NEWS STAND: Nurses Threaten Strike, 200 Preemies Dead in South Africa, Bodies in Mexican Mine, Obama and Seniors

State officials plan to seek order blocking 12,000 nurses from striking
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/state-officials-plan-to-seek-order-to-block-12000-nurses-from-striking-thursday.html
Don't get sick in California. State officials are planning to seek an order to block 12,000 nurses from striking at all five university hospitals. Nurses are striking because of the universities' "unwillingness to provide adequate staffing that puts patients at risk." In preparation for the looming strike, hospital officials have been flying in nurses, housing and training them, since Monday, to the tune of  $10 million to $15 million. We're not economists but common sense would suggest that instead of spending millions to fly in nurses from the East Coast that need training, perhaps the hospitals should use that money to add more trained nurses in California to help alleviate staffing concerns and minimize patient risk. We're just saying. 

Unconscionable: 200 babies dead at Mthatha hospital in South Africa
http://www.theherald.co.za/article.aspx?id=566589
Speaking of hospitals, the Eastern Cape Health Department has confirmed the deaths of about 200 premature babies born between January and May at the Mthatha Hospital Complex located in the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. The deaths are allegedly due to staff negligence and faulty hospital equipment in the neonatal wards. If that's not bad enough, apparently administrators have known about the faulty equipment for over a year. Estimates of deaths related to negligence and faulty equipment are between 170 and 280 babies. We're wondering why this is happening and why no one is talking about it in the media. Where's the right on this one? We guess black babies don't count. This is going straight into our "unconscionable" file on multiple fronts. Shaking our heads over here at the Root.

Taking it to the Streets: Obama tells seniors health bill will work for them
http://www.ajc.com/business/obama-tells-seniors-health-543819.html
Finally. Our fair president is getting back to his crown jewel, health care reform. President Obama fielded questions in person and via phone at a senior center in Southern Maryland in an attempt to allay fears about health care reform. The talk was timed to coincide with the first group of $250 checks to seniors who fall into Medicare's prescription drug coverage gap, known as the "doughnut hole."  We're not sure "doughnut hole" adequately describes the ridiculous cost of prescription medication. More like gaping hole.

Let's Get Ready to Rumble: L.A. City Council to file court brief backing overturning of Arizona immigration law
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/06/la-council-to-file-court-brief-backing-overturn-of-new-arizona-immigration-law.html
The city of Angels is clearly making a bid for all of the folks that will be high-tailing it out of Arizona and needing a place to live, stay or play that is inclusive. The Los Angeles City Council voted to file a court brief supporting a coalition that is seeking to overturn an Arizona law that cracks down on illegal immigration. Just when we thought the BP Oil disaster had knocked out every major issue for the next year, Los Angeles comes up swinging. Maybe we'll stop calling it La La land? Nah.

Mexican authorities recover 55 bodies from mineshaft
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/06/07/mexico.mass.grave/index.html?hpt=Sbin
When we first read about this story, we kept waiting for Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino to appear, because the heinous nature of this crime could only be fiction. Wrong. It actually happened. Mexican authorities found 55 bodies inside a mine ventilation shaft in the city of Taxco. Three were mummified and two were skeletal remains.  Only four of the bodies have been identified, one of whom was an area prison warden. Some of them were found with blindfolds and bound hands, leading to speculations that the mass grave is related to a drug cartel. You think?

GM bailing out drivers: Recalling 1.5M vehicles over fire concerns
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37572407/ns/business-autos/?gt1=43001
From our, "Are you kidding us" file, General Motors is recalling 1.5 million vehicles over fire concerns. What's the problem? A faulty heated windshield wiper fluid system that could lead to a fire. By the way, this is the second recall over the same issue in two years. We know what they didn't spend the bailout money on. The recall affects several pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles, crossovers and passenger car models from the 2006 to 2009 model years. The system will be disabled and GM will pay owners and car dealers $100 since they no longer have the feature. Between the constant automobile recalls and oil disaster, walking is looking better and better to us.