As readers of The Modesto Bee know, we were among the newspapers that decided not to publish this week's Doonesbury comic strip. We've gotten complaints from some readers, but today the floodgates opened. I have now received 1,200 emails from non-local people, all sending the message below. Makes for an interesting day.
Judy Sly
My colleague at The Fresno Bee, Jim Boren, posted this useful info yesterday and I'm passing it on
President Barack Obama and Congressional leaders say they want to hear from the American people on the debt ceiling crisis. Take them up on their offer.
You can reach the White House, Senate and House of Representatives by telephone or by email. Here's how:
White House Click here for the email link.
By phone: White House comment line: 202-456-1111
White House switchboard: 202-456-1414 U.S.
Senate Click here for the Senate email link.
By phone: Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121
House of Representatives Click here for the House email link.
By phone: Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121
-- Judy Sly
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, is again challenging claims about what percentage of Americans are really poor and what constitutes poverty in the United States.
Robert Rector, a senior research fellow, says news stories misrepresent poverty in the U.S. More often, he says, the average poor American family lives in an adequate and uncrowded home, with air conditioning and a washer and dryer; enjoys two color TVs, a DVD player, VCR and video game system for the children; and has enough money to cover food and medical care.
"An effective anti-poverty policy,” Rector writes, “must be based on an accurate assessment of actual living conditions and the causes of deprivation.”
The Heritage Foundation report is available here ..
And your thoughts are welcome below.
-- Judy Sly
Lots of folks are having fun these days with word games, as in how much can be said in just a few words. Six words, for instance.
Thought it might be fun to invite folks to share their thoughts on the heat -- in six words. Here's mine to get it started:
Tonight's task:
Buy fan
for office.
-- Judy Sly
Who do you like from the current field? Or from outside the current field?
I'm playing it safe with predictions and will only say that I don't think it will be Newt, Romney or Huntsman.
Bachmann is a possibility, surely more promising than Palin at this point.
Thoughts?
-- Judy Sly