A former Google sales executive has filed a lawsuit against the search giant, alleging it engaged in job discrimination while she was pregnant with quadruplets.
Christina Elwell, who was promoted to national sales director in late 2003, alleges her supervisor began discriminating against her in May 2004, a month after informing him of her pregnancy and the medical complications she was encountering, according to the lawsuit filed July 17 in a U.S. District Court in New York.
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-5807158.html
Council bans discrimination
By Ken Tatro
Staff WriteSCARBOROUGH (July 28, 2005): With little discussion, the Scarborough Town Council amended its personnel ordinance to add a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation last week.
The changes were made based on recent modifications to the Maine Human Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination against any person in employment, housing, public accommodations, credit and education on account of race, color, gender, religion, marital status, nationality or disability, and sexual orientation, added by the Legislature this year.
Scarborough’s definition of sexual orientation mirrors the one included in state law. The definition is “a person’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, or gender identity or expression.”
http://www.keepmecurrent.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=6757
Law firms shrug off warnings on new age discrimination law
Top lawyers believe new legislation will have minor impact on firms; 60% say they are ‘well prepared’
Commercial lawyers have shrugged off the threat that age discrimination legislation poses to their partnerships, claiming it will have minimal impact on their firms, despite warnings from employment specialists to the contrary.
http://www.legalweekglobal.net/ViewItem.asp?id=25094
Turning 40, Singapore leaders ease up on social engineering without ceding political control
By: EN-LAI YEOH - Associated Press
SINGAPORE -- Singaporeans are seeing HBO's "Sex and the City" on TV. Actors may utter four-letter words on stage. Opposition parties can gather without police permission -- as long as they do it indoors.
Tiny and famously disciplined Singapore is turning 40 on Tuesday, and continuing to lighten up. Gone are the days when chewing gum and long hair were banned. Singaporeans are even being allowed to bungee-jump and dance on bar tables.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2005/08/03/news/politics/17_31_078_2_05.txt
The Grades That Vanished, and Some Other Threats to Students' Data
By TIM GNATEK
Published: August 3, 2005
LAST school year, thousands of student records in the Natomas Unified School District in Sacramento disappeared.
Two students at Natomas High School, using a stolen password, had gained illegal access to the school's computer network. They raised their grades to A's, then, in an attempt to cover their tracks, unwittingly deleted more than 18,000 records.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/03/technology/techspecial3/03gnatek.html
Wrong signal, Mr President
The newly appointed attorney general, Rama Valayden gave a strong signal and must be congratulated for his stand on gender discrimination. For too long gender has been at the bottom of the agenda.
Rama Valayden took prompt action when two complaints were sent to him regarding a sexist advertisement on “King’s beer” and another one using children to market electrical appliances. We are also grateful that the Equal Opportunity Bill will be discussed in Parliament in September 2005. This key instrument for achieving gender equality is long overdue. But it will be interesting to see the contents of this Bill.
http://www.lexpress.mu/display_article_sup.php?news_id=47322
Harmony, the Best Defense Against Fundamentalism
Opinion
Azerbaijan is a land that nurtured a secular milieu under the Soviet rule; this places it in stark contrast with Jordan that poses a quintessence for religious bigotry. Does this confirm that rearing a secular society could be a conflict prevention technique and harmony the best defense against fundamentalism?
Atul Bharadwaj London
The other day sitting in the bar at my inter-collegiate hall, I overheard a conversation between two Muslims from different parts of the world. The Jordanian Muslim guy was smoking and drinking beer. He made a remark- Muslims are neither supposed to drink nor smoke. On hearing this- the Azerbaijani Muslim, retorted –‘so you are not a Muslim?’ The Jordanian proudly asserted his Islamic roots and connections and asked the Azerbaijani, -‘aren’t you a Muslim too’? The Azerbaijani flatly said I believe in some super natural power but not Islam. Hearing this, the Jordanian looked visibly angry. Just when the argument was getting heated up- the Jordanian withdrew.
The attitude of these two Muslims towards religion reveals the story about the impact of environment in shaping the minds of the people. Azerbaijan, which was a part of the Soviet empire till early 1990, was reared in a secular atmosphere, where human needs were given priority over religion. Whereas, in Jordan religion was made the mainstay of fulfilling human urge from emancipation from the day- to- day miseries encountered by the people.
http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/portal/2005/08/78
Danish radio host faces racism charge
Foto: DR, © DR
A radio commentator in Denmark has been charged with violating anti-racism laws after he called on his listeners to kill radical Islamists.
http://www.dr.dk/nyheder/fremmedsprog/English/article.jhtml?articleID=267537
Racism denied in school dispute
Ayanda Mhlongo
August 04 2005 at 08:20PM
The KwaSomubi Development Committee (KDC) has disputed allegations that their demands for the removal of eight teachers and the principal of Cottonlands Primary School in Verulam are racially motivated and that they had threatened parents, teachers and the school's governing body members.
KDC secretary Fakazi Mdletshe said allegations made against them were not true. He said that the KDC was only acting in the best interests of children, who had told their parents that they were unhappy with the treatment they received from the teachers at the school.
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=vn20050804085641553C821458
On-field racism
By Liz Minchin
August 5, 2005
Anti-racism campaigns in football will be boosted across Victoria next season, as new complaints of racist abuse in junior matches in Melbourne emerged yesterday.
Following a series of reports in The Age, Football Victoria has confirmed plans to produce new anti-racism material, including pamphlets, to be distributed to almost 2000 junior, amateur and women's clubs next season.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/new-campaign-to-curb-footy-racism/2005/08/04/1123125853874.html?oneclick=true
Attorneys Claim Racism Playing Part In Jury Selection
City Being Sued For Wrongly Accusing Boy Of Murder
POSTED: 5:21 pm CDT August 4, 2005
UPDATED: 6:30 pm CDT August 4, 2005
CHICAGO -- Lawyers for a young boy wrongly accused in the 1998 murder of 11-year-old Ryan Harris say attorneys for the city of Chicago are weeding out black jurors because of their race.
But, the judge hearing the case ruled Thursday that defense attorneys had dismissed potential jurors for legitimate reasons not based on race.
http://www.nbc5.com/news/4811536/detail.html
Shortland Street Star Speaks Out Against Racism
Actress and musician Li-Ming Hu, otherwise known as Shortland Street’s “Doctor Li-Mei Chen”, is calling on New Zealanders to attend the Wellington march against racism on Labour Weekend.
“Racism is still a significant problem in New Zealand,” said Li-Ming, “and in a way the National Front is just the tip of the iceberg. There is a lot of ignorance and misinformation about racial minorities. Marching against racist groups like the National Front is a vital way to bring the issue to the public eye.”
http://www.thread.co.nz/article/1128
Anti-bigotry wristbands launched
Old Firm stars are to launch the charity sale of anti-bigotry wristbands at a supermarket chain.
The blue and green "Say No to Sectarianism" accessories will be sold at 23 Asda stores across west and central Scotland in aid of cancer care, having proved hugely popular with youngsters and adults alike when they were launched by Strathclyde Police earlier this year.
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=1726692005
Voice of bigotry - or sense
By Bruce Anderson
FOR 30 YEARS, Ian Paisley was Ulster Unionism’s worst enemy and the IRA’s most valuable propagandist. While the IRA was using terrorism to undermine the links between Ulster and the mainland, Mr Paisley used bigotry. Throughout those years, moderate Unionist leaders worked hard and patiently to persuade world opinion about the merits of Ulster’s case. Throughout those years, Mr Paisley sabotaged their efforts.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3284-1721465,00.html
Sectarian bigotry gets a good, swift kick
For off-the-boat immigrants to this fine country, nostalgia for the homeland can come from the smallest things: the wisps of a familiar song on the radio or a familiar accent heard in passing on the street.
These are the genetic strands of patriotism that no amount of time can dilute. It's been 19 years since I left Scotland and, truth be told, I'm probably more American now than Scottish, with a Pennsylvania-born wife and two sons who occasionally indulge their father with a passing curiosity about the "auld country."
http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/opinion/12288366.htm
Richmond campaign detours on low road
Virginians have enough experience with bigotry in political campaigns to know it when they see it. Last week, the ugly hydra reared its head once again.
In the modern incarnation of intolerance, homosexuals have replaced the old bugaboos involving race and religion. It took decades for race-baiting to be discredited . Now it’s gays’ turn for a long ride down that same low road.
The latest attack came courtesy of GOP Del. Brad Marrs, a social conservative serving the 68th House District, including portions of Richmond and Chesterfield County.
In a fundraising appeal, Marrs sniffed that his major challenger, a moderate Republican running as an independent, received a $10,000 donation from a “wealthy homosexual businessman.”
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=90180&ran=87007
The Arab News
More Pledge Allegiance to the New King
M. Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Arab News
Riyadh Governor Prince Salman receives officials and citizens who came to pledge allegiance to King Abdullah and Crown Prince Sultan in Riyadh on Thursday. (SPA)
RIYADH, 5 August 2005 — Tens of thousands of Saudi citizens from all walks of life continued yesterday to pour into local governorates or make the journey to Riyadh to offer their allegiance to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah. A flood of reactions from countries and organizations around the globe have been received by the Kingdom, many praising the late King Fahd for his support for their country or cause.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67990&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Abdullah to Push Ahead With Reforms
P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News
JEDDAH, 5 August 2005 — The new leader of Saudi Arabia, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, is expected to forge ahead with his political, social and economic reform programs to take the Kingdom to new heights of progress and prosperity.
Abdullah, who was declared the Kingdom’s new sovereign on Monday following the demise of King Fahd, is a champion of world peace and an ardent advocate of Arab and Islamic unity. He also wants to strengthen ties with other countries.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67992&d=5&m=8&y=2005
The Signs of Change
Molouk Y. Ba-Isa, Arab News
One of three electronic signboards on Dhahran Road has added congratulations to the new king and crown prince to its message of condolences.
ALKHOBAR, 5 August 2005 — In the Eastern Province, life is returning to its sleepy summer pace with the conclusion of ceremonies related to the death of King Fahd and the accession of King Abdullah. Yesterday there were no helicopters in the air and no impromptu checkpoints on the roads. However, Saudi Aramco’s popular music radio station, 91.4 FM, has not resumed broadcasts.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=67969&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Those Who Dwell on the Present & the Past Often Miss the Future
Lubna Hussain, lubna@arabnews.com
“So what do you think is going to happen?” asked my friend calling from her office in Turkey.
“In terms of what?” I responded absent-mindedly.
“Well. You know. I mean with the funeral and stuff. There are bound to be problems. I guess most of the royal family will be staying away, right?”
“Of course not,” I retaliated. “Most of them are trying to get back.”
“But is it safe? Don’t you think that it would be the perfect high-profile opportunity that Al-Qaeda would be looking for?”
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9§ion=0&article=67968&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Prince Sultan: A Man of Charitable Mien
Roger Harrison, Arab News
Crown Prince Sultan
A vigorous and socially aware man, Crown Prince Sultan takes an active interest in the multitude of charities and organizations that carry his name.
Born in 1928, his life covers the entire history of the modern Saudi state. He was four years old when, in 1932, his father, King Abdul Aziz, finally achieved the unification of the Kingdom.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=67991&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Al-Qaeda Threatens London
Mushtak Parker, Arab News
The entrance to Russell Square subway station in London, which reopened Thursday after the July 7 bombing. (AFP)
LONDON, 5 August 2005 — On a day when police in London were on high alert exactly two weeks after the failed 7/21 attacks and four weeks after the 7/7 suicide bombings which claimed 57 lives, Osama Bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, threatened London with more attacks.
Some 6,000 police patrolled London’s transport system. It was a symbolic day for London Transport because once again a full service was maintained for the first time since the 7/7 bombings. London commuters were determined to show “that life goes on”, but London Underground officials admitted that passenger numbers are down.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67993&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Britain Sold Israel Key Nuclear Ingredient: Report
Associated Press
LONDON, 5 August 2005 — Britain secretly sold Israel a key ingredient for its nuclear program in the 1950s, according to official documents uncovered by the British Broadcasting Corp.
The BBC’s Newsnight program, broadcast late Wednesday, said government papers held at the National Archive showed Britain shipped 20 tons of heavy water to Israel in 1959.
The program said the water was vital for the production of plutonium at Israel’s top secret Dimona nuclear reactor in the Negev desert. Newsnight said British officials did not impose any conditions on the sale, such as it being used for peaceful purposes, and in one of the documents, a British Foreign Office official cautioned against informing the United States of the sale.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67995&d=5&m=8&y=2005&pix=world.jpg&category=World
Jordan Busts Terror Cell, Detains 17
Abdul Jalil Mustafa, Arab News
AMMAN, 5 August 2005 — Jordanian authorities have smashed a new terror cell after arresting 17 suspects who belonged to Al-Qaeda branches in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, police sources said yesterday.
“The suspects planned to stage attacks on intelligence personnel and US troops inside the country,” the pro-government daily newspaper Al-Rai quoted the public prosecutor of the State Security Court (SSC) Fawaz Otoum as saying.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=67994&d=5&m=8&y=2005
HERE WE GO. ANOTHER SUDAN. This is how nightmares like Darfur happen. If the Saudis want to 'handle' Mauritana they need to bring their understanding to the United Nations for a resolution and ask for support. This will create militias and we'll have more genocide when it was never intended in the first place. Taking up arms may be the worst thing that can happen right now. Living people are at the end of this issues and the world needs to bring expertise to bear as well as world effort to stop any ethnic cleansing or otherwise at the beginnings of dangerous circumstances.
Editorial: Coup in Mauritania
5 August 2005
The guiding principle toward coups d’etat is straightforward: Any attempt to change a government other than through constitutional means is illegitimate. The seizure of power through the use of force is no more to be tolerated than the seizure of territory by the same means.
That is why the seizure of power by a military junta in Mauritania is wholly illegitimate — and indeed has already been condemned by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, by the African Union and the United States. Other governments, other international organizations, will certainly fellow suit.
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=67981&d=5&m=8&y=2005
Mercenaries Play Havoc With Africa’s Development
Hassan Tahsin
Guest Contributor
Since mid-19th century, the peoples of Africa have been suffering from endless wars, whether civil wars pitting the citizens of the same country against each other or armed conflicts involving neighboring countries over borders originally drawn by European colonial powers.
After gaining independence, African countries found themselves struggling with internal squabbles, with various religious, ethnic and political groups jockeying for control.
These wars could have largely been averted but for the role played by mercenaries in fueling conflicts. The mercenary business amounts to a dangerous terrorist phenomenon. If not challenged, it could have devastating effects on the future of Africa.
http://www.arabview.com/articles.asp?article=374
Chicago Tribune
Do I detect a partiality here? Yeah, I think so. Neocon !
Obama coy on backing Daley
City corruption gives `huge pause' to senator, who says it's too early to discuss endorsement
By Gary Washburn
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 5, 2005
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) hedged Thursday when asked if he would endorse Mayor Richard Daley in a re-election run, but Obama made it clear he is concerned about City Hall corruption.
"I think taxpayers deserve a fair day's work for a day's pay," Obama told reporters after appearing with Daley and other fellow Democrats at a downtown news conference on road construction. "They expect that people who are hired are hired because of their qualifications and not because of their contacts.
"I think the [federal] investigation will proceed, and my hope and expectation would be that across the board--not just in the city, but in the state and at the federal level--we create a culture where taxpayers can respect the work that politicians do, since I am one of them."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508050313aug05,1,3887035.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Saudi Arabia's missed opportunity
By Raja Kamal
Published August 4, 2005
Hours after the death of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, his brother, Crown Prince Abdullah, was declared king, and Prince Sultan, the minister of defense, became the new crown prince and successor to the new 81-year-old king. And all indications from Riyadh seem to suggest that policy changes are not on the radar screen for a country that has been internally challenged for some time. The appointment of the 77-year-old Prince Sultan is a vote of confidence for the kingdom's status quo and signals that the regime is not interested in internal reform.
Sadly, this is a missed opportunity.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0508040151aug04,1,4066487.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Residents protest golf gone wild
By James Kimberly
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 4, 2005
A recent gentleman's club outing in which scantily clad women performed provocatively for male golfers on a Naperville course has embarrassed the town's mayor and prompted a criminal investigation.
Naperville police said Wednesday they have reviewed a videotape recorded by a woman who lives near the Country Lakes Golf Club on the city's north side but found no evidence that crimes were committed. The golf event was sponsored by Blackjack's Gentleman's Club in South Elgin.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508040242aug04,1,3624890.story?coll=chi-news-hed
AT WAR WITH THE PIMPS OF CHILDREN
The FBI is launching a campaign against the predators who control 325,000 child prostitutes in the U.S.
By David Heinzmann
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 5, 2005
Two of the girls--a 16-year-old and an 18-year-old--had "Mr. Cream" tattooed on their bodies.
It was just one of the ways that Mr. Cream, whose real identity is Victor Powell, told the three girls he pimped that they belonged to him, federal prosecutors say.
He also is accused of moving them from motel room to motel room, raping and beating them. All of it kept them in line for months as he peddled their bodies on a South Side "stroll," where men drive by trolling for prostitutes, according to the FBI. Like most pimps who traffic in underage girls, Powell, 22, also took his juvenile prostitutes on the road to Minnesota, St. Louis and Arizona, prosecutors allege.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508050187aug05,1,7622596.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Coffin photos to be released
New York Times News Service
Published August 5, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Under the terms of a legal settlement announced Thursday, the Pentagon will make available "as expeditiously as possible" photographs of the coffins of service members killed in Iraq.
The agreement runs counter to a long-standing Pentagon policy that bars the public release of such photographs. But in response to requests under the Freedom of Information Act, the Pentagon has already released hundreds of such photographs this year, and it agreed under the settlement to continue to do so.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0508050173aug05,1,5656737.story?coll=chi-news-hed
U.S. to Help Rescue Russian Mini-Sub
By YEVGENY KULKOV
Associated Press Writer
Published August 5, 2005, 8:52 AM CDT
VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- A Russian mini-submarine carrying seven sailors snagged on a fishing net and was stuck 625 feet down on the Pacific floor Friday with only enough air for crewmen to survive one day, and the United States was rushing an unmanned vehicle there to help in rescue efforts.
However, it was unclear whether there was enough oxygen aboard the mini-sub to keep the crew alive long enough for the remote-controlled U.S. vehicle to reach them from its base in San Diego.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-russia-navy-accident,1,1146801.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Air France Jet Landed Too Far Down Runway
By Associated Press
Published August 5, 2005, 8:35 AM CDT
TORONTO -- The Air France jet that crashed earlier this week appeared to have landed too far down the runway, which may have contributed to it skidding off its path and into a ravine before bursting into flames, investigators said Friday.
All 309 people on board survived.
Investigators said it was too soon to determine whether the long landing, combined with torrential rains and gusting winds, was to blame for the crash.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-canada-plane-crash,1,6835699.story?coll=chi-news-hed
I'll be dammed! Wildlife moves to Chicago River
With cleaner water, many critters have decided they also like a downtown river view. As for tree damage, leave it to beavers.
By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah
Tribune staff reporter
Published August 5, 2005
It wasn't the trendy restaurants or the stunning architecture that brought the latest visitors downtown.
The brown, bucktoothed rodents came because of a natural riverbank with tempting poplar trees.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0508050271aug05,1,5328830.story?coll=chi-news-hed
Unwanted Pregnancy
Roe As A Jewish Issue
Rabbi Marla J. Feldman
There has been a great deal of discussion these days within the Jewish community about the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the Supreme Court, and its impact on matters of concern to the American Jewish community. We are acutely aware that this single appointment has the potential to unravel decades of progress in our social justice agenda.
The continuing viability of Roe v. Wade is uppermost in many of our minds. At stake is not only a woman’s right to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, but also the fundamental rights of privacy and religious freedom.
Some have argued that reproductive rights are not a “Jewish” issue. This is just plain wrong. On the simplest level, all women — including every Jewish woman — in America will be affected by a change in the court that results in limiting the right of women to make such deeply private decisions based on their own faith and values. Embodied both in Jewish law and Jewish values is the notion that women are created in the image of God, entitled and empowered to make moral decisions.
From the biblical period through the rabbinic period, in codes and in responsa, from ancient days until today, rabbis and scholars have wrestled with the question of when life begins and the ethics of abortion. The Jewish community has thousands of years of halachic scholarship to add to this modern debate.
Although there are different interpretations of halacha, certain principles are normative. First, abortion is not banned even according to the strictest halachic interpretations. In fact, there are circumstances in which a threat to a woman’s life not only permits, but requires, an abortion (M. Ohalot 7.6). Second, the fetus is not considered to be a person (nefesh), invested with the totality of human rights and obligations, until it is born. Within 40 days of conception, a fetus is considered “mere fluid” (Yeb. 69b; Nid. 3.7, 30b). While vested with some status after that point, a fetus is considered a part of the mother’s body, comparable to a limb.
Many of these principles derive from a passage in Exodus in which two fighters accidentally hit a pregnant woman, causing a miscarriage. The punishment for this injury is a fine, payable to the husband for the economic loss he suffers. (Ex. 21.22ff). Clearly, the rabbis did not consider a fetus to be a “person” or the punishment would have been for murder.
This is not to suggest that Judaism takes these matters lightly. In fact, these questions continue to be debated by scholars and rabbis. Yet the overwhelming consensus of American Jewry supports the rights of women to make such personal decisions according to the dictates of their own faith and beliefs. If Roe v. Wade is overturned, Jewish women would be forced to violate halacha in cases where abortion is required. As a minority community, we cherish the freedoms this country grants us to make such difficult, life-altering decisions based on our personal religious beliefs.
When the state substitutes its moral judgment for that of an adult woman, the slippery slope is frighteningly steep. We have already seen attacks on access to contraception and reproductive health education — ironically, many of the same groups that oppose abortion would limit the means to prevent unwanted pregnancies in the first place.
We need to be clear about what is at stake in the effort to rollback the privacy rights outlined in Roe v. Wade: This is not just about abortion. This is about a woman’s right to make a private and fundamentally religious decision in consultation with her family and her medical advisors and in keeping with her own faith. It is also about citizens with one religious viewpoint trying to impose their views on others. It is as much about the Terry Schiavo fiasco and stem cell research as it is about reproductive rights. It is fundamentally about the constitutional right of privacy and the freedom of religion. Indeed, there is much at stake.
Those who would have us turn back the clock on reproductive rights have forgotten our own history. Roe v. Wade was not decided in a vacuum. Before 1973, thousands of women died every year from unsafe, illegal abortions. These were poor women who did not have access to private clinics or the means to travel to other countries. They were young girls afraid to confront angry parents. They were women trapped in abusive relationships who saw no hope for their future. They were our mothers, our sisters, our daughters. I pray they will not have died in vain.
The beauty of the Jewish legal tradition is that it builds upon our past as it adapts to the world around us. The same is true of the American judicial system. Let us hope our Supreme Court justices, new and old, will have the conviction to move us forward, not backward. n
Rabbi Marla J. Feldman is director of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism.
Special To The Jewish Week
http://www.thejewishweek.com/top/editletcontent.php3?artid=4370
Media miscontrue Roberts's pledge to follow "settled law" of Roe v. Wade
During initial coverage of President Bush's nomination of John G. Roberts Jr. to the Supreme Court, many media outlets have cited Roberts's pledge at his 2003 appellate court nomination hearing to "fully and faithfully apply" Roe v. Wade as the "settled law of the land" as evidence that he would vote to uphold the 1973 decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion if confirmed to the Supreme Court. But the suggestion that Roberts's previous description of Roe as "settled law" signals anything about how he would vote if confirmed to the highest court is incorrect. As an appellate court judge, the position to which he was "applying" in 2003 when he pledged to follow the law, Roberts is bound to adhere to Supreme Court precedent or face possible reversal on appeal. But as a Supreme Court justice, he would be in a position to vote to overturn Roe, or any other Supreme Court decision with which he disagreed, no matter how "settled." In the words of The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), the upholding of binding precedent "is required of lower-court judges," and therefore Roberts's comment "seems to leave open the possibility that he could vote to overturn Roe as a high-court justice."
http://mediamatters.org/items/200507200005
Gov. Bush signs bill increasing regulation of abortion clinics
By JACKIE HALLIFAX
Associated Press
Posted May 31 2005, 2:49 PM EDT
TALLAHASSEE -- Gov. Jeb Bush signed a bill Tuesday increasing state oversight of abortion clinics that provide second-trimester abortions, saying he did so ``gladly, with pride and conviction.''
Bush said the new law wasn't related to his anti-abortion views but he later added that he was motivated, in part, by his desire ``to create a culture of life in our state.''
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-531bushabortion,0,5489405.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Protests Will Greet Canadian Abortion Practitioner's Honorary Degree
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 31, 2005
Toronto, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- Protesters will be on hand when Canadian abortion practitioner Henry Morgentaler receives an honorary degree from a Canadian university. Both sides of the abortion debate will be stationed outside Alumni Hall when the University of Western Ontario awards the degree.
http://www.lifenews.com/nat1357.html
Indiana Judge: Abortion-Sexual Abuse Investigation Can Continue
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 31, 2005
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- An Indiana judge has ruled that the state's attorney general can move forward with an investigation on why teenagers who were victims of statutory rape possibly had abortions without the rapes being reported to authorities.
To further the investigation, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter asked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to help his office track down medical records of 84 girls who visited Planned Parenthood abortion businesses.
http://www.lifenews.com/state1065.html
Abused women tend to hide abortion from partner
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Domestic violence may keep some women from telling their partners about their decision to have an abortion, a study published Tuesday suggests.
Researchers found that among more than 800 women who'd had an abortion at a single clinic, the rate of domestic abuse was twice as high among those who had kept the decision from their husbands or partners.
The implication, according to the study authors, is that the abuse contributed to women's nondisclosure, at least in some cases.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&storyID=8655780
Effort to legalize abortion gains strength in Colombia
A legal challenge to abortion in Colombia has sparked an outpouring of emotion largely in favor of changing the law.
BY STEVEN DUDLEY
sdudley@herald.com
BOGOTA - With lawsuits, marches and graffiti, Colombian women have launched a campaign to legalize abortion. And the response so far has been surprisingly positive, although the Catholic church is beginning to dig in its heels.
As it is in the rest of Latin America, abortion tears at the soul of this largely Catholic nation. It is illegal in all cases, but prosecution is rare and safe abortions are readily available in the larger cities to those who can afford it. Poor women, however, must use clandestine methods that sometimes lead to permanent damage and even death.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/11777024.htm
Post-abortion counseling hotline going nationwide
By Lisa Leff, Associated Press
After she had an abortion at age 23, Aspen Baker longed for a place to process the unexpectedly difficult milestone -- a place where a pro-choice woman who felt stupid for getting pregnant could express both her regret and relief.
"I wanted to tell my story and be heard for the different parts of me that I don't think really get heard when you are a woman who has an abortion," said Baker, now 29. "To want that and not find it made me feel I must be outside the norm, that I was crazy or weird."
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~2896061,00.html
Abortion case first one for US Supreme Court in five years
Published in: Legalbrief Today
Date: Tue 31 May 2005
Category: General
Issue No: 1346
The US Supreme Court has accepted its first abortion case in five years.
The new case, reports The Washington Post, is an appeal by the State of New Hampshire of a Federal Appeals Court ruling that struck down a parental notification requirement for minors seeking abortions. The law requires that an abortion provider give a minor's parents 48 hours' notice before the procedure, unless a judge grants an exception or the girl's life is at risk. But, unlike parental notification or consent laws in most other states, the law makes no exception for cases in which the health of the pregnant girl is at risk. The question for the Supreme Court is whether that makes the New Hampshire law unconstitutional. The court's answers could be important for its consideration of future abortion cases, including ones challenging the recent federal law that prohibits the procedure that abortion opponents call partial-birth abortion.
http://www.legalbrief.co.za/article.php?story=20050531095619268
Neuroimaging Confirms The Greater Vulnerability Of Women's Brains To Alcohol
Women appear to be more vulnerable to chronic drinking than men are. Yet few studies have looked at gender differences in alcohol's effects on the brain. A study in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research addresses this gap in research, using computed tomography (CT) to examine brain atrophy in the brains of alcoholic men and women. The findings support and build upon a prior hypothesis that women develop alcohol-related brain damage more readily than men.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050531111635.htm
Women should be able to have a medical abortion at home, Family Planning Association, UK
23 May 2005
A survey funded by the Family Planning Association, UK, and published today (23rd May) in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology shows that 36% of women who had experienced an early medical abortion in hospital would have opted to complete the procedure at home had they been given the choice.
Early medical abortion is less invasive than surgical abortion and involves taking two tablets. The first tablet blocks the hormones needed for the pregnancy to continue and the second tablet is taken two days later to expel the fetus. The method is used to end unwanted pregnancies of up to nine weeks' gestation. A total of 71% of women in the survey agreed there was nothing that happened at the time of the abortion in hospital they would have been unable to cope with at home.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=24947
Pharmacist refuses birth control
Sarah Sutton is expecting after being denied a morning-after pill
A couple whose contraception failed are expecting their first child after a pharmacist refused to sell them the morning-after pill.
Sarah Sutton and her partner Andy, from Pontprennau in Cardiff, went to buy emergency contraception from their local Asda store in February.
But the on-duty pharmacist refused to sell it because of her "high morals".
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/4649425.stm
Pediatricians' group says abstinence without birth control won't work
By Lindsey Tanner
Associated Press
07/04/2005
CHICAGO (AP) -- A leading group of pediatricians says teenagers need access to birth control and emergency contraception, not the abstinence-only approach to sex education favored by religious groups and President Bush.
The recommendations are part of the American Academy of Pediatrics' updated teen pregnancy policy.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/sciencemedicine/story/3126916F627689AA862570340083AA86?OpenDocument
Six years after first 'safe haven' laws, battles still raging
Some say policies are encouraging abandonment
By Eric Ferkenhoff, Globe Correspondent July 10, 2005
CHICAGO -- For two years, Tracy and her husband had been waiting for word that a baby was available for the central Illinois couple to adopt. Finally, on a Saturday morning in April 2001, they received a call. Would they adopt a newborn who had been abandoned at a hospital under a new law that allows mothers to drop off their babies within 72 hours of birth at hospitals and police and fire stations without risking prosecution?
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/07/10/six_years_after_first_safe_haven_laws_battles_still_raging/
I am confident Rudolph sees himself saved by God for being a good Christian Soldier and acting when no one else did. I am sure his supporters feel the same way.
Rudolph Gets 2 Life Terms In Abortion Clinic Attack
Unrepentant Serial Bomber Defends Deadly Actions
By Jay Reeves
Associated Press
Tuesday, July 19, 2005; Page A02
BIRMINGHAM, July 18 -- An unrepentant Eric Rudolph gave an impassioned defense of his murderous bombing of a Birmingham abortion clinic Monday as a judge sentenced him to two life sentences and victims confronted him in court for the first time.
The wife of a police officer killed in the blast and a nurse maimed in the storm of shrapnel described him as a cowardly, bumbling American terrorist.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/18/AR2005071801293.html
I would like to know if these women have co-morbidities. Any of them similar. It is still a risk factor that the public should be aware of. Pain, fever, what did these women experience? Something like Toxic Shock? Did they get their menses right after and the tampons used the problem? What exactly? Without that information a complete decision is impossible and further complicates and endangers women's lives.
Abortion pill maker alerts doctors to five deaths
18 Jul 2005 22:50:39 GMT
Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, July 18 (Reuters) - Five women who took the abortion pill RU-486 have died from bacterial infections since its U.S. introduction nearly five years ago, the manufacturer reported on Monday.
"No causal relationship between these events" has been established with the drug, also known as Mifeprex or mifepristone, maker Danco Laboratories LLC said.
"Childbirth, menstruation and abortion, whether spontaneous, surgical or medical, all create conditions that can result in serious and sometimes fatal infection, and there is no evidence that Mifeprex and misoprostol present a special risk of infection," the company said in a statement.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N18279278.htm
Why Canadian women still denied abortion pill
Health Canada cannot extend invitation to maker of RU-486
Shelley Page
CanWest News Service
OTTAWA - In virtually any industrialized country, women seeking to terminate pregnancies need not check into a hospital or abortion clinic. They need only take a fistful of pills and a glass of water. But not in Canada, where RU-486, the so-called abortion pill, remains unavailable a quarter-century after it was invented.
http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/news/story.html?id=dddab916-bf36-4db3-8ebe-64af122af60d
Board puts off action on morning-after pill
RESTRICTION: Access to emergency contraception at issue in board's proposal.
By ANN POTEMPA
Anchorage Daily News
Published: July 23rd, 2005
Last Modified: July 23rd, 2005 at 03:07 AM
The Alaska State Medical Board voted Friday to extend the public comment period on a regulation restricting access to the so-called morning-after pill, despite having already received a large stack of letters opposing such a change.
Asked why they re-opened the comment period, board members said only that they preferred to postpone action on the matter until their next meeting in Anchorage, where more people could attend. The board met Thursday and Friday in Petersburg.
http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/6738617p-6626271c.html
Kilgore 'consistent' on abortion issue, spokesman says
Election 2005
Chris Graham
chris@augustafreepress.com
Jerry Kilgore is not the only gubernatorial candidate dodging questions on abortion.
"Tim Kaine also dodged the question, to use their words," Kilgore campaign spokesman Tucker Martin told The Augusta Free Press this afternoon, referring to charges lobbed by Virginia Democrats at the former attorney general.
Kaine, the Democratic Party gubernatorial nominee, actually did say at a Virginia Bar Association-sponsored debate over the weekend that he would oppose legislation that would make abortion illegal.
http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$35739
Get abortion out of court
July 17. 2005 8:00AM
Last Sunday, we published excerpts from the writings of three people identified as possible nominees for the Supreme Court to replace Sandra Day O'Connor. Here is another.
Emilio Garza, 58, is a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. He was nominated by the first President Bush and has served on the court since 1991. These excerpts are taken from a concurring opinion in a 1997 abortion case, Causeway Medical Suite vs. Ieyoub. Garza began his opinion by stating, "For the second time in my judicial career, I am forced to follow a Supreme Court opinion I believe to be inimical to the Constitution."
The Supreme Court's abortion jurisprudence epitomizes a trend toward centralizing and constitutionalizing the most controversial issues of public policy. I believe that expanding the jurisdiction and power of the courts in order to speed the pace of change is unjustified. Where the Constitution does not dictate otherwise, the proper mode of political reform is through enlightened debate, political experimentation and change.
We are a pluralistic nation with strong individualist ideals. One large component of American civic virtue is public debate over issues.
http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050717/REPOSITORY/507170372/1028/OPINION02
Federal Court Rules Against Reproductive-Rights Group in Cases Challenging Okla. Abortion Parental Notification Laws
24 Jul 2005
The 10th US Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday issued two rulings against the... Center for Reproductive Rights, which sought to block enforcement of two Oklahoma parental notification abortion laws on behalf of Nova Health Systems, the parent company of the Tulsa, Okla.-based clinic Reproductive Services, the Tulsa World reports (Tulsa World, 7/21). In the first ruling, a two-judge panel denied CRR's request for a temporary injunction blocking enforcement of a 2005 law, saying the statute could withstand constitutional scrutiny (Associated Press, 7/21). The law (HB 1686), which went into effect in May immediately after Gov. Brad Henry (D) signed it, requires physicians to notify in writing a parent or guardian of any minor seeking abortion at least 48 hours before performing the procedure. The law also requires health care providers to inform women of the medical risks of abortion at least 24 hours in advance of the procedure and give women certain information regarding the anatomical and physiological characteristics of a fetus at different stages of gestation. Under the law, the state Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision must inform women that they might be eligible for government benefits and that their partners would be liable for financial support if they carry their pregnancies to term. The board also must publish this information and a list of resources. The law allows for exceptions in cases of emergency. The law also makes it a separate crime to kill a fetus during a crime against a pregnant woman.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=27910
Center for Reproductive Rights Alarmed by Roberts Nomination
July 19, 2005 New York More Info
Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, the nation’s leading legal voice for reproductive rights, tonight issued the following statement in response to the nomination of John G. Roberts to the Supreme Court:
"We are alarmed that the President, in nominating John G. Roberts to the nation’s highest court, has chosen someone who in his legal career has advocated for the reversal of Roe v. Wade. That position, had it been accepted by the Supreme Court, would have risked the health and safety and taken away the constitutional right of millions of women.
Deeply troubling is the brief Roberts co-authored in Rust v. Sullivan. Even though Roe was not at issue in this case, he wrote "we continue to believe that Roe was wrongly decided and should be overruled…" Judge Roberts needs to explain if that is not, in fact, his view, why he was willing to put the lives of American women in jeopardy.
We have consistently called for a Senate hearing process that is fair and responsible. Now it is more important than ever that we have a fair and full exploration of Justice Roberts’ views on Constitutional protections and the right to privacy, including Roe v. Wade."
Nancy Northup is available to do interviews this evening and can provide detailed information on the background of John G. Roberts. To schedule an interview, please call Dionne Scott (917) 637-3649.
http://www.reproductiverights.org/pr_05_0720roberts.html
NO STEALH NOMINEES ON THE SUPREME COURT
The U.S. Supreme Court and Roe v. Wade
With the resignation of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, a vacancy has opened up on the U.S. Supreme Court, and the President has nominated Judge John G. Roberts to fill her position. Will Roberts recognize and respect the constitutional rights afforded by the landmark ruling Roe v. Wade or will he take the unprecedented step to reverse those rights? The Center for Reproductive Rights calls on Senators to demand full disclosure from Roberts. Americans deserve to know exactly where he stands on issues we care about deeply.
http://www.reproductiverights.org/crt_roe.html
Opinions about abortion complicated but passionate
10:55 PM CDT on Saturday, July 30, 2005
By COLLEEN McCAIN NELSON / The Dallas Morning News
Opinions about abortion don't always fit into neat categories. Religion, biology, personal history and one's moral compass converge to shape a person's views. Although some groups discuss abortion in all-or-nothing terms, many people don't see the issue as a choice between absolutes.
"The majority of Americans have complicated feelings about abortion," said David Garrow, a legal historian at Emory University.
Still, the issue sparks a passionate response from many.
Two Dallas-area residents explain their views on abortion.
Ron Engler
"I believe life begins at conception," said Ron Engler, a Plano software systems engineer. "I came to that conclusion by looking at biological facts. I'm not religious-driven like some people are.
SMILEY N. POOL/DMN
"If you look at the biology, there's only one point where life can begin, and that's the moment of conception."
Gail Griswold
"I believe very strongly that control over our reproductive destiny is one of the fundamental freedoms that women need to have," said Gail Griswold, a community volunteer from Dallas who has three children. "I don't think you'll find anybody who says they are pro-abortion. But I'm firmly pro-reproductive rights."
MONA REEDER/DMN
A teenager when abortion was still illegal, Ms. Griswold said her views were shaped by a time that did not afford women many choices.
"I remember what young women went through," she said. "When young girls got pregnant by accident, it was shameful. It was hidden. Many times, they were forced to bear children they weren't ready for."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/073105dnnatabsider.2d6df41.html
SAY SAYONARA TO ABORTION
By Ted Rall Wed Jul 27,12:26 AM ET
NEW YORK--Now is a superb time to get that abortion you've been putting off.
Officially, Supreme Court nominee John Roberts' opinion of
Roe v. Wade is "opaque," "mysterious," or--my favorite--just "unknown." But if I'm no genius, it doesn't take one to suss out how Roberts will vote when the next big abortion case hits his docket.
Three facts indicate that Roberts' confirmation spells the end of Roe v. Wade, the decision guaranteeing American women the right to an abortion.
First: Despite repeated denials, it's clear that
Sandra Day O'Connor's shoo-in replacement is an active member of the Federalist Society, the far-right cadre of scary college kids who worship Ayn Rand, dress like Tucker Carlson and care deeply about your sex life. "Many key policymakers in the Bush administration are acknowledged current or former members," reports the Washington Post. "In conservative circles, membership in or association with the society has become a badge of ideological and political reliability." The group takes a hard line against abortion, comparing Roe v. Wade to the infamous 1857 Dred Scott decision defining slaves as property.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucru/20050727/cm_ucru/saysayonaratoabortion
Romney is out of step with state on abortion rights
By Craig Sandler/ State House Roundup
Wednesday, August 3, 2005
This was the week it became valid to write: "Romney, who's not expected to run for re-election." Because now, no one expects him to.
Mitt Romney could certainly still shock everyone - and no doubt delight the Democrats - by announcing he and his anti-Roe position will stand for another term. But it is now safe to say that the whole spectrum of Massachusetts politics would be stunned, and the latest State House News Poll shows why.
Romney adjusted his position on emergency contraception, and while he was at it, abortion, to the same place he already was on embryonic stem cell research: out of synch with Massachusetts voters, but more closely aligned with American voters, and especially with Republican presidential primary voters.
http://www2.townonline.com/hanover/opinion/view.bg?articleid=296823
Memos Show John Roberts Praising Criticism of Abortion Decision
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 2, 2005
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- New sets of memos on Supreme Court nominee John Roberts find the former Reagan administration official praising a former Attorney General's speech criticizing the right to privacy, the fictitious right the high court invented to form the basis of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
http://www.lifenews.com/nat1505.html
Infection deaths and abortion pill probed
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
August 2, 2005
LOS ANGELES - Federal health investigators are baffled: Why have four California women died from a bloodstream infection after using a controversial abortion pill?
"On the surface, this appears unusual," said Dr. Marc Fischer, a medical epidemiologist at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. "That's why we're investigating."
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsdrug4366990aug02,0,7549227.story?coll=ny-health-headlines
THIS IS NOT NEW. I don't know why this patch exists. It is long understood, from the 1950s that estrogen replacement is a danger to longevity. Estrogen replacement is known to cause blood clots. I am not surprised.
Deaths Attributed to Birth-Control Patch Increase
By Kristen Martin
“On your body, off your mind”—this clever catch phrase is associated with the birth-control patch, Ortho Evra, which has advertisements spotlighting supermodel Naomi Campbell and the Norwegian Olympic beach volleyball team.
Despite appealing advertising, though, Ortho Evra—which went on the market in 2002—is causing serious concerns. It is being pinpointed as the cause of death of 23 women, including 17 in the past two years due to blood clots. Blood clots are seen as a high risk for hormonal birth control because estrogen promotes blood coagulation.
The other deaths resulted from heart attacks and strokes.
http://am.novopress.info/index.php?p=859
7 best condoms
There is no question that safe sex in today’s world is the only option. But why should things like condoms take the fun out of it all? Luckily for us, manufacturers are going out of their way to design and create condoms that are not only safe, but highly pleasurable as well.
When used correctly, condoms are designed to completely cover the penis, and contain any ejaculatory fluids before and after orgasm. Thus, condoms can protect the user from the transferral of many sexually transmitted diseases by up to 95%. Additionally, if used correctly, condoms will help prevent unwanted pregnancies.
The condom industry has been around for some time now, and you can rest assured that much time and money has been put into the design and manufacture of these little guys. Most condoms are made of natural rubber latex, and are engineered to fit easily on the penis and stay there without breaking during vaginal or anal intercourse.
http://www.health24.com/Man/Sex/748-751-756,32731.asp
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