An Iraqi’s Perspective June 23, 2014June 22, 2014 From a piece worth reading in its entirety on Iraq (thanks, Tym): Holland: How do you respond to Americans who say, “Well, Sunni and Shia, they hate each other — it’s an ancient blood hatred and we have nothing to do with that. It’s not our fault that they’re at one another’s throats.” Jarrar: You can say this about many other sects and religions whether they are Christian or Muslim or whatever. But there is a political dimension to these historical differences. Obviously, there are theological differences as well as political and social differences. But the fact is that Iraqi Sunnis and Shiites managed to live in the same country for a long time without killing each other, and they lived in the same neighborhoods. They intermarried — I am half Sunni and half Shiite. I am one of many Iraqis who was born into these mixed marriages. The US destroyed that Iraqi national identity and replaced it with sectarian and ethnic identities after 2003. Sect wasn’t really a part of the national consciousness. I was born in Iraq and I’d never in my life been asked if I was a Sunni or a Shiite. And I didn’t know who among my relatives or neighbors or co-workers or colleagues at school were Sunnis or Shiites, because it wasn’t an issue. It’s not that people were tolerant toward each other — they weren’t aware of sectarian backgrounds. It’s similar to some areas in the US where you don’t necessarily know what Christian sect your friends belong to. You might know, or you might not know. That was before the US intervention. The US destroyed that Iraqi national identity and replaced it with sectarian and ethnic identities after 2003. I don’t think this is something that many Iraqis argue about, because you can trace the beginning of this sectarian strife that is destroying the country, and it clearly began with the US invasion and occupation. That’s not to say that Iraqis don’t have agency over their own country and lives – they could and should have worked on bridging the gaps. But it’s not easy to fix these huge political and religious differences when the situation is as complicated as Iraq — and when the US is funding and training one side of this conflict with tens of billions of dollars, it’s not easy to reach a point of national healing, where Iraqis work together and live in peace. We made so many mistakes in Iraq — invading in the first place, of course; not establishing order right away; protecting only the oil ministry from looters; disbanding the army . . . it was all so simpleminded, with such disastrous consequences, so many millions of wrecked lives and our own wrecked national balance sheet — and now Dick Cheney, who gave is this war, is chastisinging us for not exerting more military force around the world and relying too much on diplomacy and nuanced solutions? Really? The Kerry line, that the Bush team “rushed to war without a plan to win the peace,” rings so painfully true. Lots of testosterone — they’re great at that — but so little wisdom, such awful consequences.
Guess Who Came To Dinner June 20, 2014June 21, 2014 So the President came to New York Tuesday and one of his stops elicited this fundraising appeal from the American Family Association: Nine Statements by Obama Yesterday Made a Mockery of God’s Word June 18, 2014 Friend, Yesterday, President Barack Obama spoke at an LGBT fundraiser in New York City. You can watch or read the entire speech here. I thought you might like to know what he said, so here are a few excerpts from the transcript of his speech: – The day that the Supreme Court issued its ruling, United States v. Windsor, was a great day for America. – So Pride Month is a time for celebration, and this year we’ve got a lot to celebrate. If you think about everything that’s happened in the last 12 months, it is remarkable. In nine more states you’re now free to marry the person you love – that includes my two home states of Hawaii and Illinois. The NFL drafted its first openly gay player. The U.S. Postal Service made history by putting an openly gay person on a stamp – the late, great Harvey Milk smiling from ear to ear. – When I took office, only two states had marriage equality. Today, 19 states and the District of Columbia do. – But because of your help, we’ve been able to do more to protect the rights of lesbian and gay, and bisexual and transgender Americans than any administration in history. – We repealed “don’t ask, don’t tell,” because no one should have to hide who you love to serve the country we love. – I lifted the 22-year ban on people with HIV traveling to the U.S. – Before I took office, only one openly gay judge had been confirmed in history. We have 10 more. – …we stopped defending the so-called Defense of Marriage Act in the courts and argued alongside Edie and Robbie before the highest court in the land. – I’ve directed my staff to prepare for my signature, an executive order prohibiting discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. My friend, our nation is in deep trouble under President Obama and liberals in Congress…are you registered to vote in upcoming elections? [And please give us money . . .] I was actually at that dinner, and see it differently. (Except for the part about hoping you are registered to vote.) Could God really oppose gay couples committing to love and care for each other in civil marriage? Could She really favor workplace discrimination — firing your son or daughter, who’s doing a good job, just because he or she happens to have been created gay? (And by Whom, I wonder?) Does the American Family Association itself make a mockery of God’s word by not stoning non-virgin brides to death? And does the American Family Association exhort slaves to “obey thy masters?” You’re not seriously going to tell me that no one at the American Family Association has ever eaten at Red Lobster or worn a cotton polyester blend — both abominations in the eyes of the Lord. Fortunately, most people see the goodness in the Bible while skipping over parts that, with thousands of years’ hindsight, no longer make ethical sense — like slavery or denying women the vote or jailing someone like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for marrying a white woman (even though he would deny me the right to marry the person I love). To most of you, this is old news. So enough of that. Let me tell you about the DNC’s 15th Annual LGBT Dinner. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Great night. Sold out. The President? AWESOME. Here’s the transcript — helpful, because parts were hard to hear over all the cheering. A SMALL SAMPLE: . . . what’s been remarkable is the way Americans of all age groups are increasingly embracing marriage equality. They understand love is love. And for many people whose minds have changed, it was love that did it — love for the child or the grandchild, or the friend or the coworker who sat down one day and held their hands and took a deep breath and said, I’m gay. Almost everybody in this room was that child or grandchild or friend or coworker at some point. And you may not have known it at the time — it may have seemed like an individual act — but in those moments when you summoned that courage and reached out with that hopeful love, you were doing it for everybody. And that’s why I’m here tonight, to say thank you for helping make America more just and more compassionate. . . . THE HIGHLIGHTS: It was the world’s earliest dinner, but once you got in out of the sun, it felt like dinner. With no windows or clocks but free drinks, all Gotham Hall lacked were roulette tables. And there were SO many highlights: > The President, of course, in a class by himself. What an amazing 17 minutes those were. But also . . . > Our 500 guests, every one a star. > Including Sia, a star in the conventional, she’s-sold-millions-of-records, sense. I had never heard of her. But in the weeks leading up to the dinner I asked my younger friends, all of whom had, including one who replied, “Dude — what do you think we’ve been listening to for the last 20 minutes?” Sia sang four really beautiful songs. > Our emcee, Modern Family’s Jesse Tyler Fergusson — direct from Missoula, Montana, with a few stops and Emmy nominations along the way. > Beauty queen Geena Rocero, whose Ted Talk this past March has been viewed 2 million times. (It’s cool to see straight guys ogling her bikini shot and then learning she was assigned “boy” at birth.) > A video celebrating LGBT progress . . . beginning pre-Harvey Milk, even, and running up to last month’s unveiling of the Harvey Milk first-class forever stamp. “You gotta give ‘em hope,” Harvey said – and, boy, how that hope has, at long last, turned out to have been justified. > A video greeting from George Takei, previously of the U.S.S. Enterprise, now about to star in Allegiance. > A sentence read from this year’s Pride Proclamation – the President’s sixth – and . . . in a remarkable show of bipartisan sportsmanship . . . the entire text of all the Republican pride proclamations read aloud – all of them! – which took no time at all. Literally. > A couple who’d flown up from Dallas to get married at the Central Park Reservoir hours earlier and bought seats for their wedding party. (The President proposed a toast to their happiness.) > A 14-year-old from North Carolina who’d been on the brink of taking his own life, so despised had religious bigots made him feel, until he read Crisis. And here he and his mom got to see a room full of 500 mostly happy, mostly successful, mostly LGBT people and hear that speech. > Contributors and attendees like Robbie Kaplan and Edie Windsor, who introduced the President . . . and Media Matters’ David Brock, Country singer Chely Wright and her wife Lauren, and so many more. My semi-brother-in-law the Catholic priest! Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum! Gay Muslim filmmaker Parvez Sharma and his husband Dan! > Even Barbra Streisand showed up! Via Skype. In an – imagined – call to “Ugly Betty” star Michael Urie, who’s been channeling her in Buyer and Cellar these past 15 months, playing both in New York and now out on tour (yes: I’m an investor). As written for the occasion by the great Jonathan Tolins (who actually paid to come to the dinner as well). Michael plays both Barbra and himself. A snippet: BARBRA Is it on? Am I Skyping? MICHAEL Yes! Hello, Barbra! It’s so great to finally meet you! You look fantastic! BARBRA I’d better, I’ve been adjusting the lighting for four hours. I love Skype. It’s so much better than having to go anywhere and see people. I could be wearing anything below the waist. I could be doing the Superman album cover and you’d never know. (She LAUGHS.) So, you’re the actor who’s been me for the last year. It’s not so easy, is it? MICHAEL No, it’s a challenge. I’m just so glad to find out you’re not angry about the play. BARBRA Well, I’ve mellowed a bit, ever since Apple went back over 600. And then last week, it split, seven for the price of one! Whoever heard of something like that? It’s like the Osmonds. MICHAEL Yeah, it’s great. So, what made you decide to Skype me now? BARBRA I got the e-mail that said you’ll be at this LGBT… QRSTUV something-something dinner. I get so many e-mails from the DNC. Do they really think I’m going to give more just so I can meet James Taylor? And on it went from there. Michael and Jonathan (and Barbra) are amazing. I’m proud to say that OUR dinner co-chairs Tuesday night were gay AND lesbian AND trans . . . which is not the case at the annual Republican National Committee LGBT dinner. Oh wait – they’ve never HAD one. For as long as we’ve been fighting for equality, it’s Democrats who’ve been voting with us, Republicans who’ve been voting against. And lately, Republicans have been voting against everything else as well. Which is a nightmare, because as a nation — and a species — we have just a couple of decades to meet some enormous challenges. If we do, we’re on the cusp of astounding well-being; if we don’t, we’re at risk of hurtling off the rails. Success isn’t guaranteed no matter who’s in charge, but my money’s on the party that “believes in” science. And inclusion. And diplomacy. And shared responsibility. And constructive compromise. This is serious stuff, and THEIR only solution is to outlaw abortion and lower my taxes. Tuesday’s dinner helped fund the turn-out to hold the Senate, retake the House, flip red states blue, and pave the way for 2016. If you couldn’t make it: I’m supposed to charge you double! But I will waive that. Just click here to do the best you can. We need all hands on deck to win. Have a great weekend.
It Must Be A Holiday Somewhere June 19, 2014June 18, 2014 So I’m taking the day off in celebration. Self-employment has its perks. Your subscription has been extended accordingly.
ETRM June 18, 2014 Sorry: just an update today . . . Guru writes of yesterday’s FDA panel: “The important vote on ETRM was 6 yes, 2 no, 1 abstain that benefit outweighs risk. That’s what we wanted. On safety, the vote was 8 yes, 1 no. On efficacy, however, the vote was 4 yes, 5 no. Yet the vote earlier in the day on whether the 18 month data supported efficacy was 9 yes 0 no. Doctors who earlier in the day had voted ‘yes’ that the 12- and 18-month data showed efficacy voted ‘no’ on the official ‘efficacy’ vote. Go figure. The FDA will approve their device in my opinion.” Those of us who bought shares with money we truly can afford to lose await the decision — and the market’s reaction — with nervous anticipation. Stay tuned.
2014: A Good Year June 17, 2014June 17, 2014 There’s so much the President has accomplished . . . Paul Krugman hits two highlights in a column that begins: . . . [T]hese days much of the commentary you see on the Obama administration — and a lot of the reporting too — emphasizes the negative: the contrast between the extravagant hopes of 2008 and the prosaic realities of political trench warfare, the troubles at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the mess in Iraq, and so on. The accepted thing, it seems, is to portray Mr. Obama as floundering, his presidency as troubled if not failed. But this is all wrong. You should judge leaders by their achievements, not their press, and in terms of policy substance Mr. Obama is having a seriously good year. In fact, there’s a very good chance that 2014 will go down in the record books as one of those years when America took a major turn in the right direction. . . . If you don’t mind feeling a little better about things, read the whole thing: Krugman’s take on health care and climate change. Which is to say, the health of our people and our planet. (Meanwhile, have you noticed that housing prices have stabilized and the stock market’s at record highs? That the debt’s stopped growing relative to the economy as the deficit continues to fall? That America beat Ghana in the World Cup? Hey, listen!)
Omnesia June 16, 2014June 16, 2014 2nd QUARTERLY ESTIMATED TAX DUE Don’t forget to mail in your estimated income tax today if you’ve had appreciable income on which tax has not been withheld. NKTR Suggested here at $10.30, NKTR touched $14.65 Friday on good news, closing at $13.89. Guru: “It should go higher. They have a blockbuster. Will be approved in September. They get $135 million from Astra Zeneca. Everyone on opioids will be on this. They get a double digit royalty.” So — with all the usual caveats — I hold on. If it went into the higher teens fairly soon I’d likely sell much or all of it. If it doesn’t — but things continue to go well for the company — I might hold out for a higher price a year or two from now. DID YOU KNOW? Did you know you can make the type on your iPhone bold and/or bigger? Just go to SETTINGS / GENERAL / ACCESSIBILITY. Did you know you can coordinate care for a friend or relative — or coordinate who brings what to the potluck dinner so it’s not all potato salad — or coordinate study groups or office hours with signupgenius.com? And lots of other things that need coordinating, too. (“Should be in every sports parent’s playbook.” — Family Fun Magazine.) I saw it in action with a friend way too young and fit to have had quadruple by-pass surgery whose support group signed up for time slots to provide coverage. Worked really well. Did you know NYC seniors can get a photo ID half-price metro card that refills itself automatically from your credit card and even automatically gives you the even lower monthly rate if it sees you’ve used it enough for that to save you money? I, of course, refuse to acknowledge I am even within 20 years of being old enough to be eligible. But for your aunt. Did you know that the days may continue to get longer only until June 21 (check your location here), but to those of us who measure the length of the day by the time of the sunset, the longest day in the Northern hemisphere turns out to be July 4th or so. (The sunrise starts to get slightly later a week or two before June 21 — shortening the day. But the sunset, not having gotten the memo, also keeps getting slightly later for a week or two, though not by quite as much.) OMNESIA I made up a new word! The condition of knowing it all. And since no one truly can, it is in fact the condition of thinking one knows it all. Roughly the opposite of amnesia, but insufferable.
Video Weekend! – UPDATED June 13, 2014 [SORRY: Just wanted to add three things. First, not to make you crazy, but if you HAVEN’T lightened up on ETRM, hang on — today’s results came in better than one of my smart guys expected, so there’s a pretty good chance of approval Tuesday. In my mind, the odds have now gotten better again, though it remains a gamble. Second, don’t think I didn’t notice the California decision against teacher “tenure” this week, an important, hopeful development that should be replicated in other jurisdictions where the balance has tipped too far in favor of job security for ineffective teachers at the expense of children. Third, I’m sick over the developments in Iraq, which of course it’s now clearer than ever we never should have invaded. It seems to me zealotry of whatever variety — whether Catholics crusading 900 years ago or Islamic extremists crusading today — is humanity’s Achilles heal. I’m an atheist. I “believe in” science, logic, enlightened capitalism, and the Golden Rule. That still leaves plenty of room for disagreement; but far less room for inequality, resentment, oppression, strife, and atrocity. And now . . . back to our regularly scheduled programming.] KINDA WHY THE POLICE WEAR UNIFORMS Start with these 4 minutes: how Wyatt Earp ended “open carry” on the streets of Dodge City in the 1870’s — and how Kansas Republicans have now made it illegal for Dodge to ban six-shooters and AK-47s from its streets and saloons, even if it wants to. Now, take 6 minutes to see how we’ve come to “the intersection of ‘Open Carry Street’ and ‘Stand Your Ground Place.'” According to the NRA, Jon Stewart explains, you have the right to carry a weapon that may cause a reasonable person to fear for his life; and they have a right, if they feel that way, to respond with deadly force. “It’s a perpetual violence machine.” Because while in hindsight it’s clear the fellow entering the 7-Eleven with an AK-47 has good intentions, that’s not clear to everyone inside as it’s happening. You don’t know he’s a “good guy with a gun.” Indeed, Stewart notes, that’s why the police wear uniforms. So you can tell the good guys with guns from the bad guys with guns. Finally, no matter what else you have scheduled for today, find 5 minutes to watch this, wherein the etiquette of open carry is explained — by a white guy and a black guy. JOHN OLIVER ON NET NEUTRALITY Still with me? Remember, you have all weekend to enjoy this stuff. Take 13 minutes for this explanation of the Internet controversy, at the end of which I predict you will (a) find it hard to stop laughing; (b) rush over to fcc.gov to leave a comment; (c) program your DVR to watch John Oliver whenever he appears. KANSAS AGAIN Finally, if you didn’t have time for them Tuesday, I can’t recommend these segments highly enough: Kansas as a laboratory for what the right hopes to do nationwide. Kansas as Koch brothers country. Kansas Republicans denying the working poor Medicaid (even though the state wouldn’t have to pay for it). Kansas Republicans cutting back on education (and shutting down the only school in town). Kansas Republicans putting six-shooters back on the streets of Dodge (the clip you just saw, up above). Kansas Republicans working to force you to bear your rapist’s baby. Have a great weekend!
Video Weekend! June 13, 2014June 12, 2014 KINDA WHY THE POLICE WEAR UNIFORMS Start with these 4 minutes: how Wyatt Earp ended “open carry” on the streets of Dodge City in the 1870’s — and how Kansas Republicans have now made it illegal for Dodge to ban six-shooters and AK-47s from its streets and saloons, even if it wants to. Now, take 6 minutes to see how we’ve come to “the intersection of ‘Open Carry Street’ and ‘Stand Your Ground Place.'” According to the NRA, Jon Stewart explains, you have the right to carry a weapon that may cause a reasonable person to fear for his life; and they have a right, if they feel that way, to respond with deadly force. “It’s a perpetual violence machine.” Because while in hindsight it’s clear the fellow entering the 7-Eleven with an AK-47 has good intentions, that’s not clear to everyone inside as it’s happening. You don’t know he’s a “good guy with a gun.” Indeed, Stewart notes, that’s why the police wear uniforms. So you can tell the good guys with guns from the bad guys with guns. Finally, no matter what else you have scheduled for today, find 5 minutes to watch this, wherein the etiquette of open carry is explained — by a white guy and a black guy. JOHN OLIVER ON NET NEUTRALITY Still with me? Remember, you have all weekend to enjoy this stuff. Take 13 minutes for this explanation of the Internet controversy, at the end of which I predict you will (a) find it hard to stop laughing; (b) rush over to fcc.gov to leave a comment; (c) program your DVR to watch John Oliver whenever he appears. KANSAS AGAIN Finally, if you didn’t have time for them Tuesday, I can’t recommend these segments highly enough: Kansas as a laboratory for what the right hopes to do nationwide. Kansas as Koch brothers country. Kansas Republicans denying the working poor Medicaid (even though the state wouldn’t have to pay for it). Kansas Republicans cutting back on education (and shutting down the only school in town). Kansas Republicans putting six-shooters back on the streets of Dodge (the clip you just saw, up above). Kansas Republicans working to force you to bear your rapist’s baby. Have a great weekend!
Losing Weight, Losing Money June 12, 2014June 12, 2014 DON’T EAT Saves time, saves money, good for your health, good for the planet. (It takes 2,500 gallons of water and three-quarters of a gallon of oil to make a pound of hamburger.) And we don’t treat the cows and chickens all that well either. Now comes this (very preliminary) finding — “fasting triggers stem cell regeneration of damaged, old immune system.” It is of immediate interest only if you are undergoing chemotherapy. And you are a mouse. But I’m telling you: Except mostly for fresh fruit and vegetables, plus nuts and quinoa (I know: keen-WHA????) — and whatever nutrition there may be in Dentyne Ice to keep your breath minty fresh — don’t eat! GET A LOAD O’ THIS FARMER This is an inspirational clip you cannot fail to love. ETRM It’s almost show time for this weight loss device and I’m losing some of my nerve. Guru thinks it’s a slam dunk to be approved but is no longer talking about $10 or $20 as the upside. There is a huge element of “who knows?” in any of these things . . . and there are an awful lot of people — like us — waiting to unload our shares at a huge profit when approval is granted. Which would create a lot of headwind for the stock, at least short term. That’s if it goes well. I have another really smart friend who thinks, yes, it may get approved, because it seems safe, but even if it does — and it may not — it will get trashed by the scientists evaluating it, and he’s short the stock. So with ETRM having nearly doubled since it was first suggested here, I sold a good chunk yesterday. If it does double or triple — peachy. But I no longer see this as “heads, you win $5 or $10, tails you lose 90 cents,” but more like “heads, you win maybe $2 from here, tails you lose $1.50.” The truth is (as if it weren’t obvious), I have no idea what will happen or how the stock market — or obese patients and their health care providers — will react. MONT It looks as though the Chinese are going to go through with their acquisition of this deeply flawed company after all. If so, our puts will expire worthless, even if someday it turns out we were right — and even if it turns out the Chinese decision makers had “misaligned personal incentives” (shall we say) to make this deal. I’m holding my now nearly worthless puts, because “you never know.” But this would appear to be one of the speculations it’s a good thing we made with money we could truly afford to lose.
Here Come the Ambucycles! June 11, 2014June 11, 2014 LIFE SAVERS THAT DON’T GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC Four minutes to watch this clip — more than twice the time it takes them to come save your life. If you live in a town with traffic, maybe you can get Ambucycles, too. HE MAY HAVE BEEN UNHINGED, BUT THAT UNABOMBER COULD WRITE Margie: “Loved Zac’s sample from How to Write a Sentence. It reminded me of an old article in the March 2004 issue of The Atlantic Monthly, entitled ‘Would Shakespeare Get Into Swarthmore?‘ Judged against the criteria of the SAT writing test introduced in 2005, failures would have included Shakespeare, Hemingway, and Gertrude Stein. Shakespeare would not test out of freshman English and Stein would have to take a remedial class. But the Unabomber’s manifesto got a perfect 6.” UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES I once advocated a boycott of American Airlines — which was planning to move its headquarters from a then-troubled New York to low-tax Dallas — on the theory that, while boycotts usually fail, the airline industry operates on such low margins, and it was so easy at that time (when most planes flew with lots of empty seats) for New Yorkers conveniently to switch to a competitor — maybe the threat of a boycott could make them rethink the move. Needless to say, both New York and American survived somehow. (And I remain a fan of each.) Now comes the boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel — joined by people as thoroughly good-hearted and mainstream as Jay Leno — over the despicable, barbaric, archaic human-rights policies of its owner, the Sultan of Brunei. (E.g., death by stoning for gay sex.) But nothing in a complex world is easy, as this excerpt shows: INSIDE THE BOYCOTT: A server at the Polo Lounge shares her side of the boycott of The Beverly Hills Hotel: . . . How does this boycott affect the Sultan and his politics? The short answer is that it doesn’t. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brunei, as well as many other countries with dubious human rights records, are heavily invested in the West, in hotels and movies, in Apple and Twitter, in Citigroup, Time Warner and Valentino to name a very few. In fact, Qatar Investment Authority (the sovereign wealth fund of the Sharia nation of Qatar) is the lead investor of Miramax. But most of these countries’ money doesn’t come from any of these investments, large as they may be. It comes from oil. It comes from the oil we all use. And therein lies the both the flaw and the hypocrisy of the boycott. To threaten the demise of The Beverly Hills Hotel does not begin to touch the Sultan financially or politically. We don’t pay his check, Shell does. Using the hotel as leverage is really no leverage at all. How does this affect me? The Sultan isn’t our boss; he’s our investor. His laws, which are completely not aligned with our code of conduct, do not reach Dorchester Collection properties. We at The Beverly Hills Hotel are women. We are men. We are gay. We are straight. We are multinational and multicultural. We are the ones who will feel the monetary loss. Profits from the hotel don’t go back to Brunei; they go back into the hotel, to us and to the community. We participate in AIDSWalk, The Revlon Breast Cancer Walk; we participate in charities and contribute to the preservation of our environment. Some of the celebrities who struck out most venomously against us were some of those we saw most often. I wonder how, knowing us as they do, they have no problem making The Beverly Hills Hotel the face of their outrage? They, to my knowledge, have no problem with any of those companies listed above whose money is also stamped with the blood of Sharia Law, companies who (with the exception of Miramax) have no personal connection to them as we do. What should we do? Some have called for us to quit or to strike and join the boycott. We don’t want this. We love our job and the incredible company for which we work. This is the company that recognized same-sex partnerships before gay marriage was legalized by recognizing and offering insurance to the partners of my co-workers. This is the company whose benefits and commitment to equality transcend any I’ve known. The concern for human rights is commendable. We should all be part of finding a solution for this global problem. The solution starts with our government and others. Reducing our dependency on oil would help, too. But reducing my income won’t help, I promise you. THE PERFECT FIVE-SECOND CLIP This woman rejoins the workforce after 30 years. It’s like riding a bicycle: some skills are long retained in motor memory. Here. NEW WHEELTUG COMPETITION The Russians are now trying to do this for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 — as reported here — which just adds to the air of “e-taxi” inevitability. But if this were easy to do — let alone without violating our patents — I think it would have been done by now.