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GO Advocate eEdition Public/Legal Notices Legislatu= re Acts

=09 =09 Breaking: Search = on for missing Angola inmate =09 =20

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Thursday, September 10, 2009 =20

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COLUMNISTS

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Fishing = Report for September 10, 2009

With a not-too-good forecast, it looks like football, not = fishing, is in our future. Rain, moderate winds and heavy seas will rule. With speckled trout in = their late-summer transition stage =E2=80=94 moving into the inside = lakes, bays, bayous and canals =E2=80=94 that leaves redfish as the main = target for coastal trips.

Mark = Ballard

Mark Ballard writes Political Horizons for the Sunday newspaper. = The column puts into context current Louisiana political and = governmental issues.
Joseph = Schiefelbein

Joseph Schiefelbein, who has written for The Advocate=E2=80=99s = sports department since 1991, is the newspaper=E2=80=99s Assistant = Sports Editor. His columns focus mainly on LSU football but range over a = variety of sports topics.
Carl = Redman

Carl Redman occasionally writes columns that explore issues = related to state and local government, politics and/or the Louisiana = economy.
Smiley = Anders

Every day but Sunday, Smiley Anders offers a light-hearted look at = life in Baton Rouge and south Louisiana. Humor (hopefully), nostalgia, = Good Samaritan appreciations, worthy causes, etc., are among the items = offered.
Danny = Heitman

Danny Heitman writes about his life as a husband and = father.
Pat = Shingleton

Pat Shingleton, WBRZ's Chief Forecaster since 1981, writes a daily = column on all things weather. His column also features his Fastcast, so = you can know just what to expect from your weather in the next 24 = hours.
Ed = Cullen

"Attic Salt" means something poignant, funny and subtle which = gives columnist Ed Cullen all the leeway he needs to spin a yarn. You = may listen to his essays for National Public Radio at = www.npr.org.
Gerard = Shields

Gerard Shields writes a Sunday column about national or state = issues and Louisiana's impact on the debate. Shields writes a Monday = column called Washington Watch which usually centers on the Louisiana = congressional delegation's actions in the nation's capital.
Tommy = Simmons

Advocate Food editor Tommy Simmons' Table Talk column runs in the = Food section on Thursdays. Tommy comments on food, friends, family and = life in Louisiana. She also offers a staff-tested recipe to entice = readers.
Joe = Macaluso

Joe Macaluso's Fishing Report columns on Thursdays break down = freshwater and saltwater fishing in Louisiana. His The Wild Side column = features the top outdoors topic of the week, with wide ranging topics = from fishing and hunting to upcoming events.

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Site Information: Check out our site blog for the latest = news on updates and changes to 2theadvocate.com.; Curious about how the site works or what content we can provide to = you? Check our Frequently Asked Questions = section.; Get a detailed listing of all of the site's sections with our site map.

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LA

=20

Breaking: Search on for missing Angola inmate =

Thursday, September 10, 2009

2theadvocate > Columnists

COLUMNISTS=20

Inside Report for September 10, = 2009

Advocate Columnists

=E2=80=A2  Smiley=20 Anders

=E2=80=A2  Pat=20 Shingleton's Weather

=E2=80=A2  Ed=20 Cullen's Attic Salt

3D""=20

Syndicated Columnists

Annie's Mailbox with Sugar &=20 Mitchell

Richard Cohen

Craig Crossman

E.J. Dionne, Jr.

Dr.=20 Peter Gott

Carolyn Hax

Froma Harrup

Hints from Heloise

Jim Hoagland

Molly Ivins

James=20 Kilpatrick

Jules Witcover

Michelle Malkin

Another word for poverty =

By SARAH CHACKO
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Sep 10, 2009 = - Page: 9B

In the coming weeks, the federal government will release 2008 data = about=20 family income and economic status.

An obvious focus for many will be the poverty rate, the number of = people who=20 earn less than an established measure of income needed to cover a = family=E2=80=99s basic=20 needs.

But in some circles, the word =E2=80=9Cpoverty=E2=80=9D has become = off limits. Nonprofit=20 organizations and state agencies say they are =E2=80=9Cmoving people to=20 self-sufficiency=E2=80=9D or =E2=80=9Cempowering families,=E2=80=9D = without mentioning economic=20 status.

Avoiding the word has apparently become an international trend = too.

In a Web blog for Australia=E2=80=99s Lowy Institute for = International Policy,=20 economist Peter McCawley writes he was struck by the omission of = the =E2=80=9CP=20 word=E2=80=9D in discussions on changes in the international relations = across Asia,=20 where a billion or more people live in =E2=80=9Cabysmal = poverty.=E2=80=9D

The poverty issue is an embarrassment to policy makers in poor = countries as=20 well as rich countries, where the options are to hurt relations by = talking about=20 another country=E2=80=99s problem or be responsible for helping, = McCawley writes.

=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s easier to avoid the subject,=E2=80=9D he = states.

Drew Murray with the state Department of Social Services said the = term=20 =E2=80=9Cself-sufficiency=E2=80=9D focuses on opportunities.

=E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s really more of a characteristic of people than = =E2=80=98poverty,=E2=80=99 =E2=80=9D said=20 Murray, the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program director. = =E2=80=9CPoverty=20 is really just a measure.=E2=80=9D

The federal poverty measure has come under criticism nationally by = policy=20 makers and social welfare experts as being outdated and inaccurate.

Changing the words does not necessarily change the outcome. Is it = possible=20 for a =E2=80=9Cself-sufficient=E2=80=9D family to still be in = poverty?

It is likely if the federal poverty measure changes, more people = could be=20 classified as living in poverty.

=E2=80=9CIt (poverty) automatically conjures up a stereotype. And it = often makes=20 people very uncomfortable and/or puts them off,=E2=80=9D said Renee = Craft, executive=20 director of HOPE Ministries.

Her group offers a food pantry, mentoring program and financial and = life=20 management courses for people who are within a certain percentage of the = poverty=20 line.

It may be a factual measure to many in society, she said, but it is = insulting=20 to those living in that situation who do not see themselves as = impoverished.

Others, however, are fully aware of their economic situation.

=E2=80=9CIf you don=E2=80=99t talk about it, then it=E2=80=99s not = going to get any better,=E2=80=9D said=20 Bridget Brown, who describes herself as =E2=80=9Cin = poverty.=E2=80=9D

As a single mom between jobs, Brown said she relies on her mother and = brother=20 to help her through tough financial times.

=E2=80=9CBut I got some pride,=E2=80=9D she said. =E2=80=9CI = appreciate what they do, but I want to=20 provide for myself again.=E2=80=9D

Murray, program director of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, = said=20 poverty and self-sufficiency can be seen as two sides of the same coin. = =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s=20 part of a strategy to find the best ways to help needy = families,=E2=80=9D he said. =E2=80=9CIt=E2=80=99s=20 a choice and it=E2=80=99s just a matter of where we=E2=80=99ve put the = focus.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CI don=E2=80=99t think the substance of the work is going to = change that=20 dramatically,=E2=80=9D he added.

Pam Monroe, a social work professor at LSU, said the use of=20 =E2=80=9Cself-sufficiency=E2=80=9D instead of =E2=80=9Cpoverty=E2=80=9D = is not a =E2=80=9Cbenign, neutral shift.=E2=80=9D

=E2=80=9CYou=E2=80=99re swinging with a different bat now,=E2=80=9D = she said.

Monroe, who directs a network of researchers, nonprofits and = businesses=20 called the Poverty Initiative, said that what self-sufficiency = represents has to=20 be realistic.

=E2=80=9CThe notion that there would be a day when you receive no = public support and=20 would never again in the future receive public support is not a = realistic goal,=E2=80=9D=20 Monroe said.

People in poverty probably will need a mix of public support for a = long time,=20 as they progress with employment or educational goals, she said.

=E2=80=9CIf self-sufficient is sort of a proxy term for being off = welfare, then it=E2=80=99s=20 entirely possible to be =E2=80=98self-sufficient=E2=80=99 and be = desperately poor and worse off=20 than you were before,=E2=80=9D she said.

Sarah Chacko covers poverty-related issues for The = Advocate=E2=80=99s Capitol=20 news bureau. Her e-mail address is schacko = @theadvocate.com.


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