Flap Your Lips Friday
Posted by Michelle Moquin on April 6th, 2012
Good morning!
I HOPE today we’ll see more of your comments.
This is a horrific story that happened in 2005, and continues to be absolutely unbelievable for the victim Howard Morgan, who being convicted as the perpetrator.
Howard Morgan, Black Off-Duty Cop Shot 28 Times By White Chicago Officers, Faces Sentencing
As much of the country follows the Trayvon Martin case, activists in Chicago are hoping to bring some of that attention to Howard Morgan, a former Chicago police officer who was shot 28 times by white officers – and lived to tell his side of the story.
Morgan was off-duty as a detective for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad when he was pulled over for driving the wrong way on a one-way street on Feb 21, 2005, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. While both police and Morgan agree on that much, what happened next is a mystery.
According to police, Morgan opened fire with his service weapon when officers tried to arrest him, which caused them to shoot him 28 times. His family, however, very much doubts those claims.
“Four white officers and one black Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad police man with his weapon on him — around the corner from our home — and he just decided to go crazy? No. That’s ludicrous,” Morgan’s wife, Rosalind Morgan, told the Sun-Times.
She was not the only person to doubt CPD’s side of the story. A Change.org petitionsigned by more than 2,600 people called for all charges against Morgan to be dropped, and now Occupy Chicago is getting involved.
“After being left for dead, he survived and was then charged with attempted murder of the four white officers who brutalized him,” Occupy wrote on their website, adding that Morgan was found not guilty on three counts, including discharging his weapon. The same jury that cleared him of opening fire on the officers, however, deadlocked on a charge of attempted murder — and another jury found him guilty in January.
That jury was not allowed to hear that Morgan had been acquitted of the other charges.
Protesters and Morgan’s family say the second trial amounted to double jeopardy, and claim officers have gone to great lengths to obstruct justice in the case:
Howard Morgan’s van was crushed and destroyed without notice or cause before any forensic investigation could be done.Howard Morgan was never tested for gun residue to confirm if he even fired a weapon on the morning in question.
The State never produced the actual bullet proof vest worn by one of the officers who claimed to have allegedly taken a shot directly into the vest on the morning in question. The State only produced a replica.
“If they can do this and eliminate double jeopardy and your constitutional rights, then my God, I fear for every Afro-American — whether they be male or female — in this corrupt unjust system,” Morgan’s wife told the Sun-Times.
Howard Morgan will be sentenced Thursday. He faces 80 years in prison.
Update: Morgan was sentenced Thursday to serve 40 years in prison, essentially a life sentence.
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Readers: This is “just us” justice at its worst. I know you have something to say. I have to run – Blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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April 6th, 2012 at 7:28 am
I wanted to comment on the OJ case but I couldn’t get in. I’m going to try just in case today. It was horrible how my race treated that man. Now today we see an actual shooting of Trayvon and we want to argue innocent until guilty.
shame on us.
Drew
April 6th, 2012 at 7:31 am
Yes, Michelle I went to that screening you talked about. I couldn’t get in to comment either. I really enjoyed the screening. I wish it could be shown again. Many of my friends that I told about it expressed interest in seeing it.
Barbara
April 6th, 2012 at 7:51 am
The Surprising Reason Men and Women Cheat
(It’s Not the Sex)
Why do men and women have affairs? That’s what I wanted to find out when I surveyed more than 700 married men and women.
Of the men I studied, half had cheated on their wives and half had remained faithful. When I asked the unfaithful men about the reasons they were dissatisfied in their marriages at the time of their affairs, I expected sexual dissatisfaction to either top the list or be way up there.
But only 8% reported that factor to have been the problem. Almost half (48%) declared emotional dissatisfaction to have been the primary issue.
I was dumbfounded. Clearly, men have more emotional needs than most people assume.
Here, more truths about why husbands and wives cheat and what we all can do to boost the odds that our partners will remain faithful…
HUSBANDS WHO CHEAT
Approximately half of all married men will cheat on their wives at some point during the marriage. What wives can do to keep their husbands faithful…
Show more appreciation for what he does and less disappointment for what he doesn’t do. Saying “thank you” is a start, but showing appreciation is even better—most men value deeds over words.
Examples: Give him back rubs…cook his favorite meals…buy his favorite magazine.
Show appreciation even if he’s only doing the things that you expect him to do and even if he never verbalizes his desire for appreciation. Express your thanks for his hard work earning money for the family, even if you work just as hard or earn more money.
Men are under tremendous societal pressure to provide for their families and often feel underappreciated when their efforts in this area go unacknowledged.
Some wives fear that if they show appreciation, their husbands will conclude that they must be doing enough and stop trying to do more.
In reality, it’s the unappreciated husbands who are unlikely to try harder—and more likely to seek out the appreciation that they need from other women.
Keep an eye on his friends. Wives typically worry when their husbands form friendships with other women. But sometimes it’s the husband’s relationships with other men that increase the odds of an affair.
When married men have male friends who cheat and brag about it, it greatly increases the odds that they will cheat, too.
Wives often have a sense of which of their husbands’ friends are unfaithful. The question is what to do about it? Husbands tend to ignore wives’ requests to avoid particular friends.
Instead, encourage your husband to invite his friend over to your home rather than see him elsewhere. The closer you are when your husband is with this man, the less likely the conversation is to turn to extramarital affairs.
Meanwhile, arrange for you and your husband to spend as much time as possible with friends who are happily married. The more time couples spend together with couples who seem happy and faithful, the greater the odds that they will be happy and faithful, too.
Helpful: If infidelity comes up in conversation, tell your husband, “If one of my friends ever cheated, I’d understand if you wouldn’t want me to spend time with her.
I’m just asking you to bring him over here more and spend less time with him.” This gets the point across without making your husband feel as if you’re ordering him not to spend time with his friend.
Ask him about his father. Studies have shown that if a husband knows that his father cheated, it greatly increases the odds that he will cheat.
To find out more about his father, ask him questions such as, “What was your parents’ marriage like when you were a kid?” and “Did your dad ever do anything inappropriate that you knew about?”
If your father-in-law was unfaithful, this will increase your husband’s day-to-day awareness of it, reducing the odds that the same behavior pattern will sneak up on him.
Warning: Do not criticize your father-in-law—that might make your husband feel the need to defend his father. Also, do not warn your husband outright that his father’s cheating increases the odds that he will cheat—he might take this as an accusation.
WIVES WHO CHEAT
Wives cheat nearly as often as husbands. Unfaithful wives often cannot pinpoint a single cause for their affairs. Despite this, there are some specific things that husbands can do to reduce the odds of infidelity…
Find time to talk. Wives who say that they are happy and faithful also tend to say that they spend at least 30 uninterrupted minutes per day talking with their husbands.
Wives who say that they are unhappy and/or unfaithful tend to say that they speak with their husbands for less than 30 minutes per day.
Unfortunately, many husbands strive for efficiency in conversation, discussing important matters as quickly as possible and avoiding chitchat entirely.
More men need to understand what most women already understand—that time spent just hanging out and relaxing and chitchatting with each other is crucial to relationships.
What to do: Every day, find at least a half-hour to talk to your wife without interruption from the TV, cell phones or kids. Make a mental note of interesting newspaper articles and personal experiences throughout the day.
When couples talk daily, they begin to think of each other during the day when things come up and they mark these things in their minds to share later.
Say “I understand” when she discusses her problems. Unfaithful wives often report that one reason for the affair was their husbands’ inability to understand them.
The simplest way to convince your wife that you understand her is to reply, “I understand,” when she shares her problems. Also ask follow-up questions, such as, “What happened next?” and “How did that make you feel?”
Provide your opinion or potential solutions to her problems only if she specifically requests this.
Helpful: Husbands sometimes avoid telling their wives “I understand” out of fear that this understanding will be misconstrued as assent to the wife’s opinion.
However, women tend to be better than men at grasping the difference between the responses “I understand” and “I agree.”
Show appreciation for what she does. Husbands aren’t the only ones who appreciate appreciation. Showing that you care and are grateful for what they do keeps wives faithful, too.
The good news for husbands is that women are better than men at sharing what makes them feel appreciated, so it takes the guesswork out of it.
And even small gestures such as thank-yous, hugs, kisses or unexpected token gifts such as flowers go a long way toward making wives feel wanted.
Source: M. Gary Neuman, a licensed psychotherapist in Miami Beach, Florida, who is the creator of the Reconnect to Love Intensive Program, an all-day counseling program for couples.
He is an ordained rabbi and author of The New York Times best-seller The Truth About Cheating: Why Men Stray and What You Can Do About It. His most recent book is Connect to Love: The Keys to Transforming Your Relationship (both from Wiley).
April 6th, 2012 at 8:13 am
Zen Lill, I tried all day to get in but you did it with ease three times. Guess it’s all in being a Girlz.
I never believed OJ did it. White people want us to believe it because they do. It is no secret he is serving 33 years because they couldn’t wait to get a chance to sentence him for something they couldn’t convict him for.
Amaya
April 6th, 2012 at 8:14 am
O.J. killed Ron and Nicole. No doubt about it.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:17 am
I have always believed O.J. innocent. I am white, 78, don’t follow football and did not know who he was at the time of the trial.
But I lived on Gorham Street just past the Mezzaluna Restaurant and just two blocks from the murder scene. My neighbor always let her dog out at 10:30 p.m.
When she heard the dogs (yes, dogs plural) bark she checked to see if she had forgotten to let her dog back in. The dogs definitely barked after 10:30 p.m.
I drove the route from the murder scene to O.J.’s house and timed it. It was not possible for him to have committed the murders given the correct timeline.
Moreover, why dump a bloody glove behind your own house when there was a supermarket lot with a dumpster on the route at the corner of Bundy and Montana? So easy to just swing through the lot, toss the glove, and circle back to Bundy.
And where was the blood on the white carpet at the Simpson house? And why kill your ex-wife,then leave the door open with your small children alone in the house? So many things that didn’t add up.
Yes, I have considered the possibility of the son’s guilt and read Dear’s earlier book on the case. If Dear’s evidence is truly substantive I’d like to see a new trial.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:20 am
Yet another good example of why police should carry nothing smaller than a .45 cal pistol. 28 shots and none in the head? Shame, this guy should be in a pile at the Medical Examiner’s office.
Niggers are sure hard to kill.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:26 am
Most of the people who still believe that OJ did it obviously didn’t see Dear’s DvD or read his book. It was the lack of overwhelming blood evidence that convinced me OJ didn’t commit the crime.
He may have been there, but he wasn’t the killer – if he had been, he would have been drenched in blood – and his vehicle and house only turned up very little blood evidence.
Evidence doesn’t lie, unless it is manipulated by the police. Speaking of which there was a crew that could have made quick entry into your LYING SACK OF SHIT CLUB.
Ted
April 6th, 2012 at 8:28 am
Yea right…four cops just decided to shoot this guy? Why.. to murder him? He lived..why didn’t they kill him?
Every cop I ever knew knows to show credentials first when they are armed and stopped by an on duty officer.
Here we go again with the race crapp. People like this are the reason every race in this city hates us. Cry wolf…again. Sounds like bullshit to me.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Sounds like those railroad cops need range training so they can kill what they shoot at.
Taking down some of those thugs with badges might make them think twice about attempting to murder innocent people. God knows that the laws won’t prevent the thugs from police abuse.
Ricky
April 6th, 2012 at 8:34 am
TB, you bastards have murdered more OTWs than any other organized group. I for one like the idea of citizens finding less reason to give you pieces of shit the benefit of the doubt in the court arena.
Lara
April 6th, 2012 at 8:35 am
Sorry, TB the cops story doesn’t meet the smell test.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:36 am
Dear has presented the evidence to authorities, but the LAPD will do nothing about it because their tampering and cover up would have to be exposed. OJ nor drug dealers did this his son did.
OJ is no saint but for all of you people who believe the police are above lying, planting and tampering with evidence– you are living in a fantasy land.
OJ passed the lie detector (unlike Casey Anthony I might add) and the gloves DID NOT FIT!!!! To all you pseudo detective’s blood would NOT have shrunk the gloves that severely. Of course his DNA was at the house he visited his CHILDREN there– WAKE UP people!!!
Jason is mentally ill, unstable and hated Nicole for taking his father away from his part of the family– what more motive do you need? Some people are murdered for less, and poor Ron was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:43 am
I live in LA and I know how corrupt the LAPD is. These guys join so they can act out their racism, misogyny, inferior complexes, and criminal intend.
What better place to be, if you are looking for a group who will look the other way when you do act out?
Jan
April 6th, 2012 at 8:44 am
The Justice department needs to look into this case. How is it that four Chicago police officers just happen to be available to ticked a person for driving violation early in the morning.
Perhaps, the Chicago policemen had another agenda to target this former police officer and union representative?
You would think after two trials the court could provided proof that an officer was wounded and it not be classified as all allegedly wounded.
They may yet be another settlement of wrongful conviction the citizens of Chicago will pay for in the future.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:50 am
I agree with you Amaya. That Zen Lill is kissed by the gods. She always gets in.
So sweat, though from me. I like reading her angle on the topics. I tried to get in to say. It was the prosecution of OJ that opened my eyes to the news anchors in this country.
I lost my respect for all of them. White men who took the side of the majority and NEVER gave OJ the benefit of the doubt nor an opportunity to tell his story.
I no longer view news being discussed by a white anchor and a panel of white guys. And I am a white woman.
Kate
April 6th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Its true, this guy is an ex-cop and they catch him going the wrong way by his own home in which he has probably lived there for years.
On top of all that he’s accused of being crazy! Four White Cops and one Black man…..hhhmmm.
Somethings wrong with this picture and if we don’t voice our rage in the classic racist case then it will one day happen to us.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:54 am
At the time of the murders I lived in Los Angeles and drove down Sunset past OJ’s street to get to work. Of course I was interested and in any case we couldn’t avoid the media coverage or the trial.
At the time there was only brief mention of OJ’s son – he was a chef. Nothing about attempting suicide, being on meds and probation.
But….if the evidence is so compelling, then turn it over to the LAPD or the LA County Prosecutor and have Jason tried. OJ couldn’t be tried a second time, but the son could be tried a first time.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:55 am
If this GHETTO Ex-OFFICER would not have drew his GUN and FIRED at THE POLICE, He would not be in this mess. Including being SHOT 28 times, HOT CHIPS and JUICE do MIRACLES!!
April 6th, 2012 at 8:58 am
This is a joke . And some clown complains about Affirmative Action when you have 5 generations of Irish cops, and Firemen.
White Privilege/Affirmative Action. Jon Burge, Mayor Daley and the Hamburg gang on and on.
April 6th, 2012 at 8:59 am
He was black, it is all about the race card. I get racially abused everyday by blacks and if i ever tried to play the race card they would laugh me out of the court room………………..no lawyer would ever take my case……………
April 6th, 2012 at 9:01 am
I think that it is obscuring the reality to say that Mr. Morgan was playing the “race card”. Race is not something that you carry around in your wallet or purse, only to pull it out when its convenient for you.
It is usually the first thing that people notice when they meet you – people, even police officers, make snap judgements based on previous experiences, fear, training, and prejudice.
Racism is still very real in America.
I am not saying I know for sure what happened in this case but those who take the time to look at all of the facts will see that there are elements of police intimidation, conflicting eyewitness accounts, and suspect recollection of facts and evidence.
We all need to be critical of the ways in which criminal cases are skewed to agree with the police. This case is just one of many examples.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:05 am
White people need to understand that everyone on the planet does NOT have to believe OJ is guilty.
The facts just don’t back up their belief that OJ is guilty.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:07 am
THANK GOD JUSTICE HAS BEEN DONE !!!
WHAT THIS BLACK MAN DID WAS TRAGEDIOUS !!!
HE DESERVES LIFE IN PRISON FOR TRYING TO KILL GOOD, DECENT WHITE OFFICERS WHO WERE JUST TRYING TO PROTECT US
HIS vvIFE IS THE REAL RACIST.
THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKENED!!!
GOD BLESS OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM
MAY HE FIND WHITE JESUS JUST AS I HAVE
FOR BLACKS EVERYWHERE I APOLOGIZE FOR THE RACISM OF THIS MAN, HIS VVIFE AND HIS LAWYERS.
NOT ALL OF US BLACKS ARE LIKE THIS
I FOR ONE APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT I AM ONLY HERE NOW BECAUSE OF SLAVERY
THANK YOU WHITE PEOPLE FOR MAKING ME WHAT I AM TODAY.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:09 am
Reducing Prices at the Pump; Protecting the Medicare Guarantee
April 6, 2012
Reducing Prices at the Pump
On Wednesday, House Democrats held a hearing on the issue of high gas prices and excessive oil speculation. This year alone, gas prices have increased by 62 cents a gallon. Not only do higher gas prices cause pain for American families, they have negative effects on our economy at large.
Experts have been clear: Wall Street speculators are artificially driving up the price at the pump and causing pain to millions of American consumers.
Speculators are to blame for as much as 20% of the increase in gas prices. Yet Republicans continue to support legislation to reduce funding for the agency that oversees excessive speculation in the commodities markets.
President Obama has put forth an “all-of-the-above” solution for American energy and creating American energy jobs. This initiative includes spurring the deployment of new clean energy technology; investing in American-made energy: solar, wind, natural gas, biofuels, and more, and making cars more efficient.
My Democratic colleagues and I will continue to work with the President to crack down on energy speculators and lower the price at the pump for Americans now. To watch video of the hearing, please click here.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:10 am
The unemployment numbers are out, and the economy added a lower-than-expected 120,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate fell slightly to 8.2 percent.
However, as David, writes today, it’s imperative that the Republicans put the recovery in context. The strategy of condemning the slightly improving economy could backfire in November.
Hope’s coverage of Sgt. Gary Stein reached a watershed moment last night, when the three-member board recommended that Stein be booted from service. Hope’s breaking blog post is below. You can be assured this won’t be the last time you hear from Sgt. Gary Stein, or this case.
If you noticed the subject line, that’s Pat Buchanan’s latest column today. Pat looks at the shot Barack Obama took on the Republican budget, and Pat says that the strategy Obama is taking (demagoguery of the issues and inciting class warfare) could prove perilous in November. A great read.
More below – Michelle Malkin has a column on former D.C. mayor and current city councilman Marion Berry’s comments on Asian entrepreneurs in the District.
Yet again, this incident of more abhorrent and unnecessary racism from the left is becoming more and more prevalent, without any condemnation from anyone on their side.
Also, I’m showcasing a good piece from the New York Times on the fundraising strength of the Republican National Committee. They’re going to need it if they want to put a dent in the Chicago campaign coiffeurs this fall.
I hope everyone has a blessed Easter and enjoys the weekend. I’ll talk to you all on Monday.
-Adam
April 6th, 2012 at 9:14 am
This says as much as the Florida Justice system. If the “justice” system in Florida would do its job, the media wouldn’t need to try this case. It would be in a court where it belongs.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:40 am
Is there any wonder that the military has been doing stupid racist things that have caused so much problems for the President and our military personal serving in foreign countries?
There is no discipline because the republicans encourage any disrespect of Obama by any one. The military is supposed to respect the Commander In Chief. That is the thing that keeps a democracy safe having the military subordinate to civilian authority.
Now we have this from a marine. CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A military board has recommended dismissal for a Marine sergeant who criticized President Barack Obama on his Facebook page, including allegedly putting the president’s face on a “Jackass” movie poster.
I hope we begin to stop the deterioration of military discipline by drumming out the insubordinate loser.
Harry
April 6th, 2012 at 9:41 am
I couldn’t get in yesterday, I wanted to say that I believe Dear. His credential are certainly as good as any on the LAPD.
Lois
April 6th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Harry, I agree with you. It is a shame that our military personal have been encouraged to disrespect their civilian CIC. And you are also correct in blaming the right for it.
Had a Marine posted that sort of thing about Bush and broken the conduct required by the military in dismissing and trashing him and his policies, then the same Republicans who are supporting him would have been after his throat.
Military people know they cannot say and do the things Stein has done because Obama is their Commander in Chief, like it or not, and they are not permitted to do what he has done.
My son served in the military and he said they were told in no uncertain way that the sort of thing Stein did was not permisable and would not be tolerated.
His activities are unbecoming of a Marine and he should suffer the consequences and quickly.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:48 am
One only needs to look at politically unstable countries to see why the rules about mutiny are so strict.
Yes, we side with soldiers and generals that rise up against tyrannts and murderers and refuse orders or turn against their governments, but could you imagine what would happen in the US if that would happen?
If you allowed political factions in the military, what would stop a little group from deciding to “take the country back” with their government-issued weapons?
The reason that there is a difference between the US and countries currently in upheaval is that the US is a functioning democracy (well…it’s a democracy).
There are term limits, checks, and balances of power to prevent tyranny from taking root. If a soldier disagrees with the government, he or she can resign his or her post and run for office (see Allen West).
While they hold that position, however, they are obliged to be non-partisan and non-political.
Factions in the military can only lead to chaos. I am not pro-military per se, but if it is going to exist, there has to be a modicum of discipline.
The question of whether that discipline extends to committing atrocities is a tricky question, it is true. But if faced with that decision, each soldier makes a choice and they should have the bravery to accept the consequences of that choice.
April 6th, 2012 at 9:49 am
America is at war. He’s lucky if he doesn’t get court mar.shalled or executed.
April 6th, 2012 at 10:02 am
When I was in that would have happened.
April 6th, 2012 at 10:03 am
I just took a call from the NRA membership drive. They have a $50 discount for annual membership. This was my first time talking to them.
Their first line was, ” We need to take our country back…” I stopped her and asked her to explain and she gave me the “take our country back from Obama who has taken our freedoms”.
OT, but I had to share. I let her finish her canned message and then I blasted her, ending with NEVER CALL ME AGAIN !!!
April 6th, 2012 at 10:06 am
“The Marine Corps has said it decided to take administrative action after Stein declared on Facebook that he would not follow orders from Obama and later clarified that statement saying he would not follow unlawful orders.”
So, who gets to decide what an “unlawful order” is? If it were an order to kill women and children for no reason, I could agree with him.
But in reference to the book-burnings, especially since those actions put more soldiers in danger? I have a problem with his statement.
There are soldiers who defied orders that were human rights issues, or decisions by superiors that would have resulted in needless deaths to our soldiers. That’s defensible.
But given that Stein has nothing but contempt for the President, and makes no bones about it, how can he be expected or trusted to carry out his mission?
The President is his commander-in-chief. Denigrating him, insulting him, trying to sway opinions of your fellow marines to that same opinion is not what a soldier does.
It undermines the Corp, and the military. It undermines the country if we can’t trust our soldiers to follow the commander in chief. Stein didn’t limit his posts to just his own page.
And I’m guessing his personal page wasn’t private either. But in any case, he broke the rules of his military service. Marines value honor. Stein, not so much.
April 6th, 2012 at 10:07 am
Sgt. Stein obviously or conveinently forgot or both,that when you sign on dotted line,you give up some of those rights you may end up fighting to protect.
So man up,take your punishment and go on about your business.Probably about to parlay this into political career.Its ok,after you have been dismissed,its a free country.
April 6th, 2012 at 10:08 am
All right troops, we have these orders from Colonel Smith to
take that hill over there to safeguard our supply lines.
Now for those of you who don’t like Colonel Smith, why don’t you try taking some other
hill, say that one in the other direction.
If you kind of like Smith but not too much,try taking half the hill, then rest. Everybody else, stay here and continue
sending your messages to Facebook.
April 6th, 2012 at 10:40 am
So this teabagger in uniform didn’t get to kill enough Mooslims that he decided to kill his career by spouting off on the President.
If servicemen were posting the same comments about Bush, I’m sure there would have been a firing squad involved
April 6th, 2012 at 12:22 pm
On average, a family of four in the will spend close to $10,000 more on health insurance/care than is spent in any other developed country…
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/07/08/us-health-spending-breaks-from-the-pack/
Although $10,000 dollars for Romney represents the amount of money spent on a casual bet, that’s not the case for most of us.
And with all that money spent, the health of that family is no better on average than it is in the rest of the developed world…
http://visualeconomics.creditloan.com/healthcare-costs-around-the-world_2010-03-01/
Imagine the economic stimulus implied by a more efficient health care system…
http://bp1.blogger.com/_pnpnK28g9K4/R_mJg5GnGKI/AAAAAAAAALk/9uuo-eq7x8U/s1600-h/helathcare+money.gif
April 6th, 2012 at 12:24 pm
And all of Congress wouldn’t have free healthcare if it were not for the taxpayers paying their bills.
There is A LOT wrong with our health care and healthcare insurance is one of the biggest problems. Get healthcare insurance away from employers, get rid of the health insurance companies, pass laws to bring down the cost of health care and drugs, go for a one-payer system that everyone (which means everyone even if they only have to pay $50.00 a year) pays into.
No free rides for the President on down! No freebies for members of congress, federal, state or city workes! Everyone pays into it and everyone gets their health care from it. And NO WAIVERS!!!!!
April 6th, 2012 at 12:25 pm
I’m an independent, and always reticent to bad mouth one side or the other. I really try to take everything in and make up my own mind. But jeepers folks!
I’m getting the feeling that the right’s view on healthcare is: The sick should just die off and stay out of my pocket!
Apparently the only reason the right backs Medicare at all is to retain the senior vote. Medicare Part D (totally unfunded) was considered a major accomplishment under GWBush.
Massachusett’s healthcare plan was a feather in Mr. Romney’s cap. But virtually the same plan submitted by the President is anathema to the foundation of this country.
Not to mention, the fundamentalist Christians who have absolute apathy about a person’s illness driving their family into bankruptcy.
As Doc Holliday said: My hypocrisy knows no bounds
April 6th, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Finally, a Great Substitute for Mayo in Recipes
Did you catch my recent Q&A on the health benefits of Greek versus regular yogurt, which ran in the December 22 issue of HealthyWoman from Bottom Line? (Check it out here.)
As I was talking with Rebecca Scritchfield, RD, LD, a Washington, DC–based dietitian and my expert source for that article, I mentioned that I had tried substituting plain nonfat yogurt for high-fat mayo or sour cream in various recipes, with disappointing results. She told me that the secret to successful substitution with yogurt is to go Greek.
“Nonfat Greek yogurt is thicker and creamier than regular nonfat yogurt, so it makes a superb substitute for high-fat mayonnaise and sour cream in many types of recipes,” Scritchfield explained. “Not only does the extra creaminess satisfy the taste buds, but Greek yogurt’s higher protein content satisfies your appetite longer, too.”
During our conversation, Scritchfield also shared two of her favorite recipe makeovers that substitute Greek yogurt for the traditional high-fat ingredients to reduce calories and fat without sacrificing taste. Now I want to pass these yummy recipes along to you. Enjoy!
TANGY TUNA SALAD
Using regular mayonnaise, this dish would have about 250 calories and 12 grams of fat per ¼ cup serving… this makeover version has just 110 calories and 1.4 grams of fat per serving.
Note: The tiny bit of mayonnaise this recipe calls for is enough to lend it mayo’s characteristic tang without overloading the fat and calories.
Ingredients…
2 six-ounce cans of water-packed tuna, drained
2 Tablespoons dill pickle relish
½ Tablespoon mayonnaise
½ Tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine. Serve over lettuce leaves. Makes five servings.
NUTTY BANANA-YOGURT BREAD
Traditional banana bread made with sour cream and oil has about 290 calories and 15 grams of fat per one-inch slice… this Greek yogurt version trims those numbers to 190 calories and 5.5 grams of fat.
Ingredients…
1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
3 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
2 Tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅔ cup chopped toasted walnuts
In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, beat sugar and eggs with an electric mixer or whisk until fluffy, then beat in applesauce.
To the sugar mixture, add the mashed bananas, Greek yogurt and vanilla, blending well. Fold in flour mixture and toasted walnuts. Pour into a nine-inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350° for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool, cut into one-inch slices and serve.
USING GREEK YOGURT IN YOUR OWN RECIPES
To substitute Greek yogurt for higher fat ingredients in your own favorite recipes, you may need to experiment to find just the right consistency and taste. Scritchfield’s simple rules of thumb can get you started. For instance…
For full-fat or reduced-fat mayo or sour cream, substitute an equal amount of plain nonfat Greek yogurt.
If a recipe calls for both mayo and sour cream, substitute nonfat Greek yogurt for half the mayo and half the sour cream.
For each cup of buttermilk (for instance, in pancakes or sauces), substitute ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt plus ½ cup skim milk.
Source: Rebecca Scritchfield, RD, LD, is a dietitian and American College of Sports Medicine–certified health and fitness specialist in private practice in Washington, DC. http://www.RebeccaScritchfield.com
April 6th, 2012 at 12:32 pm
No matter the outcome of the Supreme Court’s decision on the individual mandate to buy health insurance, the Affordable Care Act remains flawed because it will leave at least 26 million people uninsured and does nothing to reduce healthcare costs.
We need publicly funded universal healthcare — we need single-payer Medicare-for-all.
Instead of mandating everyone purchase insurance from a for-profit company, we should expand and improve what we already know works: Medicare, whose administrative costs are only 3%. With Medicare-for-all, we would save $400 billion annually.
Medicare is constitutional, loved and cost-effective. It should be improved and expanded to cover everyone under a single-payer healthcare system. It’s time for this.
Even Mark Bertoli, CEO and Chairman of Aetna Insurance has said as much ( http://www.healthcare-now.org/single-payer-health-care-is-coming-to-amer… Let’s not accept any more of the ‘it’s not politically feasible’ excuses!
April 6th, 2012 at 12:33 pm
How are you doing Al? I hope your recovery is going well. You are missed.
Linda
April 6th, 2012 at 12:34 pm
FINALLY! SOMEONE HAS PICKED UP ON THIS ISSUE!!
I have been saying this for 2 months…..anyone following this blog has heard as much from many others……Ann Romney would get the BEST care on the planet if she were First Lady, while her hubby is out slashing benefits and health care for the poor and middle class.
If that isn’t the ultimate hypocrisy……and CRUELTY……I don’t know what is.
Go ahead and vote for this schmuck and you’ll be flushing the toilet with 99% of us in it….
April 6th, 2012 at 12:35 pm
Congress has gold-plated health care, provided by taxpayers. How can they understand what “regular people” must go through who don’t have it? Why should theirs be so much better? Do we have an “aristocracy” in our country?
April 6th, 2012 at 12:47 pm
Michelle, I couldn’t get in yesterday to file my complaint against the LAPD’s framing of OJ. Many people have called to tell me about the spirited discourse on your blog about it.
I also went to the presentation in San Francisco of Dear’s video about who really killed those two. It was riveting. I am so glad your notice gave me an opportunity to attend. It certainly changed my mind about OJ.
I used to think my OTW friends were a bit too sensitive about not being white. But the more I open my eyes to the injustices they have to endure by the built in biases of my race in the system, the more I empathize with their situation.
It is great that you are keeping that focus going.
Traci
April 6th, 2012 at 12:53 pm
Looks like Thomas has a good excuse for not asking questions.
======================
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Maybe it’s Southern courtesy or his introverted nature that keeps him from interrupting attorneys during oral arguments, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said Thursday evening.
Whatever the reason, the Georgia native had a blunt assessment about the rapid-fire questioning from his colleagues during recent hearings on the nation’s health care law. The queries weren’t helpful to him in deciding the case, he said.
And Thomas suggested his loquacious colleagues should do more listening and less talking.
“I don’t see where that advances anything,” he said of the questions. “Maybe it’s the Southerner in me. Maybe it’s the introvert in me, I don’t know. I think that when somebody’s talking, somebody ought to listen.”
His remarks drew applause from the audience that heard Thomas’ insights on the court during a 90-minute appearance at the University of Kentucky.
Thomas has gained a reputation for staying silent during oral arguments before the high court.
He said the lawyers presenting their cases are capable and don’t need guidance from the justices: “I don’t need to hold your hand, help you cross the street to argue a case. I don’t need to badger you.”
Thomas was asked specifically about the plethora of questions during three days of oral arguments as the justices decide whether to kill or keep President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. But Thomas said it’s become habit for justices to interrupt lawyers.
“We have a lifetime to go back in chambers and to argue with each other,” he said. “They have 30, 40 minutes per side for cases that are important to them and to the country. They should argue. That’s a part of the process.
“I don’t like to badger people. These are not children. The court traditionally did not do that. I have been there 20 years. I see no need for all of that. Most of that is in the briefs, and there are a few questions around the edges.”
======================
OR, it could be he has already made up his mind to vote no as pay back to those who have been paying his wife and fellow SCOTUS justice Scalia’s wife to campaign against President Obama Affordable Care Act(ACA) often referred to by his opponents as “Obamacare.”
Helen
April 6th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Good for Thomas, well said.
April 6th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Of course, when your vote is already bought and paid for through your wife, you probably have no questions to ask…
April 6th, 2012 at 12:57 pm
Wow ! I agree with AJ Thomas. I find his total silence bothersome , in that he may not be up to the tasks of SC cases. But the granddstanding, especially by Scalia is way over the top.
April 6th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Thomas is intorverted by with a long hand. Always taking money from people that want his favor.
And his wife is always with her hand out also
April 6th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
Never thought I’d ever utter these words, but I concur with Thomas on this one. If you listen to the ACA oral arguments, you start having trouble distinguishing the judges from the advocates before them.
April 6th, 2012 at 1:00 pm
I am NOT a fan of Justice Thomas, having said this, I do believe he is making a valid point. One which really should not have to be spoken in the highest court in the land.
It is something we all (or should have been) taught in kindergarten. When someone else is speaking, you listen. When they are finished it is your turn to speak and/or ask questions.
If the Justices on the Supreme Court of our country don’t even have the common courtesy to conduct their business in a polite manner, then I am afraid we are in dire straights.
April 6th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
“Olbermann was disheartened to discover Al Gore, Joel Hyatt, and the management of Current are no more than dilettantes portraying entertainment industry executives.”
At least Olbermann recognizes that Current, and by extension his show, is for entertainment purposes only.
April 6th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
I’m not a big Olbermann fan, but I’ve little doubt that his allegations and characterizations are largely true. What exactly has Gore ever succeeded at?
April 6th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Howie:
I, and I’m sure many others on this blog often wonder when you spend long periods off the blog if you are out there roaming space with Carr getting plenty of those exciting experiences you write about.
Here’s wishing a safe and speedy return.
Scott
April 6th, 2012 at 2:33 pm
Obama had the right to defend this legislation and as a Constitutional lawyer he is equipped to fully understand the Constitutional issues involved. We have already seen Lochner-like decisions from many of the Gang of Five now serving on this court. We saw one in the Bush election coronation decisions and another with the “Citizens United” fiasco. Neither of them were based upon the law, but rather ideological decisions where political bias played a part. Scalia, Thomas, Alito and Roberts, along with Kennedy haven’t followed the Constitution, they have rewritten it or pulled pie out of the sky beliefs which are not supported by any previous decisions or even reason.
Obama has a right to speak out in defense of the bill and the Justices should have to be judges and follow the Constitution instead of trying to interject their right wing ideology into decisions.
If they knock it down, then everyone should view the mandates of having to purchase automobile insurance and being fined if one doesn’t as being illegal, as well. as they have virtually eliminated the reasoning behind it, as well.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
Chief Justice John Roberts showed where he was at right off the bat, incapable of performing a swearing in ceremony, correctly.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
If the Supreme Court strikes down the entire healthcare bill, I damn well expect for them to read every page/word of it. Disgraceful impure Supreme Court! If our Supreme Court does not represent and care about the welfare of the American people, it can only be determined that they care about Corporations more.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
The poster is describing his expectation of proper judicial procedure, likely borrowing from Scalia’s question essentially asking right there in open court if he is expected to read all those pages comprising the Act during deliberation. How could this make him “a Obama sheep”?
April 6th, 2012 at 2:41 pm
I demand the definition of a “conservative”.
Conservative about what? To have no regulation for pig greed. The insurance industry is a monopoly period. Feeding on the American people with no barriers to the rape.
We are the only civilized country that allows insurance companies to make a profit off the perils of the ill. There are over 25 countries that have a one payor system for healthcare. What do they know that we don’t.
There is NOTHING conservative about the Republicans.
They want no regulation at all because they can remain behind their guarded gates while the rest of the Country goes down. It is total B.S. that the Republicans are conservatives.
They ring their little bells about the gays and abortion and the brainwashed run to the polls like Pavlov’s dogs.
When people lose their negotiation rights, it is one step more towards losing all rights. Revisit what our Forefathers warned against. They warned against Banks and the Federal Reserve. And they warned against the removal of free speech and religion being infused into Government.
We are well on our way to losing what remaining rights we have. A vote for the GOP is a vote for greed and regression. It is a vote for demise.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
Roberts said he wouldn’t engage in judicial activism and would respect established precedents – he’s already broken both of those promises several times – he flat out lied.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Do I expect SCOTUS to read the entire law. Hell yes. Because that is what they are being paid to do instead of pulling their judgement out of their rears. STARK are pawns of the GOP.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
Roberts of ALL Supreme Court Judges should understand the seriousness of repealing the entire law.
He Has a preexisting condition and for it not his being a Supreme Court Judge, he would be Shit out of Luck with the iinsurance companies prior to the new healthcare law.
What we have is poison on the Supreme Court. Partisan greed at the highest level. Shame on the STARK.
Everyone should know that Thomas’s wife is involved with big insurance. So why doesn’t he recuse himself?
April 6th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
STARK are foaming at the mouth to to make a mockery of a decent start at stopping insurance companies from terrorizing and preying upon the American people.
They have accepted their pound of flesh, and are anxious to show they perform so they can get their pockets filled again.
Mary
April 6th, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Its ironic how liberals demean B ush for being a legacy student at Yale because of his father, but conveniently ignore that Obama has a father, let alone the fact that Obama Jr. was a legacy student at Harvard.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Well, mostly they demean Bush for being a C student at Yale (C is like F in law school).
April 6th, 2012 at 2:52 pm
O come on now “TP”, you know very well the right wing won’t let anyone forget Obama has a father. I do see a difference between the president of the Harvard law review and C student.
I also do not see Obama being a legacy comparing to the clout that the Bush name brings.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:56 pm
Fuck all you liberals. I got Greta Van Susteren on my side. She said this.
—————————
What President Obama did two days ago when he bullied the Supreme Court and called them “unelected” — and essentially threatened them — was wrong. It also made him look like a fool. He was certainly not acting like a leader, but a schoolyard bully who wants his way at any cost.
———————-
She is a much better lawyer than Barak.
William
April 6th, 2012 at 2:57 pm
Sorry Greta, is the fool when she writes trash like that.
April 6th, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Oh you little ole Fox News hound Greta-you never surprise. Wouldn’t it be nice it you could actually think for yourself and stop parroting the Murdoch right-wing media spew?
April 6th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
Greta was hardly being objective Remember, this is someone with a conservative viewpoint and a show on Fox.
It doesn’t take being a politician or lawyer to understand what the President meant. It does take one to confuse the issue to use it against him.
Judge Smith is a bully. Using his authority to demand homework from the AG’s office because he couldn’t remain unbiased.
What was with the 4 Justices on the Supreme Court just reciting Fox talking points anyway? The “broccoli mandate?” The “cornhusker” payback.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Hey Greta! I didn’t hear you swawking when New Gingrich said that members of the Supreme Court should be brought before the Congress by U.S.
Marshalls to explain their decisions. Didn’t George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan criticize the Supreme Court? According to the videos I’ve seen of W and Ronnie there criticism was much, much worse than what the President said.
Get off your high horse Greta and try to find something you might be able to justify in writing. While you’re at it, try to become a real journalist rather than a Fox Noise sensationalist.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:04 pm
As usual the Right accuses the Left of the disgusting things they do on a regular basis. Case on point. Greta accuses Obama of bullying the court when prominent members of the Right have said these things:
——————
“The courts have become grotesquely dictatorial and far too powerful,” he said in Thursday’s Iowa debate.”
As a historian, Gingrich said he knows President Thomas Jefferson abolished some judgeships, and President Abraham Lincoln made clear he did not accept the Dred Scott decision denying that former slaves could be citizens. Newt Gingrich – Iowa Debates
“We should take steps to restrict the unlimited power of the courts to rule over us with no accountability.” Rick Perry – his book ‘Fed Up’
Again, President Obama advocating another ‘conservative’ idea, just like his health care law and Greta is using her conservative ‘talking points’ against it. The Party of No!!!
April 6th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
There’s nothing objective about van Susteren’s views if she cannot criticize the president objectively without insulting him personally by calling him a fool, stupid and a bully.
Bush did lots of stupid things, including going to war and killing/maiming thousands. Greta was singing to the choir back then. If anything she’s the fool.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:07 pm
William, Really? I’m wondering if she wrote the stuff herself. Greta is a Fox news girl all the way, hence, she isn’t objective on anything at all.
She always attacks the left, the moderates and President Obama as she is paid to do. Agree with her if you like, but do us the decency not to call her objective.
Juanita
April 6th, 2012 at 3:08 pm
Hardly a bully. Maybe some much needed reflective commentary to make the right-wing justices think of the consequences of their interpretation of what is and is not constitutional.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:09 pm
The US Constitution was a remarkable document for its day, but it isn’t Holy Writ, and it needs to be brought up to date to deal with an Information Age.
Someone made the point that the Dred Scott case was the proximal cause of cause of the Civil War.
It would be wise for the STARK to remember that this country was founded on a Revolution, and the possibility of an Arab Spring civil insurrection within the US, seeking to reverse the corporatist oligarchy and the pernicious income inequality, is not totally out of the question.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
How’s this for bullying — if the STARK overturns the ACA, I will request my Senators to start impeachment proceedings against both Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia, on the grounds they should have recused themselves since their wives are under the employ of those who are actively working to overturn ACA.
If that fails, I would support a Constitutional Amendment that would overturn Citizens United, abolish the filibuster, and increase the size of the House of Representatives to one Representative for every 50,000 people, or 6,232 at present.
Those representatives can then participate and vote electronically, from home, and never have to move to Washington. In addition to being closer to the people they represent, the increased number would substantially reduce the problem of gerrymandering.
And of course, the greatly increased number of Representatives would make it much, much more expensive for the lobbyists and corporations to buy their votes, and perhaps that way we could finally get some meaningful campaign finance reform.
Robert
April 6th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Increasing the proportional representation of the people isn’t increasing the size of the Government in general, if by that you mean the Executive branch.
Overturning Citizens United (and there are already several Amendments that have been proposed to do exactly that) isn’t limiting the power of the States, it is returning to the precept of one man, one vote; not one dollar, one vote.
I would, however, back the curtailment of the power of our underpopulated states, such as Wyoming and North Dakota, have over the country as a whole.
One of the historical powers of the Vice President is to serve as a tie-breaker in the Senate, i.e., if the vote is 50-50. But if the filibuster rule continues to require a supermajority of 60 members to pass anything at all, then I believe that is inherently unconstitutional, as well being obviously unworkable.
I’ll agree that a Constitutional Convention COULD result in a complete mess, depending on exactly how it was organized. But it isn’t clear that the current system is working, either.
April 6th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
The Republicans’ anti-women’s health agenda is, according to the head of the GOP, a “fiction.”
That’s right — Reince Priebus says it’s just a figment of our imagination.
Let me just say these attacks are very real to the millions of women whose access to health care is on the line, thanks to threats to defund Planned Parenthood and the GOP fight to limit access to birth control.
We’ll collect as many names as we can and deliver them to the RNC headquarters, to give them a strong dose of reality.
It’s no coincidence that women are fleeing the Republican Party in droves.
This is the party that supported Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s ultrasound law, which forces women considering abortions to undergo a medically unnecessary procedure.
For the women opposed to forced ultrasounds, Pennsylvania’s Governor Tom Corbett’s answer is to just “close your eyes” and deal with it. This is the “conservative leadership” that Mitt Romney praises.
As for Romney, he has promised repeatedly to defund Planned Parenthood, a 95-year-old organization that is many women’s only option for health care. And his No. 1 goal if he gets to the White House: repeal Obamacare, which means turning the clock back to when being a woman was considered a pre-existing condition, and charging us up to 50% more than men for the same health care coverage.
This anti-women’s health agenda is not a “fiction” — and, no matter how many times the GOP denies its existence, this issue isn’t going away.
Thanks,
Debbie
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Chair
Democratic National Committee
April 6th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Happy Friday all. It’s a busy day in the world of news, even though Congress is out of session. Rick Santorum’s campaign is taking a break for a few days, but will continue to strategize its plan in the Pennsylvania primary on April 24.
The Democratic Party is boycotting Coke and Wal-Mart for their support of a leading organization pushing for voter ID laws. Good, Pepsi will now have another customer!
And, the newly elected Russian president Vladmir Putin has confirmed Russia has been testing mind-bending psychotronic guns that can effectively turn people into zombies. Not a late April Fools joke, either.
But, moving to what we are working on. Hope Hodge has been covering the ongoing Sgt. Gary Stein saga. As I brought to you a few days ago, Stein is facing discipline for comments he made on Facebook regarding President Obama.
As of this A.M., after filing a lawsuit to halt proceedings, Stein’s discharge hearing is going forward. Make sure to follow Hope’s reports as developments come through to Human Events.
The infamous ‘Amazon tax’ took another blow as Colorado judge threw out that state’s proposed Internet tax, but the bad news is that the Feds might step in. David’s story on that is below.
Probably wasn’t the best time for Rick Santorum to take a few days off as the latest PPP poll shows him behind in his home state of Pennsylvania. Three weeks is a long way away and expect zero media coverage on the former senator from Pennsylvania, as the general election talk ratchets up.
That’s all from me today, but below, Nancy Pelosi gives her SCOTUS prediction. See you all tomorrow if you haven’t laughed to death to her prediction.
-Adam
April 6th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Scott, I like agree with you because I am one of those who believes that Howie is a space explorer if not an alien.
So Howie, I too hope you are on a safe and exciting journey. I personally can’t wait until you return with loads of new stories.
Perry
April 6th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
THE CASE AGAINST CIRCUMCISION
Circumcision, of all things, has been in the news of late. In October, the American Academy of Pediatrics announced that the need for circumcision “revision” surgery among infant boys had increased by more than 100% between 2004 and 2009.
And back in June, a group of activists who call themselves “intactivists” petitioned a San Francisco court to enact a new law that would make the circumcision of males under the age of 18 a misdemeanor punishable by a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail. (It never came to a vote because a judge nixed the idea.)
Well, this may be an interesting way to get a conversation going if you are at a boring dinner party over the holiday season — but is there something behind these stories that we should know about?
I was surprised by this latest kerfuffle over circumcision, because in my years of reporting on health news, I’ve seen more research confirming the safety and benefits of circumcision than otherwise.
WHY THE TREND?
Jewish and Muslim males are virtually always circumcised in infancy for religious reasons, but among the rest of Americans, the popularity of the procedure — which involves cutting off the foreskin of the penis — has ebbed and flowed over the years.
The proportion of circumcised American male infants rose to about 90% in the 1970s, but since then it has declined to about 55% as of 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Many parents have questioned whether this procedure is necessary, and the American Academy of Pediatrics continues to take a neutral position as to whether or not it is advisable.
Is circumcision more dangerous than we had realized? Are there good reasons to be — or not to be — circumcised? What are the implications of male circumcision for women — is there any difference, in terms of health and/or satisfaction, between having sex with a man who is circumcised and one who isn’t?
I sat down with one of the nation’s leaders in men’s health, Harry Fisch, MD, a urologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City and author of Size Matters:
The Hard Facts About Male Sexuality That Every Woman Should Know, to get some expert insights into what men — and the women who love them — should know about this apparently still controversial procedure.
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
I was interested to hear that Dr. Fisch himself used to believe that circumcision was not medically advisable. His reasoning: Like any procedure, circumcision has risks and — he thought — no apparent health benefits.
But now he feels otherwise. He said that evidence-based research now demonstrates clear and compelling medical benefits throughout life — not only for men, but also for the women who are their sexual partners…
• For men, it decreases the risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, by as much as 50%, but it is not clear whether or not it reduces transmission of HIV to a partner.
• It reduces the risk among men and women of transmitting and acquiring genital herpes by about 28% and human papillomavirus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer in women and penile cancer in men, by 35%.
• It decreases infant boys’ risk of getting urinary tract infections in the first year of life from one in 100 to one in 1,000. UTIs should be avoided in infancy because in 10% to 30% of cases they scar kidneys for life, and UTIs can lead to major health problems such as hypertension and chronic renal failure.
Dr. Fisch said that it’s not entirely clear how circumcision provides all of these health protections, but since the foreskin leaves a warm, moist pouch between the inside of the foreskin and the head of the penis, disease-causing microbes can multiply there.
And because the inner surface of the foreskin is especially permeable, said Dr. Fisch, it may facilitate entry of microbes into the male’s body.
Removing the foreskin also makes genital hygiene easier and therefore allows men to avoid a wide variety of foreskin-related health problems, such as infections and phimosis, a condition that’s often triggered by an infection in which the foreskin becomes tightly stretched around the head of the penis and makes retraction impossible.
Phimosis may interfere with urination and sexual function, and because it makes genital hygiene even more difficult, it can lead to further infections.
In terms of sexual satisfaction, though, no studies have yet been able to evaluate whether or not being circumcised increases or decreases pleasure for a man or a woman, said Dr. Fisch.
He added that they would be difficult to conduct, since pinpointing the exact cause of pleasure isn’t easy.
TO SNIP OR NOT TO SNIP?
Experts are looking into the reasons behind the doubling of the need for circumcision revisions among infant boys (it rose up to 119% — from around 2,600 to around 5,600 cases), but, according to Dr. Fisch, it’s surprising.
Up until now, it has generally been widely accepted that complications from infant circumcision are rare, minor (e.g., bleeding, infection) and easily controlled.
He added that a local anesthetic will reduce any associated pain and discomfort and that the penis heals fully within a week to 10 days.
According to Dr. Fisch, the most significant health advantages of circumcision do not kick in until many years later when males become sexually active —
but he and others in the medical community believe that infant circumcision is a safer and less traumatic procedure than adult circumcision.
When you have the procedure done as an adult, it is generally quite painful, often requiring general anesthesia — as opposed to local anesthesia — which makes it a much riskier option. Plus, the healing tends to take longer (four to six weeks).
Parents: It’s a tough decision, but it’s up to you to decide for yourselves.
Source(s):
Harry Fisch, MD, a urologist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York City.
Dr. Fisch has been named to the “Best Doctors in America” and “New York Magazine Top Doctors” the past nine years, and regularly appears on “The Dr. Oz Show” as a medical expert on men’s health. http://www.HarryFisch.com.
He is author of Size Matters: The Hard Facts About Male Sexuality That Every Woman Should Know (Three Rivers).
April 6th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
White women got us into this trouble in the house because they voted overwhelming to send republicans into the House.
They also voted overwhelmingly to return republicans to state offices. All of the governors they put into state offices have signed some kind of bill to discriminate against women now Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin has signed a bill into law to remove a woman’s right to ask for equal pay.
The majority of american white women are just plain stupid. This has been true from the beginning and it is still as true today. Many white women will rush to the defensive and claim that it is not true that they are dumb.
But check the facts. They elected white men into office in superior numbers who are now electing to enact draconian laws aimed at taking back all the advances they have gained from the activism of OTW women.
Maybe STUPID is the better term.
Debra
April 6th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
“RACIAL PROFILING SHOULD BE A HATE CRIME INVESTIGATED BY THE FBI!!!” RIGHT ON.
This happens everyday where I’m from so why is it that when it happens to someone black with some money it’s unbelievable and highlighted?
April 6th, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Either you niggers separate yourselves from us white people OR, go through this every day and shut the fuck up.
April 6th, 2012 at 5:31 pm
On March 22, T-Mobile announced that they will be closing seven major call centers nationwide, eliminating the livelihood of more than 3,300 families.
Jim B., from T-Mobile’s soon-to-be-closed call center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, captured our feelings perfectly: “Who in the world is okay with this?”
T-Mobile chose to close these call centers, but they have another option. Instead of routing calls from U.S. customers to overseas call centers, they could keep calls from U.S. customers in the U.S. and keep the call centers open. T-Mobile has shifted 6,000 customer service jobs offshore to countries like Honduras and the Philippines.
The call centers won’t shut down until June, so we have time to convince T-Mobile executives that they’ve made a mistake.
T-Mobile’s decision is a double whammy. In four of the seven communities where centers are slated to close, the company has received millions in economic development subsidies. Now the jobs are leaving and taxpayers have nothing to show for their investment.
Each job lost and each taxpayer dollar wasted means more working families facing an uncertain future. Jon B. from the soon-to-be-closed call center in Frisco, Texas, put it simply:
“Loyalty was to stay with T-Mobile during the [proposed AT&T] buyout even though management lost their focus on what was important. Betrayal is when T-Mobile put price tags on our heads and decided that cutting our jobs within the United States was better than bringing the jobs back home.”
Real people will lose their jobs on June 22, from Redmond, Oregon, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Are you okay with that? Is Philipp Humm?
Smart companies work together with their employees to produce higher quality service. They don’t just cut the workforce in a blind attempt to lower costs.
Send T-Mobile’s CEO a message today, and tell him to reverse the decision to cut the jobs of hard-working T-Mobile workers and keep the call centers open.
In Unity,
Beth Allen
Online Communications Director