Friday, December 14, 2007
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
KUCINICH SWEEPS PDA POLL
KUCINICH SWEEPS PDA POLL WINNING 46 STATES at 41 percent
Dennis Kucinich wins yet another poll, winning 46 states EASILY and beating out the so called "top tier" candidates, Obama, Clinton and Edwards with 41% of all of the votes. He had at the least, a 15% lead over the "top tier" candidates. The winning states include the big ones, Iowa and New Hampshire.
"...two candidates--Dennis Kucinich (41%) and John Edwards (26%)--combined for more than 2/3 of the total vote. Over 15,000 PDA activists voted in the presidential straw poll. Full results at
http://www.pdamerica.org
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Hillary is too conservative for me
In the MSNBC debate tonight, Hillary Clinton (as well as Barack Obama) said she would not favor a national law banning smoking in the workplace. Her stance on this causes me to lose respect for her. I will no longer vote for her in the primary.
Posted by Unknown at 9:38 PM 1 comments
Labels: 2008 presidential race, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, smoking
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Hillary's Health Care Plan
I'm glad that Hillary has finally announced her health care plan. It's good that her plan gives all Americans the same options that Congressmen and Congresswomen already have. And I like that in her plan, insurance companies wouldn't be allowed to deny coverage for preexisting conditions. But what does her plan say about preventive health care? I've written to her asking if her plan gives discounts for healthy lifestyle choices. It needs to. Have you heard anything about this?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
In the Ghetto--A Lisa Marie & Elvis Duet
Lisa Marie filmed this in New Orleans, a duet with her father, to draw attention to the fact that poverty exists in this country. It's a beautiful video.
Posted by Unknown at 1:01 AM 0 comments
Labels: Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, music videos, poverty
Monday, July 23, 2007
Going Vegan Helps the Environment for Sure!
Please rate my question in the CNN/YouTube presidential debate contest!
For lots of information about why the United Nations and University of Chicago scientists say eating vegan is more effective than driving hybrids, see this page at the Vegetarian Union of North America.
Also, sign up for the free e-newsletter from my magazine, RawFoodsNewsMagazine.com
Posted by Unknown at 2:02 AM 0 comments
Labels: 2008 presidential race, CNN, Democrats, environment, vegan, YouTube
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Sicko is Brilliant
Michael Moore's new movie, Sicko, says a lot about the huge lack of compassion in the US government:
How is it that other countries (and Sicko doesn't even mention ALL of the countries) are able to provide free health care for all? And why can't the US?
Sicko shows how greedy and selfish health insurance companies are--a sad and even criminal state of affairs.
Sicko addresses something very wrong with the US system, the clout that big business holds in keeping politicians quiet. Indeed, it's a sad state of affairs--a Catch 22--when a person with high ideals needs to take money from greedy and selfish health care and pharmaceutical companies to campaign to get elected to try and implement those ideals.
I can imagine Michael Moore as president some day. But then again, he probably has more power to foment change as an independent filmmaker than he ever would as a candidate needing a huge fortune to be taken seriously. Dennis Kucinich, who is campaigning to be president, says all the right things, but no one takes him seriously because he has no money.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Hillary Announces Her Campaign Song!
Check out this cute video from Hillary Clinton's campaign.
I tend to agree with Bill in this one. I think they made the wrong choice!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Michael Moore Has a Big Crush on Hillary Clinton
In this article, he calls her sexy.
I think it's great that Bill's wife is getting some buzz that puts her in a new arena.
Moore was responding to a reporter's question about the way his new film, Sicko, treats Hillary.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Another Inconvenient Truth Al Gore Needs to Realize
The Vegetarian Union of North America lists many links about how eating a vegan diet helps the environment in a very big way.
Posted by Unknown at 1:22 AM 0 comments
Labels: Al Gore, global warming, raw vegan, Vegetarian Union of North America
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Don't Miss This Documentary on 4-21-07 at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel!
"Green: The New Red, White and Blue," a documentary featuring Thomas L. Friedman¹s reporting on green technology, premiers on the Discovery Channel on Saturday, April 21 at 9 p.m.
Posted by Unknown at 2:01 AM 0 comments
Labels: Discovery Channel, documentaries, green technology, TV
Monday, April 16, 2007
Kucinich is the Greenest Candidate Because He's a Vegan
The other Democratic candidates are sort of green, but Dennis Kucinich is the only vegan among them.
I'm torn, because I love the idea of a woman president--namely, Hillary. But to have a vegan in the White House would also be fabulous!
Posted by Unknown at 2:02 PM 0 comments
Labels: Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton, presidential race, raw vegan
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The Big Brother YouTube Ad Dissing Hillary
Can we believe Obama when he says he had nothing to do with the YouTube ad that dissed Hillary? He has strong ties to the company that made the video. Something doesn't sound right.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Who Does The White House Think They're Kidding?
CNN reports:
The White House will allow key presidential aide Karl Rove and former counsel Harriet Miers to be interviewed by committees probing the firings of U.S. attorneys, but they will not testify under oath, Rep. Chris Cannon says.
The White House is too stupid to know that the rest of us know how stupid they are! Someone needs to tell them that by refusing to testify under oath, it means they are LYING.
Posted by Unknown at 2:24 PM 0 comments
Labels: George W. Bush, Harriet Miers, Karl Rove, US attorneys
Monday, March 19, 2007
Growing Movement to Impeach Bush for War Crimes
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson (a Democrat) is the latest person to call for the impeachment of George W. Bush. A KUTV.com article says the following, among other things:
“I do not say this lightly, but the record is plain: President Bush is a war criminal,” Anderson, a Democrat in heavily Republican Utah, said in another stinging denunciation of the Republican president. “He must be held accountable.”
Hear, hear.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Our New STOP GLOBAL WARMING Bumper Sticker
Our exclusive bumper sticker says:
Buy this and display it and help save the earth! Buy a bunch and send them to friends and to politicians.
Please note: We created this bumper sticker as a public service. We don't make any profit on this item.
Here's some info in mainstream media about how science shows that switching to a vegan diet does more to help prevent global warming than switching to a hybrid car. And here's an article about a recent scientific study.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Urge Congress To Act Against Global Warming
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi wrote the following:
As one of my first acts as Speaker, I took action addressing this critical issue and introduced a plan to create a Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming. This special committee will develop recommendations on policies, strategies, technologies, and other innovations to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and greenhouse gas emissions, while maintaining our economic competitiveness. Next week, Vice President Al Gore will testify before Congress, bringing his career of activism on this issue to the fight in the Congress. A global leader on combating climate change, he has helped to educate people around the world and has moved so many to real action. By coming to Congress, his testimony will help us shape the kind of reforms we need and garner even more attention to this growing crisis. Together, we have the opportunity to affect change so great that it can make a difference for future generations. We need your support today if we are going to reverse the disastrous effects of global warming.
She provided this link making it easy to contact Congress.
Al Gore wrote the following:
On March 21st, I will testify before Congress on the immediate action that needs to be taken to end the climate crisis. At the hearing, I will deliver the 294,374 messages you signed, demonstrating that hundreds of thousands of people share my sense of urgency.
Please ask your friends to sign our message to Congress today by visiting: http://www.algore.com/cards.html
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Mo Rocca's Funny Sketch on Leno
On Thursday night, March 15, Comedian Mo Rocca went around interviewing presidential candidates and other politicos for a video he showed on Jay Leno's show, and the performances he got out of these people are priceless! I can't wait til the video's online. As soon as I find it, I'll post a link. If you find it before I do, please let me know!
Posted by Unknown at 11:00 PM 0 comments
Labels: comedy, Dennis Kucinich, Jay Leno, Mo Rocca, presidential race
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Demand that US Attorney General Resign!
It's outrageous that Attorney General Gonzales fired eight US Attorneys for political reasons. We all need to sign this petition demanding that Gonzales resign immediately.
Posted by Unknown at 9:40 PM 1 comments
Labels: petition, political, US Attorney General, US attorneys
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Jay Leno on Peta's asking Gore to Go Vegan
In his comedy monologue tonight, Jay Leno mentioned PETA's asking Al Gore to really help stop global warming by going vegan. Jay then added his own comment: "I only eat meat that's been run over by a Prius, roadkill hit by a hybrid."
Sunday, March 11, 2007
Worldwide Scientists Say Global Warming To Cause Grave Damage to Earth and People
Worldwide scientists say effects of global warming will cause grave damage to the earth and its people. Here's an excerpt from an Associated Press Article:
"Things are happening and happening faster than we expected," said Patricia Romero Lankao of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., one of the many co-authors of the new report. The draft document says scientists are highly confident that many current problems -- change in species' habits and habitats, more acidified oceans, loss of wetlands, bleaching of coral reefs, and increases in allergy-inducing pollen -- can be blamed on global warming. For example, the report says North America "has already experienced substantial ecosystem, social and cultural disruption from recent climate extremes," such as hurricanes and wildfires. But the present is nothing compared to the future. Global warming soon will "affect everyone's life ... it's the poor sectors that will be most affected," Romero Lankao said.
And co-author Terry Root of Stanford University said: "We truly are standing at the edge of mass extinction" of species.
Many - not all - of those effects can be prevented, the report says, if within a generation the world slows down its emissions of carbon dioxide and if the level of greenhouse gases sticking around in the atmosphere stabilizes. If that's the case, the report says "most major impacts on human welfare would be avoided; but some major impacts on ecosystems are likely to occur."
Because of this, I personally urge people to switch to a plant-based way of eating, which can stop global warming!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Proposed Legislation to Give California Newborns $500 Savings Accounts
California has proposed legislation that would provide $500 savings accounts for all babies born in the state. Here's an excerpt from an Associated Press article about it:
Under the bill, every child born in California after Jan. 1, 2008, would receive the money, regardless of their parents' income or immigration status. Recipients would repay the state's initial $500 investment once they turn 18.
The money may be used for three purposes: college or continuing education, a down payment on a home or a retirement account.
"This is the essence of equal opportunity. Every child, every person ought to get a head start," said Sen. Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento, who introduced the bill with Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga.
About 566,000 children are expected to be born in California next year.
If families added $50 a month to the state's initial contribution, the savings account would grow to nearly $17,500 at 5 percent interest over 18 years. Steinberg said that would promote saving money in a culture that now is carrying record levels of debt and has the lowest savings rate since the Great Depression.
Here's an opposing view.
And here's my response to the person who wrote the opposing view:
Question for the person who posted this article, for this person who opposes the proposal to give California newborns $500 savings accounts:
If you had been born to a poor family, and if this law had been in effect when you were born, would you not have wanted this $500 savings account opened in your name?
If you're concerned that non-California taxpayers will reap the benefits of this law (a law that would be funded by California taxpayers), why not lobby for the law to be enacted in ALL states, as a Federal law? That would make more sense, and would go a long way towards providing equality for those children who, through no choice of their own are born into poor families and families with no investing savvy.
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Saturday, March 3, 2007
Hillary's Great Idea Re: Energy
In this video, Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton proposes having oil companies donate some of their windfall profits to promote new clean energy technologies through a Strategic Energy Fund. Among the many things the fund would do to prevent global warming, it would quadruple the tax breaks for the makers of clean energy vehicles, and it would invest $9 billion in an energy research initiative
Hillary says in this video that someone once said "There's nothing wrong with America that can't be fixed by what's right with America."
How very true. You go, girl!
Friday, March 2, 2007
Shades of Bill as "First Gentleman"?
Newsweek's Eleanor Clift writes about what life might be like for Bill Clinton as First Gentleman if Hillary becomes President. Here's an excerpt from her interview with the husband of Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm:
If Hillary wins, what will we do with Bill? Finding a role for the First Gentleman could be as challenging for Hillary as finding a way out of Iraq. A lot has been written about the plight of the political spouse, who is usually a woman. With the rise of women in politics, there’s a whole new genre, the male spouse, which places the man in the unaccustomed supporting role.
I'm sure Bill will be a very supportive First Gentleman and will set a great example for all future ones.
Posted by Unknown at 8:13 PM 0 comments
Labels: Bill Clinton, Eleanor Clift, Hillary Clinton, Jennifer Granholm, Newsweek
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Another Female Has Entered the Presidential Race
I'm having a tough time making a choice, with such an abundance of riches--so many good people running for President. Hillary Clinton appeals to me because I really want to see a woman in office, a woman with humanistic values. Edwards and Obama and Gore appeal to me because they've got good values--and Gore particularly, because we already elected him president and the election was stolen from him, and because of his longstanding commitment to the environment and his early position against the war. I like Kucinich because he's so independent and never supported the war, and because he's a vegan, too.
And now there's another choice, Susie Flynn, whose campaign (being floated by The Children's Defense Fund) is focusing on the more than nine million children in the US who have no health insurance. I think it's great that there's another woman in the race. I'm sure Hilary isn't threatened by her, as nine-year-old Susie lacks Hillary's experience. Maybe she can be Hillary's running mate.
Posted by Unknown at 11:46 PM 0 comments
Labels: Al Gore, Barak Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Susie Flynn
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Where's the Missing $12 Billion We Sent to Iraq???
In the early days of TV there was a show called the $64,000 question. Well, this is a $12 billion dollar puzzle. Congressman Henry Waxman has called attention to this mystery. Here's an excerpt from an article about it on Bloomberg.com:
Representative Henry Waxman, kicking off hearings on government contracting, questioned former Ambassador L. Paul Bremer today on what happened to as much as $12 billion in unaccounted-for cash spent when he was in charge of rebuilding Iraq.
A report from Waxman's House Oversight and Government Reform Committee said the money represented more than half of Bremer's budget from May 2003 to June 2004. The report described contractors being told to bring big bags to collect shrink- wrapped bundles of money and one episode where a Bremer staff member was allegedly told to spend $6.75 million in a week.
``We have no way of knowing if the cash that was shipped into the green zone ended up in enemy hands,'' Waxman, a California Democrat, said at today's hearing. ``We owe it to the American people to do everything we can to find out where the $12 billion went.''
Is there a dowser in the audience?
New Congressman Introduces Bill to Apologize for Slavery
"It’s something I’ve thought about for a long time," Newly elected Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen told Memphis Online's CommercialAppeal.com in a telephone interview Monday night. "I thought about it as an issue to address now that I’ve come to Congress. I felt during Black History Month was just an appropriate time."
It's a fine idea for the US to issue an apology, but I like what Democratic strategist Morris Reid said on Paula Zahn's CNN show about this last night:
REID: I just think it's an empty promise. I don't want a -- I don't want a sorry. You know what I would rather the Congress did? Fund public education and make sure people had universal health care, you know, make sure we had good schools. That's the -- that's the real issue here. African-Americans feel like they have been neglected, they have always gotten a second -- been a second-class citizen. Don't give me an empty promise. Give me what I want, which is a good education, health care, and -- and safe schools and a safe community. That's more important to me than an empty promise that's going to be watered down, that's going to be politicized, and just going to cause more division.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tell FL Democrats Which Candidates You'd Like to See
Florida Democrats' website has an online survey where people can indicate which presidential candidates they'd like most to see in the state. Although most people reading this don't live in Florida, this is something that might exist in your area. If not, you could suggest it or create it.
Kucinich on Obama; Kucinich as the Man for Peace
In a recent Newsweek interview, when asked:
What about the candidates, like Barack Obama, who—granted—wasn’t in a position to vote against the war, but who spoke out against it?
Dennis Kucinich said:
"That’s fine, except for one thing. He’s voted 100 percent to fund it. If you’re opposed to something, you don’t vote to give it money. And a single speech is not hundreds of speeches. It’s not real leadership. If someone wants to talk about the war, then they better have real credentials for it. And those credentials have to include working to defeat funding for the war. There’s no other person in this race who’s done that. There’s no one else who’s taken a stand for peace that I’ve taken and I think that’s what the American people are yearning for."
I like what this person posted as a comment to the Newsweek piece:
Posted By: Corky Quakenbush (2/26/2007 at 11:25:56 PM)
Comment: This man is the only person with the guts and integrity to want to establish a Department of Peace. The National Intelligence Estimate declassified last year pointed to poverty as the root cause of terrorism. Isn't it about time that we attend to the causes of terrorism rather than by attempting to force the rest of the world to "do it our way?" Please vote for this man! Just think what good the $400 billion wasted on the war in Iraq could have done in helping people have better lives. Happy people are not suicide bombers!
Posted by Unknown at 1:46 AM 0 comments
Labels: Barak Obama, candidates, Corky Quakenbush, Dennis Kucinich, raw vegan, the war
Monday, February 26, 2007
Al Gore's Documentary on Global Warming Wins Oscar for Best Film
Yay! Al Gore's movie An Inconvenient Truth won the Oscar for best documentary. If there's still anyone who thinks global warming is a myth, this honor will hopefully motivate them to take a second look.
There were rumors that Gore would announce his candidacy for president, and that was the subject of a joke Gore made on stage.
Laurie David, the wife of Curb Your Enthusiasm's Larry David, is an activist to stop global warming and the co-producer of Gore's film.
After the Oscars, a reporter interviewed Laurie, whose husband stood alongside her looking bored.
Reporter (to Larry): How many times have you seen the movie?
Larry (deadpan): I've seen it 14 times. She drags me everywhere. I can't stand that movie.
(Laurie laughed)
Reporter asked them who they're looking forward to seeing at the after-Oscar parties.
Laurie: Oh, that's an interesting question. (to Larry) Who are we looking forward to seeing?
(Laurie continued) We're looking forward to seeing our friends. Oh, Sheryl Crow. She and I are going on a bus tour together.
Reporter (to Larry): Are you going too?
Larry: She drags me everywhere.
Laurie (smiling): I'm dragging this marriage to the edge. I bring him everywhere with me.
Posted by Unknown at 12:48 AM 0 comments
Labels: Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, Laurie David, Oscars, Sheryl Crow
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Newsweek's Political Blog Uses Talking Heads Song's Form
This blog is purportedly about politics and tries to keep a sense of humor. Warning!: This particular post is more about style than substance, although it does refer to an article that's about politics.
Voila: Newsweek's blog posting about Tom Vilsack's decision to drop out of the presidential race (and so early!) has a first paragraph whose construction parallels that compelling old Talking Heads song Once in a Lifetime. Is there some subtext to that blog post?
Saturday, February 24, 2007
Join Henry Kissinger, George Shultz and Me...
Former Republican Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and George Shultz are asking George W. Bush to take the lead in a world free of nuclear weapons. Gee, this is as heartwarming and unexpected as Montana's recent announcement that they plan to do away with the death penalty.
I hope you'll join me in signing The Union of Concerned Scientists' petition to reject funding for George W. Bush's alarming plans to develop new nuclear weapons.
Here's what I wrote:
The world needs to add conflict resolution classes to all schools, K-12, so we can stop this awful, childish, animal-brained escalation of horrendous weaponry.
But until that happens (and I so pray for it) we need to do EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to stop George W. Bush from lending his support to the development and production of new nuclear weapons. This is just outrageous! Too many people in this world have gone stark raving mad.
Posted by Unknown at 6:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: conflict resolution, George W. Bush, Henry Kissinger, Henry Shultz, Montana, nuclear weapons, Republicans
Friday, February 23, 2007
NY Law Upholds Old Ban On Dancing in Bars, Restaurants & Even Some Clubs w/o Permits
Can this be happening in the largest city in the US (and one of the largest cities in the world)? I can't believe the court upheld an 80-year-old law prohibiting people from dancing in bars, restaurants and certain clubs that don't have specific permits to allow dancing--in New York City, the home of Broadway musicals. It was Broadway musicals (and film versions thereof) that put the idea into my head as a child (an idea I've had ever since) that life is a celebration and anyone is free to break into song and dance anywhere, any time, in a bus, a subway, a supermarket, and yes, even a bar.
Here are the details.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Sheryl Crow Launches Stop Global Warming Tour
Along with activist Laurie David, Sheryl Crow today announced she'll be doing a Stop Global Warming college tour:
The multi-city tour will begin on Monday, April 9th in Dallas, Texas, where the duo plan to shine a harsh CFL light on the Dallas-based TXU Corporation, which is trying to fast-track 11 dirty coal burning power plants. Texas already dumps more CO2 into the atmosphere than any other state in the nation, and TXU's plan would more than double that.
The activist and entertainer will visit 12 cities across the Southeastern United States in a bio-diesel bus to motivate college students to become part of the movement to stop global warming and demand solutions from themselves, their schools and their country. The multi-city tour will continue on to select cities, including: College Station, TX; Baton Rouge, LA; New Orleans, LA; Birmingham, AL; Auburn, AL; Gainesville, FL; Atlanta, GA; Charlottesville, VA; Nashville, TN; Chapel Hill, NC; College Park, MD and Washington, DC.
The 90-minute presentation will include remarks by David, a short performance by Crow, clips from An Inconvenient Truth, humorous clips from top comedians, and a dialogue with students.
They've got my vote!
Posted by Unknown at 7:45 PM 0 comments
Labels: An Inconvenient Truth, global warming, Laurie David, polluters, Sheryl Crow, Texas
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Go Vegan & Stop Global Warming
When a right-wing outlet like Fox News does an article linking global warming to meat-eating, it's a day to rejoice!
It's great to see this getting into mainstream media.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
A Fantastic Apres-War Party
In a cartoon by Drew Dernavitch in the February 19 & 26 New Yorker, military men and others in command in the government sit around a conference table. An American flag hangs in the room. The window reveals the White House in the background, and the Washington Monument. One of the men speaks:
"Wouldn't you want it to end sooner if you knew we were planning a fantastic apres-war party?"
Monday, February 19, 2007
Fashion Ads That Spotlight Global Warming
It's great when a fashion company uses the power of its ad spending to sound the alert about important global issues. I commend the clothing line Diesel for its activism in spotlighting the facts about global warming. In one of their new surrealistic ads, you see some typically gorgeous models relaxing on a Manhattan rooftop, with the surrounding city looking chill and macabre, like something's happened to remove most of its buildings. In another Diesel ad, models lounge on a beach, while in the background Mount Rushmore's presidential faces are submerged in ocean water up to their noses. When you go to Diesel's website and tool around, you eventually find a link where you can sign up for a global warming campaign. Diesel makes the following statement:
Over the years, Diesel's ad campaigns have touched on several global issues in a signature over-the-top, irreverent, often surreal way. 2007 opens with a campaign that highlights the risks awaiting our planet due to global warming. We are only a fashion company and do not think that - with just one campaign - we can save the world, but if our unconventional tone of voice and the reputation of our brand can grab and hold people's attention a little longer than a news feature can, make them think twice about the consequence of all our actions and realize our individual responsibility, then something at least will have been accomplished.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Bush's Moles
The media reports that George W. Bush has had two benign moles removed from his face. Since one of the definitions of mole is:
A spy who becomes part of and works from within the ranks of an enemy governmental staff or intelligence agency.
We're wondering: What were the moles doing on George's face? Doesn't he have security people to keep those nasty people out of his bubble?
But because the word "mole" has other meanings, perhaps this report captures the correct mole.
However, if neither of the above definitions pinpoints the correct meaning of Bush's former facial moles, there's always this swell account.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Senate's Non-Binding Send-No-More-Troops Rez Misses by 4 Votes
The Democratic Senators presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joseph R. Biden interrupted their campaigning in other states to fly back to Washington, D.C. to vote today in a non-binding Senate resolution opposing the Bush administration's plans to send more than 20,000 more combat troops to Iraq. The vote was 56 to 34--not quite enough. The Democrats, who have only a one-vote majority in the 100-member Senate, were unable to push the measure--which needed 60 votes--through. But today's anti-Bush vote garnered the support of seven Republicans--five more than in a similar Senate vote earlier this month.
Ah, the wheels of justice move so slowly! We need Ricky Martin to spice up his performance again to try and spur a few more Republican Senators to vote with the Dems next time. (See my yesterday's post.)
Posted by Unknown at 7:08 PM 0 comments
Labels: Barack Obama, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Iraq war, Joe Biden, non-binding resolution, Republicans, troops, US Senate
Friday, February 16, 2007
GWB Too Busy to See Congress Diss His Iraq Policy
The Associated Press quotes a spokesman as saying that George W. Bush was too busy today to watch television to see how members of the House of Representatives were voting. The vote was 246-182 in a non-binding measure to reject the president's plan to deploy more troops to Iraq, where so far more than 3100 US soldiers have lost their lives. Those voting to oppose Bush's policy included 17 Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has called a test vote for Saturday on an identical measure, although:
"Republicans said in advance they would deny Democrats the 60 votes they need to advance the resolution, adding they would insist on equal treatment for a Republican-drafted alternative that opposes any reduction in funds for the troops."
Sometimes it seems like the only way to get through to Bush and his party about how insane his Iraq war is (which has wasted billions and billions of dollars that could have been used to help poor people in the US and to provide universal health care) is to do what pop star Ricky Martin did at a recent concert:
At a recent concert, the 35-year-old singer stuck up his middle finger when he sang the president's name in his song "Asignatura Pendiente," which includes the words, "a photo with Bush." The gesture last Friday prompted cheers from thousands of fans in the San Juan stadium.
On Thursday, the Puerto Rican heartthrob repeated his criticism of the Iraq war and explained his changed position on Bush.
My convictions of peace and life go beyond any government and political agenda and as long as I have a voice onstage and offstage, I will always condemn war and those who promulgate it," Martin said about his action in an e-mail statement sent to The Associated Press via a spokesman.
Martin, like other artists, has been highly critical of the war in Iraq.
Posted by Unknown at 8:29 PM 0 comments
Labels: George W. Bush, House of Representatives, Iraq war, non-binding resolution, Ricky Martin, the Senate
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Fans to Rock Against Global Warming
Al Gore has just announced a 24-hour-long series of worldwide rock concerts on July 7 called "Save Our Selves--The Campaign for a Climate in Crisis" that will focus on the threat of global warming. The concerts will feature top musicians, including Sheryl Crow, the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz and others. Gore's documentary on global warming, An Inconvenient Truth, has been nominated for an Oscar.
Will Gore announce that he's running aain for president? Stay tuned...
Posted by Unknown at 6:27 PM 0 comments
Labels: Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, global warming, Oscars, presidential race
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Comedians' Campaigns for Presidential Candidates
Dennis Miller says he supports Rudy Giuliani for president.
Is Al Franken for Hillary?
Who do Joy Behar and Jerry Seinfeld and Carrot Top support?
Posted by Unknown at 8:47 PM 0 comments
Labels: Al Franken, Carrot Top, comedians, Dennis Miller, Hillary Clinton, Jerry Seinfeld, Joy Behar, Rudy Giuliani
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
FBI Is Missing Laptops and Weapons
The Washington Post says:
The FBI said that 160 laptop computers were lost or stolen in less than four years, including at least 10 that contained sensitive or classified information -- one of which held "personal identifying information on FBI personnel," according to a report released yesterday.
The bureau, which has struggled for years to improve its sloppy inventory procedures, also reported the same number of missing weapons -- 160 -- from February 2002 to September 2005. Those weapons included shotguns and submachine guns, according to the report by Justice Department Inspector General Glenn A. Fine.
Oh this is just great. The agency that taxpayers fund to prevent terrorism and investigate crimes can't even keep track of its own sensitive equipment. Does FBI stand for Federal Bureau of Idiots?
Since they're so adept at losing things, let's put their expertise to good use. Let's make the FBI responsible for losing weight in all those Americans who want to lose some.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Remedy for Record Snowfall
Regarding the record amounts of snowfall in a short period in upstate New York:
It's obvious that because certain regions in the US are vulnerable to blizzards, the government should spend whatever it takes to build heated roadways to protect drivers and to keep the economy going. Why aren't we doing this? And because we haven't in this case, we should at the very least be recycling that water, shipping it to regions of the world where there are droughts and water is direly needed.
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Not Ready to Make Nice Indeed
Now that the controversial song Not Ready To Make Nice (written by Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison & Dan Wilson and recorded by the Dixie Chicks on their Taking The Long Way album) has won the Song of the Year award at the 49th annual Grammy awards (just now), it's one more sign that the George W. Bush administration is going down the tubes. The song defends an anti-George W. Bush comment by one of the Dixie Chicks. You go, Chicks!
Posted by Unknown at 9:19 PM 0 comments
Labels: Dixie Chicks, George W. Bush, Not Ready to Make Nice
First Female President
Hallelujah! Harvard University named its first female president today. Drew Gilpin Faust, a noted scholar of the American South and dean of Harvard's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, becomes Harvard's 28th president.
This is indeed an omen that Hillary Clinton will become the first female president of the US, a great reason to rejoice!
Posted by Unknown at 4:46 PM 2 comments
Labels: Drew Gilpin Faust, first female president, Harvard University, Hillary Clinton, reasons to rejoice