Obama gets 12 stitches after errant elbow to mouth

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama needed 12 stitches in his upper lip after taking an errant elbow during a pickup basketball game Friday morning with family and friends visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday, the White House said. First word of the injury came in a statement from press secretary Robert Gibbs nearly three hours after the incident. The White House did not initially name the person who caused the injury, but identified him later Friday as Rey Decerega, director of programs for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. Obama received the stitches under local anesthesia in the doctor's office on the ground floor of the White House after returning home. Doctors used a smaller filament than typically used, which increases the number of stitches but makes a tighter stitch and leaves a smaller scar. The president had gone to nearby Fort McNair to indulge in a game of basketball, one of his favorite athletic pursuits. It was a five-on-five contest involving family and friends. Among the players were Obama's nephew, Avery Robinson, Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Reggie Love, Obama's personal assistant, who played at Duke University. The White House said the injury happened during their fifth and final game when Decerega turned to take a shot and hit Obama, who was playing defense, in the mouth with his elbow. Obama emerged from the building after about 90 minutes of play, wearing a short-sleeve T-shirt and gym pants, and was seen dabbing at his mouth with what appeared to be a wad of gauze. A few hours later, reporters who had gathered on the White House driveway for the arrival of the Christmas tree saw the president in an upstairs window, pressing an ice pack against his mouth before he stood and walked away. "After being inadvertently hit with an opposing player's elbow in the lip while playing basketball with friends and family, the president received 12 stitches today administered by the White House Medical Unit," Gibbs said. Decerega issued a statement through the White House late Friday. He did not immediately respond to an e-mail request from The Associated Press for independent comment."I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport," the statement said. "I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I'm sure he'll be back out on the court again soon."Obama's motorcade obeyed all traffic stops, the custom for nonofficial trips, during the return to the White House. In February, Obama, 49, was deemed to be in excellent health and fit for duty after his first medical checkup as president. Doctors reported then that Obama had yet to kick a smoking habit, takes anti-inflammatory medication to relieve chronic tendinitis in his left knee and should make dietary changes to reduce his cholesterol levels. Obama was told to return for another physical exam in August 2011, after he turns 50. In addition to regular pickup basketball games, Obama is also an avid golfer.

I put this post up here today give you an example of what I think is "soft news". I am glad to hear that Obama is okay but personally I could care less to read about this story. The media must not have anything better to report on if today's focus is on the president getting hurt in a harmless basketball game. I mean after all it was basketball game and with any sport chances are you may get hurt while playing. I don't know maybe its just me, but I do think there is way more important stuff going on in the world than worrying about the president getting stitches in his lip! What do you guys think?

Music and Politics

 This is a song that rapper Lil Wayne and singer-songwriter Robin Thicke made about Hurricane Katrina. Rapper Lil Wayne is originally from Louisiana and had friends and family that died because of the hurricane. Therefore, it is only right that he would express how he felt about the hurricane and how it was handled by authorities in the song "Tie My Hands." Check it out!



 Here's another song that was performed by R&B singer John Legend at the 2008 Democratic Convention. He made this song as a rallying cry to get people to vote in the presidential election and make a difference.

Officials Push to Bolster Law on Wiretapping

WASHINGTON — Law enforcement and counterterrorism officials, citing lapses in compliance with surveillance orders, are pushing to overhaul a federal law that requires phone and broadband carriers to ensure that their networks can be wiretapped, federal officials say. The officials say tougher legislation is needed because some telecommunications companies in recent years have begun new services and made system upgrades that caused technical problems for surveillance. They want to increase legal incentives and penalties aimed at pushing carriers like Verizon, AT&T, and Comcast to ensure that any network changes will not disrupt their ability to conduct wiretaps. An Obama administration task force that includes officials from the Justice and Commerce Departments, the F.B.I. and other agencies recently began working on draft legislation to strengthen and expand the Communications Assistance to Law Enforcement Act, a 1994 law that says telephone and broadband companies must design their services so that they can begin conducting surveillance of a target immediately after being presented with a court order. There is not yet agreement over the details, according to officials familiar with the deliberations, but they said the administration intends to submit a package to Congress next year.

 The Obama administration is circulating several ideas for legislation that would increase the government’s leverage over carriers, officials familiar with the deliberations say.One proposal is to increase the likelihood that a firm pays a financial penalty over wiretapping lapses — like imposing retroactive fines after problems are fixed, or billing companies for the cost of government technicians that were brought in to help. Another proposal would create an incentive for companies to show new systems to the F.B.I. before deployment. Under the plan, an agreement with the bureau certifying that the system is acceptable would be an alternative “safe harbor,” ensuring the firm could not be fined. The proposal may also modify how the “safe harbor” standard is established. Five years ago, the F.B.I. drafted legislation that would have given the Justice Department greater power over the standard while requiring the F.C.C. to act more quickly on petitions. That bill, however, was not ultimately filed.

If this law passes next year that means that every cellphone in the U.S. will be able to be wiretapped at any time for any reason. How do you guys feel about this? Personally, I don't agree with this bill and I feel it is unfair that the Obama administration would push for such a law to be enacted, especially since Obama originally told us during his campaign for presidency that he would not do such a thing if he ever became president. I guess this is another example of a president contradicting themselves and changing their original policies once they get in office.What do you guys think about this law if it is passed next year?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/us/19wiretap.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

World underdogs take the lead

As western nations face stunted economic growth and years of painful budget-slashing ahead, developing nations like China, Brazil, India and Russia are slowly moving up on the world stage. The United States is struggling to hit 2.7% growth for the year, while emerging economies, which also include smaller countries mostly in Asia and Latin America, are collectively on track for 7.1% growth for the year. On a trip to Asia this week, President Obama reaffirmed India's increasing importance as a global trading partner, signing $10 million in contracts for U.S. exports. And when world leaders meet in South Korea for the G-20 summit this week, Europe will give up a few IMF seats to emerging nations to reflect their expanding global influence. China has already surpassed Japan to become the world's second largest economy, and could overtake the United States for the no. 1 position in 10 to 15 years. If that happens, it will mark the first change in the leadership position, since the U.S. overtook Great Britain in 1894. Even if China does become the world's largest economy, its population is roughly 4.5 times bigger than that of the U.S., making it difficult for China to catch up to the American standard of living, said Jay Bryson, global economist with Wells Fargo. "It's only a matter of time before they catch us. Sooner or later India will probably catch us as well," Bryson said. "But, when that day comes, they will still be very, very dirt poor economies. The average Chinese citizen will be 25% as well-off as the average American citizen."   

What do you guys think about this? Do you think that its quite possible that China, Brazil, and India can one day catch up with the U.S. and become the leading superpower nation? If so, how do you think this will effect the U.S. as nation?

I personally think that the way the U.S.economy is headed and because of our tremendous debt and the U.S. dollar gradually declining in value it is quite possible that if we don't recover quickly and repair our economy we could fall behind and no longer be the leading superpower. We can't just rely on the fact that we have one of  the best military to stay ahead of all the other nations. A plan needs to be devised to boost our economy quickly and efficiently, decrease unemployment, and to lower our national debt!

The Federal Reserve plans $600 billion stimulus

The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that it will buy $600 billion worth of government bonds by the middle of 2011. After the recent elections  the Fed expects fiscal stimulus, and the government in general to be in gridlock.  The central bank is taking economic matters into its own hands. The economic recovery has been slower than anyone anticipated in terms of output and employment.  Ben Bernanke at the Federal Reserve is concerned about sustainable employment and price stability, and the bank has decided, unilaterally, that a new stimulus is the best bet. Bet being the operative word.  Bernanke is sure that with Republicans controlling the house another stimulus, or fiscal funds to finance one, will never get to the President’s desk.  As any central bank does, it will simply print $600 billion worth of money and use it to buy long-term Treasury bonds in the market. There is no guarantee that this new stimulus, almost as large as the TARP but this time engineered to raise the price of bonds, lower interest rates, and stimulate borrowing and purchasing power, will not send the economy further into recession.  The safe option, reducing the short term interest rate, is no longer viable since the rate has been at zero since December 2008. This sounds suspiciously like spending more money that doesn’t exist.  It also puts cash directly into the hands of stock, bond and property holders, not the average jobless American citizen whom this policy is intended to help. The economy is in its present state because individuals spent beyond their means and governing institutions allowed them to do it.  The central bank believes this is the only way our economy will recover, by revisiting mistaken ideology, and reinstating a broken economic culture.

What do you guys think do you think the government should pass another 600 billion stimulus plan? If so do you guys think that this would really help out our economy or is it just a temporary fix that will hurt our economy in the long run?