7/7 The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com

The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com         HuffPost Greatest Person Of The Day: Greg Spencer Jr. To Give 5 Million Cook Stoves To Those In Need July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   Three billion people worldwide still use open fires fueled by coal, wood and charcoal to prepare their meals. That inefficient and environmentally harmful form of cooking can drain a family physically and economically, according to a press release from The Paradigm Project, a low-profit organization dedicated to providing five million cook stoves to people in need. In rural Kenya, women spend about five hours each day trekking more than 10 miles to collect 60-pound bundles of wood for cooking, the release says. Read More... More on Greatest Person Of The Day         Yemen Clashes Kill 7 Islamists, 1 Soldier July 6, 2011 at 6:53 PM   SANAA, Yemen — Yemeni security forces clashed with Islamist fighters near a southern town overrun by militants, leaving seven Islamists and a soldier dead, officials said, as tens of thousands staged rallies across Yemen calling for the president to step down. Security across the impoverished nation in the southern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, home to an active al-Qaida branch, has largely collapsed since the uprising seeking to oust President Ali Abdullah Saleh broke out in February. Read More... More on Ali Abdullah Saleh         Heston Blumenthal Says Fat Duck Gets 30,000 Phone Calls A Day July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   With snail porridge and salmon poached in liquorice on the menu, dinner at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck might not be for everyone. But despite the economic gloom the phones at the triple Michelin-starred restaurant are ringing red hot. Read More...         Twitter Town Hall Participants Have Drastically Different Concerns Than Beltway Journalists, Apparently! July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   Over at the Boston Globe, Tom Giratikanon and the Globe's staff have put together a must-read chart, which compares the concerns raised by today's Twitter Town Hall respondents to the questions that journalists have asked Obama in the past two weeks of White House Briefings. What does it reveal? Basically, it reveals something I've been yammering on and on about since time began, it seems! Beltway journalists are seriously divorced from the concerns of ordinary Americans. Here's an actual valuable thing we can take away from the Twitter Town Hall, hooray! Peep how the numbers stack up on just "jobs," "deficit," "taxes," and "the economy." Read More... More on Barack Obama         Zack Isaacs: Chicago Changes Colors July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   It's the new Great Migration: black Chicagoans are "relocating" to the southern suburbs. But it's much bigger than a residential issue. Chicago is not what it used to be -- and I think I know the reason why. Read More... More on Real Estate         Federal Bank Regulators Scrutinizing Mortgage Lawsuits Against Banks, Opening New Worry For Investors, Bankers July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   WASHINGTON -- Federal bank regulators are scrutinizing more than 150 home loan-related lawsuits directed at lenders and mortgage companies, a top official at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation plans to say Thursday, underscoring the threat the largest U.S. banks face from faulty and improper mortgage and foreclosure practices. The revelation will likely add to large banks' woes, as the five biggest servicers -- Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial -- currently face up to $30 billion in penalties from state attorneys general and federal agencies for wrongful foreclosures and other mortgage-related misdeeds. Lenders and servicers, which collect borrowers' monthly payments and foreclose on them when they fall behind, face 67 pending class-action suits in more than 20 states that challenge foreclosures based on so-called "robo-signing" and other poor documentation practices, according to FDIC Director of Depositor and Consumer Protection Mark Pearce's prepared remarks for a Thursday congressional panel. Read More... More on Citibank         "Game of Thrones" Gets a Violin Cover (VIDEO) July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   Game of Thrones has gone classic. The theme from the book-turned-HBO series got a makeover this week when Jason Yang arranged the score, playing each part himself on both electric and acoustic violin and then assembling the video with harmony intact. "I'm a huge fan of the show so this one is dedicated to the entire cast and crew, as well as to all the other fans out there!" notes Yang, always the uber fan, on the video's YouTube page. Season two of Game of Thrones is due out next year. As for Yang, he's thrilled just to get a 'thank you' from their team. Read More... More on Video         Sara Elizabeth Ivanhoe: Laura Ziskin -- Yogini July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   Much has been written about Laura Ziskin's tragic passing, and every title she has been given describes her heroic nature: Producer, Writer, Charity Co-Founder, Wife and Mother. To that list I'd like to add "Yogini." Read More... More on Yoga         EXCLUSIVE: Jeffrey Ross Talks Charlie Sheen Roast July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   When Comedy Central announced that Charlie Sheen would be the subject of its next roast, very few people had any question as to why. Ever since the actor's absurdist PR blitz in February, he's been a punchline fixture for joke-writers and everyday folk alike. His bizarre, anti-comedy "Violent Torpedo Of Truth" tour may have seemed like the culmination of his walk on the rhetorical wild side, but that, apparently, was just a pre-cursor to what will be September's most "epic" Sheen event. Comedy Central has yet to announce its lineup of Roasters or its Roastmaster for Sheen, but it would be hard to imagine it without Jeffrey Ross, and his patented affable meanness. He is the master of the scathing line delivered with boyish glee, inspiring forgiveness even as he devastates. Ross, along with Lisa Lampanelli and the late Greg Giraldo, is one of the most recognizable faces associated with roasting, having served as Comedy Central's Roastmaster multiple times, even writing the definitive book on the subject, "I Only Roast The Ones I Love." Read More... More on Comedy Central         Nathaniel Fujita, Mass. Teen Football Player, Charged With Murdering Ex-Girlfriend July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   Nathaniel Fujita, a former high school football player in Wayland, Mass. was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday in the death of his 18-year-old ex-girlfriend Lauren Astley. Fujita plead not guilty and is being held without bond at Middlesex Jail in Cambridge, Mass. Astley, also recently graduated from Wayland High School, reportedly dated Fujita for three years until they broke up several weeks ago. Although Astley broke off the relationship, the two were on amiable terms, The Boston Globe reports. Officials are still investigating what may have triggered the alleged murder. Astley was reported missing Sunday after she didn't return home from her job at a clothing store. Her body was found in a marshy area by a bicyclist Monday morning with her throat cut and a bungee cord wrapped around her neck. Read More... More on Crime         Tribeca Film: Future of Film: Why Transmedia is Catching On July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   "Isaac Newton didn't discover gravity, he just named it," one TV writer-producer quipped during a recent conversation about transmedia. And so it would seem, despite a testy flame war over the term transmedia -- or perhaps because of it -- the transmedia movement is catching on across the media business. "Transmedia" is shorthand for a grab bag of production and distribution practices and audience engagement techniques that have emerged over the past decade, and when taken together, promise a new kind of media experience. Along the way, practitioners and pundits have applied many terms to describe this type of production -- interactive or participatory media, cross-platform or multi-platform storytelling, deep or immersive media, experience design, story franchises, sequels, packaging, integrated media, 360 production... the list goes on. Read More...         Adam Hanft: The Casey Anthony Brand Wins July 6, 2011 at 6:37 PM   Yesterday's surprising verdict was, simply put, a supremely emotional consumer purchase decision. Though a potential death sentence was at stake, the process by which jurors acted as purchasers followed well-established patterns of perception. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         Tracy Shaffer: So What's a Dramaturg? July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   The Literary Managers & Dramaturgs of the Americas will seek to answer this and many other questions as they take stage this weekend at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. Read More... More on Denver Around Town         Carmageddon Update: 26 Extra Bus Lines Will Be Free Of Charge July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   In addition to providing free rides on the Metro Orange, Red and Purple Lines, The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced that it will make 26 additional Metro Bus Lines free the weekend of July 16-17 when the I-405 will be closed between the I-10 and U.S. 101 for Mulholland Bridge demolition work. Metro selected bus lines for free fares that operate on major Westside and San Fernando Valley streets in areas most affected by the closure. Free rides on the selected bus lines are intended to help mitigate congestion during the closure weekend. Read More... More on Transportation         Jon Favreau: The Cowboys & Aliens Interviews: Spielberg, Grazer, Howard July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   Read More... More on Photo Galleries         CBS Reruns Hold Court In Summer Ratings July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   NEW YORK — There's little secret to what entertainment choices viewers want from the broadcast networks this summer: reruns on CBS and competition or reality shows elsewhere. Twelve of the 25 most popular prime-time programs last week were reruns of scripted dramas or comedies on CBS, the Nielsen Co. said. CBS' one other entry in Nielsen's top 25 was the newsmagazine "60 Minutes," which usually airs recycled material in the summer. Read More... More on CBS         Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB Takeover Bid Could Be Derailed By Tabloid Scandal July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   NEW YORK -- Rupert Murdoch has long thrived in opposition, still playing the scrappy outsider who just so happens to run a vast media empire. For over half a century, Murdoch's thwarted a long list of regulators, media consolidation critics and journalism ethics scolds. He dropped $5 billion on Wall Street Journal-parent Dow Jones in 2007 despite protests that he'd ignore his promises of editorial independence -- similar to those he made before purchasing The Times and Sunday Times -- once he closed the deal. And, of course, he did. Now, Murdoch's swashbuckling legacy is being put to a career-defining test, as the 80-year-old News Corp. chairman attempts to take over UK broadcaster BSkyB amid skyrocketing public outrage and increased political pressure surrounding the News of the World phone hacking scandal. BBC business editor Robert Person reported Wednesday that News Corp “will almost certainly have to delay their takeover of BSkyB -- at least until it is apparent that the News of the World and News International have been cleaned up.” Read More... More on Wall Street Journal         HUFFPOST HILL - Senate Does Impression Of Itself July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   We give it a year until our senators roam the streets with clipboards asking passersby if they can spare a moment for charity. Eliot Spitzer has been doinked from CNN's primetime lineup (... heh, "doinked"). President Obama hosted a Twitter town hall while Joe Biden tried with all his might not to wander into a 4chan thread. And we're peeved that the president didn't respond to our question about whether he's ever watched The Wizard of Oz synced to "Dark Side of the Moon." Heavy stuff, man. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Wednesday, July 6th, 2011: THE SENATE SPENT THE DAY BEING MEEK - We know, we know, "You mean it's a Wednesday?" Ha ha. We get it: The Senate ALWAYS sucks. But it was especially sucky today. Harry Reid was thwarted yesterday in his attempt to bring up a resolution supporting the U.S.'s involvement in the NATO-led mission in Libya. Unable to even pass a non-binding resolution supporting America's ongoing destruction of stuff with bombs -- which is, like, AMERICA'S FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD -- the upper chamber spent A SIZABLE CHUNK OF THE DAY debating (debating!!!) a non-binding resolution asking millionaires to contribute to deficit reduction. Seriously. This is still a step up from yesterday's floor activity, in which senators showed up to register their presence for a quorum call. No word on whether Jeff Sessions is plotting a second-degree amendment clarifying that Reid's suggested tax hike is "pathetic." While the Senate was begging rich people to maybe think about moving their money from offshore tax havens to the Treasury Department, PPP released a poll finding 80 percent of voters in Ohio, Missouri, Montana and Minnesota want taxes increased on individuals making more than $1 million annually. Read More... More on HuffPost Hill         Aaron Hurst: Gap Foundation President's Thoughts on Passion, Gen Y and Service July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   One of the best parts of my job is meeting amazingly smart and cool people. This week I talked with Bobbi Silten, the President of Gap Foundation, about her killer career and her passion for service. Read More... More on Service         Jeff Sessions Warns Of Crisis If Debt Deal Fails July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   WASHINGTON -- The House or Senate might reject a final proposal for raising the debt ceiling if the plan does not make sufficient cuts, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said on Wednesday, arguing that the negotiation process should be more transparent to prevent a bad deal from landing on lawmakers at the last minute. "I'm very worried that a last-minute proposal that's insufficient could be turned down in the House or the Senate, and we could have a crisis that we don't need to have," Sessions told reporters. Lawmakers are currently working with the White House on a deal to raise the debt limit, which is currently set at $14.29 trillion, in exchange for trillions of dollars in spending cuts and savings. But the negotiations, led by Vice President Joe Biden, reached an impasse about two weeks ago when Republican lawmakers abruptly quit over the issue of tax increases. Read More... More on Barack Obama         Bill Bush: Who Am I This Time?: This Artweek.LA (July 4-10) July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   Read More...         Jason Pugatch: Corporate Philanthropy: The New Popularity Contest July 6, 2011 at 6:21 PM   Putting a blast out on twitter for nominations is a great way to learn of new charities, but reviewing just the top five serves only the cool kids. Read More... More on Charity         Jim Hill: The Roads Not Taken With Pixar's Cars Films July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   It's clear that moviegoers can't get enough of Cars 2. However, one wonders if this Pixar franchise would have been as successful if John Lasseter and Co. had gone with the studio's initial concept for this animated feature. Read More... More on Cars         Mónica Villamizar: Hugo Chavez: "The Tough Times Began" July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   Hugo Chavez's health saga has had ups and downs, but specially has born the trademark of the Cold War era. After 24 days of absence he arrived in Caracas under total secrecy. But what exactly is wrong with Chavez? Read More... More on Cancer         CBS Reruns Hold Court In Summer Ratings July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   NEW YORK -- There's little secret to what entertainment choices viewers want from the broadcast networks this summer: reruns on CBS and competition or reality shows elsewhere. Twelve of the 25 most popular prime-time programs last week were reruns of scripted dramas or comedies on CBS, the Nielsen Co. said. CBS' one other entry in Nielsen's top 25 was the newsmagazine "60 Minutes," which usually airs recycled material in the summer. Read More... More on CBS         Woman Drops 'Three Cups Of Tea' Lawsuit Against Greg Mortenson July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   HELENA, Mont. — An Illinois woman has dropped her lawsuit against "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson, leaving just one legal claim that millions of people were duped into buying Mortenson's books and donating to his charity based on lies. Former teacher Deborah Netter dropped her lawsuit Friday in Illinois federal court. She had sued Mortenson, his co-author and his publisher over claims that she bought the book based on her belief that it contained the truth as to how Mortenson became involved in building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Read More... More on 60 Minutes         Harmon Leon: Cell Phones, Social Media and the Casey Anthony Trial July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   In the age of the Kardashians and Charlie Sheen Twitter rants, journalists and bloggers inside the Casey Anthony murder trial courtroom were allowed to use smartphones, iPads, and other devices to disseminate information in real time. Read More... More on Casey Anthony         James Spader In 'The Office': Robert California As Dunder Mifflin CEO July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   James Spader will be the new boss on "The Office." For about a day. Then, it's up to corporate. A press release from Universal reveals that Spader has sealed a deal to join the show on a full-time basis, reprising the character he played during last season's finale's hunt for a new Scranton head honcho. But instead of settling for the desk in Pennsylvania, he ends up climbing much, much higher -- to the top of Sabre. "James will reprise his role as Robert California, this uber-salesman that has a power to convince and manipulate, like a high-class weirdo Jedi warrior,” said Paul Lieberstein, one of the series’ executive producers and a series regular. "He'll have been hired over the summer as the new manager, but within hours, got himself promoted. Within days, he took over the company. James has an energy that is completely his own, and ‘The Office’ has no tools for dealing with this guy. We're thrilled he's joining our cast." Read More... More on The Office         Shelley Ross: Strauss-Kahn Fallout: NY DA Takes Five Steps Backwards For Rape Accusers July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   Some people have all the luck and Dominique Strauss-Kahn is one of them. He's had good political fortune. He married a billionairess. Now, it turns out, the 32-year-old housekeeper who accused him of raping her while on the job in the Sofitel Hotel is looking like a terrible witness. In fact, if you listen to all the current cable chatter, you'd think she could be the one heading to jail. Strauss-Kahn has now been released on his own recognizance, the luxurious restrictions of house arrest lifted. His $6 million bail has been ordered returned. Manhattan prosecutors are now saying the testimony of their alleged victim is problematic. Stop the press. The woman from Guinea who's been cleaning bathrooms for the rich and famous has a creep of a boyfriend who has possibly involved her in some shady finances, possible money laundering. A phone call from him in jail was recorded and reportedly led to discovery of some untruths in her personal story including the existence of five cell phone accounts, not just the one she revealed to prosecutors. Read More...         Paul Szep: The Daily Szep -- Orlando Justice July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   Read More...         Hey Kids! Kraft Sneaks Freeze-Dried Cauliflower Into Its Neon Mac & Cheese July 6, 2011 at 6:05 PM   -- It looks like Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, and Kraft says it tastes just like the original. But a new ingredient is lurking inside this version of the American family dinner staple – cauliflower. Don't tell the kids! Read More...         Susan Fogwell: A Summer Getaway to Boothbay Harbor, Maine July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   Boothbay Harbor is a small town on the rugged Maine coast defined by tradition, salty air, foggy mornings and pine needle paths. For many people, mentioning of Maine conjures up an image of a sweeter world. The state famously known as Vacationland offers summer camps, lobsters, L.L. Bean, and outdoor adventures. Boothbay Harbor is one of a handful of mid-coast Maine small towns where certain families have come or lived for generations. The village is big on casual, alfresco dining, small shops with made in Maine crafts, windjammer sailing, concerts in the park and craft shows. From Portland, it takes just under an hour's drive to reach this little haven. Read More...         Tracy Baim: Obama and Marriage: Do We Need a Secret Gay-Decoder Ring? July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   Mr. President, I have come to terms with your rules of engagement on LGBT issues. I have decided to tune out your well-written and dramatically spoken words. Instead, I will focus on your actions. Read More... More on Gay Marriage         The Town Hall Reimagined: President Obama In 140 Characters Or Less July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   So, humanity's first "Twitter town hall" is now in the books. Was it everything you hoped it would be? My wish is that if we all agree to behave ourselves, there won't be any more of these things. As someone who grew up thrilling to history lessons on subjects like the Lincoln-Douglas debates, I just sort of feel bad for the future America in which school children will be taught about that time President Barack Obama responded to a tweet from @schnaps. But, this Twitter town hall was nevertheless a thing that happened today. As with any time social media gets knit up into the world of politics and the media, the actual platform was little more than part of the scenery. Tweets appeared on a screen, and Jack Dorsey (a.k.a. @jack, the Guy From Twitter), read the questions aloud, much in the same way CNN has been doing ever since they discovered Twitter. President Obama then provided lengthy extemporaeous answers to those questions. Aside from a tweet Obama himself sent at the outset, soliciting suggestions for what programs should be cut or preserved in the debt ceiling debate (cue the RNC making fun of this -- "Obama seeks help on Twitter for how to do his job"), there was hardly any tweeting involved. The questions may have well been pulled from a hat, or carried into the room via pigeon, or even just asked, in real time, by people standing right there! At one point, Obama quipped that he understood that on Twitter, answers should be brief. And that got us thinking: What if Obama also have to confine himself to answering each question with only 140 characters? The town hall would have been much shorter in duration, for one thing! But would the answers have been as revealing or as substantive? Well, we took our best shot at answering that question, by condensing Obama's town hall answers into tweet-sized responses. Read More... More on Barack Obama         Villaraigosa's Chief Of Staff Resigns July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's chief of staff, Jeff Carr, announced Wednesday that he is stepping down from his post, the latest sign of turbulence to hit the mayor’s office during his second term. Carr, who has held the post since 2009, is expected to leave later this summer. Shortly before noon, Carr held a meeting to inform members of Villaraigosa’s staff that he was leaving. Carr, 47, was hired with much fanfare two years ago, with supporters of Villaraigosa promising that a reshuffling of the executive ranks would make the office more effective. Those moves came after months of criticism that the mayor lacked focus and follow-through. Read More...         Shooting Ranges Get Chicago City Council Go-Ahead Shortly Before Previous Ban Struck Down In Court July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   In a move effectively striking down a previous ban on gun ranges within city limits, Chicago's City Council voted hurriedly and unanimously Wednesday to allow for indoor ranges to be licensed, though several caveats to the newly-approved ordinance dictate how and where they can operate. A judge ruled the gun-range ban illegal shortly after it was overturned by the Council. As HuffPost Chicago wrote yesterday, the ordinance came largely as a reaction to a federal lawsuit against the city's ban on ranges. In order for one to obtain a firearm permit in Chicago, a prospective gun owner must go through a brief training course at a firing range. Since ranges had, until now, been banned within the city, those seeking a permit had to travel to the suburbs to pursue taking up arms legally. Under the new ordinance, prospective Chicago gun owners can go to a range allowed under a special use permit, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Ranges within city limits must be fully enclosed and will only be allowed in manufacturing zones and must be located at least 1,000 feet away from any schools, parks, place of worship, day care facilities, liquor stores, libraries, museums, hospitals or residential districts. The ranges may only operate between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. Read More...         Britt Alan Cox Sentenced To Life In Prison For Shooting Bonni Gilbert Bergen, Blowing Up Her House July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   Britt Alan Cox, 42, was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years without the possiblity of parole for the robbery and murder of Bonni Gilbert Bergen at her Lakewood, Colorado home in July of 2009. Cox, a meth user, was found guilty of murder, aggravated robbery, arson, aggravated motor vehicle theft, tampering with physical evidence and burglary, 7News reports. Cox and Bergen had been friends and used methamphetamine together, according to The Denver Post. Prosecutors said that on July 27, Cox broke into Bergen’s home and stole some tools and her Chevy Blazer. He then came back the next day, broke in again, but this time shot Bergen in the head, killing her. Read More... More on Denver News         Marlena Doktorczyk-Donohue: SFMOMA's The Steins Collect Documents a Life of Art Collecting July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   Read More... More on San Francisco Around Town         Harry Potter Exclusive: Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe Appear At Hogwarts Farewell July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   It wasn't just a special occasion for the 250 journalists gathered at the launch of the final Harry Potter film earlier today. It was a sentimental event for the cast too, who've reached the end of a magical 10 years and eight films that have transferred the face of the British film industry. Gathered in the majestic St. Pancreas Renaissance hotel, 22 cast members turned out to say their final lines on the now infamous Harry Potter franchise. Read More... More on Film         Darryle Pollack: Finding Art in Age and Adversity July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM   I would never say having cancer is a gift. But I would say that gifts can come from having it. My friend and I are perfect examples. Read More... More on Cancer         Fedele Biscelgia Convicted: Former Monk Sentenced In Italy For Raping Nun July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   MILAN -- A former monk in Italy has been convicted of raping a nun and sentenced to nine years and three months in prison. He then vented his rancor outside a southern Italian courthouse. Television footage following Wednesday's verdict showed Fedele Biscelgia yelling "shame" at the nuns after the sentence, and proclaiming his innocence. Prosecutors had requested a lesser term of eight years. Read More... More on Italy         Caroline Dowd-Higgins: How to Get Your College Graduate Employed and Out of Your Basement July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   What's the best advice we can give our newly minted graduates as they enter this competitive job market? The reality is that finding your first post-graduation job takes time, persistence, resilience, and a lot of pavement pounding by the candidate. Read More... More on College Life         Richard (RJ) Eskow: How Much Would A White House/GOP Social Security Deal Cost You? July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   How much would you lose in benefits if President Obama makes a deal with the Republicans to cut Social Security? The Administration isn't denying reports that just such a deal is in the works. As the President prepares to meet with Congressional leaders tomorrow, the financial security of millions of Americans may hang in the balance. According to the polls, so could his political future. 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. " (Remember the GOP's Medicare strategy in 2010?) Dealmakers hope to avoid that by hiding the reduction in a lowered cost of living (COLA) adjustment, but it seems wildly optimistic to think a cut of this magnitude can be hidden from the public. It's doubly unfortunate because COLA adjustments should be increased, not reduced. Read More... More on Barack Obama         G. Elijah Dann: To Catch a Sinner -- Chris Hansen and the Spectacle of Moral Transgression July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   It turns out, moral failure is part of Hansen's character too. And it seems that those who like to make a living out of displaying the failure of others might be tempting the gods. Read More... More on Christianity         Dr. Anthony Galea Pleads Guilty: Tiger Woods, A-Rod Doctor Admits To Smuggling Drugs Into US July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   BUFFALO, N.Y. — A Canadian sports doctor whose high-profile clients have included Tiger Woods and Alex Rodriguez pleaded guilty in federal court Wednesday to bringing unapproved drugs, including human growth hormone, into the United States to unlawfully treat pro athletes. Dr. Anthony Galea, a healing specialist from Toronto who was sought out by the biggest names in sports, was indicted by a federal grand jury in October on charges that he smuggled human growth hormone and other substances into the United States and lied to border agents to avoid getting caught. He faces similar charges in Canada. Read More... More on Alex Rodriguez         Grant Achatz's Second Iteration Of Next Restaurant Debuts July 8 With Thai Menu July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   Chef Grant Achatz's Next restaurant, which changes cuisine roughly every three months, is just about ready for its second iteration. After the first theme of Escoffier's Paris, 1906 (and seats selling for up to $3000 on Craigslist), the restaurant is saying au revoir to France and going for a more modern Thai menu. Thai street food will be featured prominently and "reams and reams" of Thai newspaper will be used to cover the tables and serve the first courses on. In terms of music, there will be "less Thai spa, more Thai hip hop." The menu prices will be comparable to or lower than Next's Paris prices, with the Thai menu averaging about $100 with beverage pairings. Read More...         North Carolina Animal Cruelty Case: PETA Busts Testing Lab Workers For Abusing Cats, Dogs July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   RALEIGH, N.C. — Four former workers at a North Carolina testing lab have been indicted on felony animal cruelty charges, following an animal rights group's undercover investigation that captured video images of animals being hit, kicked and thrown, officials said Wednesday. Gates County District Attorney Frank Parrish said Christine Clement and Tracy Small were indicted on two counts each of cruelty to animals, while Jessica Detty and Mary Ramsey were each indicted on five counts of the same charge. Parrish said the grand jury handed down the indictments Tuesday. Read More... More on PETA         Sweden Wins Group C, Beats US 2-1 At Women's World Cup July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   WOLFSBURG, Germany — Lisa Dahlkvist converted a penalty, Nilla Fischer scored on a free kick and Sweden beat the Americans for the first time in World Cup play on Wednesday night, a 2-1 victory that forces the U.S. to play Brazil in the quarterfinals. Abby Wambach got the Americans back in the game in the 67th minute with her first goal of the tournament. But just as they have all year, the Americans squandered many other chances to score. It's the fourth loss since November for the world's No. 1 team after going more than two years without a defeat, and their second to Sweden this year. Read More... More on Soccer         Shannon Kelley: Women Role Models: The Weaker the Better? July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   So says Carina Chocano, anyway, in Sunday's New York Times: enough with the "strong female characters," she writes, give 'em to us weak. Strangely, I think she has a point. Read More... More on Careers         Michael Santos: Justice Isn't Justice Without a Guilty Verdict? July 6, 2011 at 5:21 PM   Our nation now confines 2.3 million people. More people may become cynical about our nation's criminal justice system. It is growing into a multi-headed, Leviathan-like beast. Frankly, I'm sick of it. Read More... More on Prisons             This email was sent to venturepoliticalcapital@gmail.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox PO Box 682532 Franklin, TN 37068 Account Login Unsubscribe Here