside the U.S. government for official business while she was Secretary of State?"

"The same time everybody else learned it, through news reports," he replied.

"Were you disappointed?"

"Let me just say that Hillary Clinton is and has been an outstanding public servant," Mr. Obama said. "She was a great Secretary of State for me.

"The policy of my administration is to encourage transparency. And that's why my emails through Blackberry that I carry around, all those records are available and archived. And I'm glad that Hillary has instructed that those emails that had to do with official business need to be disclosed."

No president can ever escape the concerns of his office. But yesterday it was clear this president relished his moment in history.

In his speech at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Mr. Obama said, "Selma shows us that America is not the project of any one person. Because the single most powerful word in our democracy is the word 'We.' We The People. We Shall Overcome. Yes, We Can. That word is owned by no one; it belongs to everyone."




"Not only would I not be here, because I think our society wouldn't have changed as much in 50 years, but this is also the source of inspiration that got me involved in public service in the first place," said Mr. Obama. "Now, when I was young I didn't have aspirations to be the President of the United States, but by the time I was in my late teens, early 20s, I'd started reading about the civil rights movement, and it fascinated me.... "And the reason it fascinated me was the idea that ordinary people, humble people -- maids and domestics and Pullman porters -- that they could have the courage to take on some of the most powerful forces in our society. "And to see the concept of non-violence mobilized in this way, to bring about ultimately changes in the law that made America better -- what an extraordinary gift that is.".... that in some jurisdictions getting a voter ID might cost 75, 100, 150 bucks. If you are somebody who is a senior citizen, on a fixed income, and you're not driving anymore and you don't automatically have a driver's license, that may be hard."

I didn't realize that some picture ID cards costs in the $75 to 150 range. That should be illegal. The laws should not allow such outrageous fees for in ID card. That is clearly for the purpose of making them very difficult to impossible for the very poor to afford. We need to go over the Voting Rights Act, as changed by the Supreme Court in 2013, and rewrite it to make those cards not only lots cheaper, but free. There is no poll tax, and shouldn't be any other economic block either. We also should make the matter of qualification to vote a federal rather than a state law, unless that is unconstitutional.





http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2015/03/06/last-call-gop-leadership-says-they-want-outreach-but-selmas-a-bridge-too-far

Last Call: GOP Leadership Says They Want Outreach, but Selma’s a Bridge Too Far
Washington Whispers
duvalgop.com
By Joseph P. Williams
U.S. News & World Report
March 6, 2015


Boehner, McConnell, and Scalise won't be in Alabama to commemorate the civil rights marches in Selma.

For a party that says it wants to sing in harmony with minorities, Republicans have shown a knack for hitting the wrong notes, especially with African-Americans. Add this weekend’s events in Selma, Alabama, to the list of tone-deaf GOP performances.

Though President Obama, former President George H.W. Bush and more than two dozen lawmakers will be at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, commemorating an important civil rights American history milestone, the GOP’s entire Capitol Hill leadership team – including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy – decided to skip it.

The no-show list also includes Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, a member of Boehner’s leadership team. If the name sounds familiar, it should: he’s the congressman who landed in hot water for speaking to a white supremacist’s convention linked to former Klansman David Duke, who called Scalise a personal friend.

If anyone needed to be there, it’s Scalise. When the white supremacists’ story broke, he promised to rebuild bridges to black lawmakers one day at a time. But Selma, apparently, was a bridge too far, even for him.

When asked about their bosses’ no-show, representatives for Boehner and McCarthy initially offered no explanation – and all but ignored the question.

“Speaker Boehner was proud when the House passed legislation awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the civil rights marchers in Selma 50 years ago, and will be proud to welcome them to a ceremony in the Capitol to bestow this honor,” said Michael Steele, Boehner’s press secretary. Presumably, because his constituents won’t see him with a multiracial crowd, saluting the civil rights struggle.

Late Friday, McCarthy’s spokesman told U.S. News that McCarthy would be going after all.

The bipartisan congressional delegation heading to Dixie includes rank-and-file Republicans, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus; they’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with Rep. John Lewis, one of Boehner’s colleagues. Lewis was there in 1965, among the hundreds of protesters attacked by police at a march led by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“I wish we had someone in the [Republican] leadership going,” Lewis told Politico on Thursday. “President Bush is going to be there, but I think it would have been fitting and appropriate for them to make a trip.”

The Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday publicly scolded Boehner and McConnell for insensitivity to a constituency they apparently aren’t interested in recruiting: “The Republicans always talk about trying to change their brand and be more appealing to minority folks and be in touch with the interests of African-Americans. This is very disappointing,” said Caucus chairman Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a North Carolina Democrat.

Judging by McConnell and Boehner’s track record, perhaps he shouldn’t be surprised.

In August 2013, when the Lincoln Memorial was the scene of a free rally honoring the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Republican leadership was invited. But McConnell and Boehner both took a pass.

That year, Republican leadership also skipped Obama’s invitation to a White House screening of the movie “Lincoln,” a biopic of one of Obama’s political heroes. The movie in part depicted how President Abraham Lincoln grappled with his decision to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, a turning point in the Civil War.

McCarthy has done better than his bosses: He participated in Bloody Sunday commemorative events in Selma in 2012 and was a driving force behind awarding Congressional Gold Medals to civil rights marchers who were at the Edmund Pettus Bridge five decades ago, including Lewis.

But it’s not a good look for the majority party in Congress, in the era of the nation’s first black president – and at a time when the GOP leadership is blocking the nomination of Loretta Lynch, who if confirmed would be the nation’s first African-American woman to hold the top job.

That kind of record flies in the face of Priebus’ much-ballyhooed GOP autopsy, which put minority outreach at the top of the list and put $10 million on the table to back it up. Even Sen. Rand Paul has gotten the message; at last week’s Conservative Political Action Conference, he talked to a mostly white audience about issues important to African-Americans, including criminal justice reform and wealth inequality – and won the bellwether CPAC straw poll for his troubles.

But unless the leadership makes a better showing, Priebus’ money and Paul’s effort will be wasted, and African Americans will continue to be skeptical. And the GOP will stumble on towards a soon-to-be majority-minority nation, clinging desperately to McConnell and Boehner’s image: a party that’s old, white and profoundly tone-deaf.

Hat tip to Gabrielle Levy for the Michael Steele quotes. 

Updated on March 7, 2015: This article has been updated to reflect that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy decided late Friday to attend this weekend's events in Selma, Alabama.





“For a party that says it wants to sing in harmony with minorities, Republicans have shown a knack for hitting the wrong notes, especially with African-Americans. Add this weekend’s events in Selma, Alabama, to the list of tone-deaf GOP performances.... Of anyone needed to be there, it’s Scalise. When the white supremacists’ story broke, he promised to rebuild bridges to black lawmakers one day at a time. But Selma, apparently, was a bridge too far, even for him. When asked about their bosses’ no-show, representatives for Boehner and McCarthy initially offered no explanation – and all but ignored the question.... Late Friday, McCarthy’s spokesman told U.S. News that McCarthy would be going after all. The bipartisan congressional delegation heading to Dixie includes rank-and-file Republicans, and Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus; they’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with Rep. John Lewis, one of Boehner’s colleagues.... The Congressional Black Caucus on Thursday publicly scolded Boehner and McConnell for insensitivity to a constituency they apparently aren’t interested in recruiting: “The Republicans always talk about trying to change their brand and be more appealing to minority folks and be in touch with the interests of African-Americans. This is very disappointing....”

Republicans are all about wealth, race, religion, class and power, and that tends to leave minorities out of the picture. Most white people in this country don't fit either due to their income level, but they are so caught up in the group unity formed on skin color that they vote against their own basic interests. As long as someone like David Duke can be good friends with a Republican candidate in Louisiana, the political philosophy which is exclusion of minorities will keep them voting for the Republicans.






http://www.cbsnews.com/news/nigerias-boko-haram-pledges-allegiance-to-isis/

Nigeria's Boko Haram pledges allegiance to ISIS
AP March 8, 2015

Photograph – Security forces stand guard at the site of bomb explosion at a market in Maiduguri, the largest city in northeast Nigeria, Saturday, March 7, 2015.  AP PHOTO/JOSSY OLA

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria -- Nigeria's home-grown Boko Haram group, newly weakened by a multinational force that has dislodged it from a score of northeastern towns, reportedly pledged formal allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The pledge came in an Arabic audio message with English subtitles alleged to have come from Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau and posted Saturday on Twitter, according to the SITE Intelligence monitoring service.

"We announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims... and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity, in hardship and ease, and to endure being discriminated against, and not to dispute about rule with those in power, except in case of evident infidelity regarding that which there is a proof from Allah," said the message. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has declared himself the caliph.

Earlier, the Nigerian extremist group was blamed for four suicide bomb attacks that police said killed at least 54 people and wounded 143 in the northeast city of Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram.

The blasts occurred over four hours in locations from a busy fish market to a crowded bus station, said Police Commissioner Clement Adoda.

A fifth explosion from a car bomb at a military checkpoint 50 miles outside the city wounded a soldier and two members of a civilian self-defense unit. The bomber apparently wanted to reach Maiduguri, said a police officer at the scene who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the press.

In the deadliest blast, 18 people died when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a tricycle taxi at the entrance to the bustling Baga fish market, police said.

"I saw many dead bodies lying on the ground, many dead, and several others badly injured," said fish seller Idi Idrisa.

The Boko Haram pledge to ISIS comes as the Nigerian militants reportedly are massing in the northeastern town of Gwoza, considered their headquarters, for a showdown with the Chadian-led multinational force.

Though there was no way to independently verify the message, it comes weeks after Boko Haram's new Twitter account broadcast that the group's Shura council was considering whether to swear formal allegiance to ISIS.

The Twitter account, increasingly slick and more frequent video messages from Boko Haram, and a new media arm all are considered signs that the group is being helped by ISIS propagandists.

Boko Haram in August followed the lead of ISIS in declaring an Islamic caliphate in northeast Nigeria that grew to cover an area the size of Belgium. ISIS had declared a caliphate in vast swaths of territory that it controls in Iraq and Syria.

The Nigerian group also began publishing videos of beheadings. The latest one, published March 2, borrowed certain elements from ISIS productions, such as the sound of a beating heart and heavy breathing immediately before the execution, according to SITE.

In earlier video messages last year, Shekau sent greetings and praise to both al-Baghdadi and leaders of al-Qaida. But Boko Haram has never been an affiliate of al-Qaida, some analysts surmise because al-Qaida considers the Nigerians' indiscriminate slaughter of Muslim civilians as un-Islamic.




"We announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims... and will hear and obey in times of difficulty and prosperity, in hardship and ease, and to endure being discriminated against, and not to dispute about rule with those in power, except in case of evident infidelity regarding that which there is a proof from Allah," said the message. ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has declared himself the caliph..... The Boko Haram pledge to ISIS comes as the Nigerian militants reportedly are massing in the northeastern town of Gwoza, considered their headquarters, for a showdown with the Chadian-led multinational force..... The Twitter account, increasingly slick and more frequent video messages from Boko Haram, and a new media arm all are considered signs that the group is being helped by ISIS propagandists.... The Nigerian group also began publishing videos of beheadings. The latest one, published March 2, borrowed certain elements from ISIS productions, such as the sound of a beating heart and heavy breathing immediately before the execution, according to SITE.... But Boko Haram has never been an affiliate of al-Qaida, some analysts surmise because al-Qaida considers the Nigerians' indiscriminate slaughter of Muslim civilians as un-Islamic.”

The sound of a beating heart and heavy breathing would be emotionally stimulating, certainly. I read some weeks ago that the ISIS propaganda films are very persuasive. Young people are much more vulnerable to psychological persuasion than adults, possibly because they are so very concerned with peer group thought patterns. They want a group for emotional support and also physical aid in case of fighting. So many American teens join gangs, especially if their parents don't relate well with them, or they feel unpopular in school. I really do fear the group mentality over individuality and empathy.

Parents need to be available for the kids to teach them the skill of thinking for themselves. Too often all parents do is try to dominate their teens, especially as they begin to be more independent. That is a contest of wills, not a meeting of minds. I had no children, but I wouldn't have tried to browbeat them rather than reasoning with them, I don't believe. Much of the violence and crime in general that they get into is because of that. Instead of modeling after their parents – who will hopefully be good citizens -- kids become more and more angry and rebellious. I think doing something as radical as going overseas to join ISIS is very much the same thing. You don't get many emotionally mature people doing that. Unfortunately ISIS is there to brainwash them and turn them into sadistic robots. With Boko Haram and ISIS joining together, the foes of goodness will become doubly dangerous. I think we may be preparing for a possible war if this continues.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/furor-over-university-of-oklahoma-frat-members-racist-slurs-in-viral-video/

Furor over frat members' racist slurs in viral video
CBS/AP
March 9, 2015

NORMAN, Okla. - A University of Oklahoma fraternity is being closed and its members suspended by the group's national organization after a video surfaced and quickly went viral of what the national organization confirms is some of the OU chapter's members chanting racist slurs.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon said Sunday night that an investigation had confirmed the contents of a video showing multiple people chanting a racial slur against blacks and indicating that blacks would never be admitted to the fraternity. The chant also references lynching.

The national fraternity said in a statement that it was "embarrassed" by the "unacceptable and racist" behavior.

The video was first posted online by a black student group at OU. It wasn't immediately clear how it was obtained.

Subsequently, a second video surfaced that appears to show someone on the bus waving as if to tell the people doing the recording to stop.

Separately, the Oklahoma State University student newspaper, the O'Colly, reported that, "At OSU's Sigma Alpha Epsilon house, (a) Confederate flag could clearly be seen hanging in a room through an open window on Sunday night. It was plainly visible from the sidewalk across the street."

The O'Colly quotes OSU SAE President Chris Bringaze as confirming that, "A brother who lives in our house displayed the Confederate flag in his personal room. Sigma Alpha Epsilon does not endorse the Confederate flag nationally nor do we endorse it as a chapter. In addition, the flag has never been a symbol of our fraternity. My fellow chapter leaders and I have asked the brother to remove the flag from his room."

Cameron Watkins, president of OSU's chapter of NAACP, told the newspaper the flag being displayed was in poor taste. "It seems foolish and disrespectful to (the) human race," he said.

Samuel Iroanya, a spokesman for the student group "OU Unheard," told CBS affiliate KWTV in Oklahoma City that some aspects of the incident don't make sense.

"If you watch the video, those chants were being chanted very passionately and we just wonder why would you have this much hatred in your heart for someone just based off the color of their skin," Iroanya said.

As for the video from the bus, the national fraternity said in a statement, "We apologize for the unacceptable and racist behavior of the individuals in the video, and we are disgusted that any member would act in such a way. Furthermore, we are embarrassed by this video and offer our empathy not only to anyone outside the organization who is offended but also to our brothers who come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities."

University President David Boren first responded to the video on his Twitter account:

If the video is indeed of OU students, this behavior will not be tolerated and is contrary to all of our values. We are investigating. - DBo
— David Boren (@President_Boren) March 9, 2015

The video was first posted online by a black student group at OU. It wasn't immediately clear how it was obtained.

KWTV reports the 10-second video clip first surfaced early Sunday afternoon and immediately went viral. The footage appears to have been shot by a passenger on a chartered bus with several members of the fraternity.

The station says the incident apparently happened on Saturday.

A student group has planned a peaceful protest at the University of Oklahoma's campus for Monday morning.



http://college.usatoday.com/2014/11/17/how-much-does-it-really-cost-to-go-greek/
How much does it really cost to go Greek?
By: NerdScholar November 17, 2014

Jake Shepp, 18, worked part-time jobs at Sonic, a Hyatt hotel and a Mexican restaurant in Scottsdale, Ariz. to build a $3,500 savings account — and is now planning to use his hard-earned money for Kappa Sigma Fraternity fees at the University of Arizona.
As a prospective member paying out of his own pocket, Shepp says he thought hard before deciding to pay $900 to pledge.

“I told myself I could be in a fraternity, or I could go travel, or I could go buy a bunch of shoes; I could go do whatever I wanted, basically,” he says. “But so far I’ve decided to stick with it because I think it’s improved my time here at U of A significantly.”

Like Shepp, many U.S. college freshmen choose to rush a fraternity or sorority in search of friendship, social status and belonging. But with new member fees, chapter dues, social expenses and fines, Greek life can cost hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year on top of tuition, housing and food.




“Sigma Alpha Epsilon said Sunday night that an investigation had confirmed the contents of a video showing multiple people chanting a racial slur against blacks and indicating that blacks would never be admitted to the fraternity. The chant also references lynching. The national fraternity said in a statement that it was "embarrassed" by the "unacceptable and racist" behavior. The video was first posted online by a black student group at OU. It wasn't immediately clear how it was obtained. Subsequently, a second video surfaced that appears to show someone on the bus waving as if to tell the people doing the recording to stop..... Sigma Alpha Epsilon does not endorse the Confederate flag nationally nor do we endorse it as a chapter. In addition, the flag has never been a symbol of our fraternity. My fellow chapter leaders and I have asked the brother to remove the flag from his room." Cameron Watkins, president of OSU's chapter of NAACP, told the newspaper the flag being displayed was in poor taste. "It seems foolish and disrespectful to (the) human race," he said.... "If you watch the video, those chants were being chanted very passionately and we just wonder why would you have this much hatred in your heart for someone just based off the color of their skin," Iroanya said. As for the video from the bus, the national fraternity said in a statement, "We apologize for the unacceptable and racist behavior of the individuals in the video, and we are disgusted that any member would act in such a way.... A student group has planned a peaceful protest at the University of Oklahoma's campus for Monday morning.”

People who go to college are supposed to be smart. This is not a sign of high intelligence. I notice that the national fraternity has taken decisive action against the members and even closed the campus branch, saying “ we are disgusted that any member would act in such a way ... our brothers … come from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and ethnicities." Apparently this isn't a lily white group. An article clipped above on the cost of joining fraternities proves that poor students wouldn't be able to afford to join, but I think most black students would rather not be a part of a discriminatory group in the first place. I have always viewed sororities and fraternities as basically groups from the privileged classes, and have been too individualistic to want to make friends on such a basis. My friends are all individuals and my relationships with them are of a closer sort, usually. I don't want to have to “talk the talk and walk the walk” in a personal relationship.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/obama-seeks-to-boost-training-for-high-tech-jobs/

Obama seeks to boost training for high-tech jobs
By MAJOR GARRETT CBS NEWS
March 8, 2015

President Obama will announce a 20-city drive to intensify job-specific training in the high-tech sector in a speech before the annual League of Cities conference in Washington Monday.

Sources inside and outside of the White House confirm the approach is designed to be the one of the biggest federal-city efforts boosting non-college skills training in history. It is in addition to existing administration efforts to increase access to four-year colleges, through more student aide, and two-year community colleges, through subsidized tuition.

Obama will announce commitments from 20 cities - among them New York, San Francisco, Louisville, St. Louis and Detroit - as well as emerging training companies/academies and big-name high tech firms to train and place ‎graduates.

The goal is to place 50,000 graduates into high-paying jobs. The White House has not announced a deadline to meet the goal.

‎Those familiar with the initiative, which has been in development for more than a year, say it seeks to harness the potential of skills-specific job academies that train students for high-tech jobs in as little as three months. The concept behind the academies to is to sell prospective employers on an applicant's merit instead of his or her academic pedigree.

Theses centers, part of a for-profit desire to meet the needs of firms hungry for software developers and other technology workers, require students to attend all-day classes five days a week ‎to immerse themselves in a specific set of skills.

The White House has gathered commitments from several academies to train students in cooperation with the cities in which they operate and submit to regular outside audits to verify job placement success. The cities will also announce financial support that the federal government will augment. Specifics on federal financial support were unavailable.

‎According to administration figures, roughly five million jobs remain unfilled and a sizable number of vacancies are linked to the so-called "skill gap" that means applicants do not possess the specific skills required. The administration asserts that up to 500,000 job openings are in the fields of software development, cybersecurity and network administration, fields with salaries up to 50 percent higher than average full-time work.

"Helping more Americans train and connect to these jobs is a key element of the president's middle-class economic agenda," Deputy White House Press Secretary Jen Friedman told CBS News.

‎


“President Obama will announce a 20-city drive to intensify job-specific training in the high-tech sector in a speech before the annual League of Cities conference in Washington Monday. Sources inside and outside of the White House confirm the approach is designed to be the one of the biggest federal-city efforts boosting non-college skills training in history. It is in addition to existing administration efforts to increase access to four-year colleges, through more student aide, and two-year community colleges, through subsidized tuition.... The goal is to place 50,000 graduates into high-paying jobs. The White House has not announced a deadline to meet the goal. ‎Those familiar with the initiative, which has been in development for more than a year, say it seeks to harness the potential of skills-specific job academies that train students for high-tech jobs in as little as three months. The concept behind the academies to is to sell prospective employers on an applicant's merit instead of his or her academic pedigree.... The White House has gathered commitments from several academies to train students in cooperation with the cities in which they operate and submit to regular outside audits to verify job placement success. The cities will also announce financial support that the federal government will augment. Specifics on federal financial support were unavailable.... "Helping more Americans train and connect to these jobs is a key element of the president's middle-class economic agenda," Deputy White House Press Secretary Jen Friedman told CBS News.”

This is a very important tool for advancing young Americans into well paid technical jobs without requiring a four year college degree. Some people simply aren't “book learners.” That's not to say that they aren't intelligent, but that they “learn by doing,” as it used to be called. It is a mistake for so many jobs to require a college degree when what they really want is the ability to read and write relatively well, spell and produce neat work, get along well with others, dress and speak well, understand the requisite amount of mathematics, and be “a lady or a gentleman.” This is especially true in today's IT jobs, and those jobs tend to be plums when it comes to producing a fairly high income. I think a four month five days a week intensive training course is probably a very good thing. I would be cheaper than college for the student, too. There was an article recently on the increasingly high cost of tuition loans and books. It's becoming very difficult to get ahead in this country. Obama is really doing some very good things, in my opinion.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-approves-1st-biosimilar-drug/

FDA approves 1st biosimilar drug
By JONATHAN LAPOOK CBS NEWS
March 6, 2015

Photograph – Even with insurance coverage, Ewing sarcoma patient Joseph Manghan and his mother have spent $1,200 in the last eight months on Neupogen, a biologic medication to boost his immune system.  CBS NEWS

On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved what's called a biosimilar version of the cancer drug Neupogen. A recent study estimates biosimilar drugs could save Americans $44 billion dollars over the next ten years.

Joseph Manghan, 20, has an advanced form of a rare cancer called Ewing sarcoma. Following his chemotherapy, he gets injections of Neupogen, a drug that helps bolster his immune system.

Manghan is covered under his mother's health insurance, but over the past eight months, the Neupogen alone has still cost them $1,200 out of pocket.

"The Neupogen itself, I know, puts a huge strain on our finances," Mangahan says.

Neupogen is a biologic -- a drug created using living cells, which makes it a more targeted form of treatment than a conventional drug. But what makes it so powerful also makes it hard to copy.

Generic versions of conventional drugs are exact duplicates. Generic versions of biologics -- called biosimilars -- are closely related, but not identical.

"If we think of a generic like maybe building a townhouse, Neupogen is like building a skyscraper," says Dr. David Henry, an expert on cancer drugs. "It's much more complicated, many more pieces in place."

Because biosimilars are not exact matches of the original, some question whether they'll be as safe and effective as their branded predecessors. Dr. Janet Woodcock oversees the approval process at the FDA.

"We are very confident," Woodcock says. "If we approve a biosimilar, we are saying we expect to see the same effects, benefits and, unfortunately, side effects as the reference brand drug.'"

Widely used biologic cancer drugs like Avastin and Herceptin can now cost up to $70,000 a year. Less-expensive biosimilar versions of those medications are already in the works.




“On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved what's called a biosimilar version of the cancer drug Neupogen. A recent study estimates biosimilar drugs could save Americans $44 billion dollars over the next ten years.... Neupogen is a biologic -- a drug created using living cells, which makes it a more targeted form of treatment than a conventional drug. But what makes it so powerful also makes it hard to copy. Generic versions of conventional drugs are exact duplicates. Generic versions of biologics -- called biosimilars -- are closely related, but not identical.... Because biosimilars are not exact matches of the original, some question whether they'll be as safe and effective as their branded predecessors. Dr. Janet Woodcock oversees the approval process at the FDA. "We are very confident," Woodcock says. "If we approve a biosimilar, we are saying we expect to see the same effects, benefits and, unfortunately, side effects as the reference brand drug.'" Widely used biologic cancer drugs like Avastin and Herceptin can now cost up to $70,000 a year. Less-expensive biosimilar versions of those medications are already in the works.”

I wondered about their safety when I saw that they are produced in a biological process rather than chemical. Most of the drugs we take are chemicals. However the two articles from the Net below on biologics show them to be familiar – such as vaccines and insulin.” Those drugs are not only safe almost all of the time, they are lifesavers when the illness they are fighting is rabies, ebola, smallpox, etc. Even the flu is deadly in some years – the 1918 pandemic and SARS. Besides, $70,000 a year for a cancer drug is beyond most American's income level, and biologics will surely be a great advantage. I'm glad to see that there are ways to fight such highly contagious pathogents in these times. Of course there are always newly emerging illnesses such as the hantavirus so medicine will have to keep trying on new drugs. Polio was the illness that was most feared during my early years. Now we really don't hear much about it.




http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/HowDrugsareDevelopedandApproved/ApprovalApplications/TherapeuticBiologicApplications/Biosimilars/ucm241718.htm

Information for Consumers (Biosimilars)
Biological Products

Many of today’s important medications are biological products. Biological products are made from living organisms. The material they are made from can come from many sources, including humans, animals and microorganisms such as bacteria or yeast. Biological products are manufactured through biotechnology, derived from natural sources or, in some cases, produced synthetically.

Biological products are among the medications used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, anemia, low white blood cell counts, inflammatory bowel disease, skin conditions such as psoriasis and various forms of cancer. 

Most biological products are more complex in structure and have larger molecules or mixtures of molecules than conventional drugs (also called small molecule drugs). Conventional drugs are made of pure chemical substances and their structures can be identified.  Most biologics, however, are complex mixtures that are more difficult to identify or characterize.

There are two new types of biological products- biosimilar and interchangeable. Biosimilars are a type of biological product that are licensed (approved) by FDA because they are highly similar to an already FDA-approved biological product, known as the biological reference product (reference product), and have been shown to have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product.

An interchangeable biological product, in addition to meeting the biosimilarity standard, is expected to produce the same clinical result as the reference product in any given patient.

The FDA will only approve a biosimilar product if it has the same mechanism of action, route of administration, dosage form, and strength as the reference product. Additionally, a biosimilar can only be approved for the indications and conditions of use that have been previously approved for the reference product.

Are biosimilars generic versions of biological products?

No, generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs, have the same active ingredient, and are the same as those brand name drugs in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. That means the brand-name and the generic are bioequivalent.  Biosimilars are highly similar to the reference product they were compared to, but have allowable differences because they are made from living organisms. Biosimilars also have no clinically meaningful differences in terms of safety, purity, and potency from the reference product.

How does the Agency Determine Biosimilarity or Interchangeability?

The manufacturer must submit an application for a biosimilar or interchangeable biological product that includes, among other things, information demonstrating biosimilarity based upon data from analytical studies, animal studies, and clinical studies such as the assessment of immunogenicity and pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD).

If the manufacturer wants its product to be reviewed as an interchangeable product, the application must also include data or information to show that the proposed interchangeable product is expected to produce the same clinical result as the reference product in any given patient. In addition, when a product will be administered more than once to an individual (as many biological products are), the manufacturer must also demonstrate that the risk in terms of safety or reduced effectiveness of alternating or switching between use of the proposed interchangeable product and the reference product is not greater than the risk of using the reference product without alternating or switching. This is in addition to the data described above to demonstrate biosimilarity.



Biopharmaceutical
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A biopharmaceutical, also known as a biologic medical product or more simply as a biologic or biological, is any medicinal product manufactured in or extracted from biological sources or semisynthesized from them. Biopharmaceuticals are thus distinct from pharmaceutical products chemically synthesized in biology-independent ways from petrochemicalprecursors. Examples of biopharmaceuticals include vaccines, blood or blood components, allergenics, somatic cells,gene therapies, tissues, recombinant therapeutic protein, and the living cells used in cell therapy .

Terminology surrounding biopharmaceuticals varies between groups and entities, with different terms referring to different subsets of therapeutics within the general biopharmaceutical category. Some major regulatory agencies use the termsbiological medicinal products or therapeutic biological product to specifically refer to engineered macromolecular products like protein-based and nucleic-acid-based drugs, distinguishing them from products like blood, blood components or vaccines, which are usually directly extracted from a biological source.[1][2][3]