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doctorswithoutborders: By Foot, Bike, Car, or Canoe: Patient...

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:01:47 -0400

By Foot, Bike, Car, or Canoe: Patient and Staff Stories of Malaria in DRC

“My name is Zamukunda. I tested positive for malaria at the health center. This morning I delivered my first child, a boy who weighed 1.6 kg [3.5 pounds]. My labor began very late last night, which was a surprise because I was still far from my delivery date. I was in a lot of pain and was bleeding, which made me worry, so I left the house with my mother and we walked for two hours to reach this health center.

My baby was born at two in the morning. He was not breathing very well and I was continuing to bleed so MSF decided to transfer us in their car from Kashuga to the main hospital in Mweso. We picked up another woman and her child who was very sick with malaria. The trip took only an hour since there has not been much rain. Now I am in the intensive care unit at the hospital with my baby, who is on oxygen. So far we are doing okay.”

Zamukunda’s son was born at seven months. She did not know how malaria would affect her pregnancy or her baby. The high fevers caused by the disease can provoke contractions and lead to premature delivery. Zamukunda and her son are receiving treatment at MSF’s Mweso hospital.

Photo: DRC 2012 © Sandra Smiley Patients receiving malaria treatment in an MSF-supported hospital in Katanga province.

motherjones: thingsididntclick: Mother Jones: “Hitler, Obama...

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:00:15 -0400

motherjones:

thingsididntclick:

Mother Jones: “Hitler, Obama Both Fond of Slogans”

Well, it’s true!

and i say that his wife STILL looks like Polly Pocket Newt...

Wed, 02 May 2012 22:58:21 -0400

and i say that his wife STILL looks like Polly Pocket

Newt Gingrich has apparently never heard that no one likes a bragger. As he conceded his campaign, Gingrich listed every achievement he ever had, like former internships.

nedhepburn: I love Davenport! latimes: Stretch of Northern...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:48:09 -0400

nedhepburn: I love Davenport!

latimes:

Stretch of Northern California coast to be permanently protected: Under a landmark deal approved by the state Coastal Commission, nearly 10 square miles of untouched shoreline, glens, streams and farmland in Santa Cruz County will be transferred to the state and federal governments, which will operate it as open space and preserve portions for agriculture.

Photo: Along the coast near the Santa Cruz County town of Davenport. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Gotta say it: this particular arch means a lot to me. So many summers on that beach, eating (the most amazing) shrimp tacos at El Jarro Taqueria in the sleepy little town of Davenport across the street from where the beach is.

I love Santa Cruz, and I love that arch on that beach.

pantslessprogressive: Calling it “the most impactful living...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:46:35 -0400

pantslessprogressive:

Calling it “the most impactful living wage law in the United States,” New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is pushing legislation that would raise the minimum wage from $7.25/hour to $11.50/hour (and $10/hour with benefits) for developments subsidized by the city.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg does not support this living wage legislation, equating the policy with communist Russia:

“If you think about it, the last time we really had a big, managed economy was the U.S.S.R. and that didn’t work out so well,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “You cannot stop the tides from coming in. We need jobs in this city. It would be great if all jobs in the city paid a lot of money and had great benefits for the workers, not good for the employers, but if you force that, you will just drive businesses out of the city.” [NY Observer]

Quinn allegedly has enough votes to not only pass the bill, but to override a veto from Bloomberg. The mayor says he would veto the bill and would fight the legislation in court.

Bloomberg’s underlying argument:

“You just cannot force employers to pay a rate that doesn’t–isn’t sustainable in their business and it’s not the government’s business to do this.”

Also important to note: Speaker Quinn cut the number of workers who would benefit from this legislation - with exemptions for several high-profile developments - in order to gain enough support for the bill. The increased minimum wage would affect only 400-500 workers, according to the New York Times. Quinn defends the compromise, saying the bill is meant to apply to new developments.

Despite the diluted nature of the proposed policy, those who support the bill simply say something is better than nothing.

oh my god, this is classic! Perfect.

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:42:00 -0400

oh my god, this is classic!

Perfect.

newsweek: this looks so interesting! Here’s this week’s cover,...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:41:27 -0400

newsweek: this looks so interesting!

Here’s this week’s cover, on newsstands and the iPad tomorrow morning. And the summary of the corresponding story:

In an age where women are dominating - in the workplace, at school, at home - why are they seeking to be dominated in their love lives? Recent media portrayals have shown that a rising number of modern women fantasize about being overpowered, while studies are turning out statistics that bewilder feminists. New shows like HBO’s Girls and books like Fifty Shades of Grey are showcasing the often hidden desire for powerlessness. But why? Katie Roiphe examines the submissive yet empowered female in Newsweek. “It is perhaps inconvenient for feminism that the erotic imagination does not submit to politics, or even changing demographics,” she writes.

We haven’t seen the cover story yet, but color us intrigued! Let’s hear your pre-thoughts, tumblr.

shortformblog: nbclatino: President Barack Obama, left, kisses...

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 21:39:46 -0400

shortformblog:

nbclatino:

President Barack Obama, left, kisses Colombian pop star Shakira after she spoke during a land titling event for Afro-Colombian communities in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, April 15, 2012. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Obama with Colombia’s greatest recent cultural export.

ourpresidents: Treaty of Peace Between the Arab Republic of...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:03:54 -0400

ourpresidents:

Treaty of Peace Between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel

On March 26, 1979, on the North Grounds of the White House, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, U.S. President Jimmy Carter, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin joined hands after the signing of the “Treaty of Peace Between the Arab Republic of Egypt and the State of Israel.”

This is among the most requested photographs in the holdings of the Carter Library.

More- The Camp David Accords

kimjongillookingatthings: i never get tired of pictures of Kim...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:00:48 -0400

kimjongillookingatthings: i never get tired of pictures of Kim jong Il

looking at an apple

nevver: very cool statement + photo of it New York State...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:56:47 -0400

nevver: very cool statement + photo of it

New York State Senator Eric Adams in session today. [r.]

shortformblog: who doesn’t like the pope in a sombrero? i...

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:54:17 -0400

shortformblog: who doesn’t like the pope in a sombrero? i mean really? who?

Pope Benedict wears a sombrero on Central American tour

First Mexico, then Cuba: Pope Benedict was well-received in Mexico, where almost 350,000 people attended his Sunday Mass. But Cuba’s a bit of a challenge: Focusing less on his mass appeal there, the Pope hopes to use his trip to unite the world’s Catholic countries with those considered to be less Catholic. And Cuba, which until recently was an officially atheist nation, is certainly “less Catholic.” Smaller crowds were expected to attend his services in Cuba — despite the government providing transportation and a paid day off of work. Pope Benedict said last week that he hopes the people of Cuba can move away from Marxism to “find new models, with patience, and in a constructive way.” Hopefully he helps them along while wearing funny hats. source

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think-progress: BREAKING: Dow Jones closes above 13,000 for the...

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:01:10 -0500

think-progress:

BREAKING: Dow Jones closes above 13,000 for the first time since May 2008

latimes: Germany finds itself back in power in Europe: Germany...

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:40:58 -0500

latimes:

Germany finds itself back in power in Europe: Germany is the unquestioned boss amid Europe’s debt crisis and economic woes. But the turnaround has inspired discomfort among its neighbors and among Germans.

The leadership role thrust onto Germany is turning out to be a minefield in many ways, complicated by the nation’s past. Berlin is caught in a classic damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t position, its every move fodder for critics eager to spot signs either of Teutonic belligerence or a failure to exercise power responsibly.

Photo: German Chancellor Angela Merkel casts her vote on the Greek bailout fund in Parliament in Berlin. Potentially the fate of the global economy now lies in Germany’s hands as it heads the effort to keep heavily indebted Greece from going under. Credit: Michele Tantussi / Bloomberg

"There are credible reports that the death toll now often exceeds 100 civilians a day, including many..."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:39:17 -0500

“There are credible reports that the death toll now often exceeds 100 civilians a day, including many women and children. The total killed so far is certainly well over 7,500 people.””

- More than 7,500 people have died in Syria since security forces launched a crackdown on dissent last March, Under-Secretary-General for political affairs Lynn Pascoe said after a meeting of the UN Security Council. (source)

"The Republican party has made it clear that there is no room for moderates. I do find it..."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:38:02 -0500

“The Republican party has made it clear that there is no room for moderates. I do find it frustrating…that an atmosphere of polarization and ‘my way or the highway’ ideologies has become pervasive in campaigns and in our governing institutions.”

- Sen. Olympia Snowe • Discussing why she’s not seeking re-election in 2012. Snowe, a fairly popular figure in her home state of Maine, was considered a shoo-in to win, but now the seat is more likely to go to a Democrat. She found herself in the middle of the polarization wars more than a few times, as a moderate Republican who once voted in favor of Obama’s health care bill while it was still in committee (though she voted against the final bill). We’re not saying her decision isn’t bad for her party (especially since it comes roughly two weeks before the filing deadline in Maine, putting her party in a bad spot) … but we understand why she’s dropping out. Snowe joins fellow moderates Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) in the retirement column. (via shortformblog)

"Bruce Fealk admitted that after voting for Santorum, who he believes “would take this country back..."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:36:29 -0500

“Bruce Fealk admitted that after voting for Santorum, who he believes “would take this country back to the 18th century,” he “felt a little dirty. I went home and took a shower and felt fine.””

- Democrat says he “felt a little dirty” voting for Santorum (The Washington Post)

"So funny and so true! I bet If you play NPR backwards you can actually hear them say ‘We hate dumb..."

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 20:35:59 -0500

“So funny and so true! I bet If you play NPR backwards you can actually hear them say ‘We hate dumb people.’”

- Jim Gaffigan

(via brooklynmutt)

think-progress: Hundreds silently protest the Virginia bill...

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:26:23 -0500

Maddow Blog

Delegate Mark Sickles