Tuesday, July 8:

Tasers & The RCMP The RCMP, along with many other police forces, have been misusing Tasers as bully tools, torture tools, and sometimes implements od death. It has to stop.

William Cormier: Independence Day Turned Into Our Worst Nightmare The news I read this Independence Holiday is shocking to the core! We've had events transpire and attention drawn to others that should outrage every American that begins adding up this holiday's revelations. We've been celebrating a ghost of democracy past – not the reality of America today. When will "enough be enough" and Americans band together to change our march toward total fascism?

David Glenn Cox: "As GM Goes, So Goes the Nation" (1 comments) "As GM Goes, So Goes the Nation." Such was the conventional wisdom in the 1960's when GM churned out Chevelles, Camaros, Cutlasses, Catalinas, and Cadillacs by the millions. Maybe the saying "runs like a Cadillac" will outlive the company; maybe "As GM Goes, So Goes the Nation" has never been truer. GM's future is bleak, analysts predict that GM may soon go broke as new car sales stumble.

Roland Michel Tremblay: Are there any politically engaged poets out there? It is true that many poets were born out of necessity, from the trouble times they were living in. Poetry was then the only acceptable way to fight, because it could be less evident about what it really meant. It was often an indirect attack leaving the real target unaware, and so it was published when it should not have been. Yet, it was significant and meaningful in many ways.

Wes Walls: The McEwan Delusion: The Pseudo-Threat of Islamism So we have a species of a broader ideology that has been so widespread historically as to make any particular attribution misleadingly definitive. Illiberal societies are the norm, not the exception. So what is it about "Islamism" that singles it out for special attention?

AIPAC’s Hirelings Rush to Resolution America’s Knesset, servile hirelings of Israel’s lobby, rush to pass yet another resolution conceived by AIPAC, authored and co-signed by its most slavish puppets, Ackerman and Ros-Lehtinen in the House and Lieberman and Bayh in the Senate--Resolutions H. Con. 362 and S. 580, the “Iran War Resolution.” Passage gives Bush power to impose a unilateral blockade on Iran, an act, if done without UN sanction, is an act of war.

David Glenn Cox: When Money Goes Out the Door, Love Flies Out the Window How do you explain it? Without need or justification Barack Obama has begun the Democratic death spiral. Like a moth to a flame or a lemming to the cliff, the presumptive Democratic nominee has started moving toward the center. Like Charlie Brown, running at full steam towards Lucy with the football, unburdening himself of his principles along the way to build up speed.

Ruth: *The Biggest Change Will Be Lasting Change. The biggest change will be lasting change, and it won't initiated by any politician, right or left. It will be initiated by the people when enough of us learn how we may truly reform our government so that it no longer serves Mammon and the wealthiest few, but instead serves all the people. And it will be the biggest change in two thousand years, fulfilling the prophecies of ALL religions.

North America Doesn't Exist The concept that Canada, the United States, and Mexico should forge a single security agenda as a non-existent continent is absurd and dangerous. Yet this agreement is built on a convenient myth, a partnership that really consists of two countries subordinated to a superpower that agree to this subordination due to economic dependencies and the interests of corporations that cross borders to maximize profits.

10 Reasons Not to Invest in Nuclear Energy Nuclear power is so expensive that it requires federal subsidies to compete in the energy market. The money would be better spent elsewhere.

Bob Herbert: Lurching With Abandon Senator Obama is not just tacking gently toward the center. He’s lurching right when it suits him, and he’s zigging with the kind of reckless abandon that’s guaranteed to cause disillusion, if not whiplash. “What’s he doing?” is the most common question heard recently from Obama supporters. For one thing, he’s taking his base for granted.

Jane Stillwater: The "Hanoi Hilton" revisited -- and making plans for the new Baghdad Hilton too What do Vietnam and Iraq have in common? The deceivers who started both wars justified their continuation of them because of the communism (and Islamofascism) "Domino Theory" and "to keep the country from sliding into chaos and civil war". Now Vietnam has Corporatism, not communism. Plus it has a REAL Hilton hotel. If we get out of Iraq now, will it also have a REAL Baghdad Hilton after a couple of years? It's time to find out

Baker, Christopher: Put War Powers Back Where They Belong The War Powers Consultation Act of 2009 does not pretend to resolve the underlying constitutional issues. It would reserve the ability of both Congress and the president to assert their constitutional war powers. In drawing up the statute we focused on a common theme that almost all past proposals shared: the importance of meaningful consultation between the president and Congress before the nation is committed to war.

Jason Miller: Sentient Like Me: Ape Rights and the Myth of Intelligence amongst Speciesists Human infants and toddlers can't comprehend the concept of rights either, so we better get busy rescinding their rights. And since when is it an "entitlement" to grant a living, sentient being life, freedom and protection from torture?

NYT Editorial: Compromising the Constitution Supporters argue the new bill still requires a warrant for eavesdropping that “targets” an American. That’s a smokescreen. The real reason this bill exists is because Mr. Bush decided after 9/11 that he was above the law. When The Times disclosed his warrantless eavesdropping, Mr. Bush demanded that Congress legalize it after the fact.

Take Action: Tell Your Senators to Say NO to the FISA Amendments Act On July 9, the Senate will vote on whether to expand the government's surveillance powers to allow warrantless surveillance of Americans and give immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the Bush administration engage in illegal surveillance in the past. Please tell your senators to vote NO on this legislation. The FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 6304) is based on flawed rationales rejected last week in Fed Court

Dave Lindorff: Paul Krugman and Blindness About the War and the Economy (2 comments) New York Times columnist Paul Krugman looked at the US economy's woes, and somehow failed to see any impact from the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Patriot Follows the Money and Exposes Foreign Agents Patriot and author, Grant F. Smith, Director for the Institute of Research Middle East Policy publication, Foreign Agents: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee from the 1963 Fulbright Hearings to the 2005 Espionage Scandal, exposes how US Middle East policy has been formulated and thrives due to the dearth of relevant reporting on AIPAC's activities.

Kobyashi Maru This is a wonderful little piece that I ran across on the no-win situation faced by the Federal Reserve in dealing with the economic disaster that we all find ourselves trapped in courtesy of the perverted form of looter capitalism that has destroyed the dollar and is on the brink of beggaring the country while Wall Street stooges Paulson and Bernanke provide rearguard cover for their criminal friends.

Free Association: Unquotable Words (AP attempts to intimidate free speech) (1 comments) Column: A new Associated Press policy says you're at risk if you quote their work or diss them. How are young bloggers and writers reacting?

Stephen Pizzo: Women (Scorned) Gone Wild (2 comments) I never thought I could dislike anyone as much as I've come to detest George W. Bush. But a small group is vying for that same "honor." I am speaking of Hillary Clinton's deep-pocketed contributors, the "Hillraisers."

The Democratic National Convention Looks Like A Good Place Not To Be If you go, be on guard: "We Are Change Colorado has now become aware that another group, Unconventional Action, is planning on being violent at the DNC protests. Violence is a broad term. Some argue that property damage is violent, others might tell you it sends a message. To most of the Truth Alliance and We Are Change Colorado activists, there is no message to property damage and is in fact, a form of violent behavior."

"The Top Ten Connections Between NIST and Nano-Thermites"� The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has had considerable difficulty determining a politically correct sequence of events for the unprecedented destruction of three World Trade Center buildings on 9/11. But despite a number of variations in NIST's story, it never considered explosives or pyrotechnic materials in any of its hypotheses. This omission is at odds with several other striking facts;

RC deWinter: Some Choice (3 comments) My very own opinion on our (not-so-stellar) presidential candidates.

Obama campaign to reveal site of acceptance speech : DNC 2008 By now all media have made it clear that Senator Obama's acceptance speech will come from a football field (come rain or shine). Denver paper goes out of its way to applaud, reminding us that JFK gave his outofdoors.

The JFK Assassination and 9/11: the Designated Suspects in Both Cases by Peter Dale Scott. Summaries and analysis of the many similarities in how the suspects were identified in both the JFK assassination and 9/11

Sibel Edmonds' Redacted IG Report Released DOJ IG's redacted report on Sibel Edmonds finally released, and exerpts/commentary on Ms. Edmonds and Luke Ryland appearance on Scott Horton's radio show in June.

How Renewable Energy Can Resolve the Iranian Nuclear Issue If Iran Wants Electricity, Give It Renewable Power Iran claims that "its nuclear [program] is solely aimed at generating electricity so that it can sell more of its oil and gas." If that's the case, then all Iran really needs is a means of generating electricity that doesn't involve oil, gas or nuclear power, since the international community is staunchly opposed to a nuclear Iran.

Should the Government Kill Its Own Citizens? If the government is allowed to kill criminals, no matter what heinous crimes they have committed, then the precedent can always be expanded to kill law-abiding citizens for political reasons. Governments are especially prone to do this when they are fighting wars-reacting to paranoia that the enemy is everywhere.

Who Planned the Anthrax Attacks? Who sent the letter to military police at Quantico before the Anthrax attacks, trying to pin them in advance on Ayaad Assaad? Why didn't the FBI investigate the letter sender, who it appears had foreknowledge? Instead, they cleared Assaad and tried to frame Hatfill.

Reefer Madness: Not!!! Chastizes Canada's RCMP for stupidity and brutality.

Progressives Must Guard Against Helping to Promote Republican Narrative That Alleges Obama "Flip Flops" If Democrats can't become smarter than spoiled children wanting everything exactly their own way, they'll LOSE by cutting the ground out from under Obama with carping at a time when he needs their support. Can Democrats put up with two thirds of a loaf, or will they help another Republican get elected by fragmenting Obama's campaign?

Kiilu Nyasha on George Jackson and Black August This is the 29th anniversary of Black August, first organized to honor our martyred freedom fighters, Jonathan and George Jackson, Khatari Gaulden, James McClain, William Christmas, and the sole survivor of the August 7,1970 Courthouse Slave Rebellion, Ruchell Cinque Magee. It's a time to embrace the principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, physical fitness and/or training in martial arts, resistance and...

John Kusumi: YouTube Users Should Breathe Fire At Stanton Second revision / third version of this article.

Surviving the Fourth of July Chris Hedges is a personal hero of mine for his ability to courageously speak on the state of the rotting empire that we all in some way recognize. He has been there and has lived to tell the tale as a veteran war correspondent. I always recommend his columns but his speeches are even better - they are able to cleanse the soul - and I would recommend listening to him. In this darkest of times he is a rare beacon of morality.

sameh abdelaziz: Independent or Flip-Flopper (3 comments) The same critics that discovered Obama's secret liberal identity during the primary, now are certain that he belongs to the gang of unprincipled politicians willing to promise anything until elected.

Kay Ebeling: Convicted pedophile priest Tony Rodrigue admits to 5 victims a year in 20 years yet diocese claims to not know his name Ongoing coverage of sex crimes in the Catholic Church

Mumia Abu-Jamal: Saving Bankers While Homeowners Fall When the sub-prime mess hit, in a matter of hours, the Federal Reserve Board's head, Ben Bernanke, slipped $200 billion in government guarantees to keep the mortgage loan industry afloat. Thus, the U.S. government used its power to back the banks' hustling of what were essentially junk bonds. A fifth of a trillion bucks to back those who ripped off a million people with loans designed to fail; and for those ripped off?

steve young: MCCAIN GETS JUMP ON OBAMA (1 comments) Jumping the Obama Shark

Who Planned the Anthrax Attacks? (1 comments) After the man they tried to frame settled his case against the government for $5.8 million, the question remains - if he didn't do it, who did? And why is the government still obstructing a real investigation in a case that should be easily solvable?

Braden Thacker: For Chris Hedges on the Fourth of July Liberals, Patriotism and Morality

Simbala Martin: *Iran: Learning the Lessons of Cambodia and Iraq Conducting a war on the pretext of national security while overlooking the human element fails to account how insurgences thrive. If the United States expands the Iraq War into Iran based on less than credible pretenses and without international support, the U.S. will alienate the Iranian people just like as it did with Cambodians and Iraqis.

JC Garrett: Republicans are REVOLTING! (and they don't care much for McCain either)

Bruce K. Gagnon: IT SHOULD NOT BE SO Tight Senate race in Maine and Democratic Party works overtime to keep Independent anti-war candidate off the ballot - shades of Republican dirty tricks.

Andrew Bard Schmookler: Seeking Peace of Mind Amidst Insecurity Like most people, I generally rely upon my own little "personal empire" to feel safe and comfortable in my life. The way my own "empire" is deteriorating these days --I can't sell my house, my financial assets are losing value-- has led me to ask if there's some place within myself where that good feeling can be found despite the tough times.

Kevin Sysyn: Why is NATO in Afghanistan? (5 comments) It is hard to imagine how the NATO charter jibes their military and occupying presence in Afghanistan. This article asks the questions of NATO's legitimacy and mission in Afghanistan.

Mike Folkerth: "Getting Down to Grilling Beans!" As we continue to tax our resources in a futile effort to continue our growth oriented society, the imbalance will become untenable. Following is an example of that imbalance.

Laura Peterson: Presidential Candidates on the Issue of Child Development Hands to Hearts International reviews the perspectives on child development from Obama, Clinton, and McCain.

Paul Kruger: *What is the over riding law of the land? How should we, as American Citizens, address the crisis posed to us by a Congress that no longer appears to consider the Constitution to be anything of value to them?

G.E. Nordell: In the Middle Are the Sheeple The Paretto Principle is replaced by the Principle of Two Quarters

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Tuesday, July 8:

David Earnhardt: *STEVE HELLER clip from UNCOUNTED on YOUTUBE We are releasing a new clip from UNCOUNTED on YouTube each week until Election Day.We will be sending out email alerts each time we release a new clip.The first clip is about Steve Heller,the CA whistleblower who found proof that Diebold was using illegal uncertified software in their voting machines.He is s true American patriot-and we can all draw the inspiration we need before the election from his words and actions.

Cheney Aides Altered CDC Testimony, Agency Official Says Former EPA deputy associate administrator Jason Burnett said an official from Cheney's office edited out six pages from the testimony of Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, last October. Boxer said the administration feared that Gerberding's testimony would force it to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels.

Congress Ratings Hit Historic Low; Poll hits single digit low Congress's rating by Rasmussen pollster had dropped to 9% with only 13% of Dems rating congress as good or better. Put that on the table Nancy, Harry, Stenny, Chuck and the Bluedogs who keep it deserving such low ratings.

Spanish court examines war crimes case against Israeli military brass (1 comments) Seven senior Israeli military officials involved in the planning and execution of the "targeted assassination" of Salah Shehada, in Gaza city in July 2002. The Occupation dropped a 500 kg bomb on his house killing him and seventeen others. An immediate response the Occupation ordered the military officers in the case not to enter Spain to avoid arrest and prosecution. This case is holding those responsible accountable.

NEWS ALERT: Waxman schedules contempt vote against Mukasey for ignoring Plamegate subpoena Attorney General Michael Mukasey has ignored a subpoena issued June 16 by the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform asking for documents relevant to its Valerie Plame leak investigation, including FBI interviews with Bush and Cheney. Committee Chair Henry Waxman sent Mukasey a letter July 8 informing him that the Committee would vote July 16 on whether or not Mukasey will be found in contempt of Congress.

JGideon: 'Daily Voting News' For July 08, 2008 a collection of local, state, national and international articles on electronic voting and election issue

Iran begins large-scale military drill The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has begun a military exercise and issued a warning that Israel and US naval forces in the Persian Gulf would be prime targets if Iran is attacked. The US is also carrying out drills in the Gulf, which began last week and end on Monday. The US vowed that it would not let Iran block the strategic waterways, which are used to transport significant parts of the Gulf's oil to the rest of the world.

Joe Russo: Foreclosures: Virginia is for Lovers and Has Leaders, too ! Virginia has a very visible foreclosure problem - According to Pew Resaerch 1 in 33 houses in Virginia will be foreclosed. FAIRFAX County is one of the few localities that are actually doing something about the problem. It is not perfect, but at least it is something.

Long-term unemployment in the US climbs 37 percent in one year Last month, 1.5 million people had been unable to find work half a year or more. Many of these workers, without paychecks or medical insurance and having exhausted their unemployment benefits, are confronted with foreclosure on their homes, evictions and the threat of destitution. The number of long term unemployed is up from 1.1 million in June of 2007.

ACLU: U.S. blocking payments to Guantanamo attorneys The U.S. government is blocking the American Civil Liberties Union from paying attorneys representing suspected terrorists held here, insisting that the ACLU must first receive a license from the U.S. Treasury Department before making the payments. ACLU director Anthony Romero on Tuesday accused the Bush administration of "obstruction of justice" by delaying approval of the license...

The Post's New Executive Editor Once Headed Wall Street Journal Marcus Brauchli was named executive editor of The Washington Post yesterday, returning him to the top ranks of American journalism less than three months after Rupert Murdoch forced him out as the Wall Street Journal's editor. Brauchli will succeed Leonard Downie Jr., who has run the newsroom for 17 years.

Kindra Muntz: *Fox news coverage of Sarasota Cty. mock election, Tuesday, July 8th In Sarasota County, Florida, we are waiting for the decision of the Florida Supreme Court from the May 7th hearing on our county charter amendment for paper ballots, mandatory audits, with audits conducted before certifying elections. Our countywide effort could be the harbinger of verified elections statewide and nationwide.

Congress Threatens U.S. Attorney General With Contempt Over Leak Investigation Rep. Henry Waxman threatened Attorney General Michael Mukasey on Tuesday with contempt for failing to respond to a subpoena and provide records of FBI interviews about the Plame leak.

India’s Nuclear Pact With U.S. Near Completion India’s prime minister went to the Group of 8 summit meeting in Japan on Monday with his government intact and enough political strength to complete a landmark nuclear agreement with the United States, ending months of speculation that either his government or the agreement, on which he has staked his reputation, would collapse.

Paddy Shaffer: Are Ohio Voters Jus' a Buncha Dumb Hayseeds? Recent research by Ohio Election Justice Campaign reveals over 800 pages of documents on the destruction of the 2004 ballots in violation of court order not submitted to the court. Brunner promised all documents were provided to the court over a year ago. Are Ohio voters dumb hayseeds or have they trusted unwisely?

Michelle McLaughlin: Peace is Upon Us (1 comments) The general magnitude of global warfare has decreased by over 60% since the mid '80s falling by the end of 2004 to its lowest level since the late 50's. Are we living in the most peaceful time in our history?

McCain and the Evangelicals A look at John McCain and his strength with evangelical voters.

Tan Ee Lyn: Beijing Pollution Effects on Olympians' Health and Performance Medical Experts back up concerns for health in Beijing's foul air pollution, not only among long distance runners and endurance athletes, but among the spectators as well!

Paul Martin: Iran's discredited Press TV Celebrates "Anniversary of Propaganda" (1 comments) Iran's regime celebrates its high priced Press TV alone.

The shameful Islamophobia at the heart of Britain's press (1 comments) On the morning of 7 October 2006 The Sun newspaper splashed a dramatic story across its front page. The story – billed as exclusive – concerned a callous and cynical crime committed by Muslims. A team of Sun reporters described in graphic detail how what the paper labelled a "Muslim hate mob" had vandalised a house near Windsor. But there was one very big problem with The Sun story. There was no Muslim involvement of any kind.

"Want some torture with your peanuts?" A senior government official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet that would serve as a stun device, similar to that of a police Taser®. According to this promotional video found at the Lamperd Less Lethal website, the bracelet would be worn by all airline passengers.

Obama's Search Team Begins To Vet - McCain Also Article begins with assertion Jim Webb opted out, because he doesn't want to go through another vetting so soon after Senate bid. "{B}etween eightand ten" on McCain's list, with Pawlenty and Romney mentioned.

Linda Bemis: Should we eliminate medical insurance as we know it and replace with our own. Poll on whether we should eliminate employer insurance, Medicare, Medicade, Veterans health care, all medical insurance companies, etc.

Gene Cappa: Should John Conyers Hold Impeachment Hearings Anyway? (9 comments) Should House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers hold immediate impeachment hearings anyway even though his House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took impeachment "off the table" for Cheney and Bush, and Conyers has stated he is documenting everything for his next democratic president Barack Obama?

Rob Kall: Have Obama's Centrist Policy Policy Declarations Surprised You? (50 comments) Did you think Obama was a progressive or did you see him, from the beginning as a centrist moderate? If you saw him as a centrist moderate from the beginning, then his positions will not be as big a surprise as if you saw him as a progressive from the beginning.

Bush Torture Techniques Copied from Communists This, from the John Birch Society, no less: "Bush Administration interrogation techniques for detainees at Guantanamo Bay and other secret prisons were copied, in many cases word-for-word, from torture techniques employed by Chinese Communists against American prisoners during the Korean War. Will Americans stand silent now that these same show trials are being conducted by their own government?

Monday, July 7:

CHINA: 'Within a Generation Beijing Will Cease to Exist' Few in the Chinese capital are aware of the price their city would pay for staging the world's first 'green Olympics' in August. The fabulous capital of Chinese emperors and the epitome of modern China's ambitions is being driven to extinction by its chronic lack of water. And the Olympic games are expediting the city's slow demise, according to experts. "Within a generation this city would cease to exist," says Dai Qing

Church vote opens door to female bishops In an emotional, sometimes bitter debate lasting more than seven hours, the General Synod voted against introducing separate structures and "superbishops", to oversee parishes opposed to women bishops, because they were seen as amounting to institutionalised discrimination.

Rural areas remain fertile for recruiting Rural America continues to be fertile ground for military recruiters as young people continue to see the armed forces as a way to escape poverty or lack of opportunity in their hometowns, according to an analysis by the Department of Defense data by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Ahmadinejad: Israel and U.S. won't dare attack Iran (4 comments) Ahmadinejad on Monday said his country would not stop enriching uranium, as demanded by the international community, and charged that Israel and the United States were too scared to attack. He rejected as "illegitimate" the demand by major powers that Iran stop producing enriched uranium.

Medvedev warning on missile shield Dmitry Medvedev has met with several leaders during the Group of Eight (G8) economic powers summit in Japan, his first global forum since taking over as Russia's president. After meeting with George Bush, Medvedev's aide said that the US president had failed to ease Moscow's concerns about US plans for a European-based missile shield.

MPs accuse Washington of lying over rendition flights MPs are to launch an investigation into US activities on Diego Garcia after accusing Washington of lying about extraordinary rendition flights from the British-controlled island in the Indian Ocean. They described false assurances given by the US about its use of Diego Garcia for the controversial flights as "deplorable".

JGideon: 'Daily Voting News' For July 06 and 07, 2008 a collection of local, state, national and international articles on electronic voting and election issue

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: POLL IS THE Ancient Tablet Predating Jesus as Messiah and Resurrection Fraud Or Truth (13 comments) The Tablet now known as "Gabriel's Revelation" has stirred quite a controversy among, Christians, Jews and others. Many Hebrew scholars believe the stone to be authentic and if so it would to confirm the expectation of just such a Messiah even before Jesus was born. What do you think? Read and tap the link to read the original article and let us know.

Roger Shuler: Minor Appeal Shines Spotlight on GOP Corruption The Paul Minor case in Mississippi exposes the corruption of a federal judge (a Reagan appointee) in the Deep South.

Guantanamo Crumbles THE CASE OF Huzaifa Parhat provides the clearest, most compelling evidence yet that the process used by the Bush administration to justify holding detainees at Guantanamo Bay is deeply and irreversibly flawed and must be discarded.

GAO Cites Spiraling Costs Of New Weapons Programs Meanwhile, buried on page A-11...The major weapons systems being developed and produced by the Defense Department will require $1.6 trillion to complete and $335 billion over the next five years -- money that may not be available because of the continuing cost of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office.

Dave Lindorff: Mumia Abu-Jamal's Long-Shot Appeal for Reversal of Last Year's Disastrous Third Circuit Ruling Mumia's attorney files a petition for re-examination by the full Third Circuit bench of last year's decision by a Three -Judge Panel rejecting his appeal for a new trial on the basis of jury selection bias.

Monday: 23 Iraqis Killed, 43 Wounded At least 23 Iraqis were killed and 43 more were wounded in the latest attacks. Several bombings took place across Iraq, including another suicide bombing carried out by a woman. Awakening Council members were targeted in several cities as well. Ed. Note: Shhhh...don't tell Adm. Mullen...ss

Maliki Stunner: He Wants US Pullout Timetable The long-running showdown over the proposed US-Iraq treaty, aimed at legitimizing the American occupation of Iraq, is coming to a head, and it doesn't look good for the United States. Prime Minister Nouiri al-Maliki tossed a bombshell today. In a news conference about the still-secret US-Iraqi talks, which began in March, Maliki for the first time said that the chances of securing the pact are just about nil.

Joint Chiefs chairman says Iraq security gains from 'surge' of US troops appear to be holding Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that important elements of a solution to the Iraqi war — including reduced levels of sectarian violence, political reconciliation and stronger Iraqi forces — are coming into view more than five years after the U.S. invasion.

Focus on Economy Poses Problems for Candidates The crush of bad economic news — six consecutive months of job losses, rising rates of home foreclosures, gasoline prices seemingly headed toward $5 a gallon — is increasingly setting the contours of the race between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. Both candidates plan to spend this week focusing almost entirely on the economy. But both face political problems with the issue.

Doctors Press Senate to Undo Medicare Cuts Congress returns to work this week with Medicare high on the agenda and Senate Republicans under pressure after a barrage of radio and television advertisements blamed them for a 10.6 percent cut in payments to doctors who care for millions of older Americans.

Iraq looks to more debt waivers after UAE deal Iraq seeks debt forgiveness from other Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, following the waiver by the United Arab Emirates of almost $7 billion in obligations. The United States has pressed Arab governments to support Iraq's recovery by joining Western nations in forgiving their share of Iraqi foreign debts that total up to $80 billion.

Famed Name Is Double-Edged as Two Udalls Run Representatives Tom and Mark Udall possess one of the most famous political names in the West, one virtually synonymous with protecting the region’s spectacular natural resources from overuse and exploitation. The two Senate seats are being vacated by Republicans, Pete V. Domenici in New Mexico and Wayne Allard in Colorado, and twin Udall victories would mean that all four senators from the two states would be Democrats.

Rob Kall: Which News Network Favors Right Wing Messages More? CNN or MSNBC? (14 comments) When you add Keith Olbermann, Andrea Mitchell, JoeScarborough and the rest on MSNBC and, Wolf Blitzer Lou Dobbs, Jack Caffrey, etcetera on CNN, which network cuts the right, McCain, Bush, etc. more slack, repeats the right wing message more?

Pakistan: Suicide bombing in capital raises concerns about negotiating with militants More unsettling news from Pakistan with latest suicide bombing in Islamasbad. Both Pakistani and American governments decry the event. Usual media reports spell out events and actions of all concerned.

Court Orders YouTube to Give Viacom Video Logs This needs to be appealed by Google. The American people need to weigh in on this violation of Internet privacy. This goes beyond copyright. I don't know about anyone else but I'm contacting my elected representatives about this one. This is a real infringement of privacy rights. This is a threat to average citizens and needs to be appealed.

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: Should Organized Religion Focus more on The Evils of Avarice/Greed Than on the Bedrooms of (6 comments) American Churches and governmental agencies are shown by polls to be the most self-righteous, sexually uptight on the planet and never once have they expressed indignation at the despicable nature of Human Avarice/greed. It's time we found out what the people think.

Marc McDonald: $10 Billion Pentagon Program Fails To Defeat IED Threat In Iraq (2 comments) Taking a look at the latest troop casualties from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq, it quickly becomes apparent that IEDs remain a lethal threat to the U.S. military. In April, May and June, IEDs killed at least 54 U.S. troops, causing over half the 104 combat deaths suffered by the military in those three months. It's clear that the U.S. military's $10 billion program to defeat the IED threat isn't working.

Betsy Combier: A Wealthy Church in New York City Uses Church Property as Collateral in Financing Expensive Real Estate Deals (2 comments) Using a church to finance illegal financing deals is the Ideal Crime. In America, the separation of church and state means just that - the church is above and outside of the law, and is immunized from prosecution. New York City's Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church is an example.

Sherwood Ross: What Military-Industrial Complex? (6 comments) As Senator Obama slides ever more to the right, it is doubtful the public will hear much about cutting the military-industrial complex down to size.

Sunday, July 6:

Edwin Rutsch: Why do conservatives value Self-Righteousness and Hypocrisy? (6 comments) Why do conservatives value Self-Righteousness and Hypocrisy?

Edwin Rutsch: Fatally Flawed Conservative Values; on Hypocrisy (13 comments)

The Telegraph: Biofuels Cause 75% Increase in Food Prices (17 comments) Biofuels major component in recent increases in the price of food. Biofuel goals being rethought in many countries.

U.S. Lifts Moratorium on New Solar Projects (6 comments) The Oil Lobby bows before the will of the People: "Under increasing public pressure over its decision to temporarily halt all new solar development on public land, the Bureau of Land Management said Wednesday that it was lifting the freeze, barely a month after it was put into effect."

Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman: Three key ways YOU can help protect the 2008 election (7 comments) 1) BEFORE THE ELECTION:REGISTER PEOPLE TO VOTE,CONFIRM THEIR REGISTRATIONS, AND HELP THEM GET PHOTO ID.2)ON ELECTION DAY:BE A POLL WORKER.3) AFTER THE POLLS CLOSE: BE A VOTE COUNT OBSERVER. We cannot guarantee success. But we have already seen what can happen when elections are stolen. And we doubt the nation can survive it happening again.

Saturday, July 5:

Sherwin Steffin: Impeachment update (41 comments) This poll is an update of my April 30th poll, asking for your assessment of then likelihood that either/or Bush and Cheney will be impeached by the House, and convicted by Senate

Paul Kruger: Should the Feds be handed all of your credit card transactions? (11 comments) Should the federal government have the right to demand records of every American's credit and debit card transaction?

Thursday, July 3:

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: SHOULD NO-BID CONTRACTS BE ABOLISHED? (10 comments) NO-BID Contracts perpetuate the notion that the contract awardee is so "Uniquely Qualified" at whatever he is "bidding" upon, as to be spared the indignity of having to compete with others, the Hoi Polloi whose bids are an insult to the No-Bidder guys. In my experience I have found NO evidence to support such an assumption.

Rob Kall: I'm Holding Back on Contributing to Obama Because of his Move to The Right (60 comments) I either will escrow money to give later, just wait and see where he ends up, or vote for someone else.

Wednesday, July 2:

Edwin Rutsch: How many readers of Opednews.com will be going to Netroots Nation Conference? (1 comments) The Netroots Nation Conference will be held in Austin, TX from July 17-20. How many readers of Opednews.com will be going to Netroots?

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: Should Individual States and Cities Indict Cheney/Bush For Murder? (8 comments) GW Bush and Dick Cheney have been let of the hook for impeachment, but that does not mean that we, the citizens of America need to sit idly, impotently, by and let him bully his way out of prosecution. Should we indict them for murder in cities and states all across our nation, thus pinning him down or forcing him to go to war with the states with his mercenaries?

Brett Paatsch: Have you checked whether your rep has read Kucinich's 35 articles of Bush impeachment ? (3 comments) This is a poll to see what portion of Opednews readers have personally checked that either their congressional representative or a member of the House Judiciary Committee have read Kucinich's 35 articles of impeachment for President Bush.

Ben Kall: Mrs. McCain or Obama; Who Is Evading Media Coverage More? (1 comments) who's the more private?

Kevin Gosztola: What issue will Obama move to the center right on next? (5 comments) Obama's ever-increasing impulse to be on the center right of as many issues as possible could potentially be detrimental to progressives/liberals who think he is no match for McCain in November. Many are already calling his moves a sign that he suffers from a "character flaw." What issue will he move to the center right on next?

Tuesday, July 1:

Gene Cappa: Do YOU Support An Independent International 911 Invesitgation? (18 comments) Scientific and eyewitness evidence shows that the 9/11 Commission Report is a fraudulent document and those behind the report are guilty of covering up what really happened on 9/11/2001. This evidence overwhemlmingly supports the conclusion that World Trade Center Towers, 1, 2, and 7 were brought down by demolition explosives and official theory of airplanes and ensuing fires is irrefutably false.

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: IN YOUR OPINION, IS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FIXED? (2 comments) Some statistics indicate the the steroids issue is a faux issue designed to deter people from examining the horrible calls by umpires. which most often seem to favor the home team. Well, guess what, they do favor the home and and for a good reason, doing so is VERY profitable. If the home team wins more often or at least almost wins pretty often, fans keep on coming. So, then are baseball game outcomes fixed?

Frank J. Ranelli: Is Barack Obama moving too far to the right just to be elected? (11 comments) In recent days, Obama has been accused of moving to the center and triangulating, a course and tactic that Bill Clinton used to get elected, and flip-flopping on many positions he held during the protracted, 16 month, Democratic primary. Today, Barack Obama announced if elected he would expand President Bush's Faith-Based Initiative programs.

Edwin Rutsch: Is Congresswoman Maxine Waters correct that conservatives value Blame, Hate & Lying? (4 comments) Is Congresswoman Maxine Waters correct that conservatives value Blame, Hate & Lying?

Rady Ananda: Lever Voting Machines or Computerized Systems? (1 comments) Which voting system do you trust more?

Saturday, June 28:

Edwin Rutsch: What social or political movements would psychopaths and narcissists join? (29 comments) What social or political movements would psychopaths and narcissists, who don't value empathy, tend to join?

Kevin Gosztola: Our Nation's Independence Day (6 comments) What are you thinking about this year's Fourth of July?

Friday, June 27:

Edwin Rutsch: Worst of the Failed Conservative Values that James Dobson exemplifies? (13 comments) What is the worst of the Failed Conservative Values that James Dobson exemplifies?

Gene Cappa: Will Bugliosi Succeed in Getting Bush Indicted & Prosecuted on Murder Charges? (18 comments) Over 4,000 American soldiers have lost their lives fighting in George W. Bush's war in Iraq on "false pretenses". Can Bush be indicted and prosecuted for murder and conspiracy to commit murder charges?

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: Should The Catholic Church Excommunicate Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas? (33 comments) Since, in my opinion, the below have not only acted with sycophantic accord with the powerful, corporate wealthy and in the best interests of encouraging a fascist dictatorship, and have done incredible harm to our Constitution and people, since they are CATHOLIC; Should The Catholic Church Excommunicate Justices Alito, Scalia, and Thomas?

Thursday, June 26:

Sherwin Steffin: The Article, "Using Cross Tabulation." Valuable or Not? Select the Poll Response which best expresses your Evaluation of the article, "Using Cross Tabulation."

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: CAN ONE BE A CHRISTIAN AND A CONSERVATIVE AT THE SAME TIME? (34 comments) I wish to know if you think CAN ONE BE A CHRISTIAN AND A CONSERVATIVE AT THE SAME TIME?. I do not, therefore, yes, or no!

Rob Kall: Should House Pass HR 362, Calling for prohibiting of refined petroleum products to Iran (15 comments) Some say this could lead to Bush/Cheney justifying a Naval Blockade as a congressionally approved way to escalate a confrontation.

Wednesday, June 25:

Edwin Rutsch: Dealing with Failed and Failing Conservative Values (22 comments) Conservative values have failed and continue to fail. 70-80 percent of Americans say they feel the country is going in the wrong direction. Since conservatives say their policies are based on their values, we can assume that Americans are rejecting them. How do you think conservatives will deal with the failure of their values.

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: SHOULD SCALIA BE IMPEACHED? (25 comments) Scalia Cites False Information in Habeas Corpus Dissent Marjorie Cohn says, "Scalia bolstered his hysterical claim that the Boumediene decision 'will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed' with stale information that was proven to be false a year ago."

Tuesday, June 24:

Edwin Rutsch: Is authoritarianism a Failed Conservative Value? (1 comments) Is authoritarianism a Failed Conservative Value?

Monday, June 23:

Richard McGinn: Why does the United States use torture? (20 comments) People often wonder why totalitarian governments tend to use torture to investigate crimes and to gather intelligence from prisoners of war; and many wonder why the US has followed that same path in conducting the "war on terror".

Paul Kruger: Should anyone be immune from our laws? (13 comments) There is only one reason Bush or the telephone companies would want or need immunity; they have already or intend to break the law and illegally spy on Americans' private communications and feel they should be above the law.

PrMaine: Listen to the Radio? (13 comments) Do you still listen to the radio or have you turned to other programming?

Friday, June 20:

Paul Kruger: Should oil companies be permitted to drill off shore US? (11 comments) America needs to become LESS dependent on oil. All drilling for more does is continue that dependence. Should we drill for more?

Paul Kruger: Should States be Allowed to Profit from Prisoners' Families? (3 comments) The question, should states be permitted to reap millions in profits at the expense of innocent poor families in order that they may stay in touch with their loved ones despite the risk of higher recidivism ?

Brett Paatsch: Have you read Kucinich's 35 articles of impeachment? (10 comments) A poll to find out what portion of Opednews readers have read Dennis Kucinich's 35 articles of impeachment for President George W Bush.

Kevin Gosztola: Which story will the corporate media choose to saturate their airwaves? (3 comments) Which news story will the corporate media choose to beat around? What does this continue to prove about our nation's media?

Thursday, June 19:

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: Should Dueling Be Legalized In America Once Again? (11 comments) Vote yes or no on whether or no dueling shall be legalized in the USA.

Paul Kruger: Should private mercenaries be outlawed? (12 comments) Do you think that private mercenaries should be outlawed? That they shouldn't exist?

The Fifth Horseman: Is Victory in Iraq Possible? (11 comments) A poll that asks if the war can be won if its premise was founded on lies.

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: SHALL WE ALLOW H.R. 5889, The Orphan Works Act of 2008, TO PASS? (3 comments) PLEASE VOTE TO PASS OR REJECT THE H.R. 5889, The Orphan Works Act of 2008. IT IS ABILL THAT ALLOWS ANYONE TO IGNORE AND PROFIT BY THE COPYRIGHTED WORKS OF ALL ARTISTS.

Wednesday, June 18:

Joel S. Hirschhorn: How to obtain deep reforms to our political system necessary to restore American Democracy (14 comments) Do you support using the approach provided in the Constitution for obtaining constitutional reforms?

Tuesday, June 17:

Rob Kall: Will you Contribute to the DCCC, DNC or DSCC if they COntinue to fail to impeach. (53 comments) The leadership of the democratic party have decided that impeachment would hurt the fall elections, and leaving the GOP stuck with an impaired, low rating president will help them. They choose to ignore war crimes, horrific assaults on the constitution and democracy.

Paul Kruger: Should we eliminate the Electoral College and count only popular votes? (32 comments)

Sunday, June 15:

Rob Kall: Poll: Who Is Most Likely To Replace Tim Russert? (22 comments) Who do you think is most likely to take over at Meet The Press, doing the job formerly done by Tim Russert. I'm not asking you you'd LIKE. I'm asking you do you think is most likely to get the job. There's plenty of speculation.

Saturday, June 14:

Professor Emeritus Peter Bagnolo: SHALL WE REVISE THE SUPREME COURT LIFETIME APPIONTMENT? (23 comments) I have an idea, which will return Sanctity to the Supreme Court (SC) through a Constitutional amendment. As it now stands changes in government administration leaves the appointments on the SC to blind luck of the draw-a shoot of the dice, whomever happens to be in Office when justices die or need to retire. Therefore, I suggest a tenure system of 9 years which staggers the nomination to the court so that all members are stagg...

Paul Kruger: Is the news media doing it's job? (8 comments) After the reading of the articles of impeachment in Congress I went to the major media's web sites, ABC, CBS, FOX, CNN etc. and could not find any single reference to this news. It got me thinking about other "news" and the strange twists often applied to a single news item depending on the source. If news is supposed to be factual, how can there be different versions of the same facts? If there are no set facts yet, is it...

Wednesday, June 11:

Paul Kruger: Should Congress Impeach Bush and/or Cheney? (23 comments) On Monday, June 9th 2008, Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made history on the floor of the House by reading 35 Articles of Impeachment against President George W. Bush. Congress needs to finally show a pair and stand up to a rogue administration for all of it's illegal activities that violate the constitution and his oath of office swearing him to uphold and defend that constitution. Should Congress move to impeach Bush and/...

Tuesday, June 10:

Paul Kruger: Would you buy a pure electric plug in car? (24 comments) Given that a pure electric car meets the daily driving needs of 90% of the typical driver and since you can easily rent a gas vehicle for the occasional long trip, would you buy a pure electric car you can plug in at home?

Monday, June 9:

Rob Kall: Is Obama's Commitment to Support Israel a Vote Killer? (45 comments) Obama came out strong at AIPAC, for Israel. How did his statement of his position affect you?

Michael McCoy: The 911 stink that wont go away (72 comments) Considering the extensive body of verifiable evidence that sharply contradicts the official version of the 911 attacks, if you were one person in a group that is preparing to address a large audience of fence-sitters, what single aspect of the crime would you find most compelling and choose to explore?

ALONE: Who needs to be on the Democratic ticket with Barack Obama to win in November? (50 comments) It is time for all progressives to force Clinton and Obama to make certain a strong progressive and helpful candidate as VP. Who do you believe that person needs to be to win and make the Changes America Needs?

Saturday, March 15:

Sponsored by www.worldproutassembly.org: "Building a New World" Conference The deep longing for positive, lasting change is the bedrock upon which this conference is based. How do we fix our country and our world? And how can we form one mass movement to address the crisis? (Event Date: May 22, 2008)

Sponsored by ourfuture.org: Take Back America a meeting of progressives (Event Date: Mar 17, 2008)

Wednesday, December 31:

Sponsored by Freedom Ambassadors: Walk for Human Dignity A national coalition of over 50 local, state and national organizations are participating in walk from Tucson to Phoenix beginning May 2 to call for an end to racially fomented hate crimes. The ten-day peaceful walk will end with a rally in downtown Phoenix on Mother's Day, May 11, honoring mothers for teaching children to treat all human beings with equal dignity. (Event Date: May 1, 2008)

(More...)

Tuesday, July 8:

Pentagon Refuses EPA's Pollution Cleanup Orders The nation's worst polluter, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), is refusing to sign enforcement agreements with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that require DOD to clean up polluted sites nationwide. The military bases covered by EPA's enforcement orders may endanger public drinking water supplies as a result of the military dumping toxic pollutants at the sites.

Jessica Moore: *An Updated Declaration of Independence (1 comments) The biggest change in two thousand years will be brought about by the people. It will begin when enough Americans get the message from the Spirit of truth, and take peaceful action to adopt an Updated Declaration of Independence written by the messenger, and establish new Constitutional Amendments under Article V of the U.S. Constitution, to establish our full, God-given rights, at long last.

Special Report on Weapons Technology A Microwave ray gun that controls crowds with noise; "smart" bombs dropped by stealth bombers, coupled with space-based sensors and precision satellite navigation. The US has embraced Full Spectrum Dominance, the belief that superior technology in all fields guarantees victory, though critics disagree.

Kathlyn Stone: USDA and FDA are consistent in not protecting food supply (3 comments) What you don't know can hurt you.

On Our Own Liberal institutions that once imitated conservative ones are now far surpassing their role models.

Alexis Knapp: CRY FOR THE CHILDREN Mostly about our experiences with our kids that tend to break our hearts

Where have you gone, Marcus Welby? Article covers much more than the importance of a primary care physician who is available when needed. Goes into global problems as far away as Zimbawbe. And of course the perennial reminder of Baby Boomers reaching Medicare age. Best just to read the article and see how it fits specifically.

GOP Hopes to Use Obama's Words (and Voice) Against Him In "Dreams of My Father" Obama lays out his life story, and recorded it for audiobooks as well. Republicans have a rare source of information to take snippets for campaign purposes.

Marti Oakley: Gardasil: Another killer vaccine from Merck Gardasil, a vaccine promoted as protection against various types of cervical cancer supposedly caused by the HP virus, obviously is intended for other purposes. Even with the number of deaths and injury from the vaccine the ads still run non-stop on TV while state and federal governments try to find ever newer and more invasive ways of making mandatory vaccination a reality.

22 Steps Toward Energy Efficiency (in your home) From CoopAmerica.org: Take these actions and save up to 33 percent of your energy use!

Vi Ransel: Desperado (for Henry David Thoreau) Where is courage to be found?

drbrad: The Human Heart, Emotional Baggage, and the Heart-Wall Our 'emotional baggage' is more real than we imagine, and can derail our lives. The human heart is a second brain that can be interfered with by these trapped emotional energies, and 'The Emotion Code' is a dramatic new way to find and release these energies for more abundant, health, love and happiness.

Nicolas Mottas: Restore the Parthenon Marbles The case for the repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Why the Ancient sculptures should be restored to their original birthplace instead of remaining in London's British Museum.

Monday, July 7:

Barack by the books He's read a lot! (2 comments) Wonderful recap of Obama's travels through the printed page. Novelists such as Morrison. Curiously Ellison doesn't rank high although he cited "Invisible Man" in his own autobiography. He also cites Branch's discussion of Reinhold Niebuhr as Dr. King's influence. Doris Kearns Goodwin's book on Lincoln reflects his political take on Lincoln. Great discussion.

Sunday, July 6:

Store Wars - Organics vs GMO Cuke Skywalker takes on the dark side in a battle for survival - Video.

International Pennies for Peaceful People Concert Cancelled 100 years ago a penny was worth a penny and a dollar a dollar. but the dollar is now worthless and pennies are worth a dollar as the Penny Kings story unfolds and people start realizing that America has no real money that can be trusted.

WALL-E: Economic Ignorance and the War on Modernity (2 comments) Cuteness is a hallmark of Disney productions - very often seen as good for kids. Gennady Stolyarov II has written a biting review of the film WALL-E, pointing out very clearly how it is egregiously unrealistic in its scenario based largely on the distortion by its creators regarding "basic economics and of commonsense insignts regarding the nature of human behaviors and the incentives facing individual economic actors."

Now Let's Talk About Populism for Real (2 comments) "The Populist Vision," by Charles Postel is reviewed here. Alliance of many groups of both genders and races from rural and urban areas were involved. Women had considerable influence since the time was late 19th Century before they could vote. Reason for the uprising was because of rapid change from agrarian to mechanical style. As now, innovators became filthy rich and change was demanded.

Theresa Paulfranz: The Elements and the Ether: Art Can Be Magic

Allen L Roland: *WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GAS REACHES 7 DOLLARS A GALLON ? (5 comments) When gas reaches 7 dollars a gallon ~ those making less than 25 thousand a year will be spending 20% of their income on gasoline. Hoarding will turn a deep recession into a deeper depression and it's rapidly becoming a reality. A reality the Bush administration refuses to acknowledge and still covers up: Allen L Roland

Saturday, July 5:

Jane Stillwater: Wanna go to North Korea in September? Here's your chance! My friend Mrs. Hwa Young Lee just called me. She's trying to put together a tour to North Korea in September. "Jane, do you know anyone who might be interested in going?" she asked. "There will be Mass Games." What in the freak is a Mass Game? Go to North Korea with Mrs Lee and find out!

FOUNDING FATHERS: The Jefferson Bible (6 comments) Thomas Jefferson believed that the ethical system of Jesus was the finest the world has ever seen. In compiling what has come to be called "The Jefferson Bible," he sought to separate those ethical teachings from the religious dogma and other supernatural elements that are intermixed in the account provided by the four Gospels.

Secret report: biofuel caused food crisis World Bank study delivers blow to plant energy drive. Biofuels have forced global food prices up by 75% - far more than previously estimated - according to a confidential World Bank report. The figure emphatically contradicts the US government's claims that plant-derived fuels contribute less than 3% to food-price rises.

Jesse Helms dies on July 4th (4 comments) I picked up my hometown paper this morning where this AP story appeared with banner headline on first page. Now I find it in Salon. Jesse Helms is dead. Is it remarkable that 2 such diverse media picked it up? Or is the news in the fact that AP is the one covering the story. Or is it because he died July 4. Heck, both Adams and Jefferson did that!

he unbearable whiteness of being (2 comments) The author's subtitle is "Stuff White People Like" skewers the sacred cows of lefty Caucasian culture, from the Prius to David Sedaris." It's about Christian Lander's blog (with a link for downloading a podcast.) Excuse little old me: I don't worry about what kind of container to drink water from. And I don't know who Sedaris is. Watching Wired is a sometime thing with me, but I fear I'm not white enough in the right way.

Don Williams: Caught inside an electrical storm, a terrible beauty is born (3 comments) Trapped exposed as a thunderstorm sweeps past, two deserted runners get a lesson in Earth's pure and terrible beauty.

Ed Martin: Rush Limbaugh confesses he has no confidence in his beliefs (9 comments) Rush Limbaugh says that he will not give up until every American agrees with him. He's known all along that his hard-right, conservative ideology is not founded on the truth, the facts, logic, reason or evidence. His fear is that of all ideologues, that just one dissent containing truth, reason and evidence will expose him and destroy his whole foundationless empire of unreason.

Friday, July 4:

Meryl Ann Butler: Impeach Cobbler: Or, How I Celebrated the Fourth (9 comments)

Getting All Our Lemmings in a Row The G8 is an exclusive club that includes Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the U.S. Since 2005, the G8 has been systematically putting together the pieces of its CO2-burial plan, which will be endorsed again at next week's meeting in Japan. Burying carbon dioxide in the ground is called "carbon capture and storage", or CCS for short, is being promoted as a "silver bullet" but is untested

Jane Stillwater: Bad money karma: The falling dollar & its effect on a former South African bantustan village -- and me! I had made plans to help out a women's crafts cooperative in Motswedi by selling their hand-made stationery at a store here in Berkeley. But GWB put a monkey-wrench in my plans by letting the economy get SO bad that the stationery store here went out of business. Now I'm selling the cards on the street or trying to sell them to YOU. First GWB ruined Christianity, then he ruined the peace dividend and now this!

The Muppets on the Constitutional Convention (2 comments) A Happy Fourth from Big Bird!

Allen L Roland: *HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY I celebrate today a constitution that George W Bush has called " Just a gaddamned piece of paper " but is, in reality, the very life blood and moral fabric of our badly wounded Republic ~ where 41% of Americans do not believe this is a country with liberty and justice for all : Allen L Roland

Ian Stone: Energy Healing - Are Miracles Happening Today? Faith, Psychic and Energy Healing are they acceptable for Christians? What is Energy Healing? How does it happen? Is Energy Healing like Prayer? Why do we doubt?

Albert Einstein: *Why Socialism? by Albert Einstein (4 comments) (Originally published in the first issue of Monthly Review (May 1949). In this essay Einstein wrote, "In the so-called civilized period of human history nowhere have we really overcome what Thorstein Veblen called 'the predatory phase' of human development." "The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil." "Socialism is directed towards a social-ethical end."

the web: A Joke, Mostly; Story of the Political Rooster (2 comments) john the farmer was in the fertilized egg business. He figured a way to track his best roosters by putting bells on them.

Thursday, July 3:

Seed in the ground (Hemp!) (2 comments) A good article concerning the efforts of Pine Ridge Indians in South Dakota who fought to grow hemp for building, not connected to marijuana. They do it cooperatively despite being marauded by the Feds.

They shoot horses, don't they? Not any more (2 comments) Why horses were allowed to propagate so wildly is not covered in this essay. Therein comes the issue. To butcher them for countries who eat horse meat is touchy and therefore not done any more. Filling them full of toxic substances and putting them in dumps seems insane. When there were so few unwanted horses the issue was whether they were ready for the glue factory.

Martin Zehr: A Water Resolution for America In a resolution intended to focus attention on the national and international issues surrounding water, the EcoAction Committee of the Green Party of the United States has raised the concerns of Greens and provided a template for further internal discussion, public education and candidate consideration.

Jim Donovan: It's Time to Tell Congress You Don't Buy the Lie (2 comments) Here we go again- trying to drill our pristine natural resources to line the pockets of big oil. Please let congress know how you feel.

Wednesday, July 2:

Medicare meltdown? See how your senator voted! Thirty-nine senators left town for their Fourth of July picnics knowing that the most vulnerable Americans are at risk because of the Senate's inability to act to stop drastic payment cuts for health care services. See how your senators voted. When you see them this weekend, thank those who stood up for physicians and patients by voting "yes" on H.R. 6331. Urge "No" voters to support H.R. 6331!

mikel paul: We are trees. Together we are a forest. (9 comments) another perhaps naive but totally honest narrative on the essential idea that together we can do great things, assuming we can accept that 1)we are different and 2)we are all sharing the same soil.

Jane Stillwater: Innocents Abroad: Richard Engel's new book and going off to Najaf in Iraq.... I heard Ariana Huffington, Richard Engel and that Kos guy at a panel discussion recently. Here's a report -- and also a report on Engel's new book on Iraq, a real page-turner. Plus he describes upcoming tours of the holy city of Najaf. I want to go! And maybe I could bring back some REAL facts about Iraq, not just the ones Bush made up.

Suzana Megles: What's in a name? I hope you are proud of your namesake. I am proud of both of mine.

10 Most Awesomely Bad Moments of the Bush Presidency (2 comments) Just a way to remember where things went wrong for the president and the rest of us. Keeping this on file would be good reading for your grandchildren when they become adults. Bush jumps from jumpsuit antics to other momentous images.

No peace for Obama on Israel Florida, Lieberman, Israel, and more to think about in Obama's campaign. It's sure enough time to talk religion. This Salon.com article has plenty to say.

Michael Bonanno: Independence Day Wish I have published this poem every year around this time since it was first published in 2004. This year will be no exception.

Ignorant America: Just How Stupid Are We? "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." -- Thomas Jefferson This is a comprehensive article on what Americans don't know. Please read and cogitate.

Gen. Clark Comes From Behind to Win CQ Politics VP Madness Polls and more polls. This one, unscientific, to help Obama find a running mate. Note: article points out that poll was conducted before Clark expounded on McCain's qualifications.

Paul Haughey: Fortis Prediction of US Bank Meltdown a Net Hoax: The Making of an Urban Legend (10 comments) This article documents how an urban legend got started the weekend of June 28-29, 2008, how and why urban legends spread virally, and what you can do to spot them and stop them.

Tuesday, July 1:

robert braunstein: Raised on Robbery (3 comments) Unfortunate Resume