In the News: Mar-17

House moves to make federal info more accessible - 17 Mar 2009 at 2:45pm - WASHINGTON -- The House voted Tuesday to simplify the way the federal government handles information with the goal of making documents more available to the public.

Gay-themed film cost Oklahoma teacher her job - 17 Mar 2009 at 1:58pm - Gay rights groups are complaining about the firing of a rural Oklahoma high school teacher who lost her job last week after assigning a play about the 1998 death of a gay college student. But the tiny school district says the move came after the teacher held a mock "funeral" for a canceled film production of the play. The episode began in January, when Debra Taylor showed students at Grandfield High School The Laramie Project, a 2002 film based on the play of the same name, about the murder of Matthew Shepard. The students soon decided to film selected scenes themselves for an in-class project.

Canadian accused at U.S. border of 'stealing American jobs' - 17 Mar 2009 at 1:49pm - A B.C. sales representative who markets equestrian products in Canada was barred from crossing the U.S. border to attend a trade show last month by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer who accused him of trying to steal American jobs.

To the extent that it's possible literally to steal a job (American or otherwise), it ought to be illegal to do so, but... wth?

Filmmaker to Debut Tale of Ex-Marine - March 16, 2009 8:00:58 PM - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An Oneonta filmmaker will premier a documentary this week about a former Marine-turned peace activist who co-founded the group Iraq Veterans Against the War.

U.S. housing starts rebound - 17 Mar 2009 at 8:51am - WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rebounded in February, surging 22.2 percent, according to data on Tuesday that provided a rare dose of good news for the recession-hit economy and fractured housing market.

Senator suggests AIG execs should kill themselves - 17 Mar 2009 at 8:18am - IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley suggested that AIG executives should take a Japanese approach toward accepting responsibility for the collapse of the insurance giant by resigning or killing themselves.

Or perhaps Grassley should resign, as a member of a legislative body which failed in its responsibility to regulate the financial industry?

Canada contributes $21M to fund for Afghan police - 17 Mar 2009 at 6:45am - Canada will put $21 million toward the salaries of Afghan police and prison guards over the next two years, it was revealed on Tuesday.

CIA director taps retired senator for advice - 16 Mar 2009 at 4:56pm - WASHINGTON -- CIA Director Leon Panetta has tapped a retired Republican senator to help guide him through a Senate Intelligence Committee investigation into the agency's Bush-era interrogation and detention practices.

Thought for the day:
Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back into the same box. -Italian Proverb)