Fairmount CA

Five years ago, I started my journey to very poor. I was pregnant, and while expecting, my son was diagnosed with Down syndrome. My relationship with his father ended after our sons birth, when I decided to be a stay-at-home mom. With the end of my paychecks, the pressing need for money was more pressure than he could bear. This was the scariest decision I ever made — to become a stay-at-home single parent for a child with special needs; a choice that would change the trajectory of my life forever.

In the first few years of my sons life there were endless appointments — doctors, speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavioral therapists and a bevy of others. If it were not for the financial and emotional support I receive from his father and my friends and family, my son and I would probably be homeless by now. What also helps a great deal is support we receive from social service programs like Regional Center, Medi-Cal and Social Security. And with all of the support we receive from so many sources, there have still been times when Ive been so fearful of the unknowns we face that I have wanted to just stop breathing.

I decided to share the intimate experience of my journey after hearing Mitt Romneys statement that he did not care about the very poor because of the safety net provided for them. As one of the very poor (which includes too many single minority mothers) I heard his statement as not only a reflection of his lack of compassion, but also as a reflection of his inability to lead a nation where the divide between the impoverished and the wealthy continues to widen.

I have seen many sides of very poor. Having been born to a teenaged mother in the late 60s, I was raised in the harsh terrain that impoverished children often face, such as parental neglect, substance addiction, physical abuse, violence and shame. You name it, someone close to me or I experienced it firsthand.

If youve never known the very poor, you might think the greatest issue is money. Yes, the need for money and resources absorb much of the very poors energy, but poverty is as much a condition of the heart as it is a reality of daily living. From Mr. Romneys comment about the safety net, I guess he thinks that the impoverished are essentially taken care of. Im here to say he is deeply mistaken. In reality, the impoverished need the belief that they are worthy, necessary and capable of achieving their potential, even more than they need the safety net of government subsidies.

When I was eight years old, my teacher, Mrs. Brown, saw in me what wasnt being reflected to me in my home. She saw that I was good reader and an eager student, and she worked with my grandmother (who had already raised six children) to have me enrolled in a magnet-school program. And although I was a precocious and smart kid who exhibited the intelligence for a magnet education, poverty lived within me. And even as I was bussed to a middle-class community to get a better education, nothing seemed to convince me that I was as good as the little children who lived in the ranch-style homes with perfectly manicured lawns that surrounded the new school I attended. In hindsight, it seems that sending me to school out of my neighborhood just reinforced my deep feelings of shame and isolation.

Fast-forward thirty years. With tenacity, perseverance and great support, I have completed a bachelors and a masters degree, and through circumstances of my own creation, I am again very poor. But today its different. I have learned from the experience I had as a child and have chosen not to take my parents missteps. They both died before I was thirty years old. My father was murdered, and my mother had a heart attack. Through education, I have learned how to traverse the rocky terrain of very poor that permeates every area of life and often shortens it. And our world has changed — its better, in that the necessities for living a peaceful, healthy life are more widely known. Unlike my parents, I understand that simple things like my attitude, the company I keep and the foods I eat will have a profound affect on my daily experience. Unlike my parents, I accept my choices as mine, and I do all I can to be a responsible steward of my resources. Unlike my parents, I do not believe I am a victim. The world is also more challenging than it was thirty years ago. There is greater societal pressure to conform — and consume! Wealth seems to be valued more highly than ever, and families are less cohesive, as each member is out of the home working, rather than caring for themselves and one another.

In my present round of very poor I do my best to make choices that will support my son and me in living a productive life. With the food stamps I receive I shop at farmers markets and organic-food stores. I cook all our meals at home and I never (and I do mean never) eat or feed my son fast food or white sugar. A wholesome diet is important to help keep us both emotionally balanced, as depression goes hand in hand with poverty. I volunteer a few hours a week at a local yoga studio in exchange for free yoga classes. This is another way I stay healthy emotionally, mentally and physically. The result is a steady mood to handle the challenges of parenting. I also garden, and when I can, I ride my bike rather than drive (which is difficult in Los Angeles). I spend a great deal of time at home caring for my son and writing about this journey. I made my decision to become a stay-at-home mom — and to again be very poor — because I needed to learn about my son and what his needs would be. I didnt see how I could do that if I was away from the home for ten hours each day while a daycare worker looked after him. My desire is for my son to fulfill his potential, and being with him helps us discover what his true potential is. In this moment it seems limitless. He is the happiest child I have ever known and I am grateful.

Very poor are dirty words in this nation, and I have come to grips with the shame I once carried about being impoverished. As an adult, I accept full responsibility for the choices Ive made, and see them as stepping stones for my sons and my emotional, mental and spiritual well being. I have also learned that very poor has much more to do with the spirit of a person than it does with the balance in his bank account. As we move into this upcoming election season, it is imperative that we consider the very poor. We, the very poor, are not invisible, and we add profound value to our society. Do we want to elect someone like Mitt Romney, who declares hes not concerned about the very poor? Do we want to elect someone who ignores the ways the very poor can contribute to our society and can shift our circumstances for our children and ourselves? Or do we want leadership thats concerned about the very poors perpetual devaluation? President Obama has worked diligently to support the progress of the very poor and those hardest hit by the recession. With his tax reform program and the Earned Income Tax Credit, six million Americans have been lifted out of poverty. At the National Prayer Breakfast held last week, President Obama reiterated his belief that we must speak and care for those who are the least of us. President Obama understands that giving every American a fair opportunity helps us all prosper. As a country we rise and fall together.

This is our opportunity to realize we are intrinsically connected as a people. We are as strong as our weakest links. What we do to assist and heal the very poor, we do for ourselves. And currently our society neglects the resources it has in the minds and hearts of very poor children and adults. If Mitt Romney is not concerned about the very poor, he is missing an opportunity to do what a great leader can do. He is missing an opportunity to prove that under his leadership, the least of them can become the greatest of them. He is missing an opportunity to release the untapped potential of the very poor, to harness their power and value their gifts. My son and I are the very poor. We matter, we have a voice, and we have infinite gifts to offer our world.

Continuing our series with the Suzuki
Kizashi, Brian
Moore reflects on his journey from Nottingham to London.

WASHINGTON — Indian tribes that have made billions of dollars from legalized gambling stand the most to lose as gaming migrates to the Internet, experts told Congress on Thursday.

So much so, some said, that lawmakers should consider forms of protection for tribes, perhaps even compensation for lost revenue they have come to count on to sustain themselves and provide services on their reservations.

The discussion before the Senate Indian Affairs Committee shed light on an emerging issue as Congress and states consider legalizing and regulating online poker. Indian tribes brought in $26.48 billion from brick and mortar casinos and bingo halls in 2009.

Many tribes operate through special state compacts that limit gaming to their reservations. But that concept suddenly seems outdated as states consider legalizing forms of gaming via ethernet and wireless in the wake of a Justice Department ruling in December.

In much less than one decade we are going to see Internet gambling legalized by all the states, gaming law expert I. Nelson Rose, distinguished senior professor at Whittier Law School, told senators. Unless Congress figures out a way to protect particularly those in small states, I think a lot of the tribes are going to be out of luck.

Fitting tribes into the Internet gaming puzzle is one of the most complex issues facing policymakers, Rose said.

The gambling issues are extremely complex, the Internet is complex and you have Indian law, he said. Also, there are different laws from state to state and you can have different laws with tribes from inside the state. And we really didnt get into international law.

Kevin Washburn, dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law Administration, said issues facing gaming tribes is one reason Congress needs to pass a bill putting the federal government in charge of Internet gambling rather than leaving it to the states.

An entity at the federal level would be keenly focused on protecting the importance of Indian gaming to Indian tribes, he said, noting the revenues that sustain tribal services.

Internet gaming poses some risk to that very strong revenue source, and if that revenue source goes away that is going to be a federal responsibility to meet those needs, he said.

Rose said with few exceptions tribes wont have the money or the political clout to claim invaluable state licenses to offer online poker. In California, he predicted a license would go for one hundred million dollars up front.

Tribes now are granted a form of geographic exclusivity through their compacts with states, a status that would be encroached by online offerings, senators were told.

Weve invested nearly a billion dollars tied to our geographic area. That is what we have negotiated for, said Robert Odawi Porter, president of the Seneca Nation of Indians in western New York. Opening up Internet gaming beyond those geographic borders and allowing… the New York lottery to prey upon and seize business opportunities from patrons in our exclusivity zone is our greatest threat.

We cannot stand for the disruption of these compacts either in New York or anywhere in Indian country, Porter said.

Patrick Fleming, representing the Poker Players Alliance, said Internet poker is not a threat to tribes. Poker, he said, accounts for only 1 percent of tribal gaming revenue.

On the other hand, he said, it has been shown the popularity of online poker has driven players to try their skills at brick and mortar casinos. There is a symbiotic relationship between those who play poker online and those who play it live, he said.

Committee chairman Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, posed a question about possible compensation for tribes that might be affected by changes.

Akaka got affirmation from Glenn Feldman, a Phoenix attorney who represents the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. In 1986, Feldman argued for the Southern California tribe before the Supreme Court in a case that yielded the landmark ruling leading to the legalization of gambling on Indian reservations.

There needs to be some accommodation for that loss of exclusivity, Feldman said. Tribes probably have more to lose from the expansion of Internet gaming than any other segment of the gaming industry.

I cant give you a formula but it is entirely appropriate that Congress give some consideration to that potential loss of exclusivity and protect it in some way. The $26 billion in revenue today is funding health programs, education programs, senior citizen programs, and tribes cant afford to lose that revenue stream.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.

(Updates with economist comment in fourth paragraph.)

Feb. 10 (Bloomberg) — The trade deficit in the US widened in December to a six-month high as a strengthening economy prompted bigger gains in imports than exports.

The gap increased 3.7 percent to $48.8 billion from $47.1 billion in November, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. Purchases of goods and services produced overseas were the strongest in more than three years on record demand for capital equipment like machinery and semiconductors.

Imports may keep rising as an improving job market underpins consumer spending, and businesses rebuild inventories and replace outdated equipment. At the same time, demand from emerging markets is boosting sales at companies like General Electric Co. and Caterpillar Inc., buffering the fallout from Europes debt crisis and helping to sustain exports.

Growth in consumer and business demand is pretty good and that is helping to pull in imports,” said Jay Bryson, a senior global economist at Wells Fargo Securities LLC in Charlotte, North Carolina, who projected the gap would rise to $49 billion. We will see a widening trade deficit this year as imports grow faster than exports.”

Stock-index futures slumped on concern over Greece as one of the three party leaders supporting the countrys government said he cannot vote for the current austerity package. The contract on the Standard amp; Poors 500 Index maturing in March dropped 0.9 percent to 1,335.8 at 8:44 am in New York.

Survey Results

The median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 75 economists called for the deficit to rise to $48.5 billion from a previously estimated $47.8 billion in November. Estimates ranged from gaps of $43 billion to $50.5 billion.

For all of 2011, the shortfall grew 12 percent to $558 billion, the most since 2008. Both imports and exports climbed to records.

Imports advanced 1.3 percent to $227.6 billion, the most since July 2008. In addition to capital goods, American companies also bought more consumer household items, automobiles and parts and crude oil from overseas.

Exports increased 0.7 percent to $178.8 billion, boosted by record sales of petroleum to buyers overseas. That caused the trade gap excluding petroleum to widen even more than the deficit overall, rising to $21.9 billion in December from $19.4 billion the prior month.

After eliminating the influence of prices, which are the numbers used to calculate gross domestic product, the trade deficit grew to $47.7 billion from $47 billion. The fourth- quarter average of $46.2 billion was larger than the $45.7 billion in the previous three months, confirming that trade subtracted from growth over the period.

Growth Accelerates

The worlds largest economy expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter after a 1.8 percent pace in the prior three months, Commerce Department figures showed on Jan. 27. The trade gap subtracted 0.11 percentage point from GDP in the final three months of 2011, after adding 0.43 points in the prior quarter.

The trade gap with China narrowed to $23.1 billion from $26.9 billion as imports dropped, todays report shoed.

Exports to the European Union climbed 3.6 percent and imports rose 2.2 percent, leaving the trade gap with the region little changed.

US exporters globally may continue to see gains. Caterpillar, the largest construction and mining equipment maker, posted fourth-quarter profit that beat analysts estimates and said prospects for global growth have improved. It also projects more orders as pent-up demand is released and customers replace older products.

Growing Exports

Were expecting 2012 to be another year of good growth,” Doug Oberhelman, chairman and chief executive officer of the Peoria, Illinois-based company, said in a Jan. 26 statement. 2011 was a record-breaking year for US exports,” which supported thousands of jobs in the United States.”

China, the worlds second-biggest economy, expanded 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, exceeding the Bloomberg survey median forecast. An index of Indias services industry rose in January at the fastest pace in six months, and manufacturing accelerated.

The emerging markets continue to be very strong,” Jeffrey Immelt, chief executive officer of General Electric, said on a Jan. 20 conference call with investors. There are a few challenged markets like Europe and appliances, but on balance, we have a positive outlook.”

Gap with China

Even with the improvement in December, the trade deficit with China remains a thorny issue as the US presses the Asian country to allow its currency, the yuan, to rise against the dollar. President Barack Obama, in his State of the Union address, said last month he is creating a trade enforcement group that would use investigators and other federal resources to combat unfair trade practices by nations including China.

Chinas overseas shipments decreased 0.5 percent in January and imports declined a more-than-forecast 15.3 percent from a year earlier in a month that had four fewer working days than in the same month in 2011 because of the Chinese New Year holiday, the customs bureau said today. That pushed the trade surplus for the worlds second-largest economy up to a six-month high of $27.3 billion, the data showed.

–With assistance from Chris Middleton in Washington. Editor: Carlos Torres

–>

FOR its second year, Hennessy Artistry Manila pulled out all the stops. Take the countryâ??s number one man behind the decks, add in three gorgeous model/DJs, blend with two soulful sirens, and then stir in two international turntable superstars. Top it all off with overflowing Hennessy VSOP long drinks and you have a recipe for the yearâ??s grandest party.

An invitation only event, the beautiful people arrived dressed to kill and expecting the kind of night that only Hennessy can deliver. And Hennessy delivered. The event opened in the Resorts World Manila Plaza where guests were treated to divine Hennessy cocktails including Hennessy Berry, Hennessy Ginger, Hennessy Apple and Hennessy Citrus. Hennessy mixologist Julienne Defrance flew in to Manila especially to serve his signature Hennessy creations. On stage was featured Model/DJ trio, the Zombettes. They were more than just pretty faces. Sanya Smith, Ornussa Cadness and Mia Ayesa held their own, spinning an eclectic mix of edgy tunes for the enthusiastic crowd, getting everyone pumped for the long night of partying.

But that was just the beginning. Everything was taken a notch higher in Opus. When the doors finally opened, everyone saw that Hennessy truly outdid itself. It was a feast for the senses, overwhelming to the eyes, ears and of course tastes. Everywhere you looked, gorgeous people dancing to the sexy beat, Hennessy cocktail in hand. Just for the event, the long bar was transformed with the help of 3D mapping into a canvas for digital art. Of course it wouldnâ??t be a Hennessy Artistry party without the best music collaborations and plenty of genre mixing. Hosting the night were the fabulous VJ Cliff Ho of Channel V and Party Boy Extraordinaire Tim Yap. To kick off the night of music, Kat Agarrado of Sinosikat? with Tribu Manilaâ??s Macky Salcedo on drums brought down the house with a sensual and soulful performance. Next was ingÃnue Bea Tantoco with Chico Cristobal on the guitar. The pace was brought to a crescendo by fantastic local and international DJs Manolet Dario, Sky Nellor and Andy Caldwell, each playing their signature styles of house, Ramp;B, hip hop and everything in between. The Hennessy kept pouring till the wee hours fuelling everyoneâ??s appetite to dance.

Rarely does the Metro see a musical meeting of minds of this magnitude or diversity as only Hennessy Artistry can bring. The evening will go down in the books as a night of talented musicians from different worlds sharing the pleasure of performing together, just as Hennessy elaborates its cognacs, combining the best eaux-de-vie from its cellars.

The philosophy behind the Hennessy Artistry Halo is The Global Art of Mixing; the mixing of various genres of music and the blending of top talents and emerging artistes. Combining the acts with spectacular ambience and energy, an extraordinary experience is created. This showcases Hennessyâ??s art of blending in both cognac and music, by combining tradition with trendy innovation.

This multicultural and vibrant series had already left waves of sonic fusions across the largest continents and over 40 countries from Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Hanoi, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, to Germany, Poland. Moscow and South Africa; becoming the international trendsetter of music and style.

The charm of art lies in its perpetual stream of innovation and Hennessy Artistry Halo is always striving to bring brand new content, new experiences. Hennessy VSOP is the product of a gradual blend of over 60 eaux-de-vie taken from the four leading vineyards in the Cognac region, remarkably blended, just as the Hennessy Artistryâ??s Global Art of Mixing is constantly challenging the boundaries of imagination, making mixing the ultimate manifestation of music.

Like all Hennessy Artistry events across the world, invited guests will experience the universe of Hennessyâ??s mixed drinks based on four basic flavors that blend perfectly with Hennessy Cognac. Hennessy berry, citrus, ginger, and apple are the perfect additions to the worldâ??s best cognac.

Check out the Facebook fan page, Hennessy Artistry Manila and follow Hennessy Artistry on Twitter at HArtistryPH for up to the minute updates.

There is a lot of illegal online gambling occurring that the National Gambling Board is not aware of, says CEO Baby Tyawa.

And with coaches around the US praising his technical abilities, fans across
America and Asia, where basketball is wildly popular, have quickly taken Lin
to their hearts. His next games are due to be shown in China, Taiwan and the
Philippines.

Angry fans desperate to get hold of replicas of Lins Number 17 shirt ahead of
tonights crunch Knicks game against Bryants LA Lakers have been venting
their fury at retailers.

A devout Christian, Lin has said that his hero is Tim Tebow the ultra-devout
quarter back for the Denver Broncos whose on-field prayers have made him a
national star.

What makes Lin, the first ethnic Chinese-American player in the NBA, so
astonishing is his staggeringly brief journey from zero to hero.

Lins parents – Gie-Ming and Shirley are both only five foot six. They
immigrated from Taiwan in the 1970s, although his mothers roots go back to
China.

Most star players are spotted as early as high school, if not before, and
almost always go on to play for one of the big basketball universities.

But six foot three Lin, who is from Palo Alto, California, was turned down by
UCLA, his dream college, and did not receive any offers of basketball
scholarships. He went to Harvard because they were one of only two teams to
offer him a place on the squad; he studied economics.

Lin was undrafted after college meaning no NBA team picked up his contract
but after doing well at a summer camp, he signed with the Golden State
Warriors a move that some critics claim was done only so the team could
increase their popularity in the lucrative Asian markets.

While he did fairly well with the Warriors, Lin was demoted to an affiliated
D-League team three times, only to be recalled on each occasion. He was
taken on briefly by the Huston Rockets but dropped again before being signed
by an injury-struck New York Knicks in December.

At the time, he said that he was expecting to be placed at between 12th and
15th on the roster meaning he would be unlikely to play.

Before his rise to superstardom, Lin had been sleeping on the couch in the
livingroom of a small, one-bedroom apartment in the East Village belonging
to his brother, Josh.

One night he was forced to bed down at one of his teammates homes because his
brother had friends visiting from out of town.

Now those days are over. Lin will get at least $800,000 (pound;500,000) and quite
possibly much more next season. He is said to be house hunting currently
torn between a luxury apartment being sold in the City by another of the
Knicks or a sprawling house in Westchester County, near the teams training
camp.

And his fans cant get enough of him. Co Truong, an advertising rep from
Brooklyn who had tried and failed to get a No 17 shirt, said: Its
something Asian-Americans can be proud of. Its a Cinderella story.

Aaron Chin, a student from Manhattan, added: Ive been watching all his
games. Hes been unbelievable.

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming considered submitting legislation to repeal the three-casino limit.

Harry Christianson of Rapid City, a former owner of Deadwood establishments and now a member of the regulatory commission, said the change was an idea he brought to the commission.

He said his company, when it began in 1990, had three retail licenses and it took about 15 seconds to realize the limitation could be circumvented by making a space lease-back arrangement with an employee.

He described the license limit as a charade.

It was there for one reason, and that was to limit the participants in that industry to the ones who were already there, Christianson said.

Legalized gambling began in Deadwood more than 20 years ago with a $5 bet limit. That rose to $100 in 2000.

Nelson said the $5 limit was intended to be more attractive than the $2 charitable bets in North Dakota at the time. He said the $100 limit now is a barrier, because slot-machine programs have to be written differently for Deadwood, and therefore Deadwood gets new games later.

Competition and the smoking ban have pushed Deadwood into a decline for the first time, with a 6 percent drop last year in gaming activity. Nelson said the decision was made to pursue a higher bet limit rather than seek an exemption to the smoking ban.

Bet limits in other states currently are North Dakota, $250, Minnesota, $1,000; and Colorado, $100, while Iowa and Nevada have no limits.

I think this is an excellent opportunity. I see no downside to it, Sen. Stan Adelstein, R-Rapid City, said.

As a culture that has survived 5,000 years of change and turmoil
—- yet retained its artistry throughout —- there is much to
tell about the story of China, its land and its people. Shen Yun
attempts that feat, and earns rave reviews and returning audience
members on its annual tours.

The troupe performs Thursday through Jan. 22 at the California
Center for the Arts, Escondido —- its seventh appearance at the
venue. Shen Yun, founded in New York City, emphasizes classical
Chinese dance. The elaborately costumed, well-trained troupe covers
more than 5,000 years of Chinese history with elegance and
grace.

Eye-opening backdrops (shown on a large digital video screen)
place the dancers in multiple Chinese locations, from serene
countrysides to busy cities. The troupe seeks to bring back to
prominence many of the original themes, styles and artistic
viewpoints thought gone forever after the Cultural Revolution.

Every year is a new production, with new sets and dances, said
Vivian Wang, the local promoter of the show. This is 5,000 years
of civilization, so there are many stories to tell.

Song is as much a part of the Shen Yun experience as dance.
Plaintive songs of personal experience are accompanied by piano,
with a full orchestra using all-original compositions to bring
forth a blend of Eastern and Western-influenced music. Strings,
percussion, woodwinds and brass are part of the mix.

If the real spirit of the culture has in some ways been lost,
this performance is a way to revive it, Wang said. There is not
only beauty, but universal values. Those values are recognizable
across many cultures, so audience members can relate to the
messages, no matter their ethnic or cultural background.

The 2012 tour will reach more than 3 million people in 30
different countries, with themes involving loyalty, compassion and
spirituality. Ethnic and folk dance are part of the mix. Shen Yun
also merges modern technology, such as digital projection, to help
enhance the human performances.

Children enjoy the colors and culture, while older audience
members enjoy the themes and lessons, Wang said.

From its starting point of about 90 dancers and musicians, Shen
Yun has grown to three full performance groups and orchestras,
filled with award-winning dancers and musicians from throughout
China and the world.

Many people think of Chinese culture as only involving things
such as the lion dance and dumplings and other familiar icons, but
there is so much more, Wang said. There is a reason the culture
has survived for so long and is still vibrant, and that is its
depth.

Senate District 44 Lawmakers Split on Gambling

Sen. Ron Latz backs a downtown casino, while Rep. Ryan Winkler doesnt think the state should be in the gambling business.