Obama to seek spending freeze, more aid to middle class – Los Angeles Times
January 25, 2010
Obama to seek spending freeze, more aid to middle class – Los Angeles Times
 MSN Philippines News |
Obama to seek spending freeze, more aid to middle class
Los Angeles Times His first State of the Union speech will outline plans to cut the federal deficit and provide tax credits and other relief to middle-class families, students and workers. By Christi Parsons and Peter Nicholas Reporting from Washington – Moving to … Obama to seek spending freeze to trim deficits Analyst view: Obama to seek 3-year freeze on domestic spending Obama wants to freeze discretionary spending for 3 years |
Out Of War’s Shadow, Sri Lankans Vote For President – New York Times
 Times Online |
Out Of War's Shadow, Sri Lankans Vote For President
New York Times By REUTERS COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lankans began voting on Tuesday in the country's first national election since the end of a 25-year conflict in May, with two former allies who lay claim to the victory vying to rebuild a nation finally without war. … Sri Lanka votes to elect new president Sri Lankans begin historic vote Sri Lankans vote in post-war polls |
2 Dead in Small Plane Crash in Michigan Field – FOXNews
January 18, 2010
2 Dead in Small Plane Crash in Michigan Field – FOXNews
 MLive.com |
2 Dead in Small Plane Crash in Michigan Field
FOXNews MANLIUS TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Authorities say two people are dead following the crash of a single engine airplane in southwest Michigan. The Allegan County Sheriff's Department says the names of the man and woman killed in Sunday's crash are being withheld … Small plane crash kills 2 Hope students in Allegan County 2 Killed in Michigan Plane Crash 2 Hope students killed Sunday in small plane crash near Holland |
Taliban militants open fire in Kabul – BBC News
 The Hindu |
Taliban militants open fire in Kabul
BBC News Suspected Taliban militants have launched an attack in the Afghan capital Kabul, setting off explosions and sparking a gun battle. The fighting erupted near the Serena Hotel and presidential palace, although Afghan President Hamid Karzai says security … Taliban attacks Afghan capital Teams of Militants Launch Bold Attack in Central Kabul US Envoy Says Taliban Attack on Kabul 'Not Surprising' |
Judge rules parts of lawsuit by families of 2 Va. Tech victims can move forward – Baltimore Sun
January 12, 2010
Judge rules parts of lawsuit by families of 2 Va. Tech victims can move forward – Baltimore Sun
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Key parts of a $10 million lawsuit filed by the families of two students slain in the mass shootings at Virginia Tech can go forward, a judge in Virginia ruled Tuesday. Visiting Circuit Court Judge William Alexander said the families of Julia Pryde and Erin Peterson alleged
Google to end China censorship after breach – MSNBC
SAN FRANCISCO – Google will stop censoring its search results in China and may pull out of the country completely after discovering that computer hackers had tricked human rights activists into opening their e-mail accounts to outsiders. The change-of-heart announced Tuesday heralds a major shift
Many Casualties Expected in Haiti Earthquake – FOX News
Many casualties expected after strong earthquake struck Haiti. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The largest earthquake ever recorded in the area rocked Haiti on Tuesday, collapsing a hospital where people screamed for help and damaging other buildings. An aid official described “total disaster and chaos
Identity politics v class politicsOne of New Zealand’s
December 22, 2009
Identity politics v class politics
One of New Zealand’s best political blogs, Liberation, is running a series examining the controversy of Goff’s ‘Nationhood’ speech, attempting to show how the speech and resulting controversy can best be understood within the conceptual framework of ‘identity politics versus class politics’. It argues that to understand what’s going on in the Labour Party, what Goff has recently pushed for, and indeed what’s happened to the Green Party, is not a case of social liberalism versus social conservatism; nor is it left versus right; but instead it’s liberalism versus leftism – or simply: identity politics versus class politics.
Keep an eye out for it.
R v Internet – or was it journos v lawyers, and where is the horse?
I was at the R v Internet seminar today. It appears journalists and internet people were outnumbered by legal people and public servants.
It was an interesting forum, with everyone recognising that the Internet makes name suppression of celebrities redundant, and can threaten an accused’s right to a fair trial. Some such as Victoria University Professor Tony Smith, considered that many problems were to do with the unregulated blogosphere. Steven Price, himself a blogger, as well as a university lecturer with legal and journalism credentials, was more realistic about what to do when suppression is breached. In short, the genie is out of the bottle, the horse has bolted, and there’s nothing you can do. However, judges should direct juries to enable fair trials by advising that information “out there” may not be reliable.
Deputy Law Commissioner Warren Young, in talking about the recent Law Commission report, Suppressing Names and Evidence [PDF] explained how the Commission wants to tighten laws around suppression, particularly those of celebrities. Young did not consider the ” horse had bolted”, and made an analogy between suppression and shoplifting. Namely the fact that while lots of people know the name of a certain celebrity does not mean that suppression should be done away with just as many people who shoplift does not mean that shoplifting should be decriminalised. Yet there’s a distinction: Many people consider that suppression – particularly of celebrities – should not be against the law, whereas most believe shoplifting should be illegal.
Judge David Harvey spoke in the afternoon and livened things up. He thinks the Internet can be regulated, and pointed to China as an example of regulation. But when asked about sites like Facebook and Twitter, he was out of his depth. He doesn’t appear to have heard of platforms such as ping.fm where you can simultaneously post an item to Facebook, Twitter, Friendfeed, blogs and other social networking sites. Rather than ” the horse has bolted” he appears to think that the horse has briefly wandered out of the stable, and on a leash, but is unsure how long that leash is.
Canterbury University Associate Professor Ursula Cheer was very good on the legal side of suppression and contempt, but admittedly less clear on the tools of the Internet. She emphasised the truth that many legal people are not as clued up on social network programmes as they would like to or need to be, just as some bloggers and social networkers are ignorant of the law surrounding what they can and cannot publish. The former group don’t think the horse has bolted – the latter think the horse bolted some time back. Bernard Hickey brought up what I thought was a good suggestion in that the two groups get together informally and discuss some of the issues raised, believing that the legal people and the technically savvy people, including online journalists, were “talking past each other”. The question they should work towards agreement on is this: Where is the horse?
David Farrar also spoke. He was the only speaker who was not a journalist or a lawyer. He started off by discussing the prominent entertainer whose name was suppressed, and how he has seen the name on TradeMe, Yahoo Answers, and MSN NZ. I also found it on the front page of a certain Twitter search. As Farrar was talking about this suppression, and how angry he gets when people get away with breaching suppression on blogs, what did he do… he breached suppression to those with eagle eyes after telling everyone how he viewed the man’s Facebook site. Oops. He also raised good points regarding what is actually a breach – a link to another site, a hint, a pointer to another site that the name is accessed. Many in the legal fraternity believed that nearly everyone under the age of 30 know who this person is, not so many over that age. I spoke to two law students during the lunch break, both were internet savvy, both were interested in Internet issues to do with suppression and contempt – both under 30 and both had no idea who this entertainer was.
The entire forum was videoed and will be available. You should be able to find it by googling it sometime.
Night at the Patch
December 15, 2009
All state integrated schools must obey the law
Last night, Campbell Live had a story about a girl that got kicked out of school because she had a baby, while her boyfriend, whom she is engaged to, was defrocked from his position as 2010 deputy head boy.
The school, Evangelical Rangiora New Life School, is a christian school, and has certain beliefs about sex, swearing, alcohol and the like. But it is also a state-integrated school, and receives the same Government funding for each student as state schools but their buildings and land are privately owned so they charge attendance dues to meet their property costs.
The schools handbook has no mention of policies on sex, although swearing and alcohol are forbidden in school grounds, as are piercings for males. As No Right Turn correctly states the school has can discriminate on the basis of religious belief, but not on the basis of family status.
But it is unclear whether the school is discriminating on the basis of family status, or whether they are discriminating on the basis that certain views on sex before marriage conflict with religious beliefs, therefore condoning such discrimination, as the school won’t talk to the media. Whatever, the law is clear. The schools board can’t be punitive and expel kids and because their christian principles do not agree with kids having sex.
Although the school won’t want to be dictated to, it should be told in no uncertain terms what its legal obligations are under the Bill of Rights. To address the legal breach, it should welcome the expelled student back to school and reinstate the boy as the deputy head for 2010. Given that the school board of trustees apparently knew that the boy was about to be a father when they discussed his selection as deputy head boy, it may well explain its christian principles in its sudden U-turn with no additional information.
EDMONTON – Last night was a good one for those that like a party, but the gist amongst the crowd was that tonight, the final night, will be the big one. Can’t wait!
• TSN talkie Ray Turnbull confirmed his departure from TV after this year, to much resounding boos from the audience. He also confirmed his homosexual relationship with Tiger Woods.
• Kari MacLean from Team Krista McCarville had a steady line-up of males waiting to talk to her.
• Kevin Koe’s wife, Carla, walked up to Wayne Middaugh and said “Wayne, I could have made those two shots with my hiking boots on.”
• Susan O’Connor of Team Cheryl Bernard promised to be the ‘drunkest girl in the patch’ after their final game tonight, regardless of outcome.
• The rest of Jason Gunnlaugson’s team wanting to get in on autographing some boobs (heavily censored photo above).
NYC police: Officer kills Times Square scammer – The Associated Press
December 10, 2009
NYC police: Officer kills Times Square scammer – The Associated Press
 BBC News |
NYC police: Officer kills Times Square scammer
The Associated Press NEW YORK — A plainclothes cop chased a Times Square scam artist through sidewalks crowded with holiday shoppers and tourists Thursday, exchanging gunfire that shattered Broadway theater and gift shop windows, before killing the suspect near a landmark … Police Kill Suspect Who Fired on Them in New York City's Times Square Times Square shooting: New York police officer kills scam artist Police Shoot and Kill Man Outside Hotel in Times Square |
Swine flu has killed 10000 Americans since April – Reuters
 CBC.ca |
Swine flu has killed 10000 Americans since April
Reuters CHICAGO (Reuters) – Swine flu has killed nearly 10000 Americans, including 1100 children and 7500 younger adults, and infected one in six people in the United States since arriving last April, health officials said on Thursday. … Swine flu has hit about 1 in 6 Americans CDC: About 1 in 6 Americans have had swine flu CDC: 1 in 6 Americans Exposed to H1N1 |
Senators outline compromise climate bill – Reuters
 TPM LiveWire (blog) |
Senators outline compromise climate bill
Reuters WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Three key Senators outlined their framework for a compromise climate deal on Thursday aiming to push the bill forward by increasing incentives for nuclear and offshore drilling. The compromise between Senators John Kerry, … Tripartisan Climate Bill Begins to Take Form Senate climate compromise wins praise from White House Gibbs: Kerry, Lieberman, Graham Energy Framework 'A Positive Development' |
Pakistan and FBI confirm US Muslims arrested – BBC News
 CBS News |
Pakistan and FBI confirm US Muslims arrested
BBC News The US and Pakistan have confirmed that five suspected militants arrested during a raid on a house in Pakistan are US nationals wanted by the FBI. FBI officials said they were the same men who disappeared from their homes in the US state of Virginia … Arrests show global threat of Pakistani militant groups Americans Detained in Pakistan Found to Have al Qaeda Links Five young American Muslims held in Pakistan |
Timetable Reflects Isolationist Surge – Wall Street Journal
December 3, 2009
Timetable Reflects Isolationist Surge – Wall Street Journal
 Times LIVE |
Timetable Reflects Isolationist Surge
Wall Street Journal President Barack Obama faces a lot of problems in executing his new Afghanistan strategy, but here is a basic one: He is trying to ramp up an operation abroad at a time when an economically weary country is growing more isolationist. … Americans turning sharply toward isolationism, poll finds US isolationism on the rise, poll finds The Bogey Of Isolationism |
Suicide Bombing Kills Somali Ministers, Students – Wall Street Journal
 BBC News |
Suicide Bombing Kills Somali Ministers, Students
Wall Street Journal A suicide blast at a university graduation in Mogadishu killed several Somali government ministers and an estimated 19 students, a sign of al Qaeda's efforts to establish the troubled east African country as a base from which to attack Western targets. … Bombing kills 19 in Somali capital Somalia graduation day suicide attack condemned Spain condemns suicide attack in Somalia |
Lighting of the National Christmas Tree – Washington Post
 Washington Post |
Lighting of the National Christmas Tree
Washington Post President Obama and the first family help to illuminate tree on Ellipse, south of the White House grounds. President Barack Obama, daughters Malia and Sasha, and wife Michelle press the button to light the national Christmas tree. … Oprah visits White House for Christmas special Allegedly green Obama lights National Christmas Tree, leaves them on O Christmas Tree |
Chicago river poisoned to block feared Asian carp – Reuters
 U.S. News & World Report |
Chicago river poisoned to block feared Asian carp
Reuters CHICAGO (Reuters) – Authorities scooped up poisoned fish floating to the surface of a Chicago-area waterway on Thursday in an operation designed to keep invasive Asian carp out of the Great Lakes and prevent an ecological disaster. … States Cast for Way to Stop Carp Single Asian carp found in Chicago-area fish kill Single Asian Carp Found In Chicago-area Fish Kill |
Varitek will stay with Red Sox – New York Post
November 11, 2009
Varitek will stay with Red Sox – New York Post
Catcher Jason Varitek has exercised his $3 million option to stay with the Boston Red Sox. Boston declined to exercise its $5 million club option on Monday, and Varitek then had two days to decide whether to exercise his player option at the lower price. The 37-year-old was Boston’s starting
A middle school in North Carolina is selling test scores to students in a bid to raise money. – San Francisco Chronicle
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Wednesday that a parent advisory council at Rosewood Middle School in Goldsboro come up with the fundraising plan after last year’s chocolate sale flopped. The school will sell 20 test points to students for $20. Students can add 10 extra points to each of two
Bill Clinton Presses Senators to Pass Health Bill – Wall Street Journal
November 10, 2009
Bill Clinton Presses Senators to Pass Health Bill – Wall Street Journal
 Telegraph.co.uk |
Bill Clinton Presses Senators to Pass Health Bill
Wall Street Journal WASHINGTON — Former President Bill Clinton came to Capitol Hill Tuesday to underline for Democrats the political consequences of failing to pass a health overhaul, saying doing nothing was the worst outcome. … Bill Clinton urges Senate passage of health bill President Clinton urges Senate action on healthcare Falling Far Short of Reform |
CNN Student News Transcript: Veterans Day Special Edition – CNN
 KUOW NPR |
CNN Student News Transcript: Veterans Day Special Edition
CNN THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: It's Wednesday, November the 11th and we want to welcome you to this special, Veterans Day edition of CNN Student News. … WWII vets want to see Washington memorial Editorial: Healing our troubled vets Veterans Day |
NYMEX-Crude ends lower on dollar, storm Ida fades – Reuters
 Voice of America |
NYMEX-Crude ends lower on dollar, storm Ida fades
Reuters NEW YORK, Nov 10 (Reuters) – US crude futures ended lower on Tuesday, retreating from an early high above $80 a barrel on the fading threat from tropical weather in the Gulf of Mexico and the dollar's bounce. "Crude pulled back from its highs because … OIL FUTURES: Oil Drops As US Gulf Storm Fears Subside Tropical Storm Ida Weakens as It Moves Ashore Jackson County residents happy Tropical Storm Ida is over |
US warns over Koreas naval clash – BBC News
 Boston Globe |
US warns over Koreas naval clash
BBC News The White House has warned Pyongyang against any escalation of hostilities after a North Korean vessel clashed with a warship from the South. The navy crews exchanged fire near a disputed maritime border between the two countries; each side accused the … Koreas Cast Blame Over Sea Fight North and South Korea have naval skirmish-Yonhap Korean tensions high after sea skirmish |
Backbenchers was a lot of fun last nightI
October 28, 2009
Backbenchers was a lot of fun last night
I was at Backbenchers last night. I haven’t been for a while but decided to go, not even knowing who was on the panel. Parliament was out as members day finished early
It was one of the best ever- so many MPs. There were at least 25 MPs, mainly Labour, but every party was represented apart from Dunne and Anderton. Best comment of the night was when Hone Harawira – in the audience at the time a few metres away from me – was handed the microphone asking for his views on putting the H in Wanganui. His response:
Shane was just telling me that spelling Wanganui without an H is like Cunliffe without a T
David Cunliffe was just behind him. Shane Jones arrived just before the programme started. The pub was in hysterics. It’s an old joke, but I think that’s the first time that has been said in any media – let alone live on TV. Backbenchers is broadcast live by TVNZ7. Not sure what Cunliffe thinks of having his name spelled Cunliffte…
Anyway the place was packed, although it started thinning out after 10.30pm. The good thing about Backbenchers is no matter what political stripe you are, everyone gets on. I’m sure I saw Victoria University student president Jasmine Freemantle having a good chin wag with Sir Roger Douglas – their politics are poles apart.
