Rockefeller Speaks

Rockefeller to Baucus, Conrad: Co-ops Are a Sham, Public Option Is a Must

The head of the Senate Finance Committee’s health subcommittee offered a scathing indictment of the reform package crafted by Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), saying it would do little to change how insurance companies operate and that as written, he would vote against it.

“There’s no way I could vote for the Senate package for a lot of reasons, and lack of a public option is one of them,” Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) told reporters.

Rockefeller, a strong proponent of a public plan, has been largely critical of the negotiating process that has involved a tight-knit group of six senators—three Democrats and three Republicans.

The results of those negotiations will be released tomorrow.

Rockefeller said he would offer a number of amendments to the bill, including one that would create a public plan. He said roughly six other Democrats on the committee favor such an option, but declined to speculate how they would vote.

Source

Planetizen’s Top 100 Urban Thinkers. Jane Jacobs tops a list that includes only 9 women.

Weekend Links

The World Cup Blog A-Z of 2007, Part Two

Does it matter that the presidential nominating process is dominated by rural states? Does it affect the way urban issues are discussed on the campaign trail? Mayor Byron Brown thinks so.Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown: “The Presidential Process Hurts Cities” [VIDEO]

Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth

Foul Mouth Soccer fans beware.

Video cameras to catch foul-mouthed soccer fans

BEIJING police will use video cameras to catch spectators shouting dirty words during a friendly soccer match between Guo’an and star-studded Barcelona.

I’m going away for a couple of weeks I will update peridocally.

Cooper will be doing the Darfur blog exclusively over the next two weeks because she is not a kid anymore and has to work – her life sucks. Keep up with Darfur: An Unforgivable Hell on Earth.

Later folks.

Links and more links.

Mapp guides U.S. to 2-0 victory

Three years away from the Big Show, also known as the World Cup, the CONCACAF Gold Cup is very much an off-Broadway production.

It determines the champion of soccer’s North and Central American and Caribbean region, but its main purpose is to screen new talent, to assess who might hold his own during qualifying for South Africa 2010, when things get serious.

That’s certainly the approach the U.S. took Saturday in earning a 2-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago that all but clinched its place in the Gold Cup quarterfinals.

Goals by Brian Ching and Eddie Johnson did the trick in front of a sellout crowd at the Home Depot Center, but the player who impressed again was Justin Mapp.

Beckham injury could force him out of Real’s finale

U.S. Beats Trinidad, but Lackluster Play Puts Resolve in Question

David Beckham’s ankle injury is threatening to cast a shadow over what should be a fairytale ending to the former England captain’s Real Madrid career.

If Madrid beat Real Mallorca in next weekend’s final round of Primera Liga fixtures then they will be crowned Spanish champions for the first time since 2003 and the 30th time in their history.

damn shame

For fun and opinion Cooper has a long conversation going on about pornography over at Wonderland or Not. Not only is the content good the titles of her posts are bordering on the spectacular recently.