Vaboomer -- Baby Boomer Views & News

Save This Last Stand of Old Growth Forest In NJ. Please Join the Fight

Ancient Friends

As we all know trees are our breathing buddies, cleansing the air of our CO2 and giving us clean fresh oxygen.

Seton Hall Prep, a Catholic prep school in West Orange, NJ is planning to cut down the last stand of old growth forest in NJ--some of the trees are hundreds of years old.  There are about 1,000 trees on 40 acres of land. 

Purpose of this tree massacre?  To construct parking lots, bleachers, athletic fields, and a hamburger stand.  Some of these trees witnessed the birth of our nation.  Also -- where will the animals go?

Please join the fight to avert this disaster.

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Supreme Court Judge Sotomayor (Boomer Icon) Judge Sonya Sotomayor to ascend the high court bench,Brings Us Towards A More Perfect Union

Purple, green, polka dotted or what ever, I am so glad Judge Sonya Sotomayor was confirmed  today as only the third woman EVER! to sit on the Supreme Court. Her seating represents, as President Obama noted--that our nation is moving towards a more perfect union. I think often about The Constitution and its language--the pursuit of happiness, about which I have written, and towards a more perfect union. I love the action and volition that is implied in the language. That each of us citizens is offered the possibility to gain a state of happiness by what we choose and how we conduct ourselves. And that our nation as a whole moves towards a more perfect union. That union makes a happier, more productive, peaceful and satisfying national life by our collective choices. We have just moved forward today. Congratulations to us and to U.S. And congratulations to Judge Sotomayor.

See this article for a round up discussion:

A Latina on Top Court

Now playing: Slate V, a video-only site from the world's leading online magazine. Visit Slate V at www.slatev.com

By Daniel Politi

Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, at 6:55 AM ET The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal's world-wide newsbox lead with the Senate confirming Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court. After three days of debate, the final vote, 68-31, was largely along party lines, although nine Republicans did cross over and vote for Sotomayor's confirmation. The White House went into celebratory mode, and President Obama hailed her confirmation as "breaking yet another barrier and moving us yet another step closer to a more perfect union." Chief Justice John Roberts will swear in the Supreme Court's newest member Saturday morning.

USAT says the White House celebration was tempered by the fact that "the vote was not nearly as bipartisan as Obama had sought." But the LAT says that, ultimately, more Republicans voted for her than was expected. The WSJ declares it was a victory for the White House that senators voted within the timetable that the administration had requested. The WP highlights that Sotomayor got more votes against her than Roberts but fewer than President George W. Bush's other nominee, Samuel Alito. Republicans also tried to claim a victory of their own, stating that during the hearings, Sotomayor and Democratic senators spoke against the idea that empathy is an important qualification to serve on the nation's highest court. "It will now be harder to nominate activist judges," Sen. Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the judiciary committee, said.

To continue reading, click here.  Daniel Politi writes "Today's Papers" for Slate. He can be reached at todayspapers@slate.com.

Ms. Judy Chu (Baby Boomer) Goes to Washington! First Chinese American Woman

Judy Chu becomes first Chinese American woman elected to Congress. 

The San Gabriel Valley Democrat, who will represent the 32nd District, adds the victory to a 24-year political career. She won with nearly 62% of the vote and the support of local political leaders.

Judy Chu can trace the beginnings of her career as a San Gabriel Valley activist and political leader back to the early 1970s and her freshman year in college.

As the young math major, intent on a career in computer science, was crossing the UC Santa Barbara quad one day, someone thrust into her hand a flier about a new Asian American studies course. She decided to give it a try.

It was like a light went off in my head," Chu recalled.

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