This is Colorado, not DC. And it is seriously not good.

Threatening e-mail decried on floor
By Chris Frates
Denver Post Staff Writer
DenverPost.com

Democratic House Speaker Andrew Romanoff told his colleagues on the House floor today that he was "profoundly disturbed" by a threatening e-mail sent to Democratic Rep. Terrance Carroll earlier this week.

"I have never in my six years here seen a message that comes as close to a death threat against a member of this body," Romanoff said.

Carroll, a black Denver lawmaker, received an e-mail that supported his lynching after making a joke suggesting the state build a wall around its borders to keep out the Minutemen, armed citizens who patrol the border between the U.S. and Mexico.

The resulting nanowires can be used in minuscule lithium ion battery electrodes, which in turn would be used to power very small machines, the researchers report in Friday's issue of the journal Science.

The international team of researchers, led by a group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, used the M13 virus, a simple and easily manipulated virus.

WHAT do women want from a man? In the past, surveys have overwhelmingly shown that women want a rich man, and men want a good-looking woman. While not much has changed for men, as women's financial independence has increased, it seems that their preferences have changed.

Fhionna Moore and colleagues at the University of St Andrews, UK, analysed questionnaires from 1851 heterosexual women between the ages of 18 and 35. They found that as a woman's level of "resource control" increases - in other words as they become more financially independent - so does their preference for physical attractiveness in potential partners.

Quote of note:

The brain’s ability to “switch off” the self may have evolved as a protective mechanism, he suggests. “If there is a sudden danger, such as the appearance of a snake, it is not helpful to stand around wondering how one feels about the situation,” Goldberg points out.

Watching the brain 'switch off' self-awareness
18:00 19 April 2006
NewScientist.com news service
Gaia Vince

Everybody has experienced a sense of “losing oneself” in an activity – being totally absorbed in a task, a movie or sex. Now researchers have caught the brain in the act.

Goldberg found that when the sensory stimulus was shown slowly, and when a personal emotional response was required, the volunteers showed activity in the superfrontal gyrus – the brain region associated with self-awareness-related function.

This weekend a terrible assault was caught on surveillance video in Las Vegas. The lone suspect arrest in the case, probably with others to follow, is a Black man. The reports such as the one above from CBS describe this attack as part of a new trend--swarming. The reporter says that in swarmings the suspects "move like a pack of wolves." One thing that is common when Black men's bad behavior is referenced is analogies to animals. In the case swarming in an obvious reference to bees, and the further description describes the group of attackers as wolves. This seems to be quite common in the descriptions of Black men's bad behaviors.

Lissa at A Nerd's Haven responded to the poll question "What is Black folks' most pressing need?" by long distance. Temple3 gets props for precision.

Of the options, the one I most agree with is, “Develop or increase control of our lives”. Like Temple 3 suggests in his comment:

I believe that economic freedom, physical safety and spiritual/cultural continuity requires discipline. I selected “Develop or Increase Control Over Our Lives.” I chose this option because self-control is the cornerstone of these three imperatives.

He honestly hit the nail right on the head for me. It is discipline and self-control that lead to personal responsibility, and that, I think, is the cornerstone of a healthy community, as it opens the door to the “economic freedom, physical safety and spiritual/cultural continuity” Temple 3 mentions.

A strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability keeps a community aware, and an aware community is more likely to be critical/considering of its actions and choices and dealings with others. Many of the the other options in that poll then become possible, if one wants them to be–I’m not convinced that “Become as independant [sic] as possible from others” should be a goal, especially if it is the separatist sort of sentiment I’m interpreting it to be.

Somebody need to tell me about them [sic] spelling errors...

Anyway, she goes on quite thoughtfully, and I really appreciate the input. What I's like is for any Black blogger or Black person that blogs to go into the topic as Lissa did. If I see it on Technorati, I'll link it. If for some reason you're not pulled into Technorati's digital vacuum cleaner, hit me by email.

And Lissa's interpretation of the [sic] option is closer to correct than not. Not everyone that will select that is a seperatist but they will at least have sympathy for the position.

...or abstanance-only sexual education, or evolution,right?

F.D.A. Dismisses Medical Benefit From Marijuana
By GARDINER HARRIS

WASHINGTON, April 20 — The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday that "no sound scientific studies" supported the medical use of marijuana, contradicting a 1999 review by a panel of highly regarded scientists.

There IS a Conspiracy Against Assimilation.

We have a conspiracy against assimilation. One side would offend and ostracize much of the Hispanic community. The other would encourage mounting social and economic costs. Either way we get a more polarized society.

And it's been waged by the mainstream.

It's sometimes said that today's Hispanics will resemble yesterday's Italians. Although they won't advance as rapidly as some other groups of more skilled immigrants, they'll still move into the mainstream. Many have -- and will. But the overall analogy is a stretch, according to a recent study, "Italians Then, Mexicans Now," by sociologist Joel Perlmann of Bard College. Since 1970 wages of Mexican immigrants compared with those of native whites have declined. By contrast, wages of Italians and Poles who arrived early in the last century rose over time. For the children of immigrants, gaps are also wide. Second-generation Italians and Poles typically earned 90 percent or more compared to native whites. For second-generation Mexican Americans, the similar figure is 75 percent.

U.S. Crackdown Set Over Hiring of Immigrants
By ERIC LIPTON

WASHINGTON, April 20 — The apprehension on Wednesday of more than 1,100 illegal immigrants employed by a pallet supply company based in Houston, as well as the arrest of seven of its managers, represented the start of a more aggressive federal crackdown on employers, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.

Describing the hiring of millions of illegal workers, in some cases, as a form of organized crime, Mr. Chertoff said the government would try to combat the practice with techniques similar to those used to shut down the mob.

"We target those organizations, we use intelligence to define the scope of the organization, and then we use all of the tools we have — whether it's criminal enforcement or the immigration laws — to make sure we come down as hard as possible and break the back of those organizations," Mr. Chertoff said at a news conference.

Do not confuse the fiats of a bureaucrat, no matter how high;y placed, with the law.

I got some down time. Took a glance at me normal online haunts...I got some catching up to do. Fortunately, ptcruiser spotted the inevitable response to Ishmael Reed's rant against who are insufficiently supportive of Black folks.

Isn't that just the most elegant way of saying "sell-out" you ever heard?

Anyway, Richaard Prince reports from the heart of the NABJ's discssion listserver, and serves up Michel Martin's response to it all at the very end of the page.

The other biggie is Michael Tomasky's essay in The American Prospect, which magazine I've watched since they advised minorities to just shut up and let us win these white votes. Normally I'd wait until I had a chance to read the damn thing, but Digby's coverage of it at Hullabaloo showed me not a lot has changed in their analysis of things.

Riding five and a half hours in an SUV, I don't care how comfy or how well kept the roads are, sucks. Another hour and a half of assorted traffic delays means it's not even as pleasant as sucking.

I feel like I should write a big dramatic thing. See, I'm the family stoic. I'm a bit more precise online...the best of us must reach for a word or stumble over one's own tongue once in a while...but my real life persona is pretty close to what you get here. Only in a crisis, I'm worse. ALL emotion shuts down and I drop into pure computation mode.

No, all emotional expression shuts down.

I rode down with my sister and her husband. Sis and I are pretty close, but she really would like to see me become more humane.

Case in point:

When we got here, I met my niece's husband of two years for the first time. We go with him to the hospital to sign the organ donation forms...he sees the adminitrator, we go see the body. Though the brain activity is gone it looks alive...it's on a ventilator, and under a heated wrap to keep the body at normal temperature, and the nurse is explaining all that...and I say, "That's all for our benefit, isn't it?" Everyone jumped. After a pause, the nurse smiled and said, "yes."

I can't be creative here, but Opal's my girl (that picture is just about life-sized) so I'm posting this cut and paste job on the way out the door.

Opal Palmer Adisa is in NYC this week promoting her latest publication, EROS MUSE

I would watch this if I could. I'll probably see if I can get a review copy of the book.

Help at Any Cost: How the Troubled-Teen Industry Cons Parents and Hurts Kids
(Riverhead Books, 2006)

BOOK FORUM
Thursday, April 20, 2006
12:00 PM (Luncheon to Follow)

Featuring the author Maia Szalavitz, Senior Fellow, Stats.org; and with comments by Evan Wright Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone Author, Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War.

The Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Watch the Event Live in RealVideo
Listen to the Event in RealAudio (Audio Only)

As the War on Drugs continues to fill America's prisons with nonviolent offenders, many cities and states are looking at mandatory treatment as an alternative to incarceration. Although treatment is generally preferable to prison, not all methods of treating drug addiction are the same. Some methods, particularly the "tough love" programs aimed at teens and adolescents, have documented records of mental abuse, physical abuse, and even death.

In her new book, Help at Any Cost, Maia Szalavitz takes a critical look at the history, controversy, and effectiveness of "tough love" rehabilitation programs. Blending personal stories and anecdotes with the detached narrative of a reporter, Szalavitz paints a troubling picture of the increasingly popular "get tough" approach to drug abuse.

Cato events, unless otherwise noted, are free of charge. To register for this event, please fill out the form below and click submit or email [email protected], fax (202) 371-0841, or call (202) 789-5229 by 12:00 noon, Wednesday, April 19, 2006. Please arrive early. Seating is limited and not guaranteed. News media inquiries only (no registrations), please call (202) 789-5200.

If you can't make it to the Cato Institute, watch this forum live online.

If you plan to watch this event online, there is no need to register.

Battle Rages in Baghdad Neighborhood
Iraqi security forces fight gunmen for nine hours, leaving at least three people dead. Some residents, apparently fearing attack, join in.
By Louise Roug
Times Staff Writer
April 18, 2006

BAGHDAD — Intense fighting broke out between Iraqi security forces and gunmen in a volatile Sunni Arab section of the capital, leaving at least three people dead and terrifying residents during a battle that began during the night and extended into the daylight hours Monday.

Authorities said about 50 Sunni gunmen had fought the country's Shiite-dominated security forces for nine hours in the northern neighborhood of Adhamiya, forcing U.S. troops supporting the Iraqi forces to close down streets and entrances to the area.

Some residents entered the clash, exchanging gunfire with Iraqi soldiers and police they believed to be members of a death squad.

"Gunmen" jumped out at me. I noticed years ago that Palestinians aren't rebels or in militias, they are gunmen. And the last line in the excerpt is so sad it's almost funny.

Were the security forces wearing uniforms? I don't think so...I'm certain Iraqi would recognize the uniforms. In a running battle in a Sunni neighborhood, essentially Shiites vs Sunnis, ya damn skippy they thought it was a death squad. May well have been without them uniforms...

About New Horizons for Learning

Since 1980, New Horizons for Learning has served as a leading-edge resource for educational change. We have identified, communicated, and helped to implement successful educational strategies through:

• New Horizons' Online Journal
• Books and other written materials
• Networking people and organizations
• Eight landmark international conferences.

Our role has always been to give visibility to effective teaching and learning practices and explore and to help implement ideas that have not yet reached the mainstream, and to work in coordination with other reputable networks and learning communities. New Horizons for Learning is often a "launching pad" for new educational organizations and projects.

Quote of note:

Terrorists have been working to recruit non-Arab sympathizers — so-called "white Muslims" with Western features who theoretically could more easily blend into European cities and execute attacks — according to classified intelligence documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Terrorists Recruiting 'White Muslims'
By WILLIAM J. KOLE
Associated Press Writer

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — His code name was Maximus, and he held secret meetings in a shabby room at the Banana City Hotel on the outskirts of Sarajevo.

Bosnian police put him under surveillance, and in a raid last fall on his apartment on Poligonska Street, authorities seized explosives, a suicide bomber belt and a videotape of masked men begging Allah's forgiveness for what they were about to do.

Enforce the laws on the books.

An estimated $8 billion was paid in award fees from fiscal 1999 to 2003, when many of the projects involved were over budget and behind schedule. Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin Corp., for example, collected $1.5 billion in award fees on three major programs, the F/A-22 Raptor jet fighter, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and the Space-Based Infrared System High satellite, despite cost, schedule and reliability problems, the GAO found.

Big Rewards for Defense Firms
Extra Fees Paid Regardless of Performance, GAO Finds
By Charles R. Babcock
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, April 17, 2006; D01

Oh, HELL no...

Much of the rail line along the Gulf Coast would remain in hurricane danger, and the proposed rerouting would affect only a small part.

The real impetus appears to be economic. For more than half a dozen years, Mississippi officials, development planners and tourism authorities have dreamed of the complex restructuring of Mississippi's coastal transportation system that Lott and Cochran now want to set in motion. Under the plan, the CSX line -- which runs a few blocks off the coast line -- would be scrapped. CSX would move its freight traffic to existing tracks to the north owned by rival Norfolk Southern.

Then U.S. 90, a wide federal highway that hugs Mississippi's beaches, would be rebuilt along the CSX rail bed. The route of the federal thoroughfare would be turned into a smaller, manicured "beach boulevard" through cities such as Biloxi, where visitors could "spend more time strolling among the casinos and taking in the views," as the Governor's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal put it.

"There's nothing wrong with this if Mississippi wants to do it. Mississippi wanted to do it before the hurricane," Coburn said. "But why is it a federal responsibility? Why should our grandchildren pay for it?"

Mississippi Senators' Rail Plan Challenged
War Bill Includes Millions to Move Just-Rebuilt Line
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 18, 2006; A01

Ms. Malkin:

The unhinged lefty bloggers who did and said nothing to condemn the violent tactics of the UC Santa Cruz thugs are treating me like I'm the terrorist.

Seems a number of your readers deserve such treatment. But not you.

You're not a terrorist, you're a cell leader.

No, but seriously, your plaintive cry shows an interesting redefinition of the word "terrorist," apparently to "he or she that terrifies."

Turns the "War on Terror" into something else entirely...