THE FLASHLIGHT, February 23-29, 2008
THE FLASHLIGHT
February 23-29, 2008
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
Statement of Purpose
The Searchlight is the individual and independent publication of Mary K. Matossian, editor, and does not necessarily represent the viewpoint or opinions of PAFM or any of its committees.
The author and source are given for all opinions cited. Those opinions are chosen for their newsworthiness and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editor.
The Searchlight contains only information about national and world news in the public domain. It is provided as a service to the PAFM community.
US Presidential Primaries
PBS 2-22. Senators Clinton and Obama competed fiercely in the primary contests of March 4 in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. Senator Clinton expected to be victorious after the February 5 primaries, and had no Plan B for what to do afterward. In contrast, Obama had well-financed organizations in all the remaining states. In the eleven contests between Feb. 5 and March 4 Obama won by a margin of at least 18 points.
The New York Times reported that Sen. John McCain, the Republican front runner, had a lobbyist as a campaign manager, that he had many lobbyists working on his campaign, and that he had received much lobbyist money
PBS 2-26. Obama has been getting better press than Clinton. There is a growing belief that Obama is more electable.
US Economy
CNN 2-28. The price of oil spiked at $102 a barrel. The US economy is still declining and is not expected to recover until 2010.
This spring gasoline prices are expected to rise to $4.00 a gallon for regular grade.
PBS 2-27. It is estimated that there will be two million foreclosures in house mortgages in 2008.
US Crime
W Post 2-28. The number of people in prison in the US has reached 1.6 million. There is a record high ratio of prisoners to the total population: over one per hundred. About half of prisoners are non-violent. Among black men aged 20-34, the ratio is one prisoner per nine in the population. Incarceration is costing the states $50 billion a year and the federal government, $5 billion.
US Religion
PBS 2-26. According to the Pew Foundation, 44% of Americans leave their childhood faith for other faiths or none at all. Those who are unaffiliated, whether religious or unreligious, equal 16% of the total. Among native-born Americans, two to one are Protestants.
Iraq
NYTimes 2-23. Basra has a mainly Shia population and is free from foreign government, but life there is chaotic. Two dozen political parties and their militias are competing for control of oil, seaport traffic, and smuggling over the border into Iran. Drive-by killings by militia men in police cars are common. Doctors, teachers, and other professionals frequently disappear. Over a hundred women have been murdered for “impious” behavior. Kidnapping and torture are common.
CNN 2-26. Michael Ware reported that what political progress occurs in Iraq is because over 100,000 American troops are engaged in keeping the different sects physically apart. The Turkish Army is operating against the Kurds in northern Iraq in defiance of US policy.
Afghanistan
BBC 2-27. The Taliban now has control of about 10% of Afghanistan.
Kenya
NYTimes 2-28. The fighting factions have made peace. President Kibaki will remain President, and the opposition leader, Odinga, will be Prime Minister. Cabinet posts have been divided between the two groups.
Israel and its Neighbors
Haaretz 2-23. In Lebanon, Hezbollah chief Nasrallah declared “We’re preparing for war with Israel in the next few months.”
BBC News 2-29. In the last two days, Israeli air attacks have killed 30 Gazan Palestinians, including six children. Israel has warned Gazans of a coming “holocaust” if they don’t stop their rocket attacks on cities in southern Israel. Israelis rarely use the word “holocaust” except in reference to the past Nazi persecution of Jews.
[Israelis continue illegal settlement building in three location on Palestinian land, and keep up their blockade of essential supplies to Gaza. What if Hezbollah in the north of Israel, and Hamas in the south of Israel coordinate their attacks?]
Science: the Plasticity of the Brain
PBS 2-26. In a long program based on neuroscience, PBS showed that the human brain can change itself and that it can stay young and vital even in old age. For good brain changes to be permanent, it is necessary that the individual be emotionally engaged in the process. Motivation, such as the hatred of being dependent on others, is a key factor. Physical activity helps the brain to keep developing new cells and functioning well. Learning new skills is better for the brain than doing only the things that one already knows how to do.
February 23-29, 2008
No Peace without Justice, no Justice without the Facts
Statement of Purpose
The Searchlight is the individual and independent publication of Mary K. Matossian, editor, and does not necessarily represent the viewpoint or opinions of PAFM or any of its committees.
The author and source are given for all opinions cited. Those opinions are chosen for their newsworthiness and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editor.
The Searchlight contains only information about national and world news in the public domain. It is provided as a service to the PAFM community.
US Presidential Primaries
PBS 2-22. Senators Clinton and Obama competed fiercely in the primary contests of March 4 in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. Senator Clinton expected to be victorious after the February 5 primaries, and had no Plan B for what to do afterward. In contrast, Obama had well-financed organizations in all the remaining states. In the eleven contests between Feb. 5 and March 4 Obama won by a margin of at least 18 points.
The New York Times reported that Sen. John McCain, the Republican front runner, had a lobbyist as a campaign manager, that he had many lobbyists working on his campaign, and that he had received much lobbyist money
PBS 2-26. Obama has been getting better press than Clinton. There is a growing belief that Obama is more electable.
US Economy
CNN 2-28. The price of oil spiked at $102 a barrel. The US economy is still declining and is not expected to recover until 2010.
This spring gasoline prices are expected to rise to $4.00 a gallon for regular grade.
PBS 2-27. It is estimated that there will be two million foreclosures in house mortgages in 2008.
US Crime
W Post 2-28. The number of people in prison in the US has reached 1.6 million. There is a record high ratio of prisoners to the total population: over one per hundred. About half of prisoners are non-violent. Among black men aged 20-34, the ratio is one prisoner per nine in the population. Incarceration is costing the states $50 billion a year and the federal government, $5 billion.
US Religion
PBS 2-26. According to the Pew Foundation, 44% of Americans leave their childhood faith for other faiths or none at all. Those who are unaffiliated, whether religious or unreligious, equal 16% of the total. Among native-born Americans, two to one are Protestants.
Iraq
NYTimes 2-23. Basra has a mainly Shia population and is free from foreign government, but life there is chaotic. Two dozen political parties and their militias are competing for control of oil, seaport traffic, and smuggling over the border into Iran. Drive-by killings by militia men in police cars are common. Doctors, teachers, and other professionals frequently disappear. Over a hundred women have been murdered for “impious” behavior. Kidnapping and torture are common.
CNN 2-26. Michael Ware reported that what political progress occurs in Iraq is because over 100,000 American troops are engaged in keeping the different sects physically apart. The Turkish Army is operating against the Kurds in northern Iraq in defiance of US policy.
Afghanistan
BBC 2-27. The Taliban now has control of about 10% of Afghanistan.
Kenya
NYTimes 2-28. The fighting factions have made peace. President Kibaki will remain President, and the opposition leader, Odinga, will be Prime Minister. Cabinet posts have been divided between the two groups.
Israel and its Neighbors
Haaretz 2-23. In Lebanon, Hezbollah chief Nasrallah declared “We’re preparing for war with Israel in the next few months.”
BBC News 2-29. In the last two days, Israeli air attacks have killed 30 Gazan Palestinians, including six children. Israel has warned Gazans of a coming “holocaust” if they don’t stop their rocket attacks on cities in southern Israel. Israelis rarely use the word “holocaust” except in reference to the past Nazi persecution of Jews.
[Israelis continue illegal settlement building in three location on Palestinian land, and keep up their blockade of essential supplies to Gaza. What if Hezbollah in the north of Israel, and Hamas in the south of Israel coordinate their attacks?]
Science: the Plasticity of the Brain
PBS 2-26. In a long program based on neuroscience, PBS showed that the human brain can change itself and that it can stay young and vital even in old age. For good brain changes to be permanent, it is necessary that the individual be emotionally engaged in the process. Motivation, such as the hatred of being dependent on others, is a key factor. Physical activity helps the brain to keep developing new cells and functioning well. Learning new skills is better for the brain than doing only the things that one already knows how to do.
posted by THE FLASHLIGHT at 5:50 AM
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