Sunday, April 26, 2015


News Clips For The Day


http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2015/04/24/402026986/young-trafficking-victims-story-on-npr-leads-to-senators-amendment

Young Trafficking Victim's Story On NPR Leads To Senator's Amendment
Carrie Johnson
April 24, 2015

Photograph – Jean Shaheen – "Victims who are induced to commit crimes while they're being trafficked should not then be charged and have to have those crimes follow them for the rest of their lives," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said.
Jim Cole/AP

Hearing the words of a 24-year-old victim of human trafficking — and her struggle to wipe away her conviction on prostitution charges — inspired New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.

That young victim, who was featured in an NPR story in February, endured years of rapes and brutal assaults by pimps who forced her into prostitution.

"I'm not ever going to forget what I've done or what I've gone through. But at the same time, I don't want it thrown in my face every time I'm trying to seek employment," she said. "I don't want to have to explain myself every time."

What she really wanted was help cleaning up her criminal record and moving forward with her life.

That simple request touched Democrat Shaheen, who introduced legislation to help other victims of human trafficking — legislation that Congress approved this week.

"Victims who are induced to commit crimes while they're being trafficked should not then be charged and have to have those crimes follow them for the rest of their lives," Shaheen told NPR.

Shaheen talked about the NPR story on the Senate floor this year, and last month, she introduced a bill designed to help trafficking victims erase their criminal convictions — a process known as vacatur.

"What the amendment would do is incentivize states to pass these kinds of laws, and to make sure that we're punishing the perpetrators and not the victims of trafficking," she said.

This week, the Senate passed a major bill on human trafficking. A bill that included Shaheen's provision.

The young woman who inspired that move said that when she heard about it she "started crying ... I never thought that my story would have touched somebody so much that they went in front of Congress to present a bill."

"Pretty cool," she added. NPR's not naming her because she's the victim of a crime.

"There's a lot of voices out there that can't tell her thank you," she said. "There's a lot of people out there that are going through what I went through, and they don't have help."

The young woman did have help — family support and a lawyer who cleared her criminal record.

She covered up a brand, bearing the name of her pimp, with a tattoo in the shape of a lotus flower. She's registered to start college in August. Her baby boy is in good health.

And her mother is thrilled by the fire she sees in her daughter's eyes.

So thrilled that she wrote Shaheen an email, which read in part:

"The way I see this, as a mother and as a woman watching a train wreck for all those years, being totally overwhelmed by hopelessness AND helplessness, I can see a positive. My daughter has an opportunity to take this nightmare and in her own way impact lives (and finally move forward with a measure of self respect). Her need to be empowered again permeates the air. I wish she could be the voice for all those survivors that don't have a voice because they don't know how — not a poster child but an actual advocate. It would bring some credibility to the movement. [My daughter] and I spoke and she felt so moved. "'Mom, I want to help. See? I've been through this — I know what it feels like — they are worthy — I know what it feels like — they aren't alone.'

... I think the 11 year old girl I lost is coming back to me... as a woman — a little battle weary but stronger and happier and filled with so much hope in this victory that she is seeing a light. Senator Shaheen needs to know this as well as the party who is going for the national changes. Please tell them; DON'T give up... be more."

Something else has happened since the young woman shared her story.

Jessica Emerson, the lawyer who helped vacate the Dallas woman's criminal record, has been fielding calls from people who never knew the law already existed in about 20 states.

She's hearing from advocates who want to learn how to pass similar laws in their own states.

Emerson said the Shaheen amendment passed by Congress will help, and she called it an "an absolute success."

She said she's helping seven other victims of trafficking wipe away their criminal records in Maryland alone.

But she also said there's a lot more work to do across the country.



VACATUR –
(LAW) AN ORDER OF COURT BY WHICH A PROCEEDING IS SET ASIDE OR ANNULLED



Jeanne Shaheen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jeanne Shaheen (born Cynthia Jeanne Bowers; January 28, 1947) is an American politician and the senior United States senator from the state of New Hampshire, a position she has held since 2009. Shaheen, a member of the Democratic Party, is the first female U.S. senator in New Hampshire's history, was the first woman to be elected governor of New Hampshire and she is the first woman in U.S. history to be elected as both a governor and a U.S. senator.[1]

After serving two terms in the New Hampshire Senate, Shaheen was elected governor in 1996. She was re-elected in 1998 and 2000. Instead of seeking a fourth term as governor, she opted to run for the United States Senate in 2002, losing to Republican John E. Sununu. She then served as director of the Harvard Institute of Politics, before resigning to run for the U.S. Senate again in the 2008 election, defeating Sununu in a rematch. Shaheen became the first Democratic senator from New Hampshire since John A. Durkin, who was defeated in 1980. In 2014, Shaheen became the first Democrat from New Hampshire to be re-elected to the U.S. Senate since Thomas J. McIntyre in 1972.

She is the wife of Lebanese-American attorney and political operative Bill Shaheen. They have three children. She graduated from high school in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, and earned a bachelor's degree in English from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree from the University of Mississippi.[3] She taught high school in Mississippi[4] and moved to New Hampshire in 1973, where she taught school and owned a jewelry store with her husband Bill Shaheen.

During the 2000 Democratic presidential primary in New Hampshire, Governor Shaheen expressed support for Al Goreand her husband Bill Shaheen served as Gore's New Hampshire campaign manager. According to the New York Observer, the Shaheens were critical in helping Gore win a narrow victory in the New Hampshire primary over Bill Bradley.[18][19]
Gore added Jeanne Shaheen to his short list of potential vice presidential nominees, which also included Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, then-North Carolina Senator John Edwards, then-House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.[20] Shaheen responded to speculation about being selected by stating she wasn’t interested in taking the job.[21]
Gun control
On April 17, 2013, Shaheen voted for the Manchin-Toomey Amendment to expand background checks for gun purchases.[37]

Health care

In 2009, Shaheen partnered with U.S. Senator Susan Collins to introduce the Medicare Transitional Care Act, which provides follow-up care for discharged hospital patients in order to reduce the need for re-hospitalizations.[38] The bill passed in 2010,[39] and research at the University of Pennsylvania predicts the measure will lower the cost of health care by as much as $5,000 per Medicare beneficiary while also improving health care quality and reducing re-hospitalizations.[40]

In December 2009, Shaheen voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA; commonly called ObamaCare or the Affordable Care Act).[41][42]

Following the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, Shaheen proposed abolishing the Minerals Management Service, the U.S. government agency tasked with regulating offshore drilling, arguing that reform had been insufficient and that a new agency was needed.[45] Shaheen also proposed legislation giving the President's bipartisan BP Oil Spill Commission subpoena power in their investigation.[46] 

On April 28, 2014, Shaheen introduced the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2014 (S. 2262; 113th Congress), a bill that is intended to improve efficient energy use in the United States.[48]

Iraq war

In 2002, when Shaheen narrowly lost to Sununu, both supported "regime change" for Iraq.[49] On July 28, 2004, while serving as Chair of the Kerry-Edwards Campaign, Gov. Shaheen answered questions about her prior support of the Iraq war during an interview on C-SPAN.[50]

"George (W.) Bush said that the reason we needed to go to war in Iraq, the reason we needed to remove Saddam Hussein was because he had weapons of mass destruction, weapons that could be used against this country, because he had ties to al Qaeda and the terrorists who were responsible for the Sept 11 tragedy....”
LGBT rights

Shaheen initially opposed same-sex marriage as governor of New Hampshire. In 2009, however, she came out in favor of the legislative enactment of marriage equality for same-sex couples, and became a sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act.[51] She also voted in favor of the repeal of Don't ask, don't tell, and supports government recognition of same-sex spouses of military and other government personnel.[52][better source needed]

As a Senator, Shaheen has sponsored 87 bills ….”
For a partial list of these and committee assignments, see this wikipedia article.




"I'm not ever going to forget what I've done or what I've gone through. But at the same time, I don't want it thrown in my face every time I'm trying to seek employment," she said. "I don't want to have to explain myself every time." What she really wanted was help cleaning up her criminal record and moving forward with her life. That simple request touched Democrat Shaheen, who introduced legislation to help other victims of human trafficking — legislation that Congress approved this week. "Victims who are induced to commit crimes while they're being trafficked should not then be charged and have to have those crimes follow them for the rest of their lives," Shaheen told NPR. …. Shaheen talked about the NPR story on the Senate floor this year, and last month, she introduced a bill designed to help trafficking victims erase their criminal convictions — a process known as vacatur. "What the amendment would do is incentivize states to pass these kinds of laws, and to make sure that we're punishing the perpetrators and not the victims of trafficking," she said. This week, the Senate passed a major bill on human trafficking. A bill that included Shaheen's provision. …. "There's a lot of voices out there that can't tell her thank you," she said. "There's a lot of people out there that are going through what I went through, and they don't have help." The young woman did have help — family support and a lawyer who cleared her criminal record. She covered up a brand, bearing the name of her pimp, with a tattoo in the shape of a lotus flower. She's registered to start college in August. Her baby boy is in good health. And her mother is thrilled by the fire she sees in her daughter's eyes. …. I wish she could be the voice for all those survivors that don't have a voice because they don't know how — not a poster child but an actual advocate. It would bring some credibility to the movement. …. Jessica Emerson, the lawyer who helped vacate the Dallas woman's criminal record, has been fielding calls from people who never knew the law already existed in about 20 states. She's hearing from advocates who want to learn how to pass similar laws in their own states. …. She said she's helping seven other victims of trafficking wipe away their criminal records in Maryland alone. But she also said there's a lot more work to do across the country.”

This is a very happy story. It's interesting that there have been some twenty state laws on the books which are essentially the same. When I was young, though I had heard the term “white slavery,” I knew nothing about it. I did tend to think that most prostitutes are on that path by choice, usually because they were drug addicts and needed money to continue in their habit. I have heard since that they are recruited with promises of work from very low income areas around the world and brought to the US to serve as sex slaves and prostitutes. This article is making me wonder how many male prostitutes are also coerced? Maybe this new law will cover men as well as women.





http://www.ibtimes.com/tax-cuts-poor-middle-class-not-rich-create-jobs-research-shows-1892251

Tax Cuts For The Poor And Middle Class -- Not The Rich -- Create Jobs, Research Shows
By Cole Stangler
April 22 2015

Photograph – Tax cuts for the rich do not lead to growth in jobs or investment, a study says. Agence France-Presse/Jim Watson

The exact link between tax cuts and job growth has for years been a matter of fiery debate, from college economics departments to the chambers of Congress. Now, a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research could add some nuance to the dispute: Tax cuts do, in fact, boost employment and investment, just not when they’re directed at the rich.

The study from Owen Zidar, a professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, found that tax cuts aimed at the top 10 percent of earners produce little stimulative effect on the overall economy. On the other hand, those aimed at the bottom 90 percent have a greater impact.

Zidar examined the short- to medium-term impact of tax changes at the state and federal levels going back to 1948. On the national level, he found a 1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) tax cut aimed at the bottom 90 percent translates to job growth of 2 to 5 percent, but the impact of a similar cut on the top 10 percent of earners has a negligible effect. He reached similar conclusions on the state level: Tax decreases for most of the population generated 5 percent employment growth, but yielded little change when applied to the top income bracket.

Tax hikes produce similar effects, the paper says. When applied to the rich, they’re insignificant. But when applied to the rest of the population, they have a negative effect on economic activity.

Zidar contends that his is the first paper to quantify the economic impact of tax cuts on different income levels -- something he acknowledges is “a very hard problem to tackle” because of a relative lack of data points. But he overcomes that challenge, in part, he says, by looking more closely at the regional impact of tax shocks. In other words, Connecticut, with its high proportion of top income earners, responds differently to tax cuts than Mississippi.

Zidar says the paper carries policy implications, too. If lawmakers want to stimulate job growth, “this suggests payroll tax reform could be a pretty powerful tool,” he says. Scrapping those taxes up to a certain amount would be a far more effective means of creating jobs than say, slashing income taxes on the top 1 percent.

The paper is also an academic rebuttal of sorts to former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s infamous slam of the 47 percent “who pay no income tax.” More tax breaks for the masses are actually a good thing, Zidar’s research suggests.  

Likewise, the paper suggests expanding programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit -- which applies largely to working class families -- would be healthy for the overall economy.




“The exact link between tax cuts and job growth has for years been a matter of fiery debate, from college economics departments to the chambers of Congress. Now, a working paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research could add some nuance to the dispute: Tax cuts do, in fact, boost employment and investment, just not when they’re directed at the rich. …. Zidar examined the short- to medium-term impact of tax changes at the state and federal levels going back to 1948. On the national level, he found a 1 percent gross domestic product (GDP) tax cut aimed at the bottom 90 percent translates to job growth of 2 to 5 percent.... Tax hikes produce similar effects, the paper says. When applied to the rich, they’re insignificant. But when applied to the rest of the population, they have a negative effect on economic activity. Zidar contends that his is the first paper to quantify the economic impact of tax cuts on different income levels -- something he acknowledges is “a very hard problem to tackle” because of a relative lack of data points. …. The paper is also an academic rebuttal of sorts to former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s infamous slam of the 47 percent “who pay no income tax.” More tax breaks for the masses are actually a good thing, Zidar’s research suggests.  Likewise, the paper suggests expanding programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit -- which applies largely to working class families -- would be healthy for the overall economy.”

This information makes me ask two questions. First, are those in the 90 % the economic strata the ones who own small businesses, and who tend therefore to employ more US based workers, rather than unpatriotically offshoring their businesses to Bombay? Most of the jobs I have had in my life have been in small businesses. Second, is the greater buying power created among the 90% by lowering their taxes, then the root cause of American businesses hiring more workers – in other words, due to their expansion to meet an increased demand for the products? Ordinary folks don't buy a new car unless something allows them to pay for it.

The theory that the top 1% are employing a greater number of workers than the Middle Class looks to be inaccurate. I think many of the 1% do no productive work at all – they travel, buy luxuries, attend spas, drink heavily and become addicted to coke, etc. The bigger difference, though, may be the fact that the 1% just don't need any more money, and they tend to sock it away into one of their several Swiss bank accounts, while the poor and the Middle Class will either save for retirement, college tuition or directly spend it on goods and services, and that stimulates the economy. So when we try to help businesses we should target the corner store or restaurant. Give the small business owners tax rebates, not the Koch brothers!





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kyliejennerlipchallenge-causes-big-trouble/

#KylieJennerChallenge causes big trouble
By JESSICA FIRGER CBS NEWS
April 21, 2015

Photographs – Must See – One result of the #KylieJennerChallenge posted on Twitter.  TWITTER

Reality television star and Kardashian sibling Kylie Jenner is known for her pillow-lipped look, and now for a rash of injuries that are sending teens to emergency rooms across the country. On Monday, the hashtag#KylieJennerChallenge began trending on Twitter, a result of teen and tween fans attempting to emulate the star's plump pout by suctioning their lips with a bottle or jar.

This online dare has resulted in photos and videos that show everything from swelling that lasts for hours or days to black and blue lips and even gashes destined to leave scars that will undoubtedly outlast the final of season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

Now as a result, a new Twitter hashtag has emerged:#KylieJennerChallengeGoneWrong. The photos seem to prove that teens will stop at nothing to gain a little attention in the world of social media.

The results aren't just visually horrifying; doctors say they could also be seriously harmful.

"The practice of trying to engorge your lips by suctioning can be dangerous," Dr. Andrew Salzberg, an associate professor of plastic surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine of Mount Sinai, told CBS News. "It's a traumatic injury when you're suctioning anything."

Salzberg said this stunt has the potential to cause a number of longterm and permanent problems, including micro-trauma to the vessels of the lips, scarring, hematoma or fibrosis, which is the thickening of the tissue around the lips that can cause disfigurement and deformities.

On Tuesday, Jenner herself responded to the trend on Twitter, encouraging her fans to be themselves and not try to emulate her look.

It turns out this DIY cosmetic procedure for plumper lips has existed on the Internet for years. It's known as the "shot glass method." There are even a number of "lip plumping" kits sold on Amazon and other online shops. It's been rumored that Jenner actually uses one of the devices to maintain her big-lipped look, since she seems too young to go the route of injectables. However, big sister Kim insists it's all in the magic of lipliner.

These cosmetic devices -- only slightly less questionable than using a shot glass -- seek to profit from an ancient beauty ritual known as cupping therapy, with roots in Asia, Egypt and the Middle East. The effect can last for a few hours or days. Some companies that make the kits claim the look can be permanent if a person suctions daily. However, cupping therapy could likely accelerate signs of aging around the mouth.

So why the obsession with bee-stung lips? It turns out it may have to do with evolutionary biology. Some research finds that full lips (as well as big eyes) are indicators of higher estrogen levels in a woman. The theory then goes that the male sex finds full-lipped women more sexually attractive because she appears to be more fertile.



READER COMMENTS:

KylieJennerChallenge @KylieJennerChlg

LMAOOOO OH MY GOD #kyliejennerchallenge #kyliejennerchallengegonewrong



Complex         ✔ @ComplexMag

Teens are taking the #KylieJennerChallenge to get bigger lips, and the results are disturbing: http://trib.al/prHs93L 



kaitlyn @kaitlyncrcknell

"#kyliejennerchallenge" omfg




“Reality television star and Kardashian sibling Kylie Jenner is known for her pillow-lipped look, and now for a rash of injuries that are sending teens to emergency rooms across the country. On Monday, the hashtag#KylieJennerChallenge began trending on Twitter, a result of teen and tween fans attempting to emulate the star's plump pout by suctioning their lips with a bottle or jar. …. Salzberg said this stunt has the potential to cause a number of longterm and permanent problems, including micro-trauma to the vessels of the lips, scarring, hematoma or fibrosis, which is the thickening of the tissue around the lips that can cause disfigurement and deformities. Now as a result, a new Twitter hashtag has emerged:#KylieJennerChallengeGoneWrong. The photos seem to prove that teens will stop at nothing to gain a little attention in the world of social media. …. So why the obsession with bee-stung lips? It turns out it may have to do with evolutionary biology. Some research finds that full lips (as well as big eyes) are indicators of higher estrogen levels in a woman. The theory then goes that the male sex finds full-lipped women more sexually attractive because she appears to be more fertile.”

In order to fully experience this disgusting craze, readers need to go to the website and view all the photographs showing the results of this bottle sucking idiocy. It is frightful to see, and possibly beyond surgical correction. Those girls are stuck with the “full lip” look, which is truly shocking. The results are way beyond the natural cases of full lips, which do exist in some people, and therefore are repulsive to me.

In the last few years there were several stories about teenaged girls who were specifically trying to get pregnant so they would be proven to be “fertile.” That was to get attention from teenaged boys for sexual liaisons. There were even two news stories of teens who made a “pregnancy pact,” so that they would both be pregnant together – “best friends, doncha know!”

Heaven knows, most of us are too fertile, for goodness sake, which is why I approve of parents seeing that their young girls and boys know how to use birth control if they're going to be having sexual encounters, not to mention venereal diseases. This with the lips is a very similar craze, and a typical case of teenagers “following the leader” no matter where she is going. It's like why I would never get tattoos. You grow out of the desire to have them, but attempts to have them removed are not always completely effective and are painful.

I'm glad I didn't try to teach teenaged girls and boys. Some of them consider showing their bras or worse as a “fashion statement,” while the boys wear their pants down around their thighs, showing not only their underwear (always brightly colored and boxer style) but their fully exposed buttocks. To me it just looks exceptionally trashy and ignorant. It's no wonder they join gangs and send nude pictures of themselves over their cellphones – they think using some common sense is just not cool.

Many modern parents have completely lost control over their kids. That is partly because too often both parents work and the kids are unsupervised; partly because they don't simply talk to their kids like our parents did, which is the glue that binds the family together and transfers those positive values that we so need as a society; and finally because they find it easier to give the kid anything he or she wants including a credit card of their own, rather than setting reasonable boundaries and actually enforcing them. The result is that modern teens have way too many problems and misbehaviors, especially in Middle School. By the 11th or 12th grades they usually have matured a bit and even make good students. At the age when they should be preparing for college work, which is the main point of high school courses, they too often only want to act out, the more outrageously the better. I decided in my twenties that I didn't want to teach unless the kids were in grammar school when they are usually still excited about learning and not as creative in their mischief. A class full of kids from 12 to 15 years old would drive me crazy, and how I would respond to them might even cause me to be fired.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-best-of-obamas-jabs-at-2016-contenders-media-at-white-house-correspondents-dinner/

Obama slings jabs at the White House Correspondents dinner
By REENA FLORES CBS NEWS
April 25, 2015

Photograph – Hillary cracks up, or “Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton attends the Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Advancing Women in Peace and Security at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, April 22, 2015.”
 SAUL LOEB/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

WASHINGTON -- At the White House Correspondents' Dinner, President Obama weighed in Saturday with a few bitingly humorous takes on the 2016 race, dishing out zinger after zinger on the contenders for the White House and the media covering it.

The White House Correspondents' Association, now in its 101st year, hosts the incongruous meeting of Hollywood glamor with Washington stiffs.

But the real toast of the evening: the president's awaited punchline deliveries.

Attended by over 2600 guests -- a motley crew of politicians, journalists, and Tinseltown celebrities -- the annual confab is also a chance for the president to let down his normally serious, professorial guard and try his hand at stand-up comedy.

And Mr. Obama, who has now had six humorous years of gala practice under his belt, didn't disappoint -- especially when it came to his jabs at potential 2016 candidates.

"Soon the first presidential contest will take place," the president said. "And I for one can't wait to see who the Koch brothers pick."

He took specific aim at those who were weighing bids for the White House.

"We've already seen some missteps, with Jeb Bush identifying himself as Hispanic," the president said to some laughs. "It reminds me of when I identified myself as American in 1961."

Obama also reminded the chuckling audience that Texas Senator Ted Cruz recently denied the man-made causes of global warming: "Ted Cruz said that denying the existence of climate change made him like Galileo."

"Galileo believed the earth revolved around the sun," the president continued, leading to a punch line. "Ted Cruz believes the earth revolves around Ted Cruz."

In a self-deprecating moment, the president added, "And when a guy who has himself on a 'Hope' poster calls you self-centered, you know you've got a problem."

The President also took aim at possible 2016 candidate and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who recently said he would not attend the wedding of a close friend or relative who was gay.

"To which gays and lesbians around the country replied: 'that's not going to be a problem," Mr. Obama said to laughs. "Don't sweat that one."

On a roll with jibes targeted at the GOP's wide field of presidential contenders, Obama noted that "Donald Trump is here... still."

But in the president's long history of biting jabs, he's never limited his roasts to just his political foes.

Obama didn't spare his own party's contenders in the 2016 race to the White House.

In a jab at Hillary Clinton's recent private email scandal, the president brought out some secret photos of Clinton's (faux) instagram account.

"Here I was thinking Hillary's private instagram account was going to cause her bigger problems," the president joked, before a slideshow of photoshopped Clinton photos played.

"Hillary kicked things off in 2016 by being completely unrecognized at a Chipotle," Mr. Obama said, before taking a stab at another possible White House contender, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Maley.

"Martin O'Malley kicked things off by being completely unrecognized at a Martin O'malley event," the president said to laughs.
The chief executive also gave a nod to Vermont's Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who has become a favorite among left-leaning voters.

"For Bernie, some folks really want to see a pot smoking socialist on the White House," the president said, earning humorous applause. "We could get a third Obama term after all."

And it wasn't just those weighing bids for the White House that Obama skewered: he didn't show any mercy to the Democratic party.

Touting his own improving track record on economic issues, the president said: Nine in ten Americans have health coverage today. Thanks to Obamacare, you no longer have to worry about losing insurance if you lose your jobs."

And then the punchline: "You're welcome, Senate Democrats."

On Saturday, Obama also took aim at some of his closest supporters and those in his administration.

"I tease Joe sometimes, but I love that man," the president said of his second-in-command, Vice President Joe Biden. "In fact, we've gotten so close in some places in Indiana that they won't serve us pizza anymore."

And when it came to the hosts of the whole affair -- the Washington media machine -- the president shared a few thoughts on them.

He called the White House Correspondents' Dinner "the night when Washington celebrates itself," adding wryly that "somebody's gotta do it."

He mentioned that "brutal winter" in the District of Columbia, caused by the polar vortex, caused such record lows that "they renamed it MSNBC."

Not to be outdone, "Saturday Night Live" star Cecily Strong, the comedian to host the dinner, also touched on issues of press integrity.

She asked those in the room to hold up their right hands and repeat after her: "I solemnly swear not to talk about Hillary's appearance because that is not journalism...also Cecily Strong looks great tonight."

And in a reference to an NBC News scandal, Strong joked: "What can I say about Brian Williams? Nothing. Because I work for NBC."

Strong took no prisoners when it came to the butts of her jokes, from the Secret Service ("They're the only law enforcement agency that gets in trouble if a black man gets shot") to the dinner venue itself ("It is so great to be here at the Washington Hilton... is something a prostitute might say to a congressman").

She too lobbed shots at the 2016 contenders.

"Hillary Clinton has her work cut out for her," the SNL comedian remarked. "Her democratic challengers are a who's-who of who's-that."

"Let's not forget Martin O'Malley," Strong said. "Oh, I don't have anything to add -- that's just his campaign slogan: 'Let's not forget Martin O'Malley.'"

People think Elizabeth Warren "is too idealistic, and that her proposed policies are too liberal" the host commented, referencing the Democratic Massachusetts senator. "But look at President Obama... People thought the same thing about him and he didn't end up doing any of that stuff."

Strong ended on a positive note, thanking those that shared the limelight with her earlier in the evening.

"Mr. President it was a true honor to be here tonight," she said in closing. "And thank you to the White House Correspondents' Association -- whatever that is."





And Mr. Obama, who has now had six humorous years of gala practice under his belt, didn't disappoint -- especially when it came to his jabs at potential 2016 candidates. "Soon the first presidential contest will take place," the president said. "And I for one can't wait to see who the Koch brothers pick." He took specific aim at those who were weighing bids for the White House. We've already seen some missteps, with Jeb Bush identifying himself as Hispanic," the president said to some laughs. "It reminds me of when I identified myself as American in 1961." …. Strong took no prisoners when it came to the butts of her jokes, from the Secret Service ("They're the only law enforcement agency that gets in trouble if a black man gets shot") to the dinner venue itself ("It is so great to be here at the Washington Hilton... is something a prostitute might say to a congressman"). …. Hillary Clinton has her work cut out for her," the SNL comedian remarked. "Her democratic challengers are a who's-who of who's-that." Let's not forget Martin O'Malley," Strong said. "Oh, I don't have anything to add -- that's just his campaign slogan: 'Let's not forget Martin O'Malley.'" People think Elizabeth Warren "is too idealistic, and that her proposed policies are too liberal" the host commented, referencing the Democratic Massachusetts senator. "But look at President Obama... People thought the same thing about him and he didn't end up doing any of that stuff."

I always enjoy reading about this event. Like the New Year's Eve review of all the events of the dying year, it is always interesting, bringing up memories, some sad and others happy. I also enjoy seeing Obama who has been the butt of jokes by the fascist-leaning members of the American public (I'm so sorry! I meant “conservative!”) have his chance to slam all of them. Like Bill Clinton, he is very good at barbed comments and general verbal cleverness. The media on TV gave him rave reviews in his comments, so it's not “just us liberals” who think so.





http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2015/04/21/401254790/would-doctors-be-better-if-they-didnt-have-to-memorize

Would Doctors Be Better If They Didn't Have To Memorize?
JOHN HENNING SCHUMANN
APRIL 26, 2015

Poor old Dr. Krebs. His painstaking Nobel-winning work on cellular metabolism, called the Krebs cycle, has made him the symbol for what's ailing medical education.

"Why do I need to know this stuff?" medical students ask me.

"How many times have you used the Krebs Cycle lately?" senior doctors jokingly reminisce.

For decades, first-year medical students have had to cram the details of the Krebs cycle into their heads. Now the biomedical model of educating doctors, based largely on a century-old document called The Flexner Report, is coming under fire.

From one end, our long-standing medical education model is attacked as out of tune with the information age. By some estimates, our entire body of medical knowledge doubles every three or four years.

Critics say med students can't possibly master so much information, which quickly becomes outdated anyway. Instead, the new theory goes, students should be taught and evaluated on their ability to find, assess and synthesize knowledge. And they should be educated in teams to help prepare them for what goes on in the real world.

From another angle, critics of the Flexner model correctly point out that Flexner himself, an educational theorist with no medical training, was silent on issues such as poverty, housing, nutrition and other factors that we now call the social determinants of health.

We now know these factors collectively affect our overall health more than even the $3 trillion health care industry.

Many times I've seen patients and found the tools I was trained to use aren't nearly enough to provide help. No physical exam or X-ray can find a homeless person a bed. No lab test or medication can provide a laid-off worker with job training or education.

It took more than a decade for me to learn to ask patients about hunger. I found out that many of the people I've cared for suffer from food insecurity – not knowing where their next meal will come from.

"But what can I do about those problems?" my students ask. "Isn't that just social work?"

The answer may surprise you.

In my role as a medical educator, I attended the Beyond Flexner conference in Albuquerque, N.M., in early April. The main theme of the meeting, sponsored by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and others, was this question: "What is the social mission of medical education?"

The conference came about as an outgrowth of a 2010 paper that ranked medical schools by their social commitment rather than their research dollars or U.S. News and World Report scores. It began as something of a shot across the bow to organized medicine, challenging orthodoxy, such as making students memorize the Krebs cycle.

Over the years since then, more research has shed light on the economic and health impact of social determinants. The media has caught on to this as well.

Nearly 400 medical educators, activists, policymakers and students turned up to share ideas, hash out strategy and plan a road map for changing medical education.

Our hosts from the University of New Mexico demonstrated that medical schools that are serious about community engagement build strong partnerships that take social determinants into account. We heard how community health workers and a re-imagination of the agricultural extension model for health education are improving the health of New Mexicans.

To me, the most surprising aspect of the meeting was just how many medical schools are now getting serious about the importance of social determinants.

Many of the sessions at the conference explored obstacles that stand in the way of a culture change in medical education. At the top of the list: How to deal with a payment system that still prioritizes the quantity of medical care over quality? A decision by Medicare earlier this year to base a large proportion of future payments on quality and value has convinced many of us that the health system is on the path of change.

I left the conference with new ideas and fresh energy. I also was left wondering what will replace the Krebs cycle in the medical education pantheon.

My bet? It will be a team of students finding ways to break the vicious cycle of poverty that contributes to so much suffering, illness and early loss of life.




"Why do I need to know this stuff?" medical students ask me. "How many times have you used the Krebs Cycle lately?" senior doctors jokingly reminisce. For decades, first-year medical students have had to cram the details of the Krebs cycle into their heads. Now the biomedical model of educating doctors, based largely on a century-old document called The Flexner Report, is coming under fire. …. By some estimates, our entire body of medical knowledge doubles every three or four years. Critics say med students can't possibly master so much information, which quickly becomes outdated anyway. Instead, the new theory goes, students should be taught and evaluated on their ability to find, assess and synthesize knowledge. And they should be educated in teams to help prepare them for what goes on in the real world. …. critics of the Flexner model correctly point out that Flexner himself, an educational theorist with no medical training, was silent on issues such as poverty, housing, nutrition and other factors that we now call the social determinants of health. …. The conference came about as an outgrowth of a 2010 paper that ranked medical schools by their social commitment rather than their research dollars or U.S. News and World Report scores. …. How to deal with a payment system that still prioritizes the quantity of medical care over quality? A decision by Medicare earlier this year to base a large proportion of future payments on quality and value has convinced many of us that the health system is on the path of change.”

Slightly off this subject, but not far off was an article within the last six months or so on the predatory practices by hospitals in their often inflated billing and collections systems. That even includes the so-called charity hospitals. One in particular had been billing many of their patients for the typical high fees when, had they looked at their personal income and ability to pay those bills, they would be seen either free of charge or at a much reduced rate.

The “social commitment” of doctors is something that used to be assumed. Medical doctors were treated as local heroes and saints for the number of times they had to take payment in vegetables or no payment at all for their services. Many doctors now are “in it for the money,” and there is plenty of money to be made. The number who train for general practice or family medicine is shrinking, as most med students gravitate toward the much more highly paid specialties. As fewer GP recipients are produced, there is the same or even greater need for them. The Middle Class is shrinking drastically in the last few years, so fewer people can afford prestigious doctors in private practice rather than poverty based overly crowded clinics.

About the change from traditional training to the team approach and the ability to seek, understand and analyze information, I think in the end that will improve medical practice. I go to a GP who only occasionally refers me out to a specialist, but listens closely as I describe my symptoms, checks me out physically and gives me a prescription which usually does work for me. He knows enough about a wide range of subjects, including the best drug to use, that he surprises me on his decisions. There isn't any need for a specialist most of the time. That pleases me because I don't want to check every little thing out with a specialist. In addition, he is very much a “people person,” not the least conceited or arrogant, has never given me a “put down” about my symptoms not being serious enough for him to worry about, and is easy to talk to.





http://www.cbsnews.com/news/american-indian-actors-quit-adam-sandler-movie-the-ridiculous-six-over-names/

American Indian actors quit Adam Sandler movie "The Ridiculous Six" over names
AP April 24, 2015

A group of American Indian actors walked off the set of an Adam Sandler movie this week over complaints about stereotypes, offensive names and scenes they say disrespected Native American religious practices.

Actor Loren Anthony told The Associated Press on Thursday that he and eight others quit the production of the satirical Western "The Ridiculous Six" after producers ignored their concerns about its portrayal of Apache culture and the inappropriate use of props.

Anthony said the script included offensive names for Native American female characters and a scene where a Native American woman urinated while smoking a peace pipe. Another scene used chicken feathers on teepees, he said.

"Right from the get-go, it didn't feel right. But we it let it go," said Anthony, a Navajo actor who started work as an extra on the movie Monday. "Once we found out more about the script, we felt it was totally disrespectful to elders and Native women."

"The Ridiculous Six" is produced by Sandler and Allen Covert and is slated for a Netflix-only release. Production began this month in Santa Fe and elsewhere in northern New Mexico.

The film is a comedy designed to lampoon stereotypes, Netflix said.

"The movie has 'ridiculous' in the title for a reason: because it is ridiculous," a company statement released by Netflix said. "It is a broad satire of Western movies and the stereotypes they popularized, featuring a diverse cast that is not only part of -- but in on -- the joke."

A spokesman for Sandler's Manchester, New Hampshire-based production company, Happy Madison Productions, didn't immediately return a phone message.

Goldie Tom, another extra who departed the set Wednesday, said producers told the group to leave if they felt offended and that script changes were not up for debate.

"This just shows that Hollywood has not changed at all," Tom said.

She added the production had a number of non-Native American actors portraying American Indians, a long-standing complaint about the movie industry.

The actors said a Native American consultant hired by the production also walked off the set.

The New Mexico Film Office said Thursday the dispute was a First Amendment issue and the office had no say over the movie's content.

"As long as the production meets the requirements in the film credit statute, there is nothing prohibiting them from filming in New Mexico and receiving the rebate," the office said in a statement.

Outgoing Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly lauded the extras' decision.

"Our Native American culture and tradition is no joking matter," Shelly said. "I applaud these Navajo actors for their courage and conviction to walk off the set in protest."

David Hill, 74, a Choctaw actor from Oklahoma who left the set, said he thought the film industry was heading toward better portrayal of American Indians before this experience.

"Over the years, we have seen change. Then this," Hill said. "We told them, 'Our dignity is not for sale.'"




“A group of American Indian actors walked off the set of an Adam Sandler movie this week over complaints about stereotypes, offensive names and scenes they say disrespected Native American religious practices. Actor Loren Anthony told The Associated Press on Thursday that he and eight others quit the production of the satirical Western "The Ridiculous Six" after producers ignored their concerns about its portrayal of Apache culture and the inappropriate use of props. Anthony said the script included offensive names for Native American female characters and a scene where a Native American woman urinated while smoking a peace pipe. Another scene used chicken feathers on teepees, he said. …. "The Ridiculous Six" is produced by Sandler and Allen Covert and is slated for a Netflix-only release. Production began this month in Santa Fe and elsewhere in northern New Mexico. The film is a comedy designed to lampoon stereotypes, Netflix said. …. Goldie Tom, another extra who departed the set Wednesday, said producers told the group to leave if they felt offended and that script changes were not up for debate. "This just shows that Hollywood has not changed at all," Tom said. She added the production had a number of non-Native American actors portraying American Indians, a long-standing complaint about the movie industry. The actors said a Native American consultant hired by the production also walked off the set. …. Outgoing Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly lauded the extras' decision. "Our Native American culture and tradition is no joking matter," Shelly said. "I applaud these Navajo actors for their courage and conviction to walk off the set in protest." David Hill, 74, a Choctaw actor from Oklahoma who left the set, said he thought the film industry was heading toward better portrayal of American Indians before this experience.
"Over the years, we have seen change. Then this," Hill said. "We told them, 'Our dignity is not for sale.'"

In my part of the US, North Carolina, a fairly large number of white people either correctly or wishfully, claim to be part American Indian, especially Cherokee or Lumbee. There are Cherokee still living in Western NC, and the Lumbee are in the Eastern part. I have never heard an anti-Indian comment of any kind. In the West, the situation is not like that. Indians are mistreated by the public and if they live on the reservations, tend to be very poor. They are not, however, even a little bit “inferior” either mentally or personally. Stereotypes, are not based on good information but on the simple issue of who is in the higher economic and social bracket, and of course, on skin color. It's about power. Some whites are White Supremacists rather than good neighbors, and they will propagate the evil of hatred as long as they are allowed to do so. I'm glad to see Indians, Hispanics and all other groups standing up for their rights in our modern society. Such shameful things as were described in this movie will not be allowed if Indians would take the matter one step further and sue Sandler and his company for damages. I used to think he was a pretty funny guy, but after this I will definitely boycott anything he is involved with.





http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/ken-walshs-washington

Obama Presses Executive Action on Global Warming
By Kenneth T. Walsh | April 23, 2015

Photograph – President Barack Obama walks the Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park, Fla., on Wednesday.

President Barack Obama is pressing ahead with the strategy of using unilateral actions to help achieve his goals when his agenda is blocked by the Republican-controlled Congress.

The latest example is the set of eight executive actions on climate change announced by the White House during Obama's Earth Day trip to the Florida Everglades Wednesday. They weren't big steps but they represented modest movement toward his objective of limiting the effects of global warming. They included expanded conservation measures in Florida, Hawaii, Puget Sound and the Great Lakes. Obama said his goal was to "protect the people and places that climate change puts at risk."

Another goal is to contrast his commitment to fighting climate change with the attitude of some Republicans that human-caused climate change doesn't exist. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Obama wants to continue taking action "even in the face of pretty significant opposition from Republicans in Congress."

An analysis by USA Today found that keeping track of Obama's unilateral actions is difficult because many emerge from departments and agencies, not the White House, and there is no central repository of them. But the newspaper added: "One measure of how busy the White House has been in rolling out executive actions is its use of 'fact sheets,' which are often used to announce new policy initiatives. Those fact sheets have spiked in the last two years." There were 35 of them in 2009, Obama's first year in office, rising to 228 in 2014 and 63 so far this year.

Obama's Democratic party suffered major losses in the 2014 midterm elections, resulting in Republican control of both the House and Senate. The administration's next unilateral action is likely to be a series of new overtime regulations from the Department of Labor, in keeping with Obama's agenda of helping middle-class families economically.




“President Barack Obama is pressing ahead with the strategy of using unilateral actions to help achieve his goals when his agenda is blocked by the Republican-controlled Congress. The latest example is the set of eight executive actions on climate change announced by the White House during Obama's Earth Day trip to the Florida Everglades Wednesday. They weren't big steps but they represented modest movement toward his objective of limiting the effects of global warming. They included expanded conservation measures in Florida, Hawaii, Puget Sound and the Great Lakes. Obama said his goal was to "protect the people and places that climate change puts at risk." …. "One measure of how busy the White House has been in rolling out executive actions is its use of 'fact sheets,' which are often used to announce new policy initiatives. Those fact sheets have spiked in the last two years." There were 35 of them in 2009, Obama's first year in office, rising to 228 in 2014 and 63 so far this year. …. The administration's next unilateral action is likely to be a series of new overtime regulations from the Department of Labor, in keeping with Obama's agenda of helping middle-class families economically.”

Good going, Prez! You aren't letting Republican complaints and their other outrageous actions like the horrible letter to Netanyahy stop you from making a stand.





http://www.rawstory.com/2015/04/scott-walker-marks-earth-day-with-layoff-notices-to-dozens-of-environmental-agency-employees/#.VTf-p4MAZ-g.reddit

Scott Walker marks Earth Day with layoff notices to dozens of environmental agency employees
DAVID EDWARDS
April 22, 2015

Photograph – Gov. Scott Walker

Thanks to Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-WI) budget cuts, at least 57 employees in Wisconsin’s environmental agency were notified just in time for Wednesday’s Earth Day that they would probably be out of a job.

The Journal Sentinel reported on Wednesday that Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employees began receiving notices this week that their jobs could be cut as part of Walker’s fiscal plan for the next two years.

According to DNR spokesperson Bill Cosh, 27 of the layoff notices were delivered to employees in the Bureau of Science Services, where Walker has planned deep spending cuts that have been criticized by environmental groups.

Amber Meyer Smith, director of programs and government relations for Clean Wisconsin, told the Journal Sentinel that the cuts were a “terrible idea.”

“Any real natural resources protection is based on sound science. The more science you remove from the process, the more politics you add,” she explained.

In all, DNR was expected to lose 66 positions, but some of those were already vacant.

The Joint Finance Committee was expected to address DNR funding on Wednesday. One employee who received a layoff notice reportedly emailed other employees and asked that they “do what I dare not” and lobby lawmakers against the budget cuts.

“Never mind that I, like most others targeted, are federally funded or funded from (a segregated account) and not general purpose revenue,” the employee wrote. “Thus, this measure will have no effect on the state budget.”



http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/news/300708681.html

All Politics Blog
By Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel
April 20, 2015

The powerful and deep-pocketed Koch brothers want to see Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker as the GOP's presidential nominee next year but won't necessarily spend money for him during the party's primary, according to national media. 

Citing anonymous sources, the New York Times reported that the conservative billionaires Charles and David H. Koch think Walker has the best chance among the GOP's 2016 field to retake the White House. 

At a fundraiser Monday for the New York State Republican Party, David Koch told donors that he and his brother would support the GOP candidate regardless but that the nominee should be Walker, the newspaper said.
 
A spokeswoman for Our American Revival, Walker's presidential campaign in waiting, declined comment. Tim Phillips, the executive director of the Kochs' main political arm, Americans for Prosperity, didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. 

As some of the most influential conservative donors in the country, the Koch and their network of organizations such as AFP could be major allies to Walker. That network is expected to spend some $900 million over the next two years to advance conservative candidates and policies. 
 
The Daily News quoted an anonymous source to say, however, that Koch was only expressing a personal preference for Walker and would remain financially neutral during the GOP primary. 




“Thanks to Gov. Scott Walker’s (R-WI) budget cuts, at least 57 employees in Wisconsin’s environmental agency were notified just in time for Wednesday’s Earth Day that they would probably be out of a job. The Journal Sentinel reported on Wednesday that Department of Natural Resources (DNR) employees began receiving notices this week that their jobs could be cut as part of Walker’s fiscal plan for the next two years. …. “Any real natural resources protection is based on sound science. The more science you remove from the process, the more politics you add,” she explained. In all, DNR was expected to lose 66 positions, but some of those were already vacant. The Joint Finance Committee was expected to address DNR funding on Wednesday. One employee who received a layoff notice reportedly emailed other employees and asked that they “do what I dare not” and lobby lawmakers against the budget cuts.”

I only became aware of Scott Walker this year as he has struck out at Marco Rubio and Hillary Clinton and then today's article about the layoffs. In looking through the ABC rundown of articles about him I found one in which he signed a bill strengthening gun control, an article in which he and Rubio are both declaring that they will put American soldiers on the ground in Syria and Iraq against ISIS rather than just bombing them, another on his making Wisconsin a right to work state, budget cuts on oversight of Wisconsin for-profit colleges, cutting money for schools that lose students to private voucher schools, and other things. For other info about him see “Walker's Wisconsin Budget Shows His Conservative Ideals” at website
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/walkers-wisconsin-budget-shows-conservative-ideals-30363257. Needless to say I won't vote for him if he runs.