Discussion Divas

For your digestion: Five news items from the week

Five things from the week (and all about food this week!)

Trading the pyramid for the plate

With a little help from Michelle Obama, the USDA replaced the food pyramid we’ve known but maybe not loved since 1992, with the new “MyPlate” this week. The new icon is a platedivided into four categories (grains, vegetables, fruits and protein), with a small side of dairy. The idea is to simplify the message about what and how much should fill a healthy plate: half should be made up of fruits and vegetables. MyPlate also urges smaller portions, low-fat dairy and less soda. 

Europe battles rare strain of E. Coli
A rare and deadly strain of E. Coli has sickened almost 2,000 people, killed 18, and left hundreds with kidney problems across Europe. Officials have yet to pinpoint where the rare and dangerous strain is coming from. Germany has taken the hardest hit, with the majority of cases reported there. Meanwhile, Russia has banned all imports of fresh vegetables coming from the European Union, a significant financial blow to farmers.

More Americans on food stamps
Just under 45 million Americans received food stamps in March, new data show, up from 40 million a year ago. The food stamp program, officially called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), cost $68 billion in 2010.How much money to allocate to the program next year is up for debate in Congress. Here’s a quick analysis of growth in use of food stamps.

Rice and corn prices set to double
There’s plenty of concern about the rising cost of food. Retailers say people spent less at stores in May due to rising food and gas prices; the United Nations reports global food prices are at a record high; and with some coffee bean prices up 99%from a year ago, chains like Starbucks are raising prices on consumers. Now, a new report says the cost of corn and rice will double over the next 20 years due to climate change. Look for conversation about stabilizing prices at the G20 meeting in France later this month.

U.S. considers food aid for North Korea
Some estimates say that due to a hard winter and its reliance on aid for food, North Korea’s food supply is running short, putting six million at risk. To assess the situation, the U.S. sent an envoy who is expected to offer a decision of whether to provide aid. But offering food aid to the isolated country is controversial--former President Jimmy Carter says it's a humanitarian must, others disagree.

Five things you (may have) missed this week

DSK and Arnold
Two men dominated headlines, and you probably couldn't avoid this news if you tried. IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned Wednesday amid sexual assault and rape charges related to an encounter with a hotel maid in New York over the weekend. He'll get a $250,000 severance and is free on $1 million cash bail, but apparently he's having a hard time finding somewhere to live while under house arrest. Meanwhile, Arnold Schwarzenegger put his come-back movie career on hold to deal with personal matters, namely the child he had with a member of his household staff. Paparazzi everywhere rejoiced. 

Arab Spring

On Thursday President Obama gave a 45-minute speech about the uprisings in the Middle East, known as the "Arab Spring," which began in December 2010 when a Tunisian cart seller set himself on fire. It later spread to Egypt, Libya and beyond (see interactive timeline of the uprisings). Obama's most important comments came at the end of the speech, when he said Israel's pre-1967 boundaries should be the foundation for any peace deal with the Palestinians. For background, in 1967 Israel and its neighbors (Egypt, Syria, Jordan) fought a six-day war in which Israel gained additional territories. Who that land ultimately belongs to is central to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli government was not particularly happy about Obama's remarks. (Good analysis of the speech here.)

LinkedIn goes public

Professional networking site LinkedIn (

LNKD) went public on Thursday, spiking above $120 a share before settling the day at $94.25 -- more than double it's initial offer price of $45. So far 63 companies have gone public this year--which is still a far cry from the 486 that hit the market in 1999 (see IPO chart). LinkedIn is the first of the social networks to go public, with Facebook expected next year. There's plenty of fresh talk about a bubble out there.

Circumcision on ballot in San Francisco

A group seeking to ban circumcision of boys under age 18 has succeeded in putting the initiative on the ballot in San Francisco. Proponents of the ban say it's an unnecessary and invasive surgery, which stands in stark contrast to the international effort to circumcise men to prevent the spread of AIDS. Some unconfirmed data show the number of babies circumcised at hospitals is dropping.

Ronald McDonald, "ambassador for good"

An open letter from some 550 health care professionals asked McDonald's to abandon using Ronald McDonald to market to kids. The CDC says 17% of kids under 19 are obese. CEO Jim Skinner told shareholders at the annual meeting no way, that Ronald McDonald is "an ambassador for good" and "going nowhere." In other related news... Man eats 25,000th Big Mac this week.

 

Awesome blog mention: Sites that make us smarter

Obviously we're thrilled to be included in this list of "Fab 5: Sites that make us smarter," along with some heavy hitters like the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian sites (love them too!). The CIA World Factbook is an amazing, amazing site and one we reference a lot. Check them out, and also check out www.dotcomsformoms.com, written by Rita Mauceri, who helps put information for moms at your fingertips quickly - something we like to do around here as well!

If you don't get the Diva yet, you should! Sign up - it's free and a quick read.

 

Is the age of the Superwoman over? Let's discuss!

Up for discussion: Is the age of the Superwoman dead?

 

Samantha Parent Walravens presents the case in Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern a new book featuring 47 women searching for that career-life balance. Walravens finds that most discover it's not possible to "have it all," and says "the age of the Superwoman is dead." Do you agree?

 

  

PLUS: Calling all Mamas in the Bay Area! 

Join Samantha Parent Walravens, editor of the new anthology, TORN: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood, for a Moms' Night Out this Mother's Day week (why should it only last one day?).

Where? Books Inc. 2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco

When? Tuesday, May 3 at 7 p.m.

What? Samantha, along with Caroline Grant, editor of Literary Mama and Mama PhD, and Stacey Delo, founder and editor of Discussion Divas, will host a lively conversation about the struggle and juggle of motherhood today. Free and open to the public.

The Playing Field: Presidential Candidates 2012

 

President Obama took to Facebook this week, appealing to a younger crowd, via live video, in a Town Hall Style Q&A with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. He joked how it’s the second time he’s gotten Zuck--the t-shirt and jeans-wearing genius--to sport a sport coat.

Obama suggested they peel the coats off. Get comfortable. Laugh a little. There wasn’t going to be much to laugh about in the questions and answers, which ran the gamut from the serious to the complicated to the depressing: immigration policies, health care reform, education, budget deficit, housing, job creation.

It’s no wonder that the nation is blue. A new poll says 70% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track and almost 60% don’t approve of the way Obama is handling the economy--that the nation’s “mood” is at the lowest point in two years.

Enter 2012 Republican presidential candidates, ready to pounce on these weak poll numbers and as they’ll tell you--save the day. A quick look at the cast of characters includes:

Mitt Romney--been there, done that. The former governor of Massachusetts and a practicing Mormon, he lost out to John McCain for the GOP nomination in the last election.

Mike Huckabee--also tried for the GOP nomination in 2008. The former Arkansas governor, former preacher, now Fox talk-show host polls highest among the contenders, along with...

Donald Trump--real estate mogul and “Apprentice” star. His straight-talking, boot-strapping appeal is propelling him high in early polls though he hasn’t announced officially. (We’ll let David Brooks do the talking on this one.)

Sarah Palin--former GOP VP candidate and ex-Alaska governor turned best-selling author, reality TV star and Fox contributor. She rolled out a new Web site this week.

The Minnesotans: Rep. Michelle Bachman--the Tea Party favorite is reportedly exploring a run this summer. Fellow GOP and former governor Tim Pawlenty has announced intentions as well.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is in the mix, so is the “abortion culture” man we wrote about a few weeks ago, Rick Santorum, not to mention Haley Barbour, the governor of Mississippi. The list goes on. It may seem early, but if the nation’s feeling blue, it’s the perfect time for presidential hopefuls to espouse change. Just be wary of buying the goods they’re selling. Obama sold hope and change, and then was dealt a hand of crises that would put any optimist in a bad mood.

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The Tax Holiday

In case there’s still any confusion about why your taxes are due Monday, April 18, this year rather than the usual April 15, it’s because the traditional tax day fell on the day Washington D.C. marked Emancipation Day. But even as the nation got a short tax reprieve thanks to D.C.’s holiday, we heard plenty about taxes all week, specifically regarding whether they’re going up or down.

A little more about Emancipation Day
On April 16, 1862, Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves in the District of Columbia, a full nine months before the Emancipation Proclamation freed all slaves and two years before slavery was abolished. This year the District observed the day on April 15 since the holiday fell on a Saturday. In other words, the IRS and others had the day off, and the rest of us got a few more days to turn in our taxes.

By chance, this week also marked the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War. And while emancipation was a central part of that war, a new Pew Research Center poll found 48% of respondents said they thought the war was mainly over states’ rights, while 38% thought it was over slavery.

The real talk on taxes is tied to the deficit
Beyond this year’s tax deadline delay, there was plenty of talk this week about taxes, specifically raising them for people who make over $250,000. The talks centered around the bulging U.S. deficit, currently at a record high as the U.S. spent twice what it made in March.

The plans to reduce the deficit sound pretty simple: cut spending and raise revenue. Two plans have emerged to slim the deficit by trillions of dollars, one from President Obama and one from Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan. Obama says he’ll let the Bush-era tax cuts for people making over $250,000 expire at the end of 2012, saying he refuses to renew them again. The Ryan plan calls for tax cuts (from 35% to 25%) and deeper cuts in spending. Medicare and Medicaid are on the chopping block. You can compare the plans here.

Can you tell we’re headed into an election year? Get ready to hear a lot more about the deficit, Medicare, Medicaid, health reform, spending, and the real divider: taxes, with some arguing passionately that they should go up, and others arguing passionately they should go down. Reality is, there's got to be a way to pay for the services we want provided.

Brilliant timing of a government showdown

Most annoying week ever or important exercise on spending?
The political theater reached a frenzy just before lawmakers dodged a crisis and kept the U.S. government open for business.

The timing was brilliant
The dramatic right-versus-left showdown allowed lawmakers to save face and look tough while ultimately avoiding a shut-down. Some are saying both Democrats and Republicans won and can’t be blamed in the next election cycle for bringing things to a grinding halt.

The economy was likely a key factor in averting a shutdown
The fragile, recovering economy would likely have suffered in the wake of a shutdown. How would the markets have reacted Monday if there had been an impasse? And how would the so-so jobs picture have fared? When parks and places, like the National Mall or the Grand Canyon, close, so do the small businesses that rely on their foot traffic. Not only would 800,000 federal employees be furloughed, but plenty of private sector jobs would be too.

Congress has one more week to finalize the details, with a vote expected on Thursday
Here are a few key points from the Friday compromise: 

1. Planned Parenthood and Title X (which we wrote about last week) are safe for now but part of the deal requires the Senate to vote on defunding both next week.

2. The Senate will also vote on if to defund health care reform.

3. The overall budget only lasts for six more months--September 30 marks the end of the 2011 fiscal year, so get ready for 2012 budget jockeying to begin soon.

4. The deal cuts $39 billion (which Obama calls the largest cut in history) from the budget, making the final budget $79 billion shy of what Obama had originally proposed. All of these reductions come against the backdrop of anexpected $1.6 trillion budget deficit this year.

For more details on the deal see this report and this one, and for a good look at what’s next, read this. 

Truth behind the fiction

If you were following the news on Friday it felt a little nutty watching the media and political aides and politicians scuttling all over Capitol Hill, giving press conferences, setting the scene for the dramatic last-minute saved-by-the-bell deal. But indeed there is some truth behind the fiction in this story. We do spend more than we bring in, and some economists argue that was necessary in a recession. David Brooks of the NYT argues it’s time to wake up and realize that if you want public services, there are consequences--because they cost.

Image from www.whitehouse.gov

The abortion culture? Women's health on the line

 

Is abortion really to blame for Social Security’s shortfall? It’s what one GOP presidential hopeful suggested this week, fanning the flames of the abortion debate in advance of the 2012 election and as abortion rights and family planning services come under attack at the state and national level.

In the month of March alone, here’s what’s happened on the abortion front:

1. Pennsylvania’s conservative Rick Santorum, a former GOP senator now eyeing the presidency, said “the abortion culture in this country” is one reason there aren’t enough Social Security funds, meaning that because of abortions there aren’t enough workers to support retirees.

2. Arizona passed a law making it illegal for doctors to perform abortions in cases where the reason is race or gender.

3. South Dakota passed a law forcing women to wait three days and receive pregnancy consulting before getting an abortion (the longest wait in the country and first to require consulting by law).

4. Other states are passing abortion restriction laws or considering them, including Virginia, Florida, Ohio and Missouri.

5. Conservatives in Congress are trying to cut all federal funding for family planning services (Title X) and hence Planned Parenthood, which receives about $75 million of those funds. Though Planned Parenthood does provide abortions, that is only a tiny part of a whole host of other important health services it offers to mainly low-income women. (A really good discussion of Title X here.)

All of this is chipping away at what is a right protected by the Supreme Court -- the right to a healthy and safe abortion in the United States. Social conservatives who were elected in 2010 are hammering away at abortion rights at both the state level inside legislatures, and in Washington, as congressmen try to use Federal budget negotiations to push their agenda.

Interestingly, even as the pendulum swings toward more restrictions on abortions, the number performed is holding steady after declining for 25 years. There are a little over one million a year (about 20 per 1,000 pregnancies women of child-bearing age: see interesting fact sheet on abortion statistics).

 

Purse Points: The Week of 3/28-4/1

(New!) PURSE POINTS

Headlines from the week that you may have missed, zipped up here to tuck in your purse ahead of the weekend...

• Economy adds jobs, but not all rosy
  No fooling, the March jobs report came in a bit better than expected, adding 216,000 jobs during the month and lowering the unemployment rate to 8.8 percent. Still, some 13.5 million people are still unemployed and close to half are considered "long-term unemployed" - without jobs for over six months. (Here's a good visual of the unemployment situation since 2007.)

• Home prices are back near recession lows
  Home prices fell for the sixth straight month, bringing the average home price to $156,000, down 5% from a year earlier and leading to plenty of bargain hunting. That said, a Russian investor plunked down $100 million for a house in Los Altos, Calif., about 30 minutes south of San Francisco.

• Sorry KC, MO: Kansas City, KANSAS wins super-duper fast Internet
  If you want to experience the fastest Internet in the country, you'll have to head to Kansas City -- Kansas City, Kansas, that is! Google chose KC after asking cities to pitch them on where they should build a super-duper fast experimental network. Looks like it will be up and running early next year.

• The Tweeting Cobra 
  After a cobra went missing from the Bronx Zoo, one enterprising Tweeter set up an account, tweeting on behalf of the cobra who toured New York and ammassed over 200,000 followers within the week. A really fun read if you need a laugh. Alas, when the cobra was found, the Tweeting cobra, who had a Facebook page launched to try to host Saturday Night Live, began Tweeting from inside. Stay tuned it seems!

• Opening Day!
  Baseball season began Thursday--an early start this year.

What does marriage really mean in today's society?

If you think of the marriage question--should it be confined to just a man and a woman--as a fire, it was certainly stoked again this week as the state of Maryland moved close to becoming the sixth state to legalize gay marriage even as House Republicans voted to defend a key marriage law that the president says he finds unconstitutional. 

Of course we’re talking about the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, which defines marriage as being between a man and a woman only and bars many, many federal benefits to people in same-sex marriages even though the state they live in may recognize the marriage as legal.

So what’s going on? Well, in February the attorney general sent a letter to Congress saying the Obama administration found Section 3 of DOMA, which prevents people in same-sex marriages from getting federal benefits like survivor benefits and tax benfits, as discriminatory against a group and thus unconstitutional (in the same way it’s unconstitutional to discriminate against race and gender).