HeadlinerNews Roundup

News Roundup -- The Morning After The Bush Era

Jamie Davis — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:47:10 -0400

The FDA announced that it would not appeal a federal court judge's ruling that strikes down a policy restricting the sale of the morning after birth control bill "Plan B." Bush Administration policies had set in place a rule limiting sales to women 18 and older.

Will other Bush policies follow suit? This looks like a good topic for the roundup.

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News Roundup -- Kim Jong Illin'

Jamie Davis — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 10:50:40 -0400

North Korea kicked UN nuclear inspectors out of the country and pledged to start their weapons-grade plutonium program again. Meanwhile, other dangers abound in the world as Somali pirates thumbed their collective noses at the world shipping community despite the attacks on them by U.S. and French navy forces.

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News Roundup -- Nuclear Diplomacy in 2009

Jamie Davis — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:30:20 -0400

This past week, President Obama completed his first overseas trip as the President. He met with world leaders as well as some groups of citizens there. In all of these places, he talked with the people about the renewal of America's credibility and trust in the global diplomatic marketplace.

At the same time, Iran, one of the countries with whom Obama seeks to open better communications, announced further advancements in their push for nuclear power (and perhaps weapons according to some). Time will tell whether the new Obama diplomacy works better or not.

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News Roundup -- Calling the Iranian Police

Jamie Davis — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:00:00 -0400

Some hopeful signs are showing up in the news stories I look at around the world that may point to a positive effect from the policies of the Obama administration.

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First is a story that shows the U.S. troop death toll at its lowest level since the war began. March 2009 had only 4 U.S. troop deaths. Civilian deaths remained the same.

The second positive indicator is the apparent thawing of relations between Iran and the U.S. Iran has agreed to help police and monitor drug trade routes out of Afghanistan after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requested the countries in the region to help close off the drug trade of heroin out of the area.

News Roundup -- The Evils of No Socialized Healthcare

Jamie Davis — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:32:40 -0400

The U.S. health care system is broken according to almost anyone you talk to. The only ones saying it isn't broken are the ones making money off of the existing programs -- insurance companies and for-profit healthcare systems and hospitals. With over 4 million additional Americans losing their employee benefits since the start of the recession, the number of uninsured people in the U.S. has moved past 50 million according to some estimates.

Our infant mortality rates are among the highest of the industrialized world. This means that more American babies die in the first year of life than in most of Europe and Japan. All the while the insurance companies pocket 30¢ of every dollar we spend for health coverage. At least medicare and medicaid spend 95% of the money they received on providing health care services.

Some will say that socialized medicine is evil. I believe that not providing basic health care coverage to American citizens while profiting off of the ever increasing premiums the other's pay is what is truly evil.

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News Roundup -- Bernie AIGoff's Corporate Excess Class

Jamie Davis — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:37:55 -0400

Corporate excesses like that of Bernie Madoff or AIG Bonuses have happened in the past and yet the public is constantly outraged by them. I can't help but be amazed at the naivete of the people in the face of overwhelming historical proof that unregulated and under regulated corporations cannot be trusted to watch themselves when there is money to be made. Like Sharks smelling blood in the water, corporations finding ways to make money in marginal ventures will more often than not choose greed over public responsibility. How can you be surprised!

Bernie Madoff's accountant is just the first of the peripheral players in his billion dollar ponzi scheme to be arrested. I'm sure many others will follow and AIG CEO (who took over after the failures and bonuses were in place) says that the bonuses are obscene and he and AIG may ask the executives to return the money. We'll see if that actually happens.

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News Roundup -- It's All A Confidence Game

Jamie Davis — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 05:00:00 -0400

As more bad economic news was released last week, many continue to wonder when we might begin to see a light at the end of this economic tunnel. Mortgage delinquencies up for two straight years according to one credit reporting agency. Ford Motor Company has announced sales off by nearly half for February despite major rebates and other incentives to buy. The federal government is enacting a $200 billion consumer credit focused plan but will anyone want to get into a mortgage, home equity loan, or auto loan when they may not have a job in a few weeks? Time will bear out the efficacy of these programs but no one knows when that proof will come.

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News Roundup -- Smoothin' and Soothin' Abroad

Jamie Davis — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 05:00:00 -0500

The Obama administration is working hard to improve foreign relations abroad as well as working out domestic issues here at home. While his lack of foreign policy experience was a concern and talking point during the election, some may have those concerns alleviated by recent news of Russia's approval for a cargo supply mission to move through their territory to U.S. troops in Afghanistan and of the President's recent letter to Russian President Medvedev discussing options to help work on reducing threats to the region from potential Iranian missile strikes into Central Europe. This is a good week to look at the roundup!

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News Roundup -- Doctor, can you fix my healthcare?

Jamie Davis — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:24:03 -0500

President Obama has outlined a four part agenda for the priorities of his administration in a recent address to congress. The top item he listed there is the rising costs of health care in the U.S. His plan is to start a major overhaul of the system including the rising cost of medications, health care, and the power of the insurance companies.

Some physicians, fed up with the way that health care in the office setting is going, have resorted to a return to house calls. Patients pay a premium but have a physician who will come to their home, treat them and provide care not seen in most of the U.S. in decades.

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News Roundup -- Mister Twister and Moving Forward

Jamie Davis — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:45:01 -0500

As so much of the focus is on the new president, the economy, and congress, I think the rest of us should keep in mind that life goes on. People in the state of Oklahoma are reminding all of us how to move forward and pick up our lives again after disaster strikes. While February tornadoes are unusual in that region, the National Weather Service says they aren't unheard of.

The lesson for all of us must be to maintain preparedness, and when disaster does strike (natural or economic) you can pick up, rebuild, and move forward.

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News Roundup -- Afghanistan After

Jamie Davis — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:16:58 -0500

As the war in Iraq winds down, the original scene of the war on terror heats up. Afghanistan is seeing an increased amount of violence as foreign nationals flood in to assist the Taliban rebels there. All of this while countries like Kyrgyzstan want to scale back their support of operations there with base closings and troop withdrawals.

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News Roundup -- Kudos to Non-Bailout Companies

Jamie Davis — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:55:45 -0500

Companies like Ford Motor Corporation, who have not asked for bailout money are still suffering through the bailout using their own reserves. These companies, large and small, should be commended for their perseverance and fiscal preparation for that "rainy day."

Meanwhile jobless numbers continue to rise as companies that are belt tightening squeeze out extra employees to trim the fat. The recent figures are the worst since the numbers were officially tracked in 1967. President Obama is hopeful that his Economic Recovery Bill will make its way through the Senate after it passed in the House earlier this week.

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News Roundup -- Grated Expectations

Jamie Davis — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:14:22 -0500

The new president has many people thinking he will save the world but Obama will have so much to overcome that he may not be able to live up to the great expectations of his public. We'll look at the first day in office and the first steps taken in the White House by the new president.

His cabinet members are being approved and should be in place very soon with Hillary Clinton's approval vote today. Will he accomplish all that is expected of him. The clock is ticking on his first hundred days. This is a good one for the roundup!

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News Roundup -- Gaza's Gotcha!

Jamie Davis — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:19:13 -0500

Gaza strip tensions mount as Israeli troops push further into the city in a search for the originators of continued rocket attacks on their country. Yesterday, Israeli tanks accidentally shelled the United Nations compound and hundreds of refugees sheltering there. Hope for a ceasefire is growing as an Israeli negotiator has gone to Egypt to hammer out some kind of deal with mediators there.

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News Roundup -- Awfully Mad at Madoff

Jamie Davis — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0500

With the recession deepening, the federal reserve has lowered interest rates again. Meanwhile, financial scams are beginning to surface at an increased rate as people begin to try to recover money from questionable investments only to find their money gone. This is what has allegedly happened with the Bernard Madoff case and seems to be happening in other small circles, too.

Congress seems to have come to their senses and decided not to throw good money after bad at the end of the year. The Senate refused the auto bailout and quickly launched the hot potato into the President's lap. The White House is saying that they will be coming out with an aid package for the ailing industry soon.

Whatever it is that's going on right now, I think it's a good time for the round up!

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News Roundup -- Few, Proud, and Going to Afghanistan

Jamie Davis — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:00:00 -0500

As the Iraq exit strategy seems to be falling place, things continue to heat up in Afghanistan where NATO is keeping up the pressure on Taliban insurgents despite the onset of winter. Rumors are that U.S. Marine Corps forces will redeploy to Afghanistan from Iraq. What does this mean for the "War on Terror?" I think this is a good time for the roundup!

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News Roundup -- Big Three or Big Failures?

Jamie Davis — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:56:11 -0500

The Big Three were back. Ford, GM, and Chrysler returned to Congress with a larger request than the last time. This time they drove down from Detroit in hybrid vehicles (the ones they said weren't viable a few years back). Congress is not being very supportive in the face of public opinion against spending any more on bailouts.

The UAW (United Auto Workers) union has generously come forward to offer labor contract concessions. Amusing since their contracts become void should the companies go under. Chalk up another one for labor unions. Will the $34 billion dollar bailout be approved? I think it's time for another look at the roundup.

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And don't forget -- Fly with any airline but Continental. Their customer service record is abyssmal and you won't be happy!

News Roundup -- Recession's Turning Japanese

Jamie Davis — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:29:07 -0500

As the auto manufacturers come to Washington with their hats in hand, asking for money to bail out yet another series of bad decisions by business executives, Japan has announced their belief that they have entered into a recession.

As the price of oil continues to drop, and more countries join the general downturn, the outlook for jobs, credit, and the economy are grim for at least the next six months.

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News Roundup -- Not With My Billions You Don't

Jamie Davis — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:41:17 -0500

As the economy continues to tank, banking executives issue assurances that they won't misuse the billions of dollars on things like their inflated salaries. A good thing as thousands of additional jobless claims come in to federal unemployment insurance. The only good news on the horizon, the price of oil continues to plummet. It is now down to nearly a third of what it was just a few months ago. It couldn't happen to a better bunch of companies (here's looking at you, Exxon)!

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News Roundup -- Honeymoon Over Obama

Jamie Davis — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:54:37 -0500

Election night was full of optimistic overtures and enthusiastic, inspiring speeches. As new days dawn, though, the reality of the hard work ahead is refocusing the campaign machine into a new presidential administration. President Bush promises a smooth transition but is the Obama camp really up to the task they were voted into? I think this is a good time for the Roundup!

Thanks to GoToMeeting.com for sponsoring the show. Visit GoToMeeting.com/podcast for a free 45 day trial.