News Round Up -- more mish mash

Last round of mish mash was pretty fruitful as it produced UPDATES... I love it when other people get interested in the same stories I am fascinated by ... Oh, okay, let's face it, I just LOVE news. I can't get enough.  Oh, and maybe I haven't been saying as many snide things as pass my mind out loud ... or maybe I have and I can't stop.  You are duly warned.

These stories caught my eye...

I am sorry it took the media to try to discredit something the president said in order to focus on issues of the working poor, but here it is.  Turns out, hold on to your hat, that many people who get assistance from the government live on the edge of bankruptcy/homelessness, etc.  Turns out it is not only hard to save money under these conditions, our government (federal and sometimes state) kick you off assistance if you SAVE money -- just listen in ... they will break it down for you.  They got it now.

First of all, this guy sounds 12 on the radio -- you might want to listen to it just for that, but be careful, he is the "co-founder" of Facebook (is that after the lawsuit??) and a former presidential adviser (read he donated a lot of money for the 2008 election).  In any case, his *vision* for the future of the New Republic does sound like something I can get behind.

So, college is for chumps, and we should be encouraging those entrepreneurial spirits to go right into business, but Watson should go to college.  Yes, Watson is a computer, but since he already won Jeopardy, doesn't that mean he should get out there and use his dazzling skills, not hone them.  That was a really long, run-on sentence, but I am already in college...what to do?!

I am touchy about family right now, so almost anything makes me cry, but my heart was held when I listened to how this family worked out getting back together.

I absolutely approve of the president drawing the line in the sand on immigration on the idealistic side of the equation.  It may be the only way not to water down the already mild immigration bill put forth by the bi-partisan vote wanters. -- On a related note, a friend shared this story [and she said she would keep sharing it until everyone got the message] on what you can do to make this happen.  On a related note, this story tries to bring some historical perspective to the issue of immigration.  Tries, but there are several important historical pieces missing and plenty of other people's perspectives ignored.

Every year, for Black History Month, news outlets trot out some old stories and find some new(ish) ones to share.  Here is one about an exhibit about a segregated school that once existed in a city I once lived in.  This is not really a Black History Month, but I wonder how much prominence Ms. Washington-Williams' death would have been if she had died in March.  May she rest in peace.

This story is really too long and indulgent, but the saving (and thriving) of Grand Central Station in NYC is really worth some indulgence ... especially if you have looked (have to look) at Penn Station and mourn the loss of a once beautiful, vibrant space.  So, happy birthday GCS ... may you long be too prosperous to tear down!

Here are some thoughts on an icon of a pizza place that has been put out of commission (temporarily) by "superstorm Sandy."