Fwd: Things to Know - 26 September

1.  E.J. Dionne offers his opinion that only conservatives can abolish the death penalty:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/only-conservatives-can-end-the-death-penalty/2011/09/25/gIQABMLGxK_print.html

2.  For a change of pace, here is Paul Krugman speaking to the economic problems that the Euro Nation is having with its members who are dragging down the others - which is why are experiencing problems on this side of the pond:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/opinion/euro-zone-death-trip.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

3.  Boy, this will be a real interesting GOP battle.  The candidates will be on a trajectory of who can be more RIGHT that the other, and then...and then, who can out DEVIL the other:  This picture is rated NFMA - Not For Mature Audiences:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/opinion/why-the-antichrist-matters-in-politics.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

4.  This is the only news item for Sunday that the NY Times has on the protest in the financial district near Wall Street.   It's about pepper spray being used on non-violent or peaceful participants.   What is curiously troubling is that this newspaper, and others, are staying as far away as they can from reporting the reason for the protest, and who is doing the protesting.  The "disturbance" may be losing steam, since there were only about 200 people on hand (reported by Business Week), down from 1,000 when it got started.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/26/nyregion/videos-show-police-using-pepper-spray-at-protest.html?ref=nyregion&pagewanted=print

5.  Steve Lopez brings us a story of one man, struggling with unemployment, getting a part-time job, and still struggling with the help of food stamps and a great attitude, and charitable assistance.  He's lucky, in a sense, it could be said.  Multiply this scenario a few million times, some with and some without the same assistance, and we see how fragile life is right now.  It would not take much for whatever is helping him hold on to collapse.  Is there a rich person out there to hire him, or should there be a bigger platform for him and all the others that would give more of an opportunity?:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0926-lopez-hefoundajob-20110921,0,5116521,print.column

6.  The problem with a great idea in a compassionate state in this economy.  Financial aid for the undocumented to attend college/university competing for the same dollars with the general population:
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-student-aid-20110925,0,181589.story

7.  Political Power in the county of Los Angeles as laid out by the separate representative districts has definite economic and ethnic impact.  One supervisor is suggests that redrawing lines to create one "Latino" district has its merits, while the other supervisors are cool to the idea for various reasons - mostly an apparent erosion of a predictable base of support.  Those of you readers in Fayette County, Georgia in the at-large system would not know what this speaks to:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-newton-column-county-supervisors-redistricti-20110926,0,5301726,print.column

8.  Closing out this morning, Doyle McManus reviews the pluses and minuses of the GOP debates so far.  There are nine more left.  He suggests that at if they continue in their present trend, the Republicants are not doing themselves any favors.  I would suggest that the best thing the GOP could do would ban any TV coverage, and prohibit any member of the media to be present to cover their talking points.   But then, what would that say about what is going on in the GOP right now?:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-mcmanus-column-repbublican-debates-20110925,0,7799455,print.column
--

"The place where optimism most flourishes is the lunatic asylum."
       -- Havelock Ellis

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       -- Robert Orben

"'Who are you and how did you get in here?' 'I'm a locksmith. And, I'm a locksmith.'"
       -- Leslie Nielsen

"It is better to be quotable than to be honest."
       -- Tom Stoppard