Comments on: House members mourn Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J.

By: Common Tater

Common Tater — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:27:47 +0000

All those smiling faces. It doesn’t look like they’re mourning to me. This is a good example of when the photos detract from the story.

By: Tom Newsom

Tom Newsom — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 17:56:10 +0000

So now we have a govt agency thinking it’s okay to not issue a press release when they know they gave out a toy kit with 3.5 times the federal limit for lead – the Times has done nothing to report on it – Here’s the story links:

http://www.halfwaytoconcord.com/lead-contaminated-toys-for-free-from-contra-costa-first-5/

http://www.flopped5.org/hot-off-the-press.html

I know this is NOT really a political post – this is a public health crisis post and I believe it should be posted by all the local blogs since the Times seems to be ignoring it. This agency ADMITTED to doing this. Lead is worse for kids when they have long term exposure and they appear to not care.

Maybe at least the active blogging community can do some announcing or linking to the story so that people will know about it.

By: John W.

John W. — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:05:38 +0000

For roughly the past 25 years, Carter and the Carter Center have led the successful effort to eradicate Dracunculiasis (a/k/a) Guinea Worm Disease — a water-born parasitic illness you definitely would not want to get. In African and Asian countries, there were once 3.5 million new cases per year, with tremendous health and economic implications. The disease has been reduced to just a handful of countries, with a couple thousand cases a year. You can find info under Dracunculiasis on both Wikipedia and the CDC website.

By: RR, Senile Columnist

RR, Senile Columnist — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:51:29 +0000

A few points about Africa. Most lawmakers don’t give a mouse’s rear about Africa, but it’s a safe stand to take. When conservatives mumble about foreign aid, libs bring up images of flies in kids’ faces, refugee camps, etc. Bush cares about HIV, which is epidemic in much of sub-Sahara Africa. Other humanitarians concentrate on medical services, housing, schools. The results of such efforts are mixed. Botswana, which gets little attention, is doing reasonably well. Where the White man ruled and was duly despised by all right-thinking activists, such as Zimbabwe, conditions have deteriorated rapidly since the introduction of majority rule. South Africa, ruled so long by Boer racists, is thriving compared to long-independent states such as Liberia and Ghana. What, exactly, has Jimmy Carter done for Africans? Bono is to Africa what Jerry Lewis was to MD. I won’t argue over Gates or Bill Clinton.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:05:31 +0000

“The current crop of GOPsters seem to think of foreign policy mostly in terms of where we should start bombing next.”

Considering the current state of Africa and much of the Middle East, that might not be a bad place to start.

By: John W.

John W. — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:41:43 +0000

Re #2

“Yes, Africa has lost…maybe its only friend.” Meaning???

In fact, among those credited with being a very good friend to Africa is none other than George W. Bush, whose efforts there while he was President, are being continued by one of his very cool daughters. The stakes are huge there, both in terms of terrorist havens and economic development opportunity. Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Bono and Bill & Melinda Gates have also done great work in terms of disease eradication projects, education and human rights. The current crop of GOPsters seem to think of foreign policy mostly in terms of where we should start bombing next.

By: RR, Senile Columnist

RR, Senile Columnist — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:46:13 +0000

Yes, Africa has lost a good friend in Rep. Payne, maybe its only friend. How these highly knowledgeable solons refer to a huge continent, “Africa,” tells much. Nobody in DC refers to an expert on “Europe” or “Asia” although “Latin America” might creep in. Maybe Prof. Lee should spend more time in, say, Morocco. She might be pleased to find Tangier is safer than half of Oakland.

By: Elwood

Elwood — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:34:47 +0000

Good God, pictures of Stretch, Georgie Porgie and Bobbie Lee right at lunch time!

Oh, well. Maybe if I don’t think about it, I’ll be able to eat dinner.