Inner core

Where is the meat coming from? (If Mad Cow in humans starts to explode, the cattle industry does not want a papertrail?)

http://agriculture.einnews.com/pr-news/70818-usda-to-abandon-livestock-t...

[excerpt]

USDA to Abandon Livestock Tracking
USDA to Abandon Livestock Tracking

February 5, 2010 /EIN PRESSWIRE/ Citing resistance from ranchers and farmers, the USDA will scrap a voluntary program designed to track livestock transported across state lines.

The program, created in 2004 after a mad cow discovery, was designed to quickly identify diseased animals in the event of an outbreak, but the cattle industry did not back the program. Farmers and ranchers objected to the program because of the costs and extra work involved -- in addition to privacy concerns.

"It was just overwhelming in the country that people didn't like it, and I think they took that feedback to heart," said Mary Kay Thatcher, public policy director of the American Farm Bureau Federation, told the New York Times.

Instead of scrapping the concept of tracking altogether, officials say the states will need to give their input to a tracking system.

Read more about this story at Agriculture Industry Today:

Latest Farm Bureau Federation news - http://agriculture.einnews.com/news/farm-bureau-federation

[end excerpt]

Sunshine bright new thread--thanks, Sam!

Rahm Emanuel, Robert Gibbs, Valerie Jarrett and David Axelrod.

yea

[re sam's link]
"
I see Valerie Jarrett a lot -- often at Georgetown's power crowd restaurant, Cafe Milano.

In fact, one night when I was at the annual gala dinner of Jim Zogby's Arab American Institute -- an important evening for leading figures from the Arab-American community to connect with the Washington political establishment -- Jarrett was on the docket to be the major keynote speaker of the entire night.

Jarrett, however, had to modify her schedule because of what she said were "urgent duties that were calling her back to the White House right away" and so she gave a few minutes of laudatory comments toward the Arab American community before most people were in their seats between reception and sitting down for dinner. My hosts that evening said that they were mainly interested in hearing her and asked me if I wanted to depart with them for Cafe Milano. I said sure -- and wow -- there Ms. Jarrett was.
"

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

Possible?

I am SICKENED every time I see DAVID AXELROD's comb-over.

If this guy is SO smart, why does he have a comb-over???

Axelrod's genius, I say, is dangerously over-rated.

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

Reality' Show Lets You Decide If Women Get Abortions?

A new show lets viewers weigh in on whether the characters have abortions. Is it a smart way to spark discussion about abortion, or tone deaf and callous?

AlterNet / By Sarah Seltzer
February 4, 2010

A new web show called "BUMP+" is stirring up controversy and conversation about abortion. It's a "fake" reality show in which three actresses portray women facing unintended pregnancies. These characters, entirely fictional, have agreed to appear on a reality TV show and let the public weigh in on what they should do about their pregnancies: keep it, terminate it, adoption? The creators of the web series say they will pick what happens to "contestants'" pregnancies based on viewer response.

It's not exactly what we pro-choicers have always dreamed about: a decision left up to a woman, her doctor, and a vast and anonymous internet audience. When feminists say we want more realistic portrayals of abortion in the movies and on TV, we don't mean reality-show realistic. My body, everybody's choice?

BUMP+ aims for more than just controversy however; it seeks to, in the words of its creators, spark an honest, Obama-style "common ground" dialogue about the choice based on women's reality rather than ideological scuffling. The tag-line:

"In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court gave women a choice. Thirty-seven years later, we're giving them a voice. BUMP+ is a provocative web series from Yellow Line Studio that follows the fictional stories of three women facing unintended pregnancies."

[...]

Alternet

They put on a feel-good show about CBS' Super Bowl broadcast -- without a word about the POLITICAL stance of CBS in regards to the anti-abortion ads and their previous censorship of progressive ads. A political discussion would have been fitting since Face the Nation IS a political program, but no. They censored discussion of their own behavior yesterday.

Stinkingly obvious rightwing corporate behavior.

I have never really understood any Corporate advantage to overturning Roe-Wade...with the obvious exception of the "more slaves" concept...more people=fewer availbvable resources=greater leverage of the rich over the poor...

apart from that, I can't see an angle....

"WE NEOCONS take over New Orleans, and now it has a winning team" -- sounds like the scenario to me.

Gotta wonder about those two bad calls.

The owner of the New Orleans team tried repeatedly to get his team out of New Orleans before and after Katrina. It was something the Establishment would not permit. The team remaining in New Orleans and now being a "winner" has humongous propaganda value, imo.

Citizen Radio LIVE!

"The acclaimed grassroots political comedy show Citizen Radio brings it's filthy outrage to the UCB Theater.

“Allison Kilkenny's writing makes me want to vomit”
- G. Gordon Liddy, Convicted Watergate criminal"

http://wearecitizenradio.com/home.htm

"this machine kills fascists"

I'll think about it, but that looks like plenty you have right there!

The Corporatists are NOUVEAU RICHE aristocrats and to garner the FULL advantages of aristocracy, they must institute a REACTIONARY agenda.

They are furious already about these little laws passed by Congress for equal pay. Being able to pay women LESS across the board was the main advantage to allowing them into the workforce. Without that freedom to exploit women economically, the corporations have no need of them but making babies to make more male workers and consumers.

FOR DECADES the corporatists/WorldBankIMF exported programs to the so-called Third World to speed the influx of women into the factory labor market overseas -- JUST BECAUSE the corporations could pay women LESS. It really is no different in the USA.

corporations are souless so there is none either way. they do however respond to consumer pressure and i think the powers that be have figureed they are better off on the side of gerber baby than they are on the side of dead baby.

(i know my response is pretty callous but the reason the anti choice people have managed to keep this issue on the burner for 30 years is because they know they can fuck with peoples emotions when they trot out the bloody fetus pictures and the explicit details of what they think the procedure is like.

more than one person has noted that if the republicans really cared to overturn roe v wade, it would have happened in all the years conservatives have ruled. instead they are content to use it as a wedge issue to keep peoples minds off their failue to provide good competent governance)

Tasting snow, snow on the dog nose, snow romp. What a delight!

Dog-knee deep!

corporate advantage to overturning roe v wade
Submitted by dan on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 2:27pm.

...collateral damage.

...and my cats too...they are a happy crew...when I come back in the next life, I want to come back as one of my pets...

John Murtha is dead.

RIP

"You look so tired-unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us"
-Radiohead.
www.sigzone.blogspot.com

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Murtha, an influential critic of the Iraq War whose congressional career was shadowed by questions about his ethics, died Monday. He was 77.

The Pennsylvania Democrat had been suffering complications from gallbladder surgery. He died at Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va., spokesman Matthew Mazonkey said.

In 1974 Murtha, then an officer in the Marine Reserves, became the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. One of Congress' most hawkish Democrats, he wielded considerable clout for two decades as the ranking Democrat on the House subcommittee that oversees Pentagon spending.

Murtha voted in 2002 to authorize President George W. Bush to use military force in Iraq, but Murtha's growing frustration over the administration's handling of the war prompted him in November 2005 to call for an immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35299741/ns/politics-capitol_hill

toniD's Ya Think?

The Veterans have lost their greatest advocate in the House...

He was a strange bird politically...Fiscally Liberal and Socially Conservative...

...and crooked as a dog's hind leg...

the last of the old school irish catholic democrats.

RIP

So there is a good chance we'll lose his seat.

toniD's Ya Think?

Hopefully Rendell already has someone popular in mind and can get him in there quickly enough for it to be an advantage...

Following up on Michael's post re Murtha
new
Submitted by toniD on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 3:28pm.

Thanks, toni...
Maybe now we can mend fences and focus on the REAL enemy..

...Huffington Post.

...Well, it's the real enemy to me.
Fucking rag w/ Stalinist censors...

"You look so tired-unhappy
Bring down the government
They don't, they don't speak for us"
-Radiohead.
www.sigzone.blogspot.com

Starting tonight through Wednesday so I went shopping to get some supplies I needed so I don't have to stop after work, I can come straight home.

toniD's Ya Think?

ProgressivePunch is a non-partisan searchable database of Congressional voting records from a Progressive perspective. But we're convinced it's extremely useful irrespective of anyone's political positions.

We show the performance of members within 160 different issue categories, and detailed vote descriptions, thereby empowering you to zero in on what matters to you.
To see how progressively your member has voted or explore a policy issue that interests you, select from a search option below. You can now help us provide this free service by making a donation to help cover our costs.

http://www.progressivepunch.org/

toniD's Ya Think?

Judge being gay a nonissue during Prop. 8 trial

Phillip Matier,Andrew Ross

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay.

Many gay politicians in San Francisco and lawyers who have had dealings with Walker say the 65-year-old jurist, appointed to the bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, has never taken pains to disguise - or advertise - his orientation.

They also don't believe it will influence how he rules on the case he's now hearing - whether Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure approved by state voters to ban same-sex marriage, unconstitutionally discriminates against gays and lesbians.

"There is nothing about Walker as a judge to indicate that his sexual orientation, other than being an interesting factor, will in any way bias his view," said Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is supporting the lawsuit to overturn Prop. 8.

As evidence, she cites the judge's conservative - albeit libertarian - reputation, and says, "There wasn't anyone who thought (overturning Prop. 8) was a cakewalk given his sexual orientation."

State Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who has sponsored two bills to authorize same-sex marriage that were vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that as far as he's concerned, Walker's background is a nonissue. "It seems curious to me," he said, that when the state Supreme Court heard a challenge to Prop. 8, the justices' sexual orientation "was never discussed."

Leno added, "I have great respect for Judge Walker, professionally and personally."

Walker has declined to talk about anything involving the Prop. 8 case outside court, and he wouldn't comment to us when we asked about his orientation and whether it was relevant to the lawsuit.

Many San Francisco gays still hold Walker in contempt for a case he took when he was a private attorney, when he represented the U.S. Olympic Committee in a successful bid to keep San Francisco's Gay Olympics from infringing on its name.

"Life is full of irony," the judge replied when we reminded him about that episode.

And did he have any concerns about being characterized as gay?

"No comment."

Shortly after our conversation, we heard from a federal judge who counts himself as a friend and confidant of Walker's. He said he had spoken with Walker and was concerned that "people will come to the conclusion that (Walker) wants to conceal his sexuality."

"He has a private life and he doesn't conceal it, but doesn't think it is relevant to his decisions in any case, and he doesn't bring it to bear in any decisions," said the judge, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the Prop. 8 trial.

"Is it newsworthy?" he said of Walker's orientation, and laughed. "Yes."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/07/BACF1BT7ON.D...

toniD's Ya Think?

Wall Street shifts its
contributions to Republicans

As President Obama pushes for tighter regulation of the financial industry, offended Wall Street donors are shifting ever more money to the Republicans.

http://www.newser.com/story/80312/miffed-at-obama-wall-st-closes-wallet-...

Did they ever really stop?

toniD's Ya Think?

Tim Tebow's anti-choice
ad was a yawner
It wasn't really that substantial and people have already forgotten about it, because Betty White's Snickers commercial absolutely killed it.

http://gawker.com/5466274/the-tim-tebow-focus-on-the-family-commercial-g...

toniD's Ya Think?

a pleasant surprize to hear him on instead of Montel while driving or at work. AAR closing is a good thing for the New Yorkers who would be better served
Learning about the Commons instead of Montel and his not so cool blender/that isn't a juicer anyway. Montel was out of his egocentric MOONsign mind and overly pro military force. 3-6pm drivetime was whor End US with Montel.

Alaska Legislature Plans $1.5 Million Astroturf Fight Against Endangered Species Act

Seeking to protect the oil industry, the Alaska state legislature has appropriated $1.5 million to fund an astroturf campaign to weaken the Endangered Species Act and put on a conference questioning the listing of polar bears as a threatened species.

Over the objections of some members who warned of "PR damage" to the state, a group of lawmakers late last week decided to move ahead with reviewing bids from public relations firms for the polar bear contract, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Polar bears were listed as a threatened species in 2008 because of the loss of sea ice due to climate change. Worried that the move would damage prospects for new oil and gas development, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin immediately objected to decision by the Bush Administration.

That same year, Republican state Rep. John Harris proposed putting on a conference for climate change skeptics to fight the polar bear decision. "We want to have the money to hire scientists to answer the Interior (Department) scientists," he said at the time.

That idea became too controversial, but the new conference OKed by the state's Legislative Council amounts to a toned down version of Harris' original idea.

The primary purposes of the conference will be to challenge the listing of polar bears and to determine the best ways to lessen the impacts of the Endangered Species Act for the oil and gas industries.

To do that, a Harris aide told the Anchorage Daily News, the PR firm will "initiate a grass-roots movement" to go to Congress and demand reforms to the law.

The Council is now looking at bids from various PR firms.

Among those interested is Rudy Giuliani, who pitched Harris aide Eddie Grasser on awarding the contract to Bracewell Giuliani, the ADN reported in December.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/alaska_legislature_fun...

toniD's Ya Think?

American Action Network: Who's Putting Up The Money?
Justin Elliott | February 8, 2010, 9:04AM

With some of the country's top Republicans at the fore of the effort to create a new conservative think tank in Washington, the American Action Network is almost sure to become a political force when it launches later this month.

The public roll-out is scheduled for Feb. 22, so it's a good time to look at a few of the people who are reportedly helping to fund the American Action Network.

Asked about the funding model of the group in an interview with TPM last week, former McCain campaign adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin said, "We do have some people who have committed to help us for the first several years. We've also got nickels and dimes, and we're looking for more."

Holtz-Eakin is to lead the policy arm of American Action Network; former Sen. Norm Coleman is the chairman of the new group. Other GOP heavy-hitters reported to be involved include Jeb Bush and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour.

While Holtz-Eakin declined to go into the details of the new group's finances and plans, he said the success of fundraising will determine how quickly American Action Network will expand the set of issues it works on.

The New York Times identified a trio of businessmen who are either donors to the American Action Network or sit on its board, or both. more...

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/american_action_networ...

toniD's Ya Think?

Obama Administration Demands Justification For Blue Cross Rate Increase
Christina Bellantoni | February 8, 2010, 3:29PM

The Obama administration has been decrying a California insurer's 39 percent rate hike as an example of why health care reform is so important, and today they put some muscle behind the complaints.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebeilus wrote a letter to Anthem Blue Cross today insisting they have an obligation to explain why the "extraordinary" increases are justified.

Sebelius writes: "Your company's strong financial position makes these rate increases even more difficult to understand. As you know, your parent company, WellPoint Incorporated, has seen its profits soar, earning $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009 alone."

An Anthem spokeswoman has not returned our calls.

The full letter after the jump. more...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/obama-administration-demands-...

toniD's Ya Think?

(Sorry to stereotype.)

Now I have to remember how to bake bread...

OK cookies too...

OK so I'm buying the bread...

That is all.

still must admit there are some very fine photos here

http://www.repubblica.it/sport/2010/02/08/foto/super_bowl_miracolo_e_fes...

and photo no.13 or 14 explains for me why i couldn't buy a newspaper anywhere over the weekend - i was trying to find out who won the mayoral race but all the newspaper dispensers across town were empty and the stores had run out of the times picayune on sunday; all the tourists must have bought them out early in the morning as souvenirs

today monday i know the mayor results from the internet but gee, even today you can't buy a copy of the daily local paper anywhere; people must be hoarding it

those liquor containers those guys are holding up look like they can handily double up as convenient just for males' piss receptacles after the liquor has been ingested (i imagine there's a shortage of places to piss in those kinds of crowded conditions, i speak from experience)

in a pinch: hurricane glasses

nice photo gallery of friendly wolves who hang out on the Majella mountain in the Abruzzi region of italy

http://www.repubblica.it/ambiente/2010/02/08/foto/lupo-2226894/1/

Poll: Two-Thirds Of Americans Unhappy About Citizens United Ruling
Evan McMorris-Santoro | February 8, 2010, 1:44PM

Supreme Court Justice Sam Alito may not have wanted to hear it during the State Of The Union address, but a new poll shows the majority of Americans agree with President Obama's take on the Citizens United ruling. More than 60 percent of respondents say it was a bad idea.

The opposition was found across party lines, and according to the pollsters was especially common among independents -- the group both parties have desperately fought over for a decade now. The pollsters said that result suggests that the parties would be well-served to take on the ruling and reinstate campaign finance regulations canceled out by the ruling with new law.

Read more »

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/poll-two-thirds-of-americans-...

toniD's Ya Think?

The Palin Emails
Thanks to a public records request by NBC News, nearly 3,000 pages of emails from Sarah Palin's tenure as governor of Alaska are now available online for your perusal.

http://palinemail.crivellawest.net/

We highlighted some of the more interesting findings last week.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/02/05/palin_emails_show_power_of_...

Andrew Sullivan is digging in to find more.

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/02/the-palin-e...

toniD's Ya Think?

Making the Filibuster a Campaign Issue
"Over the past week, President Obama and his senior aides have repeatedly cited Republicans' filibuster threats as the primary reason for the lack of progress on big ticket legislative items, an early sign that Democrats will seek to use this bit of legislative arcana against the GOP in the coming midterm election," The Fix observes.

"By making the filibuster a political issue, the White House may be hoping to turn the base's anger at the way things are being done in Washington away from an inward focus on the party's unwillingness to change the rules and toward Republicans for their legislative blocking."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/02/08/making_the_filibuster_a_cam...

toniD's Ya Think?

Sarah Palin and the Consulting Paradox
Nate Silver: "There's something which, if you've ever been in the business of trying to sell consulting services, you've probably grown accustomed to. It's what I call the 'consulting paradox'. Namely, it's the idea that the people who are most in need of help are often the least aware of it. Indeed, the range of potential clients who (i) aren't smart enough to solve all their own problems and (ii) are smart enough to know it ... is generally very narrow."

"Sarah Palin needs help. So does almost every politician -- but Palin needs it more than most. She is young. She is inexperienced. She's not especially well connected. She's strong-willed and a little impulsive. And call me a hater, but the woman just ain't that bright."

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/02/sarah-palin-needs-help.html

toniD's Ya Think?

"Gotta wonder about those two bad calls."

Did u see this? It still amaze's me that this actually
is going up that far & that fast.

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2010/02/08/HP/A/29345/NASA+Night+Shutt...

Meghan McCain Disagrees With Palin's Double Standard On 'Retarded' (VIDEO)

Meghan McCain believes Sarah Palin's double standard for Rahm Emanuel and Rush Limbaugh is "what's wrong with politics today."

McCain weighed in on Palin's hypocrisy on Monday when she appeared as a guest host on "The View."

In addition to Palin's contradictory standards on the use of the word "retard," McCain also disagreed with the former Alaska governor's suggestion that Obama should declare war with Iran to win re-election.

When Barbara Walters asked McCain what her father thought about a possible presidential run by Palin, she played it safe and said she'd have a book out in August and would talk about it then.

WATCH: at link

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/meghan-mccain-calls-out-t_n_453...

toniD's Ya Think?

Jeff Farias is on now.

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/the-jeff-farias-show

What's Next For Murtha's Congressional Seat?

After the death of Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) on Monday, what happens to Pennsylvania's 12th district congressional seat?

Murtha died Monday at the age of 77 after complications from earlier gall bladder surgery. Just last week he became the longest-serving member of Congress in Pennsylvania history.

Now voters in Pennsylvania will most likely go to the polls to elect a replacement for the late congressman on May 18, according to the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza:

According to state law, the governor has ten days once the vacancy is officially declared to decide on the date for the special election, which can come no sooner than 60 days following that proclamation.

That likely means the special election will be held on May 18, which is the date already set for federal primaries around the state.

RealClearPolitics looks at the voting patterns of the 12th district, and at the results of previous election cycles:

Murtha's passing will set the stage for the seventh House special election in the 111th Congress, in a district that was evenly split in 2008 between John McCain and Barack Obama. ... This year, Murtha was facing a primary challenge from Ryan Bucchianeri, a former Naval officer and placekicker on the Navy college football team. Republican Bill Russell, whom Murtha defeated with 58% in 2008, is running again, as is Republican businessman Tim Burns. ... The area that now makes up the 12th District was heavily Republican from the Civil War to the 1930s, according to the Almanac of American Politics. Without Murtha, it is the quintessential swing district. McCain won it by fewer than 1,000 votes; John Kerry won it by 8,000 votes four years earlier.

Democrats have won every special election in this Congress, including one pick-up from the GOP in New York 23. Another is set in the Florida 19th on April 13, with yet another seat opening soon when Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) steps down to run for governor.

The Washington Examiner's Michael Barone has more details on political makeup of the area Murtha represented:

The 12th district was created in its present form as part of a Republican gerrymander in 2002. Traditional Republican territory was placed in the adjacent suburban Pittsburgh 18th district, which elected Republican Tim Murphy that year and has reelected him ever since. Republicans have fared less well in other Pennsylvania districts; they won a 12-7 edge in the delegation in 2002, but by 2008 Democrats reversed that and until Murtha's death had a 12-7 edge of their own. Murtha has been attacked for earmarking projects to his district and to companies headed by former aides and had spirited opposition in 2008 but won 58%-42%.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/whats-next-for-murthas-co_n_454...

toniD's Ya Think?

Rep. Alan Grayson

The story that everyone wants to tell is that the Democratic Party is disheartened and disintegrating. Teabagger Republicans are juiced up and on top. Or so the media says, over and over again.

But the House candidate who raised the most money in the entire country during the last FEC reporting period -- $860,000 in three months -- is not a teabagger. He is not boosted relentlessly by Fox News. He's not even a Republican. He doesn't think that the Earth was created 6000 years ago, that President Obama was born in Kenya, or that global warming is a hoax.

This House candidate also, remarkably, had the largest number of contributors. Over 15,000 individuals contributed, many of whom have given time after time, whatever they could. The House candidate who raised the most money did so without French-kissing lobbyists, without flattering the idle rich, and without reaching into his own pocket.

The House candidate who raised the most money, from the most people, is an outspoken populist who tells it like it is on the war, on jobs, and on health care. His website is called CongressmanWithGuts.com. In the 100,000 e-mails that he has received this year, the most common refrain is, "You are saying what I've been thinking."

I know who he is. Because he's me.

But no one has reported that the House candidate who raised the most money, from the most people, is a proud Democratic populist. No one.

There are something like ten thousand political reporters in this country, maybe more. The information above is readily available. Anyone could have visited an official government website, www.fec.gov, any time this past week, and seen it for themselves. We did our part -- we sent out two news releases, both local and nationwide. But in lieu of any actual reporting in the media, there is instead what Simon & Garfunkel vividly described as the "Sounds of Silence":

And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence.

The political reporters camped out in D.C. often act like a giant Xerox machine for the fib factory known as the national Republican Party. Recently, they saw fit to report (and repeat, and repeat) the Republican Party's crackpot claim that we are withholding a secret poll with bad news in it for us. (We aren't; there is no such poll, but the Republican Party is soooo good at manufacturing plausible lies.) Not one word from those reporters, though, about what would seem to be an irresistible "feel good" story -- that thanks to People Power, that brash, plain-spoken Democratic Congressman from Orlando is the Number One fundraiser in the country. Nothing about that.

The fact that an unapologetic progressive Democrat could amass such support, not by trading favors for money, but by striking a chord with so many ordinary people, refutes the pervasive meme of Democrats divided and despondent. Particularly when it's a Democrat who says that "you can't beat a Republican by being one." Particularly a Democrat who quotes Harry Truman and Howard Dean: "If you run a fake Republican against a real Republican, the real Republican will win every time."

Freshman Democrat Alan Grayson, number one in the country. The story that no one will tell. It doesn't fit their preconceptions. So you're just not going to hear about it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-alan-grayson/the-story-that-no-one-wil...

toniD's Ya Think?

AIG Hires Hancock to Oversee Risk, Derivatives Unit (Update3)

By Hugh Son and Jamie McGee

Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- American International Group Inc. named Peter Hancock, described by a former employer as an “architect” of the derivatives business, to oversee finance and risk, including the insurer’s money-losing credit-default swap unit.

Hancock spent 20 years at a predecessor to JPMorgan Chase & Co., where he established the derivatives group and served as chief financial officer, New York-based AIG said in a statement today. Hancock, who most recently was vice chairman at KeyCorp responsible for national banking, will report to AIG Chief Executive Officer Robert Benmosche.

Hancock “is one of the people that basically developed the credit-default swaps market at JPMorgan in the mid-1990s,” said Ed Grebeck, CEO of Stamford, Connecticut-based debt-consulting firm Tempus Advisors and an instructor at New York University on derivatives. “Given that he was one of the pioneers, it’s probably the first good appointment that any one of these bailed-out firms has made.”

Hancock, 51, joins the insurer after AIG last week named Thomas Russo, formerly of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., as general counsel. Benmosche said in the statement that experienced executives have “voted with their feet” in joining AIG to help the company repay loans included in AIG’s $182.3 billion government bailout. More than 60 managers including Vice Chairman Matthew Winter and property-casualty executive Kevin Kelley have left AIG since the rescue.

$3.9 Million Salary

Hancock’s salary is $1.5 million in cash and $2.4 million in stock, AIG said in a filing. He is eligible for $1.8 million in cash incentive pay. In 2011, his salary rises to $1.8 million in cash and $4.4 million in stock. His pay “generally conforms” to guidelines set by Kenneth Feinberg, the Obama administration’s special master for executive compensation, according to a letter from Feinberg included in the filing.

Hancock also served as chairman of the risk management committee at the JPMorgan predecessor. He stepped down as CFO in 2000 and later co-founded Integrated Finance Ltd. with Robert Merton, the Nobel Prize-winning economist, and Roberto Mendoza a former vice chairman of New York-based JPMorgan.

“Mr. Hancock was one of the architects of the firm’s standard-setting derivatives business and played a key role in turning Morgan’s credit business into a model for the future,” said Douglas Warner, the bank’s chairman in 2000, in announcing Hancock’s departure.

‘One of the Best’

“Peter was a great leader and mentor to me, and is one of the best risk managers I know,” Blythe Masters, global head of commodities at JPMorgan, said in an e-mailed statement. Masters worked for Hancock at the group that developed what are now known as credit-default swaps, contracts that pay a fixed-income investor face value on bonds or loans in exchange for the underlying securities or the cash equivalent should a borrower fail to adhere to its debt agreements.

He will oversee the AIG Financial Products unit that drained the insurer of funds after losing swap bets on the housing market with banks including Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

Financial Products hired Gerry Pasciucco, a former Morgan Stanley executive, in 2008 to lead the business after Joseph Cassano departed earlier that year. Pasciucco, the chief operating officer, helped sell energy and infrastructure investment assets as the unit shut offices. About 230 employees remain at Financial Products, down from about 430 in 2008.

‘Taken By Wall Street’

Benmosche told employees last year that he directed the unit to slow the pace at which AIG exits the contracts so traders can press for better prices.

“My biggest concern is you’re selling too fast and you’re being taken by Wall Street,” Benmosche told staff at an Aug. 11 meeting in Houston, according to a record obtained by Bloomberg. “I don’t want to feed Goldman Sachs’s bonus pool anymore. I don’t want to feed Morgan Stanley’s bonus pool anymore. I want to feed ours. In order to do that, you’ve got to stop giving this stuff away. You’ve got to ask for decent prices or we’ll wait.”

AIG slipped 25 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $22.16 at 4:02 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The insurer has declined by 98 percent in the past three years.

KeyCorp, Ohio’s second-largest bank, said in a statement that Hancock “led significant efforts to rebalance our business mix, tighten our focus on market opportunities with the best intrinsic value and further our capabilities to provide integrated solutions to meet our clients’ needs” after joining the lender more than a year ago. Hancock was unavailable to be interviewed today, said Mark Herr, a spokesman for AIG.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aEVcO2nFCEnU&pos=7

toniD's Ya Think?

I didn't wake up to catch that live so I really appreciate you posting a link to it here. I had a crappy day which started with missing the launch, then going to work in a very cold down pour.

You posting that link was the best thing to happen to me today. Well that and watching the beautiful dance my doberman gave me when she saw I was home.

Submitted by taozen on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 4:55pm.
Montel was out of his egocentric MOONsign mind and overly pro military force. 3-6pm drivetime was whor End US with Montel.
-----

I never listen to Montel while on AAR. His television show was unbearably awful. Montel is also a chauvinist. He left his first wife Rochelle for stripper Bambi Jr., who he later named Grace. He cheated on Grace throughout the marriage. Eventually, he married his third wife Tara, who is an Airline hostess.

He is also quite vain. His clean bald head conceals his male pattern baldness. I know he has had at least 2 nose jobs, if not 3.

is yours a doberman or a doberwoman?

In 1989 my best friend Rick, who inspired me to really take the guitar seriously, sent me a tape by a duo called Bell & Shore. The album was called L-Ranko Motel and popped it in my tape deck and played it for a year. Bell & Shore broke up in '90 and Nathan Bell kinda disappeared. A couple weeks ago Rick sent me a batch of songs for brr and in it was a song from L-Ranko Motel. I decided I had to have that album again. It's out of print but I was able to get a copy for 2.95 on Amazon that arrived today. When I got home I decided to try and find out whatever happened to Nathan Bell. Turns out he got back into music and started developing web stuff. I found the video above on his web site and knew just about everyone here would appreciate it. So hit the play button whydoncha?

big black hairy bitch taozen.

Submitted by maggiesboy on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 7:00pm.
and
the cards with that look of his/over his singing and moderate tempo..Seems like an excellent Green Tea Party type

...is tweeting that Shelby was forced to remove his douchey blanket hold on Obama's appointees.

No link yet.

"this machine kills fascists"

"We did not elect you to spend your time listening to the opposition." (Or words to that effect.) We elected you to change the way they were running things because we had enough of the way they were running things. We've rejected their ideas, and expect you to do the same.

VERY to the point.

(On now at KKGN960.)

Judge being gay a nonissue
Submitted by toniD on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 4:21pm.
Judge being gay a nonissue during Prop. 8 trial

Phillip Matier,Andrew Ross

Sunday, February 7, 2010

The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay.

Many gay politicians in San Francisco and lawyers who have had dealings with Walker say the 65-year-old jurist, appointed to the bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, has never taken pains to disguise - or advertise - his orientation.

They also don't believe it will influence how he rules on the case he's now hearing - whether Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure approved by state voters to ban same-sex marriage, unconstitutionally discriminates against gays and lesbians.

"There is nothing about Walker as a judge to indicate that his sexual orientation, other than being an interesting factor, will in any way bias his view," said Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is supporting the lawsuit to overturn Prop. 8.

As evidence, she cites the judge's conservative - albeit libertarian - reputation, and says, "There wasn't anyone who thought (overturning Prop. 8) was a cakewalk given his sexual orientation."

...

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/07/BACF1BT7ON.D...

===========================

What's a comparable situation?

A heterosexual judge needing to state his heterosexuality when ruling on a hetero divorce suit?

A woman judge not ruling on a rape case?

What is the upshot of trying to make something of this?

It seems Americans should be more concerned with the likes of Justice Scalia's political connections to the Bush Camp but NOT recusing himself from the Bush v Gore case....

the real question in this little scenario is who is Fredo?

Tim Tebow's anti-choice ad
Submitted by toniD on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 4:29pm.
Tim Tebow's anti-choice
ad was a yawner
It wasn't really that substantial and people have already forgotten about it, because Betty White's Snickers commercial absolutely killed it.

http://gawker.com/5466274/the-tim-tebow-focus-on-the-family-commercial-g...

=======================

My friend listened to the Super Bowl via radio -- and he heard an anti-abortion ad on the radio, too, paid for by LDS.

Submitted by Crank Bait on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 1:15pm.
Sam With Joy
...Seder guest spot on the Joy Behar show from February 3, 2010...
http://joybehar.blogs.cnn.com/
Scroll down to mid-page. Look for the date.

--------------------------------------
Thanks Crank, I missed that one.
_ _ _
brr

Submitted by toniD on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 4:49pm.
Alaska Legislature Plans $1.5 Million Astroturf Fight Against Endangered Species Act

Seeking to protect the oil industry, the Alaska state legislature has appropriated $1.5 million to fund an astroturf campaign to weaken the Endangered Species Act and put on a conference questioning the listing of polar bears as a threatened species.

Over the objections of some members who warned of "PR damage" to the state, a group of lawmakers late last week decided to move ahead with reviewing bids from public relations firms for the polar bear contract, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

Polar bears were listed as a threatened species in 2008 because of the loss of sea ice due to climate change. Worried that the move would damage prospects for new oil and gas development, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin immediately objected to decision by the Bush Administration.

...

=============

That oil profit-sharing thingy Palin was so proud of, was it enough to bribe the Alaskan people to sell out and stop protecting wildlife?

COLLINS STILL CAN'T ADMIT HER MISTAKE.... For reasons that are still unclear, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has decided to take a leadership role in going after the Obama administration's handling of the attempted Abdulmutallab attack. So far, this hasn't gone especially well.

Collins said officials only interrogated Abdulmutallab for 50 minutes. That was wrong. She said Abdulmutallab "stopped talking" after having been told of his rights. That was wrong. Collins suggested Abdulmutallab only began cooperating "in the context of plea negotiations." That was wrong. She said there "was no consultation with intelligence officials" about the questioning. And that was wrong .

More recently, Collins has emphasized her outrage over the Obama administration's decision to make Abdulmutallab aware of his rights (the same step taken by the Bush/Cheney administration in a nearly identical terrorist plot in 2001). Except, she, too, was briefed on the arrest by a top Homeland Security official, and raised no concerns about the legal process.

This afternoon, a Collins spokesperson, without a hint of irony, accused the Obama administration of trying to cover its "mistake."

It is offensive, to Senator Collins and the American people, that the Obama Administration is more concerned with political spin to cover a mistake than with taking the actions urgently needed to improve our nation's security. Clearly, the Administration is trying to divert attention from the fact that it interrogated a foreign terrorist for less than one hour before the Justice Department unilaterally decided to Mirandize him and he stopped talking.

Senator Collins calls on the Obama Administration to immediately change its policies and ensure consultation with top intelligence and security officials before treating the capture of the next foreign terrorist as only a civilian law enforcement matter. She will continue to press for her bipartisan legislation that mandates this consultation.

When we cut through the nonsense and cheap talking points, what we're left with is Collins, after making a series of demonstrably false claims, complaining that the Justice Department didn't coordinate further with other agencies on how best to deal with Abdulmutallab. That's it. That's all that's left from the original argument.

But, again, this is foolish. For one thing, the Obama administration has applied the exact same procedures as Bush/Cheney, and Collins never expressed this outrage before. For another, as Attorney General Eric Holder explained last week, "No agency supported the use of law of war detention for Abdulmutallab, and no agency has since advised the Department of Justice that an alternative course of action should have been, or should now be, pursued."

What we're left with, then, is Susan Collins making a mistake by falsely criticizing the administration, and then digging deeper with a series of even more absurd false criticisms.

She should have quit while she was behind. As this story has dragged on, Collins has sounded less like a reasonable, moderate, influential senator and more like a rookie House member trying to impress Fox News producers. As Josh Marshall noted recently, Collins' criticisms have turned her into something of "an embarrassment."

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_02/022305.php

toniD's Ya Think?

Another aspect of Congressman Murtha's demise:

Does it put an end to the ethics investigation? If so, the pork barrel system and the Military Industrial Complex should be relieved, maybe?

Cantor: Only Route To Bipartisan Cooperation Is If Dems Fully Embrace GOP Plan

Eric Cantor’s office responds to Obama’s announcement of a bipartisan summit on health care with the most explicit and direct assertion I’ve seen yet that the only way Dems can win bipartisan cooperation is to fully embrace the GOP health care plan and nothing more:

After going it alone on health care reform for nearly a year, President Obama has decided he wants to bring Republicans into the conversation. Here’s the problem: unless the President and Speaker Pelosi are willing to scrap their government take over and hit the reset button, there’s not much to talk about.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/health-care/cantor-only-route-to-bipar...

Republicans believe the status quo is unacceptable, but so is any health reform package that spends money we don’t have or raises taxes on small businesses and working families in a recession. To that point, House Republicans have offered the only plan , that will lower health care costs, which is what the President said was the goal at the start of this debate.

I’m not sure if it could be made any more explicit than that.

Obviously the political goal of this summit is to draw more public attention to the fact on display here: The Republican definition of compromise on health care is that Dems embrace their plan, and nothing more. But here’s the thing: The public already knows this.

Multiple polls have shown that majorities think the GOP is more interested in obstructing than in engaging constructively with the majority. And yet, paradoxically, multiple polls also show that majorities want Dems to keep trying to find common ground with Republicans rather than pass their own plan.

As I’ve noted here before, this is largely because Dems haven’t convinced the public that compromising with the GOP would have actual policy consequences that people might not like — that compromise will of necessity produce a bill that the public wants less than the one Dems would produce alone. The question is whether the summit can shift this dynamic.

toniD's Ya Think?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100208/hl_nm/us_cancer_pancreas_sodas

Submitted by Jmach1JP on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 8:07pm.
Thanks Crank, I missed that one.
-----
Don't mention it. I did too. Someone might have posted it while I was blinded by anger.

Over "Weaning" Ignorance

by digby

More Republican "ideas":

Speaking to a small group of conference attendees and ThinkProgress during lunch on Saturday, Bachmann outlined how the Republican Party and its 2012 nominee must address the national debt. Bachmann referenced Glenn Beck, who falsely warned about a $107 trillion in supposed “unfunded liabilities” from Social Security and Medicare. She then called for a “reorganization” of entitlements where people “already in the system” would continue to receive benefits, but “everybody else” would be weaned off:

BACHMANN: Is the country too big to fail? No, the country can fail. We can, we’re not invincible. And we’re so close now to being at that point because the thing is, as Glenn Beck said last night, it is true. The $107 trillion that he put on the board. We’re $14 trillion in debt, but that doesn’t include the unfunded massive liabilities. That’s $107 trillion, and that’s for Social Security and Medicare and all the rest. You add up all those unfunded net liabilities, and all the traps that could go wrong we’re on the hook for, and what it means is what we have to do is a reorganization of all of that, Social Security and all. We have to do it simply because we can’t let the contract remain as they are because the older people are going to lose. So, what you have to do, is keep faith with the people that are already in the system, that don’t have any other options, we have to keep faith with them. But basically what we have to do is wean everybody else off. And wean everybody off because we have to take those unfunded net liabilities off our bank sheet, we can’t do it. So we just have to be straight with people. So basically, whoever our nominee is, is going to have to have a Glenn Beck chalkboard and explain to everybody this is the way it is.

Bachmann is echoing a growing chorus in the GOP caucus. Recently, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) introduced an alternative budget plan which would privatize both Medicare and Social Security. As the Wonk Room’s Pat Garofalo has noted, the type of private Social Security accounts Ryan proposes would have cost seniors tens of thousands of dollars in the 2008-2009 market plunge. But Bachmann takes Ryan’s effort a step farther and seems to be suggesting a full repeal of the retirement safety net.

What she fails to note is that unless we can arrange for all the old people to die much younger (and without Medicare that's fairly likely, since nobody who isn't Donald Trump would be able to afford health care when they're 80) all the young people had better set aside some of their tax savings for training in incontinence management because mom and dad are moving in.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/over-weaning-ignorance-by-digby-m...

toniD's Ya Think?

I just counted the weeks on my calendar.

Winter is half way over!!!!! I can smell the coacoa butter.

It's Getting Hot In Here

by digby

I guess the long knives are out. Here's the first of what I assume will be more to come:

At a crucial stage in the Democratic primaries in late 2007, Barack Obama rejuvenated his campaign with a barnstorming speech, in which he ended on a promise of what his victory would produce: “A nation healed. A world repaired. An America that believes again.”

Just over a year into his tenure, America’s 44th president governs a bitterly divided nation, a world increasingly hard to manage and an America that seems more disillusioned than ever with Washington’s ways. What went wrong?

Pundits, Democratic lawmakers and opinion pollsters offer a smorgasbord of reasons – from Mr Obama’s decision to devote his first year in office to healthcare reform, to the president’s inability to convince voters he can “feel their [economic] pain”, to the apparent ungovernability of today’s Washington. All may indeed have contributed to the quandary in which Mr Obama finds himself. But those around him have a more specific diagnosis – and one that is striking in its uniformity. The Obama White House is geared for campaigning rather than governing, they say.

Ok, before we go any further, I have to interrupt and point out that there is a missing explanation here: perhaps the problem is that everyone, apparently including the Obama team and this reporter, insisted on actually believing that the election signaled a fundamental shift in the political landscape so huge that the earth was knocked off its axis and everything was different. In other words, far too many people believed the hype, which I understand was very, very seductive, but it was foolish, nonetheless.

The problems were always huge, the system was always broken, the Republicans were always nuts. For some reason it was convenient to ignore all that pretend that we had had a rebirth all shiny and new and that if the worst happened, Obama could always just make a speech and everything would fall into place. Nobody's as good a politician as he was assumed to be --- and that assumption came from a presidential campaign that could have probably been won by anyone with a D after his name, which makes it even more facile. It was hubris, and we all know where that leads.

The piece goes on to reveal that Obama is being badly served by his closest advisors, Rahm Emmanuel, David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett and Robert Gibbs, who apparently dominate decision making in the White house and in the view of whoever is is talking, insulate the president from more diverse thinking and give him bad advice. The thesis is that they are political hacks who are preventing the president from making sound policy decisions. If the anecdotes are true, that may be the case, especially in a time when good politics depends so heavily on good policy.

It's fascinating, of course, because it's gossip and because some in the White House and others close to the administration have decided to try to dethrone these four. The courtiers are rebelling. That's usually not a good sign. It will be interesting to see if Obama reacts.

I would just point out two things. First, this is exactly the set-up which everyone admired so much about the first term Reagan White House. He was surrounded by three close aides, Deaver, Meese and Baker, who insulated his beautiful mind from outside influence. It's surprising how much the Obama administration modeled itself on Reagan. And it's vaguely disturbing, as well, since the political landscape is radically different even if the economy is equally stressed. Plus, Reagan was an elderly, white Republican, which alone makes it a different political universe.

The second point is that these stories always act as if the president is a simple child who has no agency in all this. The fact is that if there's one job he has above all others as chief executive, it's choosing the very best people to run the administration. If he's surrounding himself with political aides whose jobs it is to protect the Obama brand or whatever, it's his decision to do so.

What this really signals is that the Obama bubble has conclusively popped and people are now dealing with political realities. Believing that he was some kind of wizard whose very person was imbued with the power to change reality with a few well chosen words wasted a lot of time. But if its over, I'm very glad of it. Now maybe they can start looking at problems realistically and understand just how hard they have to fight to solve them.

And Rahm, by the way, is way more trouble than he's worth. Even Nixon's advisors were more subtle --- and far more lethal. You don't keep a nasty henchman who makes enemies of everyone and inspires loathing by his very presence if he can't even get the job done.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/whoa-by-digby-i-guess-sharp-knive...

Steve Clemons has more, here.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-clemons/core-chicago-team-sinking_b_...

toniD's Ya Think?

http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/type/pancreatic-cancer/about/pancreatic-can...
snip
Alcohol
About 7 out of 10 cases of chronic pancreatitis are due to long term heavy drinking. Chronic pancreatitis is a known risk factor for cancer of the pancreas. But chronic pancreatitis that is due to alcohol doesn't increase risk as much as other types of chronic pancreatitis. If there is a link between alcohol and pancreatic cancer risk, it is limited to people who drink more than 5 units of alcohol a day (37 grams of alcohol).
Back to top

----------
good info read the link

If there’s a silver lining to what’s happened over the last several months with healthcare reform, the Citizens United decision, the loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat, and discussions about the need to reform the filibuster, that silver lining is this: it’s ripped the mask off of the real problem we’ve been struggling with. It’s made it obvious that we are suffering from the degree to which our government institutions have been captured by corporations. We are dealing with a problem in which too many elected officials on both sides of the aisle serve the interests of those corporations more than the people they’re supposed to be representing.

[...]

Next week, there’s going to be a test in Congress. A real litmus test about whose side various Representatives and Senators are on. It’s a stunningly straightforward bill – only two pages long – that would simply remove the antitrust exemption for health insurers. It would keep insurers from being able to collude and price fix, requiring them to compete in the marketplace for business.

Unlike nearly everything else that’s been done in the last year, this bill is completely uncompromised – no deals have been cut to water down the bill in favor of health insurance companies. It is an unambiguously populist bill, and a clean cut against corporatism. It’s building off of work that key progressives in the House, including Reps. DeFazio, Slaughter, and DeGette, have been teeing up for years.

Yesterday, Reps. Tom Perriello and Betsy Markey, the lead sponsors of the bill, had a press conference in the snow in DC. And the insurance industry was scared enough to show up and start passing out information indicating that if they had to compete with each other and stop colluding, that would somehow result in insurance prices going up. I kid you not.

So here’s the deal: we need to watch the bill, and see who’s on which side. And then, I think, we need to make a really big deal of it. Because this is the first unambiguous litmus test we’ve had, and it’s so straightforward that even my Republican dad will agree. Vote against this bill, and it means you’re in the pocket of the insurance companies. Very, very simple.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/6/834549/-Picking-a-fight

toniD's Ya Think?

At Rawstory--

http://rawstory.com/2010/02/south-carolinas-subversive-activities-regist...

[excerpt]

No joke: South Carolina now requires ’subversives’ to register

The state's "Subversive Activities Registration Act," passed last year and now officially on the books, states that "every member of a subversive organization, or an organization subject to foreign control, every foreign agent and every person who advocates, teaches, advises or practices the duty, necessity or propriety of controlling, conducting, seizing or overthrowing the government of the United States ... shall register with the Secretary of State."

There's even a $5 filing fee.

By "subversive organization," the law means "every corporation, society, association, camp, group, bund, political party, assembly, body or organization, composed of two or more persons, which directly or indirectly advocates, advises, teaches or practices the duty, necessity or propriety of controlling, conducting, seizing or overthrowing the government of the United States [or] of this State."

[end excerpt]

Debt Collector's Untold Role In Scott Brown Victory
by consumerlawyer
Digg this! Share this on Twitter - Debt Collector's Untold Role In Scott Brown VictoryTweet this submit to reddit Share This
Mon Feb 08, 2010 at 10:49:13 AM PST

We often hear about the role that the pharmaceutical industry, for-profit health care companies, and big banks have in influencing and corrupting elections and elected officials. But there is another group to add to this list: Debt Collectors. This is a billion dollar industry, and its political agenda goes far beyond the day-to-day regulation of collecting debts. The debt collection industry opposes any number of financial reforms as well as access to health care. Why? Predatory lending and huge health care bills keep people in debt. The more people that are in debt, in turn, the more profitable the industry.

In essence, debt collectors are the bottom-feeders that get rich digging and feeding on the garbage produced by our current system.

This broad political agenda was the reason the debt collectors trade group, Association of Credit and Collection Professionals or ACA, mobilized on behalf of Scott Brown. For 48 hours before the election, ACA did not just raise a little money for Brown. ACA members from all over the country stopped collecting debt and, instead, made free calls to voters is Massachusetts on behalf of Brown. Query whether those in-kind donations will ever be reported to the Federal Elections Committee.

Although I had head that these phone calls were taking place, and, by phone calls, I mean millions of phone calls. It was all laid out in an ACA press release sent after the election. The press release is entitled "ACA Members Help Influence Brown Election."

It goes on to state:

ACA Immediate Past President Jay Gonsalves and fellow New England Collectors Association member David Sands reached out to ACA members and mobilized them....Not only did members send money, but many agencies offered use of their phones as an in-kind contribution to the campaign.

Why would they do this?

With the very real threat of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency looming in Congress, as well as wholesale changes to a health care system that would affect many credit and collection professionals' livelihoods, ACA members helped the Brown campaign create a groundswell to victory.

Did you get that? Health care reform would adversely affect their livelihoods. Less medical debt means less money for the debt collection industry.

Look for more of this type of activity to come. On March 3 and 4th, the ACA is flying in members to lobby their elected officials against financial and health care reforms.

With this, it is all the more reason to join Americans for Fairness in Lending. Go for it. We need the help.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/2/8/835124/-Debt-Collectors-Untol...

toniD's Ya Think?

Lots of links in the article for a good overview...

http://dissidentvoice.org/2010/02/aig-gate-the-worlds-greatest-insurance...

[excerpt]

by Ellen Hodgson Brown / February 7th, 2010

Rumor has it that Timothy Geithner is on his way out as Treasury Secretary, due to his involvement in the AIG scandal that is now unraveling in hearings before the House Oversight and Reform Committee. Bob Chapman writes in The International Forecaster:

Each day brings more revelations of efforts of the NY Fed and Goldman Sachs to hide the details of the criminal conspiracy of the AIG bailout. … This is a real crisis on the scale of Watergate. Corruption at its finest.

But unlike the perpetrators of the Watergate scandal, who wound up looking at jail time, Geithner evidently has a golden parachute waiting at Goldman Sachs, not coincidentally the largest recipient of the AIG bailout. At least that is the rumor sparked by an article by Caroline Baum on Bloomberg News, titled “Goldman Parachute Awaits Geithner to Ease Fall.” Hank Paulson, Geithner’s predecessor, was CEO of Goldman Sachs before coming to the Treasury. Geithner, who has come up through the ranks of government, could be walking through the revolving door in the other direction.

Geithner has been under the House microscope for the decision of the New York Fed, made while he headed it, to buy out about $30 billion in credit default swaps (over-the-counter derivative insurance contracts) that AIG sold on toxic debt securities. The chief recipients of this payout were Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch, Societe Generale and Deutsche Bank. Goldman got $13 billion, roughly equivalent to its bonus pool for the first 9 months of 2009. Critics are calling the New York Fed’s decision a back-door bailout for the banks, which received 100 cents on the dollar for contracts that would have been worth far less had AIG been put through bankruptcy proceedings in the ordinary way.

...

[end excerpt]

Regarding your invitation to join BRR's Ya Think gab fest, thanks for the offer but this would be a particularly bad time. I have been reviewing Mystery Science Theater episodes from the Joel Hodgson days.

Now I can't witness anything without cracking wise with references so obscure that even I don't get them half of the time. After ten minutes of this on Ya Think, cent would need to be sedated for everyone's safety.

Shelby Claims to Relent; Still Holds Military Nominations Hostage for Airbus

"The WaPo reports, mistakenly, that Richard Shelby has released his holds on Obama’s nominees."

"this machine kills fascists"

Just one of the questions:

10) Who was the only President to also later become a Supreme Court Justice?

http://mydd.com/2010/2/8/mydd-civic-literacy-test

Interesting test. I learned alot from reading it that I never knew.

toniD's Ya Think?

IA-Sen: Conlin organizing against Shelby's "political extortion"

by desmoinesdem, Sat Feb 06, 2010 at 07:27:04 PM EST

Whether you call it hostage-taking or shark-jumping, we can all agree that Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama is abusing Senate conventions by putting a blanket hold on all Obama administration nominees. Roxanne Conlin, one of three Democrats running against five-term incumbent Chuck Grassley of Iowa, may be the first Democratic candidate to organize against Shelby's power play. From an e-mail blast the Conlin campaign sent out today:

We will no longer tolerate business as usual in Washington. One Republican senator from Alabama is holding 70 important presidential nominations for ransom, because he wants sweetheart deals for a foreign airplane manufacturer that's given him more than $100,000 in political donations.

This seems like blackmail. Please click here to help me stop them.

Incumbent senators like Richard Shelby and Charles Grassley should look no further than their own actions if they are wondering why Americans are so angry. When they put holds on dozens of nominations, it means the Senate can't vote to confirm any nominees without 60 votes. But we can fight this -- by convincing just ONE Republican to break ranks.

Join me in my fight to fix Washington. I've created an easy tool at FightTheHold.com for you to join the fight because we must break this logjam. Sign up at FightTheHold.com and I'll send you an email with the contact info of a different Republican senator every single day until one of them has the courage to fight the hold and stop the gridlock. This way, we'll focus the attention of thousands of activists -- and the press -- completely on one senator instead of spreading ourselves too thin.

I'm running against Senator Grassley because he refuses to fix this mess. We can't repair our broken financial system because Assistant Secretaries of Commerce and the Treasury are being held up so the Senate can't vote to confirm them -- and their critical work goes undone. We are fighting two wars and the threat of Al Qaeda while crucial positions at the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security are being blocked.

I'm going to make our fight a national one. It will take just one Republican senator to step up and put people over party. And we're starting by sending messages to Chuck Grassley. Then we will choose another senator standing in the way and send him or her emails every day until we prevail.

Sign up at FightTheHold.com, because together we can get the politicians in Washington to start working for the American people again.

Please forward this message to everyone you know because the more people we get to join FightTheHold.com, the more likely we can end this political extortion.

A cynic might say this is just a list-building tactic for Conlin, but it's smart for Democrats to tie Shelby's blackmail to every Senate Republican. The public doesn't like hostage-takers, and it's a safe bet they don't respect people who enable hostage-takers. Focusing the media's attention on Shelby's abuse of power may prompt one or more Republicans to break ranks. Challengers like Conlin won't be able to do this alone. As Paul Waldman wrote here, Senate Democrats should force Republicans to pay a political price for Shelby's actions:

[T]hey'd have to have everyone go out and say, over and over so it would take over the news, that Richard Shelby and his Republican friends are despicable extortionists who will sabotage the operation of the United States government for the sake of some pork-barrel earmarks. They could also fit it into a larger narrative about nihilistic Republicans who care so little about the country's fate that they will do virtually anything to subvert the administration, no matter what the cost, if they think it will gain them some advantage or some pork. If Democrats made enough noise about it, Shelby would back down, and it might even convince Republicans to think twice the next time one of them considers undertaking this kind of extortion.

Republicans howled about Ben Nelson's "kickback" to Nebraska, which secured his vote for the health insurance reform bill. Make them explain why they are going along with Shelby now.

http://mydd.com/users/desmoinesdem/posts/ia-sen-conlin-organizing-agains...

toniD's Ya Think?

genius!

This in my emailbox from Health Freedom usa...

[excerpt]

Emergency #1. Health Freedom eAlerts Being Blocked!
Emergency #2. McCain Bill, Implementing Codex for Supplements, Gutting Health Freedom Must be Stopped!
Emergency #3. GMOs contaminating our Food Supply! This must stop NOW!

Emergency #1:

This text-only eAlert in an attempt to pierce the wall of censorship that has become increasingly apparent blocking your Health Freedom Action eAlerts over the past several weeks. Ever since the ground breaking 2010 Health Freedom War Council our blasts are blocked, censored, and blatantly interfered with. We have recently been alerted that AOL, Verizon, Yahoo, Gmail and possibly other email service providers appear to be preventing our urgent messages from getting to you, our subscribers. This despite the fact that emails are only sent is to supporters who have individually chosen to receive these messages, ("opted in"). Yes, Natural Solutions Foundation blasts are being blocked, in violation of your right to freedom of information!

...

Emergency #2:

Sen. John McCain is introducing a horrific bill, the "Dietary Supplement Safety [sic] Act of 2010" (DSSA) designed to end your access to high potency supplements by giving the bloated, corrupt and dangerous FDA MORE power to destroy supplement access. This bill is absolutely NOT to be confused with DSHEA, the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (1994), which says nutrients are food and, as food, you can have them in any form - and any amount - you like. If we allow DSSA to pass, we will be living - and dying - under something very much like the European Food Supplements Directive's anti-supplement restrictions, implementing Codex Alimentarius' dietary supplements and nutritional restrictions, to the "T" -- effective as close to immediately as the Fraud and Death Administration can manage it.

...

We need to inundate the Senate HELP committee, since Tom Harkin said in November, in response to the over 150,000 emails that we generated in one weekend, that "DSHEA … governs the law here, not Codex standards…" and that the provision in S510 allowing FDA to "make recommendations including whether to harmonize with Codex does not signal any intent to move in a different direction on DSHEA…"

Now it's time for Senator Tom Harkin to keep that pledge and stop the McCain Anti-DSHEA Bill!

See: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=4014 for Senator Harkin's comments.
See: http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=4608 for the dangerous terms of the McCain bill.

...

Emergency #3:

One more thing: after Monsanto lost a court case in which the judge said that it has to have an environmental impact study before it can commercialize its GMO alfalfa (the fifth largest grain crop in the US), the USDA obligingly provided that study, and, predictably "found" that GMO alfalfa was safe, despite the known hazards to people, babies in utero, organic farming and diary operations (indeed, entire industries) and the biosphere.

What a surprise, with former Monsanto executive Vilsek as the Secretary of Agriculture.

OK. Gloves off. It is time, and past time, for a total ban on this insane technology. Click the Action Item link below, once for each member of your family, to tell the secondary power structure of the US [the Congress and the White House] that we, the primary power structure, absolutely reject this dangerous aberration and call for a total ban on GMOs before there are no unmodified plants, animals or people on the planet, and Monsanto owns the world food supply.

...

[end excerpt]

1/ field goal in first half, a tackle came in to the game, and did not report; field goal should not have been kicked since it was an illegal procedure

2/ in second half, on the two point conversion, the radio commentators after reading the rules on air, insisted it was not a score because the catcher of the pass did not have control of the ball when hitting the ground

On both these calls, the radio announcers insisted these scores should not have counted for N.O.

MALLOY!
Submitted by Fernando on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 9:46pm.
genius!

===================

Yes, true!

But I missed the first hour, so how'd he get your exclamation points in the first hour, Fernando?

obscure references...fwiw, I get most of them...but don't usually comment, mostly just to screw with your fragile performers self esteem...nothing like the sound of crickets to humble the comedic ego...

'sides, my bet is your okie accent is so thick we wouldn't be able to decode your clicks and grunts over skype anyway....some people have a face for radio, others a voice for writing.... :)

While all of the bobble heads attempt to explain the source of Sarah Palin's appeal, Malloy succinctly lays down the answers.

I'm taking my act back to Peoria, and let the 2 rapier wits fight the sword fight of sarcasm without interruption.

You guys are good, too good for my comic book comedy.

Folks appreciate me in Peoria.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/#35304569

Please Continue Your Support of South Dakota Reservations
by navajo
Share this on Twitter - Please Continue Your Support of South Dakota Reservations Mon Feb 08, 2010 at 07:58:18 AM PST
Even before the Bush presidency the nation’s Indian reservations were among the poorest and most neglected regions of the country. Eight years of Republican cutbacks exacerbated an already grim situation: poverty, high unemployment, and social problems like a high youth suicide rate dominated these communities, making reservation life the polar opposite of the American dream. The perfect storms in December 2009 and January 2010 have finally qualified many of our reservations as disaster areas.

Our reservations have been disasters for decades, in my opinion.

For the past 10 days Kossacks have donated time, money, supplies and clothing to SD reservations. Our most significant accomplishment is bypassing charitable organizations, calling the power companies and grocery stores directly and donating money to fill someone's empty propane tank or empty refrigerator instantly. In fact, DharmaFarmer has adopted a family for the winter and will pay their heating costs going forward.

Below are links we have gathered to donate money and clothing to some of our reservations.

navajo's diary :: :: Please recommend this diary to give more families a chance to receive help.

NEWS: (my summary)

The worst of the disasters, Cheyenne River in South Dakota, should get Federal relief this week. Some power has been restored and some water is flowing but into broken pipes. The occupants of those homes must stay in the shelters.

Cheyenne River is requesting only monetary donations now since mailing packages may hinder larger relief efforts now.

However, the ongoing poverty conditions on other reservations continue with families who need help heating their homes and feeding their families.

ARTIC BLAST HAS ARRIVED

WIND CHILL VALUES OF 25 TO 35 DEGREES BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED TODAY

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS ISSUED WHEN THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND COLD TEMPERATURES CAN CAUSE FROSTBITE IN JUST 20 MINUTES. IF YOU GO OUTSIDE...COVER ALL PARTS OF YOUR BODY...ESPECIALLY YOUR HEAD... FACE... AND HANDS.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/2/8/834479/-Please-Continue-Your-Supp...

Contact
U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs
838 Hart Office Building Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-2251
http://indian.senate.gov/public/
to ensure expedited emergency relief.

Democratic Committee Members:
Byron Dorgan, Chairman (ND)
Daniel Inouye (HI)
Kent Conrad (ND)
Daniel Akaka (HI)
Tim Johnson (SD)
Maria Cantwell (WA)
Jon Tester (MT)
Tom Udall (NM)
Al Franken (MN)

The Member Thugs are the usual do-nothings not worth listing.

and I'm not even close to Ohio.

This in my emailbox from Health Freedom usa...
Submitted by nora on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 10:01pm.

This is a good organization I have mentioned it a few times. They have been blocked somehow (maybe cent understands the mechanics), from getting E mails delivered and other major crashes numerous times which appear to me to be very malicious attacks on their ability to work on the internet. It looks like this Org has continued to be harrassed by big business interests like Monsanto and Government organizations like the FDA who are very threatened by the Truth getting out. The group has been very effective challenge to them.
the Healthfreedom people are being harrassed daily because so many people have joined up around the world. con science has trouble fighting them and big business interests are fighting dirty. That makes me more sure they have some validity. these are my peeps so to speak. i am glad that they are
getting through to you. I would get as many reasonable people you know to get involved.

Police are planning to use an anti-terror law deemed unlawful by the European Court of Human Rights across the country during the London Olympics, The Times has learnt.

Senior officers are considering using Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 at every Underground and railway station nationwide.

Privacy campaigners criticised the proposal yesterday. The powers would enable police to stop and search members of the public without any suspicion that they were involved in terrorism.

The Times understands that this would be the first time that the powers would have been used across such a wide area. Police said that Section 44, which must be granted by the Home Secretary for a designated area, would be used only in the event of an escalated terror threat. Officers are being trained to use behavioural profiling to spot suspicious characters during stop- and-search operations.

...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/olympics/london_2012/article70184...

This guy is a freshman congressman who replaced Goode, and this Anti-Trust bill should garner support from even the reddest of rednecks down here...and he needs it badly...

Very smart move....

Leave it to the rookies....

last I heard peoria was in Illinois...

Did they move Peoria again?

I hate it when they do that...

(waaay too much Gunpowder Green Tea for me tonite)

YELM, Wash., Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Police in Yelm, Wash., allege a U.S. soldier punished his 4-year-old daughter for failing to recite the alphabet by waterboarding her.

Yelm Police Chief Todd Stancil said Joshua Tabor of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Wash., was arrested on charges he allegedly punished his daughter by holding her head backwards into a sink full of water, the New York Daily News said Monday.

Police allege Tabor, 27, chose the torture technique because his young daughter was scared of water.

Stancil said Tabor, who is facing assault of a child charges, allegedly told authorities he used the technique as many as four times.

Tabor's daughter, whose identity was not released, was placed with Child Protective Services after the soldier's arrest Sunday, the newspaper said.

Specific details regarding Tabor's military rank and military specialty were not released by police.

The Daily News said Tabor's girlfriend, whose identity was also not released, alleges the soldier struggles with anger issues and has previously beaten his young daughter.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2010/02/08/Soldier-accused-of-waterboardi...

Janeane is onstage at the Westside Theatre through the 28th in a play called Love, Loss, and What I Wore...

Yes, I'd even brave a chick flick to catch one of her live performances...unfortunately she never ventures down this way...

Large protest in India against Corporate Agriculture Tyranny and GMO products--

http://gmwatch.eu/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11901:mor... an-100000-indians-fast-against-gm-crops

[excerpt]

NOTE: Lakh is an Indian unit of measurement for 100,000.

EXTRACT: "Remember the Mahatma, Stop Bt Brinjal and Protect India's Seed & Food Sovereignty" was their message.
---
---
MORE THAN A LAKH INDIANS OBSERVE A ONE-DAY FAST ON MARTYRS' DAY TO STOP BT BRINJAL AND TO PROTECT INDIA'S FOOD SOVEREIGNTY

New Delhi, 30th January, 2010: On Martyrs' day today, more than one lakh Indians observed a one-day fast to emphasise that the hard-won independence led by Mahatma Gandhi cannot be lost now to agri-business MNCs, with their technologies like GM seeds. Thousands who observed the one-day fast throughout the country sought to remember the Mahatma's dream of Hind Swaraj and to uphold the food sovereignty of the country from the onslaught of technologies like GM seeds. "Remember the Mahatma, Stop Bt Brinjal and Protect India's Seed & Food Sovereignty" was their message.

In Kerala, more than one lakh [100,000] people fasted around the state and the Kerala Agriculture Minister joined them in this effort. The fast was undertaken by thousands of Indians in the states of Bihar, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Uttarkhand and West Bengal. More than 700 people in Lucknow, 600 in Fatehpur, 100 in Siddharthnagar, 100 in Jalone, 50 in Gorakhpur, 200 in Bangalore, 150 in Chandigarh, 400 in Patna, 400 in Gujarat, 150 in Muzaffarpur and 100 in Hyderabad joined this nation-wide fast to mark Martyrs' Day. A rally was taken out in Ahmedabad on the occasion.

In Delhi, around one hundred people joined a candle-light vigil at Jantar Mantar and later, walked to Raj Ghat to pay their homage to the Mahatma. In Orissa, more than eight thousand people in twelve districts observed the National Day of Fast in districts like Baripada, Sundargarh, Malkangiri, Phulbani, Koraput etc.

"Today we remember Gandhiji and Hind Swaraj. We fast in order to prevent profit-hungry corporations from taking control of our food and seed system through GM crops like Bt brinjal. We fast to stop insertion of genetic material that makes the brinjal plant produce Bt toxin. We fast because the Committee that cleared Bt Brinjal violated both science and ethics - based on inadequate tests, overlooking the deaths of animals grazing in Bt cotton fields and data that indicated harmful effects of Bt food on liver, kidney and other functions, and based on the votes of members closely associated with the industry. We fast because if we believe in the true meaning of Swaraj, we should not let India's farmers lose control over their seed and agriculture, and its citizens lose control over the food they eat. We fast because GM technology comes with many risks to environment and bio-safety, and it is fundamentally unwise to introduce this into the food chain of billions of people and into the environment on a large scale", said the special website set up for the purpose called www.brinjal.org.

"It is 62 years since we lost Mahatma Gandhi. Every year, the nation remembers him on this day, reminds itself on the struggle that the Mahatma led to free us from the clutches of colonial powers, reminds itself of his philosophies and values and his dreams about a self-reliant and Independent India. About Hind Swaraj. Through Satyagraha. Today, India's Sovereignty is at stake again. Bt Brinjal, a poisonous genetically modified (GM) food crop that can threaten life itself, cripple the environment and economy and destroy India's national biodiversity as well as self-reliance has been given regulatory approval. The colonial powers that kept us in control have reassembled themselves to destroy and take control of our most precious strength – our food. This is the new "Food Weapon" against which a Nation must respond now, in the same emotional and spiritual manner that the Mahatma taught us", said Sharib Hussain, a 20-year old student in Delhi.

[end excerpt]

NOW LIVE ONLINE
Wednesday, February 10
Noon ET

We have received an incredible response to the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Haiti Earthquake Update Teleconference being held this Wednesday, February 10.

In an effort to accommodate everyone who is interested in participating, we will be streaming this event live online via Ustream in addition to the option to call in by telephone.

Due to overwhelming interest and unforeseen technical issues, our available phone lines have already been overbooked for the teleconference. If you have internet access, please consider streaming the conference online. The web option will allow you to post your questions and comments during the event via a 'chat' feature. An MSF-USA press officer will be answering questions as time allows.

If you are unable to attend the conference on the 10th, please note that a recording of the event will be available on our website. Thank you.

Topic: Haiti Earthquake Update
Location: Online at Ustream - Haiti Earthquake Update
Date: Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Time: 12 noon EST
11 am CST
10 am MST
9 am PST
8 am AST
7 am HST

it's in Mississippi...

Submitted by cent on Mon, 02/08/2010 - 10:20pm.

cent: "obscure references...fwiw, I get most of them..."

Bait: "Rule number one is Know Thy Audience. Thanks for the compliment. When I said that half of the stuff that pops into my head is so obscure that even I don't get it, I wasn't kidding. Sometimes I write a brilliantly clever reaction to something, then realize while proofing it that I can't find the connection that I was certain existed only moments ago. It's scary when I can't explain my own jokes to myself."

cent: "...my bet is your okie accent is so thick we wouldn't be able to decode your clicks and grunts over skype anyway..."

Bait: "Them's purdy strong words comin' as they do from an urban Opie. Ante up."

...

Now who woulda thunk that Nuclear Power and GMO would use the same CarbonArgument to HARD SELL their ugly, dangerous products? Here the (bogus?) 'carbon dioxide' claim pops again, this time with the purpose of selling no-till herbicide GMO crops:

[excerpt]

http://www.grassrootsnetroots.org/articles/article_20188.cfm

+ GM NO-TILL SEQUESTERS NO MORE CARBON THAN PLOUGHING

Ploughing soil releases carbon dioxide, and Monsanto and its supporters have
long argued that this means GM no-till agriculture ("conservation tillage"),
which avoids ploughing, is more climate-friendly.

Based on this, Monsanto is busy trying to get GM no-till recognised as a
means of reducing CO2 emissions - a carbon sink. This would allow GM no-till
to qualify as a carbon offset and so attract massive economic support.

However, the current scientific literature says that for carbon
sequestration, no-till is no better than ploughing, according to a new
review by the Union of Concerned Scientists. The apparent advantage for
no-till in previous studies of carbon sequestration was an artifact of
sampling carbon only near the soil surface.
http://www.gmwatch.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1187...
-no-till-sequesters-no-more-carbon-than-ploughing
http://bit.ly/bddu6I

[end excerpt]

.

god doesn't send sins or crimes to hell, he sends people.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/02/08-10

[excerpt]

Obama, The War President
by Helen Thomas

President Barack Obama does have a foreign policy. It's called war.
The President has not defined any real difference between his hawkish approach to international issues and that of his predecessor, former President George W. Bush.

Where's the change we can believe in?

Bush left a legacy of two wars, neither of which was ever fully explained or justified. Obama has merely picked up the sword that Bush left behind in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In the struggle against terrorism, one might say, "Who cares?"

One group that cares consists of Americans who follow the rules and think we should honor all the treaties we have promoted and signed over the years.

The President gave short shrift to foreign policy in his State of the Union address, mentioning neither the lives lost nor the cost of the global hostilities that the U.S. has involved itself in. He also didn't mention U.S. policies in the Middle East, though those are the root cause of many of our problems.

[end excerpt]

ayyy, I got yur DICTION lessons hangin right heeya, pal....

My point exactly, Goober...no way yours can be worse than mine...

***

Alice, have ever been through Oklahoma? ...EVERYBODY has an accent...and it can get a little scary after dark...those Ozark boys put the rednecks around here to shame...in some of the more rural counties the Boy Scouts issue hockey masks instead of merit badges...

As told by CHRIS HEDGES in THE TERROR-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX--

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/02/08

[excerpt]

No one, other than Siddiqui, has attempted to explain where she was for five years after she vanished in 2003. No one seems to be able to explain why a disoriented Pakistani woman and her son, an American citizen, neither of whom spoke Dari, were discovered by local residents wandering in a public square in Ghazni, where an eyewitness told Harpers Magazine the distraught Siddiqui “was attacking everyone who got close to her.” Had Siddiqui, after years of imprisonment and torture, perhaps been at the U.S. detention center in Bagram and then dumped with one of her three children in Ghazi? And where are the other two children, one of whom also is an American citizen?

[end excerpt]

Interesting theory--

http://www.earthweek.com/2010/ew100205/ew100205a.html

here you go nora - mull this one

Pentagon Looks to Breed Immortal ‘Synthetic Organisms,’ Molecular Kill-Switch Included
* By Katie Drummond Email Author
* February 5, 2010 |
* 9:42 am |
* Categories: DarpaWatch
The Pentagon’s mad science arm may have come up with its most radical project yet. Darpa is looking to re-write the laws of evolution to the military’s advantage, creating “synthetic organisms” that can live forever — or can be killed with the flick of a molecular switch.

As part of its budget for the next year, Darpa is investing $6 million into a project called BioDesign, with the goal of eliminating “the randomness of natural evolutionary advancement.” The plan would assemble the latest bio-tech knowledge to come up with living, breathing creatures that are genetically engineered to “produce the intended biological effect.” Darpa wants the organisms to be fortified with molecules that bolster cell resistance to death, so that the lab-monsters can “ultimately be programmed to live indefinitely.”

Of course, Darpa’s got to prevent the super-species from being swayed to do enemy work — so they’ll encode loyalty right into DNA, by developing genetically programmed locks to create “tamper proof” cells. Plus, the synthetic organism will be traceable, using some kind of DNA manipulation, “similar to a serial number on a handgun.” And if that doesn’t work, don’t worry. In case Darpa’s plan somehow goes horribly awry, they’re also tossing in a last-resort, genetically-coded kill switch
...
Even expert molecular geneticists don’t know what to make of the project. Either that, or they’re scared Darpa might sic a bio-bot on them. “I would love to comment, but unfortunately Darpa has installed a kill switch in me,” one unnamed expert tells Danger Room.

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

the most US accent I've heard was in Gatlinburg, TN last year...Oh and that Mary Ann from Brooklyn who I hear sometimes on Stern.... *heh*

Damage to public lands still rampant by so called recreationalists. Recreation? Terrorizing natural ecosystems a recreation?

Lawsuit to stop the insanity--

http://www.earthjustice.org/news/press/2010/conservation-groups-sue-nati...

http://blacklistednews.com/news-7334-0-13-13--.html

http://www.smalltowngaybar.com/

he is finally out...you'll know what that means if you know him...he doesn't live where he lived before which is what he wanted..so that's cool.

Republicans opt out
- reading the tea leaves - my version of the headline -

Republicans may opt out of Obama's health-care summit
[re one of the fauxnews newspapers]
By Michael D. Shear
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Leading House Republicans raised the prospect Monday night that they may decline to participate in President Obama's proposed health-care summit if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over.

In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) expressed frustration about reports that Obama intends to put the Democratic bills on the table for discussion at the summit, which would be held Feb. 25.

"If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate," Boehner and Cantor wrote.
...
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs responded by saying that Obama has sought Republican input since early last year, and that the president remains interested in hearing ideas that the GOP thinks will advance the reform cause.

But he appeared to give little ground on the idea that Obama might abandon the months of work that produced Democratic bills that passed the House and the Senate late last year.

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

I'll go into mulling mode.

I've been meaning to look up that book about darpa....

...? I get all chatty...makes me laugh...

it is divisive, pretending to be funny...the only Superbowl ad I liked was the google ad...

The rest were either mean/violent or just boring...

getting tattoos is way more than I thought it was...I cried all over the place watching that show...people have cathartic experiences sometimes getting those...

Did I write that already? Feels like I did.

How goes it?

The google ad was good except that I don't think Google parses questions, they search on each word.
==
Letterman was good, would have been better if Conan was getting them drinks.

"The rest were either mean/violent or just boring..."

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

...I ran out of chips...

Just one more picture..Last one,I promise.. :)

http://fiftycentlighter.blogspot.com/2010/02/super-bowl-crescent-city.ht...

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

MMRules

I missed your dog video for a lot of reasons...can you repost it?

great!

he was totally frazzled from living there for good reasons.

did you totally melt when he was holding and crying with his so in his arms?

I don't know..

That's good news right? For sure.

veggies alice. Celery, squash, hmmm? a slice of tomato?

must sleep, work again tomorrow - am.

Pleasant dreams.

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

'Super Bowl' Key Term In Poisoned Google Searches
By Stefanie Hoffman, ChannelWeb
3:49 PM EST Mon. Feb. 08, 2010
...
Thus far, more than 15 percent of the top 20 Google (NSDQ:GOOG) search sites related to the 2010 Super Bowl are actually malicious sites designed to download malware onto visitors' computers, according to researchers at SonicWall, who first detected the malicious sites.

The malware sites impersonate legitimate sites that appear to offer news or videos on the 2010 Super Bowl, and are ranked at the top of the search result pages in order to further convey authenticity. However, once opened, the malicious site attempts to persuade users to purchase fake antivirus software by impersonating a Windows security application. The application then offers to conduct a phony virus scan that produces fake positives.

Instead of downloading antivirus software, users are actually installing a Trojan designed to take control of their computer and incorporate their system into a larger botnet.
...
Bilogorskiy said that the sites appeared to come from the same criminal organization. And while the malware doesn't automatically exploit a vulnerability or instantly infect users, the same pop-up will repeatedly attempt to force the user to install the malicious software, he said.

"If you're smart, you'll close the browser," Bilogorskiy said. "If you end the program, you can get out of it and not get infected."

Meanwhile, a regular antivirus program will likely not be enough to protect users. Bilogorskiy said that the cybercriminals update malware frequently, while continually staying apprised of which AV vendors have produced signatures for the threats.
...
==
and then this

Palin likens global warming studies to 'snake oil'

By JUDY LIN Associated Press Writer
Posted: 02/08/2010 07:31:13 PM PST
Updated: 02/08/2010 08:49:09 PM PST
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14361335?nclick_check=1

Sarah Palin is actually a malicious site designed to download malware onto your brain.
==
or this
Sarah Palin gives hand job to Tea Party Movement
San Francisco Chronicle (blog) - ‎2 hours ago‎

...

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

Tengo tomates. Nunca he oído hablar de sumergir los tomates en la salsa. Buena idea, gracias!

like her.

You're who I was telling about NC anyway...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qK3mdhNHQE0

Personal Health
Rules Worth Following, for Everyone’s Sake
By JANE E. BRODY
Published: February 1, 2010

In the more than four decades that I have been reading and writing about the findings of nutritional science, I have come across nothing more intelligent, sensible and simple to follow than the 64 principles outlined in a slender, easy-to-digest new book called “Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual,” by Michael Pollan.
...
As Mr. Pollan puts it, “If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don’t.”
...
==
this looked good- as I said, must sleep.

de nada sumergir(l)

~`ordinary's just not good enough today - olp`~
Jamesbenet

Blue Roots Radio

"Is it true that your food contains chemicals it did not in years past. Yet within reason man is biologically capable of assimilating such materials, and using them to his advantage. When a man feels powerless, however, and in a state of generalized fear, he can even turn the most natural earthly ingredients against himself."

"It should be noted before we begin that death itself is -- a deliverer -- of your species and all others. It is not negative in itself, but instead is the beginning of a different kind of positive existence. It prunes the planet so to speak, so there is a room and time for all, energy and food for all...If death disappeared even an hour all of life would soon be threatened."

* View your neighborhood, home town, and other familiar places and see how they've changed over time

* See the impact of recent trends like suburban sprawl or global warming

* Set the length of time and exact location that you want to see

http://earth.google.com/tour.html#v=3

Hooooo - It was homecoming night at my high school
Hooooo - Everyone was there, it was totally cool
Hooooo - I was real excited, I almost wet my jeans
Hooooo - 'Cause my best friend Debbie was homecoming queen

She looked so pretty in pink chiffon, chiffon
Riding the float with her tiara on, tiara on
Holding this humongous bouquet in her hand, bouquet
She looked straight out of Disneyland

You know, like the Cinderella ride, I mean definitely an E ticket, E
ticket
The crowd was cheering, everyone was stoked, was stoked
I mean it was like the whole school was totally coked or something
The band was playing Evergreen
And all of a sudden somebody screamed

Look out! The homecoming queen's got a gun!

{Refrain}
Everybody run, the homecoming queen's got a gun
Everybody run, the homecoming queen has got a gun

Debbie's smiling and waving her gun
Picking off cheerleaders one by one
Oh Buffie's pompom just blew to bits
Oh no, Mitzie's head just did the splits
God, my best friend's on a shooting spree
Stop it, Debbie, you're embarrassing me
How could you do what you just did
Are you having a really bad period

{Refrain}

Stop Debbie, you're making a mess
Powder burns all over your dress

An hour later the cops arrived
By then the entire glee club had died, no big loss
You wouldn't believe what they brought to stop her
Tear gas, machine guns, even a chopper
"Throw down your gun and tiara and come out of the float"
Debbie didn't listen to what the cop said
She aimed and fired and now the math teacher's dead
Oh it's really sad but kind of a relief
I mean, we had this big test coming up next week

{Refrain}

Debbie's really having a blast
She's wasting half of the class

The cops fired a warning shot that blew her off the float
I tried to scream "duck" but it stuck in my throat
She hit the ground and did a flip, it was real acrobatic
But I was crying so hard I couldn't work my Instamatic
I ran down to Debbie, I had to find out
What made her do it, why'd she freak out
I saw the bullet had got her right in the ear
I knew then the end was near

So I ran down and I said, in her good ear, "Debbie, why'd you do it?" She raised her head, smiled, and said "I - I did it for Johnny." Johnny? Well like who's Johnny? Answer me, Debbie, who's Johnny? Does anybody here know Johnny? Are you Johnny? There was one guy named Johnny but he was a total geek, he always had food in his braces. Answer me, Debbie, who's Johnny? Oh God this is like that movie Citizen Kane you know where you later find out Rosebud was a sled? But we'll never know who Johnny was because like she's dead.

Everybody run, the homecoming queen's got a gun
Everybody run, the homecoming queen has got a
Everybody run
Everybody run, the homecoming queen has got a

http://funksion.org/mal/Comedy/Dr%20Demento%20-%20The%20Homecoming%20Que...

Free Democracy

Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, he walks into mine.

...

Vínculo demasiado largo que no se convierte en hipertexto...

Y, no. No es sólo tú.

Janeane y Ben ¡qué bueno!

Ya "hablas" mejor que yo.

;);(

;)

jitomates...

maters.

Gotta go.

Tomatoes in salsa seems a little redundant to me, but whatever gets ya thru... :)

Gotta go.

hehehe ;)

;D

Shelby Releases Hold On Obama Nominees

02/ 9/10 01:16 AM | AP

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama has released the "holds" he had placed on every one of President Barack Obama's nominees, his office said Monday.

"The purpose of placing numerous holds was to get the White House's attention on two issues that are critical to our national security – the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker acquisition and the FBI's Terrorist Device Analytical Center," Shelby spokesman Jonathan Graffeo said in a statement released to news organizations Monday night.

Shelby wants the tanker and the new FBI explosives center to be built in Alabama. Senators frequently block individual appointments, but Shelby's blanket hold was unusual.

Now that he has gotten Obama's attention, Graffeo said, "Sen. Shelby has decided to release his holds on all but a few nominees directly related to the Air Force tanker acquisition."

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday, "If you needed one example of what's wrong with this town, it might be that one senator can hold up 70 qualified individuals to make government better because he didn't get his earmarks."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said last week that Shelby's move was holding up about 70 appointments, including a critical top Defense Department position overseeing deployments to the war in Afghanistan.

A senior member of the Appropriations Committee, Shelby has built his career on steering spending "earmarks" to Alabama.

Shelby can't single-handedly defeat Obama's nominations. But by forcing time-consuming votes on each one, he can delay them indefinitely.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/09/shelby-releases-hold-on-o_n_454...

toniD's Ya Think?

GLORY...: Tomatoes in salsa seems a little redundant to me, but whatever gets ya thru... :)
;D

Ben Nelson opposing Obama nominee to National Labor Relations Board
by Joe Sudbay (DC) on 2/08/2010 10:30:00 PM
Remember how Obama's DNC gave $500,000 to Senator Ben Nelson via the Nebraska Democratic Party? That was in late December.

So, how's that's working out for them?:

In a move that will further irritate his Democratic critics, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) announced on Monday evening that he would not just oppose but also help filibuster President Barack Obama's nominee to a key labor relations agency

In a statement from his office, the Nebraska Democrat announced that he would oppose cloture for Craig Becker's appointment to the National Labor Relations Board, all but assuring that confirmation won't take place.

http://www.americablog.com/2010/02/ben-nelson-opposing-obama-nominee-to....

toniD's Ya Think?

Criminal probe is launched in Conn. plant blast

Source: AP

By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writers John Christoffersen, Associated Press Writers – Mon Feb 8, 9:22 pm ET

MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Authorities launched a criminal investigation Monday into the cause of an explosion that killed five people at a power plant under construction, saying they couldn't rule out negligence.

"If everything went right, we wouldn't all be here right now," Middletown Mayor Sebastian Giuliano said. "There's a point where negligence raises to the level of criminal conduct, and that's what we're investigating."

The powerful explosion blew apart large swaths of the nearly completed 620-megawatt Kleen Energy plant as workers for the construction company, O&G Industries Inc., were purging a gas line Sunday morning. The blast tore apart sheet metal that covered the plant's sides and left parts of the complex so unstable that rescuers were unable to work Monday because of the danger of collapse.

The mayor said rescue crews had been unable to get to all areas of the plant and he could not say for certain that no more victims would be found. But authorities also said everyone who was assigned to work at the plant at the time of the explosion was accounted for.

Deputy Fire Marshal Al Santostefano said the death toll should stand at five.

"We needed something to lift spirits around here, and that definitely did it," he said.

The men who died were identified by police as Peter Chetulis, of Thomaston; Ronald J. Crabb, 42, of Colchester; Raymond Dobratz, 58, of Old Saybrook; Chris Walters, 42, of Florissant, Mo.; and Roy Rushton, of Hamilton, Ontario.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100209/ap_on_bi_ge/us_power_plant_explosion

toniD's Ya Think?

MM
Submitted by Alice on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:14am.
did you totally melt when he was holding and crying with his so in his arms?

*******

What a cute kid.. :)

"Hello to our friends and fans in domestic surveillance."

MMRules

...? I get all chatty...makes me laugh... <<< I thought weed is the only thing
that does that.?

Letterman was good, would have been better if Conan was getting them drinks.

"The rest were either mean/violent or just boring..." I agree cent & jbenet

Why is this "ECO-POLICE" ad supposed to be funny? I thought it was - all of the other commercials sucked - oh except the Betty White Snickers one. I did like seeing the Clydesdale Horses.

Is that the same guy?
new
Submitted by Alice on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:14am.
Yes it was Alice...

Joshua Tabor of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Wash. > > >
What they need to do - do the same thing to that mother fucker.

"control of the ball when hitting the ground I don't know..
I thought he had control of the ball when the play happened. I was wondering
why N.O. Saints coach wasn't going to challenge it... but he did & I think they
made the right call.

& Alice - I almost started crying when I saw that......

Snowing here now - will post some pictures in a few...

Someone please explain to me - WHY they r doing this.

besides death and taxes it appears that you can always count on the democrats to screw the pooch.

i say its time for 70 recess appointments.

I agree - - if the Dems can screw it up - they will

His name is Peaches. I thought he was a female kitty - hence the name Peaches..

Top House Republicans throw cold water on health-care summit
By Michael D. Shear
Leading House Republicans raised the prospect Monday night that they might refuse to participate in President Obama's proposed health care summit if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over.

In a letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) and Minority Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) expressed frustration at reports that Obama intends to put the Democratic bills on the table for discussion at the Feb. 25 summit.

"If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate," Boehner and Cantor wrote.

Obama proposed the half-day summit on national television Sunday, but in their letter, the two GOP leaders offer their suspicion that the president is not serious about opening a bipartisan negotiation on health care.

" 'Bipartisanship' is not writing proposals of your own behind closed doors, then unveiling them and demanding Republican support," Boehner and Cantor wrote. "Bipartisan ends require bipartisan means."

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs responded by saying that Obama has sought Republican input since early last year, and the president remains interested in hearing ideas that the GOP believe will advance the cause of health care reform.

But he appeared to give little ground on the idea that Obama might abandon the months of work that produced Democratic bills that passed the House and the Senate late last year.

"He's been very clear about his support for the House and Senate bills because of what they achieve for the American people: putting a stop to insurance company abuses, extending coverage to millions of hardworking Americans, getting control of rising premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and reducing the deficit," Gibbs said in a statement.

"The President looks forward to reviewing Republican proposals that meet the goals he laid out at the beginning of this process, and as recently as the State of the Union Address. He's open to including any good ideas that stand up to objective scrutiny. What he will not do, however, is walk away from reform and the millions of American families and small business counting on it."

The Republican letter, and Gibbs's response, follow:

February 8, 2010
The Honorable Rahm Emanuel
Chief of Staff
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. Emanuel:
We welcome President Obama's announcement of forthcoming bipartisan health care talks. In fact, you may remember that last May, Republicans asked President Obama to hold bipartisan discussions on health care in an attempt to find common ground, but he declined and instead chose to work with only Democrats.

Since then, the President has given dozens of speeches on health care reform, operating under the premise that the more the American people learn about his plan, the more they will come to like it. Just the opposite has occurred: a majority of Americans oppose the House and Senate health care bills and want them scrapped so we can start over with a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs for families and small businesses. Just as important, scrapping the House and Senate health care bills would help end the uncertainty they are creating for workers and businesses and thus strengthen our shared commitment to focusing on creating jobs.

Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward on health care in a bipartisan way, does that mean he will agree to start over so that we can develop a bill that is truly worthy of the support and confidence of the American people? Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said today that the President is "absolutely not" resetting the legislative process for health care. If the starting point for this meeting is the job-killing bills the American people have already soundly rejected, Republicans would rightly be reluctant to participate.

Assuming the President is sincere about moving forward in a bipartisan way, does that mean he has taken off the table the idea of relying solely on Democratic votes and jamming through health care reform by way of reconciliation? As the President has noted recently, Democrats continue to hold large majorities in the House and Senate, which means they can attempt to pass a health care bill at any time through the reconciliation process. Eliminating the possibility of reconciliation would represent an important show of good faith to Republicans and the American people.

If the President intends to present any kind of legislative proposal at this discussion, will he make it available to members of Congress and the American people at least 72 hours beforehand? Our ability to move forward in a bipartisan way through this discussion rests on openness and transparency.

Will the President include in this discussion congressional Democrats who have opposed the House and Senate health care bills? This bipartisan discussion should reflect the bipartisan opposition to both the House bill and the kickbacks and sweetheart deals in the Senate bill.

Will the President be inviting officials and lawmakers from the states to participate in this discussion? As you may know, legislation has been introduced in at least 36 state legislatures, similar to the proposal just passed by the Democratic-controlled Virginia State Senate, providing that no individual may be compelled to purchase health insurance. Additionally, governors of both parties have raised concerns about the additional costs that will be passed along to states under both the House and Senate bills.

The President has also mentioned his commitment to have "experts" participate in health care discussions. Will the Feb. 25 discussion involve such "experts?" Will those experts include the actuaries at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), who have determined that the both the House and Senate health care bill raise costs - just the opposite of their intended effect - and jeopardize seniors' access to high-quality care by imposing massive Medicare cuts? Will those experts include the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, which has stated that the GOP alternative would reduce premiums by up to 10 percent? Also, will Republicans be permitted to invite health care experts to participate?

Finally, as you know, this is the first televised White House health care meeting involving the President since last March. Many health care meetings of the closed-door variety have been held at the White House since then, including one last month where a sweetheart deal was worked out with union leaders. Will the special interest groups that the Obama Administration has cut deals with be included in this televised discussion?

Of course, Americans have been dismayed by the fact that the President has broken his own pledge to hold televised health care talks. We can only hope this televised discussion is the beginning, not the end, of attempting to correct that mistake. Will the President require that any and all future health care discussions, including those held on Capitol Hill, meet this common-sense standard of openness and transparency?

Your answers to these critical questions will help determine whether this will be a truly open, bipartisan discussion or merely an intramural exercise before Democrats attempt to jam through a job-killing health care bill that the American people can't afford and don't support. 'Bipartisanship' is not writing proposals of your own behind closed doors, then unveiling them and demanding Republican support. Bipartisan ends require bipartisan means.
These questions are also designed to try and make sense of the widening gap between the President's rhetoric on bipartisanship and the reality. We cannot help but notice that each of the President's recent bipartisan overtures has been coupled with harsh, misleading partisan attacks.
For instance, the President decries Republican 'obstruction' when it was Republicans who first proposed bipartisan health care talks last May. The President says Republicans are 'sitting on the sidelines' just days after holding up our health care alternative and reading from it word for word. The President has every right to use his bully pulpit as he sees fit, but this is the kind of credibility gap that has the American people so fed up with business as usual in Washington.
We look forward to receiving your answers and continuing to discuss ways we can move forward in a bipartisan manner to address the challenges facing the American people.
Sincerely,

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH)
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)
****
Please find below a statement from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs in response to a letter sent today from House Republican Leader John Boehner and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor:

"The President is adamant that we seize this historic moment to pass meaningful health insurance reform legislation. He began this process by inviting Republican and Democratic leaders to the White House on March 5 of last year, and he's continued to work with both parties in crafting the best possible bill. He's been very clear about his support for the House and Senate bills because of what they achieve for the American people: putting a stop to insurance company abuses, extending coverage to millions of hardworking Americans, getting control of rising premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and reducing the deficit.

"The President looks forward to reviewing Republican proposals that meet the goals he laid out at the beginning of this process, and as recently as the State of the Union Address. He's open to including any good ideas that stand up to objective scrutiny. What he will not do, however, is walk away from reform and the millions of American families and small business counting on it. The recent news that a major insurer plans to raise premiums for some customers by as much as 39 percent is a stark reminder of the consequences of doing nothing."

By Michael D. Shear | February 8, 2010; 8:31 PM ET

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/top-house-republicans-thro...

...I heard the First Lady on Good Morning American say that she is supportive of the President's continual extending a hand to invite bipartisanship. But of course no mention by Robin Roberts as to why the President should continue this effort when his hand keeps getting mauled.

Right after the interview, the George "Troll" Stephanopoulos reports that the Rethugs are saying they haven't been formally invited !!!

His vocal chops were so good then, for a Canadian..

I love this C.D. - one of my favs

http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/fda-agents-invade-amish-farm...

Today there was another reminder of just how fragile the world’s economy remains.

The budget deficits of Greece, Portugal and Spain — nations that use the Euro — exceed 8 percent of GDP and thus could impact the economic fortunes of countries far from Southern Europe.

These governments risk defaulting on their debts, as they fail to cut government spending significantly.

When countries get themselves in economic trouble, should the rest of the world bail them out?

http://worldfocus.org/blog/2010/02/05/southern-eurozone-countries-risk-d...

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/clips/rahm-emanuel/1199682/

...LOL

cool. i wasn't aware of it.

that progressives should use....

"DC....You just don't get it!"

toniD's Ya Think?

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A case of mumps at a summer camp has spread to more than 1,000 people in New York and New Jersey, most of them adolescent Orthodox Jews, officials said.

It is the largest outbreak of the virus since 2006, when the United States saw a resurgence of mumps with 6,584 cases nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control said Monday.

The New York-New Jersey resurgence has been traced to an 11-year-old boy who attended a summer camp for Orthodox Jewish boys in Sullivan County, N.Y., last August, CDC officials said. The boy had recently returned from Britain, where a mumps outbreak had sickened 4,000 people, CNN reported Tuesday.

Mumps is a contagious disease for which there is a vaccine, though the vaccine is not 100 percent effective. Symptoms include fever, swelling of the jaw and cheeks and muscle ache. Severe complications include swelling of the brain, testicles or ovaries and deafness.

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2010/02/09/Mumps-break-out-in-New-York-Ne...
----------
As I remember A neighbor made it to adulthood without getting the mumps,and when he did contract it he lost a testicle.

gettin a lot of snow over by dare????

We have about 4 inches already (if not more)

u should get the c.d. -

taozen - ouch "he lost a testicle."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8506047.stm

The cultivation of the BT brinjal aubergine variety has divided opinion
India has deferred the commercial cultivation of what would have been its first genetically modified (GM) vegetable crop due to safety concerns.
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said more studies were needed to ensure genetically modified aubergines were safe for consumers and the environment.
The GM vegetable has undergone field trials since 2008 and received approval from government scientists in 2009.
But there has been a heated public row over the cultivation of the GM crop.
The BBC's Geeta Pandey, who was at the news conference in Delhi, says Mr Ramesh's decision has put any cultivation of GM vegetables in India on hold indefinitely.
'Difficult decision'
"Public sentiment is negative. It is my duty to adopt a cautious, precautionary, principle-based approach," Mr Ramesh said.

The decision is responsible to science and responsive to society
Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh

India in battle over GM aubergine
He said the moratorium on growing BT brinjal - as the variety of aubergine is known in India - would remain in place until tests were carried out "to the satisfaction of both the public and professionals".
The minister said "independent scientific studies" were needed to establish "the safety of the product from the point of view of its long-term impact on human health and environment".
Mr Ramesh said it was "a difficult decision to make" since he had to "balance science and society".
"The decision is responsible to science and responsive to society," he said.
India is the largest producer of aubergines in the world and grows more than 4,000 varieties.
Indian seed company Mahyco - partner of US multinational corporation Monsanto - which has developed BT brinjal, says the GM vegetable is more resistant to natural pests.
But anti-GM groups say there are serious health concerns and they allege that consumption of GM crops can even cause cancer.
The government-controlled Genetic Engineering Approval Committee (GEAC) approved BT brinjal for commercial cultivation in October 2009.
Following an uproar from farmers and anti-GM activists, the environment minister held a series of national consultation meetings across India.
Several of the aubergine-growing Indian states have already said they were opposed to BT brinjal.
India allowed the use of genetically modified seeds for cotton in 2002.

It's coming down pretty steady right now. At least 4" if not more.

I'm supposed to work tonight so I am hoping it will stop at some point. I'll have to go out and clean my car soon.

toniD's Ya Think?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8506369.stm

Michelle Obama to launch campaign on child obesity

Thinking forward about rising medical costs I see Mrs. Obama is doing what a good first lady does.

Submitted by smcgee43 on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 9:42am.
...ouch "he lost a testicle."
----------
It comes back after you warm up.

speaking of obesity, i bought a bag of doritos "tacos at midnight".

i know its artificial flavors and all that but they really do taste like tacos.

http://www.physorg.com/news184310039.html

Spray-on liquid glass is about to revolutionize almost everything

...The liquid glass spray (technically termed “SiO2 ultra-thin layering”) consists of almost pure silicon dioxide (silica, the normal compound in glass) extracted from quartz sand. Water or ethanol is added, depending on the type of surface to be coated. There are no additives, and the nano-scale glass coating bonds to the surface because of the quantum forces involved. According to the manufacturers, liquid glass has a long-lasting antibacterial effect because microbes landing on the surface cannot divide or replicate easily...

...The liquid glass spray produces a water-resistant coating only around 100 nanometers (15-30 molecules) thick. On this nanoscale the glass is highly flexible and breathable. The coating is environmentally harmless and non-toxic, and easy to clean using only water or a simple wipe with a damp cloth. It repels bacteria, water and dirt, and resists heat, UV light and even acids...

This time he is trying to show the rest of the nation that the GOP is unwilling to do anything to help get Health Care reform passed, or as one GOP leader said "Health Insurance Reform".

Even after all the bones he's pushed their way, like tort reform and people being able to cross state lines to get insurance, the GOP wants to start from scratch and use their F'd up plan only.

Let's see how this plays out. The only thing is they have to take this on soon because insurance companies are raising their rates.

toniD's Ya Think?

most overweight kids live in Southern States.

Hmmm.

More public aid is used by Southern States. More medicaid used by southern States.

Maybe they should secede!

toniD's Ya Think?

Do-It-Yourself Super Ads
By STUART ELLIOTT
BE afraid, Madison Avenue. Be very afraid.

That seems to be the message in the aftermath of the crowded, frenetic advertising bowl that took place inside Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday. Among those commercials consistently deemed most effective, memorable and talked-about, many were created or suggested by consumers — or produced internally by the sponsors — rather than the work of agency professionals.

That should give the modern-day “Mad Men” pause, particularly since so many people watched the game — an average of 106.5 million, the Nielsen Company reported, the largest audience ever for a television show.

Most notable, according to a cascade of surveys, polls and analyses released on Monday, were a couple of commercials for Doritos snack chips sold by the Frito-Lay division of PepsiCo, along with a spot for the search-engine services provided by Google. The Doritos commercials were created by consumers and the Google spot was created internally.

•

For instance, the two Doritos commercials were among the most-watched among all the spots in households with TiVo digital video recorders. The commercial called “House Rules” finished first and the commercial called “Underdog” came in fourth.

“The answer is not that everyone should fire their agencies and have users create campaigns,” said Todd Juenger, vice president and general manager for TiVo audience research and measurement. Rather, he added, consumers seem to know best what other consumers will like to watch in the “unique” ad environment of the Super Bowl.

“House Rules” was in fifth place, as of Monday afternoon, among all commercials from the game played by visitors to the FanHouse section of AOL. Both “House Rules” and “Underdog” received high ratings from those visitors, averaging four out of five stars.

In two separate surveys among users of Twitter, Doritos finished first. In the BrandBowl — conducted by Mullen, an agency owned by the Interpublic Group of Companies, and Radian6 — the Doritos brand generated the most Tweets. In a monitoring of Twitter by Colle & McVoy, part of MDC Partners, using a tool called Squawq, the “House Rules” commercial emerged as the leader.

“House Rules” was also the most-liked Super Bowl spot as of Monday afternoon in an online vote at Hulu.com, which will continue through Tuesday night, and “Underdog” was ranked fourth. In a poll on ChaCha, a free answers service, users — primarily teenagers and young adults — said their favorite commercials were for Doritos.

The Nielsen BuzzMetrics service of Nielsen found that Doritos was the “most buzzed-about” advertiser during and after the game, followed by Google.

“Underdog” came in second in the annual USA Today Ad Meter survey, behind only a commercial for Snickers featuring Betty White and Abe Vigoda that was created by a real agency, BBDO New York, part of the BBDO Worldwide unit of the Omnicom Group.

Under the rules of the Crash the Super Bowl contest sponsored by Frito-Lay, which drew 4,000 entries from would-be Don Drapers, the creator of “Underdog,” a 24-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., named Joshua Svoboda, won $600,000 for the second-place finish — not a bad return for an outlay he estimated at $200.

(The creator of “House Rules,” Joelle De Jesus of Hollywood, won $25,000 in the contest; that spot came in 11th in the Ad Meter.)

“The Super Bowl this year says consumer-generated content really can work,” said Tim Calkins, a marketing professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Despite “a lot of advertising people” playing down the trend as “a seventh-grader in his backyard with a video camera,” Mr. Calkins said, it complements efforts by marketers to engage and involve consumers.
Read more:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/business/media/09adco.html

http://www.physorg.com/news184310039.html
=========

seamlessly non toxic products, when formed into nano-particles, can be toxic. take TiO2 for example, its a non toxic salt, but the TiO2 nano-particles can penetrate through the skin and cause organ damage. [http://www.ncbi.n...alpos=14]
--------
Lets move forward with caution. I dont have enough clear information to be assertive in my views. I know that "these very small particles combine and the potential for trouble exists.

Ryan Will Not Run for President
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), "who has recently been under attack by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and lavished with praise by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), is ruling out a 2012 run for president," ABC News reports.

Said Ryan: "I'll give you as Shermanesque a quote as I can. I am not going to run for president. I'm just not going to do it. My head's not that big, and my kids are too small."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/02/palin-favorite-paul-ryan-rules-...

toniD's Ya Think?

gee, why, his tazer gun wasn't working?

Surgical Mistake Caused Murtha's Death
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Rep. John Murtha (D-PA), who passed away yesterday, was hospitalized after gall bladder surgery when complications developed. According to a source close to Murtha, "doctors inadvertently cut Mr. Murtha's intestine during the laparoscopic surgery, causing an infection."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10039/1034401-100.stm

Was the doctor a Republican? (I know that's low, but I couldn't resist!)

toniD's Ya Think?

Submitted by dan on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 10:11am.
...i know its artificial flavors and all that but they really do taste like tacos.
----------
I'm not sure where I read the following. It might be in the book Fast Food Nation.

The author visits a food flavor research and development laboratory. He immediately identifies every taste that they give him.

...which begged the question in my mind, "Why don't they market cheeseburger-flavored tofu and beer-flavored green tea?"

I would restrict my diet to stuff that is really good for me if it tasted like stuff that is really bad for me.

2 bad calls? Missed 'em.

Not sure if the 1st one is even true.

2nd call, the officials got it right.

I thought Ringo's kid did well.

I love a parade.

Corporal punishment is the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, ...

WHAT COULD A FOUR YEAR OLD UNDERSTAND EXCEPT THAT HER DADDY
DOESN'T LOVE HER? If this father gets prison time I think he will be treated to jail house justice in the first week

Where is the mother?

Republicans on Wrong Side of Public Opinion
Nate Silver looks at 25 issues that President Obama has "made an affirmative effort to push forward since taking office a year ago" and and summarized public opinion data on each of them.

Of the 25 issues, Obama's position appears to be on the right side of public opinion on 14, it's on the wrong side of public opinion on five issues and for the remaining six the polling "is probably too ambiguous to render a clear verdict."

Republicans, however, have overwhelmingly opposed almost all of these measures with the exception of three.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/02/republicans-not-obama-more-often-...

toniD's Ya Think?

Republicans Threaten Boycott of Health Care Summit
House Republican leaders raised the prospect "that they might refuse to participate in President Obama's proposed health care summit if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over," the Washington Post reports.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/02/top-house-republicans-throw-...

New York Times: "It is not clear that Republicans and the White House are willing to negotiate seriously with each other, and Mr. Obama has rejected Republican demands that he start from scratch in developing health care legislation."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/09/health/policy/09health.html?hp

Republican advantage: A new Gallup poll finds just 36% of Americans approve of the way the president is handling health care policy.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/125678/Obama-Approval-Economy-Down-Foreign-Af...

Democratic advantage: Obama dominated House Republicans when he took questions at their retreat last month.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/01/29/obamas_question_time.html

toniD's Ya Think?

yeah ok, sounds good, i'm onboard

but i will still need some form of starched solid edible to dip into the tomatoey slosh

or semi-solid even, like cooked pasta for example

but tomato on tomato action? sounds a little too perverse even for me and i like tomatoes!

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-02-07/how-rich-peopl...

GOP wary of Obama's overtures

By Ben Pershing
It takes two to tango, and when it comes to President Obama's recent overtures toward bipartisanship, Republicans aren't sure yet whether they want to dance.

Obama will host a bipartisan, bicameral meeting of congressional leaders Tuesday at the White House, just as both Republicans and Democrats are still digesting the president's plan to bring them back in two weeks for a high-profile televised health-care summit. Neither side in the House quite knows what to make of Obama's idea. Roll Call says the proposal "was greeted with suspicion Monday by Congressional Republicans, who vowed to approach the televised Feb. 25 meeting with open minds even as they worried that the White House was using them as political 'props.' Hill Democrats were equally cautious. They welcomed the bicameral leadership gathering -- saying it was the type of presidential leadership that they've been looking for from Obama in their yearlong effort to enact health care reform legislation -- but they speculated it might be coming too late to make a difference." Going a step further, John Boehner and Eric Cantor "raised the prospect Monday night that they might refuse to participate ... if the White House chooses not to scrap the existing reform bills and start over," the Washington Post reports. Politico says "Democrats and Republicans made clear they have almost no expectation the half-day meeting can break a bitter yearlong standoff. The two parties are staking out positions that leave them completely at odds even before they sit down."

The Los Angeles Times writes that Obama's call for a summit "comes as his party unfolds a strategy to force Republicans to put policy ideas on the table that Democrats believe they can exploit in the fall elections. After a year of suffering GOP attacks on the president's plans for healthcare and the economy, the White House and congressional Democrats are gambling that voters will find Republican ideas to be even more unpopular." The New York Times looks at those proposals, finding "a fairly well-developed set of ideas intended to make health insurance more widely available and affordable, by emphasizing tax incentives and state innovations, with no new federal mandates and only a modest expansion of the federal safety net." Jonathan Cohn says the House GOP's plan "makes clear that it's not Democrats who seek massive, disruptive changes to [Medicare]. It's the Republicans. If the coming engagement between the Republicans and President Obama help the public to understand that reality, extending the debate might actually be worth it." The Wall Street Journal editorial board believes "the summit is intended to be a pseudo-event staged to rehabilitate a political agenda that is opposed by well over half the public. The pitch is that the President and Republicans will sit down, sort through the best and worst ideas, and hash out a bill. Ah, sweet bipartisanship. The true White House purpose is to create a Republican foil. ObamaCare has sunk under its own weight, so the idea is to revive it by suggesting that the choice is between it and GOP ideas."

The Washington Times says that "just two weeks after President Obama's State of the Union address, the window has closed on the areas of bipartisan cooperation he laid out, with Republicans saying his budget puts some ideas out of play and Democrats taking others off the table." Seeking to establish a contrast with Paul Ryan's broader budget blueprint, "House Democrats want to kick House Republicans where it hurts," TalkingPointsMemo reports, by forcing a floor vote on a resolution to "preserve Social Security." Daily Kos is excited by the idea: "A floor vote on Ryan's Republican budget could be the best thing that's happened for Democrats in months. It exposes the depths of Republican hypocrisy in the HCR debate and would force an extremely difficult political vote. What Republican wants to vote to slash Social Security and Medicare in an election year, other than Paul Ryan."

In the Senate, one specific source of partisan gridlock has come unstuck "Richard Shelby announced Monday he has dropped his holds on most Obama administration nominations, saying he has finally gotten attention on the issues that prompted" the move, CongressDaily reports. Though he released most of the holds, the Associated Press notes Shelby is still blocking three nominees related to the Air Force's aerial refueling tanker program. Even without a hold, the nominee scheduled for a Senate vote today faces trouble. "Ben Nelson announced Monday that he will oppose the nomination of Craig Becker to serve on the National Labor Relations Board, likely dooming the nominee's Senate confirmation," Roll Call reports. Politico notes "the move is likely to infuriate labor groups who have fought hard for Craig Becker's nomination to serve on the five-member NLRB. ... Republicans have tried to make Becker's nomination a referendum on the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier to unionize. In his statement, Nelson said Becker has made several statements that 'fly in the face of Nebraska's Right to Work laws.'" The Boston Herald is watching Scott Brown, as the vote on Becker "could be a litmus test for his independent streak." more..

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/02/rundown---020910.html?wprss=...

toniD's Ya Think?

If you have a need to use Cannabis this is surely a better way to absorb it.

It is very econmical and saves the throat and lungs from the heat from combustion.. Making an herbal tea is also good.
My son brought that machine home one day to show me how it works. I was pleased. I told my eye Doctor about it and he thought it was safer than smoking joints in paper.

Maybe, maybe not...but you can bet your last dorito he is praying hard for TORT reform right about now....

"he is praying hard for TORT reform right about now...."

Too bad it didn't happen to a Repub and that Repub or family sued the doctor.

Sad that Murtha went to 2 wars, Korea and Viet Nam, and it took a doctor to kill him!

toniD's Ya Think?

to see the Saints parade and celebrate.

Are you leaving early?

toniD's Ya Think?

These mistakes happen more than they r reported. Dr.'s r like politicians -
they stick with each other, even if it's morally wrong. Kinda liek cop's to.

"doctors inadvertently cut Mr. Murtha's intestine during the laparoscopic surgery, causing an infection."

Was the doctor a Republican?
new
Submitted by cent on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 11:29am.

Republicans Unlikely To Pull Out Of Health Summit, GOPers Say

After talking to a bunch of senior Republican aides and advisers on background, I can report that the chatter in GOP circles is that it’s unlikely that Republicans will pull out of the health care summit, despite GOP leadership hints to the contrary.

The basic view is that the President would have to say or do something dramatic and eye-popping that would give Republicans an unequivocal pretext for pulling out. GOPers doubt Obama will be clumsy enough to do this, given that the White House clearly wants the summit to happen for its own political purposes.

“I don’t see anybody pulling out at this point,” one senior GOP aide says. “You would have to have something serious to point to as a reason to pull out.”

Reps John Boehner and Eric Cantor sent a letter yesterday to the White House, laying out a number of conditions for Republican participation. The letter said that if Obama was unwilling to scrap the current health reform proposals and start over, Republicans “would rightly be reluctant to participate.”

But one senior GOP strategist who regularly advises the GOP Congressional leadership said this move was more about pressuring the White House to alter the conditions somewhat in the GOP’s favor, and putting responsibility for the optics of the event on the White House, than about any real threat to pull out.

“They put the ball squarely in the president’s court,” this strategist says. “But the anticipation is he’s going to do this in the right way.”

A senior GOP leadership aide involved in plotting party strategy added that Republicans were unlikely to pull out because it would make their own intransigence, rather than Obama’s efforts at a course correction, the story. “After a year of demonstrating a commitment to a partisan agenda it’s on the White House to prove otherwise,” this aide said. “We aren’t interested in doing their work for them.”

“We don’t make a habit out of turning down invitations from the President regardless of the merit of the exercise,” the aide continued. “Although we’re not excited about filming an infomercial for the President’s new `bipartisan’ PR campaign.”

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/republicans-unlikel...

toniD's Ya Think?

that's s getting Sarah Palin out of the daily news .

After all that time!

just about ready to go home right now; this is the silver lining to the saints' victory, for me...

victory parade rolling down canal street this pm so they're starting to close the streets, i hear police sirens' already... my office is only a couple of blocks from where the excitement will be

i'll prefer to watch it on tv though because i've gotten weary of large crowds and also because the weather is not inviting at all, extremely windy and cold, grey skies.... people saying it could be worse, to which i respond yeah but it could also have been better, no?

The Defense Department just released its king-sized, $708 billion budget for the next fiscal year. Much of the proposed spending is fairly detailed - noting exactly how many helicopters the Pentagon plans to buy and how many troops it plans on playing. But about $56 billion goes simply
to "classified programs," or to projects known only by their code names, like "Chalk Eagle" and
"Link Plumeria." That's the Pentagon's black budget.
Cobbling together this round figure for the military's hush-hush projects is easier than it seems.
The Pentagon's separate ledgers for operations, research and procurement all contain line items
for "classified programs." Add those to the nonsensically-named programs, and you've got yourself an estimate for the Pentagon's secretive efforts.
Last year, that budget grew to more than $50 billion - "the largest-ever sum," according to Aviation Week's Bill Sweetman, a longtime black-budget seer. A few more billion were added for wartime operations, for a total of $54 billion. This year'total would be $2 billion higher, a 3.7 percent increase.
Not all of the Pentagon's secret projects got a budget boost, however. Funds for the Cobra Judy missile-watching radar system were cut nearly in half, from $61 million to $36.5 million. Similar, money for the Navy's Link Evergreen project was cut to $41 million, from $123 million.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/02/pentagons-black-budget-tops-56-b...

Palin Advocates War With Iran After Apparently Misunderstanding Buchanan Column (VIDEO)
Justin Elliott | February 9, 2010, 10:07AM

Citing a column by Pat Buchanan that clearly argues against conflict with Iran, Sarah Palin on Sunday suggested that a war with Iran would be good policy and a boon for President Obama's 2012 reelection hopes.

Buchanan's column, "Will Obama Play The War Card?" was a rebuttal of Daniel Pipes call last week for Obama to bomb Iran to save his presidency. "Will Obama cynically yield to temptation, play the war card and make 'conservatives swoon,' in Pipes' phrase, to save himself and his party?" Buchanan writes.

Buchanan, a longtime anti-interventionist, comes out against more sanctions, arguing that "the families of the sick, the old, the weak, the women and the children who die are unlikely to feel gratitude toward those who killed them." He says the prospects of Iran developing a nuclear bomb are much overstated.

But during an interview with Fox's Chris Wallace in which she cited the Buchanan column, Palin spoke approvingly of the "bomb Iran" idea. Check out the key exchange (emphasis ours):

WALLACE: I know that three years is an eternity in politics. But how hard do you think President Obama will be to defeat in 2012?

PALIN: It depends on a few things. Say he played, and I got this from Buchanan, reading one of his columns the other day. Say he played the war card. Say he decided to declare war on Iran, or decided to really come out and do whatever he could to support Israel, which I would like him to do. But that changes the dynamics in what we can assume is going to happen between now and three years. Because I think if the election were today, I do not think Obama would be re-elected.

But three years from now things could change if on the national security threat --

WALLACE: You're not suggesting that he would cynically play the war card.

PALIN: I'm not suggesting that. I'm saying, if he did, things would dramatically change if he decided to toughen up and do all that he can to secure our nation and our allies. I think people would perhaps shift their thinking a little bit and decide, well, maybe he's tougher than we think he is today. And there wouldn't be as much passion to make sure that he doesn't serve another four years --

Here's the video: at link

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/palin-advocates-war-wit...

toniD's Ya Think?

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/?p=28874

This is a post on FDL that summarizes Sam's TYT show.

Sam, write more, be out there more, we need you!

Facebook is giving Sarah Palin a hand to write on.

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/?p=28874

This is a post on FDL that summarizes Sam's TYT show.

Sam, write more, be out there more, we need you!

What's the Deal with The Ryan Budget?
Josh Marshall | February 9, 2010, 11:15AM

We've been reporting and writing a lot about Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) "shadow budget" over the last week. And I wanted to take a moment to explain some of the reasons why.

As I've noted before, Ryan is the Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee. So he's the House Republicans' chief budget writer. Later in the Spring, the Republicans will come up with their official alternative budget. And it will be written, like this one, by Ryan, in consultation with the other Republican members of the Committee. In other words, it's sort of a 'shadow budget' or first draft of the Republican budget. And among a lot of other things it calls for deep cuts in Social Security benefits, partial privatization of Social Security and big shift of taxes to the middle class and abolition of Medicare in favor of vouchers which seniors will use to purchase private health insurance.

Minority Leader Boehner and the rest of the House leadership are working to have it both ways -- on the one hand saying that Ryan's budget is full of great GOP ideas and ways the GOP would kick butt on the deficit (which is a play to the base and pundits who haven't read it) but also insisting it's not the official GOP budget so he and his caucus aren't on the spot to justify what it contains. In other words, the question is whether the entire 2010 congressional mid-term is going to be fought out as a colossal bait and switch gambit.

So why is it so important?

For two basic reasons.

First, all evidence suggests that the Ryan budget is in fact what the great majority of the House Republican caucus believes and supports. It was the plan in 1994. It surfaced again with overwhelming support in 2005 and repeatedly, though with less fanfare, since then. And they have a very decent chance of becoming the majority party in the House next year. Second, and even more important, the Republicans have been running all year as the party to dramatically cut deficit spending. And the simple truth is that if you want to significantly move the needle on deficits and you rule out tax increases, you simply have no choice but to embrace a Ryan-like budget. There's no other way to get the kind of money they claim they're going to trim. No way.

And here's where you get to the essential political question and the issue that is likely to define 2010. In the second half of 2009, Republicans went very quickly -- perhaps a tad too quickly for their own good -- from a party seen as hopelessly in the wilderness to one with a very reasonable shot at becoming the governing party. And that's taken the rhetoric that was being thrown around easily and made it extremely relevant to find out whether they were serious about any of that rhetoric. Because again, it all comes down to this budget.

The political press seldom has much appetite for digging beneath the toplines or any of the policy specifics. But for the reasons, I stated above it's critical to know where Congressional Republicans stand on the Ryan Budget. It's just not enough to say they're not sure. The stakes are too critical.

In terms of the politics of 2010, the White House's main strategic aim is to change the political landscape from a referendum on Obama and the Democrats into a choice between Democratic and Republican agendas. To the extent that the issue stays Obama/Dems, Yes or No, in such a severe recession, that's catastrophic for the Democrats. A choice election is a very different thing.

So a key question for 2010 is going to be how effectively the White House is going to be able to do that and how effectively the Republicans will be able to keep their actual policy positions off the table -- which they're now desperately trying to do.

And on top of that, there's one more wrinkle. How much room does the White House have to frame the election around opposition to tampering with Social Security and Medicare? Possibly not quite so much as some assume. Contrary to what some people think, the move toward fiscal retrenchment didn't start with Scott Brown's victory or the president's sagging poll numbers at the end of the year. The White House was signaling much, much earlier that 2010 would be the year of fiscal retrenchment. And to that end the White House has strongly supported the fiscal/deficit commission supported by Sens. Conrad and Gregg. And the folks from that crowd are very big on major 'reforms' of entitlements. President Obama hasn't gone there directly. But he's cozied up pretty close. So another question to follow is just what policy and political decision the White House makes. Do they maintain the ambiguity in their own position on 'entitlements' or clarify that and draw a red line between where they are and where the Republicans stand?

On all these points, press failure to report the policies the Republicans are actually running on can pretty much be assumed. It's happening now. And House Republicans are already up in arms that they're being pressed on their support for privatizing Social Security and abolishing Medicare.

Voters need and deserve to know where each side stands on these issues. Because it's what is on the table in the 2010 election.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2010/02/whats_the_deal_with_th...

toniD's Ya Think?

http://seminal.firedoglake.com/?p=28874

This is a post on FDL that summarizes Sam's TYT show.

Sam, write more, be out there more, we need you!

Every word you utter gives the Left less and less to worry about when primary-ing Obama...

Another thing I love about Palin, destroying those gender stereotypes...she is proof positive women are just as stupid as men....

It's only been a year since a helicopter flew him out of the capital right after the inauguration of President Barack Obama. But some Americans will be pleased to know that George W. Bush is out there, watching over them after all. From a billboard.

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/miss-me-yet-billboard-featuring-ge...

toniD's Ya Think?

is on C-Span 2 - she is so awesome !!

Submitted by mire on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:04pm.
...i'll prefer to watch it on tv though because i've gotten weary of large crowds...
----------
large crowd: Several vertebrates, you, and your dog.

small crowd: You and your dog.

no crowd: Your dog.

The CNBC talk show host has been spectacularly wrong on the economy for years. He obviously belongs in Congress

Could we really be so lucky? CQ Politics is reporting that "the movement to draft CNBC host Larry Kudlow to run against Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) is charging full-speed ahead." A nation of econobloggers and political reporters holds its breath (and poison pen) in feverish anticipation.

It's not just that the prospect of an inveterate anti-tax, pro-supply-side ideologue with high name recognition running for the Senate in the media capital of the world would be the equivalent of a massive jobs stimulus plan targeted directly at the beleaguered news business. There's also the fun to be had detailing how one man could so consistently be so wrong when discussing his supposed specialty: the economy.

Of course, many, many people have been proven wrong over the last few years when asked to forecast the direction the economy is headed. Treasury secretaries, Federal Reserve chairmen, the CEOs of Wall Street's biggest financial institutions ... Pretty much everyone got something wrong at some point. But I defy you to find someone more spectacularly wrong, from the outset of the financial crisis right up to last month, than Larry Kudlow.

Our story begins in the summer of 2005, when Kudlow offered his thoughts in National Review on the sustainability of the housing boom in "The Housing Bears Are Wrong Again." The opening paragraph will live in infamy:

Homebuilders led the stock parade this week with a fantastic 11 percent gain. This is a group that hedge funds and bubbleheads love to hate. All the bond bears have been dead wrong in predicting sky-high mortgage rates . So have all the bubbleheads who expect housing-price crashes in Las Vegas or Naples, Florida, to bring down the consumer, the rest of the economy, and the entire stock market.

* Continue Reading

For those whose memories are short, let us review: The end of the boom and the collapse of the housing market did bring down the consumer, the economy, and the stock market, and would have sent most of the nation's biggest financial institutions into bankruptcy were it not for massive government intervention.

Kudlow's reason for optimism: Since the early 1970s, demand for homes had "far outstripped the supply of newly built residences." But as the (almost never wrong) blogger Calculated Risk pointed out three years later, Kudlow even managed to get that part cockeyed. From 1970-2005 "There were significantly more housing units built (57 million starts)... than new households formed (44.6 million)..."

Fast forward a year and a half, to December 2007, by which point the question of whether the housing boom was sustainable had been thoroughly settled. Now the question was: Whither the greater economy? Blogging at National Review's the Corner, Kudlow was definitive:

There is no recession. Despite all the doom and gloom from the economic pessimistas, the resilient U.S economy continues moving ahead -- quarter after quarter, year after year -- defying dire forecasts and delivering positive growth. In fact, we are about to enter the seventh consecutive year of the Bush boom....

There's no recession coming. The pessimistas were wrong. It's not going to happen ... Yes, it's still the greatest story never told.

The National Bureau of Economic Research later determined that the recession officially began in December 2007.

It gets better: In July 2008, Kudlow called a housing bottom. Wrong. That same month, he also declared:

"Phil Gramm was right: We are in a mental recession, not an actual recession. And the low-tax, free-trade, free-market, capitalist economy is a whole lot more resilient and durable than the pessimistas and declinists would have us believe."

In September 2008, the month that the economy effectively collapsed, Kudlow posted a prediction that falling oil prices would serve as a "tax cut" that would "solve" the problem of weak consumer purchasing power. That, in turn, would boost the overall economy and "for those of us who prefer to look ahead, through the windshield, the outlook for stocks is getting better and better." Incredibly, amazingly, almost hysterically wrong.

(In the same post, Kudlow also predicted that Sarah Palin would strengthen McCain's presidential campaign. Maybe we'll give him that one.)

We could go on. Searching the Internet for instances of Kudlow's wrongness is an exhausting task -- there's too much material to properly filter. But just as a coda, let's note that just last December he predicted a mini-boom in the stock market and declared that "there's a lot of upside left" in the rally that by that point had been cruising along for nine months. Of course, the market promptly tanked.

There are other reasons to find Kudlow's candidacy risible (not least of which is the revelation, per a post by Salon's new news editor, Steve Kornacki, that the Draft Larry Kudlow Committee's finance chairman is John Lakian, who has his own notorious troubled relationship with the truth). But one must still concede that a political career for Kudlow is not inconceivable. He worked in the Reagan White House, was chief economist at Bear Stearns, and was considered a rising conservative star before revelations of drug and alcohol abuse put him on the sidelines in the early '90s. His signature policy prescription -- cut taxes for everyone and everybody, in every situation, as a cure for every ill -- is standard Republican orthodoxy, so he'd fit in quite well with the current GOP.

So go ahead tea partiers: Draft Kudlow! New York's had a rough couple of years. The state deserves some fun.

http://www.salon.com/news/us_economy/index.html?story=/tech/htww/2010/02...

toniD's Ya Think?

b/c she finds it too hard to write on a wall..
new
Submitted by maggiesboy on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 12:22pm.
Facebook is giving Sarah Palin a hand to write on.

Of course she said it on Fox!

toniD's Ya Think?

Jim Kunstler: Teaparty Convention Marks Slide into "Weimar America"

By James Howard Kunstler for ClusterFuck Nation

Future historians who try to chart the unraveling of the USA's political tapestry might point to two events of the past week. The obvious first one was the Tea Party convention at Nashville. It was held not accidentally at the ridiculous Opryland Hotel and resort in the city's outer suburban asteroid belt, right next to the circumferential freeway, and next door to the defunct (1997) Opryland USA theme park, an attraction based on the cute idea that Tennessee rubes were too dumb to spell the word opera -- so the symbolism was perfect.

Behind the incoherent cargo of conflicting complaints that makes up Tea Party doctrine -- like "keeping the government's hands off our medicare!" -- stands the more basic dissolution of the Sunbelt's miracle economy, along with the pain and bewilderment of the southern peckerwood political nexus that rose out of the dust after World War Two to build the suburban nirvana of universal air-conditioning, happy motoring, Jesus tub-thumping, over-eating, and Friday night football that defined Sunbelt culture. They sense now that history is about to thrust them back into the okra patch, with the hookworms and the chiggers, as the economy whirls down the drain, and the car dealerships close up, and the idle production homebuilders succumb to methedrine addiction, and the price of Reba McEntire tickets exceeds their dwindling resources, and they are none too happy about any of that.

Of course this Sunbelt political culture has tentacles and outposts all over the USA, wherever a few generations of laboring folk enjoyed debt-fueled parabolic rises in living standards during the cheap oil decades, and now find themselves in foreclosure hell, indentured to the very WalMarts that they welcomed with open arms (and allowed to destroy their local businesses) -- and, of course, it's yet another paradox that these are the same folk who will still defend the big box masters to their deaths. The America they stand for is a weird contradictory mish-mash of Confederate nostalgia, hyper-individualism that really owes allegiance to nothing, racial enmity, religious paranoia, and potemkin patriotism -- especially involving anything in the constitution that allows them to wriggle out of obligations to the public interest at the same time that they get to push other groups of people around.

The Tea Party people are the corn-pone Nazis I have been warning you about. They are gathering strength in numbers as President Obama and congress fritter away their remaining legitimacy in a manner of governance that more and more resembles an endless Chinese Fire Drill. The delusional craziness of the Tea Partyists exists in direct proportion to the wimpy deceit of the government, especially in matters of money and statistics reporting. Our political leaders are resorting to wholesale deceit because the truth of our situation -- comprehensive bankruptcy -- is too painful to dwell on and for the most part they are too chicken too state it.

more...

http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net/Archives2010/KunstlerFeb08.html

toniD's Ya Think?

to it being broke next year?

is this just another pants on fire lie from the conservatives?

AFTERNOON SEDERVILLE! IT'S A SNOWY 28F.

Palin's New In-Home TV Studio - Compliments of Fox
Reported by Julie - February 8, 2010

Okay, folks, the plot thickens. I know a lot of us in the blogosphere have been making bets on how long Palin will be tolerated on Fox -- I mean, seriously, even Fox has its standards. Sort of. But the fact, as recently reported by the NY Times, that Palin will soon have a television studio built in her living room in Wasilla, compliments of Fox News, sort of puts the lie to the notion that her tenure on Fox will be short-lived.

I can think of a few reasons Fox might do this -- none of them altruistic. The obvious one, that they are trying to afford Palin the honor of appearing on Fox without actually traveling to the lower 48, seems a little too . . . nice for Fox. What I'm thinking is that, if Palin makes a run at the presidency in 2012, Fox will have an opportunity to kind of back her as a candidate without actually backing her as a candidate -- although, with the new Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance, I guess it could throw gobs of dollars at her (although it would have to disclose its spending). As reported by ABC in October 2007, when reporting on Stephen Colbert's potential "joke" candidacy, ". . . [N]o precedent exists for a television network promoting and fostering a candidacy of one of its own talk-show hosts, said Lawrence M. Noble, a former general counsel for the Federal Election Commission . . . ."

con't

http://www.newshounds.us/2010/02/08/palins_new_inhome_tv_studio

Stimulus foes see value in seeking cash

Jim McElhatton

Sen. Christopher S. Bond regularly railed against President Obama's economic stimulus plan as irresponsible spending that would drive up the national debt. But behind the scenes, the Missouri Republican quietly sought more than $50 million from a federal agency for two projects in his state.

Mr. Bond was not alone. More than a dozen Republican lawmakers, while denouncing the stimulus to the media and their constituents, privately sent letters to just one of the federal government's many agencies seeking stimulus money for home-state pork projects.

The letters to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, expose the gulf between lawmakers' public criticism of the overall stimulus package and their private lobbying for projects close to home.

"It's not illegal to talk out of both sides of your mouth, but it does seem to be a level of dishonesty troubling to the American public," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Mr. Bond noted that one project applying to the USDA for stimulus money would "create jobs and ultimately spur economic opportunities."

He and other lawmakers make no apologies for privately seeking stimulus money after they voted against it and continue to criticize the plan: "I strongly opposed the stimulus, but the only thing that could make it worse would be if none of it returned to the taxpayers of Missouri," said Mr. Bond, who is retiring.

But watchdog groups say the lawmakers' public talk and private letters don't square, highlighting a side of government spending largely overshadowed by the "earmarking" process. While members of Congress must disclose their earmarks — or pet projects they slip into broader spending bills — the private funding requests they make in letters to agencies fall outside of the public's view.

"There is a definite disconnect between the public statements and the private letters," said Thomas A. Schatz, president of the nonpartisan Citizens Against Government Waste. "It does seem inconsistent to say you're against the bill but then you want some little piece of it."

At a televised meeting with the House Republican caucus late last month, Mr. Obama chided GOP lawmakers who, he said, took credit for projects funded by the same stimulus bill they voted against — adding that some were even attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

But the USDA letters also reveal a more discreet way for lawmakers to try to steer money to home-state projects.

'Misguided spending bill'

Several Republicans who sent letters to the USDA for home-state projects seeking an infusion of stimulus cash are facing competitive re-election races.

Rep. Joe Wilson, South Carolina Republican who became famous after yelling, "You lie," during Mr. Obama's addresses to Congress in September, voted against the stimulus. Nonetheless, Mr. Wilson elbowed his way into the rush for federal stimulus cash in a letter he sent to Mr. Vilsack on behalf of a foundation seeking funding.

"We know their endeavor will provide jobs and investment in one of the poorer sections of the Congressional District," he wrote to Mr. Vilsack in the Aug. 26, 2009, letter.

"Congressman Wilson's position on the stimulus bill is consistent," said spokeswoman Pepper Pennington. She said Mr. Wilson opposed the stimulus as a "misguided spending bill," but once it passed, he wanted to make sure South Carolina residents "receive their share of the pie."

On Feb. 13, 2009, Sen. Robert F. Bennett, Utah Republican, issued a statement criticizing the stimulus — but two days earlier, he privately forwarded to Mr. Vilsack a list of projects seeking stimulus money.

"I believe the addition of federal funds to these projects would maximize the stimulative effect of these projects on the local economy," he wrote. more...

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2010/feb/09/stimulus-foes-see-value-in-s...

toniD's Ya Think?

How long ya gonna act like you don't know what's going on?

Tea Baggers = Corn Pone Nazis
Paulites = nihilistic Norquistian gun nuts
Progressives = Utopian Nanny State Whiners
Greens = Ineffectual anti-economy spoilers
Anarchist = they're just flat nuts
etc. = etc.

Main Stream Corporatist, War Mongering, Neo-Liberal, Status-Quo Democrats and Republicans?....YES!!!

I'm just sayin'.....

Veiled truth, maybe, but they will never tell the truth for fear of an uprising.

toniD's Ya Think?

If the Senate can't do anything about his nominees for his cabinet, he will have to make recess appointments.

toniD's Ya Think?

we ain't all fuckin' retards. ;-)

The facts are not with the GOP meme, they are using this to scare people.

toniD's Ya Think?

we ain't all fuckin' retards. ;-)

ed schultz has known republican asshat darrell issa on and issa is complaining about how for the last 10 years the government failed to investigate toyota for problems that were known to exist.

why schultz is letting issa get away with not pointing out who was in charge the last 10 years is a real big ooops.

its working. obama and the democrats are really underestimating how pissed off everyone is and i think we're going to see a huge swing to the right in november because the well poisoning is working. obama is playing chess at a knife fight.

Sort of makes one wonder which 1/3 of children are obese....

This is a study about the [ECONOMICALLY-CAUSED?] hunger explosion:

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Growing-Hunger-in-America-by-Stephen-Le...

[excerpt]

FA's system serves an estimated 37 million people annually, up 46% since 2005, including 33.9 million pantry users, 1.8 million kitchen ones, and 1.3 million in shelters.

About 5.7 million people (or 1 in 50) get emergency food aid from the system in any given week, an increase of 27% since 2005, and one in eight Americans (37 million people, including 14 million children and three million seniors) are food insecure, meaning they don't get enough to eat. As a result, they need emergency help from food banks throughout the country. The latest data represent "a staggering 46 percent increase since" FA's 2006 study.

"Indeed, the existence of so many people without secure access to adequate nutritious food represents a serious national concern....More than one in three client households are experiencing very low food security - or hunger - a 54 percent increase" compared to 2006.

FA calls food insecurity "a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that varies along a continuum of successive stages as it becomes more severe." In contrast, food security enables "access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, health life."

FA agencies serve households across America:

-- 38% of their members are children under 18, compared to 36% in 2005;

-- 8% of household members are elderly, down from 10% in 2005;

-- about 40% are white; 34% black; 20% Hispanic; and the remainder from other racial groups;

-- 36% of households include at least one employed adult, the same as in 2005;

-- 71% of households have incomes below the federal poverty level during the month preceding the survey, up from 69% in 2005;

[end excerpt]

[numerous pages more]

WASHINGTON -- Sarah Palin predicted Sunday that Barack Obama would lose the presidency if he was currently facing re-election. But apparently that's far from true if she's the Republican challenging him, a new poll finds.

"I think if the election were today, I do not think Obama would be re-elected," Palin said on Fox News.

While studies find the president's job approval ratings on a downward curve, a just-released poll by the Marist College Institute for Public Opinion finds that Obama would decisively defeat Palin in a hypothetical race between the two and independent New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Marist found that Obama would win such a match-up by 15 points, garnering 44 percent of the vote to Palin's 29. Bloomberg was behind with 15 percent.

The race may well turn out to be a reality as polls show Palin is a leading contender for the Republican nomination in 2012. She also strongly suggested this weekend she may enter the race, telling Fox's Chris Wallace it would be "absurd not to consider" running.

Palin offered Obama some advice on how he might boost his popularity rating, suggesting it would help him to "declare war on Iran" or "play the war card."

Democratic strategists have expressed their hope that Palin will be challenging Obama as the GOP nominee in 2012, believing the president is virtually guaranteed victory if that's the case.

Republicans are divided on the question of Palin's potential candidacy. As popular as she is with the core conservative base, many GOP strategists are skeptical as to whether she can pose a serious challenge to Obama in a general election.

The Marist poll also found some potentially troubling news for Obama as his disapproval rating, 47 percent, was higher than his approval rating, 44 percent. The strongest drop in support was among independents, 57 percent of whom held a negative view of his performance.

http://rawstory.com/2010/02/obama-destroy-palin-hypothetical-matchup/

toniD's Ya Think?

Rahm Emanuel is a government employee and MUST be held to a tougher standard.

Rahm-mouth steps out of line when he slurs/slaps/demeans ANY segment of the citizenry he is SUPPOSED to be SERVING.

It is PAST time for the resignation of Rahm Emanuel.

Get out of government, Rahm. Because you just don't get it. You just don't understand and respect the PUBLIC TRUST.

Are we learning yet...?
Submitted by cent on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 1:41pm.
Tea Baggers = Corn Pone Nazis
Paulites = nihilistic Norquistian gun nuts
Progressives = Utopian Nanny State Whiners
Greens = Ineffectual anti-economy spoilers
Anarchist = they're just flat nuts
etc. = etc.

Main Stream Corporatist, War Mongering, Neo-Liberal, Status-Quo Democrats and Republicans?....YES!!!

I'm just sayin'.....

======================

When reality meets ironic wit, i laugh the hardest.

[Wipes laughter tears.]

In a surprise appearance before the White House press corps on Tuesday, President Barack Obama announced he would consider using recess appointments to get his nominees to their posts if Senate Republicans deny them an up-or-down vote.

Speaking to reporters shortly after he met with a bipartisan group of congressional leaders, Obama said that he informed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) that he would "consider" such a course of action if the GOP obstructionism continued.

"In our meeting I asked the congressional leadership to put a stop to these holds in which nominees for a critical job are denied a vote for months," he said.

"If the Senate does not act, and I made this very clear," Obama continued, "I will consider making several recess appointments during the upcoming recess because we can't afford to let politics stand in the way of a well functioning government."

On Tuesday, one of those nominees -- Craig Becker, who Obama appointed to sit on the National Labor Relations Board -- is slated to come up for a vote Senate. His confirmation was thrown into serious doubt recently when Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) indicated he would vote against cloture. Should Obama appoint Becker to the post through a recess appointment, he would be able to serve until the end of 2011 before requiring re-confirmation.

Noting the length that some nominations have been held up in Congress as well as the blanket hold that Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) placed on all presidential nominees last week, Obama called on lawmakers to "get past the tired debates that have plagued our politics."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/09/obama-warns-gop-he-will-u_n_455...

toniD's Ya Think?

The Dubious Benefits of Obama's Political Compromises

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

President Obama continues to "reach out" to conservatives and moderates.

The benefits of this approach, however, are dubious at best.

Ben Nelson

Obama, for example, secured support for healthcare reform legislation from Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska by giving his state millions of dollars in Medicaid assistance. Although Nelson finally overcame his opposition to patients in insurance exchanges receiving abortion servies, Obama's outreach did not create a new partnership between the two. Instead, Nelson has announced that he will join Republicans to filibuster the nomination of Craig Becker to sit on the National Labor Relations Board.

Republicans oppose Becker's nomination solely because he is pro-labor. They have not, by contrast, opposed pro-business nominees. Instead, the opposition is purely ideological. Nelson's move will probably kill the nomination.

Joe Lieberman

After he was elected, President Obama tried to smooth things out with Senator Joe Lieberman. Many Democrats wanted to deprive Lieberman of his seniority because he endorsed and openly campaigned for John McCain during the 2008 presidential election. Despite the wishes of many Democrats, Obama stepped in to make peace and told Senate Democrats not to punish Lieberman.

Lieberman, however, recently opposed Obama's healthcare proposals. Consequently, President Obama, in a controversial move, ordered Harry Reid to drop the public plan and Medicare buy-in options from the pending legislation.

Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe

President Obama has also struggled to define pieces of his legislative agenda, including the stimulus package and healthcare reform, around the political leanings of Susan Colins and Olympia Snowe. Neither of the two Senators from Maine, however, support his healthcare agenda. Furthermore, the stimulus package would have passed without the support of Collins and Snowe, but Obama made unnecessary concessions to obtain their votes.

Republicans Generally

Most recently, Obama has tried to warm up to Republicans. He debated House Republicans at a recent retreat, and he has offered to meet with Republicans to discuss bipartisanship regarding healthcare reform -- which seems doomed after the election of Republican Scott Brown as a Senator from Massachusetts. Republicans, however, have either resisted the idea or accepted it with major caveats.

Comprising With Moderates and Conservatives, Criticizing Liberals

Although Obama continues to reach out to and to make compromises with moderates, members of his administration have harshly criticized liberals. For example, responding to progressive criticism regarding healthcare reform, senior members of Obama's staff called liberals "irrational" and "insane." Rahm Emanuel has also stated that liberal critics of moderate and conservative Democrats are "fucking retards." The White House has clearly decided to isolate its liberal critics.

Final Take

While the Obama administration criticizes its base of support, it continues to chase down the approval of moderates and conservatives. If the latter approach paid off politically, then perhaps it would make sense. But to date, the benefits of this approach are dubious at best.

Dissenting Justice

cent said...

Nicely done Professor. Might I suggest a follow up piece outlining the gambits and compromises Obama has made with the Banks and Corporations that have produced similar results....

from the huffpo

Sarah Palin Putting Together A Political Team

First Posted: 02- 9-10 12:37 PM | Updated: 02- 9-10 12:49 PM

The Atlantic:

Sarah Palin is putting together a campaign team, and Washington is taking notice. Mark Leibovich of the New York Times described her bare-bones political operation. Here is what I know: she is not worried about fundraising right now. Pam Pryor, a former RNC senior adviser, leads Palin's political action committee and is orchestrating her outreach to social conservatives. Randy Scheunenmann remains her policy maestro, with informal assistance from his Orion Strategies colleague Michael Goldfarb, the former Weekly Standard writer and McCain campaign rapid responder. (Goldfarb did not return an e-mail seeking comment about his future in Palin's world.) Fred Malek is perhaps the single Washington establishment figure that Palin turns to, although Malek has insisted that he is neutral about the presidential race --- though he admits to having a soft spot in his heart for Palin.

Palin's opponents believe that her downfall will be an accelerated reiteration of 2008: when the broader public turned against her because she seemed vapid and nasty, rather than clever and clean -- and THAT was the censored version! And that was before the flaky and irresponsible (?) resignation as governor of Alaska. They note that Palin, having faced down the Elite Crucible and lost, now has to face the even tougher crucible of Iowa -- give her three or four months there and see if she survives. (If she DOES survive, how could she NOT be the nominee?)

Read the whole story: The Atlantic

http://politics.theatlantic.com/2010/02/palin_puts_together_a_campaign.p...

toniD's Ya Think?

Most See Republicans as Unwilling to Compromise

February 09, 2010

Most See Republicans as Unwilling to Compromise

A new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that nearly six in 10 Americans say the Republicans aren't doing enough to forge compromise with President Obama on important issues; more than four in 10 see Obama as doing too little to get GOP support.

In addition, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they want Congress to keep working to pass comprehensive health-care reform.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2010/02/09/most_see_republicans_as_unw...

I'm having problems with HuffPost. It is locking up my computer and I'm having to reboot my system. When I don't have Huff Post pulled up, I don't have a problem. I used to have a problem with HuffPost on IE and switched to firefox. Didn't have a problem until now. Anyone else having that problem?

toniD's Ya Think?

good joke, but the man needs to get Maron out there to help him with his timing and delivery...

Thom Hartmann back on wwrl mon - fri 3 - 6 OPM

Submitted by maggiesboy on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 1:49pm.
we ain't all fuckin' retards.
--------
Well...not any longer.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123493667

Eric Holder And The Politics Of Terrorism Trials

...Mayer writes about Holder's decision to try Mohammed in a civil court — as well as the political and legal ramifications of that decision — for the Feb. 15 New Yorker. She reports, too, on how "underwear bomber" Umar Abdulmutallab was handled by federal authorities after his arrest, explaining the differences between his interrogations and Mohammad's...

I bet Mohammad is pulling for TORT reform too....

Consumer Financial Protection Agency: Not Dead Yet

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/09/dodd-to-push-for-independ_n_454...

toniD's Ya Think?

Nicole Sandler is filling in for Randi again today. 3-6pm and then her show is 6-8pm every day. Streaming live http://radioornot.com/

Nicole Sandler is filling in for Randi again today. 3-6pm and then her show is 6-8pm every day. Streaming live http://radioornot.com/

Elizabeth Warren: Time For Wall Street CEOs To 'Earn Back' America's Trust »

February 9, 2010 at 07:46 AM

Bailout watchdog and middle-class advocate Elizabeth Warren is accusing Wall Street CEOs of abusing the public's trust and is challenging them to step up and support financial reform -- for the nation's benefit as well as their own.

In an opinion piece in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal, Warren writes that the lack of strong consumer rules has set off a competition to see which firms can make the most profits by tricking the most consumers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/elizabeth-warren-wall-street-ce...

toniD's Ya Think?

sorry for the double post. I didn't think it went the first time.

Snow Forces U.S. House Of Representatives To Cancel Work Week »

AP | ERICA WERNER | February 9, 2010 at 01:12 PM

WASHINGTON — Mother Nature's wrath has forced the U.S. House to scrap its work week.

No. 2 House Democrat Steny Hoyer said Tuesday the body will not meet the rest of the week and no votes are scheduled. His comments came as Washington remained paralyzed from one blizzard and hunkered down in anticipation of a possible 10-20 inches more of snow.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20100209/us-house-weather/

toniD's Ya Think?

Rep. Dicks Top Contender for Defense Appropriations Seat Held by Murtha

FOXNews - Chad Pergram - ‎1 hour ago‎

Hidden Dangers of Citizens United Ruling

In the wake of the Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, there has been a lot of anxiety over what elections will now look like with corporations and unions free to spend as much as they like on political advertising. Much of the discussion focuses on the overwhelming influence that could be purchased by deep-pocket entities, or on whether or not foreigners will be allowed into the American election process. But my main concern is not the money that will be spent overtly, but rather with what happens outside the public's eye -- the unseen influence which may be wielded.

I am not denigrating the overt problems which may develop, but rather feel that these problems have been adequately explored elsewhere by many others. Giving corporations and unions full free speech rights when it comes to elections may destroy American democracy as we know it, and then again it may not. I do wonder how many corporations will actually take the opportunity to attempt influencing voters in such a fashion, personally, since corporations are in business to make money. And these days, annoying half the electorate may mean a serious drop in a company's bottom line. So, at least at first, I think most large companies will be rather cautious about this sort of political activity. As I said, they're in business to make money.

Plus, corporate donors are used to funnelling such political money through lobbyists and through political action committees, and they may find this route to be more effective (and more anonymous), and continue to play the political money game pretty much how they've been playing it for years.

I fully admit that I could be wrong about all of that, though. Especially after a few election cycles, and after a few bold companies "test the waters" of the new rules.

And Congress could leap into action and solve the problem proactively, before even the 2010 midterm elections take place [pause for laughter]. Actually, Congress, even if it were super-efficient in such matters (which, realistically, it is not), doesn't have a lot of room to maneuver, at least in the short term. Laws may be passed which force corporations and unions to fully disclose their activities, or even force the leader of the corporation or union to appear at the end of the ad saying: "I'm so-and-so, and I approved this message." But, since Citizens United was a Supreme Court decision, Congress can't just pass another law to replace the precedents which were just overturned -- because any law they pass along these lines will likely be struck down as being unconstitutional as well (at least, with the Supreme Court we've currently got). Meaning that to truly fight back against the Citizens United decision, Congress would have to pass a constitutional amendment -- a long process which is extremely difficult to accomplish.

But what really worries me about the new rules for corporations and unions is what could happen out of sight of the voting public. I can foresee two ways for such invisible influence to happen, although there may be others I have not thought of as well, I admit.

The first of these is a corporation or union merely threatening to outspend an incumbent member of Congress in an upcoming election. This would likely be much more likely in the House, but could also take place in certain Senate races as well. Getting elected to the House is a relatively cheap thing to do, at least in comparison to Senate and presidential elections. Most House races only cost a few million dollars, tops. Many people are elected to the House who spend far less than that -- hundreds of thousands of dollars, not millions. This is due to the nature of House districts, many of which are demographically small, with no large "media markets" (large cities) within the district. In such races, radio ads may actually be a bigger expense for the candidate's war chest than television ads. Meaning also that it would be a lot cheaper for a corporation or union to influence such a small-time race.

Say, for the sake of argument, I was in charge of a large corporate entity. As the CEO of CW Industries, Inc., I make an appointment with a number of House members who happen to sit on the "House Committee On Those Pesky Bloggers." To each of them, I would say some version of the following (parsed, of course, by my legal team so as to avoid being technically illegal extortion or vote-buying): "I see the committee is going to consider the Blog Regulation bill next month. I'm here to tell you we don't like this bill, and would prefer to see it killed in committee. Now, there are two ways this could go. The first is if you vote for the bill, in which case we have a campaign advertising fund of twelve million dollars ready to support whatever challenger you face in your next election. What did you spend on your last race, a million and a half? Well, we're going to spend eight times that against you next time around, just so you know. We pulled in forty-two billion last year, so we've got a few million to spare to make sure you are voted out of office -- whatever it takes, basically. Or, of course, if you find it in your heart to vote against the Blog Regulation bill, then we would be using that money elsewhere, to defeat some other House member. So, just wanted to let you ponder that, Congressman." more...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/hidden-dangers-of-emcitiz_b_...

toniD's Ya Think?

of it

i think she would like new orleans

http://picasaweb.google.com/mirella.augusto/AHintOfSpring?feat=directlin...

I took these pictures on my street early this morning before going to work, just couldn't resist (and froze my ass off because the wind was killing me) but but but

spring is in the air after all, and now even the sun has come out in the late afternoon

the saints will be having a fine parade today

...and I would like to be in New Orleans. Great photo, Mire!

A letter from my senator in response to my letter to her:

Dear Ms. Cee:

Thank you for getting in touch with me about health care reform. It's great to hear from you.

After decades of promises, Congress is closer to passing health care reform than ever before. Yet major hurdles remain. You can be sure that I will not stop fighting for universal access to health care.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act achieves my four principles of health care reform:

-saving and strengthening Medicare

-ending punitive insurance company practices that deny coverage based on pre-existing health conditions, age and gender

-providing universal access

-emphasizing quality, prevention and integrative health to save lives and save money

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will control costs through a new emphasis on integrative health, prevention, and quality. New funding for wellness and prevention programs will support innovative approaches. That includes local initiatives using grassroots strategies to create healthier communities.

The Senate health bill also makes health care more affordable by offering generous subsidies on a sliding scale for low and middle-income workers who need help buying insurance. For those eligible for subsidies under the bill, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that premiums will be on average 56 percent to 59 percent lower than under current law. Young adults will also be given extra time on their parents' insurance policy as they make the transition from school and into jobs that offer health coverage. By providing access to care for all Americans with affordable options, our goal is to provide much needed competition based on quality and price that will help keep care costs down.

Passage of this bill is good for Maryland. It means that more than 1 million Marylanders who aren't covered now will have access to affordable insurance. It gives a helping hand to 50,000 small businesses in Maryland. It means lower costs for the 130,000 Marylanders who fall into Medicare's prescription drug coverage gap. It means that young adults in Maryland can stay on their parents' policies until they are 26 and that they'll have access to affordable coverage after that.

Yet I have some yellow flashing lights. I am for a more robust and transparent public framework to ensure competition and choice in the marketplace. I like public options. Two of my favorite public options are Social Security and Medicare. The Senate bill creates a lot of new customers for insurance companies by mandating insurance coverage. But like big banks, insurance companies don't show remorse for past transgressions. We can't simply trust them to do the right thing. The Senate bill relies heavily on regulation to achieve what could be done with a public framework. I prefer the House public option and hope the final legislation includes a public option.

I also continue to oppose the excise tax included in the Senate bill. I am not for taxing the health care benefits of retired public employees and union members to pay for health reform. Some call them 'Cadillac plans' - I call it a 'Clunker Idea.' The excise tax will just shift costs onto workers through higher deductibles, copayments, and less generous coverage. I'm against this back-door tax on middle America & retirees. Again, I prefer the House version on this.

I will keep fighting for health care reform. Because it's absolutely terrible when you hear - I'm sorry your insurance doesn't cover that. It's horrifying when you have no insurance at all because you lost your job or your benefits and you face losing your life savings to pay for the care you need. You can be sure that I will be fighting on the side of Maryland and the American people to complete health care reform in early 2010.

Thanks once again for writing. Please let me know if I can be of assistance in the future.

Sincerely,
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator

Obama would destroy Palin in hypothetical race, poll finds
Submitted by toniD on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 2:34pm.

If you went to the pdf link of your post you'll find you could write my headline just as easily.

This race postulates a THREE WAY race with Bloomberg in it.
With Bloomberg out Palin support with the Rethugs skyrockets from 5l% to 74%. That alone would give her the presidency today.
The three way race also gives obama a mere four point lead over Palin among Independents (the fastest growing segment of electorate.)

Independents
obama 31%
Palin 27%
Bloomberg 24%
Take Bloomberg out, and Palin would have a substantial
lead over obama.

Additionally, even without my support, it's a near certainty that in 2012, Nader, or a Nader like candidate, is going steal votes from the Dems. Perhaps, a "real" teabag candidate will emerge to run a successful 3rd party campaign that will steal votes from Palin, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Remember, Fox is now the must trusted name in "news." In the end, the flat-earthers will all rally around the Rethug pick.

And I need to clean off my car. I'm jealous, mire.

Have a great evening.

Later

toniD's Ya Think?

Exclusive: New York Times Editor 'Stands Behind' Contested 'Pimp' Reporting on James O'Keefe

Times Sr. Editor for Standards cites Fox News, accused felon as sources for paper's ACORN report; refuses to back up additional claims made in contradiction of former state Attorney General'No comment,' assertions of privacy, bizarre obfuscation, backtracking offered when asked by The BRAD BLOG to share alleged evidence...

"There is nothing for us to correct ... We stand by our reporting." That was the innocuous enough position from Greg Brock, New York Times "Senior Editor/Standards," in reply to a Letter to the Editor sent to the Times by a reader of The BRAD BLOG requesting a correction to recent reportage from the "paper of record" concerning rightwing activist James O'Keefe, on the heels of his federal felony arrest late last month. O'Keefe was arrested in New Orleans as an alleged ringleader in a conspiracy with three others, attempting to gain access, for reasons still unknown, to the phone system of Louisiana's Democratic U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu.

Incredibly, Brock originally cited claims by Fox News and O'Keefe himself as sources for why the New York Times stood by their apparently unverified and apparently incorrect report. "We believe him," Brock wrote, because he said as much on Fox News, apparently.

But the matter went from the absurd to the ridiculous in fairly short order, as Brock then seemed to contradict himself by claiming their source wasn't actually Fox or O'Keefe, but that the Times stood by their reporting because of a mysterious, unpublished video said to back up the claim, along with testimony from ACORN employees.

Though both the video and statements from ACORN employees were cited as evidence their story was right, Brock would refuse to share evidence for either of the claims. That, even after an independent report from the former Attorney General of Massachusetts --- released in early December, but never mentioned in the Times' recent report (or any report at the paper to my knowledge) --- directly contradicts their reportage.

In short, the Times suggested in an article a week ago Sunday --- and at least seven others prior to it, all published after the release of the former MA Attorney General's report --- that O'Keefe was wearing his infamous pimp outfit inside the offices of ACORN while speaking to employees in his now-infamous hit videos. In actuality, according to the December 7th report by AG Scott Harshbarger, in direct contradiction to the Times reporting, he was not.
Read entire revelation at:
http://bradblog.com/

February 9, 2010, 12:29 pm

A New Norm for Unemployment?
By CATHERINE RAMPELL

The January jobs report had some mixed messages. One thing seems clear, though: The position of the already unemployed is looking more and more desperate.

The average length of time jobless people have been out of work is at a record high of 30.2 weeks:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

And that doesn’t even include people who want jobs but have given up looking for them.

Of all unemployed workers, 41.2 percent have been out of work for at least 27 weeks, another record high. And of the total work force, 4.12 percent of workers have been jobless for at least 27 weeks, yet another record high:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The duration of unemployment has most likely been growing for a few reasons, including that employers remain reluctant to hire people in general.

But people who have been out of work for a longer period of time may be especially unlikely to get jobs, because of the stigma attached to long-term unemployment and the actual (or perceived) deterioration of their skills.

One indicator of the potential decay in relevance of jobless workers’ skills is the percentage of unemployed who are on permanent layoff (as opposed to temporary layoff, or are new entrants to the work force, etc.). And that percentage has been hovering in the low- to mid-50s for the last few months:

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Needless to say, none of this bodes well for the near-term future of the job market.

NYT

Submitted by CeeCee on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 5:06pm.
...A letter from my senator in response to my letter to her:

Dear Ms. Cee:...
---------
Okay, I'll bite. Are you on a first name basis with Babs or is that a formal address?

In case I am misunderstood by any retards (using "retards" in the strictly blessed-by-Palin satirical Limbaugh sense), the previous question directed to Ms. Cee is my way of saying that CeeCee's use of Ms. Cee as the address in the letter from her Senator is really funny.

Speaking of funny, Lewis Black does a retarded commentary on last night's The Daily Show that is funny.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer Nicole Winfield, Associated Press Writer – 47 mins ago

VATICAN CITY – A scandal in Italy's Catholic Church has morphed into a tale of Vatican intrigue complete with forged documents, reports of dueling cardinals and a papal admonishment Tuesday to put the matter to rest.

The scandal erupted in August, when the newspaper Il Giornale reported that it had court documents showing the editor of the newspaper of the Italian Bishops' Conference had paid to settle charges that he harassed the wife of a man he was romantically pursuing.

The revelations were initially seen as retribution by Il Giornale, which is owned by Premier Silvio Berlusconi's brother, against the bishops' newspaper, Avvenire. The Catholic paper had harshly criticized the premier and demanded he answer questions about his purported liaisons with younger women.

Il Giornale accused Avvenire editor Dino Boffo of hypocrisy, saying the journalist had been fined in a plea-bargain several years ago for making harassing calls to the man's wife.

Prosecutors say Boffo made the calls, but have denied the case involved a gay angle. Boffo acknowledged being fined in the case but said someone else had used his cell phone to make the calls. Amid the fallout, he resigned from Avvenire in September, saying he wanted to spare his family and the church further humiliation.

Three months later, Il Giornale's editor Vittorio Feltri — who had penned the initial articles — admitted the document implying Boffo is gay was falsified, and apologized in a front-page letter.

con't

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100209/ap_on_re_eu/eu_vatican_intrigue_2

...my leaders or their leaders, which we {..those as me...} especially knew in 1980's where we all were to be by now. Many proclaimed even in the late 60s or the early 70s... ..."The State of Today".

;);( I'm Late! I'm Late - For A Very Important Date.
No time to say Hello/Goodbye. I'm Late. I'm Late. I'm Late...
And when I wave I lose the time I save...{etc}
:o

Okay, I'll bite. Are you on a first name basis with Babs or is that a formal address?

...however addressed, it sounds like to me that we aren't the only ones frustrated. She has also had some health issues of her own which could make her empathetic to the cause.

In her day, "Babs" use to take a strong lead; but in the last several years, she has backed away or down from certain issues, which makes me question whether she'll be running for re-election and whether I'll support if she does; but I appreciate her candor in this letter.

it's much better than watching that ass tweety imo

looks fantastic

http://www.wdsu.com/index.html

...and do appreciate your sense of humor.

Another day, another unconfirmed report of scandal brewing in the Paterson administration.

While New York Magazine quotes an unnamed source as saying that the eagerly-anticipated New York Times story will be "PG-13, not XXX," new salacious reports of yet another alleged affair bubbled up today.

WPIX reports:

A high ranking Democratic source in Albany says the latest unsubstantiated report making the rounds of the Capitol Monday is that the story involves an alleged affair between the governor and a woman in Buffalo.
Paterson himself is supposed to sit down with Times scribes tomorrow, though what the topic of the interview will be is still unclear.

A spokeswoman for Paterson has flat-out denied the rumors that the governor was set to resign, calling the allegations "absolutely false."

Aside from rumors that the "bombshell" story involves romantic affairs and maybe more illicit actions on the part of the governor, New York Magazine's source pointed at Paterson's recent involvement with the shady Aqueduct deal as a potential problem for him.

Paterson is said to have spent the weekend discussing his political future with key New York lawmakers.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/08/paterson-affair-scandal-n_n_454...

...or are the Rethugs spinning wheels?

;):(

Former Va. governor urges DNC chairman's firing

By BOB LEWIS
The Associated Press
Tuesday, February 9, 2010; 6:52 PM

RICHMOND, Va. -- Democratic former Virginia Gov. L. Douglas Wilder is urging President Barack Obama to fire Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, another former Virginia governor.

Wilder wrote of Kaine, in a column for the Politico news Web site, that "the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee is the wrong job for him."

In an interview with The Associated Press, Wilder cited Republican victories in last month's Senate election in Massachusetts and in gubernatorial races last fall in New Jersey and Virginia.

"I'm just disappointed in his leadership," Wilder told the AP. "And there are a lot of people - a lot of Democrats - who come to me and are disappointed but are not going to speak out like I'm saying it."

"Don't let yourself believe that Massachusetts and Virginia and New Jersey were some aberration," Wilder said, "and I hope Tim and the president will take it in the constructive way it was intended."

Wilder also noted the $1 billion-a-year income tax increase Kaine proposed before leaving office and his efforts to let a German diplomat's son convicted of two grisly slayings return to Germany from a Virginia prison.
ad_icon

"Is that who this president wants to be arm in arm with as we enter a pivotal election year?" Wilder wrote. "The president has enough to worry about and defend without this detracting sideshow as to feckless party leadership."

Kaine did not immediately respond to a telephone message seeking comment.

WaPo

Can't say I didn't see this one coming...

Published on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Democracy Now!
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2010/02/09-0

Rep. Dennis Kucinich v. Glenn Greenwald on the Supreme Court’s Landmark Campaign Finance Ruling on Corporate Money
A new poll has found nearly two-thirds of respondents oppose the Supreme Court's recent ruling in Citizens United to allow corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money to elect and defeat candidates. Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Glenn Greenwald offer differing opinions on the controversial ruling.

...Interesting.

There were offering differing opinions on the same side of the argument afaicouldtell.

Glad to see the public is savvy enough to pick up on this. I hear one more utopian libertarian argument in support of this ruing and I'm gonna give them the tried and true Sammy maneuver.*

*Which is, "Oh yeah, who's gonna fix the pothole in front of your house?" You?"

Works every time.

[ ] He thinks we're a bunch of f'n retards.

[ ] He suffers from Skype fright

[ ] He can't work without a teleprompter

[ ] He always washes his hair at 8 a.m. Sunday morning

[ ] He demanded he be given three lifelines

[ ] He's under contract w/ NPR

First gen American here. My daughter called me today and told me that she dropped her soccer class in college.

I've filled the bath tub and I'm ready for her to walk in the door any time now.

Is that what I'm supposed to do? F'ng retards everywhere.

Submitted by cent on Tue, 02/09/2010 - 7:25pm.
Former Va. governor urges DNC chairman's firing

...can you give us your take on this? Kaine was still governor of Virginia when he was elected to the position.

Thanks for the link mire,
I'm watching now.

Also now that it's nite time I'm
able to hear (fading in and out)
wwl am 870 all the
way up here in northern ill.

_ _ _
brr

...KEWL ;D
* LUV *

How To Use The Wasilla Teleprompter

1.) You'll need a not-too-Sharpie.

You can't imagine how many lies I've told regarding why I have to take personal time off on Thursday to watch the Daytona Duels at 2pm eastern. Screw chasing contracts, it's NASCAR trick.

Kaine was an okay Governor, but I never liked him for DNC chair.

Wilder is right, he just has too much "appease" in him. Not enough gung ho.

I predicted he would be pressured to resign after Brown won in Mass....

...dumping Kaine would be a good move for Obama, IMO, considering all the distraction his cabinet has been causing lately. It would at least give the impression, in both directions, that he is taking action to get his house in order...

My gut is telling me he will tap Donna Brazile if he dumps Kaine...not an all together bad move IMO either.

But considering how stubborn Obama has been so far, there is a good chance he will do nothing....which will bite him in the ass in November, also, JMHO...

Something about the show being two hours long and you having small hands....

...It's not as if the two entrenched parties deserve the positions outright...and challengers are taking something they deserve...especially because they do not deserve those positions..imo.

Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy

February 9th, 2010

Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy

Source: Congressional Research Service (via Federation of American Scientists/Secrecy News)

http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/R41070.pdf

Quoting Doug Wilder as credible is as ludicrous as some of the CA 'voices' that get invoked here. I don't like Caine but Wilder is completely useless. Trust me.

Should Tim Kaine Be Fired?

Cenk Uygur
Posted: January 20, 2010 04:20 AM

For months people have been talking about whether Michael Steele, the head of the RNC, should be fired. He says ridiculous things, gets himself and his party in needless trouble, has nearly run out of money and caused dissension within the ranks. But he has also won three important elections. Tim Kaine, the head of the DNC, on the other hand, has caused no trouble but lost nearly every election. So, who is really the one that should be held accountable?

[...]

HuffPo

Roses are reddish
Violets are bluish
You can't be my Valentine
If You're black, gay or Jewish!

mire thank 4 those beautiful pictures.
it will be a fine day for a Saints
Parade

U sure know how to live life.
I admire you for that.

maggiesboy - so your a poet, & u
didn't know it.

As DADT Repeal Talk Gains Steam, A Gay Guardsman Is Back With His Unit

(okay, not exactly a straight line, lol!...but have at it, Crank)

"A National Guardsman who became a cause celebre among gay-rights groups last year, after announcing on The Rachel Maddow Show that he is gay and being recommended for discharge, has returned to training with his unit.

It appears that the development was prompted, if indirectly, by the increasing likelihood that DADT is on the way out."

"doesn't appear to be evidence of an explicit policy change"??

Huh? I'd say this is a very good indicator of exactly that.

"this machine kills fascists"

"GOP Valentines Day Card"

_ _ _
brr

#GOPVDaycards

60th has some masterpieces imho

I'll be your patriot by day, your minuteman by night#GOPVDaycards

Tap tap tap #GOPVDaycards

Valentine, you *checks hand* lift my spirits!#GOPVDaycards

You are so great. So many of Sam's bloggers have one thing in common. A kind heart and a desire to right injustice.

Then there are also trolls who you can't argue with because they throw feces. They'll also eat it so that's a problem too. Stupid trolls.

-

Enslaved people focus of workshops activist holds at Penn State Berks
By Ron Devlin
Reading Eagle

Brant Christopher supports efforts to save the planet, but says there's more to social consciousness in the 21st century than being green.

"It's nice to be concerned about the planet but what about the people who live on it?" Christopher asked students Monday at Penn State Berks. "We can't take advantage of them, either."

During two workshops Monday, Christopher outlined the roots of modern slavery and appealed to Penn State students to boycott products whose raw materials come from a supply chain that leads to forced labor in developing nations.

Mapping Slavery, the final of three workshops, will be held at noon today in Perkins Student Center on the Berks campus. It tracks the geography of the "people trade," which surfaced recently in Berks County when authorities said they broke a sex slave ring operated by South Korean crime syndicate based in New York.

Modern slavery, Christopher explained, is often invisible to the consumer because it is rooted in the supply chains of corporations worldwide.

Few companies, Christopher claimed, have policies that monitor slavery or human trafficking in their supply chains.

Nicholas Pinn, president of the Christian Student Fellowship at Berks campus, led a delegation of students who attended an afternoon workshop.

"Slavery should be everyone's concern," said Pinn, who studies mechanical engineering.

Pinn asked Christopher how slavery could be allowed to exist in this day and age.

"Outside of the U.S.," Christopher replied, "politicians, the police and other authorities are bribed by the traffickers."

Not For Sale, a San Francisco-based group with only seven staff members, is working with corporations to monitor human trafficking. It boasts a list of 200,000 supporters, most of whom are ages 18 to 28.

"This generation," he said, "really wants action."

Link

Not For Sale

...but the only way to get through life without looking into one is to keep your eyes closed...

talking to my mom about how life is a struggle to be enjoyed.

...if performance was the gauge, Howard Dean would be still the Chairman. Heck as far as I am concerned he and his brother could very well be the salvation of the Democratic party. Why they don't have prominent roles within the Obama Administration or the Democratic Party is probably at the heart of those three losses.

I don't know that much about Kaine other than knowing what I heard on the local news; but to be fair, his focus, as it rightfully should have been, was governing the Commonwealth of Virginia when he was elected and tookover the DNC chair. As I remember it, there were some reservations as to whether he could be effective in both positions at the same time. Virginia's complexity is not lost on me.

It does give one pause--I would never give Steele credit for those elections because each of the Democratic candidates in those elections were Republican-Lite and did not bring out the Democratic voters.

..and the word is good.

Spread the word.

As Rachel said tonight the filibuster's time as come. Tell your Senator the nation needs it!

is what she has been saying all along. So why did she need to write it on her hand? Does she have short term memory loss?

toniD's Ya Think?

they grow good dope up there, so I've heard. I think marijuana causes short term memory loss. Have you heard that too? Is Sarah Palin a dope smoker?

she's a tweaker.

Killabuster! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.