Satirical Mints Poking Fun at President Obama Yanked From Tennessee Bookstore

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Saul Young/Knoxville News Sentinel

The University of Tennessee bookstore in Knoxville has decided to stop selling packages of breath mints poking fun at President Obama after a Democratic lawmaker complained. 

The product is called, “Disappoint-mints” and features a blue and red picture of the president on the label. 

State Rep. Joe Armstrong told The Knoxville News Sentinel he found the breath mints offensive. 

He said a student had notified him of the mints so he decided to go to the bookstore to investigate. 

He said the breath freshener was “very specifically insulting to the president” and said the university should be sensitive to what he called “politically specific products.” 

But others find the outrage over “Disappoint-mints” to be curiously strong – suggesting that removing the products is a form of censorship. 

“Let me make very clear, there is no candy exception to the First Amendment,” Glenn Reynolds, a constitutional law professor, told the newspaper. 

“Free speech is free speech. If you make fun of the president in a mint, it is just as much free speech as it is if you make fun of the president in a political cartoon.” 

The bookstore manager said the shop previously carried breath mints satirizing former President George W. Bush – but no one ever complained. 

Tennessee Republicans were quick to pounce on the Democrats for what they called hypocrisy.

“It’s certainly a disappointment and an embarrassment that Democrats would choose to try and limit free speech on a college campus,” said Chris Devaney, chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party

“They can’t take criticism of their president. The bottom line is that Democrats were out of line.”

Devaney said he had not sampled the Obama-themed breath mints, but in light of the controversy he may reconsider.

“I think I’m going to go get some,” he said.

Unemployment benefits at risk

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The debt ceiling agreement did little to help the millions of jobless Americans whose federal unemployment benefits are set to run out early next year.

The unemployed had hoped that the debt ceiling deal would include an extension to file for federal unemployment benefits. But in the end, policymakers focused only on cutting federal spending.

As it stands, most people laid off today will not be eligible to collect federal unemployment benefits after their state benefits run out. And those collecting federal benefits could find themselves cut off before receiving the full number of weeks for which they are now eligible.

Here's how the system works: The jobless can collect up to 26 weeks of state benefits before shifting to the extended federal program. Federal benefits consist of up to 53 weeks of emergency compensation, which is divided into four tiers, and up to another 20 weeks of extended benefits. The maximum is 99 weeks.

So those who reach the end of their state benefits after early January will not be able to apply for federal benefits unless the deadline to file is extended. Same goes for those collecting federal benefits now, who will not be able to advance to the next tier once they finish their current one. (Find out how many weeks of benefits are available in your state.)

Early estimates say more than three million jobless Americans could see their benefits disappear in early 2012 unless Congress acts. There are currently 3.8 million people receiving federal benefits, though some will get jobs or run out before year's end.

Since the economy is so weak and the unemployment rate has been climbing, people still need help getting by, advocates say.

"It's still a brutal job market out there," said Chad Stone, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

11 job killing companies

Advocates say there is still plenty of opportunity to extend the filing deadline for federal benefits, which is currently the first week of January. And President Obama is in their corner.

"We need to make sure that millions of workers who are still pounding the pavement looking for jobs to support their families are not denied needed unemployment benefits," Obama said Tuesday upon signing the debt deal legislation.

But getting another extension past lawmakers will not be easy. Federal emergency benefits began in June 2008 and have been increased or extended eight times since then, including on four occasions last year. When Congress passed a 13-month extension in December, it was thought by some to be the last.

With Congress tasked with slashing up to $2.4 trillion in federal spending, adding billions for unemployment insurance will not be easy.

Rep. Dave Camp, the Republican who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee where the bill would likely originate, has supported extensions in the past, but only if their cost is covered.

Advocates are still hopeful that lawmakers realize that another extension is needed. The unemployment rate rose to 9.2% in June.

"They understand they can't just shut these programs down at the end of the year, especially not with the economy doing so badly," said Judy Conti, federal advocacy coordinator for the National Employment Law Project.

Lady golfers challenged to keep their focus ahead of regional meet

WITH 10 days in the count down to the much anticipated East and Central Africa All Africa Challenge Trophy, the Tanzania Ladies Golf Union (TLGU) has urged lady golfers in the entirety to register their commitment to the national team.

Mbonile Burton, the union’s president, told the ‘Daily News’ in Dar es Salaam that it was imperative for any player to heed a call to play for the country.

Burton noted that representing the country in a regional or international event must sound something special to the particular player and therefore all rules and regulations must be adhered to the latter.

The statement comes with the clock ticking tenderly towards the 2011 edition of the regional competition at the TPDF Lugalo Golf Course on August 15 through 19, to be succeeded by the tee off of the Tanzania Ladies Open Tournament 2011 season.

Tanzania is the reigning champion of the event and already four players have been named to play to retain the trophy. They are team captain and fairway maestro Madina Iddi and long hitting Hawa Wanyeche.

Others include ‘run-away’ duo Ayne Magombe and cheerful swinger Angel Eaton, who are in the Kenyan Coastal town of Mombasa, competing at the Coastal Open championship.

Magombe and Eaton are reportedly holding the ladies national team at ransom after they disappeared from the team’s camp at Lugalo Golf Course without a word only to reappear in Mombasa by text message.

Mbonile said: “Unfortunately we have only a few players that we must collectively work towards improving their performance. That’s why we are investing a lot towards their particular well being.

We would really want to have all in one camp and have them become used to the grounds at Lugalo.”

Meanwhile, the TLGU president has called for more support from the public, saying preparations towards the regional event were being negatively impacted by lack of funds.

She named the few sponsors already listed as Precision Air, Tanzania Breweries Limited, HoldTrade and BQ Contractors; but singled out the Yellow Pages and the Michocheni Lodge for their contribution towards the team’s preparation.

Burton said: “Preparations are in top gear. However, we are still behind schedule when it comes to raising enough funds for the event. I want to take this opportunity to call upon prospective sponsors to come out and list their support to our team.”

Lady golfers challenged to keep their focus ahead of regional meet

Syrian authorities cut Internet, phone lines, power amid anti-government protest in Hama

BEIRUT - Syrian authorities kept the restive city of Hama under a blackout Thursday, cutting phone lines, Internet and electricity as part of a brutal, five-day-old crackdown on anti-government dissent. Activists expressed concern about worsening humanitarian conditions there, saying medical supplies and bread were in short supply even before the latest siege.

Security forces killed at least seven protesters in other parts of Syria overnight when they went out to demonstrate after special nighttime prayers for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, activists said.Hozan Ibrahim, of the Local Coordination Committees which tracks the crackdown, said up to 30 people may have been killed in Hama Wednesday based on reports from fleeing residents. But the reports could not be immediately verified.

Phones and Internet in Hama have been cut or severely hampered for at least two days. Electricity has been out or sporadic since Sunday. Rami Abdul-Rahman, who heads the London-based Observatory for Human Rights, said some 1,000 families have fled Hama in the past two days, most of them to the village of Mashtal Hilu west of Hama and al-Salamieh to the east.

The siege of Hama is part of a new government offensive to put down the country's uprising against President Bashar Assad's authoritarian rule. Now in its fifth month, the protests have been gaining momentum in defiance of the military crackdown.

Assad has sought to deal with the extraordinary revolt against his family's 40-year-dynasty through deadly force, but has also acknowledged the need for reform.

On Thursday, he issued two legislative decrees that will allow the formation of political parties alongside the Baath Party and enable newly formed parties to run for parliament and local councils. Both draft bills were endorsed by Cabinet last month, and were key demands of the opposition movement. But opposition figures now dismiss the moves as maneuvering tactics and insist they want regime change.

On Wednesday, Syrian tanks stormed Hama under heavy shelling, taking over a main city square. Activists said authorities have effectively imposed a news blackout on the city by cutting cellular and land lines and Internet after reports of at least 100 killed in the first four days of the government offensive.

Phone calls by the Associated Press to the city on Thursday were not going through.Abdul-Karim Rihawi, Damascus-based chief of the Syrian Human Rights League, said there was no information coming out from Hama on Thursday.

New Zealand man nearly decapitated by homemade hovercraft

New Zealand man nearly decapitated by homemade hovercraft

A New Zealand man building a homemade hovercraft was nearly decapitated when a rotor blade snapped free and struck him at a high rate of speed, officials say.

Dr. Alistair Kenneth Senior, 40, of Auckland was working with several other engineers on the hobby project when the mishap occurred - killing him instantly.

"It was extremely disturbing for everyone who was out there," police Sgt. Colin Nuttall told the New Zealand Herald.

Nuttall said the machine Senior was working on was something officers had never seen, making it hard to figure out exactly what happened.

"It's something out of the norm for us," he said. "It was a personally built piece of machinery for personal use."

A death notice said Senior had "died in pursuit of his dream."