1. Storm is still brewing over HHS mandate

    Obama admin. defends birth control order as Boehner calls for broader conscience exception

    By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

    Associated Press

    WASHINGTON (AP) — On the defensive, the White House scrambled Thursday to explain its requirement that church-affiliated employers cover birth control after House Speaker John Boehner called it unconstitutional and demanded immediate reconsideration.

    Under President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul law, most employers and insurance plans will have to cover birth control free of charge as a preventive service for women. The administration had already ruled that churches and houses of worship do not have to follow that requirement, but officials recently announced that many religious-affiliated institutions such as hospitals, colleges and charities must comply.

    The wave of protest that followed has clearly taken administration officials by surprise. Catholic and Protestant evangelical leaders criticized the decision as infringing on freedom of religion. Some religious liberals called it politically risky for Obama in a close election year.

    “I think this mandate violates our Constitution,” Boehner, R-Ohio, said Thursday. “I think it violates the rights of these religious organizations. And I would hope that the administration would back up and take another look at this.” Boehner is Catholic.

    White House spokesman Jay Carney said the decision will stand.

    That’s unlikely to silence critics. Also joining in disapproval was a group that includes Democratic lawmakers who helped engineer final passage of the health care law. The group “Democrats for Life of America” represents anti-abortion lawmakers who provided the margin of victory for passage of the health care overhaul.

    “Forcing religious institutions to provide insurance coverage for services that are directly in opposition to their moral beliefs is very clearly wrong,” said Kristen Day, the group’s executive director.

    At the White House, Carney defended the decision, saying it was the best policy to promote the health of women, and the president has no intention of trespassing on religious liberty.

    “There was extensive and careful consideration as this policy was developed and a decision was made. And the issue here is we want to be sure women, all women, have access to good health care,” Carney said.

    Asked if there’s a debate within the administration about reconsidering, Carney responded:

    “No, there’s not a debate. … We want to work with organizations for the next year to help them deal with the implementation of the policy but the decision has been made, and it was made after careful consideration.”

  2. Busy but interesting day

    Head of Jesus by Rembrandt van Rijn

    First, a little trivia question, courtesy of National Geographic, to shake those cobwebs from your brain (answer will be at the end of this blog):

    What Saharan country bordering on Mali and Chad has a population growth rate of more than 3.5 percent a year?

    First thing I did today was jump into a story about the national  Susan G. Komen Foundation cutting off all the funding it gives to Planned Parenthood. Last year, Komen gave $680,000 and the year before it gave PP $560,000, all to be used for breast-cancer screening and breast health education in places where Komen doesn’t have the facilities to provide or refer for those services. (Note: the Toledo-area Komen charity has never given a dime to Planned Parenthood.)

    Komen said it decided to halt the funding because of its new policy forbidding grants to groups that are under government investigation. Florida congressman Cliff Stearns launched an investigation of Planned Parenthood in September to see if it has used any taxpayer funds to pay for abortion. Planned Parenthood Federation of America received $360 million from the government last year, Stearns said.

    Needless to say, this is a delicate situation to report, because it involves the hot-button issue of abortion. Toledo’s Komen group was already reluctantly thrust into the news last year when the local Catholic bishop said parochial schools and parishes couldn’t donate to Komen because the national charity would not rule out the possibility that it may someday fund cancer research that uses embryonic stem cells.

    The story will be published tomorrow; I’ll post a link.

    Second, I had purchased a ticket a while back to see and write about an exhibit of Rembrandt artworks of Jesus, on display at the Detroit Institute of Art. Due to a series of breaking news stories, I had to reschedule the Detroit trip, and almost had to cancel it again today. But I was optimistic I could make the trip and get the Komen story done, and that’s how it worked out.

    The Rembrandt exhibit is fantastic. His artwork is so magnificent, the figures so lifelike and the compositions so rich and expressive. I could have stared at the portraits for hours but I had to keep moving. Besides, the timed tickets are all sold out and the galleries are so crammed with people it’s hard to give each artwork its due.

    The most interesting thing is that Rembrandt was the first major artist who painted Jesus as a dark-haired Middle Easterner, using Jewish men who lived in his Amsterdam neighborhood as models. Prior to the great master, Jesus was always portrayed as a Northern European/Greek God.

    That story is set to run this Saturday, along with my interview with Jimmy Carter.

    * * *

    Trivia answer: Niger. 

  3. Jazz great gets a lot of love, help in time of need

    Claude Black says a few words of appreciation to friends, fans and colleagues who attended a fund-raiser Tuesday night to help pay his medical bills.

    The jazz world is like a family — everybody knows and cares about each other, especially in a city the size of Toledo.

    And like a family, there is a lot of love, for both the people and the music that brings them together.

    Tonight, hundreds of jazz fans from throughout northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan jammed into the University of Toledo’s Performing Arts Center – which never seemed so small before — to show their love and support for Claude Black, the local legend on jazz piano.

    Black, 79, has been having health problems over the last few months. He was hospitalized just before Christmas for failing kidneys, and has suffered a relapse of cancer and is now undergoing chemotherapy. Like many jazz artists, he doesn’t have health insurance. And chemo and hospital stays sure don’t come cheap.

    The benefit concert was held in the university’s Performing Arts Center, which seats just 275, because the UT faculty jazz ensemble had already scheduled a show tonight in that venue. With tickets sold only at the door, there was no way of predicting the turnout. But Black’s “family” turned out en masse. After every seat was filled, extra chairs were brought in. Yet several hundred people were still left stranded in the lobby.

    To accommodate the overflow, UT jazz saxophonist and concert organizer Gunnar Mossblad announced that there would be two sets. After the first set, the hall would be cleared and the patient fans in the lobby would be admitted for a second show.

    When Black entered the room, he was pushed in a wheelchair, which was ironic considering it was standing-room only and everyone who had a seat was standing and applauding as the jazz ace rolled down the aisle. When he stepped out of the wheelchair, he looked so spry you would never guess he was ill. And, as always, Black was dressed to the nines, looking classy in a tuxedo.

    He expressed his gratitude to the people and the city of Toledo, saying that he’s been living here “on and off” for 50 years and is still discovering new and beautiful places in the city.

    Then he treated his faithful fans to a song, sitting at the Steinway grand piano and launching into the elegant and delicate ballad, “A Time for Love,” which he recorded live at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Peristyle in 2000. Someone shouted “We love you Claude,” and the crowd applauded its accord. Black then took a seat in the audience and enjoyed some high-flying jazz by a number of university and other jazz local artists.

    Among those who performed were Mossblad, Jay Weik, Ron Brooks of Ann Arbor, Jeff Halsey, Brad Sharp, Tad Weed, and George Davidson. Ernie Krivda brought his tenor sax and a bodacious hat all the way from Cleveland. Black’s longtime musical partner, bassist Clifford Murphy, was in the house but didn’t get up on the stage, at least not in the first set.

    Halsey, a bass virtuoso and faculty member at Bowling Green State University, shared a few words about how he met Black more than 30 years ago when he was 21 and living in western Michigan. Black hired him for a house band that played six nights a week for more than a year, which was quite an education for Halsey. And it was a gig with Black gig at the former Rusty’s Jazz Café that indirectly led to Halsey’s move to the Toledo area. That’s the way the jazz world helps each other out, especially someone like Black who has always been eager to mentor and encourage young players.

    I was a music critic for 10 years, from about 1990 to 2000, and spent many nights listening to Black and bassist Clifford Murphy swing through blistering bebop tunes and then weave majestically through some ballads. With Murphy providing a solid and knowing foundation, Black could blast off like a rocket, turn on a dime, and lead listeners on a musical journey that would never again be repeated.

    He is a humble and gentle soul who laughs that the only thing most people take note of when he tells them his career highlights was a two-year gig in Aretha Franklin’s band. Compared to the world-class jazz he has been playing for 50-plus years, that was child’s play. But the name Aretha is magic, and it gets him more r-e-s-p-e-c-t from the average joe than the fact that he held his own on stage with Bird Parker or Wes Montgomery.

    Singer-composer Jon Hendricks, the five-time Grammy winner and UT faculty member, sent his regrets tonight, saying he had a previous engagement in New York. But he made Mossblad promise to schedule another benefit in March or April. That is good news for anyone who missed tonight’s benefit concert.

    Unlike many of life’s moments, there will be a second chance to show some love to a man who, after giving to others for so many years, now needs a little help from his friends.

  4. David: thanks for your reporting on the Robinson trials. I have read that people heard him blaring black sabbath albums while washing his car. Is there any truth to this? If so, it certainly adds fuel to his conviction as it is not exactly the type of music one would expect a priest to listen to. Also, has anyone ever been able to verify that the so-called secret files did indeed document that the diocese helped pay for abortions?
    Anonymous

    To answer your first question, yes, several people told me that he used to listen to Black Sabbath while working in the yard or washing his car. I think that is an interesting choice of music for a priest but in my opinion it doesn’t prove or disprove anything. I think people can draw their own conclusions. Regarding the secret files, they remain secret.

  5. True or false?

    I got a mailing today from the magazine Mother Jones that had this curious trivia question on the cover:

    In law school, Barack Obama applied to model for a pinup calendar, but was turned down by the all-female committee.

    True or False?

    * * *

    According to MJ, “the factoid” is true. “While he was at Harvard Law School, Obama was rejected by a committee of female students when he applied to model for a black-pride pinup calendar.”

    * * *

    You just knew every politician’s deep, dark secrets would surface this election year!

  6. Extreme bargaining

    As a newspaper union worker, I’ve been through some painful and demoralizing labor disputes in the last decade or so. But I can honestly say that none of our union reps ever mentioned using the threat of mass suicide as a negotiating tactic.

    The Chinese apparently really know how to play hardball, if the reports cited below are accurate.

    Beijing (CNN) — Microsoft is investigating a report that workers at a Chinese plant that makes its Xbox game systems threatened mass suicide in a pay dispute, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the company’s Hong Kong office.

    CNN has not been able to confirm details of the dispute, but Microsoft and Foxconn, the plant owner, did respond to inquiries.

    “Microsoft takes working conditions in the factories that manufacture its products very seriously, and we are currently investigating this issue,” the Microsoft statement said.

    Foxconn — a Chinese contractor that makes brand-name electronics for companies such as Microsoft and Apple — would only say that there was a protest at its Wuhan, China factory and it was over.

    Foxconn’s raised workers pay twice at its factory in Shenzhen, China in 2010 after a spate of suicides, Chinese state media reported at the time.

    “We have a stringent Vendor Code of Conduct that spells out our expectations, and we monitor working conditions closely on an ongoing basis and address issues as they emerge,” Microsoft’s statement said. “Microsoft is committed to the fair treatment and safety of workers employed by our vendors and to ensuring conformance with Microsoft policy.”

    After the 2010 suicides at Foxconn, the company said it was taking measures to improve workers’ lives, including organizing recreational activities, calling in Buddhist monks to offer spiritual consolation and setting up a 24-hour help line.

    Foxconn, one of the world’s top electronics manufacturers, also makes products for companies such as Dell, Hewlett Packard and Sony.

    It employed at estimated 800,000 employees in China in October 2010.

  7. Life with Archie

    Somehow I missed the news that Archie, the comic book character from Riverdale High whose stories I read regularly as a youngster, recently got married — to both Betty and Veronica. Maybe he’s a Mormon?

    Now Archie’s back in the news with a cover of a gay wedding of two male characters.

    Here’s a link.

    Life with Archie apparently has taken a few twists and turns in the 21st century.

  8. Robinson denied new trial

    Photo taken from screen shot of Gerald Robinson’s TV interview with Paula Zahn, broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012. Photographer said the photo was taken the moment Father Robinson described getting a phone call telling him that Sister Margaret Ann Pahl had been murdered.

    * * *

    I’ve been waiting for Judge Gene Zmuda’s ruling on the Gerald Robinson case for many months, since the priest appeared in court for a hearing in May, 2010.

    It was possible that the judge would grant a new trial, depending on his opinion of the significance of 136 police documents from the 1980 murder investigation that were misfiled and went missing until being discovered by accident in 2009.

    From his 11-page ruling, Judge Zmuda clearly did not think the reports contained anything of importance, leagally speaking.

    Here is a link to the article.

    Had he granted a new trial, it would have an extremely interesting development. But he rejected the appeal so now Father Robinson will have to pursue his case in another court.

    There had been hints that the appeals might be over, with one insider citing the priest’s age (he’s 73) and an observation that “he is not uncomfortable where he is,” in a relatively low-security, dorm-like prison environment at Hocking Correctional Facility in southern Ohio.

    But yesterday attorney Rick Kerger said he definitely will appeal. Time is a concern, as the full process could take 15 years. If it went that long Fr. Robinson would be 88 by the time he runs out of legal options.

    The case of a Toledo Catholic priest being arrested by cold-case detectives and convicted of murdering a nun 26 years earlier continues — at least for now.

    Stay tuned.

  9. End of a 123-year era

    On Sunday, the congregation of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Toledo’s Old West End will celebrate its last service, after which the congregation will merge with that of Trinity Episcopal Church.

    I wrote about the church’s transition for tomorrow’s paper. It’s sad to see such a beautiful old church close its doors, but St. Mark’s demographics and financial situation made the decision unavoidable.

    On the other hand, the members will be able to continue as a community after they merge with Trinity. It seems like a sensible solution, albeit a difficult one.

    I’ve done a number of stories about churches closing. It’s always a difficult step for the faithful. Churches are a big part of their lives, especially for the important milestones — baptisms, weddings, funerals. There is an intimate connection that runs deep.

    I remember a Lutheran minister telling me that churches have life cycles, just as people do. They are born, they grow, they reach maturity, they get old, and they die.

    That obviously is true for some churches but hopefully not for all of them.

    I think churches are more like companies than human beings. Some businesses get started, grow and prosper. Others fail miserably. The best ones reinvent themselves to meet people’s needs, without compromising their core values.

    If they are true to their mission and able to adapt, they can live forever. But it’s not easy and not many will manage to reach that level. But it can be done — unlike the limitations of human frailty.

  10. Odds and ends

    Things I learned in the last couple of days:

    The Chevy HHR stands for “Heritage High Roof.” Found out a little late — when reading an article announcing the demise of that model. Sadly, the article also reported that Honda will stop making the Element. That is such a cool vehicle, although the last time I shopped for a car I passed because it didn’t get very good mileage.

    Dean Koontz is now writing his fifth Odd Thomas novel (what a great character and series), titled “Odd Apocalypse,” that will be published in July. He then plans to immediately begin writing the sixth in the series, “Deeply Odd,” and eventually wrap it up with a seventh Odd Thomas novel.

    Meanwhile, the film Odd Thomas is expected to be released in October or November (from Dean Koontz’s gem of newsletter, “Useless News.”)

    Alec Baldwin has too many Words with Friends game going on and cannot accept any new challenges (I tried).

    Steve Jobs’ obsessive diets included one that centered on carrots and carrot juice, so much so that “friends remember him having, at times, a sunset-lilke orange hue.”

    Asia has 25 cities with populations of 1 million or more (led by Tokyo). Europe is next with 19 (London), followed by North America (New York) with 12, South America with 5 (Buenos Aires),  and Africa with 4 (Cairo).

About me

Everyday adventures and/or musings of journalist and author David Yonke. Contact me at davidyonke@hotmail.com