Rape accompanied by savage violence has long been part of prison life. Congress finally confronted this horrendous problem by passing the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. In addition to bringing attention to a long overlooked problem, the new law created a commission that has put forth a broad set of rape-prevention standards that deserve [...]
Archive for June, 2009
Rape in Prison
Posted in Editorials and opinion, Law, Living on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Entertainment – June 24
Posted in Entertainment Today, tagged June 24 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
“Jon & Kate” Breakup Wins Large TV Audience If misery loves company, then reality TV couple Jon and Kate Gosselin had plenty of both Monday night when millions of viewers watched on television as the parents of eight announced they were breaking up. Cable channel TLC, which airs reality show “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” [...]
Today in History – June 24
Posted in This day in history, tagged June 24 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Today is Wednesday, June 24, the 175th day of 2009. There are 190 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History Five hundred years ago, on June 24, 1509, Henry VIII was crowned king of England; his wife, Catherine of Aragon, was crowned queen consort. On this date: In 1314, the forces of Scotland’s [...]
Iran ‘will not yield’ to protesters
Posted in Conflicts and wars, tagged Iran on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Iran’s supreme leader has vowed the country’s leadership will not give in to mass protests against the disputed re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s message came on Wednesday amid reports that supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated main opposition candidate in the June 12 presidential election, were gathering in the capital, Tehran, for fresh [...]
Today’s papers – June 24
Posted in Today's Papers, tagged June 24 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Obama Changes Tune on Iran The New York Times, USA Today, and the Wall Street Journal‘s world-wide newsbox lead with, while the rest of the papers off-lead, President Obama delivering his harshest criticism of Iran’s postelection crackdown of protesters. After days of criticism from Republican leaders who said the president wasn’t showing enough support for [...]
The Birds of America
Posted in Birds of America, tagged 46, 47, 48 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Strix varia Chouette rayée ou Chouette barrée / Barred Owl Curious, shy, and a night hunter, the Barred Owl is the largest and most common owl in our forests. Living in mature mixed or leafy forests and in the northern United States, as well as in the bald cypress marshes in the south, the Barred [...]
Iran’s Mousavi calls new protest
Posted in Conflicts and wars, tagged Iran on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Iran’s main opposition leader is urging his supporters to gather outside parliament in Tehran later on Wednesday, in defiance of government orders for protesters to stay off the streets.The call from Mir Hossein Mousavi comes as Iranian authorities have reportedly deployed more security to break-up any gatherings and quell further protests. On Tuesday authorities warned [...]
BBC Persian works round restrictions
Posted in Conflicts and wars, Media on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Just five months after BBC’s Persian TV service went on air came the disputed June presidential elections in Iran, followed by mass protests, violence, and a clampdown on foreign media. BBC Persian has broadcast from London since January Since then staff at the channel – many of them young Iranians who only came to the [...]
Uncommon knowledge
Posted in Uncommon knowledge, tagged April 6 2008 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Taller soldiers live longer, how sex makes men impatient, and more Do conservative values and conservative economics go hand in hand? A sociologist looked at broad surveys of Americans to find out whether conservative Protestants – the 25 percent of the population belonging to churches that emphasize a literal reading of the Bible, personal conversion, [...]
Uncommon knowledge
Posted in Uncommon knowledge, tagged April 12 2009 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
The lasting shock of a financial crisis PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS shown that recessions leave a lasting imprint on careers, especially for people entering the workforce. A new analysis from financial economists at Berkeley and Stanford finds a similar imprint on risk-taking behavior. People who had experienced worse stock-market performance during their lives were less willing [...]
Uncommon knowledge
Posted in Uncommon knowledge, tagged March 29 2009 on June 24, 2009 | Comments Off
Better thinking through gum BECAUSE OF ITS association with the carefree attitude of youth, chewing gum can convey an immature or unprofessional air. New research suggests that it may be time to change that preconception. People who chewed gum while working through challenging mental tasks showed higher alertness and lower stress and anxiety (including lower [...]
High stakes
Posted in Politics, tagged Iran on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
As Iran simmers what will become of the protest movement? THE Guardian Council, an unelected committee that is meant to oversee Iran’s elections, declared on Tuesday June 23rd that it was happy with the presidential poll and that the result would stand. The body continued to uphold Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s victory despite grudgingly conceding on Monday [...]
The President Packs the Press Corps
Posted in Editorials and opinion, Media on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
During the eight years of the Bush administration, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the White House of planting questioners in news conferences to ask pre-planned questions. At this afternoon’s news conference, President Obama fielded a pre-planned question asked by a planted questioner – from the Huffington Post. “Since we’re on Iran,” [...]
Their Name Is Basij
Posted in Conflicts and wars, Editorials and opinion, Politics, tagged Iran on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
One way President Obama can “bear witness.” However reluctantly, President Obama is finding his voice on Iran. He opened a press conference this afternoon with his strongest statement yet on the subject: We must . . . bear witness to the courage and the dignity of the Iranian people and to a remarkable opening within Iranian society. [...]
Bernanke at the Creation
Posted in Economy and business, Editorials and opinion on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
The Federal Reserve’s Open Market Committee meets today, amid a debate over how and when to remove the flood of liquidity it has poured into the economy in the last 18 months. Fed officials say not to worry, they’re as vigilant about inflation as ever — which is itself a reason to worry. We’ve all [...]
Religion of Peace
Posted in Editorials and opinion, Politics, Religion, tagged Iran on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
In Iran, a theological state is challenged on theological grounds. It isn’t always that the words Allahu Akbar sound this sweet to Western ears. It’s a muggy Friday afternoon and I’m standing curbside right outside Iran’s Permanent Mission to the U.N. in New York City. Preaching in Farsi is a turbaned Shiite imam named Mohsen [...]
A Weak Spot in Our Defenses
Posted in Computers, Conflicts and wars, Editorials and opinion on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Congressional computers have been penetrated, probably by the Chinese. The avionics system of the F-22 fighter may be compromised. Computers of our presidential candidates were hacked into — and probably not by teenagers on a lark. Last year’s advance of Russian tanks into Georgia was accompanied by the disruption of Georgian government computer systems. These [...]
A Royal ‘We Shall Overcome’ for Iran
Posted in Editorials and opinion, History, Politics, tagged Iran on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Reza Pahlavi It seems somewhat unlikely that a resident of Potomac will be the next ruler of Iran. But Reza Pahlavi, son of the shah and the country’s former crown prince, is not ruling out anything. As Tehran’s streets fill with death-to-the-dictator chants, Pahlavi went to the National Press Club yesterday and, in front of [...]
Netanyahu’s Gambit
Posted in Conflicts and wars, Politics, tagged Israel on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
The syndrome is clear: since 1992 every Israeli hawk, once elected prime minister, turns into a dove. Yitzhak Rabin, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert all shifted radically to the left after taking office. What you see from here is not what you see from there, said one of them. And what any reasonable [...]
Kyrgyzstan Allows Limited U.S. Access
Posted in Conflicts and wars, Politics, tagged Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
American troops at Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan in 2007. Kyrgyzstan, which four months ago said it would close an American air base central to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, appeared Tuesday to partially reverse its decision. The government, after heavy lobbying by American officials, reached a tentative arrangement that would allow the American military [...]
Where Can the Doctor Who’s Guided All the Others Go for Help?
Posted in Health on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Psychiatry is a relatively safe profession, but it has a hazard that is not apparent at first glance: if you are in it long enough, there may be no one to talk to about your own problems. It is not that way when you start out. Most psychiatric residents spend a good deal of time [...]
Something for Nothing
Posted in Editorials and opinion, Health, Politics on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
On May 12, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on health care reform. There was a long table of 13 experts, and a vast majority agreed that ending the tax exemption on employer-provided health benefits should be part of a reform package. They gave the reasons that experts — on right or left — [...]
The Voting Rights Act Survives
Posted in Supreme Court decisions, tagged Voting Rights Act of 1965 on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
The Supreme Court decided on Monday not to strike down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, a protection for the right of minorities to vote. That was very good news. The less good news is that the court, which has repeatedly upheld the constitutionality of Section 5, said it raises serious constitutional concerns. The [...]
Who Are We?
Posted in Conflicts and wars, Editorials and opinion, Politics on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Policies that were wrong under George W. Bush are no less wrong because Barack Obama is in the White House. One of the most disappointing aspects of the early months of the Obama administration has been its unwillingness to end many of the mind-numbing abuses linked to the so-called war on terror and to establish [...]
How the Food Makers Captured Our Brains
Posted in Health on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
As head of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. David A. Kessler served two presidents and battled Congress and Big Tobacco. But the Harvard-educated pediatrician discovered he was helpless against the forces of a chocolate chip cookie. In an experiment of one, Dr. Kessler tested his willpower by buying two gooey chocolate chip cookies that [...]
Entertainment – June 23
Posted in Entertainment Today, tagged June 23 on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Peas Manager Charged In Perez Hilton Fight Toronto police have charged the manager of chart-topping hip-hop band the Black Eyed Peas with assault after a confrontation with celebrity blogger Perez Hilton at Sunday’s MuchMusic Video Awards. Liborio Molina, 36, was ordered to appear at Old City Hall in Toronto on August 5 to answer the [...]
Today in History – June 23
Posted in This day in history, tagged June 23 on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Today is Tuesday, June 23, the 174th day of 2009. There are 191 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History On June 23, 1969, Warren E. Burger was sworn in as chief justice of the United States by the man he was succeeding, Earl Warren. On this date: In 1314, the Battle of [...]
The Birds of America
Posted in Birds of America, tagged 43, 44, 45 on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Bombycilla cedrorum Jaseur d’Amérique ou Jaseur des Cèdres / Cedar Waxwing Despite its name in French (where it means “Cedar Chatterer”), the Cedar Waxwing is a rather quiet bird that is widely present throughout North America. It builds its nests just about everywhere, in the woods, in parks and gardens and on the banks of [...]
Today’s Papers – June 23
Posted in Today's Papers, tagged June 23 on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Iran’s Guardian Council: Election Was Kosher and other Iran news The New York Times leads with Iran’s powerful Guardian Council announcing that it found some irregularities in the June 12 polls. The council said that the number of votes in 50 districts was greater than the number of eligible voters by 3 million, not enough [...]
Dear, I love you with all my brain
Posted in Biological sciences, Living on June 23, 2009 | Comments Off
Dopamine brings people together and oxytocin keeps them attached, studies show. Is love just chemistry? For centuries, love has been probed — and of course celebrated — mostly by poets, artists and balladeers. But now its mysteries are yielding to the tools of science, including modern brain-scanning machines. At State University of New York at [...]
