Thursday, July 8  Issue #28

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Let Bill Ford of Ford Motors know you are angry over his broken promise.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Bush attack dogs coming up a bit lame in assault on Edwards.

Bush administration talks up AIDS funding, fails to deliver the funds.

NEA backs Kerry-Edwards ticket.

Christian Right is dominating Bush's politics.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Have bloggers come into their own...enough to cause controversy?

Bush's Cuba policy is starving children, not Castro.

Outsourcing is a creeping problem with our foreign military policy.

Barbara Ehrenreich laments about our own King George.

Was the "kidnapping" of Muslim Marine a hoax?

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It is bad to be oppressed by a minority, but it is worse to be oppressed by a majority. For there is a reserve of latent power in the masses which, if it is called into play, the minority can seldom resist. But from the absolute will of an entire people there is no appeal, no redemption, no refuge but treason."
-Lord Acton

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"If I answer questions every time you ask one, expectations would be high. And as you know, I like to keep expectations low. "
-December 10, 2002

BLOG OF THE DAY
Michael Moore has started his own personal blog. Check it out here.

NEWSWORTHY
GOP uses McCain against Kerry in VP choice, but the Dems will have McCain's own words as a defense.

Tony Blair admits WMDs may never be found.

Drug makers are being criticized for failing to report study information.

It is never easy to combine social conscience with modern consumerism.


DRUG WAR UPDATE
House bastards want to keep spending your tax dollars to arrest medical marijuana participants.

Proposed legislation would classify anyone who tests positive for trace amounts of marijuana as "impaired," even if the last usage was weeks earlier.

LINK OF THE DAY
You can now get a Kerry-Edwards bumpersticker, free of charge from the campaign site.

SITE OF THE DAY
Global Issues is an enormous evolving reference for practically every area of concern in our global community.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Peter Shuber, professor of philosophy and the modern era, maintains an active and engaging list of links that directly relate to the current involvement of technology in our personal existences. This list is require for his "Minds and Machines" course, but should be considered recreational reading for everyone else.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
The Bush Campaign launched ads yesterday which depict McCain endorsing Bush for re-election. Although FactCheck.org, a non-partisan watchdog, determined that the ad is mostly factual, there are couple of misleading statements. The Democratic National Committee has offered this rebuttal.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER


Claps today for prosecutors for finally bringing charges against Bush buddy and national disgrace Ken Lay. Though his knowledge of Enron bilking schemes and illegal energy trading is all but assured, years have passed since Lay's name first surfaced as a possible suspect. Even with the indictment, Lay's case will likely not see a court date until late 2005, at the earliest. Nonetheless, the indictment of one of the most strident Bush supporters is a welcome, and necessary, step toward reforming our national corporate infrastructure.

Slaps go to both the EPA and Dupont for failing to inform the public about dangers inherent in Teflon material. Although consumer advocates have long warned about the tiny particulate matter which often releases from Teflon-coated cookware, the EPA has failed to issue any warning. Dupont has hidden such dangers for years, despite the fact that they were cognizant of such problems in the 1980's. If our own government oversight agencies fail to protect the nation's citizens from such blatant and obvious risky products, is there any faith in any agencies' ability to provide protection from more subtle and nuanced threats, such as terrorism?

My Middle Finger goes yet again to Tom Ridge and the Bush fearmongerers for using any excuse to keep the public frightened of terrorists. Despite offering no new evidence and failing to raise the threat level, Ridge appeared to serve notice that future terrorist attacks may attempt to disrupt this year's election. Duh...Yet again the Bush team uses fear to steal the spotlight from the Democrats during a time of positive media coverage. There is never any reason too vague for Ridge to pop up to frighten the public. Only, it will be more like the boy who cried wolf once too often. No one pays attention to this crap any longer, and any usefulness which may have been inherent has long since been worn thin by regular announcements of ongoing, but not specific, threats.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Rock star Chrissie Hynde leaves message for P&G employees.

Electric prod makes rodeo worker plead guilty.

Dog drowner pleads "mercy killing."

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Lois Herr is running for a Congressional seat from Pennsylvania. Herr is a strong supporter of tax reform, including a return to more progressive taxation of high income earners. She also backs decriminalization of marijuana, and is willing to support medical marijuana as a right for all. Herr wants to strengthen environmental laws substantially, and will be a solid supporter of universal health care.

DAILY PHOTO

He should make $2.13/hr


TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON



HISTORY LESSON
Learn more about Ken Lay and the Enron scandal at this large CNN portal from 2002.

Tuesday, July 6  Issue #27

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Tell the EPA that you have a right to know about Toxic Release Inventories.

Urge your Representative to vote in favor of the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Henry Waxman opines in today's Washington Post about Congressional oversight.

Bloggers make front page of the WaPo, and Kos gets quoted.

Howard Dean writes about Bush's war on science.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Billionaire Warren Buffett offers his views on stock options.

Here is the WaPo's take on the Edwards nomination.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame."
-Laurence Peter

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"She is a fabulous First Lady. I was a lucky man when she said, yes, I agree to marry you. I love her dearly, and I'm proud of the job she's doing on behalf of all Americans. Just like I love my brother. "
-September 9, 2003

BLOG OF THE DAY
Captain Steven Alverez maintains a blog through the Orlando Sentinel of his deployment in Iraq.

NEWSWORTHY
Despite ongoing terror risks, Bush may not choose CIA replacement for George Tenet.

Jose Padilla's lawyers refiled his case to satisfy Supreme Court ruling.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
An opinion piece in The Monitor argues that the Supreme Court may decide this fall for the rights of states and medical marijuana patients to be free from prosecution by federal agencies.

Michigan town debates medical marijuana initiative.

LINK OF THE DAY
What is wrong with this picture?

SITE OF THE DAY
The Economic Policy Institute maintains a site called Job Watch where wages and employment numbers are tracked and analyzed.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
The National Archives Experience offers an interactive tour of our nation's most well-known and important documents. Specifically check out the "Charters of Freedom" link.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Here is the CBS video coverage of the Kerry-Edwards announcement.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER


Claps to John Kerry for making the best choice for VP. Edwards has his flaws, but nonetheless adds an element to the ticket not available in any other prospects. His youth, populist message, and successful integrated campaigning are a perfect addition to the Democratic ticket, and puts North Carolina into play in this year's election.

Slaps to the New York Post for headlining its Tuesday edition with the moronic "Kerry's Choice: Dem picks Gephardt as VP candidate". Despite having no solid evidence of the choice (could it be an intention Kerry campaign misdirection?), the Post, owned by right-wing financier Rupert Murdoch, ran with the presumptive decision regardless. In this "Dewey Wins!" remix, the Post showed its journalistic ineptness brilliantly for the world to see, and has since offered a "sincere retraction and apology."

My Middle Finger scorns the Fridley and GKC cinema chains for refusing to show F9-11 in any theaters. Although I support an individual's right to make personal business decisions, refusal on such a large scale, especially in the midwest states where these chains are located, amounts to censorship. According to one spokesperson, requests for showings are beating support for censorship 5-1. Go figure...

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
PETA activists go topless to protest the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

Shelter crowding still a major problem.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Mike Byron is running for Congress against one of the most conservative members from California. Byron, who has a Ph.D in Political Science, served in the Navy and has taught numerous political and foreign-focus courses. His opponent, Darrell Issa, spent a fortune bringing about the California recall vote, and has been marred by numerous ethics complaints.

DAILY PHOTO


Post says Dewey was his second choice.


TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON



HISTORY LESSON
Here is a January 2004 NYTimes account of John Edwards legal work.

Monday, July 5  Issue #26

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Let your Senators and Represenatative know you want FDA oversight and regulation of meat products.

Tell Karl Rove you want to protect our wild areas.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Michael Moore penned an opinion piece for Sunday's LATimes.

John Kerry's Sunday Washington Post opinion.

Government Executive Magazine takes a priliminary look at Kerry's philosophy of government.

Despite Bush administration rhetoric, NATO is crippled after Iraq.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
The Naples Daily News offers a more in-depth look at the Florida voter roll controversy.

Woody Harrelson, Scarlett Johansson and Rob Reiner ad Hollywood edge to MoveOn.org anti-Bush campaign.

One snapshot of a Marine in Iraq.

Did Laurie Mylroie give Bush's Iraq aspirations early wood?

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The Bible contains six admonishments to homosexuals and 362 admonishments to heterosexuals. That doesn't mean that God doesn't love heterosexuals. It's just that they need more supervision."
-Lynn Lavner

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Look up the word. I don't know, maybe I made it up. Anyway, it's an arbo-tree-ist, somebody who knows about trees."
-August 22, 2001

BLOG OF THE DAY
The Smirking Chimp offers liberal blogging as it is meant to be. With over 22000 registered users, the SC is one of the most popular blogs on the net.

NEWSWORTHY
Democrats have released an early glimpse at the likely 2004 party platform.

Polio has reappeared in force in Nigeria and Sudan.

TV networks plan to scale back coverage of the national conventions, but I'm sure there will be ways to see all of the action. When I find links, I'll post them.

Montana battle over drilling proposal is but one of several fronts in the war against the environment.


DRUG WAR UPDATE
No charges are brought against officers who drew guns during an SC high school drug raid.

Several major church denominations are supporting medical marijuana.

LINK OF THE DAY
The Center for American Progress maintains a collection of first chapters of liberal and progressive minded books. If you want to get a good idea whether you want to read the whole thing, read the first chapter here. Books included are Richard Clarke's "Against All Enemies" and Joseph Wilson's "The Politics of Truth."

SITE OF THE DAY
Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting (FAIR) is a media watchdog that carefully monitors claims laid by media outlets and pundits and takes on investigative activities in the name of an independent media.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
SeeYaGeorge.com has all the anti-Bush merchandise you need, from buttons to bumperstickers.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
If Bush spoke the truth, sadly, it might sound more like this.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER


Claps to the fledgling Iraqi government for pursuing peace with insurgents who have spent months fighting the American occupation. While I have no love for anyone who shoots at our soldiers, sailors, or Marines, no one can blame the Iraqis, such as Sadr, for fighting for their own dignity and firmament. Put in a similar situation, facing endless, unwanted occupation, and with the style of brutality at Abu Ghraib switching only from regular to decaf, Sadr and his militia have likely choosen a path most of us would have at least considered. Iraq's government is following a path to peace, and that path must flow through people like Sadr, not around them.

Slaps are flying toward Microsoft for its continual failure to protect its monopolistic software from even the most obvious attacks. This past week, internet experts were (and still are) strongly recommending that everyone cease using the Internet Explorer browser due to highly serious security flaws. You would think that with all of the financial resources available for the conglomerate to utilize, someone would have invested a little more responsibly in security checks. This is reason number 672 for using any software you can that does not come from the computer pundits at Microsoft.

My Middle Finger is having a hard time pointing at all the asinine news outlets glorifying one of the seven deadly sins. Gluttony was paraded across newswires, television screens, and internet feeds reporting the "exciting" competition for hot dog eating prowess. You'll find no link to any relevant article here since I have no desire to channel more of your time away from more important subjects, like war, poverty, genocide, and nuclear weapons. Hopefully, the hot dog journalism will fade as the week progresses, but I doubt journalistic standards will improve anytime soon. When American Idol and Fear Factor are more a part of our family than our soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, hot dog eating contests apparently cry out to be gladhanded by the media.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Chester the cat gets another life.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Brad Carson is a Congressman from Oklahoma running for a Senate seat in a strongly GOP state. Despite claims by Republicans that Oklahoma will fall easily to Bush, recent polls indicate a much closer race than expected. Carson is a popular Congressman with strong records on defense and in fighting for the disadvantaged. He worked hard as a lawyer representing low-income clients, and hopes to take his Rhodes Scholar intellect into the U.S. Senate.

DAILY PHOTO

The Real South?


TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON



HISTORY LESSON
In honor of our July 4 celebration, and in light of our democratic muddle through the early 21st century, maybe it is time to reread the Declaration of Independence one more time. But have we been celebrating on the wrong day?

Saturday, July 3  Issue #25

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Tell the Coast Guard that you expect laws to be followed.

Inform the California Governor that you want him to terminate global warming problems.

Ask California legislators to nix cruise ship dumping.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance, has penned the featured article in this month's National Review arguing for more sensible drug policy. A pot leaf appears on the magazine's cover.

Nicholas Kristof says Bush should watch less Fox, more Al-Jazeera.

NYTimes editorial correctly cites poor wage and unemployment numbers as a concern for the growing economy and low-income Americans.

Anonymous, CIA agent and author of Imperial Hubris, a book strongly critical of the Bush administration's War on Terror, penned this LATimes opinion.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
US lawmakers ask UN to monitor 2004 elections.

Sadr tells Iraqis to keep fighting against occupation as two more Marines are killed.

Bush continues to advocate greater political-religious incest.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."
-H.L. Mencken

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"We've got -- John Biagas is with us. John, thank you for coming. Newport News, Virginia. Newport News, Virginia. John purchased his business in 1997. He took a gamble and said, I'm going to buy the business from the previous owner. I think he said they might have had a million dollars' worth of sales in 1997 -- they're over $14 million now. That's pretty good growth, isn't it, in a five-year period of time? " (2004-1997=?)
-July 2, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Smart Ass is the official blog of the College Democrats of America, and is a great place to find Kerry campaign information.

NEWSWORTHY
Holy Crap: First Jesse Helms did it, now the Southern Baptists are criticizing Bush.

Warheads found in Iraq by Polish troops last week did not contain chemicals.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Bed and Breakfast....and a joint?

Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment may be brought to a vote in Congress next week.

SITE OF THE DAY
The Hill newspaper focuses solely on the U.S. Congress. From spats and gestures to rumors and fact, The Hill covers it first.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
National Public Radio has delivered the most diverse selection of music, news, commentary, and discussion of any radio network. The official site of NPR reflects this with a wide selection of articles, transcripts, and audio/video offerings.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Halliburton to the rescue!

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER


Claps all around to the Leon County Circuit Court of Florida for ordering the public release of the names of 47,000 people listed as registered to vote but considered ineligible by the state. Florida's Department of State, former cabal of nutcase Congresswoman Katherine Harris, fought the release hard, unwilling to give up the names. The Miami Herald reported that at least 2100 names should not have been on the list due to receiving clemency, and many others may have never been convicted of a felony. A full analysis of the list is underway by many outlets, including CNN, the network which brought the suit.

Slaps ring off the cheeks of Coca-Cola marketers for their brilliant plan to place GPS chips and cell phones in drink cans...!!!....What the hell were they thinking? In an age when tweezers and scissors get impounded faster than Rasheed Wallace can smoke a joint, how did the security issues escape one of the most successful marketing teams ever? The military is right to worry about this, and maybe the marketing blunder will lead to more strict security measures for U.S. bases. But until then, Coke blokes should be giving each other Slaps, or at least drinking a little more C2 prior to marketing meetings.

My Middle Finger points in the direction of the IRS for granting breaks to "honest" criminals. In return for confessing involvement in an illegal tax shelter, the IRS is allowing the crooks who come forward to pay less of a financial penalty. These are not average joes, saving a few bucks for the kid's college. These guys had write-offs in the millions. Not income, write-offs. As hard as the IRS pushes Average Joe to pony up every penny, I expect more harsh treatment for those wealthy enough to use such high-class means of theft. Enough with the douchebaggery. Scrape out their wallets, I say, just like would have been done to me if I had not reported a couple of thousand bucks and been caught.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Mount Vernon, New York needs people to adopt shelter dogs.

Sick bastards kill 100 Canadian Geese deemed a "nuisance."

Burned Tulsa dog doing better as two teenage suspects are taken into custody.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Doug Haines looks to take a Georgia Congressional seat in November. As a lawyer, Haines established a non-profit law firm which concentrated on civil rights in environmental cases. Georgia Legal Watch was successful in suing the state to enforce anti-pollution laws which favor clean rivers. Haines has fought to remove the Confederate Flag from official uses, and has been a strong advocate for living wage legislation.

DAILY PHOTO
Secretary of Funky Chicken



TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON



HISTORY LESSON
Revisit the skunk that is Ken Starr.

Friday, July 2  Issue #24

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Tell your Representatives that you want them to back the Hinchey-Rohrabacher amendment which protects medical marijuana patients.

Support the Freedom to Read amendment to the PATRIOT Act.

FEATURED ARTICLES
The U.S. is lagging way behind other nations on child poverty and social spending.

Violence continues to rule the day in Iraq.

Nader is officially off of the Arizona ballot.

The EPA continues to show a lack of concern over polluted air.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Paul Krugman describes the service of Michael Moore.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce President backs offshoring.

A moron files heresy charges against John Kerry under Catholic Church procedures.

Civil rights champion John Lewis firing up his rhetoric.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It's hard to decide if TV makes morons out of everyone or if it mirrors Americans who really are morons to begin with."
-Martin Mull

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"And one of the things we've got to make sure that we do is anything."
-May 7, 2002

BLOG OF THE DAY
ponnyj.com is one of my daily reads from a self-titled "positively unemployed" blogger. Focused mainly on politics and media, the blog covers other aspects of daily life such as sports and social issues. Check out ponnyj today. Plus, the blog offers a link to my IDV site, so it must be top-shelf! ;)

NEWSWORTHY
Holy Crap: Jesse Helms has a negative perspective of Bush's tax cuts! Do I really have to agree with Jesse??? The quote is at the bottom of the article.

Generic AIDS drugs are proving promisingly effective.

The John Kerry campaign is rocketing into record fundraising territory, passing the $180 million mark.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Former Miami-Dade detective op-eds for the decriminalization.

Columbia, MO group seeks to decriminalize small-scale possession of marijuana.

Drug war may invade more personal spaces.

LINK OF THE DAY
How does the current King George compare to the original King George? Take the quiz.

SITE OF THE DAY
PollingReport.com offers poll results updated daily from many sources, including Zogby, Gallup, and the news outlets.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
John Ashcroft is Spy-der-man!

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER


Claps go to the Iraqi judicial system which has thus far shown positive and significant support for personal and legal protections. In the case against Saddam, it will be very easy for the courts to judge him in a biased manner (and who could blame them?), so the ultimate treatment of such a high-profile and reviled defendant as the former Iraqi president/dictator will speak volumes towards the fairness of the Iraqi justice system. Regardless of the Saddam verdict, his treatment must be such that any Iraqi in the court system will hold trust in the justness of the process.

Slaps to President Bush for making the current economic figures appear more positive than truly experienced. Although job growth did exist in the past month, the figures were only 1/2 those expected, a troubling sign at the moment. Wages did not increase as necessary to spark economic gains, and unemployment remained steady despite the job figures. The economy may be recovering, but its only 3 steps into a 12-step program, and still manages to fall off the wagon often.

My Middle Finger jabs at the Los Angeles Police Department for proving yet again that racism and terror are a strong part of our police state. After a second recorded beating surfaced in recent days, the LAPD again looks to be the worst incarnation of the hatred and injustice which has long hindered the growth of tolerant, peaceful law and order. Regardless of the need to "restrain" the suspect, the LAPD's frequent use of excessive force leaves no doubt as to why so many black people possess no faith in our lawmen.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Arizona Governor signs new dognapping/dog fighting law.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Betty Castor is seeking a Senate seat in the battleground state of Florida. A long-time supporter of expanded health care coverage, Castor has taught in East African and served as President of the University of South Florida. Betty faces strong primary challenges from two other Democrats, including current Congressman Peter Deutsch.

DAILY PHOTO

1st Armored Division by night


TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON


HISTORY LESSON
This week the world saw the death of Thai tyrant Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn. Learn more about him here.