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US Recession and the Toronto Real Estate Market

2008-02-05T21:10:00.001-08:00

The tanking of the US housing market might actually act as a catalyst for something good for us in Toronto. And it's not just good for the lucky few who already own property, it also could help those who will be jumping into the market for the first time this year.

The US Fed has cut interest rates by a total of 1.25% in the past 10 days in an effort to stave off what some are calling an inevitable recession.

U.S. Education Department to Probe Program for Black Men on 16 CUNY Campuses

2008-02-05T21:07:00.000-08:00

The U.S. Department of Education has opened investigations at 16 campuses of the City University of New York to determine whether a program to improve the enrollment and graduation rates of black men violates federal civil-rights law.
In April 2006, the New York Civil Rights Coalition filed a federal complaint with the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights about CUNY’s proposed “Black Male Initiative,” which the civil-rights group charged would offer “remedial and differential treatment” to students based on race and gender. The group argued that such a segregated pedagogy violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
The Office for Civil Rights received that complaint in May 2006, followed by a second complaint from the same group, in June 2006, charging discrimination in the hiring of staff members for the program.
“In order to investigate the allegation in the most thorough and appropriate manner, OCR determined it would open individual complaints against each of the 16 colleges,” said Jim Bradshaw, a Department of Education spokesman.
In 2006 a CUNY spokesman told The Chronicle that the system was not planning any race-exclusive programs, but that it was considering the promotion of gender-focused programs to help black men. The program under attack was part of a four-year master plan called the “Initiative on the Black Male in Education,” approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees in 2004.
“We will, of course, continue to fully cooperate with the Office for Civil Rights,” Jay Hershenson, a CUNY spokesman, said today. “CUNY is confident that [the program] will be recognized for its great work in fostering access and success to the benefits of education, including to those who are underrepresented in higher education.”
According to the civil-rights group, the CUNY institutions that are under investigation are the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Kingsborough Community College, LaGuardia Community College, Baruch College, Brooklyn College, City College, Lehman College, College of Staten Island, Medgar Evers College, Hostos Community College, Hunter College, Queens College, Queensborough Community College, York College, the CUNY Graduate School and University Center, and the New York City College of Technology.
—JJ HermesPosted on Monday February 4, 2008

Stop Illegal Immigration NOW Or Immigrants Will Soon Out Vote You

2008-02-05T21:06:00.000-08:00

I have a neighbor named George. He and his family have been great neighbors. We’ve exchanged gifts, attended parties together, helped each other out from time to time with one thing or another. Our kids have been friends. I like them all. They’re really great folks.

However, all but the father and one son out of a family of six are illegal immigrants by way of Mexico.

Last year, two of their sons got caught up by immigration and sent back to Mexico. George’s wife moved back to Mexico to be with her sons. George stays here with the eldest boy and their daughter. He works hard and misses his wife. Of course, she cannot come back because she was never a legal resident and has no papers.

It’s all a terribly rotten situation for George and his family and I know that I would be highly upset were I in his situation. But, his situation is not unlike that of millions of other families that have a mixture of legal and illegal members living in the U.S.

And therein lies a problem. Yes it is a problem for them, but it is also a problem for anyone interested in stricter border control and enforcing current immigration laws or creating new ones. And it is a problem that looms larger every single day. It is a problem that is born of our own democratic system: Voting.

You see, once a Mexican national (or other immigrant) becomes a legal, voting resident he comes to have his fair, democratic say in the process. Ordinarily, it is a fine thing that a new citizen exercises his newfound duty to become a voter as a new member of our society. But, in this case, if that new voter has illegal immigrant family members, he comes to the polls with a built in prejudice against U.S. sovereignty and border control.

In essence, when asking a newly legalized U.S. citizen to vote on tougher immigration laws, we would be asking him to vote to allow his mother, father, sister or brother to be deported. By asking for this new voter to vote on stricter border laws, we are making it tougher for his extended family, should they be illegals, to visit and work here.

A recent Pew Hispanic Center survey has some interesting results on these issues. The survey asked Hispanics living in the U.S. a battery of questions and their answers reveals a split between the foreign born and those born here in the U.S. But, on several areas the two segments agree.

On the question of drivers’ licenses for illegals, the foreign born are 55% in favor of allowing undocumented aliens to get licenses. The native born are 60% against that idea.
89% of the foreign born say that immigrants “strengthen the United States,” whereas only 65% of the native born agree with that claim.
76% of the foreign born claim that cheap labor provided by illegal immigrants is good for the U.S. while only 55% of the native born agree.

Notice that the native born are not as welcoming as the foreign born? But, here is the thing. The more foreign born we allow in and who later become citizens, the more apt we are to overpower the native born sentiment.

Here are some more alarming numbers.

53% of registered voters of Latino descent agree with giving licenses to illegals.
43% think there is no reason to decrease the level of immigrants coming into the U.S.A.
And a whopping 84% think legal status should be bestowed on all illegals here.

As the foreign born begin to become legal citizens, their permissive attitudes will naturally grow in number and influence. This favorable attitude toward illegals will find echo in more and more legislation and that legislation will have more and more possibility of passage as the number of voters who feel sympathy with illegals grows.

And the thing is, this is all only natural. After all, once the border is abandoned as it has been and people get used to coming and going as they please, it becomes harder and harder to curb that assumption of a “right” to that open border. Can we really blame the immigrants when our own government has allowed this situation to occur? And can we really blame legal citizens to vote against stringent immigration policies when they have family members here who are illegal or have some that want to come here?

Victor Davis Hanson wrote about this in 2003 in his book Mexifornia, but it seems that his warnings have fallen on deaf ears in the halls of our Federal government. In fact, we have a man running for president on the GOP side that is an open borders advocate and it looks like John McCain is a viable candidate, too. None of this bodes well for U.S. sovereignty.

But, things may be looking up on the state level. Drivers’ licenses for illegals is not a winning issue in general and specifically, the states of Oklahoma and Arizona have passed laws that puts more pressure on illegals, inducing many to leave those states.

But, the future beckons to open borders aficionados. The more foreign born Hispanics that they get to become citizens, the more likely that they will get their way. So, all this means that the window to fix this problem is closing bit-by-bit everyday and, in the near future, it will become impossible to reverse the damage to our nation.

Russia tells US to tear down its Apartheid Border Wall

2008-02-05T21:05:00.000-08:00

(Photo: San Diego border wall by Jay Johnson-Castro)

PRAVDA, Russia:

"After the trillions of dollars wasted in slaughtering hundreds of thousands of people around the globe, after failing in each and every one of his domestic and international policies, after insulting the noble precepts on which his country was built and after ensuring that he is the last Republican President for many years to come, George Bush prepares one last parting shot: a US-style Berlin Wall.

After two terms in office, it has become patently clear that George Bush neither respects international law, nor has any intention of pretending to abide by the fundamental precepts underlying international relations, having breached the Geneva Conventions, the UN Charter and numerous UN Resolutions in wanton acts of mass murder outside the borders of the United States of America."

Read article ...

As US Votes on Who Will Hold the Trigger, Mayans Propagate Civilization.

2008-02-05T21:03:00.000-08:00

Today, as Americans decide who will get the power to kill or spare millions (see posting of Wednesday, December 05, 2007, "It Takes [Out] a Village: Illegitimate American Power"), a group of Guatemalan Mayan campesinos are in Madrid, on a civilizing mission.

They are here to testify about the US-sponsored Guatemalan officers who, in the '70s and '80s, murdered their families, and came out on top as rich men, drug dealers, US embassy consultants, and Harvard fellows.

It's not as if you can bring back the dead wives, missing kids, or shot-in-the cerebrum husbands, or even sufficiently punish the guilty, who now grin in elegant Zona Cinco pools and in MacLean, Virginia homes with lawns. They still twirl power and walk around, uncuffed, in polite society.

But you can, as one of the mountain corn farmers observed yesterday, "Capture them, imprison them. That's sufficient," which is generous of him, since they butchered his dear ones, friends, and animals, and burnt his gut till his intestines spilled out -- and it is to the great credit of Spain's judiciary that they are willing to let him try.

This is a case of torture, state terrorism, and genocide -- and international arrest warrants have been issued -- but the big, tough Generals who once could answer the question (posed by the conservative Guatemalan daily, El Grafico, [May 17, 1982]) "How is it possible to behead an 8- or 9-year-old child? How is it possible for a human adult to murder in cold blood a baby of less than a year and a half?" are now afraid to fly to Madrid and face the parents of the kids they consumed while pocketing cash from Langley. (Grafico referred to the massacre of Semeja II, Chichicastenango, but, in all, according to army records, 662 villages were destroyed, and perhaps 120,000 civilians were murdered in a place the population of New York City).

They're afraid because there's been something like a tear in the fabric of the political universe and, somehow, as in one of those anomalies of quantum physics, there has emerged -- in this world -- a stray particle of civilization: a legal forum perhaps willing to enforce the murder laws, even against high officials.

Not yet too high, mind you. There are not yet American names on the defendants list. But as we say in the sports which American guys love, its not over till its over.

The case is in Spain's Audiencia Nacional (National Court), which, operating on the principle 'We're all people here,' is exercising its right under international law to try atrocity cases involving non-Spaniards.

(Mayan survivors of things like crucifixion by hanging -- from the big log cross at Rio Negro -- will be testifying. I'll be testifying as well, on the army, the massacre policy, and the US. Lawyers and professionals advancing the case come from CJA [US], APDHE [Spain], RMTF [Guatemala], CALDH [Guatemala], Hastings Law School [US], Impunity Watch [The Netherlands], and the National Security Archive [US].)

Imagine if that precedent caught on. Today's US primary might be awkward, as candidates and advisers dodged the cops, were pressed to sign pledges to stop murdering, and were asked by the press to explain their own pasts -- vis a vis killing civilians, not trivia -- and to explain their bipartisan ideological softness on official crime.

In this particular US-killing matter, one of dozens from around the world, the Republicans' patron saint is Ronald Reagan, so beloved by the Guatemalan leaders who slaughtered the Mayans (and others) that they hung ten-foot portraits of him in their homes as he sent them CIA men, surveillance equipment, covert money and -- most importantly -- open political blessings. The US Democrats' dove is Barack Obama, whose chief foreign adviser, Zbigniew Brzezinski, greenlighted Israel to deliver the actual killing rifles (Galils) to Guatemala, since his President -- Carter -- was a little embarrassed.

Is that the difference between the two big US parties on mass murder -- embarrassment versus pride? Maybe.

We shouldn't have to wrestle with such fine -- though, sometimes, bitterly consequential -- distinctions.

We should be able to vote effectively against, and prosecute, murder.

Maybe US politics needs a civilizing Mayan invasion.

(For background, and re. the US role see Jesus Tecu Osorio, "Memoria de las Masacres de Rio Negro," Guatemala, 2006, and my "The Guns of Guatemala: The Merciless Mission of Rios Montt's Army," The New Republic, April 11, 1983, "Guatemala Can't Take 2 Roads," The New York Times, op ed, July 20, 1982, "Choices on Guatemala," The New York Times, op ed, April 4, 1983, "Despite Ban, U.S. Captain Trains Guatemalan Military," The Washington Post, October 21, 1982, "The Guatemala Connection," The Progressive, May, 1986," "C.I.A. Death Squad," The Nation [US], April 17, 1995, "The Country Team," The Nation [US], June 5, 1995, letter exchange with US Ambassador Stroock, The Nation [US], May 29, 1995, and Allan Nairn and Jean-Marie Simon, "Bureaucracy of Death," The New Republic, June 30, 1986, and Jean-Marie Simon, "Guatemala," W.W. Norton, New York, 1987).

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Obama Wins Delaware
The only state that’s also a kick-ass Promise Ring song.

Exxon's Profits: Measuring a Record Windfall

2008-02-05T01:19:00.001-08:00

Exxon Mobil's staggering $40.6 billion earnings for 2007 drive the truth home: There's no business on the planet that gushes forth more profit than selling oil—nothing even close.

But just because it's more money than any other corporation has ever made in history, is it a windfall?

Some, notably the oil companies themselves, spurn the implication that the astronomical earnings are an instance of good market fortune that has blown their way. They don't like the term windfall, especially since it is so frequently followed by an even more despised term, tax. So don't be surprised if you hear a lot of talk about how oil profitability is not out of line with that of other industries. What's the real story when it comes to Big Oil profits?

Let's talk records. Exxon beat its own one-year-old record for the biggest corporate profits ever by 3 percent. Put together with the announcement by the No. 2 U.S. oil company, Chevron, of an $18.7 billion year, up 9 percent over 2006, plus the earlier results of Shell and ConocoPhillips, and that's more than $100 billion in profits from four companies. It's all thanks to the historic 35 percent climb in worldwide crude oil prices in the second half of 2007, ending the first week of this year when oil briefly touched $100 per barrel.

Exxon nation. If Exxon Mobil were a country, its 2007 profit would exceed the gross domestic product of nearly two thirds of the 183 nations in the World Bank's economic rankings. It would be right in there behind the likes of Angola and Qatar—two oil-producing nations, incidentally, where Exxon has major operations.

Ahead of the pack. Exxon Mobil's profits are 80 percent higher than those of General Electric, which used to be the largest U.S. company by market capitalization before Exxon left it in the dust in 2005. The new economy? Microsoft earns about a third as much money. And next to Exxon, the world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, looks like a quaint boutique, with annual profits of about $11 billion.

On the margin. The oil industry urges people to look beyond its profits to its profit margin: about 7.6 percent of revenues late last year. That's not much higher than the 5.8 percent profit margin for all U.S. manufacturing, and if you exclude the financially troubled auto industry from that analysis, the oil industry actually appears less profitable than most manufacturers, which were earning 9.2 cents on every dollar of sales.

But unrivaled returns on equity. However, profit margins across industries vary greatly based not on how well each business is doing but how capital- or labor-intensive it is. Oil is among the most capital-intensive. But look at the oil industry's profits compared with shareholder equity it has available for investment. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's most recent analysis of the oil industry's performance, released just last month, showed oil industry return on equity of 27 percent—about 10 points higher than that of other manufacturers. And it has been higher throughout this recent era of high world oil prices, just as it was back during the oil shock that hit in 1980.

Enough windfall to tax? That year was the last time a windfall profits tax was enacted, and there's no question that the oil industry's results will focus political attention on the idea again, especially with economic concerns at the forefront and the expensive challenge of addressing climate change on the horizon. (Hillary Clinton talks windfall profits tax; Barack Obama says repeal the tax breaks oil already enjoys.)

The Congressional Research Service found the last oil windfall tax generated only $80 billion in revenue before it was repealed in 1988, far less than the $393 billion projected. That may have been, of course, because of numerous loopholes in the way Congress wrote, and then later amended, the law. Domestic oil production fell and foreign oil dependence grew during the windfall tax years, but—given the hard reality that the United States doesn't have as much oil as the Middle East—those trends have continued unabated since then without any help of a windfall profits tax. That's why new ideas are floating for structuring a tax, such as exempting investments that the oil industry makes in non-fossil-fuel alternatives.

For now, there's simply no alternative that replaces more than a sip of the world's voracious demand for petroleum. And as long as that is the case, the companies that provide it will be pumping out profits.

Interest Rates, Congress, and Your Mortgage

2008-02-05T01:18:00.001-08:00

What changing rate conditions and the proposed stimulus plans mean for homeowners

The Fed cuts rates, yet mortgages appear more expensive, and Congress is set to take wide-ranging action to prop up the economy: What's a borrower to make of all this flux? Here are some answers.

Does the latest half-point interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve make it easier to get a good deal on a mortgage? Will it make the mortgage I already have cheaper?
A decrease in the federal funds target rate generally makes it cheaper for banks to borrow money from each other on a short-term basis. But mortgages are based on longer-term interest rates, which are also influenced by expectations about the economy and inflation. Rates can rise, as they did last week, when investors react to news, such as the Fed cut, and expect it to strengthen the economy or spur inflation, explains Doug Duncan, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association. According to MBA's weekly survey, the average interest rates for 30- and 15-year fixed mortgages increased about a tenth of a percentage point over the past week, to 5.6 percent and 5.04 percent, respectively.

For many homeowners already paying off a mortgage, the Fed's actions may be irrelevant, because they are locked into a fixed interest rate. However, if that locked rate is higher than current ones, it may make sense to consider re-financing. Adjustable-rate mortgages are sometimes tied to banks' prime lending rates, which tend to follow the federal funds target rate but are more frequently pegged to other short-term interest rate indexes, so the impact of the Fed cut will vary. "That's why we tell consumers to shop around," Duncan says.

Would the proposed stimulus packages help me with my mortgage payments?
The stimulus package developed by House leaders and Congress contains a provision that would raise the limits on home loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to $625,000 from $417,000. That won't make much difference to current mortgage holders, but for those looking to buy homes that require such large mortgages—not uncommon in pricey areas such as Los Angeles and New York—it would probably help them get better interest rates because Freddie and Fannie will back them, reducing risk for the banks that issue them. And taxpayers can, of course, devote the rebate check they may receive—$600 or $500 per individual taxpayer in House and Senate proposals, respectively—to their mortgages.

I still can't afford to make my monthly payments—what else is the government doing to help me?
The Senate Banking Committee is considering the idea of creating a corporation that would buy loans nearing delinquency at a discount and then allow homeowners to refinance them at more affordable levels. While the corporation would require money to get started, the committee says that it would not be costly over the long term because homeowners would pay back the value of the loan at its new price, and banks would be willing to sell the loans for a discounted price to avoid losing the entire value due to default.

Banking consultant Bert Ely says that while this move would come too late to help some struggling homeowners, it could help those on the margin of keeping their homes, as well as preserve neighborhoods if the corporation maintains and rents out foreclosed properties. "It helps with the neighborhood, and that's where a lot of the problem lies," Ely says.

The mortgage industry has also launched programs to assist at-risk homeowners. Hope Now, a private-sector alliance organized by the Bush administration in December, helps homeowners refinance their mortgages to make them more affordable, among other forms of assistance. Lenders are also working individually with struggling borrowers. According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, almost a quarter of a million borrowers modified their loans or repayment plans in the third quarter of 2007.

One obstacle to helping distressed homeowners has been reaching them, Ely says. "One of the biggest problems is getting people to talk.... It's like someone with a serious illness who's afraid to go to the doctor." For those in trouble, contacting lenders directly is usually the first step—they don't want their borrowers to foreclose, either.

Microsoft's Yahoo! Bid Is a Move on Google

2008-02-05T01:17:00.000-08:00

Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's chief executive, said, "We have great respect for Yahoo, and together we can offer an increasingly exciting set of solutions for consumers, publishers, and advertisers while becoming better positioned to compete in the online services market." Yahoo! said it would "evaluate this proposal carefully and promptly."

The deal gives Microsoft some much needed heft in the Internet advertising field and marks a big step in creating tougher competition for search leader Google, which saw its shares slide 8 percent ahead of the bell.

But it doesn't change the fact that Google is winning the search and advertising battle by a solid margin. Citigroup analysts said there's still no reason to expect users to give up their "overwhelming preference" for Google but said the long-term potential for Microsoft is there if it can help Yahoo! reverse course.

Earlier this week Yahoo! warned 2008 would be a difficult year as it struggled to revamp its online services under cofounder Jerry Yang, who returned to Yahoo! last year.

Despite those efforts, a buyout has been a popular topic for some time as Yahoo! shares slumped more than 45 percent since October and its share of the Internet search pie declined.

Henry Blodget, a blogger and former tech analyst, wrote that the move by Microsoft is "brilliant," because it's "a big premium dangled in front of battered Yahoo! shareholders, but a price that would have seemed absurdly low as recently as six months ago. Given Yahoo!'s battered stock and low 2008 outlook, we expect the offer will be accepted."

Q&A: Michelle Obama

2008-02-05T01:16:00.001-08:00

For a woman who insisted she never wanted a political life, Michelle Obama now finds herself at the center of one of the most historic presidential elections in the nation's history. And she's become a potent campaigner for her husband, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama. The 44-year-old Harvard Law School graduate drew thousands at an appearance in Delaware last week before returning to Chicago and daughters Malia, 9, and Sasha, 6. U.S. News caught up with Michelle Obama on her way to a women's roundtable in Connecticut. Excerpts:

(Charles Rex Arbogast/AP)

You've said your husband's presidential run is now or never. Why?
One is practical. We've got small kids, and the thought of putting them through this very taxing endeavor again and again is to me almost unthinkable. The second thing is bringing in someone who is still very closely planted to the ground. Our lives are so close to normal, if there is such a thing when you're running for president. When I'm off the road, I'm going to Target to get the toilet paper, I'm standing on soccer fields, and I think there's just a level of connection that gets lost the further you get into being a candidate.

Was there a moment you realized your life would never be the same?
It's been very gradual, from the day Barack announced to 16,000 people standing out in the frigid cold in Springfield, Ill. You thought "Wow!" ok. You didn't expect that. And it's been that for the whole year.

What do you miss most about your old life?
Family time. Barack has been home with time off this year for maybe 10 days.

Did you ever think the two of you would end up playing this role in history?
Not at this magnitude, no! There is a special quality to Barack, for sure, that is unmistakable when you meet him. A great intellect, common sense, humor and self-deprecation, and a willingness to put himself in really hard situations to help the greatest number of people. I think I knew it was there, but I didn't believe the nation would be ready anytime soon to embrace someone so unconventional.

What about racism? Did you and your husband expect it on the campaign trail?
It's not just race, but his youth, his level of experience, his name, his background, everything—there's just so much that is unconventional. The question is, Is that too much for people? But our strategy is to be as honest and open as possible. Basically folks are the same. They want to feel like they can trust you. They want to feel like you'll listen. All [the other] stuff breaks down when people get to know each other.

In his comments before the South Carolina primary, was Bill Clinton intentionally creating a white-black scenario?
I wouldn't begin to second-guess somebody else's motives. I know that these campaigns are tough and hard fought. And there are always times when people say things that they shouldn't say, that aren't accurate, and I think that this was one of those cases.

What would be your White House role?
I think I can bring visibility and a voice to a whole range of issues, like work-family balance. We talk a lot about the struggle that women have just to survive in a climate where wages are decreasing, where you have to hold two or three jobs to cover the basics. All of these things lead to greater stresses on families in ways that we need to talk about.

Some fear for your husband's safety. How do you manage your concern for him and for your family?
Barack has Secret Service protection, and that in and of itself provides a level of security that didn't exist in our everyday lives. So, I think that the question of security has been a bit overblown. We didn't make the decision to enter this worrying about safety. When you look at people who came before us, people like Martin Luther King Jr., there was a real reason to be afraid. We're living in different times. As far as I'm concerned, whatever we are sacrificing is nothing compared to what others have sacrificed.

What inspired you and your brother? And if you hadn't chosen law, what might you have done?
We had very hardworking parents. They didn't go to college, but they believed in the importance of education; they were staunch supporters of us, so we always had two parents telling us how wonderful we were. In terms of other careers, I think I gave up the notion of being a pediatrician after I realized that organic chemistry was going to be [required.] [But] I don't think I have put my heart and soul into the notion of being a lawyer.

Excluding births and marriage, can you share a special moment in your life, a time you like to think back on?
We have just some of the most wonderful times when we visit Barack's grandmother in Hawaii. Those are always wonderful times, warm weather, a time to be together and laugh, when everybody's relaxed, no schedules, no nothing, just a lot of good fun together.

India's Black Market Racket in Human Kidneys

2008-02-05T01:15:00.000-08:00

An organ procurer promised Ponraj, 38, an auto rickshaw driver with a fourth-grade education, $2,500 for one of his kidneys. "Humans don't need two kidneys, I was made to believe," he says, now lamenting his decision. "I can sell my extra kidney and become rich, I thought." But he was swindled and received only half that much. And since the operation, Ponraj often misses work because of excruciating pain around his hip, pushing him more deeply into debt.

Many Indian cities, such as Chennai in southern India, are becoming hubs for the illicit kidney business, despite a 1994 ban on such trade in human organs. Organized rings of hustlers, working in cooperation with some doctors, prowl slum neighborhoods for vulnerable donors like Ponraj to supply a growing number of mainly foreign patients seeking kidney transplants.

In Gurgaon, an upscale Delhi suburb, the Indian police in late January dismantled an illegal organ racket—which authorities described as the largest ever broken up in India—that allegedly removed kidneys from about 500 laborers, the majority of them abducted or conned, and sold the organs to wealthy clients over a period of years. Police allege that the doctor, Amit Kumar, 40, drove around looking for possible donors, sometimes testing them on the spot with equipment in his car and other times luring them to an apartment where he has surgical gear.

Letters and E-mail messages from would-be transplant recipients in nine countries were discovered in Kumar's office, Indian authorities said. "It is believed that during the past eight years around 500 people were forcibly operated on and their kidneys transplanted to foreign patients in a secret operating theater," according to an Interpol alert for Kumar, who has evaded authorities in India.

Analysts say the kidney business thrives with foreigners drawn here for many of the same factors that have made India a top destination for medical tourism: low costs and highly qualified doctors. An illegal kidney transplant here can cost a third of the $70,000 price of the operation in China, not to mention avoiding the kind of strict organ-donation rules that apply in western countries.

Corrupt doctors in India work in tandem with organized middlemen adept at circumventing Indian law. The 1994 Transplant of Human Organ Act permits only relatives of patients to donate kidneys for transplantation (or a reciprocal arrangement between two needy families). But middlemen manage to masquerade donors as relatives or otherwise find ways to elude the rules, with little interest in the well-being of kidney providers.

A kidney recipient here may pay as much as $25,000 to illegally get a new organ, of which perhaps $2,500, and often half that much, goes to the donor, according to Action Aid India, an international NGO that has worked with kidney trade victims in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. That leaves a lot of money for unscrupulous organ hunters. "These middlemen act more like cut-and-grab men whose only interest is to hack out the organ," says Annie Thomas, a field coordinator for Action Aid in Chennai. "This is a reprehensible abuse of the poor, and this practice needs to be curbed."

In Korukkupet, a grubby Chennai slum seething with people, the trade is prevalent. Although there's no specific estimate, local activists claim it's hard to find a family here that doesn't have a member who has sold a kidney. A woman who goes by the name Muttama, a 29-year-old fish seller, says she was conned into selling a kidney for $1,250 two years ago. She says she was promised three times that much. She claims she sold her kidney through a local man, who goes from house to house to lure others to sell kidneys. " 'Follow my example,' he told me," Muttama remembers. " 'I was a very poor man. Now look at me. I became rich after I sold my kidney.' "

Other families interviewed in Korukkupet also identified the same individual as a kingpin in the kidney business, although he denies the allegations and authorities have not brought charges against him. Neighbors point to his house—grand compared with the surrounding sprawl of huts—where his wife can be seen wearing gold bangles, gold earrings, and a glittering necklace.

Conservative Radio Hosts Lampoon McCain

2008-02-05T01:14:00.000-08:00

Typically, conservative talk show hosts attack the opposite side of the aisle; this cycle, they are going after one of their own

The kings and queens of conservative talk radio thrive on displays of anger and outrage. They summon it easily, and they direct it most frequently at Democrats. The godfather of talk radio, Rush Limbaugh, has already called Sen. Hillary Clinton a "whore" and Barack Obama a "Halfrican."

Being good partisans, Limbaugh and friends typically spare their fellow Republicans from similar treatment. But sometimes discord emerges, or even erupts, in the family, as it has in the past few days. Suddenly their outrage has narrowed, almost vindictively, to the man now moving hastily toward their party's nomination: Sen. John McCain.

On Monday, January 28, the day before the Florida GOP primary, which McCain won over Mitt Romney, Limbaugh said, "If, this autumn, voters must choose between Clinton and McCain, they will face, at least stylistically, an echo, not a choice."

Equating a Republican with Clinton is obviously a low blow, and Limbaugh's comment, it turned out, was just the opening salvo to a steady stream of vitriol that crackled over the transistor this week and scattered across the airwaves. Hugh Hewitt, another well-known conservative radio host, wrote dejectedly on his blog, "It is hard to hide the fact that this would be a second Bob Dole campaign, with less energy and fewer conservative principles. Many, many Republicans have to be worried not just about losing the White House but about a dispirited party and a down-ticket wipeout."

The chorus against McCain from certain elements of the party has no doubt grown louder as his candidacy has gained traction, attention, and front-runner status. Florida, as a closed primary state, was supposed to serve as a buffer for those who felt McCain was out of step with the party base; it did not. The departure of former Sen. Fred Thompson, an avowed conservative, and the reduction of the field to a largely two-man contest between McCain and Romney has only exacerbated the audible alarm. The New York Times endorsement of McCain last week didn't help, either.

But the ferocity of the charges being leveled at McCain is noteworthy, not only for its sheer decibel level but also for what it potentially means for the Republican Party. Conservative talk radio clearly sees McCain as being too moderate, even liberal, on social and economic issues, such as his opposition to the first round of Bush tax cuts. More to the point, they say his candidacy represents a fracturing of the Republican base and that Romney is a better pick. But many Republican voters still support McCain, as evidenced by Florida.

So what gives? One argument is that conservative talk radio, representing the bastion of the party's strength since the 1980s, is out of step with a country that is weary of George Bush. A second argument is that talk radio is not out of step at all; rather, voters have simply been willing to compromise when picking from a lackluster field. A third possibility, more foreboding for Republican chances this fall, is that the base has fractured. Division is never good for a party, but it is especially worrisome for Republicans, who typically rely on an energized base to drive voter turnout.

The last time the Republican Party was so strongly divided over its candidates was 1964, says Denison University political science Prof. Emmett H. Buell. That year, conservative Barry Goldwater won the nomination, alienated moderates and liberals, and ultimately lost to President Lyndon Johnson. Goldwater made no effort to reunite the party; McCain, however, has.

"McCain will have a difficult but not insurmountable task of uniting the party around him," Buell said. "This would be a tough act for any of the candidates. The Reagan coalition has come off its wheels. McCain is not all things to all Republicans, but neither is Romney or Huckabee." The one fact that will most likely help his cause: his polling against Hillary Clinton. Romney and Huckabee lose by large margins when matched against Clinton; McCain, according to at least one poll, beats her by a single point.

To better understand the origin of talk radio's beef with McCain, we've waded through recent audio from the morning shows of some of the country's most popular conservative hosts. Die-hards like Limbaugh and Beck have spoken the loudest and harshest; others, while expressing concerns with McCain, have tried to distance themselves from the caterwauling.

Presidential Campaign Ads Top $100 Million

2008-02-05T01:13:00.004-08:00

Presidential candidates have spent a lot of money flooding your television sets with advertising during this campaign season. So much that they have already spent $107 million on TV ads as of last Sunday, a new study out of the University of Wisconsin Advertising Project found, and that was before Republican candidate Mitt Romney began his televised assault in some Super Tuesday states and before Barack Obama's "Change" ad showcased his message to last night's Super Bowl viewers.

While dozens of states scooted up their primaries and caucuses to Super Tuesday believing that holding an earlier primary would make their states more relevant to the nominating process, the holding of essentially a nationwide primary drove most television advertising to the even earlier primary states. Iowa and New Hampshire voters got the most TV ads thrown at them, followed by South Carolina, Nevada, Florida, and Michigan.

"Change" so far has been the magic word of this campaign. Barack Obama used "change" in 37 percent of his TV ads. Hillary Clinton used both "experience" and "change," using "experience" 30 percent of the time and "change" 27 percent of the time. None of Obama's ads touted "experience." In addition, Mitt Romney was a fan of "change" using the term in 29 percent of his ads.

And flags were the most popular symbol the presidential candidates used. John McCain depicted flags in 77 percent of his commercials. Rudy Giuliani had a flag in 65 percent of his. John Edwards used flags more than any other Democratic candidate, dawning the stars and stripes in 49 percent of his ads.

The wealth of the Democratic candidates in this cycle showed in the amount they were able to spend on advertising. Obama was the biggest spender—airing almost 30,000 ads costing the Senator from Illinois $57 million. Hillary Clinton aired more than 25,500 ads totaling more than $18 million. For the GOP, Mitt Romney led in advertisements, airing almost 35,000 commercials costing the former Massachusetts governor $29 million, more than all the other GOP contenders combined.

Though as we have seen, television advertising dollars may not necessarily translate to victories. While Romney outspent McCain in Florida by millions, McCain had a clean win last weekend in the Sunshine State.

Morning Buzz: Feb. 4, 2008

2008-02-05T01:13:00.003-08:00

Google has issued a public reaction to Microsoft's $44 billion bid to acquire Yahoo! and the tone of its response is decidedly negative. The company's chief legal officer, David Drummond, published a statement on Google's website on Sunday in which he wrote: "Microsoft's hostile bid for Yahoo! raises troubling questions. This is about more than simply a financial transaction, one company taking over another. It's about preserving the underlying principles of the Internet: openness and innovation."

President Bush has put together a $3 trillion budget for his final year in office that increases funding for the military and homeland security while calling for cuts in government healthcare, according to administration officials. High-ranking Democrats who have seen the budget proposal have quickly condemned it and say it will lead to cutbacks and a sharply increased national debt.

The New York Giants upset Tom Brady and the New England Patriots last night 17-14 to win Super Bowl XLII and rob the Patriots of a perfect 19-0 season. Giants quarterback Eli Manning was named Super Bowl MVP.

U.S. Faces More Delay on Iran Sanctions

2008-02-05T01:13:00.001-08:00

The ever frustrating U.S.-led quest for stepping up economic sanctions on Iran in response to its defiant nuclear stand is poised for yet more delays.

That was the clear implication of remarks today by France's ambassador to the United States, Pierre Vimont, in Washington. France, along with Britain, is a key partner in the diplomatic effort to ratchet up pressure on Iran for refusing to suspend its nuclear work, a move that has been set as a precondition for launching full-on talks on the nuclear issue, security problems in the Persian Gulf, and other political questions with Iran.

Vimont, in remarks to the Middle East Institute, pegged two new sources of delay. First, some of the new, nonpermanent members of the United Nations Security Council are not yet on board with even the relatively mild increase in sanctions that apparently have been agreed to by the United States, France, Britain, Germany, Russia, and China.

"This may take some time," Vimont said. "There is m

Texting for the Youth Vote

2008-02-05T01:12:00.001-08:00

As youth organizers predicted, young voter turnout is surging in the presidential nominating contests. To keep the momentum rolling through Super Tuesday, Student PIRGs' New Voter Project is announcing it will text 20,000 young people with reminders to vote on the eve of the February 5 contests in 24 states.

To date, the numbers of young people have increased exponentially over 2004. In this year's Iowa caucus, turnout of voters under 30 tripled compared with 2004 and 2000. Large increases in the proportion of young voters were also seen in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

CIA Chief's Game Prediction Was Super

2008-02-05T01:11:00.001-08:00

CIA chief Gen. Michael Hayden is a man with a lot of secrets—including his, uh, spooky success as a Super Bowl seer. The lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers fan correctly predicted the outcome of the Super Bowl XLII, picking the Giants to upset the formidable New England Patriots in the annual celebrity prediction poll conducted last week by the Scripps Howard News Service.

Hayden was almost dead-on with the margin of victory, calling the Giants by four points. (They won by three, with a final score of 17-14.) It remains unclear whether he harnessed any of Langley's vast resources, but he did say, "Careful intelligence work looks beyond the obvious."

His soothsaying was not perfect—he predicted a higher-scoring game that would finish up 28-24.

But the CIA director's skills do not appear to be simply a fluke. Last year, he predicted in the same poll that the Indianapolis Colts would beat the Chicago Bears 27-14. The final score: Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17.

U.S. Downplays Bhutto Claim Against bin Laden Kin

2008-02-05T01:09:00.000-08:00

President Bush's advisers hope his trip to Africa this month will soften opposition to the administration among African-Americans—and possibly help the eventual Republican presidential nominee and other GOP candidates to make inroads into the black vote this fall.

"The president really cares about Africa," says a senior White House official, and Bush hopes to make that clear by underscoring his commitment to spending millions of dollars to fight AIDS, HIV, malaria, and other diseases as part of his ongoing programs to help African nations.

The hope among GOP strategists is that, at minimum, African-American voters at home won't be motivated to cast ballots against Republican candidates this fall when they see that Bush and, by implication, his party have Africa's best interests at heart.

Black voters in the United States have given little support to Bush throughout his presidency and have gone heavily Democratic. Bush plans to spend a week in Africa starting February 15 visiting Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana, and Liberia.

Chivas USA signs Swiss midfielder Wicky

2008-02-05T01:06:00.000-08:00

The 30-year-old player joins Chivas USA as an international player, pending receipt of his work visa and international transfer certificate, the team said Monday.

Wicky has made more than 70 appearances for the Swiss national team, including as a starter at the 2004 European championships and the 2006 World Cup. He also played in the Champions League.

"Raphael is a talented guy who can play in central midfield or on the left wing, and who has also played in defense," Chivas USA coach Preki said.

Wicky joins Chivas USA from FC Sion in his native Switzerland. He spent six seasons in the German Bundesliga with Hamburg SV.

Clinton closes Baptist meeting with call for unity

2008-02-05T01:02:00.000-08:00


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ATLANTA — Former president Bill Clinton closed out an historic meeting of Baptists on Friday with a call to redouble efforts to help the poor and a renewed push to heal ideological splits with more conservative Baptists.

"We have to meet this schism with respectful disagreement," said Clinton, who was raised Southern Baptist but differs with the denomination's conservative bent. "We must approach those who disagree with an outstretched hand, not a clenched fist."

The gathering, called a Celebration of a New Baptist Covenant, was spearheaded by former president Jimmy Carter, who left the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000 but has worked to bring together Baptists across racial and ideological lines.

Although Southern Baptists were invited and some attended, the denomination was not an official participant and top Southern Baptist leaders stayed away.

Southern Baptist president Frank Page had expressed concern that Carter's meeting would be a platform for liberal politicians, including Clinton and former vice president Al Gore. Republicans were invited but some, including South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, withdrew.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: New York | Atlanta | God | Bill Clinton | Al Gore | Easter | Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton | Mike Huckabee | Jimmy Carter | Methodist | Southern Baptist Convention | Celebration | Southern Baptists | National Baptist Convention | South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham | Frank Page

Clinton, fresh off the campaign trail for his wife's presidential bid, said the nearly 30-year breach with more conservative Southern Baptists would not be easily healed.

"I do not think the answer to this dilemma which developed over decades ... can be resolved in a day or a week or a year," said Clinton, who attends a small Methodist church in New York with his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"I think it is a journey. If we want them to take the journey with us, we have to do two things: We have to find things we can do together and we have to treat them with respect and honor and believe that they think they're right just as strongly as we do."

The meeting drew about 15,000 Baptists for exuberant worship and sermons that brought them to their feet. The three-day meeting tried to help Baptists find common ground, as well as heal racial and ideological divisions reaching back a hundred years or more.

Carter said people have stopped him in the halls, urging him to keep up the momentum toward forging a new Baptist mission. He said organizers have collected 3,500 e-mail addresses and hundreds of letters with suggestions.

Together, the 20 million Baptists represented at the Atlanta meeting outnumber the 16 million-member Southern Baptist Convention.

"I think that where we go from here will be very important," said Carter, recalling that people told him, "We don't want this to be a wasted moment; we want this to be the initiation of a movement."

Carter plans to reconvene key leaders after Easter to determine the next steps, which could include attempts to tackle the environment or immigration at both the local and national levels.

Jimmy Allen, a former Southern Baptist president who helped coordinate the meeting with Carter, said he initially wasn't sure if this would be "a moment or a movement" but choked up when he told the Friday evening crowd that people seemed to want something long-lasting.

"We found out we're moving on," he said.

When Carter addressed the meeting on the first night, he made a point of asking rhetorical questions about Baptists' views on homosexuality, the status of women, abortion, capital punishment and other hot-button issues.

"If I had had a show of hands, we would have had very widely varying answers to my questions," Carter told reporters.

But the focus instead was on issues like salvation and unity.

"All of us, so far as I know, have been completely in unity here," he said. "We've never had a meeting like this before."

The Rev. William J. Shaw, president of the primarily black National Baptist Convention, USA, said he saw the hand of God at work in the meeting.

"I'd like to believe that this is a result of the move of the spirit of God," said Shaw, a co-chair of the event. "If all of us congregations come together like this, it's got to be the Spirit."
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Comments: (49)
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lunk head wrote: 3h 49m ago
What a joke he is!
Insiders are saying " He ( Clinton ) was successful at finding a cigar holder " while he was in town !

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whalers wrote: 3h 56m ago
People still really listen to this bubba? You gotta be kidding. Clinton is the last person anyone should be listening to.

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Nite Owl wrote: 6h 28m ago
"In other words any Christian that has a different opinion than you should go back to their bible and shut up."

No, any christian that's going to lecture the rest of the country about morality better practice what they preach. Hatred of Clinton just becuase he doesn't think like you is not that. And it's obvious you didn't read larry stutes post.

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big sam wrote: 12h 11m ago
arcadiaman wrote Why is it that the DEM always show up in church ( usually a black church) about election time and then say that the two should never be together?
Do you really think that Bill would stoop so low as to campaign in a church??? Say it isn't so!!!!

It seems strange to speak of unity and reaching out at a meeting designed to be splintering.

Historically Baptists have stood against influence of government in the Church and the use of the government by the Church. Today, we see many among baptists, whether conservative or new baptist, who are looking to the state for solutions, even to the point of idolatry. We must get back to our independent roots and put aside all idols, looking to God for answers.

We each have what God has set before us. We can do each task within the limits of the ten commandments, expressing the fruit of the spirit. We do not need to wave the sword of the state. God has his hand on history and will do that. We can speak out against harm, even the harm done by those in official capacities, yet our work, primarily the salvation of our neighbors, does not involve the state. Even helping our neighbors in need should not involve the state.

New Mormon leader stays the course with business savvy, folksy storytelling

2008-02-05T01:01:00.000-08:00

Thomas Spencer Monson joined the top ranks of the Mormon Church as a young man, called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles at age 36.

On Monday, at age 80, he was named president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the 16th since it was organized in 1830. He immediately declared the church would not veer significantly from the course set by his predecessor, Gordon Hinckley, who died Jan. 27 at age 97.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why the animosity toward Mormons?

PASSING: Hinckley dies at 97

He takes over at a time when the church is undergoing rapid global growth and coming under close scrutiny because of Mormon Mitt Romney's campaign for president. The church now has 13 million members in 160 countries. Of those, about 5.7 million members are in the USA, and one-third of church members live in Utah.

"There will be no abrupt changes in the courses we've been pursuing," Monson said at an introductory news conference Monday. "Although procedures and programs may be adjusted from time to time, the doctrine is constant."

Monson pledged to continue building bridges with people of other faiths.

The very fact that he held a news conference — and fielded questions — dispelled predictions that he might be more reserved than the media-savvy Hinckley.

He has a background in business; he worked as an advertising executive for the church-owned newspaper, the Deseret News, and as general manager of Deseret Press, a large commercial printing company. For 19 years, he was chairman of the board for the Deseret News.

Asked about his health, Monson said his diabetes is "under control totally" and would not prevent him from traveling extensively, as Hinckley did.

Monson is the youngest man to hold the presidency since Spencer Kimball, who was 78 when named president in 1973. Mormon presidents serve for life.

Revered as a prophet

The president of the Mormon church is revered as a "prophet, seer and revelator." Because the church believes in continuing revelation, past church presidents have changed church teachings, outlawing polygamy in 1890 and lifting a ban in 1978 on black men holding the Mormon priesthood.

Jon Huntsman Sr., a billionaire philanthropist who has known Monson for 35 years, described him as a church leader with a strong personal touch. He said Monson was often late for their fly-fishing outings because he would stop at a hospital to visit an ill church member.

Monson also is known for his folksy use of personal stories to illustrate religious topics.

He freely quotes from the Bible but also from Dickens, one of his favorite authors. In a 1991 article in a church magazine, Monson cited a passage from A Christmas Carol to illustrate his point that children "are most perceptive and often utter profound truths."

Monson will have to fill the shoes of a man who became the most visible church president in history.

"Those are very big shoes to fill, but President Monson has very big feet," says Michael Ballam, founder and general director of the Utah Festival Opera Company and Monson's friend. "He will be a wonderful emissary for the church."

'He talks in parables'

Monson and his wife, Frances, have three children, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He is a trustee of Brigham Young University, and has been on the national executive board of Boy Scouts of America since 1969.

Monson named as his two top advisers Henry Eyring, 74, and Dieter Uchtdorf, 67, a Czech-born former German airline executive.

Uchtdorf says Monson is a hero in Germany for prophesying the fall of the Berlin Wall and for building a Mormon temple in the former East Germany before the wall fell.

"People often say, 'Well, he tells stories,' " Uchtdorf says. "Well, no, I think he talks in parables, like the Savior did.

"He shares it in a way my grandchild can understand it."

Boyd Packer, 83, is now the senior apostle next in line for the church presidency.

If Monson's lifetime appointment as church president is marked by the same acts of kindness he likes to talk about in public, it could serve the church well as it continues to seek its place in the American mainstream, says Richard Bushman, a Mormon scholar.

"If you get down to fundamental acts of goodness, it sort of reduces the doctrinal matters — all the concern about whether Mormons are crazy in their beliefs," Bushman says. "I look forward to this, to get back to basics."

Passey reports daily for The Spectrum in St. George, Utah.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Romney attends Mormon leader's rites

2008-02-05T00:57:00.000-08:00

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney took a detour from the campaign trail Saturday to be at the funeral of his spiritual leader, the prophet of the Mormon Church.

With just days to go until 21 states divvy up Republican delegates in Super Tuesday contest that appears John McCain's to lose, Romney was to pause with hundreds of thousands of his fellow Mormons to say good-bye to Gordon Hinckley, 97, president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The popular church leader who shepherded the Mormon Church through a massive worldwide expansion died Sunday.

Although Hinckley's funeral was to be broadcast in 69 languages to more than 6,000 LDS sites around the world, it wasn't clear whether non-Mormon voters preoccupied with Sunday's Super Bowl between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants would take notice.

For Mormons, though, the passing of the longtime Mormon leader has been a major event. Thousands of faithful waited for hours in the mountain chill to view Hinckley's body in Temple Square's Hall of the Prophets. Flags were flown at half staff. Mourners streamed into the 21,000-seat Mormon Conference Center as the famed Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang hymns, accompanied by the facility's massive, 7,708-pipe organ.

Romney met Hinckley when he was president of the Salt Lake Olympics Organizing Committee in 2002 and again just before he launched his presidential campaign.

The former Massachusetts governor, who sat with members of his family in the second row from the front, was one of several prominent Mormons at the service. Among those in the first row were Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Utah Sens. Orrin Hatch and Robert Bennett, both Republicans.

"He could not not be there," said University of Utah political scientist Matthew Burbank of Romney. "Given the world of (Mormon) political insiders, this is an absolute must-attend."

Romney staffers described the visit as strictly non-political.

"This is a personal visit," said Eric Fehrnstrom, Romney's traveling press secretary. "The governor is not doing any politicking in the state of Utah. He's here to pay his respects."

Yet with McCain's momentum-inducing victory in Florida and Romney behind in polls and high-profile endorsements — the Arizona senator snagged California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani this week — Romney can ill-afford the break.

"He's in a bind," says Jan Shipps, a Mormon expert at Indiana University-Purdue University. "If he goes (to the funeral) people will say, 'Oh, his religion is more important than his campaign.' If he doesn't go, people will say, 'He doesn't care about his religion, he cares about politics.' "

It is unclear whether attending the Mormon equivalent of a pope's funeral for Roman Catholics would help or hurt a campaign that by some measures may already be struggling.

John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, says media images of Romney at the funeral of a Mormon icon "could make his faith more salient" to evangelical Christians in the Southern primary states of Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, where he is battling with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee for conservative votes.

Still, says Green, results in New Hampshire and Michigan showed Romney did well in counties with large numbers of evangelicals. That, he says, indicates that "skepticism about voting for a Mormon has declined a bit since last summer."

An August poll by the Pew Forum found just 53% of the public held a favorable opinion of Mormons. Among evangelical Republicans, 36% said they were less likely to vote for a Mormon candidate.

Attendees at Saturday's funeral saw Romney's presence as a good thing, regardless of how non-Mormons view their religion.

"He needs to be here and he can't worry about all the criticism," said Salt Lake City resident Susie Luthy, 65, who described herself as an undecided independent. "He has to do what's right and what's right is to honor our prophet."

Pausing the campaign for the funeral won't hurt Romney's political chances, said Christi Martin, a Romney supporter who came from Phoenix for the funeral. "Most people have their mind set already," Martin said.

Bishop Romney

In a Dec. 6 speech designed to ease concerns, Romney said he believed in "the faith of my fathers" but uttered the word "Mormon" just once and said church authorities would play no role in decisions he made as president. Beyond that, he offered few details of his involvement with the church.

But in an essay published this week, Utah State University professor Philip Barlow writes of Romney's 1980s stint as the equivalent of a pastor in Belmont, Mass. Barlow, chairman of Mormon Studies at Utah State, was one of two "counselors" with whom Romney formed the local bishopric.

"Bishop Romney was ultimately responsible for planning the ward's worship services; fostering the physical, social, spiritual, and economic needs of church members … interviewing individual members for 'worthiness' to enter the temple … and coordinating with ecclesiastical superiors," writes Barlow in the latest issue of Religion in the News, published by the The Leonard E. Greenberg Center for the Study of Religion in Public Life, at Trinity College, in Hartford, Conn.

He described Romney as an "effective" leader.

In more temporal matters, Romney raised $9 million in the fourth quarter of 2007 but dipped into his own pocket for twice that for a campaign loan of $18 million. Romney has pumped $36.5 million of his own money into his presidential bid. The campaign said it plans to spend $2 million to $3 million on TV ads between now and Tuesday.

Federal financial disclosure reports peg Romney's net worth at between $190 million and $250 million.

Despite personal cash infusions, the Republican who touts his business acumen "hasn't gotten a very good return on his investment," cracked Sen. Barack Obama at Thursday's Democratic presidential debate.

Romney lags behind McCain in delegate-rich states like California, New York and Illinois. Polls show him leading in his home state of Massachusetts and here in Utah, where his Mormon faith and success in rescuing the scandal-plagued 2002 Winter Olympics make him a heavy favorite.

After Hinckley's funeral, Romney was to fly to Minneapolis for an evening event timed for Tuesday's Minnesota caucuses. No delegates will be awarded at the straw polls.

A state poll released Thursday by Minnesota Public Radio and the Humphrey Institute showed McCain with 41%, followed by Huckabee at 22% and Romney at 17%.

"Romney is far back and may be out of the race in Minnesota," said Larry Jacobs, head of the Humphrey Institute's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

Jacobs sees McCain "dominating" the state, while Huckabee is "crippling" Romney's chances.

Romney plans stops Sunday in Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee. On Monday, he flies to Atlanta and then to West Virginia, where the state's GOP convention is expected to give Romney the first hint whether Tuesday will be super for him or something entirely different.

Bush seeks $515B to spend on military

2008-02-05T00:55:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON — President Bush asked Congress on Monday for $515 billion for military spending, an increase of 7.5% compared with last year.

Among the major factors driving the increase is the Pentagon's plan to bolster the ranks of the Army and Marine Corps, forces stretched thin by two wars. The budget calls for an $8.7 billion hike to $20.5 billion in 2009 to add 7,000 soldiers and 5,000 Marines.

Congressional leaders who must approve Bush's request said wars in Iraq and Afghanistan merited the spending increase but criticized the White House for not including those wars' costs in the budget proposal.

Bush has already asked Congress for $70 billion to pay for the wars, and more money will be sought later this year. Last year, the Pentagon asked for $189 billion in war spending.

For all of the 2009 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1, the Bush administration said it planned to spend $651.2 billion. That includes the $515 billion request and anticipated supplemental spending bills.

The request will allow the United States to maintain its "technological advantage over current and potential enemies," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said.

The Pentagon budget is at an all-time high when adjusted for inflation, said Steven Kosiak, vice president at the non-partisan Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Additional costs for personnel, fuel and weapons systems are behind the increase.

"It's pretty much an across-the-board increase," he said.

Some highlights of the Pentagon's spending plan:

•Increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps: $20.5 billion, an increase of $8.7 billion or 73%, compared with 2008. This year, the Army would grow to 532,000 soldiers, and the Marine Corps would increase its ranks to 194,000. By 2012, the plan would be complete, with the Army topping out at 547,000 soldiers, while there would be 202,000 members of the Marine Corps.

•Aircraft and weapons: $45.6 billion, a $4.9 billion increase, that would include purchases of fighter planes such as the F-22A Raptor and F/A-18 Hornet and unmanned aircraft like the Predator and Reaper.

•Cyberspace security: The budget shows at least $65 million for research and development projects tied to computer security. Some elements of the effort are secret, and funding levels are not disclosed.

•Pay and health care: $149 billion to increase salaries and fund health care. Military salaries would increase by 3.4%.

An additional request for money to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan is a virtual certainty, Kosiak said. It costs about $12 billion a month to fight those wars.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, Congress has appropriated $636 billion for the Pentagon to fight the war on terror, primarily the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dems set for fight on Bush budget

2008-02-05T00:54:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON — President Bush set the stage Monday for an election-year battle over spending priorities by proposing a $3.1 trillion budget that cuts spending and taxes while more than doubling the federal deficit.

Bush sent his 2009 budget to Congress over the Internet, but it landed with a figurative thud on Capitol Hill. Democrats vowed to ignore most of the threatened cuts to Medicare and other domestic programs.

Unlike last year, when Bush forced Democrats to accept lower spending figures, this year could prove more difficult for the president. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1, less than four months before he leaves office.

VIDEO: Bush releases $3.1 trillion budget

"He doesn't have us over a barrel this year, because either a President Clinton or a President Obama will have to deal with us next year," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. "We are not going to be held hostage to the unreasonableness of this president."

Much of the president's plan has little chance of passage, lawmakers and budget experts say. Nearly $200 billion in Medicare and Medicaid savings need congressional approval, which Democrats are unlikely to provide. "Dead on arrival," vowed Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

And while Democrats may extend tax cuts for lower- and middle-income families enacted in 2001 and 2003, most won't expire until after 2010. "It will be something that the next Congress will have to deal with," said Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., chairman of the House Budget Committee.

Democrats may have difficulty passing a budget that unifies their party, however. An economic slowdown is reducing revenue. The $146 billion package of tax cuts pending in the Senate will boost the deficit. Costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan won't be easy to end.

Unlike Bush, Democrats have promised in most cases to pay for tax cuts or spending increases so they don't raise the deficit. That makes their task harder.

Bush's budget would sharply reduce the growth of Medicare and virtually freeze most domestic spending, while providing increases for defense, diplomacy and homeland security. "Our top priority is to defend our country," Bush said Monday. "Our budget protects America, and it encourages economic growth."

Even with the restrained spending on domestic programs, the deficit would rise from $162 billion in 2007 to $410 billion this year and $407 billion next year.

White House budget director Jim Nussle called the increase "temporary" and "manageable." As a share of the economy, the deficit would be less than 3%, or half what it was in 1983, at its post-World-War-II peak of 6%. Bush projects a $48 billion surplus by 2012.

Winners in the budget include the Pentagon, which would get nearly 8% more, and border security, up nearly 20%. Losers: Medicare and Medicaid, and domestic programs not related to national security.

Break from past proposed for Alcatraz

2008-02-05T00:52:00.000-08:00

In San Francisco, the golden city that once helped make "peace and love" a national mantra, it has come to this — asking voters to scrap the infamous prison on Alcatraz Island to pave the way for an international peace center.


	By Eric Risberg, AP

Da Vid, director of the Global Peace Foundation, left, shakes hands with National Park Service ranger Dave McDonald, right, during a visit to Alcatraz Island in San Francisco on Jan. 29.


	By Global Peace Foundation via AP

When San Franciscans go to the polls today, they will find, amid ballot questions about presidential nominees and school-funding formulas, Proposition C. It asks whether the city should try to acquire the fabled island from the federal government.

If the answer is yes, out would go the notorious prison that once housed Al Capone. In its place one day could rise the peace center, perhaps a statue of St. Francis and a spiritual healing space the proposition's sponsor calls a "harmonium."

Da Vid, the measure's chief backer, says the proposed peace center is a logical extension of San Francisco's progressive history. "The choice is simple," he says. "Do we want an old decaying prison to continue to be a significant landmark for the city of San Francisco or do we want to create something new that's a reflection of a new emerging paradigm of more progressive ideas and values?"

Others, however, see the idea as, well, wacky, and a reinforcement of the bayside city's reputation as a haven for iconoclasts and oddballs.

"These are weirdos who want to destroy San Francisco," says Leo Lacayo, spokesman for the San Francisco Republican Party. "Even the Democrats think this is weird."

The 22-acre Alcatraz, less than 2 miles from the mainland, had the first lighthouse on the West Coast and is replete with Civil War history.

It also played a pivotal role in the struggle by Native Americans for their civil rights when a group took over the island in 1969 and occupied it for 19 months, says Rich Weideman, spokesman for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes the island.

Alcatraz is best known, however, as the site of the desolate federal prison that opened in 1934 and once housed Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz," and others.

The prison was closed in 1963. Today, with 1.4 million visitors a year, it is second only to San Francisco's cable cars as the city's most popular paid visitor attraction, Weideman says. "It's just such an iconic symbol in America," Weideman says. "People don't realize what a place in our society that Alcatraz " holds.

Over the years, there have been various suggestions for the island, including building a casino or opening a new prison., Alcatraz is a national historic landmark and part of a national park, designations that make it difficult to alter.

"In order for Alcatraz to be taken out of the National Park Service it would take an act of Congress," Weideman says.

Vid acknowledges that the proposition is a trial balloon to determine whether potential changes to the island are worth pursuing.

"The spiritual, psychological and economic benefits of this project are immeasurably positive," he says. "Whether people can align with that, that's the challenge. … No grass-roots support, no deal."

Vid says that while it takes 10,350 verifiable signatures to get a proposition on the ballot, he and supporters gathered 18,000.

Lacayo doubts the measure will pass — to put it mildly. "If it does," he adds, "it means insanity prevails, and the inmates have taken over the asylum one more time."

Russia vacuum bomb

2007-09-13T04:30:00.001-07:00

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Russia test most powerful bomb vacuum bomb

Russia tests worlds most powerful vacuum bomb

Sep 11 - Russia tests what it says is the world's most powerful vacuum bomb. It is an explosive device that unleashes a shockwave with the power of a ...

Russia test most powerful bomb

Russia tests world's most powerful vacuum bomb (video)

( RIA Novosti ) - Russia has tested a thermobaric bomb that is the most powerful in the world, a top military official said Tuesday.

Known as a vacuum bomb, it uses a fuel-air explosive and can create overpressures equal to an atomic bomb, said Alexander Rukshin, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

"It is environmentally friendly, compared to a nuclear bomb, and it will enable us to ensure national security and at the same time stand up to international terrorism in any part of the globe and in any situation," he said.

He stressed that the bomb does not violate any of the international agreements that Russia has signed.

Giant fireball: The ordnance, claimed the world’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb, explodes during a test in this undated image shown by Russian Channel One television in Moscow on Tuesday.

Moscow: Russia’s military on Tuesday announced that it had successfully tested a lethal new air-delivered bomb, which it described as the world’s most powerful non-nuclear weapon.

In what appears to be the Kremlin’s latest display of military might, officials said Moscow had developed a new thermobaric bomb to add to its already potent nuclear arsenal.

Russia’s state-run Channel One television said the ordnance — dubbed the Father of all Bombs — is four times more powerful than the U.S.’s Mother of all Bombs.

“The results of tests of the aviation explosive device that has been created have shown that it is comparable with nuclear weapons in its efficiency and potential,” Alexander Rukshin, a deputy chief of the Russian armed forces staff, told the channel.

“You will now see it in action — the bomb which has no match in the world is being tested at a military site,” said the report. It showed a Tupolev 160 strategic bomber dropping the bomb over a testing ground. A large explosion followed.

Vacuum bomb

The aviation vacuum bomb, which is also known as a fuel-air bomb, was the mightiest ever created, it added.

The announcement comes at a time of growing tension between Russia and the West, and follows a tumultuous eight months in which Vladimir Putin has denounced U.S. power, torn up a conventional arms agreement with NATO, and grabbed a large, if symbolic, chunk of the Arctic.

The development appears to be another response to the Bush administration’s plans to site elements of its missile defence system in central Europe. Mr. Putin has denounced the plan, arguing that it upsets Europe’s strategic balance, and has vowed to respond.

The U.S. Massive Ordnance Air Blast, nicknamed the Mother of all Bombs, is a large-yield satellite-guided, air-delivered device, which previously enjoyed the dubious accolade of the most powerful non-nuclear weapon in history.

Thermobaric weapons differ from conventional explosive weapons by using oxygen from the atmosphere, rather than carrying an oxidising agent in their explosives. They produce more energy than normal weapons but are hard to control.

The US used similar fuel-air munitions to clear jungle for helicopter landings during the Vietnam War. The Soviet Union also developed its own fuel-air weapons, deploying them against China and in Afghanistan, and the Russian army used them in its second war in Chechnya.

Russia tests'father of bombs'

MOSCOW: The vacuum bomb tested by Russia on Wednesday is said to be less harmful on the environment than a nuclear bomb.

Alexander Rukshin, Russian deputy armed forces chief of staff, said: "I want to stress that the action of this weapon does not contaminate the environment, in contrast to a nuclear one.''

The consumption of gases in the blast generates a partial vacuum that can compound damage and injuries caused by the explosion itself. ‘‘The main destruction is inflicted by an ultrasonic shockwave and incredibly high temperature,'' the reports said. ‘‘All that is alive merely evaporates,'' Rukshin said.

One TV report said the new bomb was much stronger than the US-built Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb - MOAB, also known as ‘‘Mother of All Bombs''. ‘‘So, Russian designers called the new weapon ‘Father of All Bombs','' it said.

Showing the orange-painted US prototype, the report said the Russian bomb was four times more powerful - 44 metric tons of TNT equivalent - and the temperature at the epicenter of its blast was twice as high.

US forces have used a ‘thermobaric' bomb, which works on similar principles, in their campaign against Al Qaida and Taliban forces in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, a Russian newspaper said Moscow could be developing a top-secret new type of submarine capable of patrolling underwater longer than existing diesel-powered submarines. The project - codenamed 20120 - came to light when details were inadvertantly posted on the Internet site of a provincial town, Kommersant newspaper reported.

The posting has now been taken down and the navy denied any knowledge of the project. Russia is boosting military spending to back up its new assertive foreign policy.

US Marks Sixth 9/ll Anniversary

2007-09-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

Americans have held a series of solemn ceremonies to mark six years since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US. Nearly 3,000 people were killed when four planes were hijacked and flown into New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Church bells tolled at 0846 local time to mark the moment when the first Trade Center tower was hit. A message purportedly from al-Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden has been released, praising one of the hijackers. 'Loss shared' For the first time, much of the New York ceremony took place away from the World Trade Center site - known as Ground Zero - because of construction there. [Photo] [Photo] The enemies of America, the enemies of our values and our liberty, will never again rest easy [Photo]
Defence Secretary Robert Gates [Photo]
9/11: The four hijacks In graphics: How towers fell In pictures: 9/11 anniversary Those taking part gathered instead at a nearby park, under overcast skies. The names of the New York victims were read out as in previous years but for the first time by the surviving firefighters and other emergency workers on duty at the time. Some of those reading out the names were overcome with emotion as they came to list fallen colleagues. The ceremony included two pauses to mark the moments when the two planes crashed into the twin towers, and two more to mark the moments when the buildings collapsed. Relatives of the 2,749 people killed in New York by 10 of the hijackers filed down a ramp into the World Trade Center site to lay flowers.
New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg described 11 September 2001 as "the day that tore across our history and our hearts". He said: "We come together again as New Yorkers and as Americans to share a loss that can't be measured." Rudy Giuliani, the city's mayor at the time, has attracted criticism for using his performance in the weeks after the 2001 attacks in his campaign to be the Republican Party's presidential nominee. He said his appearance at the ceremony was not intended to be political. "It was a day with no answers, but with an unending line of people who came forward to help one another," he said in brief remarks. Pentagon memorial President George W Bush, who in past years has laid a wreath at the site and made a speech, observed a moment of silence at the White House.
Defence Secretary Robert Gates hosted a memorial service at the Pentagon for relatives of the 184 people killed by the five hijackers aboard American Airlines flight 77. He paid tribute to those killed and vowed to defend the American people and their values from any other threat. "The enemies of America, the enemies of our values and our liberty, will never again rest easy because we will hunt them down relentlessly and without reservation," he said. A further ceremony was held in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where United Airlines flight 93 crashed after some of the 40 passengers and crew rushed the four men who hijacked that plane. A memorial event was also held at the main US airbase in Afghanistan. Hijacker's voice A new message purported to be from Bin Laden has been released to coincide with the anniversary. [Photo] Bin Laden's new message praises a 9/11 hijacker In it, a still photograph of the al-Qaeda leader is shown while his voice is heard praising the role of Waleed al-Shehri, one of the 19 hijackers. It comes just a few days after the release of Bin Laden's first video for three years. In the new message he wears the same beige cloak and dark, trimmed beard as in last week's video. The new video also shows footage of al-Shehri, recorded shortly before his death, speaking about what motivated him to help hijack American Airlines flight 11, the first of the planes flown into the twin towers. It is the sixth video released by al-Qaeda featuring the hijackers. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera says it is part of a regular cycle of al-Qaeda releasing videos to coincide with the 9/11 anniversary.

Democrats attack Iraq testimony

2007-09-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

The two leading US figures in Iraq are facing criticism at a hearing in Congress from Democratic presidential candidates opposed to the war.

Senators Joe Biden and Barack Obama told military commander David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker the troop build-up had failed to achieve peace.

Gen Petraeus and Mr Crocker have been testifying for a second day.

Both repeated their contention that the military "surge" in Iraq was working, and warned against a rapid withdrawal.

Sen Biden - who chairs the Foreign Relations Committee - said the build-up had failed to promote reconciliation Sunnis and Shia, and was at best "a stopgap that will not prevent chaos".

He concluded: "We should stop the surge and start bringing our troops home."

Sen Obama - one of the Democratic nomination frontrunners - called the war a "disastrous foreign policy mistake" and said the impact of the surge had been modest given the resources.

Sen Christopher Dodd, another presidential candidate, said: "I don't get a feeling here that there's any real opportunity or optimism, that this is going to get better."

John Kerry - the defeated Democratic candidate in the 2004 election - questioned the commitment of the Iraqi politicians who he said were stalling while US soldiers sacrificed their lives.

"Is it acceptable that young Americans are dying and being grievously wounded while Iraqi politicians delay and delay and delay meeting their own standards?" he asked.

the senators' questions will be watched carefully by the party's grassroots supporters, where opinion is running strongly against the continued presence of US troops.

During Tuesday's testimony Gen Petraeus again insisted that the increase in US troop levels had reduced the violence and insisted that "some type of success in Iraq is possible".

Mr Crocker agreed that the surge had "helped change dynamics in Iraq for the better".

"I do believe that Iraq's leaders have the will to tackle the country's pressing problems, although it will take longer than we initially anticipated," he said.

Mr Crocker also emphasised signs of economic progress, pointing to a projected 6% growth for the Iraqi economy in 2007.

Some Republicans senators voiced unease about the Bush administration's policy on Iraq.

Sen Richard Lugar said: "As policymakers, we should acknowledge that we are facing extraordinarily narrow margins for achieving our goals."

Sen Chuck Hagel, an opponent of the war, asked: "Are we going to continue to invest American blood and treasure at the same rate as we are now? For what?"

But other Republicans expressed support for the administration and its policies.

Sen Bob Corker denounced a newspaper advertisement taken by the political activist group MoveOn.org attacking Gen Petraeus.

During Monday's joint hearing of the House of Representatives Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, Gen Petraeus said violence had declined since more US troops were sent to Iraq.

He added that about 30,000 troops could be withdrawn by the middle of next year.

A record 168,000 US troops are now in Iraq after 30,000 arrived in the surge between February and June.

US home woes 'near-perfect storm'

2007-09-11T03:36:00.001-07:00

The downturn in the US housing and mortgage sectors now represents "a near-perfect storm", one of the country's leading lenders has warned.

Washington Mutual chief executive Kerry Killinger said the result would likely be falling house prices across many parts of America into 2008.

Centred on the sub-prime sector, the crisis in the US mortgage market has been sparked by record loan defaults.

Washington Mutual may put aside an extra $500m (£247m) to cover bad loans.

This would come on top of the $1.5bn to $1.7bn of exposure the company - now America's sixth largest mortgage lender - had forecast in July.

"Most housing markets appear to be weakening, to us," said Mr Killinger.

Global issue

In recent weeks, US house price figures have been mixed.

Last month, the Commerce Department said new homes sales held up in July while further figures from the National Association of Realtors showed sales of existing homes fell to a near five-year low in the same month .

The crisis in the US sub-prime mortgage sector has been sparked by American mortgage rates rising sharply over the past year.

As a result more than 50,000 jobs have been lost in the US mortgage industry so far this year, including 12,000 announced last week by the largest lender Countrywide.

The crisis has spread overseas, and to the wider global financial sector, because US sub-prime debt is often resold as part of a wider debt package.

As a consequence, banks and investors are, as yet, unsure about how far the sub-prime downturn could spread.

In turn, global banks have become far more cautious about whom they lend to, and are stockpiling funds to cover any potential liabilities of their own.

The result has been a sharp downturn in available credit, and higher lending rates, both for companies wishing to borrow, and individuals trying to get a mortgage.

Wiretaps 'foiled terror horror'

2007-09-11T03:34:00.000-07:00

The US director of intelligence has said wiretaps played a significant role in stopping bomb attacks by suspected Islamists in Germany last week.

Michael McConnell told a Senate committee eavesdropping had revealed that the suspects had obtained explosive liquids.

He said Congress should not restrict the programme.

In August, a temporary bill was adopted allowing eavesdropping on foreign terror suspects without a warrant.

Controversial programme

Mr McConnell said the surveillance programme had made "significant contributions" in discovering and breaking up a suspected plot in Germany to bomb US installations.

Michael McConnell pleaded against the restrictions

"It allowed us to see and understand all the connections to al-Qaeda," Mr McConnell told a hearing of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

The programme also contributed to the arrests in Denmark of eight Muslims, with suspected links to al-Qaeda, on suspicion of planning a bomb attack, National Counterterrorism Centre Director John Redd told reporters later.

Civil liberties advocates have criticised portions of the programme which allow the monitoring of international calls to people in the US.

Congress passed legislation in August easing for six months restrictions on wiretapping under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Some Democrats have vowed to revise it as early as possible.

Rocket injures dozens in Israel

2007-09-11T03:32:00.000-07:00

At least 69 Israeli soldiers were injured when a rocket fired from Gaza exploded in an army camp in southern Israel, the military has said.

The rocket hit an equipment store at the Zikkim training base, sending shrapnel flying through surrounding tents where soldiers were sleeping.

Four of the wounded soldiers were in a serious condition, the military said.

It is the largest number of injuries sustained in a single rocket attack against Israel from Gaza.

Correspondents say both the government and the army will come under strong pressure to retaliate forcefully.

Later, a Palestinian man and three of his children were wounded by Israeli shell fire in Beit Hanoun, Palestinian medics said.

The Israeli army said its ground forces had targeted the area from where militants had launched the rocket that hit the base.

Shrapnel

The Israeli military said the Qassam rocket was fired from Beit Hanoun at about 0130 local time (2230 GMT), hitting the training base, about 1km (0.6 miles) north of the Israel-Gaza border.

In addition to the four soldiers said to be in a serious condition, a further seven have been described by the military as moderately wounded.

Twenty-nine soldiers, who suffered only minor injuries or shock, were discharged from hospital on Tuesday morning.

Two Palestinian militant groups claimed responsibility for the attack - Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees.

We will act, but I think it's very important to make the point that there is no reason for this

Mark Regev
Israeli government spokesman

In pictures: Rocket attack

Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for the Islamist Hamas movement, which seized control of Gaza in June, called the rocket attack a "victory from God".

A spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry, Mark Regev, told the BBC that his country would respond to the strike.

"We will act, but I think it's very important to make the point that there is no reason for this," he said.

"We pulled out of the Gaza Strip two years ago, we took down all of the settlements, we pulled out all our military personnel, we ended the military occupation and these extremists who are shooting rockets really have no positive agenda. It's just nihilism."

Psychological impact

Militants in Gaza frequently fire Qassam rockets towards southern Israel, many of which land in the town of Sderot.

Qassam rockets are frequently fired from Gaza into southern Israel

Few of the attacks cause casualties but their psychological impact on life in the area has been significant.

Attacks last week on Sderot included one that landed near a crowded day-care centre.

It led parents to pull their children out of school and brought demands for harsh retaliation.

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, told the country's military to draw up plans to curb rocket attacks from within the Gaza Strip.

It stopped short of calls from some ministers to expand military operations in Gaza, or to cut Israel's supplies of water and electricity to the territory.

Tough questions

The BBC's Joe Floto in Jerusalem says the Israeli authorities will be looking urgently at two questions.

The first and most immediate is why its soldiers were housed under canvas in an area prone to this kind of attack.

The second will be much harder to address - how to prevent Palestinian militant groups from firing their rockets into Israel.

Last year the Israeli army carried out a five-month offensive inside Gaza to do just that.

Hundreds of Palestinians were killed in the operation.

After Tuesday's attack politicians and military commanders will be under intense pressure to respond forcefully, our correspondent adds.

American Idol News

2007-09-11T03:28:00.000-07:00

Big Three Album Reviews

January 18th, 2007

Some commentary on the albums I’ve heard so far by last year’s Idols…

Chris Daughtry’s album is as good as you’d expect, but risks sounding all the same. Still, it’s an easy yet rocking listen throughout. I really have to listen more to get a feel for whether any tracks stand out for me.

When we played the CD, I actually sighed when he started signing, and found his voice as good as I expected and recalled. Deb went further, describing Daughtry’s voice as “liquid sex.”

At the same time there is a ticklish uniformity to the songs, there is relief that Chris managed not to get “biced.” My term for overmanaged, overproduced, and overpackaged into forgettable blandness, rather than being allowed to do music that represents you and what your fans expect. Poor Bo. In fact, none of the three discussed here were biced! That’s a major surprise, since one of them was the Idol winner.

Kellie Pickler’s album is a huge surprise to me. Bear in mind that I don’t do country music. Carrie Underwood? No thanks! I did enjoy Pickler in the competition, as much for overall entertainment value as for singing, but I’d never have expected to call her album arguably my favorite between Her, Daughtry and Hicks.

I agree with Sandra Bullock that Kellie should do comedy, and look forward to seeing what her sitcom is like.

Yet she can sing! Her singing is aided by the fact that she can entertain, and was not biced, as I mentioned above. The songs suit her perfectly, and have range. There’s brisk. There’s funny. There’s touching. There’s the obligatory reference to calamari. There’s a nice song addressed to the mother who abandoned her.

I love Kellie Pickler’s album, and I am shocked by that.

But wait! I despised Taylor Hicks during Idol last year. I was baffled by his following. Tellingly, my brother, a musician himself, saw nothing but part of the finale and was shocked to learn that the worst of the male singers he saw had won. He still can’t get over that, and as a non-watcher of Idol, that’s his lasting impression. Ironically, Taylor sometimes reminded me of my brother. Both benefit from having the right songs for their voice and style, which makes them best singing their own material.

Purchasing Taylor’s CD was something we would never have done except in support of Idol blogging.

Surprise! First, it excludes that ridiculous, insipid single they made him perform on Idol and release in the aftermath. Second, the style is Taylor-made, and nothing at all like that earlier single to creep you out.

Plus you don’t have to see Taylor while listening.

Taylor’s music fits in a hard to define or describe niche of soulful pop that I’d not go out of my way to hear, but which can be perfectly good. If people pay attention to his stuff, he could breathe life into that genre. The songs stand out. I have Taylor’s songs in my playlist, mixed with hundreds of others, and I know it’s him the second any of his songs start.

Like Kellie, Taylor managed to be distinctive and varied on this album in a way that Chris missed. It still won’t be for everyone, but it will be for far more of you than you’d expect. And this from a big Hicks detractor.

In short, they are all good. McPhee has quite a challenge, matching them. I can’t imagine liking her CD, but we’ll see what happens. Chris is arguably the best singer of the bunch, but the others compensate through an excellent selection of suitable music in a style appropriate for them.

Iraqis say surge has failed. Only 25% say security has improved in past six months.

2007-09-11T03:22:00.000-07:00

I wonder if General Petraeus will mention this when testifying to Congress today on how well General Petraeus has done in Iraq?

And by the way, general - lying to congress, even if you're not sworn in, is a crime. Just thought I'd mention that since you've gotten into so much trouble in the past (and got balled out for it) for lying to the media, the congress and the public about the number of Iraqi security forces you supposedly trained, but really didn't. Someone in congress needs to ask Petraeus about this today while testifying - did he or did he not get bawled out by Negroponte for misrepresenting the situation on the ground with the Iraqis security force training?

Labels: general petraeus, Iraq, surge

New Orleans prostitute had a "four-month relationship" with Vitter -- and she's doing a press conference about it

2007-09-11T03:21:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow, a former prostitute is going to tell us all about her "relationship" with David Vitter, the Senator from Louisiana. Depending on the details, this revelation should get Vitter another standing ovation from his Senate colleagues:

A former New Orleans prostitute who says she had an affair with Sen. David Vitter has passed a lie-detector test and will provide details of the four-month relationship at a press conference Tuesday, according to Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt.

Wendy Cortez, whose real name is Wendy Ellis, says she had a sexual relationship with Vitter, R-La., in 1999, when he was a state legislator.

Copies of the results of Cortez's polygraph test, which she took at Flynt's request, will be provided to reporters at the news conference at Flynt's office in Beverly Hills, Calif., Hustler said in a news release Monday.

Vitter spokesman Joel Digrado wouldn't comment on the Flynt news conference. In an e-mail, Digrado said, "Sen. Vitter and his wife have addressed all of this very directly. The senator is focused on important Louisiana priorities like the water resources bill and the Iraq debate."

Interesting that Katrina recovery and rebuilding New Orleans aren't "important Louisiana priorities" for Vitter. But, he does have other things to worry about.

Larry Craig: It's all the fault of the press

2007-09-11T03:19:00.000-07:00

It was nice to wake up on a Monday and have a full laugh-out-loud moment like this. May the jokes start up all over again.

Sen. Larry Craig should be allowed to withdraw his guilty plea in a sex sting because he was under extreme stress after being hounded by journalists asking questions about his sexuality, his lawyer argues.

...In particular, Martin cited pressure from Craig's hometown newspaper, the Idaho Statesman, which spent months investigating whether Craig engaged in homosexual encounters.

Craig, who has denied such suggestions and accused the newspaper of conducting a "witch hunt," was so concerned about that investigation, he quickly pleaded guilty when arrested in the bathroom sex sting, Martin said. Craig did not consult with a lawyer or appear in court.

...Craig will also argue in court documents that he cannot have pleaded guilty since what he did was not illegal. The police officer said Craig bumped his foot, then tried to signal him with hand gestures beneath the stall divider.

Craig maintains he inadvertently touched the officer's foot but made no hand gestures. He said he was merely picking up a piece of paper.

W-E-A-K. The newspaper was investigating whether you were a Republican Sexual Hypocrite. I like this whining about witch hunts when there are plenty of those going on under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, investigating patriotic men and women, not for potty cruising/lewd behavior as Craig pled guilty to, but for an accusation or suspicion of being gay. How does it feel, Larry? If his defense is successful -- that the behavior he engaged in (wide stance toe-tapping and "picking up paper" isn't illegal -- then that could lead other bathroom sting cases going bye-bye. That should make the right wing ecstatic! Also, take a look at a piece in today's NYT that discusses Craig's case -- and those of other men caught in stings at the Minnesota airport.

So Bin Laden is "virtually impotent," but Al Qaeda has "regained a significant level of their capability"

2007-09-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

Wait, yesterday, Bush's Homeland Security adviser said the Osama Bin Laden was "virtually impotent." Yet, today, Bush's National Intelligence Director testified that Bin Laden's forces pose a real threat. What is it? And, if we're fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here, how can they still be a real threat? That can only happen because of Bush's failed leadership. On many levels, unfortunately, it's Bin Laden who is claiming "Mission Accomplished":

Six years after the September 11 attacks, Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network is bleeding the U.S. military in Iraq while regrouping with an avowed aim of another strike on the United States.

U.S. intelligence agencies and other analysts say security improvements and international efforts against al Qaeda have helped prevent another major U.S. attack.

But the network's ability to attack the West is rebounding, they say, and already it has met what some analysts describe as a goal of luring the United States into a damaging Middle East war that would cripple U.S. influence in the region.

Al Qaeda has inspired cells and sympathizers who may be unable to strike on the scale of September 11 but can nevertheless cause death and destruction.

"They have regained a significant level of their capability," National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell said of al Qaeda during a Senate hearing on Monday, the eve of the sixth anniversary. "The threat is real," he said.

So, six years later, despite all the tough guy talk, the terrorists who attacked America are still a real threat. Plus, they've lured us into an intractable war in Middle East. And, of course, Bin Laden is still free to taunt us. So who exactly is "virtually impotent" these days? Not Bin Laden.

59% of Americans see Iraq as a failure

2007-09-11T03:16:00.001-07:00

History will not be kind on Bush and the GOP for this failed venture. Just think how historians will judge the administration in total when they include Katrina and the economic disasters that they brewed up.

The pessimism expressed by most people — including significant minorities of Republicans — contrasted with the brighter picture offered by Gen. David Petraeus. The chief U.S. commander in Iraq told Congress on Monday that the added 30,000 troops have largely achieved their military goals and could probably leave by next summer, though he conceded there has been scant political progress.

I suppose since the the media has fallen for the false outrage against Petraeus we can just call him General Sunshine or General Honesty and Beyond Reproach. Strangely enough, I just scratch my head and wonder where these people were back when similar attacks were made against anyone who dared question the intelligence of invading Iraq. Somehow those who criticized were anti-American and it was fair game to label war doubters like myself as America-haters and that was all OK. If the media was fine with those attacks a few years ago, they ought to be fine with the criticisms of Petraeus today. He's a big boy and can handle it and I don't see him as being any more or less of an American than anyone who spoke out against the invasion and who was smeared. If the GOP and their friends want to play like this - as they did back when the war was so popular - they should expect to receive as much as they dished out. If Petraeus is going to serve as the yes-man mouthpiece for the administration, he too should expect to take a bit of heat.