News Nuggets 1000

DAYLEE PICTURE: The Svartifoss Falls in Iceland.  From National Geographic.

U.S. to Create Massive Military Base in Kuwait to Counter Restless Iran and Growing Middle East Uncertainty from the Daily Mail [of the UK] 
"The United States is planning a significant military presence of 13,500 troops in Kuwait to give it the flexibility to respond to sudden conflicts in the region."

Russian Ship Carrying Helicopters to Syria Turns Back from the Washington Post
"A Russian ship carrying attack helicopters to the Syrian government turned back toward home Tuesday after its London-based insurance carrier canceled coverage, following a warning from the British government that the delivery would violate European Union sanctions. U.S. and British officials said the ship, which had reached the North Sea near Scotland, appeared to be returning to its home port on the Baltic Sea."

In Iran, They Want Fun, Fun, Fun (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times
"About half of Iranians are under the age of 25, and Iran has done a solid job of raising their education levels. I was struck on my 1,700-mile road trip across Iran by how many of them share American values, seeking fun rather than fanaticism. They seem less interested in the mosques than in amusement parks (which are ubiquitous in Iran)."

Why Assange Needs Ecuador and Ecuador Needs Assange (Ashley Fantz) from CNN
"So where in the world should Assange turn for refuge? He picked Ecuador, which says it will consider his application for asylum. "It's a very smart move to go there. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa and Assange have mutual interests -- they both support the idea that the U.S. is an imperial power that has to be checked," said Robert Amsterdam,"

Blacks Miss Out as Jobs Rebound in City from the New York Times
"Over half of all African-Americans and other non- Hispanic blacks in New York who were old enough to work had no jobs this year, employment data showed."

How Government Funding of Science Rewards U.S. Taxpayers (Fareed Zakaria) frrom the Washington Post
"...as we confront difficulties across the economic landscape, the one area where the United States can still move from strength to strength is science and technology — if we make the right decisions."

Montana Could Force SCOTUS To Re-Hash Citizens United from Talking Points Memo
"The Supreme Court could give Citizens United a second look this month as it decides whether to take up a lawsuit against the state of Montana, which wants its century-old state law restricting corporate influence in elections to stay in place. Montana is the only state so far to assert its existing corporate-money ban should still stand after the court ruled in 2010 that corporations could spend unlimited amounts on election ads via independent groups."

Catholic Nuns Kick Off Nine-State Bus Tour To Protest House Republican Budget Cuts (Travis Waldron) from Think Progress
"A group of Roman Catholic nuns kicked off a nine-state bus tour across the Midwest this morning in an effort to highlight the cuts to safety net programs contained in the House Republican budget authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), himself an outspoken Catholic. The bus tour began this morning in Iowa and includes a Tuesday stop in Ryan’s Wisconsin district."
GOOD for those nuns!!  It's good to see them pushing back against the more partisan bishops!

Democrats, GOP Draw Lines in Eric Holder ‘Fast and Furious’ Contempt Battle (Patricia Murphy) from the Daily Beast
"With Republicans voting to hold the attorney general in contempt and Obama backing him using executive privilege, partisan sniping is hitting a zenith. Patricia Murphy and Aram Roston on the worsening war of words and what happens next."

Republicans’ Attempt to Hold Holder in Contempt is Uphill Battle (Dana Milbank) from the Washington Post
"There is something charmingly futile about House Republicans’ move to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress. Even if the full House follows the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s vote Wednesday to hold him in contempt, the decision about whether to prosecute him will be left to a Justice Department run by ... Eric Holder."

Is President Obama baiting House Republicans? (Chris Cillizza and Aaron Blake) from the Washington Post
"In the past six days, President Obama has sent a very clear message to Republicans in Congress. And that message goes like this: Bring it on. ... Congressional Republicans have quickly responded in kind — condemning Obama’s end-run around them on immigration and scheduling a contempt vote for Attorney General Eric Holder on the House floor next week. The question is whether, in reacting quickly and forcefully to his provocations, Republicans are playing directly into Obama’s strategic plan."

Obama Campaign Relying On Ground Game To Counter Romney Money from the Bloomberg News Service
"President Barack Obama’s campaign officials say they are braced for an election decided by a razor-thin margin and are counting on their political organization in key states to overcome what they expect will be Republican Mitt Romney’s money advantage."

How Lucky Is Obama In His Opponent? (Alec MacGillis) from the New Republic 
"At the breakfast, Mr. Romney introduced two of his sons, Matt and Craig, in a slightly unusual fashion. “I love them,” Mr. Romney said. “I love them like they’re my own. And they are! Craig!” With that, Craig Romney rescued the microphone from his father."

Obama's America: Transcending Whiteness (Ian Reifowitz) from the Huffington Post
"White anxiety--the negative reaction to our increasing diversity--is one of the main drivers of support for Tea Party conservatism. It is thus a primary obstacle to increasing support for an inclusive national unity, as Theda Skocpol and Vanessa Williamson argue in their recent groundbreaking book The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism. Reducing white anxiety must then become a priority, not only for progressives, but for anyone interested in this country's future."

PITTSBURGH HIGHER ED NUGGET!!
Tops in the Nation: Penn State and Pitt Costs Draw a Dubious Ranking from the Editorial Board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"Administrators at both institutions are correct when they complain about the level of support they receive from Pennsylvania. The state-related universities saw a 19 percent reduction in their state allotments for 2011-12 and were threatened with another drop of as much as 30 percent for the next fiscal year in Gov. Tom Corbett's proposed budget. In addition, the state historically has been less than generous in funding higher education. ... That is significant, but it is not the whole answer."

The Ghost Subway Station of New York from the Daily Mail [of the UK] 
"It was supposed to be the showpiece of New York City’s new subway system. Stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers adorned its curved walls and arched ceilings. But City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after it opened its doors in 1904."
The pictures with this article are GREAT!!

WEATHER PHOTO NUGGET!!
Awe-Inspiring Natural Beauty of Terrifying Tempests as They Sweep Across America Captured by Storm Chasing Photographer from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"These pictures look like scenes from the film Independence Day.  But although it might look like the end of the world has arrived they are in fact terrifying tempests, capable of devouring an entire landscape in just minutes."