2011 Throwball Playoffs

Once again I find myself more interested in the late rather than the early game, but I’ll try to work up some outrage for you anyway.

The early game starts on FOX at 1 pm according to all reputable sources and not the dumbass commentators who’s major qualification for their job is that they’re not quite brain damaged enough to be unable to read from a teleprompter.  In fairness they were probably shilling their pre-game program as well they might because who watches that boring crap anyway?

My mild favorite is the Seahawks who have the good fortune not to be the second most bitter rival of my second favorite team (second favorite team == Packers, most bitter rivals == Vikings).  What’s to like about da Bears?  They’re one of 2 original NFL franchises and they still play outside at Soldier Field.  Also I think they’re an easier opponent for the Pack if it should come to that.

The late game is at 4:30 pm on CBS and pits the loathsome Patsies against the only slightly less loathsome Jets.  What’s so loathsome about the Jets?  Outside of the rampant clubhouse misogyny and their status as one of the most Republican teams in the league (and in the NFL that’s saying a lot), they’re also freeloading squatters in Giants Stadium.  Buncha deadbeat Galts they are.

But the Patsies (look for ‘Gillette Stadium’) are even worse.  Their Hartford Hijack is unforgivable, or at least I’m not ready to make nice.

While it would be good to have the Jets kick their ass, it’s probably not possible so I’ll have to look forward to the Steelers kicking it in the Conference Championships next week or a repeat of Super Bowl XXXI.

The usual nonsense below the fold.

This is your morning Open Thread. Pour your favorite beverage and review the past and comment on the future.

Find the past “On This Day in History” here.

January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 349 days remaining until the end of the year (350 in leap years).

On this day in 1919, the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” is ratified.

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.

The amendment and its enabling legislation did not ban the consumption of alcohol, but made it difficult to obtain it legally.

Following significant pressure on lawmakers from the temperance movement, the House of Representatives passed the amendment on December 18, 1917. It was certified as ratified on January 16, 1919, having been approved by 36 states. It went into effect one year after ratification, on January 17, 1920. Many state legislatures had already enacted statewide prohibition prior to the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment.

When Congress submitted this amendment to the states for ratification, it was the first time a proposed amendment contained a provision setting a deadline for its ratification. The validity of that clause of the amendment was challenged and reached the Supreme Court, which upheld the constitutionality of such a deadline in Dillon v. Gloss (1921).

Because many Americans attempted to evade the restrictions of Prohibition, there was a considerable growth in violent and organized crime in the United States in response to public demand for illegal alcohol. The amendment was repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment on December 5, 1933. It remains the only constitutional amendment to be repealed in its entirety.

To define the language used in the Amendment, Congress enacted enabling legislation called the National Prohibition Act, better known as the Volstead Act, on October 28, 1919. President Woodrow Wilson vetoed that bill, but the House of Representatives immediately voted to override the veto and the Senate voted similarly the next day. The Volstead Act set the starting date for nationwide prohibition for January 17, 1920, which was the earliest date allowed by the 18th Amendment.Volstead Act, on October 28, 1919. President Woodrow Wilson vetoed that bill, but the House of Representatives immediately voted to override the veto and the Senate voted similarly the next day. The Volstead Act set the starting date for nationwide prohibition for January 17, 1920, which was the earliest date allowed by the 18th Amendment.

 27 BC – The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate.

550 – Gothic War (535-552): The Ostrogoths, under King Totila, conquer Rome after a long siege, by bribing the Isaurian garrison.

929 – Emir Abd-ar-Rahman III established the Caliphate of Cordoba.

1120 – The Council of Nablus is held, establishing the earliest surviving written laws of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.

1362 – A storm tide in the North Sea destroys the German city of Rungholt on the island of Strand.

1412 – The Medici family is appointed official banker of the Papacy.

1492 – The first grammar of the Spanish language is presented to Queen Isabella I.

1547 – Ivan IV of Russia aka Ivan the Terrible becomes Tsar of Russia.

1556 – Philip II becomes King of Spain.

1572 – Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk is tried for treason for his part in the Ridolfi plot to restore Catholicism in England.

1581 – The English Parliament outlaws Roman Catholicism.

1605 – The first edition of El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha (Book One of Don Quixote) by Miguel de Cervantes is published in Madrid.

1707 – The Scottish Parliament ratifies the Act of Union, paving the way for the creation of Great Britain.

1761 – The British capture Pondicherry, India from the French.

1780 – American Revolution: Battle of Cape St. Vincent.

1786 – The Commonwealth of Virginia enacted the Statute for Religious Freedom authored by Thomas Jefferson.

1809 – Peninsular War: The British defeat the French at the Battle of La Coruna.

1847 – John C. Fremont is appointed Governor of the new California Territory.

1878 – Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878) – Battle of Philippopolis: Captain Burago with a squadron of Russian Imperial army dragoons liberates Plovdiv from Ottoman rule.

1883 – The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, establishing the United States Civil Service, is passed.

1896 – Defeat of Cymru Fydd at South Wales Liberal Federation AGM, Newport, Monmouthshire.

1900 – The United States Senate accepts the Anglo-German treaty of 1899 in which the United Kingdom renounces its claims to the Samoan islands.

1909 – Ernest Shackleton’s expedition finds the magnetic South Pole.

1919 – Temperance movement: The United States ratifies the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, authorizing Prohibition in the United States one year after ratification.

1920 – The League of Nations holds its first council meeting in Paris.

1938 – The Benny Goodman Orchestra performed the first jazz concert at Carnegie Hall.

1939 – The Irish Republican Army (IRA) begins a bombing and sabotage campaign in England.

1942 – Crash of TWA Flight 3, killing all 22 aboard, including film star Carole Lombard.

1945 – Adolf Hitler moves into his underground bunker, the so-called Fuhrerbunker.

1956 – President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine.

1968 – The Youth International Party is founded.

1969 – Czech student Jan Palach commits suicide by self-immolation in Prague, in protest against the Soviets’ crushing of the Prague Spring the year before.

1969 – Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 perform the first-ever docking of manned spacecraft in orbit, the first-ever transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another, and the only time such a transfer was accomplished with a space walk.

1970 – Buckminster Fuller receives the Gold Medal award from the American Institute of Architects.

1979 – The Shah of Iran flees Iran with his family and relocates to Egypt.

1986 – First meeting of the Internet Engineering Task Force.

1991 – The United States goes to war with Iraq, beginning the Gulf War (U.S. Time).

1992 – El Salvador officials and rebel leaders sign the Chapultepec Peace Accords in Mexico City ending the 12-year Salvadoran civil war that claimed at least 75,000.

2001 – Congolese President Laurent-Desire Kabila is assassinated by one of his own bodyguards.

2001 – US President Bill Clinton awards former President Theodore Roosevelt a posthumous Medal of Honor for his service in the Spanish-American War.

2002 – The UN Security Council unanimously establishes an arms embargo and the freezing of assets of Osama bin Laden, Al-Qaida, and the remaining members of the Taliban.

2003 – The Space Shuttle Columbia takes off for mission STS-107 which would be its final one. Columbia disintegrated 16 days later on re-entry.

2006 – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is sworn in as Liberia’s new president. She becomes Africa’s first female elected head of state.

Holidays and observances

   * Christian Feast Day:

         o http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B… [Berard of Carbio]

         o Fursey

         o Honoratus of Arles

         o January 16 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

   * Flag Day or Magen David Day (Israel)

   * National Religious Freedom Day (United States)

   * Teacher’s Day (Thailand)

“Punting the Pundits” is an Open Thread. It is a selection of editorials and opinions from around the news medium and the internet blogs. The intent is to provide a forum for your reactions and opinions, not just to the opinions presented, but to what ever you find important.

Thanks to ek hornbeck, click on the link and you can access all the past “Punting the Pundits”.

The Sunday Talking Heads:

This Week with Christiane Amanpour: n a special “This Week” Town Hall “After The Tragedy: An American Conversation Continued,” Christiane Amanpour anchors the first discussion with many of the men and women who had assembled in the Safeway parking lot when the shooting began. Among those who will join the Town Hall: family members of victims, citizens who took heroic action and community leaders. ABC News Anchor David Muir will be in the audience to restart a conversation about America and to probe the community’s reaction to some of the difficult questions raised by tragedy.

Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer: Mr. Schieffer’s guests Rudy Giuliani, Former NYC Mayor, Gov. Ed Rendell, D-Pa., Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla. and Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. who will discuss the aftermath in Tuscon.

The Chris Matthews Show: This week’s guests are  Andrew Sullivan, The Atlantic Senior Editor, Norah O’Donnell, MSNBC Chief Washington  Correspondent, Gloria Borger, CNN Senior  Political Analyst and Reihan Salam, National Review.

They will discuss these questions:

Obama at two years: Can he calm the haters?

How will GOP presidential candidates handle Sarah Palin now?

Meet the Press with David Gregory: This Sunday, discussion and debate about guns in America and the tone of political discourse after Tucson, with Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Senator from Oklahoma Tom Coburn. Also, we’ll hear the latest on the condition of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, from her friend Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Joining ‘lurch’ for a special roundtable conversation: David Brooks of the New York Times, Peggy Noonan of the Wall Street Journal, Rev. Al Sharpton and Tim Shriver.

State of the Union with Candy Crowley: This Sunday, on a special edition of State of the Union, we’ll spend the hour searching for answers as we look at the state of mental health.

First, an overview of schizophrenia and other potentially debilitating mental disorders with two specialized experts: Dr. E. Fuller Torrey, the executive director of the Stanley Medical Research Institute, and Dr. Lisa Dixon, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Then, did Jared Lee Loughner exhibit any behavior that would indicate he was dangerous? Could anything have been done to prevent him from acting? We’ll be joined by two professionals with a personal connection to schizophrenia:

Dr. Fred Frese, a psychologist for 40 years, is the former president of the National Mental Health Consumers’ Association, and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as a young adult.

Peter Earley is a former national reporter for the Washington Post and author of a dozen books, including “Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness,” which details his journey seeking treatment for his adult son who was declared mentally ill.

Finally, we’ll talk with the co-chairs of the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pennsylvania) and Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-California). Where can we go from here? What legislative obstacles stand in the way of meaningful reform?

Fareed Zakaris: GPS: An exclusive interview with the man who — until just days ago — was President Obama’s chief economic adviser. Former director of the National Economics Council Lawrence Summers gives his FIRST interview since leaving the White House. Why aren’t we seeing stronger job growth, when will the President tackle the deficit, and how much will the U.S. economy grow in 2011?

Then, what in the world? The Brits went ballistic over something President Obama said about France this week. Does America have a new BFF?

Next, America has more guns per capita than any other country on earth. The U.S. buys more than 50% of ALL of the new guns manufactured around the world. What is it about America and guns? And did that contribute to the tragedy in Tucson? An GPS panel – including French philosopher Bernard-Henri Levy — looks at America’s unique gun culture, and what separates us from the rest of the world.

Finally, could you use a pay raise in 2011? Well, you may be better off than you think. India’s PM earns only $4000 a YEAR. How much $$$ does YOUR leader take home? We’ll take a last look.

Frank Rich No One Listened to Gabrielle Giffords

OF the many truths in President Obama’s powerful Tucson speech, none was more indisputable than his statement that no one can know what is in a killer’s mind. So why have we spent so much time debating exactly that?

The answer is classic American denial. It was easier to endlessly parse Jared Lee Loughner’s lunatic library – did he favor “The Communist Manifesto” or Ayn Rand? – than confront the larger and harsher snapshot of our current landscape that emerged after his massacre. A week on, that denial is becoming even more entrenched. As soon as the president left the podium Wednesday night, we started shifting into our familiar spin-dry post-tragedy cycle of the modern era – speedy “closure,” followed by a return to business as usual, followed by national amnesia.

If we learn nothing from this tragedy, we are back where we started. And where we started was with two years of accelerating political violence – actual violence, not to be confused with violent language – that struck fear into many, not the least of whom was Gabrielle Giffords.

Nicholas D. Kristof: China’s Winning Schools?

An international study published last month looked at how students in 65 countries performed in math, science and reading. The winner was: Confucianism!

At the very top of the charts, in all three fields and by a wide margin, was Shanghai. Three of the next top four performers were also societies with a Confucian legacy of reverence for education: Hong Kong, Singapore and South Korea. The only non-Confucian country in the mix was Finland.

The United States? We came in 15th in reading, 23rd in science and 31st in math.

I’ve been visiting schools in China and Asia for more than 20 years (and we sent our own kids briefly to schools in Japan, which also bears a Confucian imprint), and I’ve spent much of that time either envious or dumbfounded. I’ll never forget pulling our 2-year-old son out of his Tokyo nursery school so we could visit the States and being handed a form in which we had to list: “reason for proposed vacation.”

Education thrives in China and the rest of Asia because it is a top priority – and we’ve plenty to learn from that.

David Bromwich: Obama on Civility and Lincoln on the Rule of Law

President Obama’s memorial speech in Tucson on January 12 delivered a message of consolation and hope about the terrible killings four days earlier. Don’t we realize, the president asked, that we Americans are all neighbors, that we are something like the members of a family? And once we recognize that, shouldn’t we agree to respect each other and talk gently to each other? A decent sympathy becomes us, even in our disagreements.

This was a reiteration of Barack Obama’s Democratic National Convention Keynote Address of 2004. We are not red states and blue states, the president is saying once again. We are all one America. Like a preacher at a service in a parish church, he spoke on Wednesday emphatically, and with familiar affection, of those who had been killed. He spoke more particularly of democratic citizenship and the relation between citizens and their representatives. Yet there was a notable omission. The president’s memorial address in Tucson never mentioned the rule of law.

(emphasis mine)

America The Only Industrialized Nation Whose Conservative Political Party Works To Deny  Health Care For Its Citizens        



The Truth and Consequences of Repeal

Get ready for more theater on Capitol Hill. House Republicans plan to push through legislation this week to repeal the health care reform law.In deference to the new vows of civility, the tone of the debate may be a bit more restrained. But Republicans have already said that they will not strip the word “killing” from the bill – which is titled, “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act.” Civility apparently goes only so far.

While repeal will certainly pass the House, it has no chance in the Senate. So House Republicans are already planning other ways to undermine the reforms, like denying agencies enough money to hire personnel to carry out the program.

They’re Back Be Afraid If Not Downright Paranoid  

The German capital is divided once again, as residents of the former east are forced from their homes by gentrification  

East Berlin fights back against the yuppy invaders

“How long is now,” the giant mural on the side of the Kunsthaus Tacheles in Berlin’s Mitte district asks. The answer, it appears, is not very long at all. The former department store, turned prison and then squat and alternative culture centre, appears to be on the verge of shutting down.

“We are expecting to be closed any day,” says Yvonne Hildebrandt, a jewellery designer in a studio named Kalerie. After years of legal appeals, she admits, the occupants of the colourful graffiti-covered Tacheles in what was once the Jewish quarter of Berlin have finally run out of road.

A Disaster Waiting To Happen

Environmentalists are angry at the energy giant’s plans to drill for oil in a remote region of the Arctic

BP targets one of the world’s last unspoilt wildernesses after deal

The Arctic is to become the “new environmental battleground”, campaigners warned yesterday after BP announced plans to drill in one of the last great unspoilt wildernesses on earth.

Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have vowed to confront BP’s American boss, Bob Dudley, over the agreement with the Russian state-owned oil giant Rosneft to explore the Kara Sea, north of Siberia. The British energy firm was branded the world’s “environmental villain number one” by Friends of the Earth (FoE) yesterday in response to its move to exploit potential oil reserves in the remote waters.

Why Be Concerned The Dictators Will Hang On  

Friday’s coup in Tunisia sent shockwaves throughout the Arab world. But don’t expect it to herald an era of democratic reform, says Richard Spencer

Tunisia: Why the Jasmine Revolution won’t bloom  

There is a Tunisian proverb that says if an old man is incontinent, his sons will call him wise and full of advice. The family of President Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali, suddenly expelled from their beachfront palaces, may today be wondering if they should have been a little more honest with themselves.

Here is Mr Ben Ali’s advice to America on the Arab world, given to a visiting assistant secretary of state in 2008. He was glad Tunisia was in the Maghreb not the Levant, he said – part of stable North Africa, not the fractious Middle East.

The Effects Of Global Warming

 

Melting in Andes Reveals Remains and Wreckage

LA PAZ, Bolivia – In the haunts of this city where climbers gather over plates of grilled llama and bottles of Paceña beer to swap tales of mountaineering derring-do, they feign boredom when talk turns to the 19,974-foot-high Huayna Potosí, a jagged Andean peak that looms over La Paz.

“A training climb,” scoffs Julio Choque Alaña, 32, who guides foreigners up the mountains of Bolivia, which boasts peaks higher than the Alps and the Rockies.

But such bravado fades when talk shifts to what climbers are discovering on Huayna Potosí’s glacier: crumpled fuselage, decades-old pieces of wings and propellers, and, in November, the frozen body of Rafael Benjamín Pabón, a 27-year-old pilot whose Douglas DC-6 crashed into the mountain’s north face in 1990.

What’s More Important Political Advantage Or Actually Governing  

Seven weeks after a flawed Haiti presidential election, President Rene Preval is resisting an international panel’s recommendation his handpicked candidate be removed from a runoff, diplomats say.

Standoff over presidential runoff seen as threat to Haiti

Reporting from Port-au-Prince, Haiti –

Haiti is locked in a political crisis that threatens to further stall recovery from the devastating earthquake of a year ago and could swiftly turn violent.

Seven weeks after a flawed presidential election, President Rene Preval is resisting an international panel’s recommendation that his handpicked candidate be removed from a runoff, according to diplomatic sources. Preval also is saying he intends to remain in office beyond his term.

(10 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered this speech in support of the striking sanitation workers at Mason Temple in Memphis, TN on April 3, 1968 – the day before he was assassinated

OK, so tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m the founder of 23 different radical leftist organizations including the Africans Fighting Racism and Oppression or AFRO, if you will, uh, the Black Revolutionary Organization or BRO, uh… and also the Black Revolutionary Underground Heroes…

Um, BRUH?

Yeah, BRUH.

Well, the big news tonight is the Divisional Throwball Playoffs (which I intend to bump when we get past the ceremonial drek).  On broadcast only PBS is pushing a premier of Austin City Limits with The National and Band of Horses.  But there are other things to watch-

• ABC Family– Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Goonies
• AMC– The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Demolition Man
• Bravo– House marathon
• Disney– The Suite Life on Deck (part 2 of last night’s premier)
• Discovery– Dirty Jobs marathon
• E!– Honey x 2 (again and again)
• ESPN– Women’s College Basketball, Vanderbilt @ Tennessee
• ESPN2– PBA Bowling (World Championship), Live Poker
• Food– Challenge marathon
• FX– Hellboy
• History– American Pickers marathon
• Lifetime– Dying Young, Erin Brockovich (Julia Roberts night)
• Oxygen– Juno x 2 (again and again)
• Sci Fi– Meteor Storm, Behemoth x 2
• Spike– The Hunted, Ladder 49
• TBS– Meet the Parents, The Love Guru
• Turner Classic– Black Orpheus, Missing (a little new for Turner Classic)
• TNT– Transformers x 2
• Toon– God, the Devil and Bob (new to Toon)
• Vs.– Bullriding, Snowboarding

Why would they lie to me?

Because the truth hurts, Jazmine. The world is a hard and lonely place and nobody gets anything for free. And you want to know what else? One day, you and everyone you know is gonna die.

Later-

Obi-Wan Kenobi once said: “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them.” Seems to be getting harder distinguishing reality from the illusions that people make for us OR from the ones that we make for ourselves… I don’t know, maybe that’s part of the plan. To make me think I’m crazy.

It’s working.

.

• ABC Family– Godzilla
• AMC– Enter the Dragon
• Sci Fi– Disaster Zone: Volcano in New York
• Spike– Waterworld (just as bad as they say it is)
• TBS– Drillbit Taylor
• Turner Classic– Friendly Persuasion
• TNT– Resident Evil: Apocalypse
• USA– The Break-Up
• Vs.– NBA D-League Hoopies

SNL– Gwyneth Paltrow and Cee Lo Green

Boondocks– The Real, A Date With the Health Inspector

And so, we’re raising the Terror Alert Level to intense orange-red, based on very credible, detailed information on a non-specific threat. Could it be a hijacking? Absolutely possible. Chemical or biological agent? You bet it could happen. Suicide bomber? Hey, you never know. But what we do know is that it’s absolutely, positively gonna happen today… maybe.

Evening Edition is an Open Thread

Now with 35 Top Stories.

1 Tunisia’s new leader takes power amid chaos

by Dario Thuburn, AFP

15 mins ago

2 Tunisian president toppled after 23 years in power

by Dario Thuburn, AFP

Fri Jan 14, 5:06 pm ET

3 Crackdown in Tunis after protests topple president

by Dario Thuburn, AFP

Sat Jan 15, 10:11 am ET

4 Tunisia on edge after protests force out president

by Dario Thuburn, AFP

Sat Jan 15, 3:17 am ET

5 ‘Last trumpet’ sounds in south Sudan vote

by Peter Martell, AFP

1 hr 46 mins ago

6 BP embarks upon Russian Arctic energy exploration deal

by Roland Jackson, AFP

2 hrs 15 mins ago

7 BP, Rosneft announce share swap, Arctic exploration deal

by Frederic Pouchot, AFP

Fri Jan 14, 6:59 pm ET

8 Turkmenistan says ready for energy partnership with EU

by Anton Lomov, AFP

1 hr 11 mins ago

9 Lebanon in crisis ahead of Hariri murder charges

by Rana Moussaoui, AFP

2 hrs 9 mins ago

10 Straight-shooting Al-Attiyah wins Dakar Rally

AFP

Sat Jan 15, 2:09 pm ET

11 Fiat-Chrysler deal hangs in balance

AFP

Fri Jan 14, 7:27 pm ET

12 Fiat Mirafiori staff approve tough new deal

AFP

Sat Jan 15, 7:06 am ET

13 http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110115/ts_nm/us_tunisia_protests

By Tarek Amara and Christian Lowe, Reuters

1 hr 35 mins ago

14 BP and Russia’s Rosneft in share swap, Arctic pact

By Tom Bergin, Reuters

Sat Jan 15, 10:28 am ET

15 Tunisia hit with looting as new leader is sworn in

By ELAINE GANLEY and BOUAZZA BEN BOUAZZA, Associated Press

2 hrs 56 mins ago

16 US soldiers killed while training Iraqis

By LARA JAKES, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 10:59 am ET

17 Record $14 trillion-plus debt weighs on Congress

By TOM RAUM, Associated Press

25 mins ago

18 Obama’s education focus faces big hurdles

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press

1 hr 14 mins ago

19 New RNC chairman faces big challenges

By LIZ “Sprinkles” SIDOTI, AP National Political Writer

1 hr 38 mins ago

20 GOP ousts Steele, picks Priebus to head party

By LIZ “Sprinkles” SIDOTI, AP National Political Writer

Sat Jan 15, 3:12 am ET

21 Final day of voting in S.Sudan’s independence test

By JASON STRAZIUSO, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 12:40 pm ET

22 Presidential nominees stymied; Senate mulls change

By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 2:38 pm ET

23 Women should be allowed in combat, report says

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 8:51 am ET

24 Obama administration ends high-tech border fence

By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 3:12 am ET

25 At 100, Boston NAACP confronts city’s mixed past

By RUSSELL CONTRERAS, Associated Press

27 mins ago

26 With police watching, lawmakers resume meetings

By CRISTINA SILVA and SHANNON McCAFFREY, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 11:55 pm ET

27 Parties seek political profit from Ariz. shooting

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

1 hr 34 mins ago

28 Wyo. debate simmers decades after fluoridation

By MEAD GRUVER, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 12:31 pm ET

29 Key backer of NYC Islamic center takes lesser role

By DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press

Sat Jan 15, 3:03 am ET

30 New RNC head Priebus a driven, lifelong Republican

By TODD RICHMOND, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 10:11 pm ET

31 Poll: Certainty about equality unchanged since ’06

By ERRIN HAINES, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 9:33 pm ET

32 Give me back my sign! Horoscope readers atwitter

By JOCELYN NOVECK and CHRIS WILLIAMS, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 6:56 pm ET

33 GOP leaders: Anti-immigration stance hurts party

Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 6:54 pm ET

34 Union campaign to boost image of public workers

By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 6:41 pm ET

35 Missed deadlines in clearing haze over parks

By PHUONG LE, Associated Press

Fri Jan 14, 6:30 pm ET

2011 Throwball Playoffs

It’s hard to say whether having a bye week is an advantage.  On the one hand you have a week to rest up and get healthy (and not expose yourself to further injuries), but on the other hand it does kind of disrupt your practice schedule.  You could point at the record, but I’d say it’s not dispositive since the teams that get the bye are selected based on their superior record and are presumably better teams anyway.

Today Ravens @ Steelers is the early game at 4:30 pm on CBS.  I think the Steelers are as good as anyone this year so I would expect them to have no problem with the Ravens, but I’m frequently wrong and unexpected things happen which is why they play the games.

The late game at 8 pm on FOX I have an actual rooting interest in.  The Packers are my second favorite team in the league and as I explained last week it’s not just an accident of birth.  To quote from Wikipedia–

The Packers are the only non-profit, community-owned franchise in American professional sports major leagues. Typically, a team is owned by one person, partnership, or corporate entity, i.e., a “team owner.” The lack of a dominant owner has been stated as one of the reasons the Green Bay Packers have never been moved from the city of Green Bay, a city of only 102,313 people as of the 2000 census.

…

As of June 8, 2005, 112,015 people (representing 4,750,934 shares) can lay claim to a franchise ownership interest. Shares of stock include voting rights, but the redemption price is minimal, no dividends are ever paid, the stock cannot appreciate in value – though private sales often exceed the face value of the stock, and stock ownership brings no season ticket privileges. No shareholder may own over 200,000 shares, a safeguard to ensure that no individual can assume control of the club. To run the corporation, a board of directors is elected by the stockholders.

…

Green Bay is the only team with this form of ownership structure in the NFL; such ownership is in direct violation of current league rules, which stipulate a limit of 32 owners of one team and one of those owners having a minimum 30% stake. However, the Packers corporation was grandfathered when the NFL’s current ownership policy was established in the 1980s, and are thus exempt. The Packers are also the only American major-league sports franchise to release its financial balance sheet every year.

So Falcons fans (and there must be some of you), it’s not so much that I dislike your team, but they’re in the way of my Packers getting a chance to crush da Bears in the Conference Championships next week.

Nothing personal.

The usual nonsense below the fold.

Welcome to the Stars Hollow Health and Fitness weekly diary. It will publish on Saturday afternoon and be open for discussion about health related issues including diet, exercise, health and health care issues, as well as, tips on what you can do when there is a medical emergency. Also an opportunity to share and exchange your favorite healthy recipes.

Questions are encouraged and I will answer to the best of my ability. If I can’t, I will try to steer you in the right direction. Naturally, I cannot give individual medical advice for personal health issues. I can give you information about medical conditions and the current treatments available.

You can now find past Health and Fitness News diaries here and on the right hand side of the Front Page.

This week the New York Times did an insightful article about the first responders and Emergency Room staff at the University Medical Center in Tuscon, AZ with interviews of the Paramedics and Trauma Surgeons. It is graphic and may make some a little squeezy but it gives the reader a new perspective on what we, in Emergency Medicine, are often confronted with and the split second decision making that’s involved. It is well worth reading. I congratulate them on a job well done.

Whole grains have higher fiber content than pasta and white rice, and because they’re slowly digested, they have less impact on blood levels of insulin than refined grains. They also bring more nutritional value. So if you’re mulling over ways to get more grains into your diet, think soups.

Even light soups can be transformed into more of a main dish with the addition of whole grains. Add quinoa to your garlic soup or bulgur to chicken broth. You can cook the grains separately and add them to the soup, or cook them right in the broth with the other ingredients. The grains will be particularly tasty, as they’ll absorb the flavors in the broth.

Sitting for Too Long Is Bad for Your Health

Taking Even Short Breaks From Sitting Is Good for Your Heart, Waist

Jan. 12, 2011 — We all know that regular exercise is good for our health and too much sitting isn’t ideal. Now a new study suggests it’s not just the length of time we spend sitting down but the number of times we get up during that time that can influence our health.

The study, published online in the European Heart Journal, examined the total length of time people spent sitting down and breaks taken in that time, together with various indicators of risk for heart disease, metabolic diseases such as diabetes, and inflammatory processes that can play a role in the blocking of arteries.

It suggests that plenty of breaks, even if they are as short as one minute, seem to be beneficial.

Heart Failure: All ARBs Aren’t the Same

Study Suggests Higher Death Risk in Losartan Patients

Jan. 11, 2011 — Blood pressure drugs in the class known as angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) reduce mortality in patients with heart failure, but new research suggests that not all work equally well.

Heart failure patients in Sweden who took the drug candesartan (Atacand) had a lower risk of death than patients who took the drug losartan (Cozaar).

The analysis included more than 30,000 patients enrolled in a Swedish heart failure registry.

At one year, 90% of patients taking candesartan were still alive, compared to 83% of patients taking losartan. After five years, 61% of candesartan patients and 44% of losartan patients were living.

The study appears Jan. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Shingles Vaccine Cuts Disease Risk 55%

Shingles Risk Cut for All Age Groups and in People With Chronic Disease, Researchers Found

Jan. 11, 2011 — The herpes zoster vaccine, better known as the shingles vaccine and recommended for adults 60 and older, cuts the risk of getting the painful disease by 55%, new research finds.

“Compared to childhood vaccines, people would [probably] think 55% is not too impressive, because many childhood vaccines are in the range of 80% to 90% [effective],” says researcher Hung Fu Tseng, PhD, MPH, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente Southern California.

However, he tells WebMD, the 55% risk reduction ”is pretty high compared to other adult vaccines.”

Surgical checklists might cut malpractice claims

(Reuters Health) – Surgical checklists not only save lives by preventing medical errors, they could also make a big dent in medical malpractice claims, Dutch researchers say.

Scouring data from the largest medical liability insurer in the Netherlands, they found nearly a third of the claims arose from mistakes that likely would have been caught by a checklist.

Putting a price tag on the medical liability system is difficult, but one 2010 study estimated it costs the U.S. more than $55 billion annually, or 2.4 percent of the country’s healthcare spending.

In addition, experts say tens of thousands of Americans die every year due to medical errors — most of which are related to surgery, according to the Dutch report.

Device treatment may silence ringing in the ears

(Reuters) – A new treatment that retrains part of the brain that processes sound may help silence tinnitus — a ringing in the ears that afflicts 10 percent of senior citizens and more than 40 percent of military veterans, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

They said a device that stimulates the vagus nerve in the neck while simultaneously playing different sounds for several weeks helped eliminate the condition in a group of rats.

A trial of the treatment in humans is set to start in Europe this year, said Dr. Navzer Engineer of MicroTransponder, a medical device company affiliated with The University of Texas at Dallas, whose study appears in the journal Nature.

FDA Warns of Acetaminophen in Prescription Pain Drugs

Percocet, Vicodin, Other Combination Pills to Get Dose Limit, “Black Box’ Warning

Jan. 13, 2011 – The FDA is warning about the dangers of acetaminophen in popular prescription pain drugs, but did it go far enough?

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is found in a wide range of over-the-counter and prescription drugs. At normal doses, when not taken with alcohol, acetaminophen is a very safe drug. But it’s easy to take too much — a big mistake that can lead to serious liver damage.

Damage can occur when a person with normal liver function takes 4,000 milligrams or more of acetaminophen in a single day. That’s easy to do if a person is taking several medications and is not aware that each contains a powerful dose of acetaminophen.

The result: some 56,000 emergency-room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths a year. Acetaminophen is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the U.S., causing some 1,600 cases a year.

Pets in Bed: More Dangerous Than Bedbugs?

Sleeping With Dogs, Cats Linked to Disease, Infections, Parasites

Jan. 14, 2011 — We’re all having nightmares about bedbugs, but your bed pets may be the real danger.

In the U.S, surveys indicate that up to 56% of dog owners and 62% of cat fanciers regularly fall asleep with their pets in their bed. Reports from the U.K., Netherlands, France, and Japan suggest that this isn’t a peculiarly American quirk.

But those cuddly pets harbor some icky germs, worms, and cooties, note Bruno B. Chomel, DVM, PhD, of the University of California, Davis, and Ben Sun, DVM, of the California Department of Health.

“Sharing our resting hours with our pets may be a source of psychological comfort, but … sharing is also associated with risks,” they write in the current issue of the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Haitians recall 2010 quake “hell” as death toll raised

(Reuters) – Haiti mourned more than 300,000 victims of its devastating 2010 earthquake on Wednesday in a somber one-year anniversary clouded by pessimism over slow reconstruction and political uncertainty.

Revising upwards previous death toll estimates from the January 12 quake of around 250,000, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive said the recovery of additional bodies over the year put the total figure at “over 316,000 people killed”.

He spoke at a news conference with former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton after thousands of Haitians, many wearing white in mourning, attended poignant memorial services around the battered Caribbean country.

Drug-resistant malaria could spread fast, expert warns

(Reuters) – Drug-resistant malaria could spread from southeast Asia to Africa within months, putting millions of children’s lives at risk, a leading expert warned on Wednesday.

Nicholas White, professor of tropical medicine at Mahidol University in Bangkok, called for a war before it is too late on the malaria strain resistant to the drug artemisinin that first emerged along the Thai-Cambodian border in 2007.

This longer-to-treat form of malaria is suspected of breaking out along the Thai-Myanmar frontier and in a province of Vietnam, where tests are under way to confirm it, but the great fear is of it reaching Africa.

“It is a time bomb, it is ticking. It has the potential of killing millions of African children,” White told Reuters.

Talk therapy may help tough-to-treat depression

(Reuters) – An experimental malaria vaccine from GlaxoSmithKline provides African children with long-lasting protection, though its effectiveness declines slightly over time, according to trial data published on Friday.

Scientists conducting the mid-stage trial at the Kenya Medical Research Institute said results showing the shot offered 46 percent protection for 15 months meant it had “promise as a potential public health intervention against childhood malaria in malaria endemic countries.”

Seasonal flu deaths more than double in Britain

(Reuters) – The number of deaths in a seasonal flu epidemic that has swept Britain since October more than doubled to 112 on Thursday, up from 50 a week earlier, figures from the Health Protection Agency showed.

Of the 112 confirmed deaths, 95 had the H1N1 flu strain that spread around the world as a pandemic in 2009 and 2010, officials said.

The majority of those who died were under 65 years old and nine cases were in children under 14. Since October, there have been six deaths in children under five.

Flu Is Widespread in 11 States

CDC Says 4 States Have a High Level of Flu Activity

Jan. 14, 2011 – Don’t put off your flu shot any longer: The winter flu season has arrived.

While only four states have high levels of flu activity, the seasonal illness is widespread across 11 states. And there’s evidence of outbreaks in several U.S. cities.

Sadly, four children died of flu in the first week of January, the latest week for which CDC data is available. So far, the 2010-2011 flu season has claimed the lives of eight children. There were 282 U.S. pediatric deaths during last year’s flu pandemic, 133 in the 2008-2009 season, and 88 in the 2007-2008 season.

Hospitals in 122 U.S. cities report that deaths from “pneumonia and influenza” — a statistic that reflects flu activity — are at the epidemic level. They’ve been on the upswing since just before Christmas.

Asthma a Problem for Millions

About 25 Million People in U.S. Have Asthma, Study Finds

Jan. 12, 2011 — Asthma takes a heavy toll on Americans, causing thousands of deaths and sending nearly 2 million people to emergency rooms for treatment each year, a new report finds.

In addition, asthma prevalence is higher among females, children, African-Americans, Puerto Ricans, people living below the poverty level, and residents of the Northeast and Midwest, says the report by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

1 in 12 Women Will Have Autoimmune Disease

Study Estimates Lifetime Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Autoimmune Diseases

Jan. 11, 2011 — One in 12 women and one in 20 men in the U.S. will develop some sort of autoimmune disease in their lifetime, according to new estimates.

Inflammatory autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), are relatively common conditions, especially among adults aged 50 and older.

Researchers say the risk of developing an autoimmune disease depends on a number of factors, including age and gender, but until now there hasn’t been an easy-to-understand average risk over a person’s lifetime for adults in the U.S.

Back-to-Back Pregnancies May Increase Autism Risk

Researchers Say Closely Timed Pregnancies May Deplete Mothers of Key Nutrients, Such as Folate

an 10, 2011 — Children born within one year of an older sibling may be three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism, according to a new study in the February issue of Pediatrics.

The study calls attention to interpregnancy interval (IPI), the duration between pregnancies, as a potential risk factor for autism. In the past, much focus has been on environmental triggers of autism such as vaccines as opposed to maternal physiological triggers such as the womb environment.

If the new findings are confirmed and proven to be related to maternal depletion of key nutrients such as folate, it may be possible to prevent autism with nutritional supplements, the study authors and autism experts suggest.

Strategy for Incontinence From Prostate Cancer Surgery

Study Shows Benefits of Behavioral Therapy in Reducing Incontinence Episodes

Jan. 11, 2011 — Pelvic-floor-muscle exercises along with other bladder control strategies, such as keeping a diary and monitoring your daily fluid intake, can help halve weekly incontinence episodes among men with prostate cancer who have had surgery to remove their prostate gland (radical prostatectomy), a study shows.

The new findings appear in the Jan. 12 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Higher Blood Pressure in Kids Whose Parents Smoke

Smoke Exposure Affects Children’s Future Heart Health

Jan. 10, 2011 — Parents who smoke around their preschool-aged children may increase their kids’ risk of having higher blood pressure at that young age compared to children who have parents who do not smoke, according to research published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

The study, performed by German researchers from the University of Heidelberg in Germany, is the first to show that environmental nicotine exposure can increase the blood pressure of children as young as 4 and 5 years old. And researchers say smoke exposure is likely to have a similar effect on the blood pressure of children in the U.S.

Early Antibiotics Help Ear Infections in Young Children

Study Leaders Predict Changes in the Current Watch-and-Wait Approach

Jan. 12, 2011 — Young children with ear infections recover faster and more completely if doctors give antibiotics right away rather than waiting to see if the kids get better on their own.

The findings come from two clinical trials, one in the U.S. and one in Finland. For young children with middle ear infections — otitis media — both studies found immediate antibiotic treatment far superior to watchful waiting.

Current treatment recommendations in the U.S., Canada, and Europe allow for a watch-and-wait approach to suspected middle ear infections in young children. Change is coming, predicts study leader Alejandro Hoberman, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Sesame and nut allergies may often strike together

(Reuters Health) – Compared to children without peanut or tree nut allergies, kids who have both these allergies may also be more likely to develop an allergy to sesame seeds, a small study suggests.

The researchers linked a history of dual allergic reactions to peanuts and tree nuts with a 10-fold higher risk of allergy to sesame seeds – the tiny seeds that are commonly found in hummus and on hamburger buns.

The researchers also looked for a link between nut allergies and coconut allergies, but they did not find one.

Tai Chi May Prevent Falls Among Seniors

New Guidelines Suggest Reducing Certain Medications Also May Improve Balance in Seniors

Jan. 13, 2011 — Updated guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society and the British Geriatrics Society recommend interventions such as the slow-motion Chinese martial art tai chi along with medication reviews to help prevent falls among the elderly.

The guidelines, which appear in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, were last updated in 2001.

Fewer Americans Have AMD

Less Smoking, Healthier Lifestyles May Be Warding Off Vision-Robbing Eye Disease in Older Adults, Researchers Say

Jan. 10, 2011 — Fewer adults in the U.S. are developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), possibly because of healthier lifestyles, researchers report in this month’s Archives of Ophthalmology.

AMD is an eye disease that gradually makes it difficult to see fine details, such as numbers on a watch or letters on a street sign. It is a leading cause of vision loss among people aged 60 and older, according to the National Eye Institute. Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, and a family history of AMD increase your chances of developing the disease.

Talk therapy may help tough-to-treat depression

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) — People with long-lasting depression may benefit from talk therapy when other treatment methods such as antidepressant drugs alone aren’t working, suggests a new study. But the topic needs more research, the authors say – and they also point out that talk therapy isn’t accessible or affordable for everyone.

About 15 million adults in America suffer from major depressive disorder – serious cases of depression that last more than two weeks – in any given year, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Most people who are diagnosed with major depressive disorder get prescribed an antidepressant rather than going straight into talk therapy, explained Dr. Ranak Trivedi, the lead author on the current study from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

Healthy Hearts in Mediterranean Lands? Maybe Not

Study in a Spanish City Shows Heart Risks That Are Similar to U.S. and U.K.

Jan. 13, 2011 — For years, the Mediterranean diet, well-known for its heart-healthy effects, has evoked images of dining tables laden with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, red wine, and a splash of olive oil — with those who follow the diet protected against heart attacks and other cardiovascular ailments.

However, a new study that looked at more than 2,000 urban Spanish adults challenges the thinking that people in Mediterranean countries all enjoy healthy diets and lifestyles.

Taking 10,000 Steps a Day May Lower Diabetes Risk

Study Shows Building Up to 10,000 Steps a Day May Lead to Weight Loss and Better Insulin Sensitivity

Jan. 14, 2011 — Building up to 10,000 steps a day can help control weight and may reduce diabetes risk, suggests new research in the journal BMJ.

Of 592 middle-aged Australian adults, those who increased the number of steps they took during a five-year period and built up to 10,000 steps per day had a lower body mass index, less belly fat, and better insulin sensitivity than their counterparts who did not take as many steps daily during the same time period.

A hallmark of diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when the body’s cells stop responding as well to the action of the hormone insulin, which helps the body use blood sugar (glucose) for energy. The pancreas tries to compensate by producing more insulin, but ultimately fails to keep pace. As a result, excess glucose builds up in the bloodstream, setting the stage for diabetes.

SCREAM AWAY, KIDS

Bullet trains running between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka have introduced “family cars” for people with kids in tow, allowing them “to feel more at ease traveling with rowdy or crying children.”

The education ministry announced that nearly 5,500 Japanese schoolteachers took sick leave for depression and “other mental disorders” during the past academic year.

An anonymous donor left ten randoseru knapsacks worth a total of ¥300,000 at a children’s welfare facility in Maebashi on Christmas Day.

Officials at the Saitama Children’s Zoo gave their capybaras-large rat-like creatures from South America-a hot yuzu-filled citrus bath on winter solstice.

Stats

7.96 million

Foreigners who visited Japan between January and November 2010, an increase of nearly 30 percent from the year before, according to the JNTO

141,774

Foreigners studying in Japan, a record high, according to the Japan Student Services Organization

66,833

Japanese studying abroad in 2008, according to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, a 10 percent drop from the previous year

1,300

Shareholders who reached a settlement with former managers of internet company Livedoor, resulting from a 2006 accounting scanda

SPORTS TICKER

A year-end poll revealed that Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was Japan’s top-earning athlete in 2010, with a salary of $18 million. Naohiro Takahara of Shimizu S-Pulse was the highest-paid soccer player, at just ¥160 million a year.

In a possibly related matter, Japanese soccer players said they want a pay raise when representing their country, and suggested that they’ll boycott matches to protest their low salaries. JFA boss Junji Ogura responded by saying, “We’ll go on with the players who want to play.”

All-conquering yokozuna Hakuho was named winner of the Japan Professional Sports Award for 2010 after a year that saw him dominate in the raised ring, including putting together a 63-bout winning streak.

The management team of Olympic gold-medal figure skater Kim Yu Na lodged a complaint with NTV after the broadcaster aired hidden-camera footage of her practicing in Los Angeles.

It’s An Historic Building So Tear It Down

Corporate Stupidity At Work

A Corrupt Politician    

How Novel

Busted

Over The Naked Truth  

Trying to grow up, DPJ to review 2009 manifesto



2011/01/14    

Soon after the Democratic Party of Japan took power in September 2009, doubts, confusion and even ridicule emerged over the lofty promises in its campaign manifesto. Still, party leaders clung to the contention that they could find the money needed to carry out their vows. They tinkered with the projects, whittled down other programs and scrounged everywhere for funds.

But this week, in a possible sign of maturity–and still nearly 13 trillion yen ($156.6 billion) short of its target–the DPJ leadership acknowledged defeat.

“We will create a party organization after (Thursday’s) party convention to conduct a more thorough examination of our manifesto,” DPJ Secretary-General Katsuya Okada said at Wednesday’s meeting of all party lawmakers.