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Strategies & Market Trends : Anthony @ Equity Investigations, Dear Anthony, -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Anthony@Pacific who wrote (67975)	3/8/2001 1:50:21 AM
From: Taki	Respond to of 122087

WOW. (COMTEX) B: U.S. Hispanic population grows by 58 percent B: U.S. Hispanic population grows by 58 percent WASHINGTON, Mar 08, 2001 (Chicago Tribune - Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service via COMTEX) -- Far faster than even experts anticipated, Hispanics apparently have equaled and perhaps surpassed blacks as the nation's largest minority, according to Census Bureau data showing the U.S. Hispanic population has grown by a breathtaking 58 percent over the last decade. The growth in the nation's Hispanic population, resulting partly from higher immigration than demographers had accounted for, raised the prospect of greater competition between African-Americans and Hispanics for political and economic power, though some leaders from both groups saw opportunity for joint action. It also underscored the impact Hispanic culture could have in the new century. While the Census Bureau won't officially release the race and Hispanic data from the 2000 census until next week, statistics the bureau has made available for other purposes also reveal that significantly more people indicated multiracial heritage than the bureau had expected. Specifically, about 5 percent of blacks said they were black and some other race, more than double the rate the bureau's demographers had projected. Some experts worried that increased use of more than one racial category could distort the picture of black gains, making it more difficult to gauge progress in economic, educational and other areas. Census Bureau documents indicated that 35.3 million people identified themselves as Hispanic during last year's national headcount, 58 percent more than the 22.4 million who did so in 1990. The bureau counted as many as 1.1 million more blacks in last year's census than Hispanics. The 36.4 million people of African descent included those who identified themselves as being of more than one race. The 2000 census was the first in which respondents were allowed to check more than one race category. If the 1.7 million people who said they were black and at least one other race were subtracted from the total number of blacks, the number of Hispanics would exceed the number of blacks by about 647,000. Though the Latino numbers were startling in their dimensions, demographers cautioned that the picture they provide wasn't precise. Race is more a sociological than scientific concept with frequently fuzzy lines and respondents deciding where they fall. What's more, overlap exists between racial and Hispanic categories. For instance, some self-described blacks also called themselves Hispanic. The extent of such overlap will not be known until the bureau releases its racial and Hispanic data next week. Though the trend has been apparent for years, the swiftness with which the Hispanic population has nearly matched the black population in the 21st century stunned demographers. "I think that this has caught people by surprise," said Jeffrey Passell, a demographer at the Urban Institute, a Washington think tank. "It may be three or four years early," Passell said. "When the Census Bureau did their projections last year they projected this to happen in 2004. I did a set of similar projections a year earlier and used slightly different assumptions and got 2003. You go back five years and look at the projections people were doing then and it was 2008." Much of the increase came from the natural growth of a Hispanic population that tends to be younger, with more people of childbearing age, than other groups. Hispanic families also tend to be larger on average than their non-Hispanic counterparts. Immigration contributed significantly, however, especially immigration by people without documents. For years, demographers had suspected that census data underrepresented Hispanic immigration. Some experts suggested that perhaps 6 million of such undocumented immigrants were unaccounted for. Passell said the latest census data indicated such guesses were about 3 million people too low, and that the number of immigrants missed was more like 9 million. Hispanic officials welcomed the news that their numbers had swelled faster than expected. "We're an important force and presence in this nation," said Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "Areas in this country that were lacking the presence and voice of Latinos before are now reporting significant growth," Reyes said in a statement. "This growth leads to the potential of a stronger Latino community and, importantly, to more Latino elected officials. Currently we do not have representation in Congress proportionate to the population of the country and we need to change this." There are 21 Hispanic members of Congress. The rising Hispanic population seems likely to heighten friction between that group and African-Americans over control of political and economic plums in some parts of the country. "In areas like Houston and Los Angeles, you're already seeing some tension and there will be a continuation of that," said Marisa Demeo, an official in the Washington office of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund. But Hispanics and blacks also are likely to find common cause around issues important to both groups, such as discrimination, fair housing and equal employment. "I hope we never fight each other," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Texas, head of the Congressional Black Caucus. "There ought to be enough ties that bind that we can work together," said Johnson, who urged African-Americans to study Spanish to build those connections. Hugh B. Price, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, likened the census report to a wake-up call for African-Americans. "There needs to be an evolution in strategy and adjustment to reality," said Price, whose organization promotes greater economic opportunities for blacks. "When you move down the political food chain, you have to be even more committed to economic self-reliance. The politics of the country evolve with the demographics," he said, which meant blacks were likely to lose some clout that was long theirs as the nation's largest minority. While there might be more Hispanics than blacks, there were still some realities favoring blacks, like higher household income, said Ken Smikle, president of Target Market News, a Chicago-based research firm that specializes in African-American consumers. Besides the jump in the nation's Hispanic population, the newly available data also spotlighted the higher-than-expected use of the 2000 census feature that allowed people to identify themselves as belonging to more than one race. Roderick Harrison, a demographer with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, said he fears that the true state of black America in terms of economics, health and education could be clouded if too many people who previously wouldn't have been classified as black now opt to be considered black. By Frank James Chicago Tribune (C) 2001 Chicago Tribune -0-

To: Anthony@Pacific who wrote (67975)	3/8/2001 2:05:20 AM
From: Taki	Respond to of 122087

Beloved A@P read please all this beautiful true story. >Written by: Sister Helen P. Mrosla > >He was in the first third grade class I taught at Saint Mary's School in >Morris, Minn. All 34 of my students were dear to me, but Mark Eklund was >one >in a million. Very neat in appearance, but had that happy-to-be-alive >attitude that made even his occasional mischievousness delightful. Mark >talked incessantly. I had to remind him again and again that talking >without >permission was not acceptable. What impressed me so much, though, was his >sincere response every time I had to correct him for misbehaving - "Thank >you >for correcting me, Sister!" I didn't know what to make of it at first, but >before long I became accustomed to hearing it many >times a day. > >One morning my patience was growing thin when Mark talked once too often, >and >then I made a novice teacher's mistake. I looked at Mark and said, "If you >say one more word, I am going to tape your mouth shut!" > >It wasn't ten seconds later when Chuck blurted out, "Mark is talking >again." >I hadn't asked any of the students to help me watch Mark, but since I had >stated the punishment in front of the class, I had to act on it. I >remember >the scene as if it had occurred this morning. I walked to my desk, very >deliberately opened my drawer and took out a roll of masking tape. Without >saying a word, I proceeded to Mark's desk, tore off two pieces of tape and >made a big X with them over his mouth. I then returned to the front of the >room. As I glanced at Mark to see how he was doing, he winked at me. That >did it!! I started laughing. The class cheered as I walked back to Mark's >desk, removed the tape, and shrugged my shoulders. > >His first words were, "Thank you for correcting me, Sister." >At the end of the year, I was asked to teach junior-high math. The years >flew by, and before I knew it Mark was in my classroom again. He was more >handsome than ever and just as polite. Since he had to listen carefully to >my >instruction in the "new math," he did not talk as much in ninth grade as he >had in third. One Friday, things just didn't feel right. We had worked >hard >on a new concept all week, and I sensed that the students were frowning, >frustrated with themselves and edgy with one another. I had to stop this >crankiness before it got out of hand. So I asked them to list the names of >the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space >between each name. Then I told them to think of the nicest thing they >could >say about each of their classmates and write it down. > >It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and >as >the students left the room, each one handed me the papers. Charlie smiled. >Mark said, "Thank you for teaching me, Sister. Have a good weekend." That >Saturday, I wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of >paper, >and I listed what everyone else had said about that individual. > >On Monday I gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire >class >was smiling. "Really?" I heard whispered. "I never knew that meant >anything >to >anyone!" "I didn't know others liked me so much." No one ever mentioned >those >papers in class again. I never knew if they discussed them after class or >with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its >purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another again. >That >group of students moved on. > >Several years later, after I returned from vacation, my parents met me at >the >airport. As we were driving home, Mother asked me the usual questions >about >the trip - the weather, my experiences in general. There was a lull in the >conversation. > >Mother gave Dad a sideways glance and simply says, "Dad?" My father >cleared >his throat as he usually did before something important. "The Eklunds >called >last night," he began. "Really?" I said. "I haven't heard from them in >years. I wonder how Mark is." Dad responded quietly. "Mark was killed in >Vietnam," he said. "The funeral is tomorrow, and his parents would like it >if >you could attend." > >To this day I can still point to the exact spot on I-494 where Dad told me >about Mark. >I had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. Mark looked so >handsome, so mature. All I could think at that moment was, "Mark I would >give all the masking tape in the world if only you would talk to me." > >The church was packed with Mark's friends. Chuck's sister sang "The Battle >Hymn of the Republic." Why did it have to rain on the day of the funeral? >It >was difficult enough at the graveside. The pastor said the usual prayers, >and the bugler played taps. One by one those who loved Mark took a last >walk >by the coffin and sprinkled it with holy water. I was the last one to >bless >the coffin. As I stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer >came up to me. "Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked. I nodded as I >continued to stare at the coffin. "Mark talked about you a lot," he said. > >After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates headed to Chuck's >farmhouse for lunch. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously >waiting >for me. > >"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of >his >pocket. "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might >recognize it." > >Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook >paper >that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. I knew >without >looking that the papers were the ones on which I had listed all the good >things each of Mark's classmates had said about him. > >"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, >Mark treasured it." Mark's classmates started to gather around us. Charlie >smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top >drawer of my desk at home." > >Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album." "I >have >mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary." Then Vicki, another >classmate, >reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and >frazzled list to the group. > >"I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said without batting an eyelash. >"I think we all saved our lists." That's when I finally sat down and cried. >I cried for Mark and for >all his friends who would never see him again. > >The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will >end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. > >So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and >important. Tell them, before it is too late

To: Anthony@Pacific who wrote (67975)	3/8/2001 2:06:21 AM
From: Cheeky Kid	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 122087

I still think this was in bad taste: Message 15452092 The last line you wrote. Were you trying to imply something when you wrote that? I still feel you should do the right thing and delete that garbage....but somehow I don't think you will. SI would not delete it as well, so it appears to me we have two-tier enforcement here. Gurus get away with a lot more than the common folk.