From WTAE TV Channel 4 in Pittsburgh:
[Pennsylvania] Lieutenant Governor Catherine Baker Knoll has died.The 78-year-old was being treated in Baltimore for neuroendocrine cancer.She was diagnosed in July.Baker Knoll was released from the hospital on Nov. 6.She said then she had entered a physical therapy program to deal with an infection that slowed down her recovery.She also said she intended to return to her duties.
The news is out of Harrisburg, PA.
The Pittsburgh Channel is reporting that Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch, 47, has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Pausch gave the talk above for his three children when he discovered his condition was terminal.
If you have not seen it yet, please spend time and watch, “The Last Lecture,” by Randy Pausch.
Thanks, Randy.
This story from The Washington Post (in block text) is presented with appropriate passages from The Declaration of Independence (italics). Enjoy.
Government workers repeatedly snooped without authorization inside the electronic passport records of entertainers, athletes and other high-profile Americans, a State Department audit has found. One celebrity’s records were breached 356 times by more than six dozen people.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
The audit, by State’s inspector general, was prompted by the discovery in March that three of the department’s contract workers had peeked at the private passport files of Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain and that a State Department trainee had examined the file of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
The report documented a widespread lack of controls on the personal data of the 127 million Americans who hold passports, finding numerous “weaknesses, including a general lack of policies, procedures, guidance and training.” The State Department had maintained that its system worked when the candidates’ passport breaches were discovered.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
The audit also suggests that some workers were motivated by fascination with the private lives of celebrities, none of whom were identified. One employee told investigators he simply liked looking up the records of professional basketball players.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
Investigators found that 20,500 government workers and contractors had access to the electronic system that maintained the records. Most of them worked for the State Department or the Department of Homeland Security.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
Privacy Act violations could result in misdemeanor penalties or fines if workers disclosed personal information to a third party not authorized to receive it.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
Another law, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, could result in criminal penalties for unauthorized access to government computer systems.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
You get the idea.
Happy Independence Day! Do yourself a favor and read the Declaration of Independence sometime today.
And look forward to a great Indepencence Day on January 20, 2009.
The following is an action alert from Dahr Jamail’s MidEast Dispatches. eNews Park Forest carries Jamail’s articles regularly:
Washington Report Correspondent Mohammed Omer Hospitalized Following Detention by Israeli Soldiers at Allenby Bridge Crossing
Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer, Gaza correspondent for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs and co-recipient of the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism, was
hospitalized with cracked ribs and other injuries inflicted by Israeli soldiers at the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan into the occupied West Bank.Omer was returning home to Gaza after a European speaking tour and the June 16 London ceremony at which he accepted the prestigious Gellhorn Prize.
Dutch MP Hans Van Baalen, head of the parliament’s foreign relations committee, and award-winning journalist John Pilger spent weeks lobbying Israel to issue an exit permit for the 24-year-old journalist. As has been the case before, diplomatic intervention was necessary to
secure permission for his return as well. Nevertheless, Israeli authorities initially refused to allow Omer to return to his home in Rafah from Amman. Finally—after missing his brother’s wedding—he was told that arrangements had been made for him to cross the border on
Thursday, June 26. Dutch diplomats awaited him on the other side to escort him to the Gaza Strip.
Instead of being granted free passage, however, Omer was detained, questioned by a Shin Bet agent, strip searched at gunpoint, assaulted and dragged by the heels to an ambulance after he began vomiting and going in and out of consciousness. When he finally came to, he was in a Palestinian hospital in Jericho, where he was treated and allowed to return home in the custody of the Dutch diplomats. See the following article by John Pilger in the July 2 Guardian:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/02/israelandthepalestinians.civilliberties
The following afternoon, speaking from home, a recovering but still traumatized Omer told theWashington Report that he was having difficulty breathing and swallowing. The next day, suffering from cracked ribs and other injuries, he was admitted to a hospital in Gaza, where he remains as of this writing.In his article in the August 2008 Washington Report, “A Voice for the Voiceless,” Omer defines his life’s mission as “to get the truth out,” and describes himself as “not pro-Palestinian or anti-Israeli, but simply…an eyewitness on the ground, reporting what happens and why.”
One of the Shin Bet agents who interrogated him at the Allenby crossing advised Omer not to return to Gaza, where—thanks to the Israeli siege—there is no electricity, potable water, medical supplies, gasoline or other necessities of life. Clearly Israel wants to silence Mohammed Omer’s voice, as it has silenced the voices of other journalists—most recently Omer’s colleague Fadel Shana, the 24-year-old Reuters cameraman killed by an Israeli tank shell on April 16.
Palestinian journalists risk their lives on a daily basis to tell the world what is happening in their homeland. Their words and pictures remind us that we have yet to realize the vow, “Never again!”
Please click on the button at right or visit the Washington Report website, www.wrmea.com, to sign a petition condemning Israel’s attacks on journalists, both Palestinian and international. Add your voice to Mohammed Omer’s on behalf of voiceless Gazans and all Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation—an occupation made possible by American tax dollars.
I’m happy to point you to this petition. Dahr Jamail is doing incredible work reporting as an unembedded journalist in Iraq.
I need to explain my lack of in-depth posts over the past week. I had a wonderful start to summertime. Apparently, about two weeks ago, I was bit by a Brown Recluse spider.
I’ll spare you the details.
It wasn’t pretty at all. It was enough to land me in the hospital late last week for a little over twenty-four hours on IV antibiotics and treated to a surgeon — well, we’ll stop there.
The Pittsburgh Channel sent a newsflash indicating that Senator Edward Kennedy was rushed to Cape Cod Hospital after falling ill at the Kennedy compound in Hyannisport. Kennedy, 76, spent two hours in the emergency room before being transported via MedFlight helicopter to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
CNN reported Kennedy had symptoms consistent with a stroke.
Kennedy maintains a vigorous schedule. According to he web site, yesterday he was keynote speaker at a ribbon cutting ceremony at New Bedford Whaling National Park:
BOSTON, MA- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today joined Congressman Barney Frank, Dennis Reidenbach, the Director of the National Park Service for the Northeast Region, Lisa Sughrue of the Waterfront Historic Area League (WHALE), State Senator Mark C. Montigny and State Representative Antonio F. D. Cabral at a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly named Corson Maritime Learning Center in New Bedford. The event celebrated the successful preservation of the Corson Building after a fire destroyed it in 1997, as well as the reopening of the structure that now holds new exhibits, theaters, and educational and archival space as part of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park.
Senator Kennedy said, “Today, we celebrate New Bedford’s history and reaffirm our commitment to build on the great legacy of those who came before us such as, Herman Melville and Frederick Douglass to build a strong future for this unique city, a city that Melville called the ‘dearest place to live in, in all New England.’”
Senator Kennedy and Congressman Frank have secured $6.4 million in appropriations through the United States Department of Interior for the renovation of this historic building. For more information on the Corson Building and the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, please visit www.nps.gov/nebe/.
His remarks for the event as prepared for delivery follow:
A little less than two years ago, we broke ground for this extraordinary facility, and today we can see that it was easily worth all the effort that so many put into this impressive project.
When this National Park was created over a decade ago, thanks to the vision and hard work of Tony Souza and WHALE, we knew it would be a success. But we had no idea how much it would actually add to the fabric of our city and to all the wonderful things going on in downtown New Bedford.
We could barely imagine how well the Park would work with the Whaling Museum, the new ferry service to the Vineyard, the AHA! arts programs, the College of Visual and Performing Arts at the renovated Star Store, and the revitalized shops and restaurants to bring people downtown and add to our city’s vitality.
In little more than a decade, because of all your outstanding work, the Whaling National Historic Park has set a shining example for cities across the country – an example of the power of historic preservation and the importance of cultural awareness and education bringing the community together and promoting economic development.
What you have all built here will ensure that generations to come will learn about New Bedford’s remarkable history and enduring spirit. Needless to say, we also owe thanks to the National Park Service and its staff who have worked so hard and well with our community to make this new vision a reality.
I especially commend the Piva and Florek family members who have worked with all of us to turn the tragedy of the fire that ravaged the historic Corson building in 1997 into an opportunity to build an enduring new home for the National Park, and create this impressive learning center we’re opening here today. It would not have been possible without you.
Today, we celebrate New Bedford’s history and reaffirm our commitment to build on the great legacy of those who came before us such as, Herman Melville and Frederick Douglass to build a strong future for this unique city, a city that Melville called the “dearest place to live in, in all New England.”
We’re also blessed to have had such a strong group of committed civic leaders supporting us led by our great Mayor Scott Lang. We’re proud of New Bedford and its amazing history, and we’re sure that our Whaling City’s greatest days still lie ahead.
So, I thank all of you for the impressive job you’ve done. Congratulations on this major accomplishment, and I look forward very much to our work together in the years to come.
The “Mrs.” just concluded her interview on the Colbert Report.
Michelle did a spectacular job. What a smart person, and a quick wit standing up to Colbert.
She did a great job.
Good work Michelle. While we have been concerned over some of the comments Barack has made over the past few days, personally, I’m very happy with the quality of the interview you did on Colbert’s show tonight.
Congratulations to all of you who completed your taxes early and already have your refund or have made your joyful payments to the Feds.
Right.
I just signed mine today. My accountant was very nice asking me to get everything to her earlier next year.
Taxes are soooooooo confusing. I’m not a Libertarian, but I know enough to know that there is no rhyme or reason to taxes in the United States of America, federal or any state. It’s a hodge podge, and completely absurd.
At any rate, now that everything is done, we’ll be back on schedule here at Turning Left with more frequent and, hopefully, thoughtful posts.
Looking forward to November 2008, and, even more, January 2009.
Sometimes I think I could turn this entire blog over to a critique of the Cook County Board and nothing else.
Most of the commissioners are fine people who I respect — Democrat and Republican. While I disagree strongly with Tony Peraica’s conservative social agenda, for example, I have a great deal of respect for his verbal calls for honesty in government. While I don’t quite understand their commitment to Board President Todd Stroger, Commissioners Joan Patricia Murphy and Deborah Sims work hard for those of us in the south suburbs of Chicagoland.
And Forrest Claypool? Well, here’s to what might have been.
President Stroger, your problem is not PR.
When I read earlier this week in the Sun-Times that Todd Stroger was “set to bring on a p.r. consultant, records show, to help improve his image and that of the hospital system he runs,” I just about choked. Of course, I’m not the only one who took notice. From the article:
“Of the multitude of problems facing the health bureau, p.r. is the least of them,” said Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association. “President Stroger should save the money, no matter how difficult that may be for the administration, and let the independent board decide how to use the money on things like actual health care services.”
Stroger already has people who are working the public relations angle:
Stroger’s p.r. staff is larger than that of many other county governments across the country, records show, but it’s hardly the most expensive.
Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan’s communications chief, Lucio Guerrero, makes more than $120,000, though he said he’s also in charge of about a dozen people, heading up outreach and research.
Stroger’s top p.r. staffer, Mullins, is budgeted to be paid $105,059 — and Stroger still employs all of his former spokesmen in other, comparably salaried positions.
“The need for yet another p.r. consultant or staffer for President Stroger is ridiculous,” Stewart said.
Honestly, now, Todd, do you really think your problem is a decided lack of public relations? You do remember shortly after you swore your oath to “support the Constitution of the United States, and the Constitution of the State of Illinois, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of Cook County Board President to the best of my ability,” you roped off an elevator for your own private use.
Sir, with all due respect, the problem is not a lack of p.r. It’s you.
I’m going to remind you of the 10 tips the Sun-Times offered you at the beginning of the month:
1. Please, don’t hire anybody in your family to fill the job.
2. Nope, not even a cousin.
3. A childhood friend? See above.
4. A national search for the new inspector general does mean looking outside your political home base of the 8th Ward.
5. Ask yourself: “What would my political mentor, Bill ‘The Hog with the Big Nuts’ Beavers, do?” Then do the opposite.
6. Let the inspector hire his or her own staff. Don’t view the 12 new jobs as a political dumping ground.
7. Hire someone familiar with corruption. Familiar, that is, with investigating and prosecuting it, not committing it.
8. The new inspector general will not require the services of a private chauffeur, as do some political big shots. Or a private elevator.
9. Do not brag to taxpayers that the new inspector general is coming in at a bargain salary, then give the new hire a double-digit raise within a year. For reference, see the Chicago Sun-Times, March 24, “Todd’s Cousin Cashes In.”
10. Follow the lead of Mayor Daley. He hired a first-rate inspector general for the city, David Hoffman, a former federal prosecutor. Hoffman’s smart, independent, experienced and beholden to no one. He drives Daley nuts. But he’s a friend to taxpayers.
For too long, county government has been a cesspool of patronage. You see, Todd, that’s what we’re looking at: individuals who take advantage of the tax payers by setting aside privileges for themselves and people they favor. That’s what it’s really all about. Just stop doing that.
Forget the p.r. binge. Just stop all of that and govern. Good p.r. will follow good actions.
