About Mary Turck
News Day, written by Mary Turck, analyzes, summarizes, links to, and comments on reports from news media around the world, with particular attention to immigration, education, and journalism. Fragments, also written by Mary Turck, has fiction, poetry and some creative non-fiction.
Mary Turck edited TC Daily Planet, www.tcdailyplanet.net, from 2007-2014, and edited the award-winning Connection to the Americas and AMERICAS.ORG, in its pre-2008 version. She is also a recovering attorney and the author of many books for young people (and a few for adults), mostly focusing on historical and social issues.
October 1, 2009 · 5:25 am
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Smoke, Mirrors and ACORNs Democratic St. Paul Congressmember Betty McCollum is circulating The ACORN Act, a bill “Against Corporations Organizing to Rip-off the Nation.” The Minnesota Independent reports a statement from McCollum’s office:
Congress took action to defund one non-profit serving poor Americans — ACORN -– but not against the billion dollar corporations that are actually guilty of felonies. For the 345 Members of Congress who voted to defund ACORN this is [sic] bill is an opportunity to support corporate accountability and responsibility while punishing corporate crime. Continue reading →
September 30, 2009 · 7:40 am
T-Paw for Prez? MN says no A recent Minnesota Poll showed that Minnesotans wouldn’t vote for Governor Tim Pawlenty for president, reports Politico. Only 25 percent said that T-Paw definitely has their votes, while 43 percent said there’s no way they would vote for T-Paw for president, and another 25 percent allowed as how there might be some chance that they’d vote for him. Continue reading →
September 29, 2009 · 7:54 am
A scalpel or an ax at HCMC Poison control? 24/7 psych emergency services? Burn unit beds? These are among the possible cuts at Hennepin County Medical Center, according to the Business Journal, as HCMC faces next year’s budget of $550 million, down from the current $600 million. The budget cuts are caused in large part by Governor Pawlenty’s line item veto of the state’s General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) health insurance program serving the poor. While HCMC officials say that no final decisions have been made, they are considering targets that include medical care for people who are not residents of Hennepin County and a variety of other areas: Continue reading →
September 28, 2009 · 6:29 am
War in Afghanistan and lessons from Vietnam Should the U.S. send more troops or get out of Afghanistan or choose some other course? That’s the decision facing President Obama and his advisers in the next few weeks. General Stanley McChrystal, in a thoughtful, grim report, has said that more troops are needed, but that there is no hope of success without a major change of strategy, and that no U.S. strategy can succeed unless the Afghan government and security forces take responsibility adn win the support of their people. Continue reading →
September 24, 2009 · 7:43 am
Flu update Want a free flu shot? If you’re unemployed and uninsured, CVS pharmacies may have a free seasonal flu vaccination for you, according to the Pioneer Press. After a slow start, the Minnesota Department of Health has updated its listing of flu shot clinics. The nifty search function lets you enter your zip code and find the nearest clinics, with dates and hours listed. Continue reading →
September 23, 2009 · 6:40 am
Running out of unemployment benefits With the average time between losing one job and finding the next rising, about a thousand Minnesotans are falling off the cliff every week — running out of unemployment benefits. Continue reading →
September 22, 2009 · 7:33 am
Essential reading: The McChrystal Report General Stanley McChrystal has delivered his initial assessment of the war in Afghanistan, and it is grim. McChrystal sets out an overall strategy of allied forces (ISAF) providing security to prop up the Afghan government (GIRoA) and security forces while they become stronger, more credible, less corrupt and capable of both supporting and protecting the population and winning the support of the population. But there’s no indication that the Afghan government or security forces are moving in that direction, and no reason given to believe that they will.
McChrystal advocates focusing on what is under ISAF control: a change of ISAF direction and practices, supported by greatly expanded military and civilian resources from the United States. It is clear that, even from a military perspective that accepts war as the answer, the increased resources McChrystal requests will not be enough to “win” Afghanistan. The crucial element — an Afghan government that is responsible to and supported by the people — is not achievable through U.S. military efforts. Excerpts from the document show the depth of the disaster-in-progress. Continue reading →
September 21, 2009 · 7:38 am
T-Paw’s values T-Paw topped Minnesota’s weekend news, appearing at the (Christian) Values Voter Summit. (The exclusion of Jews and Muslims from the “Values” coalition was underlined by scheduling, with the conference held on the final weekend of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the beginning of the Jewish High Holy Days.) The Minnesota Independent has the full text of Pawlenty’s speech to the summit, where he either tied for second or placed third in the presidential straw poll. Continue reading →
September 18, 2009 · 7:27 am
Minnesota unemployment: The numbers and beyond One in four Minnesotans say they or a family member in their household has lost a job in the last year, according to a new survey released by the Northwest Area Foundation yesterday. The survey release came one day after the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) commissioner said he was “encouraged” by a slight drop in Minnesota’s unemployment. Yet, even with the decline in unemployment, fewer Minnesotans had jobs at the end of August than at the beginning. Here’s a closer look at the numbers, and what they really mean. Continue reading →
September 17, 2009 · 8:36 am
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Pawlenty cuts state funds to ACORN! Oops, no he didn’t. T-Paw ordered yesterday that state money going to ACORN be cut off immediately. ACORN wasn’t getting any state funds, so his big announcement was … just a big announcement, full of sound and fury and signifying presidential ambitions. Continue reading →
Mary Turck