Spanglish Today

Adoption Battle Over 5-Year Old Boy Pits Missouri Couple Vs. Illegal Immigrant - ABC News#.TyntBCPgJT4#.TyntBCPgJT4

2012-02-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Adoption Battle Over 5-Year Old Boy Pits Missouri Couple Vs. Illegal Immigrant - ABC News#.TyntBCPgJT4#.TyntBCPgJT4

The report is the first in a series from five graduate school journalists chosen to work with the Ross investigative unit as Carnegie Fellows, who found that stepped-up enforcement of immigration laws has had the unintended side effect of wrenching thousands of children away from their parents, sometimes forever.

According to a report from the Applied Research Center, "Shattered Families," as of the summer of 2011 an estimated 5,100 children in 22 states were in foster care after their parents were either detained or deported. Immigration attorneys and children's welfare advocates say a small but troubling number, like Jamison, have been put up for adoption to American families after their birth parents were stripped of their parental rights.

Mexicans Overpaid Slim-Led Phone Industry $13 Billion a Year

2012-01-31T21:36:00.001-08:00

Mexicans Overpaid Slim-Led Phone Industry $13 Billion a Year

Mexico's phone industry, dominated by billionaire Carlos Slim's carriers, overcharged customers $13.4 billion a year from 2005 to 2009, hurting the nation's economy, according to a report.

Mexico "needs the socioeconomic boost provided by greater access to more efficient communication services, in particular high-speed broadband," the OECD said. Mexico had 10.5 high- speed Internet subscriptions per 100 habitants at the end of 2010, placing it 32nd among the 34 OECD member countries and less than half the average of about 25, the report showed.

Prices for high-speed Internet service in Mexico are the highest in the OECD, according to the report, which used a comparison method called "purchasing power parity" to adjust for economic differences between countries. America Movil Chief Financial Officer Carlos Garcia-Moreno said last year that the method is questionable for comparing specific prices.

Mexico's government has struggled to reduce Slim's dominance of the market, which he began to build by acquiring control of Telmex in a privatization sale in 1990. He pushed Telmex's wireless unit, Telcel, to offer prepaid plans that were accessible for Mexican consumers, building that division into America Movil, which has 242 million mobile subscribers across the Americas.

The companies controlled by Slim, 72, have responded to regulators' actions by using injunctions and appeals to keep rules from being enforced.

Mexicans Overpaid Slim-Led Phone Industry $13 Billion a Year

2012-01-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

Pearce wins No. 2 spot in state GOP

2012-01-29T18:11:00.000-08:00

Pearce wins No. 2 spot in state GOP

PHOENIX - Ousted state Senate President Russell Pearce won election Saturday to a top Arizona GOP post, giving the architect of the state's tough immigration laws a new political role less than three months after he lost his seat in a recall election.

State Republicans elected Pearce the party's 1st vice chairman at a meeting in Phoenix, party spokesman Shane Wikfors said. The vote puts Pearce in the state party's No. 2 leadership role behind chairman Tom Morrissey. He won with about 60 percent of the vote.

Pearce was the first legislator in state history to be recalled when voters ousted him in November. His defeat was seen by some as a clear repudiation of the tough-on-immigration agenda that he championed by writing the 2010 immigration law that put Arizona in the national spotlight.

That didn't seem to matter to party leaders on Saturday.

El Segundo, Chevron at odds over oil company's taxes - latimes.com

2012-01-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

El Segundo, Chevron at odds over oil company's taxes - latimes.com

Doug Willmore wasn't on the job long as El Segundo's city manager before discovering just how deep the town's loyalty runs to the oil giant that put it on the map.

After the city began discussing a big tax increase for the Chevron oil refinery a few months ago, he walked out of City Hall to find a note on the windshield of his car.

"This is a Chevron town and we owe our existence to them and should be grateful. Get that through your head," it read.

The note ended: "Beat it!!!!!!!"

After decades of mostly prosperous times for the city and the oil company, El Segundo is having a falling-out with its longtime benefactor.

A majority of the City Council thinks Chevron should pay an additional $10 million a year in taxes — about three times what it pays now. But the tax push has stirred strong emotions in the town, which was formed a century ago when Chevron built its second refinery there. El Segundo ("The Second One" in Spanish) gets its name from the refinery that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and stretches more than a mile inland.

Fernando Espuelas Interviews Obama for America Director of Hispanic Press Gabriela Domenzain - Espuelas Podcast - Spurs Debate

2012-01-28T10:39:00.000-08:00

Fernando Espuelas Interviews Obama for America Director of Hispanic Press Gabriela Domenzain - Espuelas Podcast - Spurs Debate

Twitter Users Rally to Boycott Country-by-Country Censorship [VIDEO]

2012-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Twitter Users Rally to Boycott Country-by-Country Censorship [VIDEO]

Hundreds of tacos sent to Connecticut mayor - CNN.com

2012-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

Hundreds of tacos sent to Connecticut mayor - CNN.com

Two days after a Connecticut mayor delivered an errant comment about eating tacos to support East Haven Latinos, some of whom are the alleged victims of police mistreatment, Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr. apparently got his wish.

Some 500 tacos were delivered to his office Thursday after a Latino activist group called Junta for Progressive Action launched a text-for-tacos campaign to draw attention to the comment, which Maturo later apologized for.

In the interview Tuesday, a local reporter pointed out that there were no Latino officers on East Haven's police force.

"And your point being?" Maturo responded.

Video:Arizona Police Officer Posts Picture of Bullet-Ridden Obama T-Shirt on Facebook

2012-01-27T15:02:00.000-08:00

Video: Police Officer Posts Picture of Bullet-Ridden Obama T-Shirt on Facebook

Sgt. Pat Shearer of Peoria, Arizona, admitted to KNXV-TV that he took a photo of several young men (maybe minors) posing with assault rifles and an Obama T-shirt that had been riddled with bullets. Sgt. Shearer posted it to his Facebook page with the caption “Another trip to the ranch (video below).

Sgt. Shearer defended the picture: “I don’t think that the shooting of that T-shirt is that big of a deal. It was more of a political statement. It’s not like they were going to go out and shoot the president."

Click on link to view video

STOCK Act: Insider Trading Bill To Receive Senate Vote Next Week

2012-01-26T11:38:00.001-08:00

STOCK Act: Insider Trading Bill To Receive Senate Vote Next Week

The STOCK Act, authored by Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Scott Brown (R-Mass.), would ban trading by members of Congress guided by nonpublic economic or political information. It would also improve disclosures of all stock trades and other financial maneuvers by members of Congress, by requiring them to publicly detail each transaction within 30 days. Lawmakers are currently granted a full year of secrecy before disclosing such financial activities.

STOCK Act: Insider Trading Bill To Receive Senate Vote Next Week

2012-01-26T11:38:00.000-08:00

Arizona...The hateful state

2012-01-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

Obama steps off his jet into a clash with Brewer

PHOENIX - President Obama's warm reception in sunny Arizona on Wednesday lasted about as long as it took him to step off Air Force One and greet Gov. Jan Brewer.

Shock, outrage over Marine urination video - CNN.com

2012-01-12T08:34:00.000-08:00

Shock, outrage over Marine urination video - CNN.com

Mistaking Immigration Proposals for Policy in an Election Year | VivirLatino

2012-01-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

Mistaking Immigration Proposals for Policy in an Election Year | VivirLatino

Last Friday, USCIS filed a notice of intent to change current policy that requires undocumented spouses and sons and daughters of U.S. citizens facing 3 and 10 year bars to file waivers outside the U.S. and then allowing them to return to their families by showing that their U.S. citizen family member would face extreme hardship as a result of the separation.

Before you break out the leftover new year’s confetti, I would like to remind people that this is a proposal. I have read the Notice of Intent and the language is very provisional. An intention is not that same as an actual action and within the actual document it states, “USCIS is considering regulatory changes…” (emphasis mine). There will be a several-month period for the public to provide comments on the proposed change before it goes into effect. A consideration is a thought, not an actual change in practice. In my opinion, a consideration is the campaign promise of an incumbent president trying to gain the Latino vote.

Some in immigration limbo see hope in Obama plan - latimes.com

2012-01-10T09:13:00.000-08:00

Some in immigration limbo see hope in Obama plan - latimes.com

Like many other spouses of undocumented immigrants, Gina Pope constantly worries that her husband suddenly could be deported and that she would be left to raise their two children by herself.

Pope, a U.S. citizen, wants to apply for him to get a green card but knows that would mean his traveling to his native Peru, with the risk of not returning for months or years.

Now, after more than a decade of waiting for the immigration rules to change, Pope is cautiously optimistic that her husband, who owns a residential construction business and has a temporary work permit, may finally be able to become a legal resident.

Ahmadinejad visits Venezuela on first stop of Latin America tour - CNN.com

2012-01-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

Ahmadinejad visits Venezuela on first stop of Latin America tour - CNN.com

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez pledged closer cooperation on Monday, vowing to fight poverty and imperialism.

The two leaders signed a series of accords in the areas of industry, science, technology and politics, the state-run AVN news agency reported. Sitting side by side in front of a room full of reporters, they presented a united front in their opposition to the United States.

"It's clear they are afraid of our development," said Ahmadinejad.

Consumers warned about possible drug mix-up - CNN.com

2012-01-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

Consumers warned about possible drug mix-up - CNN.com

White House chief of staff stepping down - CNN.com

2012-01-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

White House chief of staff stepping down - CNN.com

President Barack Obama announced Monday that White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley is stepping down and will be replaced by Office of Management and Budget Director Jack Lew.

Two senior Obama aides told CNN that Daley will stay in his job through January, including the State of the Union address.

The chief of staff is in charge of White House staff and operations and is a senior adviser to the president.

Outgoing Mississippi governor pardons four killers - CNN.com

2012-01-10T08:43:00.000-08:00

Outgoing Mississippi governor pardons four killers - CNN.com

New glass could make touchscreens lighter, more responsive - CNN.com

2012-01-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

New glass could make touchscreens lighter, more responsive - CNN.com

The makers of Gorilla Glass, the glass that's used in touchscreen gadgets such as iPhones, iPads and more than 500 other models of electronic gadgets, has officially unveiled a thinner and more touch-sensitive version of their product.

When it comes to innovation in electronic gadgets, a new kind of glass is not especially sexy.

But when that glass is built into millions of touchscreen devices, and could potentially make them thinner, lighter and more responsive to your finger, consumers may take notice.

Corning Inc. says Gorilla Glass 2 is thinner and more touch-sensitive without sacrificing toughness or resistance to scratches.

Bill would prohibit discrimination against unemployed in hiring - latimes.com

2012-01-07T11:43:00.000-08:00

Bill would prohibit discrimination against unemployed in hiring - latimes.com

Even though the labor market is improving, thousands of unemployed Californians are caught in a bind: Some employers only want to hire them if they already have a job.

Some companies state that plainly in employment ads. Others are more discreet, screening out jobless workers during the initial application process. Discrimination? Perhaps. But so far it's legal.

But it won't be if a bill introduced this week by Assemblyman Michael Allen (D-Santa Rosa) is approved by California lawmakers. The proposed legislation would fine employers or employment agencies that refuse to consider out-of-work applicants for openings.

Obama's immigration move may have political benefit on 2 fronts - latimes.com

2012-01-07T11:15:00.000-08:00

Obama's immigration move may have political benefit on 2 fronts - latimes.com

President Obama moved to repair relations with a crucial voting bloc and opened another battle with Republican lawmakers by easing rules on the politically volatile issue of illegal immigration.

His proposal will probably affect tens of thousands — perhaps more than 100,000 — illegal residents. It would end a requirement that undocumented immigrants with parents or spouses in the United States leave the country first if they wish to file paperwork that would forestall deportation on the grounds of family hardship.

Without the so-called hardship waiver, illegal immigrants are barred from reentering the U.S. for up to 10 years. The existing rule often means that people seeking waivers must separate from their families for months or in some cases years while their applications are processed.

Under the new rule, which does not require congressional approval, immigrants would be allowed to stay in the U.S. and apply for a waiver, which can be granted if deporting an immigrant would cause undue hardship to his or her U.S. family. Once waivers are granted, immigrants may apply for green cards. They would still have to leave the U.S. to make those applications, but because they would have hardship waivers in hand, they would be very likely to gain readmission to the country.

California Dream Act foes' petition drive falls short - latimes.com

2012-01-07T11:05:00.000-08:00

California Dream Act foes' petition drive falls short - latimes.com

Critics of illegal immigration announced Friday that they were unable to obtain the needed 500,000 petition signatures to ask voters to repeal the California Dream Act.

The two-part measure, which allows undocumented immigrants access to both public and private financial aid at UC and Cal State campuses and at community colleges, was signed into law last year by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The failure "is disappointing news," said Assemblyman Tim Donnelly (R-San Bernardino), the public face of the initiative drive, in an email to supporters.

Consejos para evitar estafas - El Diario La Prensa NY - noticias de Nueva York - impre.com

2012-01-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

Consejos para evitar estafas - El Diario La Prensa NY - noticias de Nueva York - impre.com

Expertos en inmigración advierten a los indocumentados de ser cuidadosos y extremar sus precauciones ante el anuncio gubernamental de nueva política migratoria.

Si usted o uno de los suyos sueña con la legalización de su estatus migratorio tenga en cuenta lo siguiente:

La nueva política no está implementada, se trata de un anuncio de intenciones. Aún no está en vigor.

Si inicia trámites migratorios de cualquier tipo asegúrese que lo hace con organizaciones legítimas y en caso de dudas compruebe la identidad de las mismas.

Si recurre a abogados independientes compruebe que son abogados especializados en inmigración y con licencia para ejercer.

No acuda a un notario. Al contrario que en nuestros países los notarios en Estados Unidos no son abogados y no están capacitados ni autorizados a hacer ningún trámite o representación judicial o migratoria, salvo la legalización o certificación de documentos.

Montebello Kaiser Permanente doctor suspected of molesting patient - SGVTribune.com

2012-01-06T14:49:00.000-08:00

Montebello Kaiser Permanente doctor suspected of molesting patient - SGVTribune.com

A doctor was arrested Wednesday for allegedly molesting a female patient at Kaiser Permanente's Montebello Medical Offices.
Arturo Vargas, 41, turned himself in at the Montebello police station where he was booked on suspicion of sexual penetration by a foreign object, battery by fraud and sexual exploitation by a physician, according to Lt. Andy Vuncanon.

Vargas is out on $200,000 bail.

Police said the woman was molested when she went to the medical offices at 1550 Town Center Drive to be examined by her doctor

Investigators are looking for other possible victims. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Javier Ornelas at 323-887-1262.

U.S. Economy Gains Steam as 200,000 Jobs Are Added - NYTimes.com

2012-01-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

U.S. Economy Gains Steam as 200,000 Jobs Are Added - NYTimes.com

The United States added 200,000 new jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday, a robust number that came on the heels of a flurry of heartening economic news. Consumer confidence has lifted, factories have stepped up production and small businesses are showing signs of life. The nation’s unemployment rate fell to 8.5 percent, its lowest level in nearly two years.

Rick Perry names embattled sheriff as his Arizona campaign chairman | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth

2012-01-06T14:39:00.000-08:00

Rick Perry names embattled sheriff as his Arizona campaign chairman | www.pegasusnews.com | Dallas/Fort Worth

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has named embattled Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio his Arizona campaign chairman, despite a recent Obama administration report condemning alleged discriminatory practices in Arpaio's office.

Huppenthal slashes TUSD's funding over Mexican-American Studies

2012-01-06T14:30:00.000-08:00

Huppenthal slashes TUSD's funding over Mexican-American Studies

Arizona Schools Chief John Huppenthal has ordered that 10 percent of TUSD’s monthly state aid be withheld as a result of its Mexican American Studies Program.

The decision, which was released Friday, could cost Tucson’s largest school district millions.

Huppenthal maintained his original position that the contentious program is in violation of state law, saying the courses promote racial resentment, are designed primarily for one ethnic group and advocate for ethnic solidarity instead of treating pupils as individuals.

Racist Rick Santorum - YouTube

2012-01-05T09:23:00.000-08:00

Racist Rick Santorum - YouTube

Outcry Against Georgia Ads Fighting Childhood Obesity

2012-01-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

Outcry Against Georgia Ads Fighting Childhood Obesity

2012 Medicare Debate: Baby Boomers At Center Of Issue

2012-01-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

2012 Medicare Debate: Baby Boomers At Center Of Issue

Baby boomers take note: Medicare as your parents have known it is headed for big changes no matter who wins the White House in 2012. You may not like it, but you might have to accept it.

Dial down the partisan rhetoric and surprising similarities emerge from competing policy prescriptions by President Barack Obama and leading Republicans such as Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan.

Limit the overall growth of Medicare spending? It's in both approaches.

Squeeze more money from upper-income retirees and some in the middle-class? Ditto.

Raise the eligibility age? That too, if the deal is right.

CHP crackdown includes drivers who eat behind the wheel - latimes.com

2011-12-29T20:42:00.000-08:00

CHP crackdown includes drivers who eat behind the wheel - latimes.com

As part of a crackdown on distracted drivers, the California Highway Patrol is not just looking for people illegally talking or texting on their cellphones.

Officials also will be on the lookout for those who are eating while driving. And if you're reading magazines or applying makeup, they'll also be looking for you.

From 6 a.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday, the CHP is having a “zero tolerance” cellphone enforcement day.

http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/67036380/News/CHP-Crack-Down-on-Distracted-Drivers

Blue Shield to pay $2 million over dropping of policyholders - latimes.com

2011-12-29T20:35:00.000-08:00

Blue Shield to pay $2 million over dropping of policyholders - latimes.com

More than a year after the healthcare reform law sought to prevent sick patients from losing medical coverage, insurers are still paying for their alleged abuses.

Blue Shield has agreed to pay $2 million to resolve accusations that the company improperly dropped policyholders after they got sick and needed expensive treatment.

Obama administration sets up new hotline for immigration detainees - CNN.com

2011-12-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Obama administration sets up new hotline for immigration detainees - CNN.com

In the latest volley between the federal government and states pushing anti-illegal-immigration laws, the Obama administration announced Thursday it was establishing a new hotline for immigration detainees who feel they "may be U.S. citizens or victims of a crime."

The 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week hotline is part of a "broader effort to improve our immigration enforcement process and prioritize resources to focus on threats to public safety, (on) repeat immigration law violators, recent border entrants, and immigration fugitives while continuing to strengthen oversight of the nation's immigration detention system and facilitate legal immigration," a news release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said.

The hotline number is 855-448-6903.

Iran Threatens to Block Oil in Reply to Sanctions - NYTimes.com

2011-12-27T20:16:00.000-08:00

Iran Threatens to Block Oil in Reply to Sanctions - NYTimes.com

A senior Iranian official on Tuesday delivered a sharp threat in response to economic sanctions being readied by the United States, saying his country would retaliate against any crackdown by blocking all oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for transporting about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply.

Statement from Save Ethnic Studies attorney Richard Martinez on ruling today - Three Sonorans

2011-12-27T20:06:00.000-08:00

Statement from Save Ethnic Studies attorney Richard Martinez on ruling today - Three Sonorans

No one should be surprised by the ALJ decision released today affirming John Huppenthal’s Finding against the TUSD Mexican American Studies program.

Latinos in Arizona are well aware that their role has been marginalized and future under the present regime nonexistent. That compartmentalization is not only discriminatory, but based upon a hollow foundation. The future Latinos enjoy in Arizona will be that which they create irrespective of what other non-Latinos think, desire or arguably permit.

The Acosta plaintiffs are in federal district court because they knew long ago the ALJ process was a dead end processes; no Latino in Arizona can expect the state of Arizona to protect their rights or treat them as full and equal citizens. To the likes of Huppenthal, Brewer and Arpaio, Mexicans are just a disposable commodity to be tolerated as a source of cheap labor when needed. To others we are just the source of a vote when needed to win an election when needed. (And most of the time they figure they can win without our votes.)

Tucson ethnic-studies program violates Arizona law, judge says - latimes.com

2011-12-27T19:37:00.000-08:00

Tucson ethnic-studies program violates Arizona law, judge says - latimes.com

The Tucson school district's Mexican American studies program violates state law, an Arizona administrative law judge ruled Tuesday, paving the way for the possible demise of the program.

The judge affirmed a prior decision by the state's schools chief that the Tucson Unified School District's program violates a law that aims to outlaw divisive ethnic studies classes.

In June, John Huppenthal, the state superintendent of public instruction, had deemed the program to be in violation of the law. That law, among other things, bans classes primarily designed for a particular ethnic group or that "promote resentment toward a race or class of people."

The colors of a family - latimes.com

2011-12-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

The colors of a family - latimes.com

"He's so cute," the woman said. "Whose baby is he?"

The question shocked me.

I was holding my 1-year-old, ambling about downtown with some friends. White friends. She must have thought my boy belonged to one of them.

There's a simple explanation: I'm black but my son, Ashe, is white. At least he looks it.

This surprised us. When Ashe was born, one of the first things I said to Vanashree was, "Honey, he's so light!" We chuckled, poking fun at our assumptions.

We had thought our newborn would have skin more like mine. We also figured I would teach him the lessons my parents taught me as I grew up in the 1960s and '70s: Be proud of being black; but be ready, because you will always have to find a way around barriers large and small.

My son won't need those lessons.

He'll have what I can only imagine: white privilege.

That means in most of America, most of the world, when he walks into a room filled with strangers, he'll have nothing to prove. He will be assumed to be smart, trustworthy and reasonable.

It's different for me. Take a look at recent studies of our subconscious attitudes about race. (The University of Chicago's Shooter Test or Harvard's Implicit Association Test are two examples.)

We've obviously come a long, long way when it comes to this, but when I meet strangers, most of the time I have to prove myself. Am I smart, trustworthy, reasonable? That's not necessarily assumed. It's the same, I dare say, for all black people.

Merry Christmas =D

2011-12-24T16:17:00.000-08:00

THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY - YouTube

Arpaio's goons doing what they do best

2011-12-24T13:30:00.001-08:00

MCSO Video of Ernest "Marty" Atencio in Custody (Raw) - YouTube

Department of Justice objects to South Carolina's voter law - CNN.com

2011-12-24T08:14:00.000-08:00

Department of Justice objects to South Carolina's voter law - CNN.com

The Department of Justice on Friday deemed South Carolina's new law requiring voters to present a state or federal photo ID "legally unenforceable," arguing that it could be discriminatory against minorities in violation of the Voting Rights Act.

The proposed law, signed by Gov. Nikki Haley in May, would require voters wishing to vote in person to present one of five forms of photo identification. The current law, in effect since 1988, does not require a photo ID. The stated intention in changing the law was to reduce voter fraud caused by someone impersonating another voter.

Existe un documental inédito de Fidel Castro - CNNMéxico.com

2011-12-24T06:26:00.000-08:00

Existe un documental inédito de Fidel Castro - CNNMéxico.com

Click on link to view video

TwitWipe Gives You a Fresh Start by Deleting All Your Tweets

2011-12-24T06:10:00.000-08:00

TwitWipe Gives You a Fresh Start by Deleting All Your Tweets

Wal-Mart pulls formula after baby death - CNN.com

2011-12-22T07:36:00.000-08:00

Wal-Mart pulls formula after baby death - CNN.com

Wal-Mart says it has recalled a quantity of infant formula this week after a baby died in Missouri.

"We extend our deepest condolences to this baby boy's family as they try to come to grips with their loss," said Dianna Gee, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman. " As soon as we heard what happened, we immediately reached out to the manufacturer of the formula and to the Department of Health and Senior Services to provide any information we may have to help with the investigation."

Wal-Mart said it is pulled a batch of Enfamil from its stores nationwide that matched the size and lot number of the formula that may have sickened the baby in Missouri, Gee said.

In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback puts tea party tenets into action with sharp cuts - The Washington Post

2011-12-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

In Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback puts tea party tenets into action with sharp cuts - The Washington Post

If you want to know what a Tea Party America might look like, there is no place like Kansas.

In the past year, three state agencies have been abolished and 2,050 jobs have been cut. Funding for schools, social services and the arts have been slashed. The new Republican governor rejected a $31.5 million federal grant for a new health-insurance exchange because he opposes President Obama’s health-care law. And that’s just the small stuff.

Brownback, 55, declined to be interviewed for this article but has said he wants to turn his small farming state into a national showcase for the virtues of limited government.

His administration has acquired a reputation for engaging even the smallest critics. The governor’s aides grabbed national attention after they went after a teenager who tweeted derogatory comments about Brownback during a visit to the statehouse. The governor later apologized for their behavior.

Bank Of America Countrywide Settlement: Bank To Pay $335 Million To Settle Discriminatory Lending Claims

2011-12-21T15:42:00.000-08:00

Bank Of America Countrywide Settlement: Bank To Pay $335 Million To Settle Discriminatory Lending Claims

Bank of America agreed to pay $335 million to resolve allegations that its Countrywide unit engaged in a widespread pattern of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers on home loans.

The settlement with the U.S. Justice Department was filed Wednesday with the Central District court of California and is subject to court approval. The DOJ says it's the largest settlement in history over residential fair lending practices.

According to the DOJ's complaint, Countrywide charged over 200,000 African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher fees and interest rates than non-Hispanic white borrowers with a similar credit profile. The complaint says that these borrowers were charged higher fees and rates because of their race or national origin rather than any other objective criteria.

The God Song

2011-12-21T06:13:00.000-08:00

The God Song

It may be one of the most touching holiday “songs” you’ll hear. It’s called The God Song. And no one knows who recorded it or where it came from.

The background of the song is back in 1984, one week before Christmas, an audio tape labeled “From God” was left at the door of a radio station. After listening to it, the station’s staff at the time decided to play it on the air and got a huge reaction from it.

House Republicans Reject Payroll Tax Cut Deal - NYTimes.com

2011-12-21T05:59:00.000-08:00

House Republicans Reject Payroll Tax Cut Deal - NYTimes.com

After defiantly rejecting a Senate compromise to extend a payroll tax break and jobless pay, Speaker John A. Boehner stood before the television cameras on Tuesday enveloped by scores of House Republicans. Even as a group, they seemed very much alone.

By turning down a bill that was overwhelmingly supported by both parties in the Senate as well as the White House, the conservative House majority that has spent the year inciting combative legislative showdowns is now staring over the brink, standing fast against legislation with significant financial consequences for nearly every American household.

Kim Jong Il's Death Sends Jitters Across Northeast Asia - TIME

2011-12-19T22:12:00.000-08:00

Kim Jong Il's Death Sends Jitters Across Northeast Asia - TIME

On Monday afternoon, a black-clad newscaster in Pyongyang, sitting in front of a bucolic backdrop of pine trees and snow-capped mountains, was barely able to get out the news. North Korea's longtime leader Kim Jong Il, she managed to say between sobs, had died on Dec. 17 of a sudden illness. "We make this announcement with great sorrow," she said, weeping.

The abrupt absence of a leader in one of the world's most unpredictable nations — though it wasn't entirely unexpected, given Kim's visibly declining health in recent years — sent a chill through Northeast Asia's corridors of power. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak convened an emergency security meeting and put the nation's military on highest alert.

Arpaio's too-Wild-West ways - latimes.com

2011-12-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

Arpaio's too-Wild-West ways - latimes.com

Joe Arpaio likes to call himself America's toughest sheriff. But the Department of Justice reached a different conclusion last week about the lawman from Arizona's Maricopa County: He helped nurture a "culture of bias" in his department, it reported after a three-year investigation, that led to discriminatory behavior and "unconstitutional policing" that routinely violated the rights of Latinos.

The findings are hardly news to Latinos in that state, who were up to nine times more likely to be pulled over by deputies while driving than non-Latinos. The federal probe, first launched under President George W. Bush, concluded that Arpaio and his deputies illegally arrested and jailed Latinos and initiated immigration sweeps in response to complaints that simply referred to people with "dark skin" but made no mention of an actual crime. The report also said that in its zeal to prosecute immigrants, the sheriff's office may have failed to properly investigate 432 cases of sexual assault and child molestation.

But Arpaio is hardly the victim of a conspiracy. The Justice Department's scathing report makes that clear. An expert hired by the department said this case involves "the most egregious racial profiling in the United States" that he has ever seen in the course of his work, according to the report. On Arpaio's watch, deputies went unchecked. One officer used his patrol car to intentionally hit and drag a Latino man and then instructed other deputies to "leave him there," investigators said. A Latino motorist was incarcerated for 13 days for failing to use his turn signal.

We understand that Americans are frustrated by an immigration system that fails everyone. But Arpaio's supporters should think hard about what his true legacy will be. He can't be America's sheriff if he can't play by the rules.

GOP Moves to Require Pee Tests and GEDs for Unemployed | Mother Jones

2011-12-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

GOP Moves to Require Pee Tests and GEDs for Unemployed | Mother Jones

It's a difficult time to be unemployed in America. But congressional Republicans seem determined to make it even more difficult.

On Tuesday, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed HR 3630, a bill extending President Barack Obama's 2 percent payroll tax cut. But the tax cut, which was set to expire on January 1 and will save the average American family an estimated $1,000 next year, is just about the only candy cane in this holiday stocking. The rest of HR 3630 is bursting at the seams with conservative goodies, including—get this—drastic changes to the unemployment insurance system that could force unemployed Americans to undergo drug tests, require them to get GEDs, and greatly reduce the time they're able to receive benefits.

SNL Spoofs Greta Van Susteren, Donald Trump Debate (VIDEO)

2011-12-12T12:17:00.000-08:00

SNL Spoofs Greta Van Susteren, Donald Trump Debate (VIDEO)

Florida law results in more denials of unemployment benefits - latimes.com

2011-12-12T12:08:00.000-08:00

Florida law results in more denials of unemployment benefits - latimes.com

The denials in those three months will save the state $10.85 million, the agency said.

Florida's tougher unemployment law requires those claiming benefits to report online each week five jobs they've applied for or to meet with a state jobs counselor. The law also aims to keep workers with job performance issues from claiming benefits.

Claims and job-search information must be submitted online; there's no telephone option.

"They discourage you from collecting," said Dominick DeLuccia, a West Palm Beach resident who recently lost his job as a driver and says he doesn't have the computer skills to file online. "It's very frustrating," he said.

President Obama: The full "60 Minutes" interview - 60 Minutes Overtime - CBS News

2011-12-12T06:53:00.000-08:00

President Obama: The full "60 Minutes" interview - 60 Minutes Overtime - CBS News

Click on link to view interview

High court may look at Ariz. immigration law - CBS News

2011-12-12T06:47:00.000-08:00

High court may look at Ariz. immigration law - CBS News

The Obama administration is waging a furious legal fight against a patchwork of state laws targeting illegal immigrants, and on Monday the Supreme Court has its first chance to jump into the fray.

Arizona is asking the justices to allow the state to begin enforcing measures that have been blocked by lower courts at the administration's request. Among those provisions is one that requires police, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if officers suspect he is in the country illegally.

Similar laws in Alabama, South Carolina and Utah also are facing Obama administration lawsuits. Private groups are suing over immigration measures adopted in Georgia and Indiana.

Occupy movement to block West Coast ports | abc7.com

2011-12-12T06:33:00.000-08:00

Occupy movement to block West Coast ports | abc7.com

Lemon Juice: 20 Unusual Household Uses (PHOTOS)

2011-12-11T15:37:00.000-08:00

Lemon Juice: 20 Unusual Household Uses (PHOTOS)

Juicy, aromatic and highly acidic, lemons bring out the flavor in sweet and savory foods but they nearly always play a supporting role in the kitchen. Stop relegating them to the rim of your glass and give these winter citrus fruits their due -- because they're serious cleaning and freshening powerhouses.

These 20 unusual uses for lemon juice will make your home look and smell fresh, brighten your laundry, and improve your hair, nails and skin.

Hangover Help: The next time you're groaning in pain the morning after enjoying just a tad too much alcohol, try drinking a little lemon juice squeezed into warm water or tea. Not only does it help you re-hydrate, but the lemon juice can reportedly help balance the pH levels in your body and replace the vitamin C lost in the binge.

Insect Deterrent: Many insects are highly sensitive to smell, including spiders, ants, fleas and typically so-hardy-they're-almost-alien cockroaches. Squirt lemon juice in windowsills, the thresholds of doors, along baseboards and into any cracks where insects might get into the house. Add lemon juice to your floor wash for even more insect-repelling action.

Click on link to view complete slide show

Ford Recalls 129,000 Fusions and Mercury Milans After Studs Fracture on Steel Wheels - NYTimes.com

2011-12-11T06:56:00.000-08:00

Ford Recalls 129,000 Fusions and Mercury Milans After Studs Fracture on Steel Wheels - NYTimes.com

Ford is recalling almost 129,000 of its 2010-11 Ford Fusions and Mercury Milans because the wheel studs on vehicles equipped with 17-inch steel wheels could break, potentially leading to a wheel coming loose and falling off.

Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the recall in a report (PDF) filed Friday on the agency’s Web site.

Vehicles with alloy wheels are not affected.

California ethics agency loosens rules on gifts to lawmakers - latimes.com

2011-12-09T17:13:00.000-08:00

California ethics agency loosens rules on gifts to lawmakers - latimes.com

Reporting from Sacramento— State lawmakers and city council members can accept expensive gifts from lobbyists without disclosure if they are dating, and can receive meals and lodging in lobbyists' homes without telling the public, under rules approved Thursday by the state ethics agency.

AFP: Alabama farmers look to replace migrants with prisoners

2011-12-09T17:11:00.000-08:00

AFP: Alabama farmers look to replace migrants with prisoners

Alabama farmers have proposed using prisoners to work their fields to replace migrants who fled the state after it passed the country's harshest anti-immigration law, officials said Tuesday.

The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry officials met Tuesday in Mobile with farmers to discuss their proposal, a spokeswoman for the department told AFP.

"The suggestion to use prisoners who are eligible for work release programs was made as a way to help farmers fill the gap and find sufficient labor," said Amy Belcher.

A statement by the department said the meeting with the farmers was convened "to help solve the chronic labor shortages created by Alabama's new immigration law."

N.J. Indonesian immigrants facing deportation for overstaying tourism visas | NJ.com

2011-12-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

N.J. Indonesian immigrants facing deportation for overstaying tourism visas | NJ.com

Tuwo and Pauned are Indonesian immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than a decade — working, paying taxes and raising their two American-born daughters.

But according to the U.S. government, their home is 10,000 miles away in Indonesia, and they must leave this country.

Tuwo and Pauned are among roughly 60 Indonesians in New Jersey who are facing deportation in the next few months for overstaying their tourism visas years ago.

"We love this country," Tuwo said. "I know I made a mistake. I overstayed. But not everyone is the same."

Sheriff Arpaio Showdown: Resignation Demands Grow Amid Child Sex Crimes Debacle

2011-12-07T18:01:00.000-08:00

Jeff Biggers: Sheriff Arpaio Showdown: Resignation Demands Grow Amid Child Sex Crimes Debacle

A self-proclaimed hardliner who relishes the media attention for his anti-immigrant sweeps, his pink-underwear-wearing Tent City inmates and reality TV exploits, Arpaio is no stranger to controversy.

Among the 432 ignored reports of rape, child molestations and sex crimes, as Arizona Republic columnist Laurie Roberts noted, was "a 2-year-old taken to the hospital with vaginal pain and bruising after a stint with a babysitter."

Earlier today at the Arizona State Capitol, Hobbs was joined by state Rep. Ruben Gallego, a ranking member of the Military Affairs & Public Safety committee, who declared Arpaio had dedicated his time to "investigating his own political enemies, avoiding internal investigations on the officers who botched the cases, misspending $100 million, and ignoring 40,000 outstanding felony arrest warrants for violent criminals," among other diversions.

Is GOP race turning into a circus? - CNN.com

2011-12-07T13:19:00.000-08:00

Is GOP race turning into a circus? - CNN.com

But the very fact that the nation's pre-eminent carnival barker, political charlatan and bona fide "birther" has somehow re-injected himself into the GOP race tells us something about the contest itself: It's descended into complete chaos.

Not that a little chaos isn't a good thing in presidential races. After all, no one is supposed to be appointed nominee. We like a good race, and we love it when voters engage. But this is starting to look more like a bad game show than a good argument about who is best qualified to become the leader of the free world.

Racism in the NYPD Seeped onto Facebook - National - The Atlantic Wire

2011-12-06T08:10:00.000-08:00

Racism in the NYPD Seeped onto Facebook - National - The Atlantic Wire

Some New York police officier really didn't like being assigned to Brooklyn's West Indian American Day Parade, so much so that they vehemently vented their frustrations on Facebook.

The racism in some of the Facebook posts seems pretty blatant, but we'll let you judge for yourself:

"I say have the parade one more year, and when they all gather drop a bomb and wipe them all out."

"Welcome to the Liberal NYC Gale,” said another, “where if the cops sneeze too loud they get investigated for excessive force but the ‘civilians’ can run around like savages and there are no repercussions."

"Why is everyone calling this a parade. It’s a scheduled riot."
"Bloodbath!!! The worst detail to work."

They can keep the forced overtime," adding that the safety of officers comes “before the animals.”

"Hearing New York police officers speak publicly but candidly about one another and the people they police is rare indeed, especially with their names attached."

"We were widely outnumbered. It was an eerie feeling knowing we could be overrun at any moment."

Martin Bashir: Herman Cain Should Resign From His Church Over Affair Allegations (VIDEO)

2011-12-03T10:24:00.000-08:00

Martin Bashir: Herman Cain Should Resign From His Church Over Affair Allegations (VIDEO)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Three Alleged Mortgage Scammers Arrested In California

2011-12-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Three Alleged Mortgage Scammers Arrested In California

Unsavory mortgage practices have become widespread since the onset of the housing crash, which has left countless homeowners trying to stay one step ahead of foreclosure -- presenting a prime opportunity for scammers who claim they can lower homeowners' payments.

And such practices are exactly what a new government task force, announced earlier this week, is aiming to stamp out.

The task force, a collaboration between SIGTARP, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Treasury Department, will investigate people and companies suspected of trying to take advantage of homeowners seeking mortgage modifications.

A consumer fraud alert issued by SIGTARP this week notes that such guarantees are almost always a red flag for a scam, since third-party companies can't actually promise that a loan will be modified. Those decisions are only made by mortgage servicers.

Why some Democrats oppose Obama’s jobs bill - The Washington Post

2011-12-03T09:37:00.000-08:00

Why some Democrats oppose Obama’s jobs bill - The Washington Post

After some public wavering by several of those Democrats, only two bucked the president and voted against the measure — Sens. Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.).

The defections allowed Republicans to label opposition to the president “bipartisan,” but the small number let Democrats claim that their caucus stood behind the president.

One of the Senate’s most conservative Democrats, Nelson has worked especially hard to show his independence from the party.

In a statement, he rejected the jobs package’s underlying premise, indicating that he could not support the bill because it includes billions in higher spending and tax increases.

“I simply can’t support raising taxes so Washington can spend more,” he said.

Honda recalling cars to fix airbags that can kill drivers - latimes.com

2011-12-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

Honda recalling cars to fix airbags that can kill drivers - latimes.com

Honda Motor Co. plans to recall 273,000 Honda and Acura vehicles because of an airbag problem that can kill drivers.

It will also inspect an additional 603,000 vehicles to see if the same defective parts that cause the problem were sold to repair autos that have been in accidents. Honda said it doesn’t know how many of those vehicles might have been repaired with the defective parts.

In the recalled vehicles, the driver’s side airbag can deploy with too much force in an accident, causing a metal inflator casing -- the part that holds and channels explosive propellant -- to rupture

Honda has had four previous recalls dealing the same issue, which with this latest expansion includes more than 2.5 million vehicles in the U.S. The problem does not affect any vehicles newer than the 2003 model year

The latest recall now includes certain 2001 and 2002 Accord, 2001 to 2003 Civic, 2001 to 2003 Odyssey, 2002 and 2003 CR-V, 2003 Pilot, 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL vehicles.

Honda will begin sending recall notices to owners of these vehicles later this month.

It also said the Honda owners can go to www.recalls.honda.com or call (800) 999-1009 and select option 4; Acura owners can go to www.recalls.acura.com or call (800) 382-2238 and select option 4 to get more information.

Newt GIngrich Slams Poor Kids - YouTube

2011-12-02T23:16:00.000-08:00

Newt GIngrich Slams Poor Kids - YouTube

Payroll Tax Cut Extension Rejected In Senate Vote

2011-12-02T08:14:00.000-08:00

Payroll Tax Cut Extension Rejected In Senate Vote

The Senate failed Thursday to pass an extension of a payroll tax cut, leaving in limbo a break that saved working class households about $1,000 a piece this year.

Democrats sought to extend and expand the break, while paying for it with a 3.25 percent surtax on incomes over $1 million. Just one Senate Republican, Maine's Susan Collins, voted for the middle class break, which died 51 to 49 in a filibuster. Three Democrats opposed the bill.

Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church Bans Interracial Couples

2011-12-01T18:29:00.000-08:00

Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church Bans Interracial Couples

The Gulnare Freewill Baptist Church in Pike County, Kentucky has voted not to accept interracial couples as members or allow them to take part in some worship activities.

Melvin Thompson, a minister at the church, explained to the Lexington Herald-Leader that the resolution “is not intended to judge the salvation of anyone, but is intended to promote greater unity among the church body and the community we serve.”

Thompson issued the ban in August after Stella Harville played the piano and her fiancé Ticha Chikuni (both pictured) sang. Harville grew up in the church and was baptized there, but she is not a member. Chikuni is a native of Zimbabwe.

The decision has caused sharp reaction and disapproval.

Extreme Anti-Immigrant Laws Tear Families Apart and Create Fear, Not Jobs | First Focus Campaign for Children

2011-12-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Extreme Anti-Immigrant Laws Tear Families Apart and Create Fear, Not Jobs | First Focus Campaign for Children

Last week, I traveled with several of my House of Representatives colleagues to Birmingham, Ala., to speak out against HB56, a deeply regressive and dangerous law that threatens the livelihood and civil rights of citizens, visitors, and especially immigrants, whether documented or undocumented.

The law doesn’t just require police who “reasonably suspect” someone of being an undocumented immigrant to check their status. It also directs school districts to check the immigration status of every student at every level of education. It even prohibits landlords from renting to someone who may be an undocumented immigrant. It creates an intentional climate of fear well beyond any attempt to make the community safer or more prosperous. It’s already tearing the state apart.

At a field hearing in Birmingham, my colleagues and I heard testimony from Mayor William Bell, Jefferson County Sheriff Mike Hale, and Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Craig Witherspoon, as well as a local civil rights advocate, a teacher from a local high school, a concerned parent, an undocumented immigrant from Tuscaloosa, a 17-year-old student with undocumented parents, and a local business owner. They told us one thing, loud and clear: Alabama won’t survive if it goes much further down this path.

'Austerity' policy: Low-paid foot the bill - CNN.com

2011-12-01T13:57:00.000-08:00

'Austerity' policy: Low-paid foot the bill - CNN.com

The United Kingdom was the first country laid across the lap of fiscal austerity. Conservatives in Britain argued that government deficits could be solved by slashing public spending quickly and severely. They got what they wanted, including a particularly drastic set of cuts affecting the country's poor and unemployed. But despite the cuts, Britain's economy has not recovered.

This week, Britain announced it was lowering its economic growth estimates yet again and the multinational Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projects Britain will enter a recession next year. In other words, England was the pilot test for austerity measures, and the pilot test has failed.

140 mph gusts cause damage, outages, delays in California - CNN.com

2011-12-01T13:48:00.000-08:00

140 mph gusts cause damage, outages, delays in California - CNN.com

As of 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), Southern California Edison was reporting more than 210,000 households without power. The hardest hit areas in the utility's service area include San Gabriel, San Bernardino, Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, El Monte, La Canada Flintridge, Monrovia and Sierra Madre.

The Los Angeles Department of Water of Power reported that, as of that same time, about 129,000 of its 1 million customers did not have electricity. The department added, in a press release, that it has more than 100 crews responding to more than 1,000 incidents thought to be responsible for the outages

Perry says will deport all detained illegal immigrants | Reuters

2011-11-29T13:26:00.000-08:00

Perry says will deport all detained illegal immigrants | Reuters

The Texas governor has faced criticism from Republican rivals like Mitt Romney for being "soft" on illegal immigrants, because those who live in Texas can attend state universities at the same cost as other Texas residents.

Perry, who made the remarks while campaigning in New Hampshire with a controversial Arizona sheriff, said that if elected he would immediately order the deportation of any illegal immigrant detained in the United States.

"My policy will be to detain and deport every illegal alien who is apprehended in this country," Perry said. "And we'll do it with an expedited hearing process so that millions of illegal aliens are not released into the general population with some hearing date down the road."

Russell Pearce: Anatomy of a Recall (video) - Tucson Progressive

2011-11-29T07:11:00.000-08:00

Russell Pearce: Anatomy of a Recall (video) - Tucson Progressive

Debate over obese children vs. parental rights - CBS News

2011-11-29T05:58:00.000-08:00

Debate over obese children vs. parental rights - CBS News

The case of an 8-year-old Cleveland Heights boy taken from his family because he weighs more than 200 pounds has renewed a debate on whether parents should lose custody if a child is severely obese.

The boy was removed from his family and was placed in foster care in October after county case workers said his mother wasn't doing enough to control his weight. The boy, at his weight, is considered at risk for developing such diseases as diabetes and high blood pressure. Government growth charts say most boys his age weigh about 60 pounds.

Roughly 2 million U.S. children are extremely obese — weighing significantly more than what's considered healthy.

Cuyahoga County removed the boy because case workers considered the mother's inability to get his weight down a form of medical neglect. The county's Children and Family Services agency said Monday it stood by its custody move, which was approved by a judge.

The New Yorker Thanksgiving Cover Takes On Immigration

2011-11-28T21:01:00.000-08:00

The New Yorker Thanksgiving Cover Takes On Immigration

No stranger to controversial cover art, The New Yorker Thanksgiving issue depicts a gaggle of pilgrims scampering under a starry sky.

A woman crawls under a barbed-wire fence that could be the U.S.-Mexico border. Two men, sweat dripping from their hats, sprint across the barren landscape.

The illustration is entitled "Promised Land."

Cash-Strapped Americans Largely Swallow Price Hikes During Holidays

2011-11-28T18:07:00.000-08:00

Cash-Strapped Americans Largely Swallow Price Hikes During Holidays

McDonald's, Nike, Starbucks and other companies initially worried that customers would run the other way when they started raising prices to offset their higher costs for ingredients, fuel and packaging. But so far, cash-strapped Americans largely have swallowed the price spikes. And they're continuing to do so during this holiday shopping season.

The prices Americans pay for food, travel and other things have steadily risen this year, according to government data.

Brazil suspends Chevron's drilling rights | Reuters

2011-11-23T15:47:00.000-08:00

Brazil suspends Chevron's drilling rights | Reuters

The Brazilian government on Wednesday suspended Chevron Corp's drilling rights in Brazil until it clarifies the causes of an offshore oil spill, the latest twist in a political firestorm threatening the U.S. company's role in Brazil's oil bonanza.

The decision was announced as the chief executive of Chevron's Brazilian unit was testifying before the Brazilian Congress, where he publicly apologized for the November 8 spill that leaked about 2,400 barrels of oil into the ocean off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

Newt Gingrich won't appear on Missouri ballot - latimes.com

2011-11-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

Newt Gingrich won't appear on Missouri ballot - latimes.com

Newt Gingrich may be a top-tier contender in the latest polls, but he won't be contending at all in Missouri's Republican presidential primary in February.

The former House speaker, who is putting a campaign organization together on the fly, failed to qualify for the contest in the Show Me State.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State's office, Gingrich did not file the necessary papers as of Tuesday's 5 p.m. deadline. That means his name will not be on the Feb. 7 ballot.

"One of Alabama's Worst Times Since Jim Crow." - YouTube#at=39#!

2011-11-20T08:08:00.000-08:00

"One of Alabama's Worst Times Since Jim Crow." - YouTube#at=39#!

Daily Kos: Backsliding into Jim Crow in Alabama

2011-11-20T08:05:00.000-08:00

Daily Kos: Backsliding into Jim Crow in Alabama

When I see the words "Jim Crow," I think of the south, of segregation, of black codes, of a minstrel show song.

When I think of Alabama and segregation those images run the gamut of violence—little girls in a bombed church in Birmingham, Bull Connor, marchers being hosed.

They are stark images, in black and white.

The people are black and white as well.

It seems that we have slid backwards to those days in Alabama—except perhaps we should reference "Juan Crow" now, instead of Jim.

When I think of Alabama's racial history, and those who tilled its soil in the past, first as enslaved people and then after emancipation as sharecroppers, it is yet another study in black and white: (Click on link for full story)

Survey finds ethnic divide among voters on DREAM Act - latimes.com

2011-11-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

Survey finds ethnic divide among voters on DREAM Act - latimes.com

Many Californians worry that they are being priced out of the state's public university systems, and they object to allowing illegal immigrants the same financial aid that U.S. citizens can receive at the campuses, a new poll has found.

COMMENTS:

MayIseeyourID: They are foreign national, just the same as their illegal parents. Anchor babies are stealing from Americans just as fast, if not faster, than the average illegal alien, because we let them, by pretending they are American citizens simply because they were birthed here.

1Summerstar: Illegal aliens continue to keep having kids although they can't afford them. Why because they receive welfare either directly or indirectly.

Marlena53: Many others will use this aid but eventually drop out once they are knocked up and produce anchors that will support them. This is just dead wrong giving these people any type of taxpayer assistance.

Lawsuit: Alabama immigration law stops home permits | GadsdenTimes.com

2011-11-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

Lawsuit: Alabama immigration law stops home permits | GadsdenTimes.com

MONTGOMERY — A new federal lawsuit was filed Friday challenging a section of Alabama’s immigration law that civil rights groups say makes it impossible for those who can’t prove U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status to legally keep their manufactured homes.

The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in Montgomery by two immigrants in Elmore County named in the lawsuit only as “John Doe No. 1” and “John Doe No. 2.” They are challenging a section of the law that prohibits most contracts where one party is an illegal immigrant.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs say that provision is being used by state revenue officials to keep illegal immigrants from paying an annual registration fee and obtaining a decal that by law must be displayed on manufactured homes. State law requires the registration to be renewed by Nov. 30.

One of the attorneys for the plaintiffs, Mary Bauer, legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, said that without the permit some people may be forced to abandon their homes and left homeless.

“It’s a flagrant violation of the Fair Housing Act and the United States Constitution,” Bauer said.

Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon credits new immigration law with lowering state unemployment | al.com

2011-11-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon credits new immigration law with lowering state unemployment | al.com

A sponsor of Alabama's tough new immigration law on Friday credited the law with the steep drop in the state's jobless rate.

"Despite how desperately illegal immigrant sympathizers have tried to portray this law as somehow harmful to our state's economy, the truth is more Alabamians are working today thanks in part to our decision to crack down on illegal immigration," Alabama House Majority Leader Micky Hammon, R-Decatur, said in a statement.

Hammon pointed to Marshall County, which he called "a known hotbed for illegal immigrant labor." He said the rate there was 8.1 percent for October, down from 8.8 percent in September and 10 percent in June, when the immigration law was signed.

Deportation Cases of Illegal Immigrants to Be Reviewed - NYTimes.com

2011-11-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

Deportation Cases of Illegal Immigrants to Be Reviewed - NYTimes.com

The accelerated triage of the court docket — about 300,000 cases — is intended to allow severely overburdened immigration judges to focus on deporting foreigners who committed serious crimes or pose national security risks, Homeland Security officials said. Taken together, the review and the training, which will instruct immigration agents on closing deportations that fall outside the department’s priorities, are designed to bring sweeping changes to the immigration courts and to enforcement strategies of field agents nationwide.

The policy, described in a June 17 memorandum by John Morton, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, suggested that the Obama administration would scale back deportations of illegal immigrants who were young students, military service members, elderly people or close family of American citizens, among others. While the announcement raised excited expectations in Latino and other immigrant communities, until now the policy has been applied spottily, deepening disillusionment with President Obama in those communities.

Administration officials have flexibility to transform immigration court procedures because those courts are part of the Justice Department in the executive branch, not part of the federal judiciary. Central to the plan is giving more power to immigration agency lawyers — the equivalent of prosecutors in the federal court system — to decide which deportation cases to press.

GOP leaders weigh changes to Alabama immigration law | TuscaloosaNews.com

2011-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

GOP leaders weigh changes to Alabama immigration law | TuscaloosaNews.com

MONTGOMERY | Legislative leaders may be at odds with some rank-and-file senators over changing the state’s controversial illegal immigration law.

The Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law this spring. The law took effect in September amid protests from civil rights groups that contend the new law is unconstitutional and unduly harsh on Hispanic residents. But the law has also elicited complaints from businesses, law enforcement and government officials and other citizens because of its burdensome regulatory requirements, and that has some GOP senators contemplating changes.

Sen. Gerald Dial, R-Lineville, said he is working with a few other senators to modify the law without weakening it.

Beason’s fall from power » Editorials » CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

Beason’s fall from power » Editorials » CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Scott Beason’s fall from power in the Alabama Senate was overdue after his degrading comments about black citizens.

As the powerful chairman of the Rules Committee in the Senate, Beason had every reason to conduct business with the highest respect toward all citizens. But he didn’t, and that’s why his own party chose to strip him of his duties as the head of the agenda-setting committee.

Many Alabama leaders, in both political parties, has worked hard to overcome the state’s segregation-era reputation. The open racism that once dominated life in Alabama was swept away in the Civil Rights movement. Avoiding even a hint of a return to the prevailing politics of that time would be disastrous for the state, which has made tremendous strides in creating a new image and recruiting overseas investors.

Interestingly, Beason was also one of the leaders in passing the state’s maligned immigration law. The negative glare of national and international scorn for the tone and impact of the bill has been relentless.

Skype desktop app now makes Facebook video calls | The Download Blog - Download.com

2011-11-17T06:52:00.000-08:00

Skype desktop app now makes Facebook video calls | The Download Blog - Download.com

With the just announced Skype 5.4 Beta for Mac and Skype 5.7 Beta for Windows, you can initiate a Facebook video call without having to open up your browser and log in to the social networking site. Just connect your Facebook account to Skype, select a Facebook friend and hit the Skype video call button. Your friend picks up the call directly from within Facebook. While the feature isn't exactly a game-changer, we do think it's super convenient. Since you can already see your Facebook Wall, update your status, and make comments from within the Skype interface, it only makes sense to be able to initiate Facebook video calls from there as well.

But Skype's news for today doesn't end there. The company claims to have improved its video rendering, giving all users a smoother video experience. Also, Windows users with a Premium subscription now get the Group Screen Sharing feature, which was previously only available to Mac users.

Buffett: I beg you to raise my taxes - Politico Staff - POLITICO.com

2011-11-16T15:05:00.000-08:00

Buffett: I beg you to raise my taxes - Politico Staff - POLITICO.com

Warren Buffett, the third wealthiest man in the world with a net worth of about $80 billion, is demanding the U.S. government make the rich like him pay higher taxes and says they should no longer be protected like endangered “spotted owls.”

“While the poor and middle class fight for us in Afghanistan, and while most Americans struggle to make ends meet, we mega-rich continue to get our extraordinary tax breaks,” he wrote.

“These and other blessings are showered upon us by legislators in Washington who feel compelled to protect us, much as if we were spotted owls or some other endangered species. It’s nice to have friends in high places.”

"Stop Cuddling The Rich"....http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/15/opinion/stop-coddling-the-super-rich.html

BofA, Others Quietly Boosting Fees In Wake Of Debit Fee Debacle

2011-11-15T11:31:00.000-08:00

BofA, Others Quietly Boosting Fees In Wake Of Debit Fee Debacle

Most banks may have backed away from the debit fee idea, but they're still nickle and diming customers in other ways.

Banks such as Bank of America, U.S. Bancorp and TD bank are quietly quietly upping various fees on mobile deposits, lost debit cards and other services, The New York Times reports. The banks' focus on fees is an effort to recoup an estimated $12 billion a year that disappeared as result of financial reform legislation curbing overdraft charges and swipe fees, according to the NYT.

MALDEF's misstep - latimes.com

2011-11-15T08:48:00.000-08:00

MALDEF's misstep - latimes.com

On Tuesday, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF, will hold its annual awards gala and fundraiser in downtown Los Angeles. The awardees include such indisputable worthies as Linda Ronstadt and former MALDEF leader Antonia Hernandez. The real awardee, though, should be MALDEF itself, whose decades of civil rights litigation have yielded significant gains for Latinos. I haven't always agreed with all of its actions, but I generally find myself cheering it on (as I do its current campaign to create a second Latino-majority district on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors).

There's just one problem with this gala. Front and center on the invitation are the words: "Gala Chair: Wal-Mart."

Wal-Mart may be giving money to MALDEF, but it isn't a friend to Latinos, and most definitely not here in Southern California.

No more free lunch for California state senators - latimes.com

2011-11-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

No more free lunch for California state senators - latimes.com

Reporting from Sacramento— Under fire for spending $111,316 in taxpayer funds to feed themselves this year, state senators have decided to end the practice.

All members of the upper house will be billed $2,000 a year to pay for stocking the coffee room and to cover their meal expenses when sessions extend into the lunch or dinner hour, said Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento).

This year's expenditures were 10% more than last year's, even as lawmakers approved a 6% cut in the budget for services to Californians.

Lew Uhler, head of the California-based National Tax Limitation Committee, had criticized the meals spending as double dipping, because senators also get $143 per day, tax free, for expenses such as meals and lodging while they are in Sacramento.

Former porn star's role in school's reading program upsets parents - latimes.com

2011-11-14T08:16:00.000-08:00

Former porn star's role in school's reading program upsets parents - latimes.com

Arizona's victory against hate - CNN.com

2011-11-13T19:56:00.000-08:00

Arizona's victory against hate - CNN.com

After all the bad laws and bad publicity, Arizona got some good news this week when Senate President Russell Pearce was toppled in a special election.

Citizens for a Better Arizona, a group led by community organizer Randy Parraz, needed 7,756 signatures to put on the ballot the question of whether Pearce should be recalled. It submitted about 17,000.

Arguably the most powerful politician in the state and certainly the most divisive, Pearce was handily defeated in his suburban Phoenix district by fellow Republican Jerry Lewis -- 53% to 46%. According to the Arizona Republic, this marks the first time a state lawmaker has been recalled in Arizona and the first time a state Senate president has been recalled anywhere in the United States.

Foreclosed Homeowners Could Receive Small Checks Under Big Bank Settlement

2011-11-12T16:44:00.000-08:00

Foreclosed Homeowners Could Receive Small Checks Under Big Bank Settlement

Foreclosed borrowers abused by their lenders won't get their homes back, but they could get a little cash from a settlement under negotiation between state officials, the Obama administration, and the nation's biggest banks.

A coalition of attorneys general led by Iowa AG Tom Miller and federal housing chief Shaun Donovan is currently pushing for a $25 billion settlement with Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank, and Ally Financial (formerly known as GMAC). At issue is bad mortgage servicing and fraudulent foreclosure paperwork.

DU: No water or power for illegal immigrants - Decaturdaily.com

2011-11-12T15:28:00.000-08:00

DU: No water or power for illegal immigrants - Decaturdaily.com

Decatur Utilities now prohibits illegal immigrants from obtaining electric, gas, water or sewer service, an official said Friday.

Stephen Pirkle, DU business manager and chief financial officer, said DU previously required residents seeking utilities to provide identification, but their immigration status was not relevant.

“We did not document or confirm whether or not they were citizens or aliens here legally,” Pirkle said. “Because of the new law, we are now going through the process to confirm that they are either a citizen or an alien here legally.

“If not, we will deny them service.”

Same in Huntsville

Huntsville Utilities also has instituted a policy of denying service to illegal immigrants, said Bill Yell, its communications director.

COMMENTS

PEGGY wrote:
There's no room for anyone that would break the laws of this country.

tbone from wrote:
why did,nt we do this all the time ? sure have made our neighborhood a lot quieter and less crowded and less crime

SVIVAR9087 wrote:
Hate is never the solution !

TGIF: This is is for all the vets out there =D

2011-11-11T19:07:00.000-08:00

Veterans Day 2011 - YouTube

Civil rights monitors sent to five states for elections - CNN.com

2011-11-08T14:46:00.000-08:00

Civil rights monitors sent to five states for elections - CNN.com

Federal civil rights officials announced Monday they have sent election observers to locations in five states to keep an eye out for potential trouble at the polls Tuesday.

The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division dispatched 11 staff attorneys along with 85 trained election observers from the Office of Personnel Management to watch activities at the polls and report any irregularities.

The Justice Department sent election monitors to 11 Mississippi counties for the primary elections in August.

The Justice Department has also assigned monitors to Lorain County, Ohio, to protect the rights of Spanish-speaking voters.

In Alameda County, California, the U.S. will monitor voting following an agreement between federal officials and the county in July. The agreement requires Alameda County to provide election materials and information in Spanish and Chinese.

In Jasper, Texas, racial tensions have run high over the recall election for three African-American city council members responsible for the hiring of the city's first black police chief.

In Springfield, Massachusetts, activists claim minorities were turned away at the polls in the September primary, and said there was no Spanish-language assistance for voters.