Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility return to Gaza

By Gerri Haynes

(Gerri Haynes, a former president of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility, will be sending back reports from inside blockaded Gaza. As she did three times before, Gerri organized a team of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created.)

Five members of Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility and one intrepid member of Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility arrived in Gaza yesterday ? hoping to provide medical care and consultation to this besieged population. This is the fourth WPSR delegation to travel to Gaza in the last two years.

The 1.6 (or more) million people of this small strip of land are captives of a situation that offers them no free access to the rest of the world. Once, they were able to move relatively freely through Palestinian and Israeli lands. Many Gazans worked daily in Israel. Many visited their families in the West Bank. For nearly five years, the only ?free? movement has been through the dangerous tunnels that connect southern Gaza with Egypt. More on that below!

We made our way to Gaza through Israel, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, meeting interesting people along the way.

Amos Givertz, an Israeli working to help the Bedouin population of the Negev Desert (Photo by Bob Haynes).

Amos Givertz of Shefayim Kibbutz is a strong advocate for peace. We met Amos for dinner and breakfast in the kibbutz hotel. Israeli authorities are moving the Bedouin population of the Negev Desert from their homes ? clearing the land for development by Israel. Amos, with other Israelis, works with Bedouins to protest and prevent these ?relocations? of entire villages. His work is voluntary and compelling ? and heroic. He says a two-state solution would define land borders and stop the process of Israel pushing the Palestinians from their land ? that an initial one-state solution would make the future for Palestinians more problematic.

Laura Wharton is a member of the left-wing Meretz Party in Israel and was elected to serve (without pay) on the Jerusalem City Council. She met with our group at the Notre Dame Hotel to talk about actions to increase services to Palestinians living in East Jerusalem. She says Arabs are rapidly immigrating to East Jerusalem and the cost of housing is sky-rocketing. Issues of water and infrastructure such as schools in East Jerusalem remain challenging for the City Council. One complicating factor for management of City finances is the presence of a large number of ultra-orthodox Jews in West Jerusalem. The ultra-orthodox do not have to work, serve in the military or pay taxes, yet receive social services and stipends for studying in the Yeshiva.

We were to cross (by permit) into Gaza on Thursday but the border was closed for a holiday. Friday morning, we crossed through to the Gaza side with no difficulties and were joyfully greeted by our hosts from the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme. Gaza has experienced many attacks by the Israeli military since our last visit here and we witnessed some of the building destruction as we traveled.

Our group is comprised of three physicians and three nurses and following a brief tour, Rich Grady and Laura Hart began their work by screening more than 30 urology patients.

During our tour, we witnessed several community celebrations ? people gathering in the streets ? welcoming home prisoners who were released this week by Israel in the prisoner exchange for the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit.

The young creator of this artwork was recently slain in an Israeli raid.

We stopped to meet with one prisoner who was held for 26 years in various Israeli jails for having participated in protests against the Occupation. He said he had not killed anyone. Sitting near this prisoner was his son, an attorney, who was eight months old when his father was imprisoned and the prisoner?s brother whose own son was killed recently in Gaza in a targeted assassination by Israeli forces. The released prisoner requested that Human Rights activists seek a review of conditions in Israeli jails. He learned two days prior to his release that he was to be set free. He had had no contact with his family since 1995.

Traveling south, we stopped at the Rafah border to witness the preparation of another tunnel from Gaza to Egypt. These tunnels carry goods into Gaza and provide a lifeline around the ongoing siege while the people of Gaza continue to hope for a peaceful resolution to the conflict between Palestine and Israel.

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Union Lutheran youth raise money for tornado relief

Saturday, October 22, 2011 12:00 AM | Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend |

Abby Deaton works on a project for Sonshine Kids. Submitted photo.

Beavis Norris looks over the items for sale by the Sonshine Kids. Submitted photo.

Sonshine kids work on projects to raise money. Submitted photo.

The Sonshine Kids sold things like these flower pots to raise money for tornado relief. Submitted photo.

The Sonshine Kids have raised more than $2,000 for tornado relief. Submitted photo.

A group of 15 children at Union Lutheran Church have learned that their efforts really can make a difference.

Through fundraising efforts, the group helped raised more than $2,200 that will go to tornado victims.

They raised the money through ?God?s Little Art Gallery,? held for the first time recently at Union Lutheran Church.

The event showcased the arts and crafts of a group of the Sonshine Kids, who meet Wednesdays from 4:30 to 5:30.

In April, Ann Brady says, the kids ?couldn?t stop talking about? the tornadoes that had hit.

?They were so concerned about the people affected by the tornadoes.?

So they began to talk about what they could do, and someone suggested selling their art.

So this summer, they spent every Wednesday afternoon making things to raise money for North Carolina tornado victims

They painted pictures with fingerprints paints, decorated clay pots of all sizes with paint and other items, made tithing boxes, bookmarks with watercolor art and hand painted coasters with stencils and Bible verses. Donated flowers and plants were added to some of the pots and others were filled with all kinds of small treats and gifts.

?The kids are so proud of themselves,? Brady says. ?They worked really hard. I was proud of them. They gave their time, energy and talents.?

In addition to their arts and crafts, with help from church members and the community, a silent auction of themed baskets was offered, along with a bake sale and spaghetti supper.

The ?Sonshine Kids? offered their voices in eight beautiful songs, including a song of thankfulness to those attending.

More than $2,200 has already been raised, with money still coming in.

Once there is a final tally, proceeds will go to the local American Red Cross to be given to tornado victims in North Carolina.

The Sonshine Kids are under the direction of Kay Morgan, Ann Brady and Tonya Brittain.

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Poor lil' fella: T-Mobile says it wants the iPhone 4S really bad (Digital Trends)

It hurts to be left out. This holiday season T-Mobile is the only major wireless carrier in the United States that doesn?t carry the iPhone 4S, and it?s Media Relations team sounds a bit sad. In a press release today vaguely entitled ?STATEMENT: T-Mobile USA 4G Smartphones,? T-Mobile?s Andrew Sherrard sounds a bit mopey. No new products or services were revealed in the statement, which doesn?t seem to have much of a purpose except to put the blame on Apple for T-Mobile not getting the iPhone. It?s like T-Mobile asked Apple to the school formal and was rejected.?

T-Mobile?s statement

T-Mobile thinks the iPhone is a good device and we?ve expressed our interest to Apple to offer it to our customers. Ultimately, it is Apple?s decision. The issue remains that Apple has not developed a version of the iPhone with technology that works on our fast 3G and 4G networks. We believe a capable version of the iPhone for our 3G and 4G networks would offer an additional compelling option for our customers on a fast 4G network. However, the iPhone is not the only option to experience the benefit that smartphones offer.

T-Mobile?s 4G smartphones stack up against competitive smartphones in terms of functionality, speed, features offered and overall experience ? including the iPhone 4S. Reports continue of iPhones not operating well on some carrier networks, while our latest 4G smartphones offer many advantages vs. the iPhone 4S:

• Capable of faster speeds
• Bigger screens
• Compelling service pricing
• More advanced camera on the HTC Amaze 4G
• More choice

We firmly believe that T-Mobile?s portfolio will give any iPhone a run for its money. We offer the increased processing power and faster 4G speeds achieved by our fastest smartphones, the most advanced camera of any smartphone on the HTC Amaze 4G, and our industry-leading 4.52? super AMOLED display offered on the Samsung Galaxy S II.

With our portfolio of Android, Windows, and BlackBerry smartphones, fast 4G network, and competitively priced worry-free unlimited talk, text, and data plans, we believe it?s a great time to be a T-Mobile customer.

It?s like a John Hughes movie

If you read the Statement like a script to a romantic comedy, it makes for some good entertainment. Here?s the plot: T-Mobile has been obsessed with Apple?s iPhone 4S all semester. Apple flirted back for a while and the two got to know each other. ?When it came time for the Fall formal, T-Mobile knew it wanted to take Apple, which is, as we all know, the prettiest girl at Valley High. Unfortunately, when T-Mobile asked Apple to the dance, Cuppertino turned it down. Full of hurt (and with millions of upset users), T-Mobile is now trying to make Apple jealous by bringing bigger, faster, and prettier Android smartphones to the dance instead. If this were a movie, Apple would soon get really jealous and jump into T-Mobile?s arms at the end of the night. Sadly, life doesn?t always work that way.?

T-Mobile is a fine carrier and, as we?ve said, it may have the best lineup of Android phones this holiday season, but it stings not having the iPhone, especially when the bar is so low. I mean, Sprint got it. If T-Mobile is still a carrier in a year, we assume Apple may consider it for the iPhone 6, but it may not if 4G LTE is the focus of the device. Either way, for those who value data and don?t use much voice, T-Mobile has a great $30 prepaid plan out in conjunction with Walmart.?

This article was originally posted on Digital Trends

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Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/personaltech/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/digitaltrends/20111021/tc_digitaltrends/poorlilfellatmobilesaysitwantstheiphone4sreallybad

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Old-time radio convention meets for last time

Writer and director Edgar Farr Russell III, left, directs Russell Horton, standing center, as Jughead Jones, and others during rehearsal of his "Radio Goes To War," episode, "Any Bonds Today" at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. To devotees of old-time radio, Fibber McGee is still opening that closet and Fred Allen and Jack Benny are still enjoying their feud. But time has run out on this convention. This weekend's gathering of the Friends of Old-time Radio is the 36th and last, says the organizer. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Writer and director Edgar Farr Russell III, left, directs Russell Horton, standing center, as Jughead Jones, and others during rehearsal of his "Radio Goes To War," episode, "Any Bonds Today" at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. To devotees of old-time radio, Fibber McGee is still opening that closet and Fred Allen and Jack Benny are still enjoying their feud. But time has run out on this convention. This weekend's gathering of the Friends of Old-time Radio is the 36th and last, says the organizer. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

A book about The Shadow radio series sits nearby as Lauri Bortz, dressed in a 1940's outfit, looks through bins of old radio programs at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. To devotees of old-time radio, Fibber McGee is still opening that closet and Fred Allen and Jack Benny are still enjoying their feud. But time has run out on this convention. This weekend's gathering of the Friends of Old-time Radio is the 36th and last, says the organizer. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Lauri Bortz is dressed in a 1940's outfit as she looks through bins of old radio programs and movies at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. To devotees of old-time radio, Fibber McGee is still opening that closet and Fred Allen and Jack Benny are still enjoying their feud. But time has run out on this convention. This weekend's gathering of the Friends of Old-time Radio is the 36th and last, says the organizer. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

Writer and director Edgar Farr Russell III, left, directs Russell Horton, standing center, as Jughead Jones, and others during rehearsal of his "Radio Goes To War," episode, "Any Bonds Today" at the Friends of Old-Time Radio convention in Newark, N.J., Friday, Oct. 21, 2011. To devotees of old-time radio, Fibber McGee is still opening that closet and Fred Allen and Jack Benny are still enjoying their feud. But time has run out on this convention. This weekend's gathering of the Friends of Old-time Radio is the 36th and last, says the organizer. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) ? For one weekend a year, the ghosts and survivors of Jack Benny, Benny Goodman, Goodman Ace and hundreds of other legends of the old days of radio hold court at a hotel across the road from Newark Airport.

The annual Friends of Old-Time Radio Convention has been meeting for 36 years. But when it signs off Saturday night, it will be for the last time. The reason is simple, says Jay Hickerson, a musician who has been running the show from the beginning: the march of time.

"Lack of OTR (old-time radio) guests. And the committee is getting older," he said.

The gathering, humble as it is, used to be able to call on a constellation of stars from the early days of radio.

Now it's down to former child stars in their 80s and 90s. Arthur Anderson, 88, who acted as a teenager with Orson Welles, is an honored guest. Grandsons of 1930s song and dance star Eddie Cantor and Brace Beemer, the voice of the Lone Ranger for most of its run on radio, are on the program.

Collecting old-time radio shows and trivia has never been a young person's game. But most of the convention-goers are too young to have firsthand recollections of the shows they're buying, recreating and discussing on panels.

Gary Yoggy, 73, has been to all 36 of the conventions.

"It's my favorite weekend of the year. It tops Christmas," he said.

Yoggy, a retired history teacher from Corning, N.Y., is part of the committee that puts on the convention. He directed a re-creation of a Tom Mix episode for a Friday afternoon program.

"It's like reliving my youth," he said. "I was a kid when the golden age of radio was beginning to die."

Simon Jones is one of the celebrity guests for the weekend. Jones doesn't exactly qualify as a Golden Age of Radio star. He played Arthur Dent in the BBC's hugely popular radio and TV adaptations of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, starting in 1978. But he's been here before and is delighted to be asked.

"I've learned quite a lot about what went on before me," he said.

Listeners who started as children, he said, make the most loyal fans. "If you can catch them that young, maybe they'll become addicted later on."

But it's not just the radio programs that bring participants back year after year.

Stuart Weiss has been part of the steering committee from the beginning. He moderates a music panel with Brian Gari, the Cantor grandson. Weiss likens the gathering to a family reunion.

"These are old friendships. But you don't keep in touch during the year. We come here, it's as if we were together yesterday," he said.

Weiss, a party supply salesman from Staten Island, was inspired by the convention to start his own radio show on the Internet. It's eight hours long.

"I can't stop," he said. The party supply business isn't doing too well these days, but "when I do my show, I forget all my problems. And for eight hours, I'm in heaven."

Sometimes the family aspect is literal. Gary Yoggy met his wife at the convention. They've been married 29 years. Jeff Muller, 45, has been coming since he was a teenager. He brings his father.

"I guess it's his second childhood, in a way," he said.

And when the curtain comes down, after Jay Hickerson and his wife Karen play "I'll Be Seeing You" and a version of "Thanks for the Memories," with special lyrics written for the convention?

Weiss joked he'll come back to the Newark Airport Ramada anyway and wander around empty rooms. Yoggy said he wants to help revive radio drama, which withered away decades ago, in the United States at least.

Jones, the Hitchhiker's Guide star, said the form remains alive in Britain. Next year, the radio version goes on a live tour.

"Obviously, this art form hasn't quite died," he said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2011-10-21-Old-Time%20Radio-Signing%20Off/id-bf1d667060cc49dabbcd778efcdd88a8

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Suicidal Thoughts Highest in Utah, National Survey Finds (LiveScience.com)

While someone commits suicide in the United States every 15 minutes, many more think about it or even attempt to take their own lives, according to a new study showing that residents of Utah have the highest rates of such thoughts while suicide attempts are highest in Rhode Island.

A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2008 through 2009. Results showed that serious thoughts of suicide range from about 1 in 50 adults in Georgia (2.1 percent) to 1 in 15 in Utah (6.8 percent). [See complete list of state suicide numbers]

"Suicide is a tragedy for individuals, families and communities. This report highlights that we have opportunities to intervene before someone dies by suicide. We can identify risks and take action before a suicide attempt takes place," said Thomas M. Frieden, CDC director. "Most people are uncomfortable talking about suicide, but this is not a problem to shroud in secrecy. We need to work together to raise awareness about suicide and learn more about interventions that work to prevent this public health problem."

Though suicidal thoughts reign supreme in Utah, Rhode Island had the most suicide attempts, with 1 in 67 (1.5 percent) of adults attempting suicide there. However, only about 1 in 1.000 adults in Delaware and Georgia (0.1 percent) attempted suicide during the study period. In all, more than 1 million adults (0.5 percent of the population) attempted suicide last year.

Traditionally, suicide rates are the highest in Western states, including the Rocky Mountain states. This study, which looked at suicide attempts that didn't end in deaths and thoughts about suicide, finds a different trend. Adults in the Midwest and West were more likely to have thoughts of suicide than those in the Northeast and South, and adults in the Midwest (but not the West) were more likely to have made suicide plans than those in the South.

The highest rates of suicidal thoughts, planning and attempts were in young adults ages 18 to 29 and in women.

"Multiple factors contribute to risk for suicidal behavior. The variations identified in this report might reflect differences in the frequency of risk factors and the social and economic makeup of the study populations," said Linda C. Degutis, director of CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. "These differences can influence the types of prevention strategies used in communities and the groups included."

The CDC released the findings today (Oct 20).

You can follow LiveScience staff writer Jennifer Welsh on Twitter @microbelover. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/science/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20111020/sc_livescience/suicidalthoughtshighestinutahnationalsurveyfinds

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Sony Ericsson bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to Xperia handsets

HTC may be busy pondering its Android 4.0 future, but Sony Ericsson is apparently ready to take a bite out of Google's Ice Cream Sandwich. Yesterday, in a post on its Facebook page, Sony Ericsson's Dutch branch stated that it will indeed upgrade its Xperia lineup to the latest Android OS, though it didn't offer any details on release dates. We reached out to the manufacturer for confirmation, and received the following statement:

Sony Ericsson is currently rolling out the upgrade to Gingerbread 2.3.4 across its entire 2011 Xperia smartphone portfolio. This software upgrade will be available through a phased roll out in select markets. Beyond Gingerbread 2.3.4, we plan to upgrade our 2011 Xperia smartphone portfolio to the next Android platform made available to us.

The company went on to say that all official software announcements will be posted on its blog, so we'll let you know as soon as we have more details.

Sony Ericsson bringing Ice Cream Sandwich to Xperia handsets originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Oct 2011 05:53:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/20/sony-ericsson-bringing-ice-cream-sandwich-to-xperia-handsets/

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Pakistani poor hit by decision to spurn US aid

LAHORE, Pakistan?? U.S. aid could have transformed Pakistan's largest maternity hospital, where rats run through the halls, patients sleep three to a bed, women who require C-sections aren't getting them because only one operating room is functioning, and premature babies risk death because of a shortage of incubators.

But the government of Pakistan's most populous province, Punjab, turned down an American offer of $127 million for health care, education and municipal services following the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Sixteen million dollars was earmarked for Lady Willingdon Hospital in the provincial capital of Lahore.

The government's decision was thought to be an attempt to win votes by capitalizing on pervasive anti-American sentiment in a province with a significantly larger population than France and a bigger land area than Greece. Pakistan's federal government and other provinces did not follow suit, but they may also find themselves with less U.S. assistance soon.

Pressure is growing in the U.S. Congress to reduce the billions of dollars in annual military and civilian aid because of the government's alleged ties to Islamist militants. The money has failed to persuade Pakistan to target militants using its territory to attack U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

The experience in Punjab shows that the impact of an aid cut in this poverty-stricken country would be felt most acutely by the poorest citizens, not the army generals allegedly gambling with militant proxies in Afghanistan or wealthy politicians hoping to win votes with their anti-American gestures.

Pakistan's elite does benefit from U.S. assistance, either through lucrative contracts for NGOs or by allegedly skimming off money funneled through the government. The loss of these funds may crimp their lifestyle, but it is unlikely to affect whether their families get adequate medical treatment or their children a decent education.

"The decision of the Punjab government to turn down U.S. money was not in the best interests of poor people in Punjab," said Mohammed Sharif, a senior administrator at Lady Willingdon Hospital. "It was a high-level decision, and we are suffering for it."

Hospital ceilings covered in black mold
Like many government-run hospitals in Pakistan, Lady Willingdon struggles to provide even basic care. The hospital, built by the British in the 1930s before Pakistan's independence, was meant to house 80 patients. The country's population has since boomed, forcing officials to cram 235 patients into a facility that is now run-down. Paint peels off the concrete walls and black mold covers the ceilings.

Patients are forced to share beds, and sometimes women who are close to giving birth have to sit on the floor for lack of space, nurse Kaneez Akhtar said.

The hospital also faces a shortage of critical medical equipment. There is only one functioning operating room, leaving women lined up to receive cesarean sections, a senior doctor said.

"We lose a lot of babies because of that," said the doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

There are only three working infant incubators, which were donated by NGOs, said Mohammed Athar, the doctor who runs the nursery for premature babies. The hospital is forced to use overhead warmers for other infants, leaving them more exposed to disease, he said.

"Without incubators, it's useless," said Athar.

The $16 million offered by the U.S. would have been used to purchase 10 incubators, build a new 100-bed ward and expand the nursery and emergency facilities, said Sharif, the hospital administrator.

The U.S. has financed similar efforts to transform two hospitals in southern Sindh province that treat tens of thousands of patients every year.

The head of the Punjab government, Shahbaz Sharif, tried to justify his decision to spurn American aid following the May 2 raid that killed the al-Qaida chief not far from Pakistan's equivalent of West Point. He said at the time that Pakistan needed "to break the begging bowl" and "get rid of the foreign shackles."

The U.S. operation outraged Pakistani officials because they were not told about it beforehand.

Sharif is a leading member of the main opposition party in the country, and many viewed his decision as a way to siphon votes away from the Pakistan People's Party, which controls the federal government. The Punjab government spokesman declined to comment on this interpretation.

Sharif and other members of his government are unlikely to feel much personal impact from the move to turn down U.S. aid.

'Should have taken the money'
Free government-run hospitals like Lady Willingdon are mainly used by the poor, who are already suffering from Pakistan's weak economy and surging inflation. Wealthier citizens opt for more expensive private institutions in Pakistan or abroad.

A large chunk of the American assistance, $100 million, was to be used to rebuild schools in southern Punjab destroyed by last year's devastating floods. An additional $10 million was meant to improve municipal services like clean water and sanitation.

The money will now be redirected to other areas of the country, the U.S. Embassy said.

Washington has continued several programs in Punjab that don't run directly through the provincial government, such as rehabilitation of power plants and small grants to female entrepreneurs in flood-affected areas, said the embassy.

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The loss of aid for schools, water and sanitation also won't be felt acutely by the elite. Most send their children to private schools and live in leafy parts of Lahore dotted with Western restaurant chains, polo grounds and cosmetic surgery centers. The Sharifs own property in London worth millions of dollars.

The Pakistani military, which has received the bulk of U.S. assistance over the past decade, is also somewhat insulated from a reduction in aid. Its officers mostly live on well-manicured cantonments that have their own schools and hospitals that are much better than those available to the general public.

Life is very different for Pakistanis who live in Shamaspura, a dirt-poor part of Lahore filled with ramshackle brick houses separated by a narrow mud lane coursing with sewage. Most of the roughly 15,000 residents are fruit and vegetable vendors who make about $2 per day. They are forced to tie pieces of cloth across their faucets to filter out dirt and insects in the water.

"We have asked the government to pave our road and build us a sewer system, but they said they don't have any money," said Jumma Khan, a 55-year-old vegetable vendor.

Poor citizens could take out their anger at the ballot box, but Pakistani politicians often insulate themselves by bestowing favors on village elders and other influential people who direct ordinary citizens how to vote.

The U.S. may be unpopular in Pakistani neighborhoods like Shamaspura, but residents said it was crazy for the government to turn down aid that could have improved their lives.

"This is rich people denying aid meant for the poor," said Batool Akhtar, a feisty old lady wearing a dirty yellow shalwar kameez covered in white flowers. "The government should have taken the money."

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44964917/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

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