Amid Trayvon Martin case, Obama hosts screening of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'

On Thursday night, President Obama introduces a screening of 'To Kill a Mockingbird,' released 50 years ago. With emotions high over the Trayvon Martin killing, is this a teachable moment on race?

Since taking office three-plus years ago, President Obama has walked a fine line on race. ?I?m the president of the entire United States,? he has said, when asked by black activists and reporters why he?s not doing more to help struggling African-Americans.

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But there are times when the nation's first black president ?goes there? on race, as when he reacted to the recent killing of unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin. ?If I had a son, he?d look like Trayvon,? Mr. Obama memorably said ? a comment that sparked fierce debate over whether the president was using the case for political ends.

On Thursday night, the theme of racial discrimination in America comes to the White House Family Theater, as Obama introduces a screening of the Academy Award-winning film ?To Kill a Mockingbird,? in honor of its 50th anniversary. And with the president perhaps cast as ?teacher in chief,? the White House has invited schoolchildren from the area to attend. The film, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Harper Lee, tells the story of a white Southern lawyer, Atticus Finch, who defends a black man, Tom Robinson, wrongly accused of rape.

Obama has also recorded a new introduction to the film, which has been digitally remastered and will be shown Saturday night on the USA Network.

?I?m deeply honored that President Obama will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of ?To Kill a Mockingbird? by introducing it to a national audience,? the reclusive Ms. Lee said in a statement released by USA, Universal Pictures, and the American Film Institute (AFI). ?I believe it remains the best translation of a book to film ever made, and I'm proud to know that Gregory Peck's portrayal of Atticus Finch lives on ? in a world that needs him now more than ever.?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, other notable people will be in the audience Thursday night: Mary Badham, who played Mr. Finch?s daughter, Scout, in the movie; Veronique Peck, widow of Mr. Peck; Howard Stringer, chairman of the AFI board of trustees; Ron Meyer, president and COO of Universal Studios; Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO; and Arne Duncan, secretary of Education.

As president, Obama?s path on racial matters has been filled with land mines. In the summer of 2009, his response to a reporter?s question on the arrest of black scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. by a white police officer produced weeks of uproar. Obama said the Cambridge, Mass., police had acted ?stupidly,? stepping on the preceding 55 minutes of a news conference devoted to his plan for health-care reform.

Obama said he hoped the episode would produce a ?teachable moment,? but it?s not clear that the ?beer summit? he held with Professor Gates, Sgt. James Crowley, and Vice President Joe Biden to smooth things over taught the nation anything more than that race remains a fraught subject.

On the Trayvon Martin case, Obama was under pressure from leading African-Americans to speak out long before he did. Trayvon was shot to death by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in Sanford, Fla., in late February. Obama didn?t make his comment until March 23. Black commentators praised the statement as pitch perfect. But Obama faced a backlash from some conservatives, who accused African-Americans of playing the race card to boost Obama?s reelection chances. ?

"Rather than holding rallies on these issues, the civil rights leadership focuses on racially polarizing cases to generate media attention and to mobilize black voter turnout," Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, said on his radio program last weekend, according to the Religion News Service.?

The Trayvon Martin case has led Reniqua Allen of the New America Foundation to a stark conclusion: that the first black president has made it harder to talk about race in America.

In an essay in The Washington Post, she noted her optimism after Obama stated on March 23, ?All of us have to do some soul-searching to figure out: How does something like this happen??

?It?s an important conversation to have ? but I fear it won?t lead anywhere,? Ms. Allen wrote. "After all, we?ve seen plenty of these debates in recent years, invariably prompted by some tragedy or controversy. Think Troy Davis. Or Shirley Sherrod. Or Jeremiah Wright. Or Henry Louis Gates Jr. Or even Rodney King. We have big debates over racial prejudice and disparities in this country, and then nothing happens.?

?I thought things would be different by now,? Allen continued. ?The Trayvon Martin story flared up exactly four years after Obama?s famous campaign speech on race in Philadelphia, a speech that made so many of us believe that Obama would launch a serious, enduring dialogue. But the election of the first black president hasn?t made it easier to talk about race in America. It?s made it harder.?

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Video: Water Main Break at White House

Our camera at the White House caught this video of an apparent water main break this morning. It happened amid construction work on the West Executive Drive separating the North Lawn from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

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Shop For A Business That Specializes In E-commerce Web ...

by Dan B. on April 5, 2012

By Vera G. Lofland

A special kind of service that will focus on your particular e-commerce business is an e-commerce web development business. You can select from many possible web design companies for your business. It is important to choose a web design company that specializes in e-commerce web development to be assured that you are provided with all the necessary services to provide you with great results. Your e-commerce site should be completely user- friendly and be provided with all the required tools to process payments and send out shipments. You can focus on your business and not have to be concerned about your website design and development when you have a properly developed e-commerce site. A correctly designed e-commerce website will make it easier for you to improve your online presence. Specially trained designers are used by an e-commerce web development design company to assure you are provided with great results.

Your specifications and needs will be used for your custom website developed by a design company. Programming can be maintained by the web development company for your own web design if you already have one. Your desires can be used to allow the web development company create the website. Your website must be SEO receptive. The focal point of your website will be your products and the best selling points by an e-commerce web development company as it designs your website. You should receive training on how to maintain your website.

Your choice of a web development firm should be created based on certain criteria. Since a good portion of your business future is in the hands of the firm you must be able to trust them. Check for a performance record that includes consistency, functionality, and simplicity. Conversion efficiency and scan-ability are other features you want to be assured of. The conversion efficiency will track the number of site visitors and increase the conversion of visitors into actual customers. Your customers should be able to cruise and understand your website easily. A steady flow should be developed into your website.

The programming services should provide for heightened functionality of your website. A few minutes time is all it should take for users to easily read everything they need to know about your business. That is where the simplicity and scan-ability features play an imperative role even with a very professional and modern looking website.

A professional web design company will use state of the art technology and programming solutions to accommodate you with a competitive edge, including modifications and updated web programming solutions. Your website should shake your overall business strategy by playing a very important role. Your website through the use of modern and professional custom designs will enable a professional way of representing your business.

You don?t have to search any further as the details you seek can be found at ecommerce web development and seo web design services.

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Quality Help Dealing Along with Commercial Real Estate ...

Commercial real estate investing can be a great way to earn an income and to build an investor?s assets. If the real estate is positioned well, the price can dramatically increase. Renting or leasing commercial real estate properties is often, enough to provide a constant income for investing, retirement, or other financial pursuits.

Determine whether there is adequate access to and from your business for thoroughfares and deliveries you anticipate. There could be very large vehicles needing to access your business, and if the access to and from the property is not sufficient, you want to consider finding another option in commercial real estate listings.

When considering the purchase of commercial real estate, it is important to understand that you may incur upfront costs that are significantly higher than those in normal residential transactions. You will still need to have the property you are considering appraised and assessed by property inspectors, engineers, and other appropriate tradespeople as you determine its worthiness. These inspections can cost upwards of several thousand dollars and may end up yielding information that will lead you to the decision that the property is not a viable investment after all. While this is valuable information you want to know before finalizing your contract, it is important to understand that these ?sunk? costs can occur.

Make sure you understand the zoning of a particular property when buying commercial real estate. If you buy a property with the intention of building a commercial business on it, check with the city to see what they require as far as zoning with new construction. They might have specific building guidelines which may add significant cost to the construction.

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If you want to invest in commercial real estate, then it is good to have lots of small lots instead of one large lot. This will help to diversify your investment and it also will help you to avoid losing a lot of money quickly, two things that are great.

Consider choosing a partner for your commercial real estate company so that you can afford larger and more lucrative properties. If you have two investors in a property that will probably double your initial capital, which will also increase at a faster pace as the returns on the property you by will be higher.

When trying to sell commercial real estate, it is very important to make sure you are treating the customer with utmost respect by not hiding any details from them. Many times, buyers may be tricked into buying an estate that has hidden features that can hurt them in the future.

Purchase contracts vary in many different ways and can really be misleading to the untrained person trying to work their way through them. A real estate agent will help you maneuver through this part of the process so you will not end up finding out any loopholes that you may have missed down the road.

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Commercial real estate is a great investment if you have the financial background to purchase property. Find a reputable Realtor and discuss what it is you are looking for. Investment properties can range from a small local store to a strip mall! Knowing what you want is the first step to maximizing your financial portfolio.

When purchasing a house that you plan to rent out, be sure you know all of the local laws relating to rental properties. For example, you may need a minimum size for a room to count as a bedroom, or you may be required to provide a certain amount of parking.

Ask your leasing agent about the company?s policy about returning your security deposit. Some companies will deduct cleaning costs, tear and wear regardless of the condition of your apartment when you move out. Have a clear picture about the fate of your deposit before you sign the lease, as you might lose a significant amount of money when you move out.

Make sure to define specific objectives that you want to instill before you make your purchase. Will you be trying to resell this land to make a profit? Are you going to be occupying this area upon purchase? Having answers to these questions will help to maximize your overall investment.

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Any time you are purchasing real estate. you need to make sure you are networked. However being networked and having great relationships with lenders and investors is much more important with commercial real estate as property values are generally in the millions. Make sure that you are constantly working at staying networked.

When purchasing a property that you intend to rent out, keep it close to home. You don?t want to be driving further than you would consider a reasonable commute. With a rental property, there is always the possibility of needing to drive out in the middle of the night to deal with an emergency on the property.

As stated before, investors use commercial real estate to make a profit through rental or capital means. You can use the tips in the article to help you get started as an investor in the commercial real estate market and help you gain profits from whichever method you choose.

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APNewsBreak: 'Three Cups' author mismanaged group

File-In this undated file photo provided by New Mark Communications via the St. Paul Pioneer Press shows Greg Mortenson, founder of the Central Asia Institute, a Montana-based organization which builds schools for girls in remote tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. An investigative report has concluded that Mortenson mismanaged the charity he co-founded to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Montana Attorney General's office report released Thursday found Mortenson spent Central Asia Institute money on personal items, family vacations and charter flights. (AP Photo/New Mark Communications via the St. Paul Paul Pioneer Press,File)

File-In this undated file photo provided by New Mark Communications via the St. Paul Pioneer Press shows Greg Mortenson, founder of the Central Asia Institute, a Montana-based organization which builds schools for girls in remote tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. An investigative report has concluded that Mortenson mismanaged the charity he co-founded to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Montana Attorney General's office report released Thursday found Mortenson spent Central Asia Institute money on personal items, family vacations and charter flights. (AP Photo/New Mark Communications via the St. Paul Paul Pioneer Press,File)

(AP) ? "Three Cups of Tea" author Greg Mortenson mismanaged the nonprofit organization he co-founded to build schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan and spent millions of dollars of charity money on charter flights, family vacations and personal items, according to an investigative report released Thursday.

Mortenson's control of the Central Asia Institute went largely unchallenged by its board of directors, which consisted of himself and two people loyal to him, the report prepared by the Montana Attorney General's office said. When an employee would question his practices, Mortenson either resisted or ignored the person, the report found.

The result was a lack of financial accountability in which large amounts of cash sent overseas were never accounted for. Itemized expenses listed as program-related were missing supporting receipts and documentation. Employees and family members charged items such as health club dues and gifts to CAI credit cards.

Mortenson himself reaped financial benefits at the expense of the Central Asia Institute, including the free promotion of "Three Cups of Tea" and his later book, "Stones Into Schools," and the royalties from thousands of copies CAI bought to donate to libraries, schools, churches and military personnel, the report said.

Mortenson must reimburse the charity more than $1 million under a settlement agreement. Nearly half has already been repaid.

The books came under scrutiny last year when reports by "60 Minutes" and author Jon Krakauer alleged that Mortenson fabricated parts of both and that he benefited financially from the charity. The attorney general's probe focused only on the charity's finances and operations, and did not examine the books' contents.

The yearlong investigation concluded that the Central Asia Institute took in far more donations than it spent, and with $23 million in reserves, it still has a strong financial outlook. But the charity needs better oversight so that too much control is not in one person's hands, the audit found.

"Mortenson's pursuits are noble and his achievements are important. However, serious internal problems in the management of CAI surfaced," Attorney General Steve Bullock said in the report. "Despite the severity of their errors, CAI is worth saving."

Mortenson was permanently removed as CAI's executive director in November. Central Asia Institute Interim Executive Director Anne Beyersdorfer told The Associated Press that Mortenson will continue to work as a paid employee of the charity, but he will no longer serve on its board of directors unless the new board brings him on as a non-voting member.

Mortenson, who had heart surgery last year, will not continue his former breakneck pace in promoting the books and CAI projects at home and abroad, but he will still be the charity's public face and work to build relationships overseas, she said.

"He's the heart and soul of the organization," Beyersdorfer said. "He's the co-founder and I think we all think of him as our chief inspiration officer."

Mortenson declined to comment because of a still-pending civil lawsuit filed in Montana challenging the claims in his books, she said.

A settlement agreement signed by Mortenson, CAI and the attorney general's office said Mortenson will be barred from being a voting member of the board and from holding any position of financial oversight as long as he is employed by the charity. The charity must expand its board from three to at least seven members, and the other two current board members must step down within a year, according to the deal.

The agreement also calls for an overhaul of the charity's operations and board.

Beyersdorfer said the organization disagrees with some of the report's conclusions and analysis, particularly that Mortenson spent charity money on personal items, but signing the settlement agreement "was the right thing to do and we're all going to move forward together."

Five new board members will be added soon and the search for a permanent executive director will begin either this summer or fall, she said.

"Three Cups of Tea" details how Mortenson resolved to build schools in Central Asia after he became lost and wandered into a poor Pakistani village, then follows him as he expands his school-building efforts there. The book was originally conceived as a way to raise money and tell the story of the Central Asia Institute, which Mortenson founded in 1996 with a $1 million donation from Dr. Jean Hoerni, a Swiss physicist and mountaineer

After its release in 2006, the book became a best seller and it, along with Mortenson's tireless promotion that included more than 500 speaking engagements in four years, resulted in tens of millions of dollars in donations to the Central Asia Institute.

Bullock, whose office oversees nonprofit organizations operating in Montana, launched his investigation in April 2011. Investigators signed confidentiality agreements that prevent many details of the probe from being made public.

Bullock's investigators examined financial statements, audits, meeting minutes and interviewed Mortenson, board members and employees.

They found that CAI spent $3.96 million buying Mortenson's books to give away, paying full price through online retailers instead of using the publisher's discount for Mortenson. A 2008 agreement between Mortenson and CAI required Mortenson to donate the equivalent of what he made in royalties from the CAI-purchased books, but he never did.

The investigation also found that CAI spent $4.93 million on advertising and promoting Mortenson's books, costs that the charity and the author had agreed to split but never did.

CAI paid $2 million in charter flights for Mortenson to keep his rigorous speaking engagement schedule before he started paying for his own travel in 2011. The investigation found that in many cases he was "double-dipping," where CAI paid for his travel to a speaking engagement and the host of the event also paid him a fee or honorarium for his travel, which Mortenson pocketed.

Mortenson and his family also charged personal items to CAI in 2009-2010 amounting to $75,276 that included "LL Bean clothing, iTunes, luggage, luxurious accommodations and even vacations," according to the report.

The charity disagreed with that aspect of the report in particular, Beyersdorfer said. Those were not personal items but expenses that included clothing for overseas managers and music for presentations, she said.

He also was not a good financial manager and was notoriously late in keeping up with payments in line with the royaly agreement, she said.

"He was always committed to an equitable split and just fell behind," Beyersdorfer said.

Mortenson has repaid more than $495,000 of the $1.05 million that the attorney general's office says he owes CAI. He has $560,000 left to repay and will have three years to do so ? with interest ? because he has "insufficient financial resources" to pay it all at once, the report said.

CAI must hire an accountant to pore over credit card statements from previous years to identify additional personal charges Mortenson made and determine how much more he may owe, the attorney general's office said.

The CAI board considered the money spent on Mortenson's books and travel "a worthy and prudent investment," the investigation found. From 2003-2011 CAI spent a total of $9.5 million on book production costs, book purchases and advertising and promotions, according to the attorney general's calculations. Over that same period, CAI took in $72 million in donations.

The attorney general's office plans to monitor the changes by naming an independent observer who attends the CAI board meetings and by receiving the results of the independent audits for three years. CAI also will report on its progress in making the changes every two months starting in June.

Associated Press

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International: Business Start-Up Checklist

Below are some of the tasks involved in starting a home-based business.

You will need to take additional steps if you have employees, will incorporate, or will have a business partner. Refer to this checklist often when starting your business to check what steps you need to take next.

Need More Information ?..? Click Here

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Pool Filter Grids ? Essential Pool Accessory for Any Swimming Pool

Choosing pool filter grids of the appropriate quality can be confusing. However, there are many ways to identify the right grid for your swimming pool. Having the right grid is best done by checking the dimensions as well as other specification to ensure you have the right grid.

There are many companies producing swimming pool filter grids. These grids are essential to have superior water clarity, large cleaning capacity and efficient flow. These are now available in combinations with high technology features and the advantage of such grids is that they are designed to offer the ease of service. The filtration is of immense value to new pool and for aftermarket installations. The diatomaceous earth filters filter up to the size of 5 microns.

The pool filter grids are the best for in ground pools, spas, water features, ponds or also for in-ground spa or pool combinations.

The features include:

  • Filter tanks that are made using reinforced durable thermoplastic to suit the demands of toughest environmental conditions and applications. This also includes in-floor systems of cleaning.
  • Tamper proof, heavy duty flange clamp in one piece securely fastening the tank top and bottom. It allows access to internal components and this can be done without disturbing connections or piping.
  • Convenient plumbing and valve options suitable for customized control.
  • Tank top and bottom that are self-aligned is required for accessing the grid elements quicker and with ease.
  • Uniform base with low profile and integral lift handles make elimination of grid faster and simple.
  • High impact grid elements are customized to offer up flow filtration as well as backwashing of top-down for maximum efficiency.
  • Inlet diffuser distributes unfiltered flow of water to all filter elements and thereby offers equal distribution to grids.
  • These pool filters are appropriate for large residential and commercial applications, besides featuring non-corrosive and hassle free performance for years.
  • Rapid release air valve offer quick turn of the lever.
  • The internal plumbing and piping offers maximum performance and flow.

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Filter grids are designed and constructed such that they offer added durability.

Its stitched seams feature heavy duty and are sonic welded featuring chemical resistant string from fraying. The grids use polypropylene cloth to 100%. This is rot and mildew resistant and has superb resistance to alkalis and acids. This material is in use for more than 50 years and in this time the polypropylene material has undergone several modifications. The developments and modification are in yarn construction, fabric finishing, weave patterns and allows better control of the permeability of the fabric so that the characteristics are optimized.

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Know When to Refinance Your Mortgage

The housing market in the state of Georgia, as well as the rest of the US, is slowly recovering. While there has been an increase in real estate sales, many homeowners are still facing foreclosure. Considering the situation, homeowners can look at refinancing as an option.

Refinancing is paying a current loan with a new one using the same property as collateral. Refinancing usually refers to a home mortgage but it can also be in the form of an auto loan. While this may appear to be the best decision you can make, it can also possibly be the worst. You may want to consider the pros and cons of refinancing before making an appointment with a mortgage lender in Georgia.

Anyone may want to refinance his loan for a variety of reasons. These include taking advantage of a better interest rate or consolidating other debts into a single loan.

When interest rates decrease, Georgia residents can refinance their loans to lower their monthly payments. If they have other debts, they can also refinance to create a single loan with longer payment terms. This gives the borrower more time to pay.

Refinancing also means that you again begin to pay off your debts. A significant amount of the money you paid will most likely go to penalties and other miscellaneous fees. You also have to keep in mind the unstable nature of mortgage rates. Because these are constantly changing according to the market, refinancing can aggravate your financial situation in the long run.

Refinancing is not an easy decision. It is advisable that you consult a financial planner or a mortgage lender to get the whole picture. Finding the right mortgage lender Georgia has is relatively easy. Check local listings or search online to get the right mortgage lender. Reading reports on mortgage rates is also extremely helpful to make an educated decision before jumping the gun. There is no clear rule of thumb in refinancing so it is best to arm oneself with information.

Deciding whether or not to refinance is entirely dependent on one?s ability to pay. The mortgage lenders Georgia homeowners trust are ready to discuss debt payment options other than refinancing. They can also tell you if you can qualify for a refinancing loan or not.

To find out the latest news about real estate, refinancing, and the most reliable mortgage lender GA has, check realtytimes.com and loansanddebts.com.

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