Keepingitreal

Evidence ignored in Chauncey Bailey case

OAKLAND — The lead detective assigned to investigate journalist Chauncey Bailey's killing ignored evidence linking Yusuf Bey IV, former leader of Your Black Muslim Bakery, to a role in the killing and interfered in two other unrelated felony cases involving Bey IV, according to an investigation by the Chauncey Bailey Project.The Bailey Project's reporting has led to a police internal affairs investigation of that detective, Sgt. Derwin Longmire, and whether his relationship with Bey IV may have compromised the case.Law enforcement officials said the investigation of the Bailey killing is in crisis.If Longmire is charged with administrative or criminal wrongdoing, the chances of convicting the At the same time, if a vigorous investigation of Bailey's killing is not quickly undertaken, chances of ever charging others and fully solving the most prominent slaying of an American journalist since 1976 could be lost.In a highly unusual move, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office has launched its own investigation to determine whether there was a conspiracy to kill Bailey. The district attorney's probe is independent of the Oakland police and two investigators have been assigned to the work. Usually a case has one investigator.Evidence the Bailey Project obtained during its lengthy investigation includes data from a tracking device hidden on Bey IV's car that shows it outside Bailey's apartment seven hours before the Aug. 2, 2007, killing. Police say Bey IV and Broussard both admitted to being in the vehicle at that time along with a third man who worked at the bakery, Antoine Mackey.The Bailey Project could find no documentation in case notes that Oakland police officials ever analyzed Bey IV's cell phone data. The Bailey Project, however, obtained and analyzed the records. Through police and court records and online databases, he Project identified the people associated with the numbers that Bey IV called, as well as the people who called Bey IV. Those cell phone records show that Bey IV was on the phone with an acquaintance of Bailey while Bey IV, Mackey and Broussard were outside the residence. They also show Bey IV involved in a series of phone calls within minutes of the killing, including one to Mackey, who, like Broussard, is from San Francisco and who has a long juvenile and adult criminal record. Mackey is currently incarcerated on a burglary conviction.Additionally, the Bailey Project learned that Bey IV has spoken with Longmire repeatedly from Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, where the bakery leader has been held on unrelated charges since his arrest in August, 2007. Seven legal and criminal experts, including a retired superior court judge, a former prosecutor and a former police commissioner, reviewed documents for the Bailey Project and said that Longmire's investigation raises questions about whether he was protecting Bey IV from charges, ignored involvement of others and instead, pinned all blame on Broussard, now 20, who worked at the bakery as a handyman and who confessed to the killing. He later recanted. Bey IV, 22, has repeatedly denied involvement in Bailey's killing. District Attorney Tom Orloff, Oakland police Chief Wayne Tucker, Assistant Chief Howard Jordan, homicide unit commander Lt. Ersie Joyner and Longmire all rejected repeated requests for interviews for this story. In past interviews, department leaders have defended Longmire's investigation of the case and complimented his skilled interrogation in getting Broussard to confess. Joyner said Longmire was a fine detective doing excellent work. Jordan said it was unusual but not unethical for a lead investigator on a case to be friends with persons involved in it. "I don't have any problems with Sgt. Longmire's relationship with members of the bakery," Jordan said in a televised interview in February. "I trust his integrity. I trust his credibility." But former Santa Clara County Judge LaDoris Cordell said Longmire should have recused himself from the case and that department leaders should have seen the conflict. A detective who is friends with a person suspected in a killing "should have no involvement in the investigation at all," she said. The internal affairs probe of Longmire is also looking at a succession of calls made in the past four months. Bey IV calls the mother of his three children who then conferenced in Longmire on three-way calling, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the case. The legal experts who reviewed Longmire's case notes, recordings of interviews with Broussard and Bey IV, a report on the tracking device and other documents for the Bailey Project said the investigation is severely compromised. "I felt from reading all of this, a sense of a bias, a bias on the part of Sgt. Longmire, in favor of "... those involved with the bakery," said Cordell. "I didn't feel a sense (of) objectivity that I think has to be there for a competent investigation." Longmire's case notes of the investigation is "suspiciously incomplete," said Richard Leo, a University of San Francisco law professor and nationally recognized criminal expert. "Is Longmire blind?" Leo said. "Journalists after the fact investigating a murder shouldn't be discovering big pieces of seemingly inculpatory evidence of knowledge and involvement and participation in that murder (by uncharged people) that police knew about and didn't thoroughly investigate and thoroughly document." CONTINUE READING...

Evidence Ignored in Chauncey Bailey Case

The lastest on the Chauncey Bailey Case

SOHH Exclusive: Ludacris, Akon & More Question Flossing In The Recession

EXCERPT FROM SOHH.COM -- Should rappers' adjust their lyrics in light of the current financial climate?  SOHH got some of hip-hop's biggest names to weigh in.  In this exclusive, Jim Jones and Akon defend their right to "Pop Champagne" and sing, "I'm So Paid" while Ludacris and Q-Tip discuss the responsibility to be sensitive to the economic recession. But some rappers weighed in on the other side of the spectrum.  Q-Tip stressed the fact that artists have a right to exercise their freedom of speech but said that he finds those types of lyrics a bit insensitive in light of the current financial crisis.

"When I got into rap music way back when, one of the things that really turned me on to it was I always looked at the lyricist being the newspaper," said Neil Levine a long-time music exec who now heads up Sony/BMG's newly launched urban imprint Battery Records.  "Well , things are very different now," he asid. "I think people are tired of hearing the same lyrics, the same crap.  I'm certainly hoping that the lyrics change with the times." Not everyone agrees with Levine.  Harlem rapper Jim Jones is leading off his upcoming solo album, Pray For Reign, with a single called, "Pop Champagne."  In the song, he raps about purchasing a new drop-top Ferrari and buying out bottles in the club.  Jones doesn't see anything wrong with his lyrics even during an economic downturn. "Sh*t if you making money why not talk about opulence," he asked? "Yeah you should be aware of what's going on and you should always be aware of the recession but that's on you if that's the type of music that you want to make." Though Jones claims that recession isn't affecting him personally, the "Ballin'" rapper said he tries to balance his raps about excess with tales of the hard work that made it all possible.  "They know I'm Ballin' [but] for the most part I keep it grounded because I come from the struggle where we gotta hustle.  Without the hustle you can't ball.  It just shows that my hustle is paying off." Akon is another artist who is unapologetic about making songs that commemorate his success.  His new single,  "I'm So Paid, "which features Lil' Wayne and Young Jeezy does just that. "It's a record of celebration really, even though it's a recession going on we actually celebrating that were not being hit by it," he said.  "We have the right to celebrate because we worked hard to get to this point and we shouldn't let someone else's mistake destroy that happiness." CONTINUE READING...

On the Phone With Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul. She's in town Wednesday night at Constitution Hall, and she's still got it. She called to chat recently, a few hours before a show in Worcester, Mass. 'Nuff said. (Although at her insistence I will also say this: "This Christmas" is available now, exclusively through Borders and Waldenbooks.)After all this time, why a Christmas album now? I've never had one. In all of the years, I've never had a Christmas album. And I have mentioned it to the chieftans -- you know, Clive Davis, Jerry Wexler, John Hammond. I did do one or two things at Columbia. But they always said, "Oh, well, Christmas albums really don't sell." That was their attitude. And I always thought that Christmas albums, and having a Christmas offering, was very important because it's such a special time of the year. Of course, I want to be in the mix and played at that time. It's seasonal. It's celebrates the birth of Christ and the nativity and all of that. So I thought it was very important.You mention Jerry Wexler, who was one of the most influential figures in your career and in the record industry in general. He passed away a couple months ago. What do you have to say about him and his contribution to the music world. Well that was such a sad occasion, particularly when you work with someone as long as we did work together. But I will always be grateful and thankful for the major contributions that he and Ahmet (Ertegun) made in my career. You mention Ahmet, who passed away a couple years ago, do you feel like the passings of him and Jerry mark the end of a certain chapter in the record industry? I do. I do. I think they were some of the last of the great record men. Of course, you know Clive is still here, and going strong. He's ever on the case. But there are only a handful, only a few great record men like that left in the industry. They had a great love of music -- particularly Ahmet and Jerry -- and, to me, they had integrity. They didn't say one thing and then do something else. They had integrity. They were men of integrity. And they were great people persons. And I note, particularly with Clive, that the press just really adores Clive Davis. They really, really like him. Which is kind of unusual, I thought. But they respect and like him a lot. You think it's because he's one of the few larger than life figures left in the industry? I think it's because he's a caring person and they know it. And they know that he cares. He has integrity and he cares. He's one-on-one with them. He's not condescending. And I think that's one of the great aspects about Clive. CONTINUE READING..

Today's papers: The Last Days

The Los Angeles Times fills its lead slot with a look at the presidential candidates' strategies for the last nine days on the campaign trail. McCain plans to spend most of his time attacking Obama's economic plan and warning of a Democratic supermajority, while the Obama campaign is concerned primarily with staving off overconfidence. The Washington Post leads with increased scrutiny of credit card donations given to the candidates through their websites. Barack Obama's record-shattering $150 million campaign haul has raised questions in both parties about the laxly overseen, anonymous world of internet campaign donations. The New York Times leads with the slowing demand for American products, which means thousands of Americans are losing their jobs. Many of the United States' highest-profile corporations have announced layoffs, and economists expect unemployment numbers to exceed 200,000 when they are announced Nov. 7. Barack Obama's "message of hope" will remain the same through Nov. 4, the LAT reports, while John McCain is sharpening the points of a "three-pronged" final attack that will focus on Obama's tax plan, his limited experience, and the excessive power the Democratic Party could wield if he is elected. Both sides admit the outlook is bleak for McCain, and the LAT reports that McCain's aides privately discuss his return to the senate. Even though Obama leads comfortably in several states that McCain cannot afford to lose, his campaign is concerned about "overconfidence." Obama campaign officials cite the razor-thin margins by which many battleground states were won in recent elections as caution that the race is still anyone's game. A framed front-pager in the WP focuses on the Republican Party's well-oiled get-out-the-vote machine in Colorado (a must-win for McCain), which may be threatened for the first time by Obama's impressively organized volunteers. Colorado Republicans say their grassroots experience in the state should give them an edge. To continue reading, click here.

Atwood's Arc: Actor Jensen Atwood Talks 'Noah's Arc' Film & Life Beyond

FROM: BlackVoices.com -- When actor Jensen Atwood signed up for the groundbreaking Logo Network's original series 'Noah's Arc,' he never imagined the show would take off the way that it did. I have a little disbelief really that we've come as far as we have," the actor told me. The cable series was about four friends dealing with the challenges of life, love and professional advancement as gay men – think the hipper, younger and black version of 'The Golden Girls' without them living in one house. Despite developing a huge following and having a who's who list of guest stars that appeared on the show, Logo decided to abruptly cancel the show after only two short seasons.

"I'm still disappointed that we got canceled after the second season," he confessed.

Shortly after Logo nixed the television version of 'Noah's Arc,' buzz began that the network intended to wrap up its storyline in a feature film. After the rumors were substantiated and plans were in place to shoot the feature-length spinoff of the show, reports surfaced that Atwood wouldn't be appearing in the film. "Well, the biggest reason why that was being said is because there was a lack of communication between me and the network," he explained. "I didn't know until two months until we were supposed to start the production that I was going to be a part of it because I hadn't heard from anyone. The last I had heard from them was that our season had got canceled. This was after we were supposed to do like five or six seasons. They were talking about doing a feature film and then I hadn't heard from them for almost a year. In different interviews and people asking me what was going on, I didn't have an answer for them. And so that was the biggest reason why I had the fear that I may not be a part of it." Inevitably things worked out and the South Central Los Angeles-bred actor headed to the Canadian province Nova Scotia to bring his character Wade to life on the big screen in 'Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom.' "It was unbelievably cold. I mean, we were almost in Alaska. We shot it in one month. But we had only like 15 days of actual shooting. That's basically unheard of for a feature film. We were pressured to do a whole lot in a little bit of time," he offered. For those unfamiliar with 'Noah's Arc's' storyline, Atwood's character Wade was a straight man that discovers he is gay when he falls for the title character, Noah (played by actor Darryl Stephens). Atwood, who also starred in Oprah Winfrey's made-for-TV adaptation of the Toni Morrison novel, 'Their Eyes Were Watching God,' believes that his character resonated with fans because of its non-stereotypical depiction of a gay man "My character Wade is a masculine representation of a community that's thought to be just feminine," he conveyed. "What I've learned from this project and what I've gained from it is just the need for representation of that community. I've been approached at every single event that I do by men who appreciate what I've done for them and for the community as far as relations and understanding in their own lives to have people watch 'Noah's Arc' and they are able to learn about their brother and learn about their son."As a straight man, the actor who studied theater both at California State University Long Beach and Playhouse West in Los Angeles believes you don't have to be gay or even be familiar with the 'Noah's Arc' back story to see the film spin-off of the series."They can take a chance to learn about humanity. They can see lives that are unlike there's, but are exactly like there's," he expressed.With 'Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom' presumably being the end of the 'Noah's Arc' franchise, Atwood admitted he is sad to see it finish."If this is the end, it's a poignant way to bring it to some sort of closure with a feature film. Now, we're five years down the line from when we first started 'Noah's Arc,' so if this is the end, I couldn't imagine a better way to end it," he said.There could always be a 'Noah's Arc: The Divorce' if this film performs well, right?"I guess so," he laughed.But beyond 'Noah's Arc,' Atwood is eager to expand and take on new Characters.

"I'm ready to continue working," he declared. "Whatever that brings me, and hopefully its diverse roles like I've already been able to play. I feel like the skies the limit and I'm ready to work." Among the projects the former music video model has lined up includes a role in the forthcoming Los Angeles gang drama "I.E." opposite Snoog Dogg. The 32-year-old talent is also up for a role in a Will Smith film that he believes is called 'The Last Farrow.'

"I'm trying my best to land that part," he proclaimed, before adding: "Hopefully this Jawn Murray interview will help it out!" Atwood, who recently participated in the Black Perspectives Tribute to Sidney Poitier and Jennifer Hudson during the 44th Chicago International Film Festival, has been making appearances and hosting parties to promote his new 16-month calendar 'Jensen Atwood on White.' "It was probably a year in the making and brought on by the demand of the fans. I worked on it with a photographer named Jerris Madison who had complete creative control and has come up with some unbelievable images. I've been touring all over the with the calendar and doing different parties. I couldn't be more appreciative with the response," he said. For more on the calendar, visit www.menoferos.com.

iPHONE Daily Blog Buzz 10.25.08

At the start of his stand-up set in the 2000 film “The Original Kings of Comedy,” D. L. Hughley mocked audience members who had to suffer the rigors of a daily grind. Now he’s getting his comeuppance.CONTINUE READING.. Execution of Georgia Man in Killing of Officer Is Stayed a Third Time WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has informed Congress that it is bypassing a law intended to forbid political interference with reports to lawmakers by the Department of Homeland Security.The news in football this week often seemed ripped from the pages of a journal on infectious disease.irst there was Kellen Winslow, who received a one-game suspension after accusing the Browns of concealing his staph infection. Then there was the news that Peyton Manning had developed a similar condition in his left knee earlier this year. Finally, there was Tom Brady, whose rehabilitation from knee surgery has reportedly been delayed because of an unidentified infection, also in his left knee.CONTINUE READING...Frustrated by what they describe as difficulty in getting their work produced, some female playwrights will air their grievances with New York theater representatives on Monday.CONTINUE READING...Beyonce recent revealed to press that she gained about 15-20 lbs to play the role of Etta James. LISTEN: Beyonce - "At Last" Rapper Jay-Z will join NBA superstar LeBron James in Cleveland Wednesday to co-host a rally in support of early voting for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama. Avid Barack Obama supporter will.i.am says he won't leave the country in outrage if Republican candidate John McCain ends up in the White House. Prince recently sat down with The Associated Press to discuss his new coffee-table book "21 Nights," as well as the Internet's influence on pirated music and turning the big 5-0 in June of this year. The Associated Press caught up with Rodney King to talk about his televised battle against alcohol and drug demons as part of VH1's "Celebrity Rehab," which premiered its second season last night. Los Angeles, CA (October 14, 2008) - Urban Beauty Collective (UBC), the nation's largest independent retail promotional network, celebrates its 5th year anniversary with the addition of four new cities to its roster of 10,000+ African-American hair care locations. The always candid Patrik-Ian Polk talked with me about racism in the gay community, the black gay community, and more. For anyone who rants, "Why didn't you ask more about the film!" Calm yourself and check out the feature I wrote in HX last week. SoulBounce, our favorite online destination for all things music has cooked up a delicious mix of tunes for you rock to. The SoulBounce Blended & Beat Vol. 1 is the first official SoulBounce podcast and after listening to this one we cannot wait for the next! So, bounce over to SoulBounce and get your download on. The track list is below. Download it here… Mos Def has always been a big part of FADER history—he even sat on the FADER Ford—so we have been anxiously awaiting his new album The Ecstatic on Downtown Records since we heard about him signing. RCRD LBL is now streaming the first single from that album, and, unsurprisingly, Mos sounds fired up by current events, rapping and singing his particular brand of existential angst. What is surprising is how Mr Flash's beat sounds like the theme to Spy Hunter or something. Not that that's bad, we loved that game like a brother.  Stream: Mos Def, "Life in Marvelous Times" First Jennifer Hudson and now Isaiah Thomas. Former NY Nicks Basketball coach Isaiah Thomas has been rushed to the hospital due to an overdoes on sleeping pills. They will not say it as an attempted suicide but from the news reports it looks like he is on stable condition. The overdoes happened last night but is just getting out into the news now. Pint sized porn pup Tiger Tyson, he of the impressive assets and on camera skills, is back in the news. The EGPA Web Awards votes the actor's Tiger-Tyson.com [nsfw] as the best black/Latino porn site.CONTINUE READING...

MAG PICS: DIDDY IN L’Uomo Vogue

Jennifer Hudson's mother, brother slain in Chicago

CHICAGO - The mother and brother of Jennifer Hudson were found shot dead Friday at a South Side home, and police were looking for a missing child who is the nephew of the singer and Oscar-winning actress. "We can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation concerning the deaths of Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donerson, and her brother, Jason Hudson," Hudson's personal publicist, Lisa Kasteler, said in a statement. "No further comment will be made and the family has asked that their privacy be respected at this difficult time."Police spokeswoman Monique Bond said the deaths appeared to be the result of domestic abuse. The Cook County medical examiner's office said autopsies for Donerson, 57, and Jason Hudson, 29, were pending. Deputy Chief Joseph Patterson said a family member entered the home around 3 p.m. Friday, found a woman shot on the and left to notify authorities. Responding officers found a man shot in the bedroom, Patterson said. There was no sign of forced entry. Living room floorPolice tape blocked access to the large, white house, where a crowd gathered outside. Authorities issued an Amber Alert for 7-year-old Julian King and were seeking a 1994 white Chevrolet Suburban. The child was the grandson of the female victim, Patterson said. The alert said the child was possibly abducted and could be accompanied by a man named William Balfour considered armed and dangerous who was a suspect in the double homicide investigation. Records from the Illinois Department of Corrections show Balfour, 27, who has not been charged with a crime, is on parole and spent nearly seven years in prison for attempted murder, vehicular hijacking and possessing a stolen vehicle. The two could also be in a teal or green Chrysler Concorde with a temporary license plate, a left front headlight hanging out and scratches on the left side of the vehicle, police said. The tragedy comes as Hudson, who grew up in Chicago, continues to reach new heights in her career. Her song "Spotlight" is No. 1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts and her recently released, self-tiled debut album has been a top seller. She was featured in this year's blockbuster "Sex and the City" movie and is also starring in the hit film "The Secret Life of Bees."She won an Academy Award for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls." In an interview last year with Vogue, Hudson credited her mother with encouraging her to audition for "American Idol," which launched her career. The singer, whose father died when she was a teenager, described herself as very close to her family. In a recent AP interview she said her family, which includes older siblings Julia and Jason, helped keep her grounded. "My faith in God and my family, they're very realistic and very normal, they're not into the whole limelight kind of thing, so when I go home to Chicago that's just another place that's home," she said. "I stand in line with everybody else, or, when I go home to my mom I'm just Jennifer, (so she says), 'You get up and you take care of your own stuff.' And I love that; I don't like when people tell you everything you want to hear, I want to hear the truth, you know what I mean." Hudson recently announced her engagement to David Otunga, best known for his stint on VH1's reality show "I Love New York." Hudson's representatives would not disclose her whereabouts Friday. She had been scheduled to appear Monday in Los Angeles to collect an ensemble cast honor at the Hollywood Awards for "The Secret Life of Bees" with co-stars including Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning. SOURCE:YAHOO.COM

Today's Papers:Arrested Development

The New York Times leads with word that Western officials are discussing ways in which they can help developing countries that are increasingly being affected by the financial crisis. The International Monetary Fund is the key player in all of this and is currently working on setting up a "huge credit line" for emerging economies that are in desperate need of foreign capital and is negotiating with several countries to provide emergency loans to these troubled economies. The Washington Post leads with the lashing that lawmakers delivered Alan Greenspan, the man who was once referred to as "the Oracle" on the economy. Angry lawmakers trampled over themselves to blame the former Federal Reserve chairman for the current crisis and criticize decisions Greenspan made during his 18-year tenure. The Los Angeles Times leads with a look at how many are praising Countrywide's mortgage-modification program that is currently being implemented and could eventually save borrowers as much as $8.4 billion. At a time when the government is under increased pressure to do more to help distressed homeowners, some key officials and consumer advocates are pointing to Countrywide's effort as an example that other mortgage-servicing companies should emulate. The Wall Street Journal leads its world-wide newsbox with Barack Obama's stepped up efforts to help down-ticket Democrats with staff, funds, and appearances as his lead in the polls continues to hold. USA Today leads with FBI statistics that show more than one-third of police officers killed last year were not wearing body armor. While most police officers have access to bullet-resistant vests, some estimate that up to 50 percent choose not to wear them, mostly because they're not exactly comfortable. To continue reading, click here.

Black turnout is strong in early voting in South

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Blacks are already surging to the polls in parts of the South, according to initial figures from states that encourage early voting — a striking though still preliminary sign of how strongly they will turn out nationwide for Barack Obama in his campaign to become the first African-American president. There have been predictions all year of a record black turnout for Obama. The first actual figures suggest that wasn't just talk: • In North Carolina, blacks make up 31 percent of early voters so far, even though they're just 21 percent of the population and made up only 19 percent of state's overall 2004 vote. • Roughly 36 percent of the early voters are black in Georgia, outpacing their 30 percent proportion of the state's population and their 25 percent share of the 2004 vote. No one but the voters can be sure how they voted. And John McCain's campaign officials note that the Obama camp has put much more effort than they have into early voting. But the numbers are still notable. Democrats are outvoting the GOP by a margin of 2.5-to-1 in North Carolina, where early voting has been under way for a week. That's roughly double the margin from 2004. More than 210,000 blacks who are registered as Democrats have cast early ballots in the Tar Heel State — compared with roughly 174,000 registered Republicans overall. Four years ago, the number of GOP early and absentee voters was more than double that of black Democrats. "It's a sign about how energized African-Americans are about this election," says David Bositis, who tracks black voting trends at the Washington-based Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. In Louisiana, more than 31 percent of the early voters are black, and Democrats are topping Republicans nearly 2-to-1. In the crucial battleground state of Florida, nearly 55 percent of early voters are registered Democrats — well above their 41 percent share of the electorate in the Sunshine State. Virginia, another Southern state that usually votes Republican — but where Obama is doing well in opinion polls — does not track voter registrations by race or party. But some of the largest increases in registrations this year were in Democratic-leaning cities with large minority populations. Absentee voting — as the name suggests — was originally designed for people who couldn't make it to the polls on Election Day. But this year, more than 30 states allow any registered voter to cast an early ballot, and many election officials are encouraging voters to do so to ease the strain on Nov. 4. About a third of voters nationwide are expected to cast their ballots before Election Day Obama's campaign has focused heavily on turning out those voters, using advertising and campaign events. That's the message the Illinois senator brought to North Carolina during his last stop, when he addressed a predominantly black crowd in Fayetteville. CONTINUE READING...

Will the US Buy into Cuba's Oil Find?

For decades, the only promise most Cubans saw in the ocean north of their island was the current that carries homemade rafts to Florida. That all changed a few years ago when geologists estimated that between 5 billion bbl. and 10 billion bbl. of oil lie beneath the waters off Cuba's northwest coast. Suddenly it seemed as though the hemisphere's sole communist nation might finally end its desperate dependence on oil-rich allies like the former Soviet Union and Venezuela - and perhaps even escape its impoverished economic time warp altogether. Washington's own Cuba time warp got a jolt as well. The oil discovery has renewed debate over whether a crude-thirsty U.S. should loosen its 46-year-old trade embargo against Cuba and let yanqui firms join the drilling, which is taking place fewer than 100 miles off U.S. shores. Despite the Bush Administration's hard line on Cuba, Republicans in Congress have proposed legislation to exempt Big Oil from the embargo. That clamor is sure to rise - especially if Barack Obama, who is more open to dialogue with Havana, becomes the next President - now that Cuba's state oil company, Cubapetroleo, or Cupet, has announced a stunning new estimate of more than 20 billion bbl. bubbling off its shores. "This is not a game," Cupet's exploration manager, Rafael Tenreyro, assured reporters in Havana last week. If true, those potential reserves could make Cuba a major petro player in the hemisphere. (The U.S. has reserves of 29 billion bbl.) And it could render the embargo an even more ineffective means of dislodging the aging Castro brothers, Fidel and current President Ra[a {u}]l. "If it really is 20 billion, then it's a game changer," says Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, a Cuba oil analyst at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. "It provides a lot more justification for changing elements of the embargo, just as we did when we allowed agricultural and medical sales to Cuba" a decade ago.But is the Cuban calculation really on the level? Skeptics ask if the 20-billion-bbl. estimate is just a ploy to rekindle investor interest, at a time when falling oil prices could make the maritime find less attractive to the potential international partners Cuba needs to extract the oil. The effort is all the more urgent, they add, because reduced oil revenues could also make friends like left-wing Venezuelan President Hugo ChÁvez less able to aid Cuba with cut-rate crude shipments and capital to improve the island's aged refineries. "The Cuba numbers from my point of view are not valid," says Jorge Pinon, an energy fellow at the University of Miami and an expert on Cuba's oil business. "I think they're feeling a lot of pressure right now to accelerate the development of their own oil resources." Benjamin-Alvarado gives Cuba's geologists more benefit of the doubt; but he calls the 20-billion-bbl. estimate "off the charts." "I trust them as oil people, and their seismic readings might be right," he says, "but until we see secondary, outside analysis, this is going to be suspect." CONTINUE READING..

HIV scare puts Mo. school in uncertain territory

NORMANDY, Mo. – Students at a suburban St. Louis high school headed to the gymnasium for HIV testing this week after an infected person told health officials as many as 50 teenagers might have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS. Officials refused to give details on who the person was or how the students at Normandy High School might have been exposed, but the district is consulting with national AIDS organizations as it tries to minimize the fallout and prevent the infection — and misinformation — from spreading. "There's potential for stigma for all students regardless of whether they're positive or negative," Normandy School District spokesman Doug Hochstedler said Thursday. "The board wants to be sure all children are fully educated." A teacher in a neighboring district singled out a girl who dates someone at Normandy High and instructed her to get tested, Hochstedler said. A competing school's football team initially balked at playing Normandy's 8-0 team. Jasmine Lane, a 16-year-old sophomore, said her boyfriend from a neighboring high school broke up with her on learning of the news — after she bought them tickets to homecoming. "I cried so hard," she said. Hochstedler said that as far as he knows, no other district has had to handle a similar situation. Students at the school of 1,300 are being tested voluntarily, and the district is getting advice on the best ways to support kids in crisis. Sophomore Tevin Baldwin said that many of his classmates in this working-class city of about 5,000 residents want to transfer out of the district, which encompasses other towns. "Nobody knows what's going on," he said. The district declined to respond to his assertion. Marcus Holman, a 14-year-old freshman, said he never imagined HIV would become such a widespread threat at school. "I'm just trying to pass, get to the next grade, safely," he said. Normandy Superintendent Stanton Lawrence agreed that students remain focused on learning, despite concerns and distraction. There's no hysteria or panic, and school is running routinely, he said. "They recognize this situation is what it is, and doesn't mean school is over," he said. "Their concern is heightened, but we have to face it and do the responsible thing." The St. Louis County Health Department said last week that a positive HIV test raised concern that students at Normandy might have been exposed. The department is not saying whether the infected person was a student or connected with the school, only that the person indicated as many as 50 students may have been exposed. The Health Department also will not say how any exposure might have occurred. Health Department spokesman Craig LeFebvre has said the possibilities include sexual activity, intravenous drug use, piercings and tattoos. Hochstedler said the district doesn't know the person's identity, or even whether he or she is a student. "We do know there was some potential exposure between that person and students," he said. "We don't know the individual or the route of transmission." The district learned Oct. 9 of the potential exposure and within a business day worked out with the Health Department how to release the information and handle testing, he said. "They took a very proactive stance," he said. "There's no precedent for this."Students are being tested at six stations in the high school gymnasium, one class at a time. Only representatives from the Health Department are with the students, who are offered educational materials and a chance to ask questions before they are given an opportunity to be tested with a mouth swab, Hochstedler said. They may decline.CONTINUE READING...

Calif. gay marriage ban backers target businesses

Leaders of the campaign to outlaw same-sex marriage in California are warning businesses that have given money to the state's largest gay rights group they will be publicly identified as opponents of traditional unions unless they contribute to the gay marriage ban, too. ProtectMarriage.com, the umbrella group behind a ballot initiative that would overturn the California Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage, sent a certified letter this week asking companies to withdraw their support of Equality California, a nonprofit organization that is helping lead the campaign against Proposition 8. "Make a donation of a like amount to ProtectMarriage.com which will help us correct this error," reads the letter. "Were you to elect not to donate comparably, it would be a clear indication that you are in opposition to traditional marriage. ... The names of any companies and organizations that choose not to donate in like manner to ProtectMarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published." The letter was signed by four members of the group's executive committee: campaign chairman Ron Prentice; Edward Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference; Mark Jansson, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and Andrew Pugno, the lawyer for ProtectMarriage.com. A donation form was attached. The letter did not say where the names would be published. The unusual appeal reflects the increasing tension surrounding the tight race over Proposition 8, which would change the California Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman. In recent days, both sides in the debate have accused their opponents of threatening their respective campaign volunteers and misleading voters. San Diego businessman Jim Abbott, who owns a real estate company and is a member of Equality California's board of directors, received one of the letters late Wednesday afternoon. His adult son called Abbott to read it to him. "He characterized it as a bit 'Mafioso,'" Abbott said. "It was a little distressing, but it's consistent with how the 'yes' side of this campaign has been run, which is a bit over the top." Abbott, who married his same-sex partner at the end of August, estimated that over the last decade he has given $50,000 to Equality California, including a recent $10,000 gift to underwrite a San Diego event that raised money to defeat Proposition 8. When asked whether ProtectMarriage.com planned to name businesses that have supported the No on 8 campaign, Prentice initially said he was unaware of any such effort."I'm not familiar of any organized attack against organizations that have given to No on 8," he said Thursday. CONTINUE READING...

Barack Obama for President

EXCERPT FROM NYTIMES -- Hyperbole is the currency of presidential campaigns, but this year the nation’s future truly hangs in the balance. The United States is battered and drifting after eight years of President Bush’s failed leadership. He is saddling his successor with two wars, a scarred global image and a government systematically stripped of its ability to protect and help its citizens — whether they are fleeing a hurricane’s floodwaters, searching for affordable health care or struggling to hold on to their homes, jobs, savings and pensions in the midst of a financial crisis that was foretold and preventable. As tough as the times are, the selection of a new president is easy. After nearly two years of a grueling and ugly campaign, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has proved that he is the right choice to be the 44th president of the United States. Mr. Obama has met challenge after challenge, growing as a leader and putting real flesh on his early promises of hope and change. He has shown a cool head and sound judgment. We believe he has the will and the ability to forge the broad political consensus that is essential to finding solutions to this nation’s problems. In the same time, Senator John McCain of Arizona has retreated farther and farther to the fringe of American politics, running a campaign on partisan division, class warfare and even hints of racism. His policies and worldview are mired in the past. His choice of a running mate so evidently unfit for the office was a final act of opportunism and bad judgment that eclipsed the accomplishments of 26 years in Congress. Given the particularly ugly nature of Mr. McCain’s campaign, the urge to choose on the basis of raw emotion is strong. But there is a greater value in looking closely at the facts of life in America today and at the prescriptions the candidates offer. The differences are profound. Mr. McCain offers more of the Republican every-man-for-himself ideology, now lying in shards on Wall Street and in Americans’ bank accounts. Mr. Obama has another vision of government’s role and responsibilities. In his convention speech in Denver, Mr. Obama said, “Government cannot solve all our problems, but what it should do is that which we cannot do for ourselves: protect us from harm and provide every child a decent education; keep our water clean and our toys safe; invest in new schools and new roads and new science and technology.” Since the financial crisis, he has correctly identified the abject failure of government regulation that has brought the markets to the brink of collapse. The Economy The American financial system is the victim of decades of Republican deregulatory and anti-tax policies. Those ideas have been proved wrong at an unfathomable price, but Mr. McCain — a self-proclaimed “foot soldier in the Reagan revolution” — is still a believer. Mr. Obama sees that far-reaching reforms will be needed to protect Americans and American business. Mr. McCain talks about reform a lot, but his vision is pinched. His answer to any economic question is to eliminate pork-barrel spending — about $18 billion in a $3 trillion budget — cut taxes and wait for unfettered markets to solve the problem. Mr. Obama is clear that the nation’s tax structure must be changed to make it fairer. That means the well-off Americans who have benefited disproportionately from Mr. Bush’s tax cuts will have to pay some more. Working Americans, who have seen their standard of living fall and their children’s options narrow, will benefit. Mr. Obama wants to raise the minimum wage and tie it to inflation, restore a climate in which workers are able to organize unions if they wish and expand educational opportunities. Mr. McCain, who once opposed President Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy as fiscally irresponsible, now wants to make them permanent. And while he talks about keeping taxes low for everyone, his proposed cuts would overwhelmingly benefit the top 1 percent of Americans while digging the country into a deeper fiscal hole. CONTINUE READING...

Huge Wachovia loss not a threat to Wells deal

Wachovia Corp. reported a staggering $23.9 billion loss for the third quarter on Wednesday, but industry observers said the results won't jeopardize Wells Fargo & Co.'s takeover of the bank.The loss, which amounted to $11.18 per share, reflected an $18.7 billion charge for the declining value of acquisitions such as Golden West Financial Corp. of Oakland and an additional $6.6 billion credit provision for troubled loans. The results compare with net income of $1.6 billion (85 cents per share) in the same period a year earlier, the Charlotte, N.C., bank said."It doesn't mean anything" for the acquisition, said Nancy Bush, an analyst at NAB Research LLC in Annandale, N.J. "I think that the Wells Fargo people were very well aware of the numbers before this deal happened."Wells Fargo of San Francisco, poised to become one of the nation's largest banks after the $13.5 billion merger, said as much in a prepared statement. The company stressed the results were in line with its acquisition assumptions."We believe it was prudent for Wachovia to put these loan losses behind them," said Chief Financial Officer Howard Atkins. He added that it wouldn't affect Wells' plan to raise $20 billion in securities to maintain its capital position as it absorbs Wachovia.In fact, the losses could be of some value to Wells Fargo. The Internal Revenue Service issued guidance several days before Wells announced the deal that allows acquiring banks to offset a greater portion of future taxable profits using certain losses from their takeover targets. Some tax experts believe the change, engineered to encourage acquisitions of failing banks, will more than pay for the Wachovia purchase.Of no clear benefit is the bank's apparent loss of deposits and customers. During the quarter, Wachovia's deposits from business customers dropped 26 percent to $27.5 million.Wachovia's overall average deposits were up a slight 3.5 percent for the quarter to $392.3 million, but that number probably came out positive only because customers didn't begin to flee until late in the quarter, said Ron Shevlin, senior analyst with Aite Group in Boston. News of the bank's rapidly worsening financial condition surfaced in the closing days of September. CONTINUE READING...

Hollywood comes out in support of gay marriage

LOS ANGELES — For weeks, Hollywood had been criticized for not contributing enough to defeat a ballot initiative in California that would ban same-sex marriage. Now, members of the film and TV industries are sweeping in to preserve gays' right to get hitched. Maybe they were planning for a Hollywood ending all along? After news of Proposition 8's supporters outraising its opponents spread and the measure gained support in public opinion polls, many Hollywood insiders have made declarations of support — financial and otherwise — against the ban. While the "No on 8" campaign hasn't quite reached the buzziness of other celebrity causes du jour, momentum is growing."The entertainment industry is obviously an important donor base," said Chad Griffin, a political strategist for the campaign. "It's an industry that's often stood up against discrimination. This particular initiative writes discrimination into the constitution. I think it's something most fair-minded people, celebrities or otherwise, are outraged about." Leading the Hollywood outreach is Oscar-winning producer Bruce Cohen, who wed art consultant Gabriel Catone in a ceremony officiated by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa in June. The "American Beauty" and "Pushing Daisies" producer dug deep into his contacts to ask for their support against the initiative. Cohen's biggest get? Steven Spielberg."Steven's been an incredible supporter of me, both personally and professionally, so I called him and told him how much this has meant to me and Gabe," said Cohen, who worked with the director on "The Color Purple" in 1985. "When he told me that he and Kate Capshaw were giving a $100,000 contribution, I was so moved and thankful." Since same-sex marriage became legal in California in June, at least 11,000 couples have exchanged vows statewide, according to the Williams Institute for Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy based at the University of California, Los Angeles. Among those couples were Ellen DeGeneres and actress Portia de Rossi, who married in August. SOURCE:NEWSVINE.COM

McCain's Campaign Is Both Uncivil and Uncivilizing

WOODBRIDGE -- John McCain should not have to be here, not on a crisp October Saturday scarcely two weeks before the election. Prince William County is the electoral Maginot line between the Washington suburbs and what a McCain spokeswoman has just unhelpfully described as "real Virginia." George W. Bush twice won 53 percent of the vote in this booming exurb, mirroring his statewide totals.But here is McCain, in front of one sign reading "Phil the Bricklayer" and another proclaiming "Rose the Teacher." If there are any undecided voters here, I have not found them, and McCain does not seem to be looking. His red-meat message is not pitched to the wavering."Senator Obama's economic goal is, as he told Joe, quote, spread the wealth around," McCain warns, to angry cries of "Socialist!" Obama's tax plan "is not a tax cut -- it's just another government giveaway," McCain warns. "I won't let that happen to you. You're paying enough taxes."Outside the rally, a man is handing out "Obama for Change" bumper stickers -- with a Soviet red star and the "g" rendered as a hammer-and-sickle.There is an ugliness to the McCain campaign's closing days. Sarah Palin talks about "pro-America areas of this great nation." Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann pronounces herself "very concerned that [Obama] may have anti-American views." Ohio Republican Sen. George Voinovich, ordinarily much more sensible, says, "With all due respect, the man is a socialist."And McCain is the stoker in chief of the argument that Obama is Eugene V. Debs revisited. "Obama raises taxes on seniors, hardworking families to give 'welfare' to those who pay none," a McCain ad warns. "Joe, in his plain-spoken way, said this sounded a lot like socialism," McCain said in a recent radio address. "And a lot of Americans are thinking along those same lines."The candidates have different visions about the proper role of government; these are fair, and important, grounds for debate. Obama has committed his share of fouls, scaring seniors about McCain's designs on their Social Security and Medicare and mischaracterizing McCain's health-care program. And, yes, all hard-fought elections turn nasty, despite the best intentions of the candidates. But for all the hand-wringing over Swift-boating in 2004, those charges came from an outside group, not the candidate they sought to benefit, and went to John Kerry's character, not the legitimacy of his governing philosophy.There are two equally worrying aspects of the toxic fallout from the McCain campaign's closing argument. The first is how much harder it will be for the next president to unite a divided country in the way that both McCain and Obama say they want. Ominous talk about socialism and welfare, about pro- and anti-America, threatens to make that task harder, no matter who is elected. SOURCE:REALCLEARPOLITICS.COM

Today's papers: Homeward Bound

The Washington Post leads with a look at how the job market in the United States appears to be steadily deteriorating as employers rush to cut costs to deal with what many predict will be a long recession. Mass layoffs and new claims for unemployment benefits have been reaching levels not seen since 2001, and there are strong hints that things will get worse as more companies cut jobs and impose hiring freezes. This, in turn, is emerging as a key reason why investors are fearful that a deep recession is almost inevitable. The Wall Street Journal banners these fears, which, once again, decreased the value of stocks and currencies around the world yesterday as the dollar continued to gain ground. USA Today analyzed government data and reveals that the same mistake that likely led to the plane crash in Madrid last summer has been committed by pilots in the United States 55 times since 2000. It is widely believed that the pilots' failure to properly set the wings for takeoff was the reason behind the Spanair crash that killed 154 people. In the United States, a warning system saved the day in most cases but several times the mistakes were "nearly catastrophic," says USAT. The Los Angeles Times leads with a new poll that says a majority of California voters oppose a measure to ban marriage for same-sex couples. The New York Times leads with a comparison of how each of the presidential candidates would use American power abroad if elected. A close look at their proposals often finds contradictions "that do not fit the neat hawk-and-dove images promoted by each campaign." For example, Barack Obama has expressed much more willingness to threaten the use of U.S. ground troops in Pakistan than John McCain. Still, it's important to remember that campaigns "are usually terrible predictors of presidential decision-making."To continue reading, click here.

Government to Take Over Airline Passenger Vetting

The Department of Homeland Security will take over responsibility for checking airline passenger names against government watch lists beginning in January, and will require travelers for the first time to provide their full name, birth date and gender as a condition for boarding commercial flights, U.S. officials said Wednesday.Security officials say the additional personal information -- which will be given to airlines to forward to the federal agency in charge -- will dramatically cut down on cases of mistaken identity, in which people with names similar to those on watch lists are wrongly barred or delayed from flights.The changes, to be phased in next year, will apply to 2 million daily passengers aboard all domestic flights and international flights to, from or over the United States. By transferring the screening duty from the airlines to the federal government, the Secure Flight program marks the Bush administration's long-delayed fulfillment of a top aviation security priority after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) chief Kip Hawley said yesterday that, except in rare situations, passengers who do not provide the additional information will not be given boarding passes."If you don't provide the data, then you are going to put yourself in a position where you are probably going to be a selectee," subject at a minimum to greater future security scrutiny, Chertoff said in remarks announcing the program at Reagan National Airport."We know that threats to our aviation system persist," he said. Secure Flight "will increase security and efficiency, it'll protect passengers' privacy, and it will reduce the number of false-positive misidentifications."SOURCE:WASHINGTONPOST.COM