Keepingitreal

Today's News Highlights 06.27.11

 TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
At Fort Campbell, mixed reviews for Afghan plan
Pfc. Rob Nunez, who spent eight months in Konar province near the Pakistani border, and some of his fellow soldiers have vastly different reactions to the plan.
(By Kevin Sieff)

Nancy Pelosi pursues her own ‘faith-based initiative’
House minority leader has her sights on winning back the speaker’s gavel for Democrats.
(By Karen Tumulty and Paul Kane)

Does GOP have a compromise on debt?
As President Obama prepares to meet with Senate leaders to try to restart talks over the debt, some Republicans see a potential path to compromise: Significant cuts in military spending.
(By Lori Montgomery and Paul Kane)

DNA links fugitive to professor’s slaying, FBI says
DNA evidence links a fugitive in Mexico to the killing of an American University professor, the FBI says.
(By Dan Morse)

A pair of veteran spies cross paths
Betty McIntosh and Doris Bohrer served in the OSS and CIA, but their remarkable friendship didn’t form until they moved to the same retirement community.
(By Ian Shapira)

POLITICS
President Barack Obama talks spending and debt limit with Senate leaders
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama takes over negotiations on spending cuts and raising the government’s borrowing limit when he holds separate meetings Monday with Senate leaders.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on Arizona law giving extra cash to publicly funded candidates
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is expected to rule Monday on an Arizona campaign finance law that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

AP IMPACT: Once-rural populations skyrocket near some US nuclear plants, evacuations unlikely
BUCHANAN, N.Y. — As America’s nuclear power plants have aged, the once-rural areas around them have become far more crowded and much more difficult to evacuate. Yet government and industry have paid little heed, even as plants are running at higher power and posing more danger in the event of an accident, an Associated Press investigation has found.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on California ban on sale, rental of violent video games to kids
WASHINGTON — Is it unconstitutional to ban the sale or rental of ultraviolent video games to children?
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court to rule Monday on Arizona law giving extra cash to publicly funded candidates
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is expected to rule Monday on an Arizona campaign finance law that gives extra cash to publicly funded candidates who face privately funded rivals and independent groups.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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STYLE
Recession-wary performers turn Las Vegas Strip into parade of cartoon, movie characters
LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Strip is teeming with Spidermen, Elmos and Elvis Presleys of all waistlines.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ask Amy: Husband ’fesses up to old affairs; wife is torn
Her husband confessed to indulging in two affairs years ago. She went to counseling with him and was told by the counselor to “get over it.” A) She’s not ready to and B) What kind of therapist is that?
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: A unique wedding gift
Why not donate food left over from a wedding reception to a homeless shelter?
(, King)

Can sisters’ estrangement be avoided?
My religious-convert sister told my gay sister that she, her husband and children will not ever meet our gay sister’s 1-year-old twins.
(, The Washington Post)

Documentary presents case against tort reform
Susan Saladoff’s compellingly persuasive, no-nonsense documentary, “Hot Coffee,” explores the effects of the American war on “frivolous lawsuits.”
( by Hank Stuever , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Sunday's Sports In Brief
LEON, Mexico — Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton won the Mexico Open for his first Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Richard H. Lee.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Former Tar Heels star Jessica Breland recives Honda Inspiration Award at dinner
NEW YORK — Jessica Breland is always happy to share her story of overcoming Hodgkin’s lymphoma with the hope it can be helpful to someone else.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

PGA Tour: Travelers win is Jacobson’s first title
CROMWELL, Conn. — Fredrik Jacobson closed out his first PGA Tour title on Sunday, shooting a 4-under 66 in the Travelers Championship for a one-stroke victory over John Rollins and Ryan Moore.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Knee, hamstring injuries had Mitts fearing World Cup 'jinx' but she's with US in Germany
DRESDEN, Germany — When Heather Mitts felt that familiar pain in her hamstring during training last month, it was almost too much for the U.S. defender.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Tseng runs away with LPGA Championship
Top-ranked Yani Tseng wins the LPGA Championship by 10 strokes and, at 22, become the youngest player to win four LPGA Tour majors.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Malaysia says women must hold 30 percent of top corporate posts by 2016 for gender equality
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia’s government says women must hold 30 percent of top corporate posts by 2016 in a move toward gender equality in the boardroom.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syrian opposition to meet in Damascus for first time since start of uprising
BEIRUT — Some 200 critics of President Bashar Assad’s regime are gathering in the Syrian capital for the first time since the start of the three-month uprising against his family’s rule.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

China says arrival of Sudanese president in Beijing for talks has been delayed
BEIJING — A planned visit by Sudan’s president to China, which was criticized by rights groups because he is wanted on international war crimes charges, was delayed Monday, though officials gave no reason.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to strike trade deals worth $1.6 billion in UK talks
LONDON — Britain says the U.K. and China are sealing trade deals worth 1 billion pounds (US$1.6 billion) at a summit between national leaders.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Palestinians fan out across globe to seek support for recognition at UN
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian delegations will make the rounds of nearly a dozen countries to try to drum up more support for their bid to have the United Nations recognize a Palestinian state, senior officials said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS
The Mil Life: Keeping spouses' careers, education off the chopping block
Military wives discuss keeping a career and educational goals through deployments.
(, vForum)

The Web Hostess: Online manners, memes and must-see video
A weekly chat about the best ways to kill time online. Our Web Hostess, Monica Hesse, sifts the Internet so you don't have to, searching for meaning, manners and the next great meme.
(, vForum)

Real Wheels Live
Live online discussion with Real Wheels columnist Warren Brown about car-buying and the auto industry.
(, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes!
(, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes!
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
The Celebrity Moment

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Startups Don’t Die, They Commit Suicide

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Fanvibe Signs A Letter Of Intent To Be Acquired By beRecruited

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

RunKeeper Adds New Integration To Its Health Graph In Hopes Of Building ‘The Facebook Of Fitness’

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

World stock markets mixed on fears that Europe's debt crisis is about to get worse
BANGKOK — World markets were mixed Monday as Greece’s parliament began debating harsh new austerity measures that must pass for the country get its next batch of emergency financial aid.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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BUSINESS
Greek deputies to begin debate on crucial austerity plans before votes
ATHENS, Greece — Greek lawmakers begin debating new austerity plans Monday that must pass this week if the debt-ridden country is to receive the critical next installment of loans from its international bailout plan and avoid default.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

The Celebrity Moment

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Saab says $18.4 million car order from China could pay staff's wages
STOCKHOLM — Troubled car maker Saab Automobile AB has received a €13 million ($18.4 million) car order from a Chinese company that could help pay salaries to its employees, its owner Swedish Automobile AB said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Akzo Nobel, world's biggest paintmaker, warns 'adverse factors' will hurt Q2 earnings
AMSTERDAM — Akzo Nobel NV, the world’s largest maker of paint, warned Monday that second-quarter earnings will be hurt by commodity price rises, weak business in some regions and maintenance delays at some plants.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Oil falls to near $90 a barrel in Asia as US dollar gains amid Greek debt crisis
SINGAPORE — Oil prices fell to near $90 a barrel Monday in Asia as a stronger U.S. dollar made crude more expensive for investors with other currencies.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Today's News Highlights 06.20.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
McIlroy captures history at Congressional
Rory McIlroy posts the lowest mark in tournament history, shooting a final-round 69 for a total of 16-under 268, as he runs away with the 111th U.S. Open.
(By Barry Svrluga)

CEO Pay: What the area’s executives make
Hefty stock awards and bonuses drove total compensation up over 20 percent for Washington’s highest-paid chief executives last year, reflecting a nationwide trend among the largest public companies.
(By Danielle Douglas)

With executive pay, rich pull away from America
A mounting body of economic research indicates that the rise in pay for company executives is a critical feature in the widening income gap.
(By Peter Whoriskey)

Rise in charitable giving may signal economic rebound
Charitable giving in the United States rose last year for the first time in two years, signaling a rebound in the economy.
(By Annie Gowen)

Hospitals courting primary-care doctors
The push is forcing doctors to make decisions about how to deliver care to patients.
(By Lena H. Sun)

POLITICS
PROMISES, PROMISES: No action yet from Obama on guns despite call for steps
WASHINGTON — More than five months after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, the White House has yet to take any new steps on gun violence, even though that’s what President Barack Obama called for in the wake of the shooting.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Black slaves, freedmen risked their lives to work as Union spies down South during Civil War
WASHINGTON — In the Confederate circles he navigated, John Scobell was considered just another Mississippi slave: singing, shuffling, illiterate and completely ignorant of the Civil War going on around him.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

PROMISES, PROMISES: No action yet from Obama on guns despite call for steps
WASHINGTON — More than five months after Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head, the White House has yet to take any new steps on gun violence, even though that’s what President Barack Obama called for in the wake of the shooting.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Michelle Obama aims to inspire youth leaders during upcoming visit to South Africa, Botswana
WASHINGTON — Michelle Obama is fond of saying there’s no magic to her being first lady.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

First lady departs for trip to to Africa
First lady Michelle Obama, along with her two daughters, left for Africa on Sunday, her second official solo journey abroad.
(, The Washington Post)

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STYLE
Ask Amy: Words of love, uttered and ... forgotten?
During a weekend outing, her boyfriend told her he loved her, would marry her “in a week” and wanted her to have his baby. The next day, he couldn’t remember what he said. Yes, there was drinking involved.
(, Tribune Media Service)

Hints From Heloise: Special guest request
Heloise asks: Is it fair to ask for unusual, specialty or hard-to-find food items when you are a guest in someone’s home? Readers, what do you have to say?
(, King)

Why a mom may have stayed with an abusive husband
Mom didn’t leave her abusive husband and now a daughter won’t forgive her. Did Mom have a good reason for staying — such as loss of her children?
(, The Washington Post)

Calm by the green, crazed by the pitch
At the U.S. Open and the Gold Cup, vastly dissimilar cultures were on display — entirely different, yet very much the same.
( by Rick Maese , The Washington Post)

FTC vs. National Gallery
Republican lawmaker’s push to have the National Gallery take over the historic FTC building has sparked a turf battle in Washington.
( by Ned Martel , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Giants fan beating suspect up for parole revocation hearing at Los Angeles jail
LOS ANGELES — The main suspect in the brutal beating of a San Francisco Giants fan outside Dodger Stadium in March faces a court hearing to determine whether he should remain in jail for violating terms of his parole.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Sunday's Sports In Brief
BETHESDA, Md. — On another brilliant day of golf, Rory McIlroy ran away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Franchitti wins in Milwaukee, pulls even with Power in IndyCar points standings
WEST ALLIS, Wis. — With Sunday’s win in Milwaukee, Dario Franchitti pulled even with Will Power in the IndyCar Series points standings.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Even with White Sox, Cubs under .500, crosstown series could provide some drama
CHICAGO — Ozzie Guillen’s kidney stone just might be the perfect metaphor for this baseball season in Chicago.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ticket to Augusta: Kevin Chappell's strong US Open comes to a Masters-ful conclusion
BETHESDA, Md. — The top eight finishers at the U.S. Open qualify for next year’s Masters, and that’s a big deal for someone like Kevin Chappell.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Reports: Japan's prime minister under pressure to resign next month
TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, criticized for his handling of the tsunami disaster and the country’s sluggish economy, is under pressure to resign next month if budget bills are passed by parliament, reports said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Syria’s president: ‘Saboteurs’ are trying to exploit a movement seeking legitimate reforms
Syria’s embattled president says “saboteurs” are trying to exploit legitimate demands for reform in the country.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

British foreign secretary says Syrian leader Assad must reform or go, asks Turkey's help
LUXEMBOURG — Britain’s foreign secretary said Monday that Syria’s leader must reform or go, as the country’s regime continues a brutal crackdown on dissent.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Greek power company workers start strikes against privatization, potentially causing shortages
ATHENS, Greece — Greece faces potential power outages as employees at the main power utility strike to protest the company’s privatization, part of austerity plans essential for the country to avoid a default.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Handful of Melbourne-Sydney flights canceled as volcanic ash moves over southern Australia
SYDNEY — Qantas and Virgin Australia plan to cancel flights into and out of the southern city of Adelaide on Tuesday, when an ash cloud from a Chilean volcano is expected to again move into Australian airspace. Some service on a budget carrier between the country’s two largest cities was also suspended.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS

Outlook: Faux lesbians and anonymity online
Join Washington Post bloggers Melissa Bell and Elizabeth Flock as they discuss the quest to unmask the real blogger behind the "Gay Girl in Damascus" blog.
(, vForum)

D.C.'s biggest stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (video)
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for.
(, vForum)

Outlook: Faux lesbians and anonymity online
Join Washington Post bloggers Melissa Bell and Elizabeth Flock as they discuss the quest to unmask the real blogger behind the "Gay Girl in Damascus" blog.
(, vForum)

From devoted, to deadbeat, to cannibal: How animal fathers survive in the wild
Join Dr. Stephen Vessey as he chats about the various ways animals choose to rear their young. How different are they from human dads?
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
‘Reminder: Call Dad,’ Another Notch In Google’s Belt Of Social Fail

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Adobe Software Updates To Help Devs Build iOS, PlayBook And Android Apps

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

The Bitcoin Trials Continue: Mt. Gox Exchange Collapses Due To Compromised Account

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

VillageVines Relaunches As Savored, Expands Discount Dining To 10 Cities

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Yup, YouTube Counts Video Ads As Regular Views

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

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EDITORIAL
More questions about those erasures
D.C. school officials wonder why the popular Singapore math program hasn’t worked at an elementary school.
(, The Washington Post)

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BUSINESS
Athens will get loan to avoid default, but must act on spending, privatization laws
LUXEMBOURG — The markets were in jittery mood once again Monday after eurozone finance ministers failed to agree to release the next bailout loan installment to Greece — money that is needed to prevent a debt default that could trigger financial chaos.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Athens will get loan to avoid default, but must act on spending, privatization laws
LUXEMBOURG — European stocks and the euro slipped Monday after eurozone finance ministers came up short of a final deal to get Greece its next installment of bailout money that is needed to prevent a default that could cause financial chaos.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Airbus superjumbo A380 grounded at Paris Air Show after clipping a wing
LE BOURGET, France — Airbus’ star jet has been grounded after clipping a wing on a taxiway structure, the latest in an embarrassing string of incidents for the European jet maker at the aviation industry’s premier showcase.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Japanese exports drop 10.3 percent in May as impact from quake and tsunami lingers
TOKYO — Japan’s exports dropped for the third straight month in May, hit by massive production losses in the auto sector following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disasters, the government said Monday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

‘Reminder: Call Dad,’ Another Notch In Google’s Belt Of Social Fail

Today's News Highlights 06.15.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
A tough mission in Afghanistan 
A low-key Marine, Gen. John R. Allen, is set to take over the war at high-stakes moment.
(By Craig Whitlock) 

Nuclear waste dump is mired in inertia 
Yucca Mountain is a case study in government dysfunction and bureaucratic inertia. The project dates back three decades. It has not solved the problem of nuclear waste.
(By Joel Achenbach and Brian Vastag) 

Bachmann basks in newfound momentum 
Rep. Michele Bachmann enjoyed a day of fundraising, media exposure and glowing analysis of her newfound momentum on Tuesday, following a strong presidential debate performance.
(By Amy Gardner and Sandhya Somashekhar) 

States seeking to save on Medicaid 
Republican governors step up their resistance to rules requiring states to maintain current levels of health-care coverage for the poor and disabled under Medicaid.
(By Michael A. Fletcher) 

Graduating from elementary school? 
Dozens of elementary students in the D.C. area are celebrating what some critics call graduation inflation, the growth of ceremonies to mark the end of elementary school. 
(By Steve Hendrix) 

POLITICS 
Ambassador post blocked as US adoptive families fight for release of Vietnamese orphans 
HANOI, Vietnam — Marsha Sailors painted the nursery pink and green at her Missouri home, put up princess pictures and built a crib for her new little girl. They hadn’t yet met, but she already was in love with the smiling 6-month-old in a photo sent from Vietnam. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-Qaida 
WASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

House Democrats hoping pressure from colleagues and wife's return will prod Weiner to resign 
WASHINGTON — House Democratic colleagues of scandal-scarred Rep. Anthony Weiner are looking for him to step down this week amid a growing chorus for him to resign. Even President Barack Obama has suggested he should leave. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Detainee who provided key information about bin Laden courier rejoins al-Qaida 
WASHINGTON — The terrorist described as the linchpin in the hunt for Osama bin Laden has rejoined al-Qaida after the Bush administration released him from a secret CIA secret prison under pressure from Pakistan, according to former and current U.S. intelligence officials. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

New era sees more, bigger wildfires, echoing blazes a century ago as control policies change 
WASHINGTON — The fires searing parts of the West are an eerie echo of the past, a frightening reminder of a once terrible danger that had been held largely at bay for decades. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

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STYLE 
Group lists Coltrane house, Chicago hospital among endangered sites; Charleston on watch list 
WASHINGTON — Jazz musician John Coltrane’s home on Long Island, N.Y., a cloverleaf-shaped Chicago hospital building and a Pillsbury plant in Minneapolis that once was the world’s most advanced flour mill are among America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Ask Amy: Military couple failing basic training 
A military couple who live in separate states, decided to set up joint checking and savings accounts to strengthen their bond. Alas, one side didn’t practice complete transparency. 
(, Tribune Media Service) 

Hints From Heloise: A change in dishwasher detergent 
After years of using the same dishwasher and the same detergent, a white film developed on a baffled reader’s dishes. 
(, King) 

Carolyn Hax: The ‘other woman’ first needs to face the truth 
She’s in love with a guy who’s seeing someone else. He won’t take her out in public and bad-mouths the woman he’s with. Ditch him? Well . . . 
(, The Washington Post) 

U.S., Russian actors connect without words 
President Obama’s reset of relations with Russia takes center stage, this time with California students in a Moscow theater. 
( by Kathy Lally , The Washington Post) 

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SPORTS 
Defending champion Serena Williams seeded No. 8 at Wimbledon; Nadal and Wozniacki both No. 1 
WIMBLEDON, England — Defending champion Serena Williams was seeded No. 8 for Wimbledon on Wednesday and will avoid playing the highest-ranked players until at least the quarterfinals. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

JOC president Takeda says Tokyo nearing a decision on whether to bid for 2020 Olympics 
TOKYO — Japanese Olympic officials expect to know within weeks if Tokyo will bid for the 2020 Summer Olympics. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Tuesday's Sports In Brief 
NEW YORK — An end to the NFL lockout might not be imminent, but it does appears much closer than at any point in the last three months. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Singaporean faces 20 years in prison after being charged in Malaysia for match-fixing 
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysian prosecutors have charged a Singaporean man with match-fixing at a youth football tournament. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Earning spot in Gold Cup quarterfinals with sloppy 1-0 victory can't disguise US problems 
Less than a year after Spain won the World Cup, it’s already time to kick off qualifying for the 2014 tournament in Brazil. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

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WORLD 
South Korea's capital turns ex-military command with painful past into modern art museum 
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea is trying to make peace with its painful past by turning a building once allegedly used as a torture center into a modern art museum. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

New flooding kills 7, leaves 7 others missing in China as torrential rains continue 
BEIJING — More flooding in central and south China has killed another seven people over the past three days, the government said Wednesday, as the country continued to be battered by seasonal rainstorms. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Former Bahrain editor claims outside plot to plant false stories 
MANAMA, Bahrain — The former chief editor of Bahrain’s main independent newspaper says he has evidence of an apparent effort to plant false news stories during Shiite-led protests for greater rights in the Gulf island kingdom. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Attack on Afghan governor’s office kills 8 
MAIDAN SHAR, Afghanistan — A suicide bomber killed eight people and wounded four in a strike Wednesday on the governor’s office in a northeastern province, while a mortar targeted a building where NATO and Afghan officials were attending the inauguration of the country’s largest police training center in central Afghanistan. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Putin says Russia's economy has two-thirds recovered from global financial crisis 
GENEVA — Russia’s prime minister says his nation’s economy remains well below the level it was at before the global financial crisis. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS 
Parenting advice: Help for raising children of all ages 
Family Almanac columnist Marguerite Kelly discusses the ups and downs of parenting, and tips for helping children through challenging times. 
(, vForum) 

Tuesdays with Moron: Chatological Humor Update 
Gene Weingarten brings you an update to his monthly Chatological Humor live chat. 
(, vForum) 

D.C.'s biggest stories: Lunchline's Clinton Yates breaks them down (Video) 
Clinton Yates a news junkie and pop culture fanatic who scours The Washington Post and its partner sites every weekday to find the gems that you want to read but don't have time to search for. 
(, vForum) 

Real Wheels Live 
Live online discussion with Real Wheels columnist Warren Brown about car-buying and the auto industry.
(, vForum) 

Campus Overload Live with Jenna Johnson 
Jenna Johnson answers your questions about college life, on and off campus. 
(, vForum) 

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TECHNOLOGY 
Crowd-Source Your Night In The City With The AreaNow iPhone App (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Exposed: Facebook’s Secret iPhone Photo Sharing App (Which Looks Amazing) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Could Efficiency 2.0 Eclipse Solar? CEO Tom Scarmellino Thinks So (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

On BizSpark And Bubbles: Q&A With Microsoft VP Dan’l Lewin (Video) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Internet radio service Pandora delivers latest IPO hit as strong demand drives shares to $16 
SAN FRANCISCO — Pandora Media Inc. sold its initial public offering of stock at $16 per share late Tuesday, fetching twice as much as the popular but unprofitable Internet radio service expected less than two weeks ago. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

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BUSINESS 
Crowd-Source Your Night In The City With The AreaNow iPhone App (TCTV) 

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com) 

Oil falls below $99 in Asia as traders eye mixed signs on US economy 
SIGNAPORE — Oil prices fell below $99 a barrel Wednesday in Asia as traders eyed mixed signs about the strength of the U.S. economy and crude demand. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

World stock markets down as investors anticipate rate hikes in India, China 
BANGKOK — World stock markets mostly slipped Wednesday as investors anticipated growth-denting rate hikes by central banks in India and China to contain stubbornly high inflation. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

UK unemployment rate holds steady at 7.7 percent as wage growth remains moderate 
LONDON — Official data show Britain’s unemployment rate held steady at 7.7 percent in the three months ending April, matching the rate reported a month ago. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

UK government to back proposals to separate banks 
LONDON — The British government intends to force banks to insulate their retail operations from their more volatile investment banking, a Treasury source confirmed Wednesday. 
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP) 

Morning News 05.27.11

TODAY'S HIGHLIGHTS
CIA to search bin Laden compound
The arrangement would allow the CIA for the first time to enter a complex that it had previously scrutinized only from a distance.
(By Greg Miller and Karen DeYoung)

Serbia arrests Ratko Mladic on war crimes charges
Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb general charged with orchestrating the largest mass killing of civilians in Europe since World War II, was arrested Thursday in Serbia, ending a nearly 16-year manhunt.
(By Colum Lynch)

Chinese Communist Party focuses on its history
A new official history of the Chinese Communist Party ventures into treacherous territory from a tumultuous past.
(By Andrew Higgins)

Online letters claim innocence in Md. slaying
An interest in yoga brought a businessman-poet and AU professor together. Now he’s accused in her death. In online letters, the man — believed to be in Mexico — says he’s not guilty.
(By Dan Morse)

Mitt Romney launching campaign on June 2
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney will formally announce his presidential campaign next Thursday, June 2, in New Hampshire.
(By Chris Cillizza and Rachel Weiner)

POLITICS
Obama signs Patriot Act extension; will continue anti-terror surveillance powers
WASHINGTON — Congress on Thursday passed a four-year extension of post-Sept. 11 powers to search records and conduct roving wiretaps in pursuit of terrorists. Votes taken in rapid succession in the Senate and House came after lawmakers rejected attempts to temper the law enforcement powers to ensure that individual liberties are not abused.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Congress passes four-year extension of roving wiretaps, other government anti-terrorism powers
WASHINGTON — Congress passes four-year extension of roving wiretaps, other government anti-terrorism powers
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Congress approves extension of Patriot Act provisions
Racing against the clock, Congress passed an extension to key provisions of the USA Patriot Act that allow investigators to keep using aggressive surveillance tactics.
( by Paul Kane and Felicia Sonmez , The Washington Post)

Gingrich casts self as ‘comeback kid’
The roughly 600 people who came to see Newt Gingrich during his two-day campaign swing through New Hampshire were largely uninterested in his purchases at Tiffany & Co.
( by Nia-Malika Henderson and Dan Eggen , The Washington Post)

Romney to announce presidential bid next Thursday in New Hampshire
WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney said Thursday he planned to formally join the GOP race for president during an appearance next week in New Hampshire, a state that is central to his White House strategy.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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STYLE
29 million tune into ‘Idol’ finale
About 29 million people watched Fox’s “American Idol” finale Wednesday, when Scotty McCreery was crowned the winner.
(, The Washington Post)

Spaceport America taking shape, officials renew commitment to commercial space industry
SPACEPORT AMERICA, N.M. — The wind is still whistling through the massive unfinished steel hangar doors at Spaceport America. The exterior is waiting to be clad with custom metal panels, and the hangar floor, where a pair of sleek spacecraft will one day sit, is still dirt.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Wildwoods are top NJ beaches again; Cape May County takes 5 of top 10 spots
WILDWOOD, N.J. — Need more proof that New Jerseyans hate having to pay for beach badges?
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

New Mexico's Gila Cliff Dwellings and campgrounds reopening for holiday weekend
SILVER CITY, N.M. — The Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and the Gila National Forest campgrounds are reopening for the Memorial Day weekend.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Paul and the Other Paul
The most memorable moment of Paul Simon’s concert comes with the star attraction happily observing.
( by David Malitz , The Washington Post)

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SPORTS
Tillman’s tactics help Terps
The Final Four-bound Maryland men’s lacrosse team has responded to first-year Coach John Tillman’s team-building techniques.
( by Christian Swezey , The Washington Post)

Luke Donald opens with 64, leads Lee Westwood by 8 shots in battle for No. 1 at Wentworth
VIRGINIA WATER, England — Luke Donald shot a 7-under 64 on Thursday to take the lead in the suspended first round of the BMW PGA Championship, leaving him eight stroke ahead of No. 1 Lee Westwood in their battle for the top spot in the world ranking.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Pay to play? Hunter-Reay's deal to drive No. 41 for Foyt shows role sponsors play in IndyCar
INDIANAPOLIS — Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti watched the number of Indianapolis 500 qualifying spots dwindle in the final minutes of Bump Day last weekend, and the Andretti Autosport teammates knew one of them could end up knocking the other out of the race.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

AL Capsules
DETROIT — Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer in a five-run second inning, and the hot-hitting Boston Red Sox went on to rout the Detroit Tigers 14-1 in an eight-inning, rain-shortened game Thursday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Danica has been Indy's saving grace, but time for the open-wheelers to stand on their own
INDIANAPOLIS — Danica Patrick was holding court at the Brickyard and, as always, no one had more reporters crowded around them.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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WORLD
Rights group says extrajudicial killings by Venezuela's police officers escalating
CARACAS, Venezuela — Unjustified killings by police officers are escalating and occurring across Venezuela, a human rights group charged Thursday.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Libya calls for cease-fire
Prime minister’s offer stops short of saying all military personnel would be returned to barracks
( by Michael Birnbaum , The Washington Post)

British government puts Apache helicopters at NATO's disposal
LONDON — The British government has given clearance for the use of its attack helicopters in Libya, putting the final decision on deployment in NATO’s hands.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Scientists claim they've found farthest-ever explosion more than 13 billion light years away
LONDON — A group of researchers claim they’ve found the most distant explosion ever detected, a pulse of high energy radiation sent by a disintegrating star near the very edge of the observable universe.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Under intense international pressure, Libyan premier says he's ready to talk with rebels
TRIPOLI, Libya — Libya’s government pushed a cease-fire proposal Thursday and said for the first time it was prepared to speak with its rebel adversaries, signaling that months of fighting and NATO bombardment may be closer to forcing some concessions.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

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LIVE DISCUSSIONS
Goodbye Oprah, hello Scotty, and congrats Hines Ward: Lisa de Moraes' TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes will be chatting about Oprah Winfrey's final three episodes of her popular TV show.
(, vForum)

Sports talk with David Sheinin
Usually Tracee Hamilton goes weekly with her chat about sports, life and everything else. This week David Sheinin will be subbing in for her.
(, vForum)

Campus Overload Live with Jenna Johnson
Jenna Johnson answers your questions about college life, on and off campus.
(, vForum)

Lisa de Moraes on the TV Column
Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes is back and ready to chat about all the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes!
(, vForum)

Carolyn Hax Live: Advice columnist tackles your problems (Friday, June 3)
Advice Columnist Carolyn Hax takes your questions and comments about the strange train we call life.
(, vForum)

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TECHNOLOGY
Facebook hires 2 former Bush aides as lobbyists, stepping up efforts to friend Washington
NEW YORK — Facebook said Thursday that it hired two aides of former President George W. Bush as lobbyists. The world’s largest online social network is stepping up efforts to friend Washington as it grows.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

EcoMotors Chief Don Runkle: “Electric Vehicles Are Not Zero Emissions”

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Facebook hires 2 former Bush aides as lobbyists, stepping up efforts to friend Washington
NEW YORK — Facebook is hiring two aides of former President George W. Bush as lobbyists. The world’s largest online social network is stepping up efforts to friend Washington as it grows.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Gmail’s ‘People Widget’ Takes On Rapportive, No Browser Plugin Required

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

Now You Can See Twitter The Way I See Twitter

( by TechCrunch.com , TechCrunch.com)

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EDITORIAL
Ed Schultz suspended from MSNBC after calling Laura Ingraham a ‘right wing slut’
MSNBC suspended host Ed Schultz after he called rival pundit Laura Ingraham “a right-wing slut” during a radio broadcast Tuesday.
(, The Washington Post)

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BUSINESS
8 manufacturers recall pool, in-ground spa drain covers due to incorrect ratings
WASHINGTON — Eight manufacturers have voluntarily recalled about one million pool and in-ground spa drain covers because of incorrect water flow ratings.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Supreme Court upholds Ariz. law punishing employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has sustained Arizona’s law that penalizes businesses for hiring workers who are in the United States illegally, rejecting arguments that states have no role in immigration matters.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Competing plans on job growth
President Obama and Congressional Republicans unveil competing plans to reduce the cost of doing business for U.S. companies.
( by Zachary A. Goldfarb , The Washington Post)

War-weary lawmakers send Obama a message by narrowly rejecting accelerated Afghan withdrawal
WASHINGTON — War-weary Republicans and Democrats on Thursday sent the strongest message yet to President Barack Obama to end the war in Afghanistan as the commander in chief decides how many U.S. troops to withdraw this summer.
( Associated Press Associated Press , AP)

Ex-Nasdaq exec pleads guilty to fraud
Former executive traded on confidential information about companies listed on the Nasdaq, reaping more than $755,000 from 2006 to 2009.
( by David S. Hilzenrath , The Washington Post)

Morning News 04.14.11

1. A Man, A Plan, A Deficit
   President Obama outlined his plan for tackling the national debt Wednesday, drawing on liberal values and proposing tax cuts for the rich.
   Read original story in New York Times | Thursday, April 14, 2011

2. Nuclear Safety? Please Refer to Industry Guides.
   When it comes to nuclear regulatory guides, industry often writes the rules say critics.
   Read original story in ProPublica | Thursday, April 14, 2011

3. For Libyan Rebels, Cell Phones Replace Semaphore
   A young telecom entrepreneur has helped rebels pinch Qaddafi's wireless network.
   Read original story in | Thursday, April 14, 2011

4. FAA Ends Solo Air Traffic Night Shifts
   After another incident of a controller nodding off, federal authorities now insist each night shift must be a sleepover with more than one controller at the party.
   Read original story in Washington Post | Thursday, April 14, 2011

5. States Seek to Ban Animal Farm Exposes
   Undercover photos and videos are a favored tool of animal advocates looking to reveal squalid conditions and inhumane practices. Some states want to make them illegal, because not all animals are equal.
   Read original story in New York Times | Thursday, April 14, 2011

6. Kobe Bryant Fined $100,000 for Anti-Gay Slur
   NBA commissioner slapped a fine on the Lakers star after he made homophobic comments during a game on Tuesday night.
   Read original story in Los Angeles Times | Thursday, April 14, 2011

7. Civil War Lesson Plan: Auction Black Students
   A Virginia schoolteacher divided her classroom by race and then told white students to bid for black ones.
   Read original story in TPM | Thursday, April 14, 2011

8. Big Mac, Brought to You by Identity Theft
   McDonald's managers in Georgia have been charged with hiring prospective workers using the stolen identity cards of U.S. citizens.
   Read original story in Wall Street Journal | Thursday, April 14, 2011

9. Top CIA Spooks Leave for Private Firms
   The private sector has steadily chipped away at the CIA's top talent since 9/11 in the hope of securing government contracts.
   Read original story in Washington Post | Wednesday, April 13, 2011

10. Congress Yanks Wolf Off Endangered Species List
    In last week's budget, Congress took the unprecedented step of removing wolves from the Endangered Species List and handing their management over to pro-hunting states.
    Read original story in New York Times | Wednesday, April 13, 2011

11. Donald Trump, Harbinger of Doom
    The popularity of the real estate magnate shows just what a bad position the GOP is in when it comes to presidential candidates.
    Read original story in FiveThirtyEight | Wednesday, April 13, 2011

12. Blogger Sues Huffington Post
    Ariana Huffington is a "robber baron" who has made millions off the backs of unpaid bloggers, says one contributer who's filed suit against the site.
    Read original story in Los Angeles Times | Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Morning News 11.19.10

1. Obama Faces Off Against GOP Over Nuclear Treaty
   The president has embarked on a high-stakes gambit to push through a nuclear arms treaty with Russia in the face of Republican opposition.
   Read original story in The New York Times | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

2. Fed Chairman Cries Foul on the Global Economic Playground
   Ben Bernanke will unleash an academic diss-fest against rising economic powers that he says aren't playing fair.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

3. New Zealand Mine Explosion Traps 27 Miners
   The cause of the explosion and the fate of the miners is still unknown.
   Read original story in BBC | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

4. Ethics Panel Votes to Censure Rangel
   Rangel may be the first representative to be censured by the House of Representatives since the Congressional page sex scandal of 1983.
   Read original story in The Boston Globe | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

5. Fox Boss Apologizes for Calling NPR Execs "Nazis"
   News chief Roger Ailes said he should have called them "bigots" instead.
   Read original story in CBS | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

6. Republicans Extinguish Unemployment Benefits
   GOP rejection of a bill to extend benefits for three months means the unemployed will be without help starting Nov. 30.
   Read original story in The Wall Street Journal | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

7. Battle Tanks Roll into Afghanistan for First Time
   The sixteen jet-powered battle machines are part of a plan to "take the gloves off" in the war with the Taliban.
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

8. Russians Baffled by GOP Opposition to Nuclear Treaty
   "I really don't think Republicans want to kill arms control."
   Read original story in The Washington Post | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

9. Bugatti Found Rotting in Barn Prompts Auction Frenzy
   The 1926 collectable went for seven times its estimated $15,000 value to a mystery bidder.
   Read original story in The Daily Telegraph | Friday, Nov. 19, 2010

10. Indian Microlending Industry in Danger of Collapse
    Angered by huge profits being made by for-profit mircrolenders, millions of borrowers have defaulted on their loans, sometimes with the encouragement of local government leaders.
    Read original story in The New York Times | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

11. American High Schools Improve, Barely
    Scores on national reading and math exams inched up last year, but the vast majority of kids still can't read good.
    Read original story in The Washington Post | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

12. Should Everyone Give Willow Palin a Break?
    She called a kid a "faggot" on Facebook, but is that grounds for universal condemnation? Several commentators say 16-year-olds should be able to run their mouths online without being endlessly analyzed by a bunch of adults with blogs.
    Read original story in Outside the Beltway | Thursday, Nov. 18, 2010

Alicia Keys on TODAY

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Who Gets to Attend College?

By Tram Nguyen  -- GROWING UP IN BOYLE HEIGHTS, a working class neighborhood of East Los Angeles, Nancy Meza figured out early on that the school system wasn’t working for many of her friends and family. Both her older brothers went from being honors students in middle school to dropping out in high school. One brother, who was put in woodshop two years in a row, eventually started ditching and never came back. “It’s really heartbreaking now,” Nancy said. “They’re always struggling to find a job, always in and out of jobs. They’ll be out of work for long periods of time, or they have backbreaking work at minimum wage. They’re struggling a lot.”Nancy herself was put into ESL classes until seventh grade, when she passed an English test and was lucky enough to get placed into honors classes in eighth grade. It wasn’t until then that she heard teachers and counselors telling her to go to college and programming her schedule with college prep classes.But that wasn’t the case for most of her peers.As high school went on, the group she hung out with got smaller and smaller. Those who had dropped out or were thinking of dropping out told her much the same thing: they would get the same job with or without a high school diploma, so why bother graduating?“Students are not exposed to what it takes to go to college,” concluded Nancy, now 20. Fast-talking and bubbly, she wants more than anything to go to UCLA and then on to law school. For now, She’s attending East Los Angeles Community College. By all accounts, California’s public education system is in trouble and has been for quite some time. The decline can be traced arguably as far back as 1978 when Proposition 13 was passed, undercutting property taxes that are the main mode of public school funding.In 2007, the National Assessment of Educational Progress found that California ranked close to the bottom in the country: eighth graders ranked 47th in reading and 44th in math. The state’s high school graduation rate has fallen far below the national average, and only Mississippi and Arizona have lower rates for sending high school seniors to four-year universities. SOURCE:COLORLINES.COM

Scientology is focus of flap over Will Smith's new school

In Los Angeles' rarefied world of private schools, where tuitions are high, academics are tough and educational philosophy is taken seriously, the newest member of the tribe is getting the kind of breathless attention reserved for a music or film star. That may be because the founders of New Village Academy are themselves such stars: Will Smith and his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Entertainers have long flocked to private schools on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley, where campuses are comparatively small, offer a discreet environment and are close to studios.The Smiths, however, will be among the few celebrities -- Oprah Winfrey, Andre Agassi and Tiger Woods among them -- to establish their own school or program.It is one of several initiatives by the couple, including a new foundation that will give grants to young people in the arts and education. About 80% of New Village students will receive financial assistance in the fall.But the school's Sept. 3 opening, on the leased campus of a former school in Calabasas, will be accompanied by a whiff of controversy. Some of its teachers are members of the Church of Scientology, and it will use teaching methods developed by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard.That has provoked a slew of headlines: On FOXNews.com, "Will Smith Funds Private Scientology School"; from Britain's The Guardian, "Will Smith funds school teaching Scientology creator's study method"; and on the religion blog of the Dallas Morning News, "Is Will Smith school a front for Scientology?"Both Smiths have said they are not Scientologists.In a statement, Will Smith said of the school: "About 10 years ago, Jada and I started dreaming about the possibility of creating an ideal educational environment, where children could feel happy, positive and excited about learning. . . ."New Village Academy was born of a simple question, 'Is it possible to create an educational environment in which children have fun learning?' Jada and I believe the answer is 'Yes.' " SOURCE:LAT.COM

White valedictorian: A first for historically black Morehouse

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Joshua Packwood knows what it's like to be a minority.This weekend he'll be the first white valedictorian to graduate from the historically black, all male Morehouse College in the school's 141-year history.Morehouse, in Atlanta, Georgia, is one the nation's most prestigious universities of its kind. For more than a century, the school has prided itself on personifying the dream of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the school's most notable alums, by producing "Morehouse Men" - intelligent and successful black leaders."Because I'm one of the only white students, it's easy to call me 'the white boy,' I'm naturally going to stand out," says Packwood.But Packwood, 22, doesn't stand out solely because he is white or has maintained a 4.0 grade point average. For those who don't know him, what is surprising is that a Rhodes Scholar finalist turned down a full scholarship to Columbia University to attend the all-black men's university.This came naturally to Packwood, who attended a predominantly black high school."A large majority of my friends, like all my girlfriends have been minorities," says Packwood. "So it was very, it was kind of strange that I always kind of gravitated to the black community."Packwood fit in immediately at Morehouse. His charm, movie-star good looks and chiseled physique made him popular among students. He was elected dorm president and to class council during freshmen year - and was a favorite at campus fashion shows. White valedictorian makes history »He also gained worldly experience studying and traveling abroad.

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Life hasn't always been easy for Packwood. He grew up in a poor area of Kansas City, Missouri, where he says he found himself gravitating to the black community at a young age. Adolescence was rough. His mother's second marriage to a black man ended in divorce and family tension forced him to seek refuge with his best friend's family - who were black and middle-class.The experience of living with his best friend's family had a profound effect on Packwood, who says he saw a "different side of black America."During his teens, Packwood says he got into his share of fights and even landed in jail a few times. Still, his grades were good and eventually earned him a full scholarships to Morehouse College and Columbia University.Against the advice of some family members, Packwood gave up the scholarship to an Ivy League school. He felt the true college experience was at Morehouse - where he believed he would get more than an education."I gained this interest in African-American studies and I thought that Morehouse would probably be the best experience," says Packwood. "I think of it in terms of 'study abroad.' If I really want to learn it, if I really want to understand it - maybe it's best if I immerse myself in the culture.""Mr. Packwood is deserving. He has earned this," says Dr. Robert Franklin, the president of Morehouse. "We are committed to merit, to hard work - no matter who it might be."For the most part, Packwood says the experience among his Morehouse brethren has been overwhelmingly good - with the exception of a few negative comments."One guy came up to me and told me -- he didn't like the fact that I was here," recalls Packwood. "He absolutely didn't like the fact that I dated black women.""So I heard him out, and said, 'I appreciate your opinion but don't agree with what you have to say,'...and now we've become, not necessarily close, but very cool," Packwood says. SOURCE: CNN.COM

City students less likely to graduate than suburban kids

WASHINGTON -- Students in urban public school districts are less likely to graduate from high school than those enrolled in suburban districts in the same metropolitan area, according to research presented Tuesday. The report by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center found that about 75% of the students in suburban districts received diplomas, but only 58% of students in urban districts did. In the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the gap was even wider, with 78% of students in suburban districts and 57% of those in city districts graduating. Just 45% of the students in the Los Angeles Unified School District completed all four years of high school successfully, compared with the national graduation average of 70%. The analysis of graduates in the 2003-04 school year examined U.S. Department of Education data from metropolitan areas surrounding the country's 50 most populous cities. Of the principal school districts serving those cities, LAUSD's graduation rate was the ninth-lowest, the report found. Nationally, 52% of students in the main school districts of urban areas graduated.The dropout rate of more than a million students each year "is not just a crisis; this is a catastrophe," said former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, the founding chairman of America's Promise Alliance, which presented the research.Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings said the government would soon require states to use a uniform method to report graduation data, although she did not provide specifics. This would require a change in the No Child Left Behind Act, which allows states to devise their own methods of determining graduation rates and tracking improvements. SOURCE OF THIS STORY

ALICIA KEYS LAUNCHES 'AS I AM' CONTEST: Effort aims to boost awareness of her Keep A Child Alive charity.

Alicia Keys has teamed with Seattle-based online and mobile community Treemo to launch the "As I Am"The contest celebrates the third track on the album titled "Superwoman" by allowing fans to create a Treemo.com account at http://alicia.treemo.com and upload via their mobile phone or web, a photo, video, or text, telling a story about someone they know who is a "Superwoman."Treemo will donate $1 to KCA for every user who enters the "As I Am" contest, up to $10,000. Keys is the Global Ambassador for Keep A Child Alive, a charity providing an urgent response to the AIDS pandemic ravaging Africa. "This contest and Treemo's support will not only increase our ability to spread the word about the realities of this pandemic, but also recruit more potential donors who can easily see they can indeed save the life of someone who needs their help. It's only $1 a day to sustain a life; it's time we all start giving a buck," said Leigh Blake, Founder and President of KCA. KCA provides comprehensive AIDS care to over 20,000 people living with AIDS; including provision of life-saving AIDS medications, nutritional support and treatment for AIDS-related illnesses. For more information about Keep A Child Alive, visit http://www.keepachildalive.org/. 

Colleges See Flare In Racial Incidents

A couple of weeks into classes at the University of Maryland, a rope tied into what looked like a noose was found hanging outside the campus's African American cultural center. Campus police reports this month included two incidents of racially disparaging remarks, one written on a workstation and one on a bathroom stall in the student union. This weekend, a swastika was spray-painted onto the car of a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, which one member described as a Christian fraternity. It's not the only campus that has seen intolerance. A Maryland congressman is asking for an investigation into nooses left among the personal effects of a black cadet at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and on the office floor of a staff member doing racial sensitivity training after the initial incident. This month, more than 200 students at the University of Virginia protested cartoons depicting starving Ethiopians and a slave that ran in the student paper. Because so many colleges are more racially and culturally diverse than ever, with students hanging out, dating and studying together, such incidents have left many wondering: What's going on? And what are schools doing about it?  SOURCE OF THIS STORY

Rich, Black, Flunking

The black parents wanted an explanation. Doctors, lawyers, judges, and insurance brokers, many had come to the upscale Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights specifically because of its stellar school district. They expected their children to succeed academically, but most were performing poorly. African-American students were lagging far behind their white classmates in every measure of academic success: grade-point average, standardized test scores, and enrollment in advanced-placement courses. On average, black students earned a 1.9 GPA while their white counterparts held down an average of 3.45. Other indicators were equally dismal. It made no sense. When these depressing statistics were published in a high school newspaper in mid-1997, black parents were troubled by the news and upset that the newspaper had exposed the problem in such a public way. Seeking guidance, one parent called a prominent authority on minority academic achievement.  UC Berkeley Anthropology Professor John Ogbu had spent decades studying how the members of different ethnic groups perform academically. He'd studied student coping strategies at inner-city schools in Washington, DC. He'd looked at African Americans and Latinos in Oakland and Stockton and examined how they compare to racial and ethnic minorities in India, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, and Britain. His research often focused on why some groups are more successful than others. SOURCE OF THIS STORY

Oprah opens school in S Africa

TV host Oprah Winfrey has opened a new school she has funded in South Africa to give an education to girls from poor families. The school - in the small town of Henley-on-Klip south of Johannesburg - cost $40m (£20m) to build. Ms Winfrey herself interviewed many of the 3,500 South African girls from low income families who applied for an initial 150 places at the school. The academy selects girls whose family income is less than $700 a month. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy will eventually cater for 450 girls who show outstanding promise but whose families cannot support their education.

Oprah Winfrey Opens School in S. Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa Jan 2, 2007 (AP)— Oprah Winfrey's long-awaited school opened Tuesday, fulfilling a promise she made to former President Nelson Mandela six years ago and giving more than 150 girls a chance for a better future. "I wanted to give this opportunity to girls who had a light so bright that not even poverty could dim that light," Winfrey said at a news conference. Mandela was invited to be among the dignitaries at the opening of the lavish Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in the small town of Henley-on-Klip, south of Johannesburg. MORE ON THIS STORY

Minorities Going Ivy

Larger Numbers of Minorities Going Ivy 
More blacks going to majority white colleges
By Tennille M. Robinson

October 23, 2006 -- Racial diversity among first-year students is increasing at Ivy League institutions and other high-ranking, predominantly white colleges and universities. The number of first-year African American students for the 2005—2006 academic year increased at universities such as Vanderbilt, Princeton, and Columbia, according to "The Progress of Black Student Enrollments at the Nation's Highest-Ranked Colleges and Universities," a study by The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. MORE INFO

Plight Deepens for Black Men, Studies Warn

BALTIMORE — Black men in the United States face a far more dire situation than is portrayed by common employment and education statistics, a flurry of new scholarly studies warn, and it has worsened in recent years even as an economic boom and a welfare overhaul have brought gains to black women and other groups. Curtis E. Brannon of Baltimore with Curtis Jr., one of the four children he has fathered with three mothers. "I was with the street life," Mr. Brannon said, "but now I feel like I've got to get myself together."- Ryan Donnell for The New York TimesBlack Men Falling Behind, focusing more closely than ever on the life patterns of young black men, the new studies, by experts at Columbia, Princeton, Harvard and other institutions, show that the huge pool of poorly educated black men are becoming ever more disconnected from the mainstream society, and to a far greater degree than comparable white or Hispanic men. Especially in the country's inner cities, the studies show, finishing high school is the exception, legal work is scarcer than ever and prison is almost routine, with incarceration rates climbing for blacks even as urban crime rates have declined. Although the problems afflicting poor black men have been known for decades, the new data paint a more extensive and sobering picture of the challenges they face. "There's something very different happening with young black men, and it's something we can no longer ignore," said Ronald B. Mincy, professor of social work at Columbia University and editor of "Black Males Left Behind" (Urban Institute Press, 2006)."Over the last two decades, the economy did great," Mr. Mincy said, "and low-skilled women, helped by public policy, latched onto it. But young black men were falling farther back." Many of the new studies go beyond the traditional approaches to looking at the plight of black men, especially when it comes to determining the scope of joblessness. For example, official unemployment rates can be misleading because they do not include those not seeking work or incarcerated. "If you look at the numbers, the 1990's was a bad decade for young black men, even though it had the best labor market in 30 years," said Harry J. Holzer, an economist at Georgetown University and co-author, with Peter Edelman and Paul Offner, of "Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men" (Urban Institute Press, 2006). In response to the worsening situation for young black men, a growing number of programs are placing as much importance on teaching life skills — like parenting, conflict resolution and character building — as they are on teaching job skills.

These were among the recent findings:

The share of young black men without jobs has climbed relentlessly, with only a slight pause during the economic peak of the late 1990's. In 2000, 65 percent of black male high school dropouts in their 20's were jobless — that is, unable to find work, not seeking it or incarcerated. By 2004, the share had grown to 72 percent, compared with 34 percent of white and 19 percent of Hispanic dropouts. Even when high school graduates were included, half of black men in their 20's were jobless in 2004, up from 46 percent in 2000. Incarceration rates climbed in the 1990's and reached historic highs in the past few years. In 1995, 16 percent of black men in their 20's who did not attend college were in jail or prison; by 2004, 21 percent were incarcerated. By their mid-30's, 6 in 10 black men who had dropped out of school had spent time in prison.

In the inner cities, more than half of all black men do not finish high school.

None of the litany of problems that young black men face was news to a group of men from the airless neighborhoods of Baltimore who recently described their experiences. One of them, Curtis E. Brannon, told a story so commonplace it hardly bears notice here. He quit school in 10th grade to sell drugs, fathered four children with three mothers, and spent several stretches in jail for drug possession, parole violations and other crimes. "I was with the street life, but now I feel like I've got to get myself together," Mr. Brannon said recently in the row-house flat he shares with his girlfriend and four children. "You get tired of incarceration." Mr. Brannon, 28, said he planned to look for work, perhaps as a mover, and he noted optimistically that he had not been locked up in six months. A group of men, including Mr. Brannon, gathered at the Center for Fathers, Families and Workforce Development, one of several private agencies trying to help men build character along with workplace skills. The clients readily admit to their own bad choices but say they also fight a pervasive sense of hopelessness. "It hurts to get that boot in the face all the time," said Steve Diggs, 34. "I've had a lot of charges but only a few convictions," he said of his criminal record. Mr. Diggs is now trying to strike out on his own, developing a party space for rentals, but he needs help with business skills. "I don't understand," said William Baker, 47. "If a man wants to change, why won't society give him a chance to prove he's a changed person?" Mr. Baker has a lot of record to overcome, he admits, not least his recent 15-year stay in the state penitentiary for armed robbery. Mr. Baker led a visitor down the Pennsylvania Avenue strip he wants to escape — past idlers, addicts and hustlers, storefront churches and fortresslike liquor stores — and described a life that seemed inevitable. He sold marijuana for his parents, he said, left school in the sixth grade and later dealt heroin and cocaine. He was for decades addicted to heroin, he said, easily keeping the habit during three terms in prison. But during his last long stay, he also studied hard to get a G.E.D. and an associate's degree. Now out for 18 months, Mr. Baker is living in a home for recovering drug addicts. He is working a $10-an-hour warehouse job while he ponders how to make a living from his real passion, drawing and graphic arts. "I don't want to be a criminal at 50," Mr. Baker said.  According to census data, there are about five million black men ages 20 to 39 in the United States. Terrible schools, absent parents, racism, the decline in blue collar jobs and a subculture that glorifies swagger over work have all been cited as causes of the deepening ruin of black youths. Scholars — and the young men themselves — agree that all of these issues must be addressed. Joseph T. Jones, director of the fatherhood and work skills center here, puts the breakdown of families at the core. "Many of these men grew up fatherless, and they never had good role models," said Mr. Jones, who overcame addiction and prison time. "No one around them knows how to navigate the mainstream society." All the negative trends are associated with poor schooling, studies have shown, and progress has been slight in recent years. Federal data tend to understate dropout rates among the poor, in part because imprisoned youths are not counted. Closer studies reveal that in inner cities across the country, more than half of all black men still do not finish high school, said Gary Orfield, an education expert at Harvard and editor of "Dropouts in America" (Harvard Education Press, 2004). "We're pumping out boys with no honest alternative," Mr. Orfield said in an interview, "and of course their neighborhoods offer many other alternatives." Dropout rates for Hispanic youths are as bad or worse but are not associated with nearly as much unemployment or crime, the data show. With the shift from factory jobs, unskilled workers of all races have lost ground, but none more so than blacks. By 2004, 50 percent of black men in their 20's who lacked a college education were jobless, as were 72 percent of high school dropouts, according to data compiled by Bruce Western, a sociologist at Princeton and author of the forthcoming book "Punishment and Inequality in America" (Russell Sage Press). These are more than double the rates for white and Hispanic men. Mr. Holzer of Georgetown and his co-authors cite two factors that have curbed black employment in particular. First, the high rate of incarceration and attendant flood of former offenders into neighborhoods have become major impediments. Men with criminal records tend to be shunned by employers, and young blacks with clean records suffer by association, studies have found. Arrests of black men climbed steeply during the crack epidemic of the 1980's, but since then the political shift toward harsher punishments, more than any trends in crime, has accounted for the continued growth in the prison population, Mr. Western said.

By their mid-30's, 30 percent of black men with no more than a high school education have served time in prison, and 60 percent of dropouts have, Mr. Western said.

Among black dropouts in their late 20's, more are in prison on a given day — 34 percent — than are working — 30 percent — according to an analysis of 2000 census data by Steven Raphael of the University of California, Berkeley.

The second special factor is related to an otherwise successful policy: the stricter enforcement of child support. Improved collection of money from absent fathers has been a pillar of welfare overhaul. But the system can leave young men feeling overwhelmed with debt and deter them from seeking legal work, since a large share of any earnings could be seized.

About half of all black men in their late 20's and early 30's who did not go to college are noncustodial fathers, according to Mr. Holzer. From the fathers' viewpoint, support obligations "amount to a tax on earnings," he said. Some fathers give up, while others find casual work. "The work is sporadic, not the kind that leads to advancement or provides unemployment insurance," Mr. Holzer said. "It's nothing like having a real job." The recent studies identified a range of government programs and experiments, specially education and training efforts like the Job Corps, that had shown success and could be scaled up. Scholars call for intensive new efforts to give children a better start, including support for parents and extra schooling for children. They call for teaching skills to prisoners and helping them re-enter society more productively, and for less automatic incarceration of minor offenders.

In a society where higher education is vital to economic success, Mr. Mincy of Columbia said, programs to help more men enter and succeed in college may hold promise. But he lamented the dearth of policies and resources to aid single men. "We spent $50 billion in efforts that produced the turnaround for poor women," Mr. Mincy said. "We are not even beginning to think about the men's problem on similar orders of magnitude."

By ERIK ECKHOLM

Published: March 20, 2006
NY Times

City of Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Philadelphia on Thursday opened a public high school where students work on wireless laptops, teachers eschew traditional subjects for real-world topics and parents can track their child's work on the Internet. Called "The School of the Future" and created with help from software giant Microsoft, it is believed to be the first in the world to combine innovative teaching methods with the latest technology, all housed in an environmentally friendly building. The school, which cost the school district $63 million to build, is free and has no entrance exams. The 170 students in the inaugural ninth-grade class were selected by lottery from 1,500 applicants.