News of the Week
Nuclear Crisis *************** Japan: "Where are our robots designed to deal with nuclear disasters?" Hot Air linked an article in the Washington Post that points out the west has robots designed to deal with nuclear accidents awaiting duty as Japan asks, "Where are ours?" Japan is not without robots. Wisconsin Vote-Counting Error In Wisconsin Points to Incompetence, Not Conspiracy By NATE SILVER When Kathy Nickolaus, the county clerk in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, spoke to the press on Thursday after revealing that she had failed to count more than 14,000 ballots in the hotly contested state supreme court election, one might have expected her to offer her resignation. *************** Prosser defeats Kloppenberg Initial joy of Kloppenberg supporters turn to the Schadenfreude of her opponents Arab Revolts *************** Gunfire erupts as army seals Syrian city By BASSEM MROUE BEIRUT (AP) - Gunfire erupted across a key port city in northeastern Syria on Sunday after the army sealed the area off, deploying tanks and cutting communications. Human rights activists said there were fatalities. *************** Sexual violence under Qaddafi by Worldview Sexual violence against women is a taboo subject in Libya. Libyan Iman al-Obeidi caught the world’s attention last month when she burst into a Tripoli hotel and told the international press she was detained and gang-raped by Qaddafi’s militiamen. The scene—and her subsequent seizure by pro-Qaddafi hotel workers—was captured on video. *************** Turkey working on 'roadmap' to end Libya war Erdogan says talks being held for ceasefire which would include withdrawal of Gaddafi's forces from some cities. *************** Syrian protest town 'holds general strike' The southern Syrian town of Daraa, the centre of pro-democracy protests, was hit by a general strike on Tuesday and braced for fresh rallies after midday prayers, a rights activist said. *************** Massacre in Syria Live ammunition was used against mourners in Dara'a today during procession of funerals of some 30 people who died yesterday in Dara'a alone. RPS received information that several more people were killed and tens of injuries. *************** Obamacare *************** In U.S., 1 in 4 Adults Have Government Health Insurance At least 1 in 10 American adults across all age groups have government healthcare by Elizabeth Mendes WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As House Republicans put forth a budget proposal that seeks to reshape the government-run healthcare programs Medicare and Medicaid, Gallup finds that 1 in 4 U.S. adults, including at least 1 in 10 American adults across all age groups, benefit from one of these programs or military/veterans' benefits. Seniors and young adults are the most likely to report having government-based health insurance. "Hide the Decline" *************** Votes Coming on EPA CO2 Maneuvers Jazz Shaw As early as today, Congress will be taking up two different matters, both of which seek to prevent the EPA from effectively passing a back-door version of Cap and Trade by regulating greenhouse gas emissions. First, the House is scheduled to vote on HR 910, the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011. You can read the full text of the bill here, but the summary pretty much says it all. War
& Terror *************** Gaddafi forces enter Ajdabiya by Ed Morrissey NATO aerial attacks do not appear to be slowing the eastern thrust of Moammar Gaddafi’s forces in Libya, as his troops have rebels reeling backwards yet again. Loyalist forces reached the gates of Ajdabiya today, and that threatens to reduce the rebel forces into a pocket that will be difficult to escape *************** Russia wants 'red button' rights for US missile defence system A top Kremlin official has told the United States Russia wants "red button" rights to a new US-backed missile defence system for Europe, a move that would allow it to influence the shield's day-to-day operational use. *************** Rubio: ‘Derecognize’ Qaddafi Regime By Robert Costa Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.), a freshman member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, tells National Review Online that the United States should “derecognize” the Qaddafi regime and set up a provisional embassy in Benghazi to begin “assisting the opposition’s needs and to negotiate the terms of formal recognition.” *************** Americans Killed While Waiting To Cross Border The MMA fighter was one of two men gunned down in an execution-style killing *************** Russia wants 'red button' rights for US missile defence system A top Kremlin official has told the United States Russia wants "red button" rights to a new US-backed missile defence system for Europe, a move that would allow it to influence the shield's day-to-day operational use. *************** China's Navy: rising threat A global challenge to America By JOSEPH CALLO & DANIEL MANDEL News broke this week that China may be nearly ready to launch its first aircraft carrier. Yes, the photos released by the state news agency are of a reconditioned ship originally bought from Ukraine -- but Beijing is quite likely to follow up with its own construction in the years ahead. It has already announced that it's begun training programs for carrier pilots. *************** ElBaradei: We'll fight back if Israel attacks Gaza In interview with Arab newspaper, former IAEA chief says if elected as Egypt's next president he will open Rafah crossing in case of an Israeli attack *************** National *************** Conservatives: Bill would increase number of Obama’s czars By John Rossomando - The Daily Caller Legislation co-sponsored by Tennessee GOP Sen. Lamar Alexander has Tea Party and other conservative leaders crying foul because it backs away from their goal of bringing added congressional accountability to President Obama’s czars, now 37 in number. *************** Opponents of Gun-Free Zones at Universities Find Unlikely Hero in Nevada Woman By Claudia Cowan Across the country, lawmakers are debating whether universities should let students and faculty with permits carry their concealed weapon on campus. Those who want to put an end to such gun-free zones have found an unlikely hero in a petite, soft spoken, young woman who wonders why colleges protect most Constitutional rights, but not the one that matters most when staring into the face of a violent criminal. *************** New Planned Parenthood Report: Record Abortions Done in 2009 by Steven Ertelt A new report the Planned Parenthood national abortion business recently released shows the embattled agency did more abortions in 2009 than it has done in any prior year. The report also shows it providing fewer pregnant women with non-abortion services. *************** Freedom of Information? Fifteen Months Waiting for Four Blank Pages Last year, PJM made a FOIA request regarding who flew to the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. Why did it go all the way to the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and why was everything redacted? *************** In past, Democrats embraced policy riders By JONATHAN ALLEN Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and President Barack Obama hate policy riders. They have no place in spending bills, the top Democrats have said during the latest budget debate. *************** Parody gets more views than real Obama launch The National Republican Senatorial Committee's parody of Obama's 2012 campaign, released Friday, now has 665,000 views on YouTube. *************** Irish-born adviser now key to Obama foreign policy By CATHY HAYES , IrishCentral.com Staff Writer Economy
& Taxes *************** US Going Same Route as Greece, Portugal: Economist By: Lisa Auret The US is going down a similar road as that taken by Greece and Portugal with regard to its budget decisions, John E. Silvia, chief economist at Wells Fargo, said on Wednesday. *************** 74% Say They Should Pay No More Than 20% of Their Income in Taxes While a majority U.S. Voters says the average American shells out 30% or more of their income in taxes, most believe they should pay no more than 20%. *************** Republican Budget Plan to Eliminate National Debt: Ryan By: Jeff Cox The Republican budget proposal will eliminate the national debt while still preserving costly entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security, Rep. Paul Ryan told CNBC. *************** Ryan: Budget Fights Moral Decline as ‘Dependency and Passivity’ Weaken the Country By Bridget Johnson House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan will warn at AEI today that the country is at a “tipping point” in its debt crisis that threatens to “curtail free enterprise” and lead to a “gradual moral-political decline as dependency and passivity weaken the nation’s character.” *************** Ryan's Plan: Necessary But Not Sufficient Paul Ryan released his new deficit-cutting budget plan today, saving almost $6 trillion over the next 10 years, which is very nice. Really. The National Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform released a similar plan last December, saving almost $2 trillion by 2020, and it too was nice. **************** Eat the Rich The math on taxing the rich *************** International *************** Peru to elect new president Leftist frontrunner Ollanta Humala set to make gains, but election expected to go to second round. *************** In Russia, growing rumblings of discontent By Masha Lipman For three months the approval ratings of Russia’s top leaders have declined — a trend that is generating talk here of a looming political crisis. Recently, two thinkers from the prominent Center for Strategic Research, Mikhail Dmitriev and Sergei Belanovsky, joined the ranks of the critics, calling for reforms that would generate a competitive political environment, restore public trust and improve economic policies. *************** Officer shot dead and another is fighting for life after sailor opens fire as mayor visits nuclear sub HMS Astute By Daily Mail Reporter Mayor and Southampton City Council chief exec on board during shooting Royal Navy serviceman arrested for shooting of two colleagues Gunman believed to have used 9mm pistol in double shooting *************** India Graduates Millions, but Too Few Are Fit to Hire By GEETA ANAND BANGALORE, India—Call-center company 24/7 Customer Pvt. Ltd. is desperate to find new recruits who can answer questions by phone and email. It wants to hire 3,000 people this year. Yet in this country of 1.2 billion people, that is beginning to look like an impossible goal. *************** President Chávez: More nationalizations are on the way The Venezuelan Head of State said that he will promote social ownership and partnerships with the private sector *************** Ivory Coast mercenaries 'are burning people alive' More than 100 bodies, some of them burned alive, have been found in the Ivory Coast in the past 24 hours, the UN said today. *************** Opinion *************** Is Our Civilization a Bubble? Part I Can runaway expectations fuel the blowout of an entire civilization? Could ours be at such a risk? There may be reason to think so. (Part I of a two-part series.) *************** Malibu Nights: Can Victor Save California? by Roger L Simon Last week, I was invited to a lavish soirée cum wine and gourmet treats at the swank Malibu manse of Wendy and Wayne Hughes Jr. to hear a talk by PJM’s own Victor Davis Hanson. (Hey, someone has to do it.) In attendance were such worthies as former Governor Pete Wilson, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, LA Councilmen Bernard Parks and Mitchell Englander, and scholars Andrew McCarthy, Robert Kaufman and Kevin Starr (author of the multi-volume history ‘America and the California Dream’) — all this arranged by Claremont Institute Fellow Larry Greenfield. *************** The Cause of All Discrimination? Me. One man makes a shocking confession. **************** Hugo Chavez's Terrorism Gambit in Venezuela By Roger Noriega President Obama’s trip to South America has showcased promising partnerships in Brazil and elsewhere. His visit, however, should also focus attention in the region and within his administration on the fact that Iran and Venezuela are conspiring to sow Tehran’s brand of proxy terrorism in the Western Hemisphere. *************** |
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