Israeli Raid Complicates U.S.'s Mideast Strategy

story by Wall Street Journal
written by Gerald F. Seib

U.S. President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were to meet at the White House Tuesday for what officials from both countries hoped would be a kind of public kiss-and-make-up session.

In a few violent minutes at sea Monday, that all went out the window. The Israeli operation that unexpectedly turned violent now will back both leaders into corners they had hoped to vacate. The Obama-Netanyahu relationship, which already had a kind of soap-opera quality to it, is under new strain. The American dream of easing Arab anxieties over the Palestinian question so all can focus on the threat from Iran has faded just a bit more.

All this began unfolding before the sun had even risen over Mr. Obama's Chicago home, where he was spending the Memorial Day weekend. Israeli commandos stormed a convoy of ships headed for the Gaza Strip to deliver humanitarian supplies to Palestinians there in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade of Hamas-run Gaza.

The humanitarian flotilla had been warned repeatedly not to try to run the blockade. It ignored the warnings. Mr. Netanyahu's government ordered Israeli soldiers to board the ships. Shots were fired. At least 10 activists died and a similar number of Israelis were wounded..

Within hours, the Netanyahu-Obama White House meeting was canceled so the Israeli leader could return home. Senior White House aides said Mr. Netanyahu, not the Americans, called off the visit to deal with the crisis.

Either way, the chance to put a better face on the relationship between the leaders evaporated. From the first weeks of the Obama administration, the two men have been famously feuding over the president's demand that Israel stop all building in East Jerusalem to smooth the way for peace talks with Palestinians.

In reality, the relationship between the two men hasn't been quite as bad as often suggested. "I would describe it as actually very solid, very productive," said one senior Obama administration official over the weekend, before news of the raid at sea. "It is quite at odds with the popular portrayal."

Their feuding actually has had an element of theatrics—with the theatrics suiting both men's interests. President Obama's strategy has been as much about Iran, his paramount security concern, as Israel or the Palestinians. He calculated at the outset of his term that he needed to get tough with Mr. Netanyahu to push him into peace talks with the Palestinians.

Forcing talks, Mr. Obama figured, was crucial to his dream of knitting together a kind of loose American-Arab-Israeli front to stand up to Iran and its nuclear program. Without movement on the Palestinian question to ease Arab public opinion, the president calculated, moderate Arab leaders would be less willing to cooperate on Iran.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas is so weak he needs all the help he can get. If that meant getting tough with Mr. Netanyahu, it was a price worth paying.

From Mr. Netanyahu's point of view, standing up to a new, young American president trying to enhance American relations with the Arab and Islamic worlds wasn't all bad either. Doubts about Mr. Obama (whose approval in Israel has plunged) only strengthened Mr. Netanyahu's hand in standing up to him.

But for both men, this feuding had reached the point of diminishing returns, and they've been trying to turn things around. Israel apologized for embarrassing Vice President Joe Biden by announcing more East Jerusalem construction just as Mr. Biden was visiting.

The Obama administration has been talking up security ties to Israel. Two weeks ago, the president met with 37 Jewish Democrats in Congress and told them that he had spent more time one-on-one with Mr. Netanyahu than any other world leader, and that ties were solid.

Now, the seaborne raid and its tragic outcome. Smiling Obama-Netanyahu pictures from the Oval Office will be supplanted by international pressure on the White House to condemn Israel.

Worse for the administration, this twist complicates its Iran strategy. The United Nations Security Council has been moving toward a resolution imposing new economic sanctions on Iran, but that's now in danger of being slowed or sidetracked by the inevitable clamoring to condemn Israel.

The raid particularly complicates dealing with Turkey. The Turks once were Israel's best friend in the Islamic world. They've been drifting away, though, and essentially sponsored the Palestinian relief flotilla that Israeli forces confronted Monday.

As it happens, Turkey also occupies one of the rotating seats on the Security Council right now, and has been maneuvering to help Iran escape more economic sanctions. The U.S. is trying to dissuade the Turks from giving aid and comfort to Iran. Monday's tragedy at sea won't make those conversations with Turkey any easier, proving anew that the law of unintended consequences is always in effect in the Middle East.

Tropical storm leaves more than 100 dead in Central America

The office of Guatemala's president handed out this aerial view of a crater that opened up after Agatha hit

story by CNN

At least 115 people have died after a tropical storm battered Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador over the weekend, officials in those countries reported.

Guatemala was hit hardest, with at least 92 deaths, 54 people missing and 59 injured, emergency officials said. Nearly 112,000 people have been evacuated and more than 29,000 are living in temporary shelters, Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom said in an address to the nation late Sunday.

The devastation has been widespread throughout Guatemala with mudslides destroying homes and buildings and burying some victims. At least nine rivers have dramatically higher levels and 13 bridges have collapsed, the nation's emergency services said.

Classes have been canceled this week throughout the nation.

In Honduras, where 14 people have died, President Porfirio Lobo declared a state of emergency Sunday.

Nearly 3,500 people have been evacuated from their homes and nearly 3,300 are living in shelters, the Honduran emergency agency said Monday. More than 140 homes have been destroyed and another 700 have been damaged, the Permanent Commission for Emergencies reported.

The situation in El Salvador, where nine people died, was improving Monday, officials said. The rain stopped Sunday afternoon and river levels were beginning to diminish, officials said. Classes nationwide remained canceled, however, until further notice.

More rain was possibly forecast for Monday, though, and Salvadoran officials said they were closely monitoring the situation.

Agatha was demoted from a tropical storm to a tropical depression Saturday night and lost its status as a depression Sunday evening.

It was the first named storm for the Pacific hurricane season. The Atlantic hurricane season starts Tuesday.

Militants attack two Ahmadi mosques in Pakistan; 80 killed

Dozens killed in attack on Pakistan mosques. As Friday prayers ended on May 28, 2010, as many as 10 militants armed with grenades, high-powered rifles and suicide vests opened fire on two mosques in Lahore.

story by Washington Post
written by Rizwan Mohammed and Karin Brulliard

LAHORE, PAKISTAN -- Militants staged coordinated attacks in this eastern city Friday on two mosques of a minority Muslim sect, taking hostages and killing at least 80 people.

The attacks, which began minutes apart, targeted places of worship belonging to the Ahmadi sect, each of which was packed with at least 1,500 people, according to Ahmadi representatives in the United States. At least seven men armed with grenades, high-powered rifles and suicide vests stormed the mosques as Friday prayers ended.

A group identifying itself as the Punjab provincial chapter of the Pakistani Taliban, an amorphous Sunni Muslim organization based in the country's mountainous tribal regions, asserted responsibility for the attack, according to the Geo television network. The Taliban has carried out bombings across Pakistan over the past three years, increasingly allying with like-minded groups in the country's heartland.

Friday's attacks, which wounded at least 78 people, demonstrated the continued ability of the Taliban and its associates to strike forcefully in urban centers and pointed to rising sectarian tensions in Sunni-majority Pakistan.

Ahmadis consider themselves Muslim, but Pakistani law does not recognize them as such. Sunni conservatives have led a recent campaign to ostracize them, and Sunni extremists have made Ahmadis, as well as Shiites, the target of violence. But neither minority sect has previously been the target of a large-scale, coordinated assault.

At one mosque, in the elite neighborhood of Model Town, four gunmen opened fire and tossed grenades at security and police guards, then at worshipers. At least 19 people were killed before police regained control, said Sajjad Bhutta, the deputy commissioner of Lahore.

Near the city's main railway station in the district of Garhi Shahu, a team of about three men besieged another mosque, taking several hundred people hostage. A standoff ensued as police and fighters exchanged gunfire. The militants then detonated explosives, killing scores, Bhutta said.

"When the gunmen entered the premises firing, the imam said aloud, 'Everyone on the ground!' " said Luqman, 27, a shopkeeper who declined to give his full name. "I ran out, along with 25 to 30 people, as the gunmen sprayed bullets on us from behind. Many fell. I was lucky."

An estimated 2 million to 5 million Ahmadis live in Pakistan. They believe their founder was a savior sent by God, an idea considered blasphemous under Pakistani law and anti-Muslim to many fundamentalist Islamists. That makes the Ahmadis a valid target in the eyes of radicals.

On Thursday night, unidentified gunmen ambushed and killed three Ahmadi businessmen in Faisalabad, an industrial city about 100 miles west of Lahore. Faisalabad Police Chief Sadiq Dogar said it appeared to be a sectarian slaying.

Elsewhere in Pakistan on Friday, a suspected U.S. drone-fired missile struck a Taliban compound in the South Waziristan tribal area, killing eight, according to two officials in the region.

Mohammed is a special correspondent. Brulliard reported from Kabul.

Statement by the President on the Latest Efforts to Contain the BP Oil Spill

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Today, I’ve spoken with National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, as well as Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, and senior White House advisors John Brennan and Carol Browner regarding the ongoing efforts to stop the BP oil spill. From the beginning, our concern has been that the surest way to stop the flow of oil – the drilling of relief wells – would take several months to complete. So engineers and experts have explored a variety of alternatives to stop the leak now. They had hoped that the top kill approach attempted this week would halt the flow of oil and gas currently escaping from the seafloor. But while we initially received optimistic reports about the procedure, it is now clear that it has not worked. Rear Admiral Mary Landry today directed BP to launch a new procedure whereby the riser pipe will be cut and a containment structure fitted over the leak.

This approach is not without risk and has never been attempted before at this depth. That is why it was not activated until other methods had been exhausted. It will be difficult and will take several days. It is also important to note that while we were hopeful that the top kill would succeed, we were also mindful that there was a significant chance it would not. And we will continue to pursue any and all responsible means of stopping this leak until the completion of the two relief wells currently being drilled.

As I said yesterday, every day that this leak continues is an assault on the people of the Gulf Coast region, their livelihoods, and the natural bounty that belongs to all of us. It is as enraging as it is heartbreaking, and we will not relent until this leak is contained, until the waters and shores are cleaned up, and until the people unjustly victimized by this manmade disaster are made whole.

BP fails to stop Gulf oil leak again

Janet Jackson new video: "Nothing"

BREAKING NEWS - "What you talkin' 'bout Willis": Gary Coleman Dead at the young age of 42

Gary Coleman has died at 42, Coleman had been hospitalized in Provo, Utah, since Wednesday, May 26, after suffering what his family called "a serious medical problem." Coleman had slipped into a coma and was on life support after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage.

He was pulled off life support Friday morning and later passed away. His wife, Shannon Price, and her father were at the hospital Friday.

The Illinois native's death marks the end of a long, sad road for the diminutive "Diff'rent Strokes" star, who struggled professionally and financially as his fame and fortune diminished since the show went off the air in 1986.

Coleman’s growth was hampered at a young age by a congenital kidney disease caused by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, as he never grew beyond 4 feet, 8 inches tall. Twice having undergone kidney transplants in 1973 and 1984, Coleman required daily dialysis in his everyday life.

Coleman first got his big break in acting gaining national recognition by way of the late legendary comedian/actor Redd Foxx on the mid-1970's hit show "Sanford and Son". Gary Coleman's frequent appearances with Redd Foxx on "Sanford and Son," paved the way for him to star in "Diff'rent Strokes" as Arnold Jackson -- a wisecracking adopted little boy with his older brother Willis (Todd Bridges) by a rich New York businessman (Conrad Bain). Coleman's considerable charisma with his famous catchphrase line "What you talkin' 'bout Willis," made the show a ratings winner. Coleman was earning as much as $70,000 an episode at its peak.

Coleman would wind up suing his parents in 1989 over missing money from his trust fund, and was awarded more than $1 million in 1993, but the money would not last, as he would wind up declaring bankruptcy six years later.

Coleman said in an appearance on "Geraldo Rivera" in 1993 that he had twice tried to overdose on sleeping pills.

Coleman got some publicity in later years when he threw his name in the hat of the circus that was California's 2003 recall Governor election, receiving more votes than other show biz candidates such as popular physical comedian Gallagher, en route to an eighth overall finish in the crowded field of dozens of candidates, to eventual winner Arnold Schwarzenegger. Gary Coleman, extremely intelligent, could not have done any worse than Governor Arnold in the now cash strapped, high unemployment -- with massive job lay offs, and foreclosures galore in the California State.

Coleman's death marks another sad chapter for the "Diff'rent Strokes" show cast. Todd Bridges' (who played Willis on show) career was stunted by frequent drug incidents involving crack cocaine and Bridges was also acquitted of a murder charge. Dana Plato, who played Kimberly Drummond on the show, committed suicide via pill overdose in 1999. On a related note, Plato's son, Tyler Lambert, fatally shot himself in May 2010, nearly eleven years to the day of his mother's suicide. Sad.

White House Used Bill Clinton to Ask Sestak to Drop Out of Race

President Obama's chief of staff used former President Bill Clinton as an intermediary to see if Representative Joe Sestak would drop out of a Senate primary if given a prominent, but unpaid, advisory position, people briefed on the matter said Friday.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, asked Mr.Clinton to explore the possibilities last summer, according to the briefed individuals, who insisted on anonymity to discuss the politically charged situation.

Mr. Sestak said no and went on to win last week's Pennsylvania Democratic primary against Senator Arlen Specter.

More: http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20100528/pl_cq_politics/politics3675199



Obama in Windy City as charges of 'Chicago-style' politics step up

story by The Hill
written by Sam Youngman - 05/29/10 06:00 AM ET

President Barack Obama returned to Chicago this week, but Republicans repeatedly accusing him of bringing "Chicago-style" politics to the White House say Obama has no reason to be homesick.

Now that the White House has admitted that Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel used former President Bill Clinton to try to persuade Rep. Joe Sestak (D) not to run in the Pennsylvania Senate primary, Republicans have more ammunition with which to accuse Obama of abandoning change for politics as usual.

More: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/100589-obama-back-in-windy-city-as-charges-of-chicago-style-politics-step-up

Janet Jackson comes out of shell on American Idol

Impact on New York: Financial Reform Boosts Main Street and Curbs Wall Street

Enacting Meaningful Financial Reform is Critical for All Americans

· Everyone has a stake in financial reform: A family whose pension is invested in the stock market, an entrepreneur who needs credit to build her business, and parents saving for their kids’ college education all have a stake in building a more stable financial system.

· Financial reform boils down to protecting Americans’ financial security: When people talk about regulating derivatives, registering hedge funds, and ending "too‐big‐to‐fail," it may sound remote to most Americans. But the truth is, these issues affect the financial security of all Americans. Financial reform will:

o Help ensure that consumers and investors have the information they need to make financial decisions that are right for them

o Help ensure that our financial system provides a stable source of affordable credit and capital for businesses seeking to innovate and grow

o Help reduce the risk that families’ savings are depleted by a financial and economic crisis spurred by irresponsible risk‐taking on Wall Street

o Help ensure that the American taxpayer never has to foot the bill for the irresponsibility of Wall Street

Promoting Transparency and Consumer Choice - and Preventing Abuse

· Increasing transparency and choice: Requiring clear, plain language disclosures will give American families the information they need to comparison shop for the financial products and prices that best meet their needs.

· Preventing unfair and deceptive practices: Financial reform will hold credit card lenders, mortgage companies, payday lenders, and other financial service firms – so that they can’t trap customers with misleading terms buried in the fine print.

· Increasing competition and innovation: When there are clear, consistent rules of the road, the market for consumer financial services will be more transparent, more competitive, and more innovative. Why? Because providers of financial services will have to compete by offering their customers good quality and competitive prices - not by taking advantage of their customers.

Making Derivatives Markets Safer and More Effective

· Preventing another AIG: Through its massive derivatives trading operation, AIG built up so much risk that it put the entire financial system at risk. Strong reforms of the derivatives market will help ensure that our financial system is less vulnerable to dangerous risk‐taking in the derivatives markets. That’s good for American families and businesses who bear the brunt of the pain when the financial system fails.

· Improving competition and lowering costs: By bringing the derivatives markets out of the shadows, reform will benefit those businesses that use derivatives to manage their commercial risks. The lack of transparency today benefits large Wall Street dealers, who use the lack of open competition to charge higher prices. Reform will benefit Main Street companies at the expense of Wall Street’s hidden fees. That’s good for every farmer and every manufacturer that uses derivatives the way they were meant to be used.

Protecting Taxpayers

· Making crises less likely: By strengthening shock absorbers in the system, reform will make it far less likely that a big firm will fail or that it’s failure will cause a broader panic.

· Ending bailouts: If a big financial firm is failing – despite the higher standards and tougher supervision – it will have only one fate: liquidation. There will be no taxpayer funded bailout.

· Shutting down large firms without putting the economy at risk: Regulators will have the ability to shut down and break apart failing financial firms in a safe, orderly way - without putting the rest of the financial system at risk, and without asking the taxpayers to pay a dime.

· Separating banking from speculative trading – The Volcker Rule: Financial reform will protect taxpayers and depositors by separating risky, speculative “proprietary trading” from the business of banking.

Allowing the Financial System To Do Its Job - Helping Businesses Grow

· Closing loopholes: Loopholes in financial regulation were major contributors to the financial crisis. Regulatory reform will close these loopholes. By making the financial system safer and stronger, reform will reduce the chances that a financial crisis deprives businesses of the credit they need to grown and to create jobs. Financial reform will ensure businesses a more stable and predictable source of credit through the business cycle and reduce the risk of a sharp and sudden cut-off because of financial panic.

· Create certainty so Americans can get back to work: There is no question that reform is necessary, but until we succeed, uncertainty can add to the burden for American businesses. We need to act now to end the uncertainty and restore confidence and trust in the financial system.

http://www.financialstability.gov/roadtostability/regulatoryreform.html

King James Team Good For Show Not For Championship

by Mark F. Gray

In the latest chapter in the book of King James today’s verse reads: “All the kings boys and all the kings men could get him back to the NBA Finals again”.

LeBron James has been given everything an athlete could want since he was anointed as the future of the NBA by Sports Illuustrated when he was a 15 AAU phenom in Akron. He put $90 million into his bank account from Nike before playing a minute as a pro and was given the keys to his own franchise before he could legally drink. Coaches, teammates, and executives have learned to bow in the presence of “The King” for fear that he would leave the majesty of Cleveland taking with him the faint hopes for a world championship.

Despite his entitlement, James has yet to deliver a championship. In fact the Cleveland Cavaliers are regressing in their quest for a title. Consider that it takes 16 post season victories to win an NBA championship and the Cavs have seen their post season win total drop from 12 to 6 since they went to the Finals in 2008. There are those who would argue that the team is making steady progress with back to back 60 win seasons. However, there are no championship banners raised for regular season dominance thus LeBron and the Cavs have grossly underachieved.

The problems with the Cavs don’t totally rest on the shoulders King James. There is an organizational issue that faces them much like the dilemma that faces the PGA Tour when Tiger Woods isn’t playing or in contention. Both organizations lose their relevance when the two ambassadors of the swoosh aren’t performing at a high level. While the PGA still hopes for a Tiger rebound this season, the NBA’s hope for the “Kobe vs. LeBron” finals have been thwarted for another year.

Cleveland’s biggest problem is that LeBron’s impact off the court is so large they have to capitulate to what he wants on it. The value of the franchise has doubled since he was drafted and there has been an economic revitalization downtown that has proprietors so nervous about his departure that many are preparing to go bankrupt if he leaves.

Those who say the Cavs don’t have a good enough supporting cast surrounding King James to win a title must realize he has to carry much of that blame. The roster is comprised of his boys who are great at dancing on the sidelines but not playing at a championship level in the playoffs. The $100 million payroll is better suited to audition for America’s Next Dance Crew. Perhaps Danny Ferry should hire Randy Jackson as his consultant because the Jabawokees couldn’t play any worse than Mo Williams has for the second straight year in post season.

Ultimately, coach Mike Brown will take the fall because James probably won’t sign an extension if he returns because they haven’t been on the same accord offensively for the last three years. James has all the leverage and holds all the cards. But leaving Cleveland won’t guarantee King James a championship until he proves he can play outside his comfort zone.

King James needs ballers and not buddies by his side in crunch time if he’s ever going to win it all. He also needs a veteran coach whose credibility is larger than the aura of LeBron and may need to bruise his ego sometimes in order for him to raised the play of those around him to a championship level. Championship teams have often lived in contentious locker rooms. Shaq and Kobe had their issues in Los Angeles but the Lakers won three titles in four years with Phil Jackson keeping them on edge.

The King also has to be honest with himself now. Is it more important to be an NBA champion or a global icon? Michael Jordan proved it could work hand in hand but he was driven to be a champion first and that’s what he is remembered most for. A change of address offers no guarantees until James zeal for a championship replaces his penchant for showmanship.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's ruling party is set for a landslide victory in a national election fought amid opposition accusations the government had stifled dissent

photo of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi 

story by Reuters

Provisional results released by Ethiopia's electoral board showed on Monday that the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and allies won an overwhelming number of votes in nine out of 11 regions and cities to declare so far.

"Definitely, at this point the EPRDF has won, definitely," Merga Bekana, chairman of the Ethiopian National Electoral Board (NEBE), told reporters.

Some analysts said a convincing win would give the former rebel leader the chance to accelerate development in Washington's main regional ally and improve its democratic record before Meles quits as planned in 2015.

"It is essential that both supporters and opponents of the EPRDF take advantage of this situation in a constructive way to ensure that democracy makes serious progress in Ethiopia," said David Shinn, a former U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia.

"If that happens, it could be the EPRDF's most important legacy. If it fails, it may relegate the EPRDF to the dustbin of history," he told Reuters.

But the extent of the provisional victory left some Ethiopians worried about how the opposition might react.

Some opposition leaders began complaining the election was flawed before polling booths closed, saying the EPRDF had routinely intimated and harassed critics in the days and months ahead of the election.

A 2005 poll descended into riots that killed 193 protesters and seven policemen when a different opposition coalition said it was cheated of victory after a campaign which captured the imagination of many Ethiopians.

Analysts said if the poll were given a clean bill of health by European Union observers on Tuesday morning there would be little momentum for critics to mount a convincing challenge.


OPPOSITION CRUSHED

If the EU said the poll was flawed, however, it might embolden the opposition to challenge the result and take to the streets in protest as they did in 2005.

The government has warned that any politicians who attempt to spark post-election violence will be held responsible. Top opposition leaders were jailed en masse after the 2005 chaos.

The EPRDF crushed an eight-party opposition coalition known as Medrek in Oromia, the country's most populous region and traditionally a stronghold for opponents. The electoral board said the EPRDF had 3,927,673 votes and Medrek just 117,790.

Medrek did better in the capital Addis Ababa in terms of votes, but the electoral board said it was likely to win only one seat out of 21, with two more left to declare. In 2005, the opposition swept the board in Addis and other cities.

The board said the results were from about 75 percent of the country's 43,500 polling stations, although the number of votes declared appeared somewhat low given 32 million people had registered to vote and the turnout was said to be high.

Meles told Reuters in an interview on Sunday his party would win as it had presided over seven years of double-digit growth and had begun to reform the political and judicial landscape.

While nearly 10 percent of the population relied on emergency food aid last year, the government has invested heavily in infrastructure and Meles now wants to step up power production, improve telecommunications and develop industry.

European Union election observers said on Sunday the poll was peaceful and calm, albeit with some claims of irregularities that needed to be checked.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Monday that international observers should condemn voter intimidation, drawing a sharp response from the government.

"Human Rights Watch and other so-called human rights organizations are instruments by which powerful ideologies are imposed on independent states who resist them," government spokesman Shimeles Kemal told Reuters.

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT ON SMALL BUSINESS JOBS PROPOSALS

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

___________________________________________________________

Rose Garden -- 11:23 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, everybody. Everybody please have a seat.

It is wonderful to see all of you. Welcome to the White House. I want to acknowledge a couple folks before we get started. First of all, we’ve got some special guests who are here from wonderful states. They are doing great work. We’re very, very proud of them -- Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle. Please give them a big round of applause. Stand up, guys, so everybody can see you. (Applause.)

On the stage with me, we’ve got some -- the reason we’re here -- people who have helped to live out the American Dream and created jobs. And we are extraordinarily proud of them. We’ve got Trapper Clark and Thomas Sturtevant right over here. We’ve got Charles Reid right down here. And we’ve got Tamara Marquez-Nugent. These are the outstanding winners of this award, and you’re going to be hearing more about them. I also want to introduce somebody who I’m very proud of, who’s doing just a great job as our SMA Administrator, Karen Mills. Please give her a round of applause. (Applause.)

And we’ve got some wonderful members of Congress who are here -- I love them all dearly. (Laughter.) And we’re going to talk about the role Congress can play in doing the work that needs to be done right now.

This is the beginning of National Small Business Week, which every President has recognized since John F. Kennedy started the tradition in 1963. With us are some of the most successful, most hardworking entrepreneurs from across America. Each of you has distinguished yourselves as the Small Business Owner of the Year in your state or your region. Later today, a national winner will be announced. But all of you should be extremely proud of what you’ve accomplished this year. I know that I’m extremely proud of what you’ve accomplished.

Being a successful small business person isn’t just about collecting a profit or outperforming your competition. It’s about contributing to the success of this country’s economy. It’s about contributing to your country’s continued growth and prosperity. And it’s about securing your piece of the American Dream and helping your employees and your suppliers and all the people you work with secure their piece of the American Dream.

What’s always distinguished us as a nation is a belief that it’s a place where anybody with a good idea and a willingness to work can succeed. It’s the belief that has brought millions of people to our shores, and carried us through even the toughest economic times.

It’s how small businesses begin. Maybe somebody finally decides to take a chance on his dream. Maybe a worker decides it’s time to become her own boss. Either way, these entrepreneurial pioneers embody the spirit of possibility, the tireless work ethic, and the simple hope for something better that lies at the heart of the American ideal.

Some of you have opened mom-and-pop stores that have led to America’s biggest, most successful companies. Some have launched technology companies -- software and IT services that have redefined the marketplace. You collectively create two out of every three jobs here in the United States of America -- two out of every three jobs. And that’s why small businesses aren’t just the backbone of this economy -- you’re also the driving force behind this recovery.

The problem is, is that small business owners have also been the hardest hit by this recession. From the middle of 2007 through the end of 2008, small businesses lost 2.4 million jobs. And because banks shrunk from lending in the midst of the financial crisis, it’s been difficult for small business owners to take out the loans they need to open up shop or to expand. For those who do own a small business, it’s hard to finance inventories, make payrolls, or to do that additional work that could make your business grow.

Now, government can’t create jobs, but it can help create the conditions for small businesses to grow and to thrive and to hire more workers. Government can’t guarantee a company’s success, but it can knock down the barriers that prevent small business owners from getting loans or investing in the future. And that’s why so much of our economic agenda has been focused on America’s small businesses.

Last year, we enacted seven tax cuts for America’s small businesses, as well as Making Work Pay tax credits that go to the vast majority of small business owners. So far, the Recovery Act has supported over 64,000 loans to small businesses -- more than $27 billion in new lending. More than 1,200 banks and credit unions that had stopped making SBA loans when the financial crisis hit are lending again today. And more than $8 billion in federal Recovery Act contracts are now going to small businesses.

So right now, a series of additional tax incentives and other steps to promote hiring are taking effect. Because of a bill I signed into law a few months ago, businesses are now eligible for tax cuts when they hire unemployed workers. Companies are also able to write off more of their investments in new equipment. And as part of the health reform package, 4 million small business owners recently received a postcard in their mailboxes telling them that they could be eligible for a health care tax credit this year. It’s worth perhaps tens of thousands of dollars to your companies. And it will provide welcome relief to small business owners, who -- I know you guys understand -- all too often have to choose between hiring or keeping your health care for yourselves and your workers.

I also want to say a few words about what the SBA has been doing to help those workers and business owners who’ve been affected by the oil spill in the Gulf Coast. From the very beginning of this disaster, the SBA has acted quickly to assist fishermen and fishing-dependent small businesses. They’re offering low-interest loans and deferrals of existing loans. And while small businesses are encouraged to file claims with BP, these loans and deferrals can provide much needed temporary assistance.

So all of these steps have made a real difference in the lives of the people who own and work at small businesses all across America -- and that includes all of you who are here with us today.

I just met with Trapper and Tom, who are the state of Maine’s Small Business Owners of the Year. Karen assures me that the reason they’re on stage is not because they’re from Maine, her home state. (Laughter.) They started a company that manufactures aluminum trailers about four years ago with 20 employees. They’ve grown rapidly over the last few years, and that growth has been supported by a Recovery Act loan from the Small Business Administration. They got some of their fees waived. And today, they have 85 employees, are planning to add another 15 by the end of this year, and hope to add another 30 by the end of 2011.

Frank and Donna Masley are here. They are Delaware’s Small Business Owners of the Year. Where are they? There they are, right there. Congratulations.

Ten years ago, they launched a glove-making business to provide flexibility and protection for our men and women in uniform. When they won a contract to supply gloves for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009, they received a Recovery Act loan through the SBA and saved thousands on fees. It was that loan that allowed Frank and Donna to rehire some employees who had been laid off during this recession, and today their business is growing and thriving once more.

So many people who are here today have stories just like this. Their success isn’t the result of a heavy-handed government. It’s the result of a government that lent a helping hand -- that complements the sheer grit and determination of America’s small business owners. And I believe we need to do even more to give these men and women a boost.

So that’s why I’m calling on Congress to pass small business jobs -- a small business jobs package as soon as possible. This legislation should ensure that creditworthy small business owners can get the capital they need to expand and create jobs. It should include needed tax relief, like our proposal to completely eliminate capital gains taxes for those making key long-term investments in small businesses. It should include expansions of vital Small Business Administration loan programs that are needed now more than ever. And it should include two important lending initiatives that I recently sent to Congress.

The first initiative is the $30 billion Small Business Lending Fund I called for in my State of the Union address. This fund would target only small community and neighborhood banks, and it would help these institutions increase lending to small businesses. The second initiative is a new state small business credit program that we recently proposed, working with governors like Governor Doyle and Governor Granholm. It’s an initiative that will help expand private lending for small businesses and manufacturers at a time when budget shortfalls are leading states to cut back on vitally important lending programs.

Now, I’m very pleased that elements of this small business jobs package have already passed the House Financial Services Committee last week, and I know that the Senate is working on the issue as well. I urge both chambers to act on these proposals as soon as possible.

This shouldn’t be a partisan issue. This is not a Republican issue or a Democratic issue. This should not be an issue about big government versus small government. This is an issue that involves putting government on the side of small business owners who create most of the jobs in this country. It’s about giving them tax credits and loans and tax cuts so they can keep growing and keep hiring. It’s about unleashing the great power of our economy and the ingenuity of our people.

And when you have a chance to talk to Charles and you find out what he’s been doing in Michigan, creating a business that is expanding, working with restaurants and other institutions on their designs; when you think about somebody like Tamara, who started her own business after her husband, I believe, actually had to take disability and she’s now growing and hiring employees, getting into a business that historically has been male-dominated, the moving business -- when you hear their stories, you can’t help but be inspired. And you realize that there are thousands of people all across America who, despite the odds, despite the naysayers, are going out there and making their dreams happen.

So that’s what today should be about and that’s what this package in Congress should be about -- unleashing the great power of our economy and the ingenuity of our people. In so many ways, each of you today have shown that ingenuity as you’ve successfully navigated your companies through an extraordinarily difficult time -- the toughest time that we’ve seen since the Great Depression. You should be proud of that achievement, and know that as you continue that journey, you’re always going to have a fierce advocate in your President and in your SBA Administrator and in your government.

So thank you very much, everybody. Congratulations. (Applause.)

END 11:35 A.M. EDT

Judge Sentences Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to 5 Years in Prison

photo by AP

A judge has sentenced former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick to from one-and-a-half to five years in prison for violating the terms of his probation on an obstruction of justice conviction.
Kilpatrick asked Judge David Groner to show him compassion during the Tuesday hearing. But Groner said "that ship has sailed."

Kilpatrick was led from the courtroom in handcuffs.

Groner ruled last month that the 39-year-old Kilpatrick failed to report all of his assets and meet other conditions of his probation.

Kilpatrick was ordered to pay the city $1 million after pleading guilty in 2008 to obstruction of justice. Sexually explicit text messages showed Kilpatrick lied under oath about an affair with a staffer.

The New Miss USA: Progress or Bigger Problems for Muslims?

commentary in Huffington Post
written by Nida Khan - News correspondent for WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York


Long before the now-infamous scantily clad pictures of the newly crowned Miss USA gyrating against a pole surfaced, the debate surrounding Rima Fakih's triumph was already well under way in certain households. Virtually overnight, the American Muslim diaspora was cast into the spotlight in an unprecedented and complex manner. On the one hand, Rima's win symbolized a tremendous gain for Muslim acceptance into broader society and pop culture. But as the concepts of modesty and humility remain central to Islam, many began questioning if winning a beauty pageant was truly a moment of joviality.

Now to be fair, Rima has not openly proclaimed herself to be a Muslim. In fact, she has stated that her family 'celebrates both the Muslim and Christian faiths' and she instead classifies herself simply as an Arab American. But since the media, pundits and average folk have already dubbed her a representative of the community, let's treat this as such.

As an American Muslim woman who prides herself on bridging the many worlds that encompass my own identity, I was initially elated to learn that an Arab American took home the crown in a contest that serves as a pinnacle -- if not the pinnacle -- for the standard of beauty in this nation. FINALLY, I thought. At a time when the Muslim and Arab disposition is so often misconstrued and stereotypically represented, Rima's win in my mind served as a reminder that 1.5 billion people on this planet are not a homogenous body, but rather represent a broad spectrum of lifestyles. This was undoubtedly, a great moment for us -- or so I presumed.

"Everyone practices his or her faith in their own way," says Suehaila Amen, VP of the Lebanese American Heritage Club in Dearborn, Michigan, who has interacted with Rima in the community for several years. "But you're not going to get Muslims to say this is who we are, and this is what being a Muslim is all about. On the one hand, it's great; Rima has the opportunity to put Dearborn and Arab Americans on the map, but I would love to see other ways of Muslims being accepted into the mainstream culture."

In a country where assimilation is the appropriate means of gaining acceptance, how much is too much? Can one strip (no pun intended) his or her identity to the point where the values and culture that defined this individual become virtually non-existent? As I continue to boast of 'one of our own' taking home the crown, I cannot help but think of those women who don't feel comfortable wearing a bikini or who -- dare I say -- cover their hair. Even though I firmly believe people need a moderate balance of the competing dualities that define him or her, I cannot say without hesitation that Rima's conquest is a gain for those on the more conservative end of the spectrum.

Dawud Walid, an assistant Imam of Masjid Wali Muhammad in Detroit and an active participant in the Dearborn community believes Rima's pageant win puts an unwarranted burden on the 24-year-old.

"She won a beauty contest, and now she's being looked upon as an ambassador to her religion," he says. "Every time you have a person from an oppressed group break the threshold in a specific area, suddenly they are forced to represent the entire community whether or not they are qualified to do so or even have the desire to do so."

Case in point: Vanessa Williams. As the first African American woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1984, her victory -- and almost immediate downfall -- became a reflection of all African American women in the court of public opinion. And in the decades since, African American women have been consistently battling for appropriate representation within mainstream society when it comes to the notion of beauty. Instead of headscarf versus no scarf, the conversation has often centered around light skin versus dark skin. But the underlying principle is still the same -- when does acceptance translate into conformity?

During my days as the editor-in-chief of a Muslim magazine dedicated to young professionals, I debated and probed these very issues with my all-female staff. And today, while I'm ecstatic that we are finally depicted in another context outside of the usual long-bearded extremist chanting epithets in Arabic while draped in long garb, I have to think of our progress in critical terms. Even though Rima's victory is undoubtedly shattering the proverbial glass ceiling, it is also simultaneously painting those Muslim women who practice the religion in a more traditional manner as further and further from the norm.

As Muslims slowly receive recognition from the halls of Congress to the latest swimsuit competition, I'm torn between pride and notions of otherness. While the United States continually diversifies and reshapes its own identity, I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Rima pulled out a hijab (headscarf) last minute and tied it snuggly underneath her crown right before taking the legendary Miss USA victory walk.

Rand Paul, and now Fox News' anchor John Stossel justifies Paul's Private Business Ownership Discrimination argument!

Email letter below written by Colorofchange.org

Subject: Whites only?
From: no-reply@colorofchange.org
To: maryannandandy@msn.com
Date: Sat, 22 May 2010 14:51:41 +0000
 
Dear Andrew,

On Wednesday, Rand Paul, the GOP’s US Senate candidate for Kentucky repeated his claim that a central piece of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was wrong, and that businesses should be free to discriminate against whomever they please.1 Paul and his supporters don’t seem to care that without federal intervention, Black people might still be second-class citizens in many aspects of American life: where we eat, where we work, even where we live.

Then, on Thursday, FOX anchor John Stossel went even further, calling for the section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that applies to business to be repealed.2 And he’s refused to back down.

While Paul may have started this outrage, he can be taken care of at the ballot box — FOX News can’t.

Stossel’s position is an affront to Black America and everyone in this country who believes in racial progress. It’s one thing to be a candidate with backwards views. It’s another to be employed by a supposed news network and to use that platform to push hateful ideas that our nation repudiated decades ago.

It’s time that FOX drop Stossel. If people like you stand up in huge numbers and FOX does not act, it will be clear that FOX stands with Stossel and his values — and we'll go directly after the network with a public campaign unlike anything we’ve pursued to date.

Can you add your voice to the call to fire Stossel? And please ask your friends and family to do the same. It takes only a moment — just click below:

http://www.colorofchange.org/stossel/?id=1724-1197770

FOX has a history of providing a platform for bigoted views and race-baiting. Most recently you helped us hold FOX accountable by stripping Glenn Beck of more than 100 of his advertisers, after Beck called President Obama a “racist” with a “deep-seated hatred for white people.”3

But Stossel has arguably gone beyond Beck, echoing segregationist arguments from the Jim Crow era:

"It’s time now to repeal that part of the law because private businesses ought to get to discriminate. And I won’t ever go to a place that’s racist and I will tell everybody else not to and I’ll speak against them. But it should be their right to be racist."

Stossel went on to argue something that history has disproved time and again — that private business will do the right thing, without being compelled by laws, because no one would patronize a business that discriminates. It’s a blind belief in market fundamentalism that just isn’t in sync with reality. In the '60s, white-owned businesses that allowed Blacks as customers lost business. Market forces actually perpetuated discrimination; they didn’t combat it. Simply put: segregation would still be active in parts of this country if government hadn’t stepped in.

And recent history has shown that the public accommodations section of the Civil Rights Act is still needed. In 1994, it was used to hold Denny’s Restaurants accountable, after the chain repeatedly refused to seat Black customers.4 Just last year, it was used to go after a Philadelphia pool that prevented Black children from swimming there.5

It’s time for FOX News to make a choice. Are they going to give Stossel a platform to revive dangerously outdated perspectives? Or will they move with the rest of the nation into the 21st century? Please call on FOX News to fire John Stossel. And once you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same:

http://www.colorofchange.org/stossel/?id=1724-1197770

Thanks and Peace,

-- James, Gabriel, William, Dani, Milton and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team

May 22nd, 2010

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU -- your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way. You can contribute here:

https://secure.colorofchange.org/contribute/

References:

1. “Rand Paul On ‘Maddow’ Defends Criticism Of Civil Rights Act, Says He Would Have Worked To Change Bill,” Huffington Post, 5-20-10

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/246?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=7

2. “Stossel calls for repeal of public accommodations section of Civil Rights Act,” Media Matters, 5-20-10

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/247?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=9

3. “Beck’s UK broadcast runs without ads; over 100 companies have ditched Beck,” Jack and Jill Politics, 2-16-10

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/248?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=11

4. “Denny’s Restaurants to Pay $54 Million in Race Bias Suits,” 5-25-94

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/251?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=13

5. “Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, Country Club Alleging Discrimination,” US Department of Justice press release, 1-13-10

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/252?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=15

Additional:

“Dancing with the Devil,” ColorOfChange.org, 3-14-07

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/249?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=17

Summary on FOX News and coverage relating to Black Americans

http://act.colorofchange.org/go/250?akid=1465.1142874.mYbc4X&t=19

Mayor Dave Bing: When a gun shot replaces a jump shot!

commentary by Harold Bell

Poor training and poor planning leaves a 7 year old little girl dead. The Detroit Police Department is being blamed for the child’s untimely death.

A Detroit newspaper reported “It often seems that even the most heinous crime fails to move Detroit, a city almost numb to violence. But a series of shooting deaths in recent days have been particularly chilling.

The killings have struck across all age groups: a grandmother, a middle-aged cop, a 7-year-old child. This time, outrage is building, but what will it lead to? Is there anything more substantive the city can do to fight gun violence? Can the city afford to put more officers on the streets?”

The city’s reputation for crime needs a turning point – and its new Mayor is the point guard—Dave Bing.

The most recent case began last Friday, May 14, when a 17-year-old high school student standing in front of a store in one of Detroit’s bleakest neighborhoods was shot by a man twice his age for reasons that remain unclear. The boy, police said, stumbled across the street, collapsed and died. Then, shortly after midnight Sunday, Detroit police officers arrived at a two-story house not far away.

With a warrant in hand, they planned to search the house for the 34-year-old suspect. Officers say they announced their presence and then tossed a flash grenade into the front window of one side of the duplex to disorient the people inside. Then, police say, officers entered the house, where a 46-year-old grandmother in the front room allegedly struggled with an officer. Next, police say, an officer’s gun discharged, fatally shooting the woman’s 7-year-old granddaughter Aiyana Stanley Jones.

Two years ago Dave Bing came back to his original hometown of Washington, DC and officially announced to friends and family he was running for Mayor of his adopted hometown of Detroit.

The announcement came during a Spingarn high school class re-union in 2008. My question to him was, Why?

It looked like he was a man that had everything. He was a NBA Hall of Fame basketball player and voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players of all time. He had money earned as a successful businessman and three daughters to take over and run the family business. Why would he want the headaches that would come with trying revive a city on life support?

The city of Detroit was “Dead” the only thing left was for someone to start shoveling the dirt on top of it to bury it.

I admit I was at a disadvantaged. I was on the outside looking in, but still the question of Why stayed on my mind. It finally hit me that Dave had made Detroit his home for the past 43 years, what did I know and when did I know it?

I have known Dave since he was a little skinny kid playing basketball on the playgrounds of Watts and Kelly Miller playgrounds. He was from a hard working family in the NE section of DC. I watched him develop and grow as an athlete and a man.

His development as an athlete was ahead of his development as a man.

More: http://hbsportslegends.com/?p=897

President Obama's Weekly Address - May 22nd, 2010: BP Spill Independent Commission

The President announces that the independent commission he created for the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling will be chaired by former Florida Governor and Senator Bob Graham and former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly. He promises accountability not just for BP, but for those in government who bore responsibility.

Roland Martin Going After Campbell Brown's CNN Slot

written by Richard Prince

Roland Martin, the CNN contributor who filled in for host Campbell Brown when she took maternity leave last year, will be angling to replace her in the time slot, Martin's agent, Marc Watts, told Journal-isms on Wednesday.
"It's always been a goal of mine, to place Roland in a prime time hosting role," said Watts, a former CNN correspondent himself.

"Once again, a star anchor is leaving CNN. This time it is Campbell Brown, and she is leaving with an extraordinary amount of candor," Brian Stelter wrote Tuesday for the New York Times.

"In a heartfelt statement on Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Brown said she was leaving on her own accord, having concluded that she was unable to compete with the opinion-mongers that dominate cable news in prime time.

“ 'The simple fact is that not enough people want to watch my program, and I owe it to myself and to CNN to get out of the way so that CNN can try something else,' she wrote. 'CNN will have to figure out what that is.' "

". . . In a separate statement, the CNN/U.S. president Jonathan Klein gave no indication about what program or what host would take over Ms. Brown’s time slot.

“ 'Today is about Campbell,' he said in the statement. 'We want to wish her well as she begins the next phase of her life. We respect her decision to leave. We will announce our programming plans in the coming weeks.' ”
In addition to his CNN duties, Martin contributes to radio's syndicated "Tom Joyner Morning Show," writes a column for Creators Syndicate and hosts "Washington Watch," a Sunday public affairs show, on TV One.

Arizona Governor uses puppet video to sell immigration law

story by The Hill
written by Jordan Fabian

Who knew that Kermit the Frog was this into politics. The campaign of Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) has put out a video that features a frog puppet -- that looks much like the famous Sesame Street character -- to help sell the state's controversial immigration law.
The frog encourages opponents to read the immigration law before criticizing it.

Some may scoff, but the law has boosted Brewer in the polls over her Democratic opponent, Terry Goddard.

Death in Detroit raises questions about reality TV

story by AP
written by Corey Williams and Jeff Karoub

Photo left: Dominika Stanley, left, the mother of 7-year-old Aiyana Jones, who was killed early Sunday in Detroit, sits next to Aiyana's father Charles Jones in attorney Geoffrey Fieger's office in Southfield, Mich., Tuesday, May 18, 2010. Fieger, the lawyer for the family of the slain 7-year-old Detroit girl has filed two lawsuits related to a weekend raid that led to her death. Fieger says Detroit police had no legitimate reason to throw a flash grenade into the home of Aiyana Jones early Sunday. He says she was burned by the explosive and struck by a police bullet shot from outside the home. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

DETROIT -- When police burst into a home in search of a murder suspect, a reality TV crew documented the raid - and may have recorded the death of a 7-year-old girl accidentally killed by an officer.

Aiyana Stanley-Jones' death put a spotlight on the growing number of reality shows that focus on law enforcement. A number of big-city departments have used shows such as Fox's "Cops" to attract recruits. Others have shied away from the up-close attention. And critics have questioned whether police behave differently when cameras are watching.

Some experts and officers believe TV crews increase accountability.

"I don't see someone doing anything outlandish for the cameras because it's more of a liability for us," Detroit officer Brandon Cole said.

Detroit homicide investigators are featured regularly on A&E's "The First 48," which tracks murder investigations during the first two days after a slaying. On Sunday, a crew from the show was filming when police raided Aiyana's house in search of a suspect in the killing of a 17-year-old outside a convenience store.

Police have said Aiyana was wounded inside the house when an officer was jostled by, or collided with, the girl's grandmother. An attorney for the family said the shot came from the porch.

A spokesman for "The First 48" would not say if the raid was recorded, but police confirmed that the crew was present and that they are reviewing footage from that night.

Having a reality camera crew along on a police raid contributes to a culture that reduces everything to mere entertainment, said Hal Niedzviecki, author of "The Peep Diaries: How We're Learning to Love Watching Ourselves and Our Neighbors."

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/19/AR2010051903750.html

Wall Street bill nearing finish line as Senate passes legislation 59-39

story by The Hill
by Silla Brush - 05/20/10 08:50 PM ET
President Barack Obama on Thursday moved to the cusp of winning a major overhaul of Wall Street, following the worst financial crisis since the 1930s.

The Senate on Thursday voted 59-39 to support the sprawling 1,500-page bill that now heads to a conference between the House and Senate. Four Republicans joined Democrats in support of the bill.

More: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/99105-wall-street-bill-nearing-finish-line

Lawsuits Filed in Death of Detroit Girl

story by Wall St. Journal
written by Mike Ramsey

SOUTHFIELD, Mich.—The family of a seven-year-old girl who was killed in a police raid filed federal and state lawsuits Tuesday accusing the Detroit police department with negligence and misconduct in the matter.

Aiyana Jones was shot and killed Sunday during a raid on her Detroit duplex home where police were searching for a murder suspect. Police say an officer tussled with Jones's grandmother—or ran into her—causing the gun to fire accidentally and killing the second-grader.

In separate lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for Eastern Michigan and Michigan's Circuit Court for Wayne County, the family alleges that the police account is false and that the shot that killed Jones was fired from outside the home.

At a news conference Tuesday, the family's attorney, Geoffrey Fieger, said footage shot by a video crew accompanying the police supports the lawsuits' contention.

"It's clear that the shot came through the open door or through the hole in the plate glass window—it clearly was not shot through the wall. This was shot into the room," Mr. Fieger said, surrounded by the girl's family.

A spokesman for the Detroit Police Department declined to comment on the lawsuits.

Detroit police had a search warrant to raid the duplex in pursuit of a man wanted in connection with a recent murder. A man was arrested in the upstairs unit, which has a separate entrance from the home where Jones was.

Police haven't yet released the name of the man arrested, and as of Tuesday had neither charged or released him.

Mr. Fieger identified the man as Chancey Owens, and said he lives in the upper part of the home with the girl's aunt.

A crew from Arts & Entertainment television's "First 48" show was at the scene the night of the shooting.

Mr. Fieger said he thinks the video that he saw was taken by a second crew that was at the scene. A man from the crew called him Sunday night and allowed Mr. Fieger to view the footage Monday, Mr. Fieger said.

Mr. Fieger is in touch with the man's attorney about obtaining a copy of the video.

The Michigan State Police have taken over the investigation of the shooting. "The videotape is just one piece of evidence being considered," said Capt. Harold Love, a spokesman for the state police. "This will be an all-inclusive investigation."

The lawsuits filed by Jones's family allege police committed "gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress." They also allege unnamed officers "tried to cover up their unlawful acts by filing false reports."

Statement by President Obama on Oil Liability

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 2010

Statement by President Obama on Oil Liability

"I am disappointed that an effort to ensure that oil companies pay fully for disasters they cause has stalled in the United States Senate on a partisan basis. This maneuver threatens to leave taxpayers, rather than the oil companies, on the hook for future disasters like the BP oil spill. I urge the Senate Republicans to stop playing special interest politics and join in a bipartisan effort to protect taxpayers and demand accountability from the oil companies.”

Attorney, for parents of the 7-year old girl killed by Detroit policeman, speaks in court

Video by ABC News

Citadel Broadcasting Wins Court Approval of Reorganization Plan

story by Bloomberg Businessweek
written by Don Jeffrey


May 18 (Bloomberg) -- Citadel Broadcasting Corp., the third-largest radio station owner in the U.S., won court approval to exit bankruptcy over the objections of shareholders who said the company is worth more than executives and bankers assert.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Burton Lifland in Manhattan said yesterday he will sign a confirmation order approving Citadel’s reorganization plan. He overruled objections by the shareholders.

“The debtor has met the burden of confirmation,” Lifland said at the close of a nine-hour hearing in New York that centered around the subject of the valuation of the company’s worth.

Shareholders led by Aurelius Capital Partners LP opposed the plan, saying that bankers valued the company too low, thus denying owners of stock any recovery on their investment. Lazard Ltd., Citadel’s banker, used the company’s earnings projections to arrive at a valuation showing the company is worth less than its debt.

Citadel, based in Las Vegas, filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in December, saying the recession “put a chokehold on advertising spending,” its main source of revenue.

The reorganization plan will give holders of $2.14 billion of secured debt a new $762.5 million loan and 90 percent of the shares of the reorganized company. Holders of unsecured claims will receive the remaining 10 percent of the stock and $36 million in cash. Equity holders will receive nothing...

For more of article, click here... http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-18/citadel-broadcasting-wins-court-approval-of-reorganization-plan.html -- or -- click above title.

PUSH EXCEL 4th Annual Scholarship Gala

YouTube turns five years old with a billion views daily

Classic YouTube performance

story by PC World
written by JR Raphael,

YouTube is celebrating the third anniversary of its acquisition by Google by showing off an awful lot of O's. The little video site that could announced on Friday it was now streaming a full billion video views a day -- the majority of which, I have to assume, consist of cats playing music and teens doing awkward dances.

Still, a billion views a day is nothing to say "Numa Numa" over. YouTube has come a long way in a short time -- evolving much, you might say, like the dance moves shown in its most viewed video of all time.

Attorney: "Video shows police fired into Detroit home" -- Contradicting police version of how 7-year-old was shot

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

Should Detroit Police Have Had Cameras Rolling When Girl was Shot? Link directly below:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/WorldNews/detroit-police-covered-aiyanna-jones-died-raid-attorney/story?id=10677976
below story and below photo by AP

DETROIT(AP) - An attorney for the family of a 7-year-old girl slain during a weekend raid at their Detroit home says video footage contradicts the police department's version of events.

Geoffrey Fieger said Monday that footage shot by the A&E crime-reality show "The First 48" shows that police fired into the home at least once after lobbing a flash grenade through a window.

He says that contradicts the police department's explanation that an officer's gun fired during a confrontation with a resident inside the home. Seven-year-old Aiyana Jones was shot in the neck and died.

Fieger says he viewed three to four minutes of footage but declined to say who showed it to him. The police department says it is trying to acquire the video.

An A&E spokesman declined to comment.

Beneath a broken glass window where the police threw a flash grenade, Aiyana Jones' father Charles Jones (known as C.J.), front, mourns his 7-year-old daughter's death while sitting on the porch of their home in Detroit on Sunday.

The girl's father, 25-year-old Charles Jones, told The Detroit News he had just gone to bed early Sunday after covering his daughter with her favorite Disney princess blanket when he heard a flash grenade followed by a gunshot. When he rushed into the living room, he said, police forced him to lie on the ground, with his face in his daughter's blood.

"I'll never be the same. That's my only daughter," Jones told WXYZ-TV.

Assistant Chief Ralph Godbee earlier said officers set off the flash grenade as they entered the apartment with their guns drawn about 12:40 a.m. Sunday with a warrant to look for a suspect in the Friday slaying of a 17-year-old boy. The lead officer's gun went off after he encountered a 46-year-old woman inside the front room of the home and "some level of physical contact" ensued. Police do not believe the gun was fired intentionally.

"This is any parent's worst nightmare. It also is any police officer's worst nightmare," Godbee said.

Family members identified the woman as the child's grandmother and Charles Jones' mother, Mertilla Jones, who has said she was not involved in a struggle with the officer. Police later said the officer may have just collided with the woman.



Officer on leave

The officer was put on paid administrative leave and police are investigating, Godbee said.

"This is a tragedy of unspeakable magnitude to Aiyana's parents, family and all those who loved her," Godbee said. "It is a tragedy we also feel very deeply throughout the ranks of the Detroit Police Department."

Charles Jones said he had to wait for hours to find out what happened to his daughter.

"Her blood was everywhere and I was trying to stay calm, but nobody would talk to me. None of them even tried to console me," Jones told The Detroit News.

The officers had a search warrant and were looking for a 34-year-old man suspected in the shooting death of Jarean Blake. Officers arrested the suspect during a search of the building, Godbee said.

Godbee would not comment on newspaper reports that neighbors told police there were children in the house and showed them toys in the front yard. The girl's father said three other children besides Aiyana were in the home when the raid happened.

Charles Jones said he was trying not to be angry but wanted the story to be told. He said Aiyana was a lively child who loved to sing and had recently developed an interest in Hannah Montana and the Justin Bieber song "Baby."

"She was just figuring out what she liked, what she wanted to do with her life," her father said. "I want this story to be heard. This was a wrongful death."

Oregon White Supremacist Pleads Guilty for Threatening Lima, Ohio, Civil Rights Leader by Mailing Noose

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 17, 2010

WASHINGTON- Daniel Lee Jones, a Portland, Ore., white supremacist, pleaded guilty to using the Postal Service to send a threatening communication to the president of the Lima, Ohio, chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Justice Department announced today.

In the plea agreement, Jones admits to mailing F.M. Jason Upthegrove a hangman’s noose, which arrived at Mr. Upthegrove’s home on or about Feb. 14, 2008. Jones further states in the plea agreement that he mailed the communication containing the hangman’s noose in order to convey a threat to injure Mr. Upthegrove because he was an African-American who publicly advocated for better police services for African-Americans in Lima, Ohio. The indictment indicates that Mr. Upthegrove also spoke out in the media against Jones’s white supremacist group’s mailing of hate flyers related to the shooting of an African-American woman by a member of the Lima Police Department.

Jones faces a maximum prison sentence of five years and a potential fine of up to $250,000 for his conviction.

"A noose is an unmistakable symbol of hate in our nation, and it was used in this case to intimidate an individual for exercising his right to speak out and advocate on behalf of others," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. "The Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who resort to violent threats to silence such advocates, especially when that threat is motivated by hate."

"Sending a noose is a threat that harkens back to some of the darkest days of our history. We simply will not tolerate such actions any longer," said U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach.

The case was investigated by FBI Special Agent Brian Russ, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bauer from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Special Legal Counsel Barry Kowalski and Trial Attorney Shan Patel from the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

10-579                                                      Civil Rights Division

Radio One, Inc. Reports First Quarter Results

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Radio One, Inc. today reported its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2010. Net revenue was approximately $59.0 million, a decrease of 2.1% from the same period in 2009. Station operating income(1) was approximately $17.8 million, an increase of 5.0% from the same period in 2009. The Company reported operating income of approximately $3.8 million compared to an operating loss of approximately $42.8 million for the same period in 2009. Net loss was approximately $4.6 million or $0.09 per share, an improvement from the net loss of approximately $59.4 million or $0.84 per share for the same period in 2009.

Alfred C. Liggins, III, Radio One's CEO and President stated, "The first quarter brought some much needed revenue growth to our core radio business, driven predominantly by national business, which was up 17.7% year-to-year and some uptick in local business, up 3.6%. Our core radio business also saw its second consecutive quarter with over $1.0 million in internet revenue, which had growth of 72.0% year-to-year. We continue to see healthy pacings in second quarter, with national pacing up 27.0% and local up 1.0%, although national has cooled somewhat over the past two to three weeks. I anticipate our second quarter core radio business finishing up with high single-digit growth.

The sales transition at Reach Media, away from a guaranteed revenue to a commissioned based sales representation agreement with Citadel, has gone as well as could be expected. The new internal sales team has settled in, and we believe that the new structure, coupled with increased demand will allow us to strengthen rates over the long-term."