7/7 The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com         Treasury Officials Weighing Options To Avoid Default July 6, 2011 at 11:19 PM   By Richard Cowan, Rachelle Younglai, Tim Reid and Caren Bohan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A small team of U.S. Treasury officials is discussing options to stave off default if Congress fails to raise the debt limit by the Aug. 2 deadline, sources familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. Read More... More on Debt Ceiling         NH-2012 Primary: 35% Romney, 12% Bachmann, 7% Paul, 7% Giuliani (WMUR/UNH 6/21-7/1) July 6, 2011 at 10:42 PM   WMUR / University of New Hampshire 6/21-7/1/11; 773 adults, 3.5% margin of error Read More... More on Pollster         Social Security Cuts Offered By Obama In Debt Negotiations July 6, 2011 at 10:42 PM   President Obama is pressing congressional leaders to consider a far-reaching debt-reduction plan that would force Democrats to accept major changes to Social Security and Medicare in exchange for Republican support for fresh tax revenue. Read More... More on Social Security         Scott Bateman: Animation: Pawlenty's Tea Party Ad July 6, 2011 at 9:56 PM   These days, it's tough to find Tim Pawlenty's poll numbers without a shovel. But that's not stopping him from trying to appeal to the Tea Party. Read More... More on 2012         Legal Experts: Casey Anthony Will Be Released From Jail July 6, 2011 at 9:35 PM   ORLANDO Fla. -- Casey Anthony is still behind bars, but by Thursday afternoon she may enjoy her first day of freedom in almost three years. According to legal experts with whom The Huffington Post spoke, there is little doubt that will happen. "The judge has limited options," said Mark NeJame, the veteran attorney and legal analyst who once represented Anthony's parents. Read More... More on Photo Galleries         Casey Anthony Juror: 'Sick To Our Stomachs' Over Verdict July 6, 2011 at 9:23 PM   Jennifer Ford, a 32-year-old nursing student who served as juror number 3 on the Casey Anthony murder trial, told ABC News that she and other jurors were "sick to our stomachs" after acquitting Anthony of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. "Everyone wonders why we didn't speak to the media right away," Ford told ABC News. "It was because we were sick to our stomach to get that verdict. We were crying and not just the women. It was emotional and we weren't ready. We wanted to do it with integrity and not contribute to the sensationalism of the trial." Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Meg Waite Clayton: 30 Years Ago: The Nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court July 6, 2011 at 9:23 PM   It's hard to imagine Justices Roberts or Alito or Thomas fixing salmon mousse in preparation for being appointed to the Court. Sandra Day O'Connor might not have gained the appointment if she hadn't. Read More... More on Supreme Court         Legal Experts: Casey Anthony Will Be Released From Jail July 6, 2011 at 9:23 PM   ORLANDO Fla. -- Casey Anthony is still behind bars, but by Thursday afternoon she may enjoy her first day of freedom in almost three years. According to legal experts with whom The Huffington Post spoke, there is little doubt that will happen. "The judge has limited options," said Mark NeJame, the veteran attorney and legal analyst who once represented Anthony's parents. Read More... More on Photo Galleries         Sarah Palin On Crying Report: I Was Not In 'Tears' Over Movie 'The Undefeated' July 6, 2011 at 9:23 PM   Sarah Palin is rejecting a report from the U.K.-based Daily Mail that she was "reduced to tears" after seeing a new documentary out on her tenure as governor of Alaska. According to the British tabloid, sources said Palin got emotional after her husband, Todd Palin, became enraged by the film, which premiered in Iowa last week. "Obviously we’ve seen our share of media lies, but the latest fabrications circulated take a big slice of the cake," Palin wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. "The UK Daily Mail reports that I was 'in tears' as Todd 'rages over Hollywood stars ripping' me in the new film 'The Undefeated.' Huh? Really? The beautiful town of Pella, Iowa, was flooded with an army of media covering the premiere of this film. You’d think someone would have caught those tears and rages on tape, right?" Read More... More on Sarah Palin         Sam Koppelman: Holding Fans Hostage July 6, 2011 at 9:18 PM   As I watch Republicans and Democrats fighting over a compromise on raising the debt ceiling, I become filled with rage. No, my face doesn't turn purple, and I don't have steam coming out of my ears, but the inability of adults to work together and sacrifice their own political futures in order to force America to pay its loans burns me up. Seeing the NBA's owners lock out their players has been equally disappointing. Politicians are elected to serve citizens, and athletes make money by playing sports because fans pay to watch games. And through these lockouts, they are holding fans hostage. There has been excessive lead up and speculation to the debt-ceiling deadline as well as the lockouts, but in both of these cases, I have persistently (and probably ignorantly) refused to believe that America could really default on its loans, and NBA players and owners wouldn't find a way to compromise for the good of fans. Read More... More on Republicans         Legal Experts: Casey Anthony Will Be Released From Jail July 6, 2011 at 8:50 PM   Casey Anthony is still behind bars, but by Thursday afternoon she may enjoy her first day of freedom in almost three years. According to legal experts with whom The Huffington Post spoke, there is little doubt that will happen. "The judge has limited options," said Mark NeJame, the veteran attorney and legal analyst who once represented Anthony's parents. Read More... More on Photo Galleries         Jason Pinter: Why Casey Anthony Will Not Get a Book Deal July 6, 2011 at 8:50 PM   After the media tsunami surrounding the Casey Anthony verdict, 'analysts' have come forward stating she could reap nearly seven figures for a book deal. That's a crock and here's why. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Sunil Adam: Casey Anthony Case: Hang Jury? July 6, 2011 at 8:50 PM   Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Satellite Images May Help Predict The Next Cholera Outbreak July 6, 2011 at 8:34 PM   As cholera continues to ravage parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America -- reportedly reaching Puerto Rico and Hong Kong this week -- public health researchers are looking to the skies in hopes of anticipating future outbreaks. Satellite images of the oceans, researchers say, could soon forecast where and when cholera is most likely to strike. Certain developing countries, such as Bangladesh and Mozambique, already know to expect the unwelcome visitor almost every year and typically have measures in place to minimize its impact. Cholera's recent arrival in Haiti and Pakistan, however, caught the nations by surprise. It had been a century since either faced an outbreak of the disease, which causes severe diarrhea and a 50 percent chance of death due to dehydration if not treated quickly. Read More... More on Climate Change         Craig Crawford: Obama's Talk vs. Walk July 6, 2011 at 8:25 PM   If Obama's angry words were primarily meant to soften his base for compromises to come -- like $200 billion in Medicare and Medicaid cuts -- add this to a string of examples spotlighting Obama's governing style: Talk Left, Walk Right. Read More... More on Barack Obama         Obama's Twitter Town Hall Delivers Political Gains July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama didn't say anything particularly newsworthy at Wednesday's Twitter Town Hall. But his hour-plus appearance before a social media savvy crowd and the company's founder did demonstrate a unique ability to not only circumvent traditional media but to enhance his political power in the process. White House officials have been clear that the town hall would have no relation, connection, or effect on the president's re-election efforts. During a Tuesday conference call previewing the event, a senior administration official ducked a question about how Obama's campaign team may slice and dice Twitter data from the event to gauge public opinion on a range of issues. "I can't comment on the campaign," said Macon Phillips, the White House director of new media. In terms of how the White House may look at data, Phillips emphasized administration officials won't have access to any data that isn't already publicly disclosed by Twitter. Read More... More on Economy         Amb. Marc Ginsberg: Syria's Assad & America's Decaying Credibility July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   The Obama administration is having a hard time finding any more sand to place its head in when it comes to evolving events in Syria. Read More... More on Hezbollah         Lennard Davis: In New York State Some People Who Drink Water Are More Equal Than Others July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   In upstate NY, there is a class of citizens protected from chemicals in drinking water, and then there are the vast majority of people who are experimental subjects being tested to see if known carcinogens will do anything harmful to us. Read More... More on Andrew Cuomo         Lisa Earle McLeod: Why Avoiding Conflict Keeps You Trapped in It Forever July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   Have you ever been around someone who was frustrated or angry, but doesn't want to talk about it? They ooze resentment. Here are three big reasons people avoid conflict and tips to overcome them. Read More...         Denver Now Has More Marijuana Dispensaries Than It Does Starbucks July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   In Denver, there are more medical marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks, according to The Daily. Nearly 300 medical marijuana dispensaries have been established for Colorado's residence since the passing of Amendment 20 in the 2000 general election. And according to The Daily, some of these dispensaries, in order to help bring in business, even offer first-time customers a free joint. The state's booming Farm-ocology business may be good for other businesses as well, reports MSNBC. Read More... More on Marijuana         Daniel Krotz: Keep Your Pants On July 6, 2011 at 8:18 PM   A recurring theme in the novels of Charles Dickens is referred to by economists as "The Victorian Compromise." Summarily, it promotes the idea that if the deserving poor adhere to the Protestant Ethic -- work, save, and deny the flesh -- a rich person passing by will take notice of their good behavior and reward them with a smile, a job, or a Christmas goose. Think David Copperfield or A Christmas Carol and you've got it in one. The creative power of the novelist allows for the shaping of powerful characters so that they will, say in the case of Scrooge, see the light and transform the world of Bob Cratchit into Christmas every day. Over the years we have grown to love this story and can see it every year without tiring of it. It is such a good story that the Republican Party has adopted it as its sole platform for re-energizing our economy and taking over the White House in 2012. If you do your part cheerfully and gratefully -- work, save, and deny the flesh -- and let your betters deregulate and skate on taxes, they promise (sort of) to give you a smile, a job, or a Christmas goose. Read More... More on Republican Party         Merrill Lynch Ordered To Pay Hedge Fund For Losses During Crisis July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   NEW YORK (Joseph A. Giannone and Jochelle Mendonca) - An arbitration panel ordered a Merrill Lynch clearing unit to pay $63.7 million in damages to California hedge fund manager Rosen Capital Partners LP as compensation for losses during the 2008 financial crisis. The panel found Merrill Lynch's Professional Clearing Corp unit liable for about $63.7 million in compensatory damages plus 9 percent interest accruing from October 7, 2008. It is one of the largest-ever awards granted by FINRA arbitrators. Read More... More on Financial Crisis         Amb. Marc Ginsberg: SYRIA'S ASSAD & AMERICA'S DECAYING CREDIBILITY July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   Now that we know who "allegedly" did the actual killing of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, who then ordered the hit job? Was it Hezbollah -- the Iranian-backed terrorist organization's whose chief Sheik Hassan Nasrallah despised Hariri and his Sunni compatriots? Syria's President Bashar al Assad, or one of his family members? The Iranian President or the Ayatollah...all of the above? Let's recall that in February, 2005, the prime minister was killed along with six bodyguards and sixteen innocent Lebanese pedestrians when Hariri's car was blown up by a huge bomb along Beirut's beachfront corniche. Originally, suspicion fell on Syria's Assad as the man behind the trigger man. After all, Hariri had dared to defy the Syrians by orchestrating efforts to reduce Syria's unwelcomed meddling in Lebanon, and in return, Hariri had been threatened repeatedly by Assad, according to independent media accounts. This was no contract killing by rogue elements of Hezbollah. When the names leaked from the so-called sealed indictments issued by the special UN Tribunal investigating the hit job, it was the worst kept secret in the Middle East that senior Hezbollah leaders were going to be fingered. Although until a few days ago the actual perpetrators' names remained sequestered. Read More... More on Hezbollah         Don McNay: The Peril of Prejudging Your Customers July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   One of my friends is one of the most successful medical malpractice attorneys in the United States. He and his wife decided they needed a new bed. He rolled out of bed on a Saturday, unshaven and in old clothes, and went to a furniture store. Read More...         Ron Ashkenas: You Can't Dictate Culture -- But You Can Influence It July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   Most senior managers struggle with culture because it's so difficult to define. Even less tangible than a "soft" concept, culture is more like a cloud: You know it's there, but it's nearly impossible to grasp. Read More... More on culture         Craig Crawford: Obama's Talk vs. Walk July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   This week's President is conciliator - in stark contrast to last week's Obama, the combatant. In a June 29 press conference the Republicans were a bunch of children, the President said, refusing to get timely work done on the debt limit debate - more irresponsible than his young daughters, who finish their homework in advance. Despite no firm signs of Republicans relenting, this week Obama is touting "progress" in the budget talks, dropping last week's fiery broadsides at the GOP for defending tax breaks for the wealthy and "corporate jet owners." Read More...         Lisa Arie: How Do You Let Go While You're Hanging On? July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   We hold onto our stories long after they've served their purpose and we're ready to move on. Our ability to move beyond what we know, to have foresight and to adapt are critical to our existence. Read More... More on Relationships         Jonathan Kim: ReThink Review: Terri -- A Teen Movie for the Anti-John Hughes Set July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   If you're looking for a film that resembles the true plight of the picked-on high schooler, you might want to track down the new indie dramedy Terri, which dares to reflect some of the uncomfortable realities of high school. Read More...         Tara Sophia Mohr: How to Find Your Life's Purpose July 6, 2011 at 8:02 PM   It's become commonplace in our culture to try to "find your purpose." This time, you are in luck. The search stops here, for here's the truth: Your purpose is to bring more love to this earth. Read More... More on Wisdom         Karl Frisch: For Romney, Slow and Steady Wins the Zzz... July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   You've got to hand it to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. What he lacks in consistency and charisma as the 2012 Republican presidential frontrunner, he makes up for with stunning political awkwardness. Read More... More on Republicans         John Shore: Time to Get Your Clark Kent On? July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   In some very real ways, citizen journalists are the only journalists left. Nobody cares about local politics like local citizens. Nobody can. The adage is true for a reason; all politics is local. Read More... More on Newspapers         Nancy Pelosi Invites Bruce Bartlett, Prominent Debt Limit Critic, To Testify Before Congress July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   WASHINGTON -- One of the most outspoken critics of the debt ceiling's constitutionality will be getting a high-profile place to air his views on Thursday, as he appears at a hearing of the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) announced on Wednesday the inclusion of Bruce Bartlett, who has served as an adviser to numerous Republican officials, an indication that Democrats are increasingly looking into whether the debt ceiling itself is unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. Bartlett has drawn attention for writing multiple articles that suggest President Obama has the constitutional authority to disregard the debt limit in order to prevent a default. Read More...         Atlanta Cheating Scandal Unveiled By Reporters July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   Three years ago, Heather Vogell, an investigative reporter at the Atlanta Journal Constitution, sat down with a data analyst to crunch some numbers. She had just received the latest crop of scores for the CRCT, a state standardized test. Curiously, Vogell noted, several schools statewide had changed in status between the spring 2008 administration of the test and the summer retest in 2008, going from not meeting Adequate Yearly Progress rates, a calculation set by federal legislation that determines the fates of individual schools, to meeting the measure. "We saw there were a lot more schools that met AYP than we had expected. It was a larger shift," Vogell told The Huffington Post. Read More... More on Education         Don McNay: The Peril of Prejudging Your Customers July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   Two friends, who are jewelry shopping went into locally owned store here in Kentucky. They were treated with respect by a knowledgeable sales person. They then decided to compare by going to a nationally owned chain. The salesman at the chain asked them where they were from. When they mentioned an economically challenged city outside of Lexington, the salesman immediately blew them off. He didn't want to talk to them and then pointed them the cheapest stuff in the store. Guess who got the business? Read More... More on Julia Roberts         Transocean's Marianas Oil Rig Off Africa Taking On Water, 108 Workers Evacuated July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   -- The owner of the rig that sank in the massive Gulf oil spill last summer was having problems Wednesday with another one of its deepwater drillers – this time off the coast of Africa. Transocean Ltd. spokesman Guy Cantwell told The Associated Press that the rig called Marianas began to take on water near Ghana as it was preparing to move to another location. The rig, currently under contract to Italian oil company Eni, was not drilling at the time. It's a moored semi-submersible rig that lifts its anchors when it prepares to move. It was doing that at the time of the mishap. Read More...         Tony Newman: Portugal Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary of Decriminalizing Drugs July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   Decriminalization in Portugal actually helped reduce the stigma around drug use (without increasing it) and made drug use less politically difficult to talk about. Read More...         U.N. Women Agency Report Looks At Gender Equality, Women's Rights Around The World (PHOTOS) July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   The United Nations' newest agency -- UN Women -- takes an ambitious and sometimes startling look at gender equality and women's rights around the world with its first-ever report. The 2011 Progress of the World's Women: In Pursuit of Justice report is "a global survey of women's access to justice -- looking both at legislation passed by governments and the steps taken (or not taken) to implement those laws," according to the Guardian. "The report highlights the practical barriers that womenâ€"particularly the poorest and most excludedâ€"face,” says former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in the report’s introduction. Among the report's more intriguing findings: at a staggering 51 percent, Rwanda has the highest share of women in parliament, while within their nation's manufacturing industry, Qatari women earn substantially more than men. On the flip side, 127 countries do not explicitly criminalize rape within marriage, while 603 million women live in countries where domestic violence is not a crime. Read More... More on United Nations         Vitaliy N. Katsenelson: The Chinese Black Swan July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   Party rulers in China are trapped in a position that chess players deeply fear, zugzwang, where any move made puts you at disadvantage. In China, the potential cost of both action and inaction is economic collapse. Read More... More on China         Richard (RJ) Eskow: How Much Would a White House/GOP Social Security Deal Cost You? July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   If the President and his party accept a proposed "chained CPI" benefit cut, they -- and not their opponents -- are likely to be painted as "Social Security slashers." Read More... More on Debt Ceiling         Sally T. Prouty: Answer Today's Challenges With Our Nation's Youth July 6, 2011 at 7:30 PM   The future strength and vitality of our nation depend on what we do for the young men and women of today. Increasingly, however, many of our country's youth face tremendous challenges and disadvantages. Read More... More on Unemployment         Grizzly Bear Kills Man In Yellowstone National Park; First Fatal Mauling Since 1986 July 6, 2011 at 7:14 PM   YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — Yellowstone National Park officials say a grizzly bear has killed a hiker in the park's backcountry – the first fatal bear mauling in the park since 1986. Park spokesman Al Nash says it appears the man and his wife surprised a female grizzly and her cubs Wednesday morning Read More... More on Animals         Connecticut Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Bill Signed By Governor Dan Malloy July 6, 2011 at 7:14 PM   Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy (D) signed a measure on Tuesday to add gender-based language to the state's anti-discrimination statute, making Connecticut the 15th state in the country to protect transgender people from discrimination. "An Act Concerning Discrimination," or HB-6599, states that employers and contractors are explicitly prohibited from discriminating on the grounds of "gender identity or expression," which it defines as "a person's gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person's physiology or assigned sex at birth." The new protections don't officially go into effect until October 1, but Malloy's move marks a victory for New England's LGBT community, which, according to Raw Story, lobbied state lawmakers in a successful campaign to push the measure through Connecticut's legislature. Read More... More on Gay Rights         Emmie Twombly: Invest in Women to Improve the World July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   The women of Vital Voices show that you cannot let obstacles big or small keep you down. The women and their stories taught me that you cannot use your past or circumstance to hide behind. Read More... More on Diane Sawyer         Lita Smith-Mines: It's Not Stealing, It's Dealing July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   If you're a buyer chafing at the inflexible stance adopted by the homeowners you repeatedly encounter, it may be wise to examine your negotiating style. Read More... More on NY Real Estate         Grizzly Bear Kills Man In Yellowstone National Park; First Fatal Mauling Since 1986 July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. -- Yellowstone National Park officials say a grizzly bear has killed a hiker in the park's backcountry – the first fatal bear mauling in the park since 1986. Park spokesman Al Nash says it appears the man and his wife surprised a female grizzly and her cubs Wednesday morning Read More... More on Animals         Roswell, NM Plane Crash: Public Told To Stay Away From Site Of Military Plane Crash July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   ROSWELL, N.M. — A military fighter plane crashed Wednesday in southern New Mexico after the pilot ejected safely, Air Force officials said. The QF-4 Phantom from Holloman Air Force Base crashed in grasslands between Roswell and Artesia, sparking a fire that burned 28 acres before it was contained. Read More...         Paul Stoller: Mediums and Their Political Messages July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   If Republican leaders begin to act more like public servants and less like non-thinking fundamentalist soldiers, we might begin to repair our political system. If not, their absolutism will plunge us into unspeakable economic darkness. Read More... More on Michele Bachmann         Montana Pipeline Repairs Will Take Weeks, Exxon Says July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   * Restoration not expected for at least two weeks * Company says spill volume likely 750 barrels Read More...         Larry Atkins: YouTube Moves From Cats Playing Piano to Classrooms July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   YouTube is no longer just for smoking toddlers, cats playing piano, skateboarding dogs and "Don't Tase Me, Bro!" In the past few years, YouTube and Google videos has become a helpful teaching tool. I have taught Journalism at Temple University and Journalism and Sports Ethics at Arcadia University as an Adjunct Professor for the past seven years. One of my greatest challenges is to keep the students engaged and interested. This is an especially big challenge in one of my courses that runs for three hours. For the most part, the students' attention spans max out at around 20 minutes, so it helps to engage them in different types of learning activities, such as lectures, group discussions and exercises. Now, I have the ability to play short educational videos. Read More... More on Education         Verizon Data Cap: Wireless Carrier Kills Off Unlimited Plan July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   SAN FRANCISCO -- When Verizon Wireless kills off its unlimited data plan for new smartphone customers on Thursday, it will mark another blow for endless Web surfing and video streaming. The move by the nation's largest wireless carrier has long been anticipated. More people are switching to smartphones and using an increasing amount of data for all manner of wireless activities. The shift could help wireless carriers ensure that they can handle the traffic flowing over the new higher-speed "4G," or fourth-generation, data networks they're rolling out. Read More... 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