It's obvious...

An Open Letter To FL Governor Charlie Crist

2008-10-08T19:37:00.001-05:00

Following is a letter a friend of mine wrote to Florida's Governor Charlie Crist. This is a letter that needs to be circulated widely; I invite you to blog about it and e-mail it around:

Dear Governor,

I have lived in Sarasota for most of my life. I have eked out an existence working and having a few low end rentals on the side. This was a rough yet rewarding existence helping those folks who were down. Renting to the poor I have never been able to get first, last and security. People do not have it. Especially today. Now there is no work to be had in this town translating to a real shortage of tenants. The current batch are all so far behind I am facing having to evict three. I have not had to do an eviction in ten or more years. Imagine my chagrin when I discovered that it will now cost me OVER FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH to evict. That is if I do all the work myself and go through all the hoops myself and make sure not to cross one i or dot one t or it starts all over again from the beginning. All this in my free time. Even if the tenants do not fight leaving - because they cannot afford to go anywhere - I will be out several months rent and the huge repair costs to rehab three units. It is coming down to leaving the tenants in place and giving the property to the bank. I have worked my whole life for this. Shame on you and your ilk. Your approval rating with me just dropped its last ten points to zero. I am also letting everyone I know about this your alternate form of taxation. Shame on you.

Vincent Dessberg
BellaGlass.com

A Friend's Lament About The Demise of Newspapers

2008-09-28T16:20:00.004-05:00

Following is a letter that a friend, Jan Slusmon, of Burlington, VT, sent to some friends and I:

An Amazing Change

About a month ago, my wife and I made an amazing change, one that is strange and deeply unsettling. For the first time in my adult life, I/we do not get a daily newspaper every day.

This is an astonishing change for me. I have always been a huge fan of newspapers. For much of my adult life, I read as many as three, four, or even five papers a day. There were days I'd spend a couple of hours reading them.

In addition, I spent about 15 years of my life working in the newspaper business, as a reporter and editor, and also have worked in both commercial and public radio, and for many more years indexing newspaper and magazine articles for scholarly databases.

And so this was a pretty drastic step.

We'd been talking about dropping our local paper for some time, and had vowed to do it when the price went from 50 cents to 75 cents a day.

Although money is a concern to me as I transition toward retirement, it was not the issue here. What has really happened is that there has been a very steep decline in the quality and comprehensiveness of newspapers, along with a very steep increase in price, one I'm no longer willing to pay. (I would gladly pay 75 cents a day for something, but I feel taken to spend the same amount on nothing).

Our local paper, the Burlington Free Press, is a Gannett paper, a member of the fast-food, lowest common denominator chain, where profits have always been far more important than quality. But it did have a fair amount of local news, even if the quality was not very good. In the past couple of years, the amount of local news covered by the Free Press has dropped off to almost nothing. It's all stories from the wire services, and a wrapping for advertising circulars. There's nothing in it, and they kept raising the price. In the last year or two, it's taken less than 60 seconds to read everything of interest in a 24 or 36-page paper.

I felt great dropping the Free Press, and had planned to switch to the Boston Globe, one of America's greatest newspapers, and the one strong regional paper for New England. The Globe is excellent in many ways--a real newspaper. But a week after the Free Press price hike, the out-of-town distributors who bring the Globe to Burlington hiked the price from 75 cents a day (which I was willing to pay) to $1.30 a day. At the same time, they raised the price of the New York Times (which I used to read daily and still read occasionally) from $1.25 a day to $1.75 a day, and $6 on Sunday. Even USA Today, which is pretty thin but has some occasional good stories, has gone from 50 cents to $1 a day in short order.

As late as the mid 1970s, I was buying two local papers from Vermont, the Boston Globe, and The New York Times, for a total of 50 cents or less a day! And some days I'd splurge and get the Montreal Gazette for another 20 cents.

And so I find myself frustrated. Some days I buy the Globe, other days USA Today, but for the very first time in my life I don't get a paper every day. And costs of everything are skyrocketing. My wife and I thought we were secure for a good retirement, but the prices of everything keep skyrocketing out of sight, and we find ourselves making decisions about buying all kinds of little things we never gave much thought to.

I find myself getting a lot of my news now from PBS (Macneil Lehrer) and NPR. But broadcast news is STILL not as good as the news from a good newspaper. I also (shudder) find myself getting a lot of news from the Internet. The Internet is an amazing medium, but I've never thought of it as a place for comprehensive, balanced news--it's more about entertainment, infotainment, and opinion, sometimes wacky opinion.

I do find myself reading The New York Times, Boston Globe, Christian Science Monitor etc. websites, as well as the websites of local papers. But I feel queasy doing this, like I'm cheating. This information is basically all coming from the newspapers, and if nobody pays to buy the newspapers, this information will disappear.

I find it amazing that in a few years we have gone from newspapers as a very strong, venerable tradition, one I've loved and thought would always be a part of my life, to one that is declining dramatically in quality and scope, and one that, instead of costing a pittance, would require me to spend a couple of hundred dollars a month to sustain my "habit", money I don't really feel like spending in view of my other needs.

We live in amazing times.....

Jan

Sarah Palin? No Way.

2008-09-02T23:33:00.003-05:00

Sarah Palin believes teens should abstain from sex until marriage. She's opposed to sex ed in the schools.

That's just plain wrong, because:

(1) teens are never going to abstain; and
(2) There is zero discussion of sex ed in many families.

This leaves teen GIRLS unprotected, because they're the ones who are at risk of getting pregnant. Sarah does not believe in abortion, so those teenage girls who line up with her beliefs will risk having to bear children if they do get pregnant. Teenage girls shouldn't have to bear children; they should have the time to pursue their studies and prepare for careers. Teen boys shouldn't have to marry girls they impregnate if they don't choose to; and anyway, that's way too young for people to marry.

So, I feel sorry for the GIRLS who become victims from lack of sex ed knowledge.

Sarah expects other teens to abstain even though her daughter didn't. Why didn't her daughter use birth control? Is it because Sarah prevented local schools from teaching about it and because she never bothered to educate her own daughter?

It's an insult to all intelligent women for McCain to think any Hillary fans will vote for him because of this conservative woman he invited to join his ticket.

Hillary Heads Petition to Protect Women's Health

2008-07-22T16:37:00.000-05:00

Hillary Clinton asks us to sign this petition.

She says the following about it, as the honorary chair of HillPAC, an organization dedicated to helping working families:

"It is our goal to fight for a better future for every child, and for every family. To keep fighting for those who get up every day, no matter what the odds, and never give in. For those who never back down, and those who always stand their ground.

"The Bush White House is working to rewrite the definition of abortion in federal regulations to include common forms of birth control. This would undermine women's health and put family planning services in danger. Simply, it puts women at risk -- it could even prevent victims of sexual assault from receiving emergency contraceptives.

"I need your help to speak up for the health of millions of American women who are in danger, once again, from the latest assault from the Bush administration.

"Will you join me in sending a strong message to Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt to put women's health ahead of right-wing ideology?"

We share Hillary's concerns and hope you will sign the petition.

JustSayNoDeal.com

2008-06-12T09:06:00.000-05:00

New site highlights all the groups that support Hillary, not Obama

Dennis Kucinich Introduces Articles of Impeachment Against GWB

2008-06-12T00:52:00.001-05:00

My Facebook Friend on The Colbert Show--Hilarious!

2008-05-30T08:49:00.001-05:00

Sexism Is Rampant In the Media

2008-05-23T13:23:00.000-05:00

Petiton to Keep Boston Legal On the Air!

2008-05-14T19:31:00.002-05:00

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keep-boston-legal-on-the-air

How To Save Money on Gasoline And Help the Environment

2008-05-09T21:23:00.002-05:00

Find out how a simple do it yourself tweak to your car or truck will allow it to run partly on water. It sounds incredible, but it's true.

Hillary on Leno (Parts 1 and 2)

2008-04-13T03:27:00.001-05:00

She's relaxed and funny here:

Part 1

Part 2

Worth Reading, Whatever Your Political Views

2008-02-08T02:06:00.000-05:00

This awesome essay by Robin Morgan speaks volumes about how the media is prejudiced against women running for president, and how we have allowed the media to get away with their vile prejudice.

CRUSH, my new video about a guy with a crush on Hillary

2008-01-29T03:53:00.000-05:00

Wonderful Kucinich Video!

2008-01-10T23:29:00.000-05:00

The man's got principles and passion!

Road to the Greenhouse!

2008-01-10T23:02:00.000-05:00

Meet Dennis KuSpinach and the other candidates!

Find out which presidential candidate has values most like yours

2007-12-14T20:48:00.000-05:00

http://www.dehp.net/candidate/

KUCINICH SWEEPS PDA POLL

2007-12-05T21:03:00.000-05:00

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

Hillary is too conservative for me

2007-09-26T21:38:00.001-05:00

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.

Hillary's Health Care Plan

2007-09-19T03:50:00.000-05:00

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?

In the Ghetto--A Lisa Marie & Elvis Duet

2007-08-18T01:01:00.000-05:00

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.

Going Vegan Helps the Environment for Sure!

2007-07-23T02:02:00.000-05:00

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

Sicko is Brilliant

2007-06-21T23:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Hillary Announces Her Campaign Song!

2007-06-19T11:18:00.001-05:00

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!

An Open Letter to Michael Moore

2007-06-18T16:50:00.000-05:00

Check out my open letter to Michael Moore.

Michael Moore Has a Big Crush on Hillary Clinton

2007-06-18T16:20:00.000-05:00

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.

Another Inconvenient Truth Al Gore Needs to Realize

2007-05-27T01:22:00.000-05:00

The Vegetarian Union of North America lists many links about how eating a vegan diet helps the environment in a very big way.

Don't Miss This Documentary on 4-21-07 at 9 p.m. on the Discovery Channel!

2007-04-18T02:01:00.000-05:00

"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.

Kucinich is the Greenest Candidate Because He's a Vegan

2007-04-16T14:02:00.000-05:00

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!

The Big Brother YouTube Ad Dissing Hillary

2007-03-22T12:31:00.000-05:00

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.

Who Does The White House Think They're Kidding?

2007-03-20T14:24:00.000-05:00

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.

Growing Movement to Impeach Bush for War Crimes

2007-03-19T21:30:00.000-05:00

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.

Our New STOP GLOBAL WARMING Bumper Sticker

2007-03-17T11:56:00.000-05:00

Our exclusive bumper sticker says:

STOP GLOBAL WARMING

GO VEGAN

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.

Urge Congress To Act Against Global Warming

2007-03-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

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

Mo Rocca's Funny Sketch on Leno

2007-03-15T23:00:00.001-05:00

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!

Demand that US Attorney General Resign!

2007-03-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

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.

Jay Leno on Peta's asking Gore to Go Vegan

2007-03-13T22:44:00.000-05:00

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."

Worldwide Scientists Say Global Warming To Cause Grave Damage to Earth and People

2007-03-11T11:30:00.000-05:00

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!

Proposed Legislation to Give California Newborns $500 Savings Accounts

2007-03-08T19:04:00.000-05:00

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.

The New Yorker: Al Gore as the Winner

2007-03-06T18:29:00.000-05:00

There's a great, wise essay by David Remnick in the current New Yorker about Al Gore. Check it out!

Hillary's Great Idea Re: Energy

2007-03-03T23:04:00.000-05:00

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!

Shades of Bill as "First Gentleman"?

2007-03-02T20:13:00.000-05:00

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.

Another Female Has Entered the Presidential Race

2007-03-01T23:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Where's the Missing $12 Billion We Sent to Iraq???

2007-02-28T23:43:00.001-05:00

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

2007-02-28T00:26:00.000-05:00

"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.

Tell FL Democrats Which Candidates You'd Like to See

2007-02-27T23:19:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-27T01:46:00.000-05:00

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!

Al Gore's Documentary on Global Warming Wins Oscar for Best Film

2007-02-26T00:48:00.000-05:00

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.

Newsweek's Political Blog Uses Talking Heads Song's Form

2007-02-25T18:35:00.000-05:00

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?

Join Henry Kissinger, George Shultz and Me...

2007-02-24T18:38:00.000-05:00

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.

NY Law Upholds Old Ban On Dancing in Bars, Restaurants & Even Some Clubs w/o Permits

2007-02-23T13:41:00.000-05:00

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.

Sheryl Crow Launches Stop Global Warming Tour

2007-02-22T19:45:00.000-05:00

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!

Go Vegan & Stop Global Warming

2007-02-21T20:11:00.000-05:00

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.

A Fantastic Apres-War Party

2007-02-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

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?"

Fashion Ads That Spotlight Global Warming

2007-02-19T17:49:00.000-05:00

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.

Bush's Moles

2007-02-18T23:18:00.000-05:00

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.

Senate's Non-Binding Send-No-More-Troops Rez Misses by 4 Votes

2007-02-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

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.)

GWB Too Busy to See Congress Diss His Iraq Policy

2007-02-16T20:29:00.000-05:00

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.

Fans to Rock Against Global Warming

2007-02-15T18:27:00.000-05:00

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...

Comedians' Campaigns for Presidential Candidates

2007-02-14T20:47:00.000-05:00

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?

FBI Is Missing Laptops and Weapons

2007-02-13T02:56:00.000-05:00

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.

Remedy for Record Snowfall

2007-02-12T15:37:00.000-05:00

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.

Not Ready to Make Nice Indeed

2007-02-11T21:19:00.000-05:00

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!

First Female President

2007-02-11T16:46:00.000-05:00

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!