This week on Information Underground the studio guest will be Dianne Kraft, who is currently a diversity education and curriculum specialist with Department of Multicultural Services (DMS) at Texas A&M University. Topics of discussion will include the mission of the DMS, the “Experiencing the ‘Other’ Through Film” film series, “Living Through Literature” book club, community conversations, and much more.
Listen to Information Underground on 89.1FM KEOS on Sundays from 5-6pm after Tavis Smiley, for all the alternative news, politics, and commentary that you don’t hear in the mainstream media. Tune in every week to hear headlines, interviews, and political and social thought to the Left of College Station.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Headlines
Local News
McLennan County HIV Diagnoses Rise in First Half of 2009
In the first half of 2009, 20 people were diagnosed with HIV in McLennan County; five-year average in McLennan County has been 20 cases annually. According to an article in the Waco Tribune-Herald, a growing percentage of those who test positive are under age twenty-five. Also, there seems to be a growing concern among the health care professionals that the attitudes towards HIV is changing attitudes towards HIV as advancements in medical technology have prolonged the life expectancy of someone with HIV/AIDS. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 42,655 people are diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2007, and Texas ranked fourth in the United States in the number of AIDS cases, 2,964 cases in 2007, behind California, New York, and Florida.
Local Politics
B-CS Chamber Votes To Pass Resolution Opposing National Healthcare Plan
The Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce unanimously voted to pass a resolution that opposing “any legislation that develops National Healthcare in the United States.” According to KBTX Channel 3, the Texas Associating of Business is lobbying Chambers of Commerce to approve a resolutions opposing legislation that would create national healthcare. The resolution states that “the private health care insurance industry has the existing tools to contain costs and the incentives necessary to improve quality and affordability for their customers.” However, according to the Census Bureau the number of uninsured Americans was 46.6 million in 2005; 15.9 percent of Americans lack health coverage.
Texas A&M News
A&M Presidential Search Committee Retains Search Firm
A search committee to select the next Texas A&M University president, replacing Elsa Murano, was formed last week by the Texas A&M Board of Regents. The committee will recommend finalist to the Board of Regents in February of 2010. The committee will consists of 15 members: three regents, five faculty members, two student members and five other members. According to a press release by Texas A&M, the committee announced at its first meeting on Friday that it has hired the consulting firm Academic Search, Inc. to assist in “finding and recruiting the best and most qualified presidential candidates.” The committee also announced a web site dedicated to information about the search for the new president: www.tamu.edu/president/search/
Texas News
NCSL: Texas Relied Most Heavily on Stimulus
According to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the federal stimulus funds played a significant role in Texas lawmakers being able to balance the state’s budget without tapping into the Rainy Day Funds. The NCSL surveyed states on how they closed budget gaps for the fiscal year 2010; Texas reported it relied most heavily on stimulus dollars to fill budget gaps, using those dollars to provide 96.7 percent of the gap-closing solution. The Austin American-Statesmen reported that Texas was one of the few states to avoid a budget shortfall; however, Texas lawmakers have rarely mentioned the $12 billion in stimulus dollars they received.
Texas Politics
Former Donors of Governor Rick Perry Backing Kay Bailey Hutchison
The Dallas Morning News is reporting that at least twenty-six past major donors to Governor Rick Perry are now giving to rival Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, contributing more than $1 million to the senator in the last six months. Reports show that donations from January through June, Hutchison raised a total of $6.7 million while Perry raised $4.2 million. The latest polls from June show Perry leading Hutchinson among likely voters. According to a UT-Austin poll Perry holds a 38% to 26% advantage over Hutchinson, and according to a Texas Lyceum poll Perry holds a smaller 33% to 21% lead.
National News
Study: U.S. Courts Convict 91 Percent in Terrorism Trials
A study has found that Guantanamo prisoners could be successfully tried in the United States because an overwhelming number of terrorism cases in U.S. courts since the September 11 attacks have led to convictions. Human Rights First also concluded in the study that the trials did not leak national secrets or endanger surrounding communities. According to an article in the Washington Post, the study analyzed 119 U.S. court cases filed since September 2001 against 289 people accused of terrorism-related crimes, and of the 214 defendants whose cases were resolved, 195 (91%) were convicted.
National Politics
Lawmakers Who Called Lewin Group's Data 'Nonpartisan' Collect Cash From Parent Company UnitedHealth
According to a report by OpenSecrets.org, the Lewin Group, a Virginia-based research firm, has been claimed to be an unbiased, nonpartisan auditor of health care legislation by many politicians critical of a national universal health care plan. However, the Levin Group, which suggests that nearly 100 million Americans may quit their private insurance plans if offered a government-run alternative, the company is owned by a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary. UnitedHealth is represented in Washington by America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group that consists of the nation's largest insurance providers and has emerged as one of the most outspoken opponents of President Barack Obama's plans to overhaul health care. UnitedHealth spent $1.6 million on lobbyists during the first quarter of 2009 after spending $4.7 million last year; UnitedHealth's political action committee and employees have given current lawmakers $1.6 million since 2007.
Media
Diversity of Journalism for a Multicultural Society
A new study of journalism’s commitment to inclusion found that too many diversity initiatives focus on the modest and mostly inconsequential goal of newsroom integration; the study argues that diversity of journalism matters more than diversity in journalism. In an interview with New America Media, study co-author Theodore Glasser noted that the study show two different conclusions: “journalism trivializes diversity when it focuses only…on diversifying newsrooms” and that “journalism needs to understand its commitment to inclusion as a collective project, and one that cannot rely on marketplace forces alone.” Glasser concludes by stating that equating a free press with free enterprise will have a negative effect on American journalism.
International News
UN Debates “Responsibility to Protect” Doctrine
Democracy Now! reported that The United Nations General Assembly began debate on the Responsibility to Protect, which would allow nations to use force to prevent genocide and other crimes against vulnerable populations. According to another report by the AFP, before the debate there convened a panel discussion with speakers including academic and intellectual Noam Chomsky, who said in his remarks “virtually every use of force in international affairs has been justified in humanitarian terms, even the worst monsters.” Chomsky cited numerous historical and modern-day examples where principles similar to those that underpin Responsibility to Protect were applied to justify political or imperialistic agendas.
Human Rights
Al-Jazeera Journalist Imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay to Sue George Bush
Al-Jazeera journalist, Sami al-Haj, who was imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay for more than six years, is planning a joint legal action with other detainees against former President George W. Bush and other administration officials, for the illegal detention and torture while at Guantánamo Bay.
Reproductive Rights
Investigation Shows Threats, Restrictions Impose Severe Obstacles for Abortion Providers, Women Seeking Abortions
A study by the Center for Reproductive Rights found that aggressive harassment, discriminatory legal restrictions and serious stigma are reducing the number of abortion providers and making abortions more difficult for women to obtain. The investigation documented reproductive health clinics in six states (Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas), and chronicled death threats, break-ins at homes and offices, and physical assaults. The report recommends that the Justice Department devote more resources to the problems that abortion clinics face, and better cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement.
Women’s Issues
Adolescent Women’s Contraceptive Use is Less Consistent Than That of Adult Women, With a Much Higher Failure Rate
A study of women’s contraceptive use in over forty countries, by the Guttmacher Institute, found that sexually active 15–19 year old women are more likely than their 20–49 year old women to use contraceptives inconsistently and, on average, experience a 25% higher rate of contraceptive failure. The study determined that adolescent women face more obstacles to consistent contraceptive use, and may be more likely to abandon a method and try another if they experience side effects. The authors of the study conclude that meeting this expanded need will require greater investments in improving the quality of health systems, as well as in instituting targeted programs and policies aimed at increasing young people’s knowledge of and access to contraceptive services.
GLBT Issues
Senate Adopts Unwelcomed Amendments to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act
The Human Rights Campaign reported that the Senate passed four amendments to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the hate crimes provisions in the Defense Department authorization bill. One amendment adds the death penalty to the provisions of the Matthew Shepard Act, however, another amendment (offered by Senator Kennedy) was added that provides for additional restrictions in the use of the death penalty under the Act. The third amendment requires the Attorney General to promulgate guidelines with “neutral and objective criteria for determining whether a crime was motivated by the status of the victim,” and the fourth amendment creates a new federal criminal offense for cases involving assaults or battery of a U.S. service member. Senator Sessions offered the three amendments as a political maneuver to attempt to derail the Matthew Shepard Act from becoming law.
Race and Racism
Gates Says 'Yes' to Beer With Crowley
A prominent Harvard University black scholar, Henry Louis Gates Jr., was arrested at his own home by police responding to a report of a break-in; prosecutors dropped a disorderly conduct charge and issued a statement characterizing the incident as “regrettable and unfortunate.” After a week long debate on race and racism concerning the incident, which included the President even commenting on the issue, Gate has agreed to have a beer with the arresting officer and the President. On a statement release on The Root.com, a online magazine that focuses on current events from a black perspective, Gates said, “This is not about me at all; it is about the creation of a society in which 'equal justice before law' is a lived reality."
McLennan County HIV Diagnoses Rise in First Half of 2009
In the first half of 2009, 20 people were diagnosed with HIV in McLennan County; five-year average in McLennan County has been 20 cases annually. According to an article in the Waco Tribune-Herald, a growing percentage of those who test positive are under age twenty-five. Also, there seems to be a growing concern among the health care professionals that the attitudes towards HIV is changing attitudes towards HIV as advancements in medical technology have prolonged the life expectancy of someone with HIV/AIDS. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 42,655 people are diagnosed with HIV in the United States in 2007, and Texas ranked fourth in the United States in the number of AIDS cases, 2,964 cases in 2007, behind California, New York, and Florida.
Local Politics
B-CS Chamber Votes To Pass Resolution Opposing National Healthcare Plan
The Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce unanimously voted to pass a resolution that opposing “any legislation that develops National Healthcare in the United States.” According to KBTX Channel 3, the Texas Associating of Business is lobbying Chambers of Commerce to approve a resolutions opposing legislation that would create national healthcare. The resolution states that “the private health care insurance industry has the existing tools to contain costs and the incentives necessary to improve quality and affordability for their customers.” However, according to the Census Bureau the number of uninsured Americans was 46.6 million in 2005; 15.9 percent of Americans lack health coverage.
Texas A&M News
A&M Presidential Search Committee Retains Search Firm
A search committee to select the next Texas A&M University president, replacing Elsa Murano, was formed last week by the Texas A&M Board of Regents. The committee will recommend finalist to the Board of Regents in February of 2010. The committee will consists of 15 members: three regents, five faculty members, two student members and five other members. According to a press release by Texas A&M, the committee announced at its first meeting on Friday that it has hired the consulting firm Academic Search, Inc. to assist in “finding and recruiting the best and most qualified presidential candidates.” The committee also announced a web site dedicated to information about the search for the new president: www.tamu.edu/president/search/
Texas News
NCSL: Texas Relied Most Heavily on Stimulus
According to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures, the federal stimulus funds played a significant role in Texas lawmakers being able to balance the state’s budget without tapping into the Rainy Day Funds. The NCSL surveyed states on how they closed budget gaps for the fiscal year 2010; Texas reported it relied most heavily on stimulus dollars to fill budget gaps, using those dollars to provide 96.7 percent of the gap-closing solution. The Austin American-Statesmen reported that Texas was one of the few states to avoid a budget shortfall; however, Texas lawmakers have rarely mentioned the $12 billion in stimulus dollars they received.
Texas Politics
Former Donors of Governor Rick Perry Backing Kay Bailey Hutchison
The Dallas Morning News is reporting that at least twenty-six past major donors to Governor Rick Perry are now giving to rival Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, contributing more than $1 million to the senator in the last six months. Reports show that donations from January through June, Hutchison raised a total of $6.7 million while Perry raised $4.2 million. The latest polls from June show Perry leading Hutchinson among likely voters. According to a UT-Austin poll Perry holds a 38% to 26% advantage over Hutchinson, and according to a Texas Lyceum poll Perry holds a smaller 33% to 21% lead.
National News
Study: U.S. Courts Convict 91 Percent in Terrorism Trials
A study has found that Guantanamo prisoners could be successfully tried in the United States because an overwhelming number of terrorism cases in U.S. courts since the September 11 attacks have led to convictions. Human Rights First also concluded in the study that the trials did not leak national secrets or endanger surrounding communities. According to an article in the Washington Post, the study analyzed 119 U.S. court cases filed since September 2001 against 289 people accused of terrorism-related crimes, and of the 214 defendants whose cases were resolved, 195 (91%) were convicted.
National Politics
Lawmakers Who Called Lewin Group's Data 'Nonpartisan' Collect Cash From Parent Company UnitedHealth
According to a report by OpenSecrets.org, the Lewin Group, a Virginia-based research firm, has been claimed to be an unbiased, nonpartisan auditor of health care legislation by many politicians critical of a national universal health care plan. However, the Levin Group, which suggests that nearly 100 million Americans may quit their private insurance plans if offered a government-run alternative, the company is owned by a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary. UnitedHealth is represented in Washington by America's Health Insurance Plans, an industry trade group that consists of the nation's largest insurance providers and has emerged as one of the most outspoken opponents of President Barack Obama's plans to overhaul health care. UnitedHealth spent $1.6 million on lobbyists during the first quarter of 2009 after spending $4.7 million last year; UnitedHealth's political action committee and employees have given current lawmakers $1.6 million since 2007.
Media
Diversity of Journalism for a Multicultural Society
A new study of journalism’s commitment to inclusion found that too many diversity initiatives focus on the modest and mostly inconsequential goal of newsroom integration; the study argues that diversity of journalism matters more than diversity in journalism. In an interview with New America Media, study co-author Theodore Glasser noted that the study show two different conclusions: “journalism trivializes diversity when it focuses only…on diversifying newsrooms” and that “journalism needs to understand its commitment to inclusion as a collective project, and one that cannot rely on marketplace forces alone.” Glasser concludes by stating that equating a free press with free enterprise will have a negative effect on American journalism.
International News
UN Debates “Responsibility to Protect” Doctrine
Democracy Now! reported that The United Nations General Assembly began debate on the Responsibility to Protect, which would allow nations to use force to prevent genocide and other crimes against vulnerable populations. According to another report by the AFP, before the debate there convened a panel discussion with speakers including academic and intellectual Noam Chomsky, who said in his remarks “virtually every use of force in international affairs has been justified in humanitarian terms, even the worst monsters.” Chomsky cited numerous historical and modern-day examples where principles similar to those that underpin Responsibility to Protect were applied to justify political or imperialistic agendas.
Human Rights
Al-Jazeera Journalist Imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay to Sue George Bush
Al-Jazeera journalist, Sami al-Haj, who was imprisoned in Guantánamo Bay for more than six years, is planning a joint legal action with other detainees against former President George W. Bush and other administration officials, for the illegal detention and torture while at Guantánamo Bay.
Reproductive Rights
Investigation Shows Threats, Restrictions Impose Severe Obstacles for Abortion Providers, Women Seeking Abortions
A study by the Center for Reproductive Rights found that aggressive harassment, discriminatory legal restrictions and serious stigma are reducing the number of abortion providers and making abortions more difficult for women to obtain. The investigation documented reproductive health clinics in six states (Alabama, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas), and chronicled death threats, break-ins at homes and offices, and physical assaults. The report recommends that the Justice Department devote more resources to the problems that abortion clinics face, and better cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement.
Women’s Issues
Adolescent Women’s Contraceptive Use is Less Consistent Than That of Adult Women, With a Much Higher Failure Rate
A study of women’s contraceptive use in over forty countries, by the Guttmacher Institute, found that sexually active 15–19 year old women are more likely than their 20–49 year old women to use contraceptives inconsistently and, on average, experience a 25% higher rate of contraceptive failure. The study determined that adolescent women face more obstacles to consistent contraceptive use, and may be more likely to abandon a method and try another if they experience side effects. The authors of the study conclude that meeting this expanded need will require greater investments in improving the quality of health systems, as well as in instituting targeted programs and policies aimed at increasing young people’s knowledge of and access to contraceptive services.
GLBT Issues
Senate Adopts Unwelcomed Amendments to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act
The Human Rights Campaign reported that the Senate passed four amendments to the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the hate crimes provisions in the Defense Department authorization bill. One amendment adds the death penalty to the provisions of the Matthew Shepard Act, however, another amendment (offered by Senator Kennedy) was added that provides for additional restrictions in the use of the death penalty under the Act. The third amendment requires the Attorney General to promulgate guidelines with “neutral and objective criteria for determining whether a crime was motivated by the status of the victim,” and the fourth amendment creates a new federal criminal offense for cases involving assaults or battery of a U.S. service member. Senator Sessions offered the three amendments as a political maneuver to attempt to derail the Matthew Shepard Act from becoming law.
Race and Racism
Gates Says 'Yes' to Beer With Crowley
A prominent Harvard University black scholar, Henry Louis Gates Jr., was arrested at his own home by police responding to a report of a break-in; prosecutors dropped a disorderly conduct charge and issued a statement characterizing the incident as “regrettable and unfortunate.” After a week long debate on race and racism concerning the incident, which included the President even commenting on the issue, Gate has agreed to have a beer with the arresting officer and the President. On a statement release on The Root.com, a online magazine that focuses on current events from a black perspective, Gates said, “This is not about me at all; it is about the creation of a society in which 'equal justice before law' is a lived reality."
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