Current Events Monitor

CEM is on long-term haitus...but not dead

2004-11-19T03:07:00.000-05:00

Not that it wasn't obvious from the months of absense in this blog, the CEM is currently on haitus. After having weeks of difficulty with publishing to this and my personal blog, I moved Island Dave's View off blogspot and onto Revise Media's site. Alas, at this time, I do not have the time to put together CEM updates as I have before. However, I have a new model for the CEM which will be debuting over the next couple of months, so stay tuned for it. I may move this blog to Revise as well prior to that. Thanks for reading this blog, your thoughts and kind words have been most appreciated. Please visit my current blog at http://idv.revise.org/index.php .

If you haven't already done so, pop over to BlogShares and see if your blog is listed (it probably is).

Cheers,

Island Dave

Monday, August 16 Issue #47

2004-08-16T01:00:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Send a note to the Forest Service in support of our natural forests.

Show your support! Join the Kerry-Edwards campaign.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Jeb Bush is a MFing racist bastard.

Is the Post coming down in favor of gay marriage?...(read again...)Is the Post coming down in favor of gay marriage?...(read again...)

All I can say is: Keep Dahlia, kick Dowd and Friedman out for good, NYTimes.

Eric Alterman blasts PBS for its selection of moronic asshole Tucker Carlson as show host.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Is this a real threat, or simply Pakistan wagging Dubya's dog?

WaPo takes yet another look at Bush's pseudo-fiscal policy.

The Capital Times correctly points out how Kerry stupidly missed a golden opportunity to seperate his foreign policy from the Moron in Chief.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden."
-Buddha

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"That's why you've got to be careful about this rhetoric, we're only going to tax the rich. You know who the -- the rich in America happen to be the small business owners. That's what that means."
-August 9, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Regular readers of the CEM will recognize today's Blog of the Day. Nick Lewis runs Net Politik in the true tradition of an independent, intelligent, and amazingly insightful commentator. One NP feature was even used as a History Lesson entry in these pages, and undoubtedly, Nick's writing will be included in Blogworthy for the forseeable future. If you want fluff commentary or cut-and-paste blogging, don't bother checking Net Politik. But if you are up for insightful and provocative views on a wide-range of social and political subjects, this is a must-read blog.

BLOGWORTHY
Digby takes on the Democrats mediocre media response team.

Joel Caris writes a blistering denouncement of the middle class squeeze that not only threatens our society, but may well destabilize our democracy. You may want to read his previous post on the tax cuts for a more in-depth analysis.

Philip Carter at Intel Dump lambastes Max Boot for his off-the-mark review of General Tommy Frank's glossed-over new book.

Over at The Left Coaster, Steve Soto puts his pimp-hand down on Bush's miserable foreign policies.

What exactly are we bloggers getting ourselves into? Dedurkheim at Rising Hegemon brings an opinion that we all should respect: we do what must be done, that which has not been done well enough to preserve our basic freedoms.

Though not a political entry, oyster at YRHT had me laughing hysterically with this entry.

The protests in Boston were mild and orderly, and for good reason. There isn't much to demonstrate against in the Democratic agenda. But as Steve Bates notes, the GOP convention may well go down as a dirty, freedom-repressing affair. As he says, we're with you New York. We got your back.

Publius at Legal Fiction takes a semantic look at Dahlia's NYTimes post.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
NORML has a list of upcoming marijuana initiatives on the 2004 ballot. See if one is local to you.

Provo editorial calls for end to marijuana overkill.

Cannabis extracts actually shrink brain tumors, yet another reason to end this senseless prohibition.

Neighbors asked to turn in neighbors in Utah.

LINK OF THE DAY
The Poor Man plays poker with Dick Cheney...

SITE OF THE DAY
Come on, faithful CEM readers, show BlogShares some love. It can be quite addicting, plus the index feature allows you to search for blogs in hundreds of categories. Everytime you click (time period, restricted, naturally), I can get 50 text ad impressions on the site for free advertisement.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Ocean Bridge is a serious art site that takes existing photographs and transforms them into hand-painted works in various styles. Being a serious site means expensive work, but for anyone who is an art fanatic, these people can turn your photos, be it friends, family, landscapes, or anything else, into a painting in the style you desire.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Jim Gilliam has put together a long video of the Paul Krugman-Bill O'Reilly debate. It's tough to watch since O'Reilly is such an inept, disgusting ass-clown who couldn't find a fact if it were rammed up his butt. Gilliam has superimposed actual facts over the clip when O'Reilly obviously lies about his information. Again, tough to watch, but pass this one on to your GOP relatives (you know, the ones you don't admit you have) who think Bill O'Lielly is somehow more than a douchebag. (Big thanks to BagnewsNotes)

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to the 1,100 Iraqis who showed up at a provincial meeting to protest the military assault in Najaf. Exercising the true freedoms of democracy, the protestors were able to peacefully bring an amazing shift in policy toward the situation, one which will likely leave American officials scratching their heads in wonderment. While still a fledgling democracy, Iraq is quickly becoming a hotbed of free expression and appropriate outrage at military operations in Najaf and other cities. It is becoming clear that U.S. intervention should diminish quickly as Iraqis, while still existing in political turmoil, must determine their own course of action. This meeting sparks a new belief in the Iraqi people's strength, though a backlash at American soldiers is unfortunately a likely result. Yet another reason to get the hell out of Hell, and bring our boys and girls back home before we lose another one to senseless warfare.

Slaps to John Harris, staff writer for the Washington Post, for showing he knows just how to blow the President when he really needs to take a load off. Harris's fluff piece in Monday morning's edition provides absolutely no news, no information, and basically serves as a Sunday School primary for potential Bush visits. Lets all just grab a beer and sit around with the "shirtsleeves" President as he smirks that Kerry "might change his mind", all the while, our troops fight bloody battles in dozens of Iraqi cities. Amazing how a decent paper such as the Post can employ such a moronic, unintelligent, and clearly non-creative jackass as Harris for a piece which appears on page 2. Oh, wait, then again, this is the Washington Post...should we expect anything else?

My Middle Finger goes once again to U.S. military planners who ignorantly believe killing Sadr will end insurgent and terroristic attacks on American soldiers. As fighting rages on, the U.S. readies for an all-out assault on Najaf in an attempt to slaughter the Cleric's army once and for all. But as pointed out in Claps, there is strong opposition to U.S. actions there, and further violence will only grow the opposition, not diminish it. As was seen with the growth of terrorist cells in Iraq after the American invasion, eliminating a strong, central figure will simply open the door for greater demand for violence. The U.S. must pull back, abandon Najaf for the time being, and allow Iraqis to control their own destiny. We cannot allow our soldiers to sacrifice their lives in a power-struggle over a city rightly claimed by incumbent Iraqi citizens. This senseless, ignorant aggression must end, and it must end now. Sadly, it is not to be...

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Animal hoarders do far more harm than good.

Net-tangled whale still missing off California coast.

Stamford, CT woman takes in feral cats.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Martin Frost is trying to hold onto a Congressional seat in the recently redistricted 24th in Texas. His new district will be the 32nd, and instead of having an easy coast to reelection, the Tom Delay redistricting scam has caused a group of Representatives, termed in the blogosphere as the Texas-5, to face serious challenges. Frost has been a solid Democrat, and is well liked by his constiuents. The new district includes a much stronger GOP base, and may take a tremendous effort by Frost and his team to remain in the hands of the Democrats.

DAILY PHOTO
God help them make it through this.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
During this time when the world comes together to compete in friendly competition, lets not forget that tragic day in Munich during the 1972 Olympics when 11 Israeli atheletes were slain by terrorists.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
No BobbleGovernator? Fine, just piss on him instead.

WTF???

Colin Powell being used effectively by White House, captures wanted fugitive single-handed.(this deserves a picture...look at those eyes!)

Thursday, August 12 Issue #46

2004-08-12T01:00:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Send a strong message to Kerry, Bush, and the Forest Service in support of our natural lands.

The Governator will decide in the next few days on a solar panel project. Lend it your support!

FEATURED ARTICLES
Howard Kurtz gives a moderately tough account of the Post's failure to fully cover war doubts.

We attacked Iraq, a country possessed of no weapons capable of reaching any significant U.S. targets, but allow Iran to develop Israel-reaching missile capabilities. Great planning, Bushit.

Greg Palast wonders if the 2000 election fixers will be attending the Venezuelan elections this weekend.

The Post calls Bush on another flip-flop for reversing positions on detainee Hamdi and negotiating his release.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor at Slate, makes her guest op-ed debut in the NYTimes.

Bush turns another corner, drops "turning a corner" in the process.

Oil prices may have passed newest price floor as Saudi control wanes in the free oil market.

NYTimes editors watch as Bush paints the economy into a corner...one which he can't turn.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Just what is it that America stands for? If she stands for one thing more than another it is for the sovereignty of self-governing people."
-Woodrow Wilson

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Tribal sovereignty means that, it's sovereign. It's ... you're a ... you're a ... you've been given sovereignty, and you're ... viewed as a sovereign entity. And, therefore, the relationship between the federal government and tribes is one between ... sovereign entities."
-August 6, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Powerful is the most appropriate term for My War: Fear and Loathing in Iraq. This soldier's first-hand blogging is tough to stomach sometimes as you realize how many tens of thousands of our servicemembers face death on a daily basis thousands of miles from home.

BLOGWORTHY
Shankar Duraiswamy caught my eye again with this account of Press Secretary McClellan's tapdance around any direct questions.

At The Talent Show, Greg sums up the scumbag Alexander's last-minute defection.

Philip Carter is doing what he does best: getting the inside story behind the Pentagon inquiries.

Digby takes the high road, calling out a fellow Dem for moronic character assault on McCain.

The economic changes over the past few decades have seen more risk placed on individuals than on government and corporations, so offers Kevin Drum.

Will Brady brings the subject of medical marijuana back to Blogonia over the intentional medicating of children.

And finally, my week would not be complete without a call on the General, today for some water terrorist alert training.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Pot smoking cop wins temporary court decision; may keep job. Come on, I know there are thousands of deputies and officers who smoke on a daily basis. Stand up for rights: stop arresting marijuana smokers!!!

Minneapolis may be added to the list of localities voting on medicinal marijuana this November.

Legalization advocate gunned down in Mississippi.

LINK OF THE DAY
Most states will have a deadline for voter registration within 30 days of an election. Now is the time to register if you have not already done so. Even more importantly, pester the hell out of your like-minded friends, family, and neighbors. Take election day off. Get Out The Vote!

SITE OF THE DAY
How Stuff Works could easily be filed under the Cool Site heading, but there are so many politically relevant bits of information here that this listing is appropriate. Everything from government systems to elections are covered in summary, along with literally thousands of subjects from technology to religion.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Take a stroll down memory lane at High Times Magazine online...if you're not too stoned, that is.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Crosby-Nash 2004?!?! (thanks to BagnewsNotes)

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Clifton James for saving the life of a cable employee caught in power lines. James, shoed only in flip-flops ran from his sister's apartment to find the worker entangled in live power lines and in severe pain. The rescuer jumped into the cable van and quickly reversed it out of the power lines. Unaware he could also have been electrocuted, James likely saved the worker who suffered burns across much of his chest. Without panicking, Clifton proved once again that flip-flops are indeed a good thing...:)

Slaps to the Pentagon for treating Halliburton the way the U.N. is treating Sudan. By pointing fingers and threatening the war profiteers over accounting fraud, the Pentagon continues to muddle through a disastrous experiment in military privatization. From private-guarded prisons to privatized security for Iraqi officials, the incorporation of our military system provides more than amble opportunities for abuse. Some is physical abuse, as in Abu Ghraib. Halliburton does it the other way. They financially sodomize our bank accounts, then plead ignorance of the activities. We know the dog didn't eat their accounting homework; he was too busy biting prisoners at Abu Ghraib.

My Middle Finger goes preemptively to U.S. military planners for threatening a massive assault on Najaf. While the killing of U.S. soldiers must stop, an all-out invasion of the city will kill thousands of innocent civilians and likely tens if not hundreds of our own troops. Instead of forcing this issue, we should back off and let Najaf calm down for a bit. Get out of the area, but keep it in containment, allowing humanitarian missions to proceed. The only way to disarm the situation is through kindness and compassion, not murder and destruction. An assault on Najaf will only embolden the simmering fighters in other cities in Iraq, as well as in other Muslim nations. Planners must back off, relax, and reconsider options at this point as the interim government begins to move forward. U.S. assaults will only increase additional violence.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Teenager's crusade to ban circus animals in Denver defeated by wide margin.

In Tennessee, unwarranted killing of animal could bring felony charge.

Pets come between morons in lust on a regular basis.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Richard Romero is in a tight race for a U.S. House seat from New Mexico's 1st District. Romero is facing incumbent Heather Wilson, who won the first matchup between the two candidates in 2002 by 10%. This race, which looks to be much tighter than the previous, could shift significantly in Romero's favor should Wilson ally Tom Delay face ethics charges.

DAILY PHOTO
How things haven't changed

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
One of the most humane and compassionate movements of human history took place in the 1800's as the informal, loose network of supporters called the Underground Railroad helped relocate escaped slaves in northern lands. If Bush wins this year, we might need to know how to do this properly...

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Sounds like Beavis and Butthead to me...

Visit "R" Us today!

Extra cream in my coffee, please!

Wednesday, August 11 Issue #45

2004-08-10T20:49:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Protect Hawaii's coral reef system.

NYC residents: Get ready for a NORML event on August 17th.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Iraq is disintegrating by day and terrifying by night.

Economist Robert Reich predicts a pension disaster brought on by congressional apathy.

The Post provides yet another case of a classic Republican being lost from the Bush camp.

The world fiddles while Sudan burns...

Al Jazeera vows to continue Baghdad coverage despite station closure.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Older Americans not impressed with new Medicare changes, confusion and doubts continue.

Vermont wants to import drugs to save cash, sues U.S.

Elizabeth Scanlon Thomas discovers that America is not the America of ages past.

Jon Stewart is about the only journalist willing to aggressively ask tough questions. See online video of the day (below) for more proof.

Alaska is typically a red state, but this year, Mother Jones thinks two-term Democratic Governor Tony Knowles, former Candidate of the Day from the CEM, may just win a Senate seat.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use."
-Soren Kierkegaard

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Border relations between Canada and Mexico have never been better."
-September 24, 2001

BLOG OF THE DAY
BagNewsNotes is one of the most unusual sites you can visit. Of course, in Blogonia, that is typically a good thing. For BNN, that is a great thing. The cartoons are fresh, and invoke my kind of satire and sarcasm. This is one of those blogs to read if you only have a moment and need a quick laugh.

BLOGWORTHY
Somehow, Joel Caris of Nightmares For Sale found time to dig into Bush's economic numbers after a long week of Iron Blog judging.

Billmon is on top of Bush's choice to head the CIA.

Fact checking campaign speeches seems to be a lost passion by the media. Good thing blogs like Fact-esque are on the job.

Conservatives are out to dismantle any semblance of a decent education system thanks to incentive based compensation. Bryant at Make Me a Commentator shares his view.

The Chalabi mess stirs up all sorts of policy questions, and Mick takes on a few over at Omnium.

John Kerry's Christmas '68 recollections are getting a great deal of conservative blogger scorn since he has apparently offered several versions of the tale. Shankar Duraiswamy at Three Guys is pissed off, and needs to tell you why.

Steve Bates, the Yellow Doggerel Democrat, notes the outing of the Pakistani deep-cover agent exposed this week in support of Bush's terror warning.

Stephen at To The Barricades questions the "crowing" of WMD busts for "terrorists" instead of for domestic supremacist.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
The Capital Times continues to be a beacon of progressive causes, this time advocating for medical marijuana.

I can see it now: Vaccine: My anti-drug.

LINK OF THE DAY
Is there a connection between Bush poll numbers and terror alerts? Check out this composite chart which combines numerous poll results, significant events, and terror alerts. (great work to JuliusBlog)

SITE OF THE DAY
One of the few objective and surprisingly accurate government agencies remains the Government Accounting Office or GAO. This oversight body handles everything from drug war studies to foreign policy decisions, campaign reforms and taxation implementation. If someone from Congress wants it investigated, this is the team that does it. Great resource for in-depth studies and research.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Check out the National Budget Simulator to see just why fiscal policy is so difficult.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Damn, why can't all journalists be as forward as Jon Stewart? Watch him grill Republican Congressman Henry Bonilla on the "L" word.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Denise Majette for winning the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat from Georgia. She becomes the first black candidate for a Senate position from the state, defeating millionaire businessman Cliff Oxford in Tuesday's runoff election. Majette is a heavy underdog in the conservative state, but in this strange election year, anything is possible. Should she win in November, she would be but the third Southern Senator since Reconstruction. The seat is being vacated by turncoat nutcase Zell Miller who was a DINO (Democrat in Name Only) who voted with Republican leaders at every opportunity. Miller will even speak at this month's Republican convention.

Slaps to Laura Bush. Why? She finally took a stance on an issue. Well, that's not what the Slaps are for, instead, they come as a result of the moronic stance she took in opposition to stem cell research. In her rebuke to Kerry's call for expanded stem-cell applications, Boring Bush Juniorette championed the religious right, but failed to account for the 70% or so of Americans that clearly favor Kerry's position. Laura, who has previously failed to teach UnCurious George to read, shows her own ignorance of all things important. Even at the pleading of Nancy Reagan, the stem-cell stance from the White House has been anything but progressive. Why does she say we should not pursue stem-cell research? "The implication that cures for Alzheimer's are around the corner is just not right, and it's really not fair to the people who are watching a loved one suffer with this disease." So, since we aren't 100% certain it will produce positive results, we shouldn't try? Laura, another slap for not iterating that logic prior to our invasion of Iraq.

My Middle Finger to Porter Goss for accepting the nomination of Bush and Co. to head the newfangled incarnation of the CIA. Goss, a Florida Congressman, has been irritatingly partisan in his bootstepping, and was one of the strongest opponents of the creation of the 9-11 Commission. He has been known to abandon intelligent debate in order to conduct vicious character attacks on Democrats, Kerry in particular, rather than press on with the vital issues most deserved of his time. Again, sorry Florida, but if you keep electing scum as your representatives, I hate to say how badly that reflects on the populace. I want to like you, really I do. But when people like Katherine Harris and Portor Goss speak for you, I just have to wonder if the Bush prescribed Prozac therapy is enough...

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
A federal judge blocked Bush administration wishes to loosen restrictions on dolphin safety.

Maine is offering to help low-income pet owners get their pets to be "socially responsible."

Vogue Magazine should be protested for its advocation of fur as fashion.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
John Lynch wants to turn the office of New Hampshire Governor around to one of progressive and proactive leadership. A recent endorse of the Dean Dozen, Lynch made ethics a prerequisite for entrance to Harvard Business School during his tenure there. He has fought to maintain support for community hospitals and has been active in youth sports and activities.

DAILY PHOTO
The new Abu-Ghraib will use eco-friendly torture

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Island Dave has begun work on his American Cities thesis on the homesteading of the Sooner state of Oklahoma. Take a look at one of the most unusual migrations to take place in U.S. history.

CEM Update

2004-08-09T16:57:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of a Monday post. My internet connection was down for almost 24 hours, so I had no way to put today's issue together. IP provider says they are doing "upgrades" (yah, right), so I should expect spotty connections until Wed.

Thanks for your patience, and please, continue to enjoy past issues and the many useful, fun, and intelligent links on the right. Don't forget to click on the BlogShares icon, and visit the dozens of great blogs on the blogroll in the meantime. I'll try to get an issue up for Tuesday (I'm working on it now), but don't hold me to that.

--Island Dave

Friday, August 6 Issue #44

2004-08-06T01:00:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Since Ford failed to fulfill its promise to raise fuel efficiency, pledge not to buy a Ford.

Protect the Cape Hatteras Seashore from off-road vehicles.

FEATURED ARTICLES

NYTimes editors slam Bush administration for maneuvering to soften nuclear restrictions, a frightening and security-threatening policy.

Former weapons inspector Scott Ritter offers a brutal but fair critique of Kerry's stance on Iraq.

Incarceration of blacks leading to horrid social conditions and the spread of AIDS.

The U.S. government again rushes to install error-prone identification technology.

Paul Krugman digs beneath the politicized media coverage in Iraq and Afghanistan.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Grist Magazine shows Obama to be an advocate for the environment.

Sidney Blumenthal smacks down the clouds around the recent terror alert and the Bush record on Homeland Security.

Failed leadership is worse with superpowers, says Bob Herbert.

Saudi Royals gift royally to Bush family and friends.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use - of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public."
-Robert F. Kennedy

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
-August 5, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Pandagon is a hub for slightly edgy, seriously informative blogging. Another great community blog for debating the news of the day.

BLOGWORTHY
POGGEh? points us to a strong article making the conservative case against Bush.

Just a Bump in the Beltway caught another story of Bush campaign crackdown on protesters.

Mick, over at his rant blog Omniun, brings us an article by British reporter Robert Frisk, whose words destroy any sense of even a faux-peace in Iraq.

At Short Notes, Will Brady points to sources which suggest Wacky Moony Rev. Moon wants submarines to develop undersea colonies.

Unlike Dukakis in '88, Kerry is not taking libel lightly. As Left Coaster discovered, Kerry's lawyers consider libel suit against Swift Boat Veterans.

Whopundit has a kind offer for Alan Keyes should he need some assistance.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
The Capital Times takes a look at medical marijuana patients.

The IDF will start using cannabis to treat "shell shock" of troops.

Bolivia decides to reduce harm by ending destructive eradication of coca plants.

LINK OF THE DAY
Bob Novak: What an asshole.

SITE OF THE DAY
Surprisingly, one of the best maintained sites from the government remains the official U.S. House of Representatives website. You can find bills under consideration, schedules, and links to each Representative's site.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Anyone cinematically inclined undoubtedly checks the Internet Movie DataBase regularly. You can find lots of great political and journalistic movies. Some of my favorites are All the President's Men, Citizen Kane, and Thirteen Days.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
CNN had a piece on the Swift Boat Veterans commercial, as well as McCain's reaction.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps go first to John Kerry, for finally putting his pimp-hand down, offering an actual rebuttal to Bush's choice of actions. Kerry, at a stump speech in Missouri, told the crowd that he would not have sat in the Florida classroom after such a whisper in his ear. "I would have told those kids very politely and nicely that the president of the United States had something that he needed to attend to." Well, ok, still not full force, but for Kerry, this was direct, to-the-point, and made the rounds as a great sound-bite. This is bringing awareness of Bush's actions to another level, much like F9-11 earlier this year. We need more strong statements from Kerry. He doesn't have to spend millions on ads if he can repeated hit the soundbites.

Second round for John McCain, for blasting the television ad produced by a group of Vietnam veterans against Kerry. The ad, which the CEM highlighted yesterday, shows "testimonials" of soldiers who claim to have served with Kerry. In fact, none of the men served directly with Kerry. McCain strongly condemned the ads as "dishonest and dishonorable", making a statement that he felt Kerry served honorably in Vietnam. Of course, he destroys his integrity once again by sticking to GOP position that Bush also served his time in the National Guard honorably. You would think all this fence straddling would chaff his nuts. If if were anyone other than McCain, I'd insert the obvious punchline here.

Slaps to all countries that continue to allow diplomatic immunity for foreign emissaries. As seen in Britain, diplomats often break laws, even serious ones, without fear of repercussion. While there is no doubt that there must be a healthy respect of host nations for foreign dignitaries, there must also be reciprocal respect of said dignitaries for the host nation's laws. No nation's citizens should suffer indignities, assaults, and victimization from unchecked diplomats. We would not allow our own citizens to do such a thing, how can we allow a foreigner to do so? At least the British are opening a dialogue about the issue. I'm sure we'll never hear a peep about this until something incredibly tragic finally manages to break the serious government stranglehold on such reports.

My Middle Finger to Katherine "Dirty Knees" Harris for pulling a false security success story out of her ass. Harris, who would certainly make Tammy Faye proud of her color choices, had never uttered an original thought til that point in her life, so it is no wonder that the first one was so wacky. She literally made up a story about busting up a bomb plot, a nutty story disputed by local authorities. Sorry, Florida, but after 2000, you should have known better...To quote Dubya, fool me once...Shame..Shame on...you...Fool Me...Can't get fooled again.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Florida town may crack down on alligators after attack.

No-kill shelter in San Fran needs a companion kill shelter to reduce overall euthanasia rate.

No snipping you dog's nads any longer, just give him a shot.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Jeff Hardenbrook is seeking a U.S. Congressional seat from the battleground state of Ohio. A former missionary, Hardenbrook also worked for the Rural Electrification Administration. He also supports a higher minimum wage, an important fight for the struggling Ohio labor force.

DAILY PHOTO
Think January 20, 2005.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle to understand why corporate dominance and government apathy lead to social exploitation of the labor force.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
War...Peace...Freedom...Police State...Amish...Bush...Hmm...

Thursday, August 5 Issue #43

2004-08-05T01:00:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Tell Coke to stop using child labor on sugar plantations.

Let Aschroft know you want voter suppression stopped now.

Give Bush a piece of your mind.

Demand that the House Ethics Committee take up the complaint against bugman Tom Delay.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Bill Clinton warns us against destroying our forests the way Bush is doing.

Somebody owes Howard Dean an apology, says Joe Conasan.

Republican Alaskan Senator found to have leaked minor classified information in 2002.

Thursday NYTimes editorial smacks down Tom Ridge and the terror alert system.

Bruce Springsteen, appearing soon in a pro-Kerry concert, op-eds in the NYTimes this morning.

Flip-flopper in Chief called out by WaPo's Richard Cohen.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
The WaPo argues with the Bush administration's deficit assertions.

The Onion satirically suggests Bush is a moron...at blogging.

Jane Roberts reminds us that, now days, women can't be spelled with a "W".

The Minnesota Star Tribune echoes WaPo concerns over the timing and politicizing of national terror alerts.

With Condi and Colin already in the game, Republicans look to Alan Keyes to take on Obama.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do."
-Bob Dylan

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about their future can hear."
-March 3, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Political State Report is a centralized American political blog which has correspondents in numerous states. Frequently the source of great campaign information from a first-hand perspective, several contributors have scores candidate interviews. Island Dave has been added to the roster, and will soon offer North Carolina posts on the site.

BLOGWORTHY
Digby takes a hard look at the atrocious abuse documented at Gitmo by the Center for Constitutional Rights.

Tax breaks for SUVs is the subject of a frustrating article from Kevin Drum.

At Wampum, Dwight Meredith takes a close look at Tom Ridge's political allegiance.

Jeff Leiber caught a great rebuttal to the RNC "Senate Record" charge in his dKos diary.

Billmon breaks out a tome on the Halliburton charges and Cheney's involvement.

The Mahablog breaks open tribal tendencies in politics.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
The forgotten war that has never been won.

See today's Claps for a Detroit success story.

LINK OF THE DAY
Electoral-Vote.com updates an electoral college estimate based on regular poll releases.

SITE OF THE DAY
I want to reintroduce everyone to Iron Blog, the blog debate forum. The site features a new battle each week, with four Iron Bloggers defending their honor, just like Iron Chef. Catch the rest of the Islam battle, with a new post each day this week.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Ever wondered if there was a library cat habitating a book center near you? The Library Cat Map from Iron Frog has the goods.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
One of the funniest songs I've ever heard: "Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis, I'll Keep My Penis Off of You!" (may take a minute to load)

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Detroit voters for passing a measure decriminalizing medicinal marijuana possession. Patients, operating under the advice of a doctor, can possess up to 35 grams in the city and not be subject to local charges. Federal charges, as well as state laws, are still in effect, but nonetheless, this small step passed with a strong 60% vote. Hopefully, Detroit can climb out of some of the repressive urban conditions through more compassionate, progressive acts such as this.

A second Claps to King County Superior Court Judge William L. Downing for allowing same-sex unions.

Slaps to the Vietnam veterans who have bought television ad time to criticize John Kerry, calling his service into question. The morons, who are doing only harm to the image of servicemen, claim the Kerry could not be counted on, a claim directly countered by Kerry's superiors and crewmates. In fact, none of the critics ever served in Vietnam with Kerry, making any critique far less credible than those given by all but one crewmember. My father, a staunch Republican who distrusted Clinton, is a Vietnam vet, and he will likely be voting for Kerry this year. That tells me volumes about Kerry's service. My dad was in Nam for almost 10 years, often on those same Swift boats, and if he says Kerry did enough, what more do you need?

My Middle Finger fingers the Bush Administration for allowing outrageous patent protections to be used to quadruple the price of Norvir, a key AIDS drug. Abbott Laboratories, the drug ~~dealer~~ producer, raised prices of the drug last fall, claiming slowing sales made this necessary. Yet again, taxpayers give substantial funding to drug companies who then turn around and pillage the sick in order to squeak out an extra nickel. At what point does the public realize that we need a much more socialistic outlook on medicine if we want any equality? Capitalism always favors those who have money. It always disfavors those without. This continued gladhanding between pharmies and politicians is slowly destroying the health system in this country, and only a radical shift away from corporate priorities can restore fairness and integrity.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
PETA accuses Iams of using contractor which tortures animals.

Animal Law is growing as a specialty across the U.S.

West Virginia prosecutor fails to see torture in Pilgrim's Pride case.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Mark Boles is running for a U.S. House seat from Pennsylvania's 18th district. A doctor by trade, he practiced pediatrics throughout the state. Boles served as a Navy Corpsman prior to entering medical school, and also went on to work at the NASA-owned Jet Propulsion laboratory. His Republican incumbent opponent has been a Bush bootstepper, and is one of many Republicans who spent taxpayer money to send out pro-Medicare bill fliers.

DAILY PHOTO
An "exemplorary" help file.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Lest anyone doubt that McCarthy could return, see exactly why "McCarthyism" is synonymous with "Witch Hunt".

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
When the cat's away...

Wednesday, August 4 Issue #42

2004-08-02T22:49:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Pledge to protect the oceans.

Arizona residents: check Southpaw for info on Prop 106.

FEATURED ARTICLES
We already had the rape at Abu Ghraib, I think its safe to say I've found the pillage.

Bush will gut the courts, says American Prospect.

Democrats in NC ensure military education breaks.

Sibel Edmonds, the translating whistleblower, penned an open letter to the 9-11 Commission.

Barbara Ehrenreich stresses the need to listen to a feminine perspective to fight terrorists.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Take one Paul Krugman article and call me in the morning.

Muslim photographer harassed by Secret Service.

Missouri votes to amend state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

You don't need to see the movie to see a Manchurian Candidate in the act.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The world will change for the better when people decide they are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the way the world is, and decide to change themselves."
-Sidney Madwed

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"We want people owning something in America. That's what we want. The great dream about America is, I can own my own home, people say."
-March 26, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Jay Rosen's Press Think is one of the top blogs for looking into the culture that is our media.

BLOGWORTHY
Are the Republican strategists wagging the dog, Homeland Security-style? Attaturk's tinfoil hat is rattling again.

This week's Battle over at Iron Blog deals with Islam. Iron Blogger Republican Dan Champion has a keen take on the religion in his opening argument.

Mick is on top of worker exploitation, this time paid for by taxpayers.

Intel Dump looks at the spiraling Abu Ghraib abuse scandal, which may go much higher up the chain of command.

Flip-floppers offended by Bush, decide on Kerry.

Greg at The Talent Show takes on Bush's insane ideas about tax cuts.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Missouri city will vote on marijuana decriminalization in November.

Sadistic Irony: Drug dog dies from overdose.

The Supreme Court will take up federal sentencing guidelines.

LINK OF THE DAY
Are you a neo-con? Take the CSM's quiz.

SITE OF THE DAY
The American Prospect Online remains one of the most intelligent progressive magazine sites you can visit.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
You don't need me to tell you what is housed at Prank Place. Make sure you check out this offering.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Terror Alert!!!! from Jon Stewart.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Dick Cheney for blaming Kerry and Edwards for high gas prices. Huh?!?! you say? Has the CEM gone neo-con? Not at all. Cheney, who lacks any credibility with most of the nation, will convince many swing voters to vote for Kerry instead. Since Cheney's approval rating is bottoming out, and a corresponding lack of trust in the Vice-President is obvious, voters who actually bothered to listen to him, and who have not already sipped the Kool-Aid, will surely get a chuckle out of the VP's moronic statement. Next plan from Bush-Cheney is to blame Kerry and Edwards for the decision to invade Iraq.

Slaps to Tom Ridge for once again proving his lack of a soul, or for that matter, any free will. For those who think Bush is Cheney's puppet, you might want to look for Dick's other hand. When its not coping a feel from Condi, his hand is usually directing every movement of Ridge's body. After raising the terror alert in an obvious effort to distract the public from the Democratic Convention, new reports show the documents used as reason to do so are three to four years old. Some may date prior to 9-11. So the August 6, 2001 PDB "Bin Ladin Determined to Strike Inside U.S." was too historical to get worked up on, but a three year old collection of maps and drawings indicates an immediate need to scare up some fear? Damn I wish Dick would go back to handling Condi and leave Ridge in the drawer where he belongs.

My Middle Finger smirks at Dubya for creating another senseless bureaucracy for dealing with intelligence. There are already over fifteen overt intelligence agencies operating, supposedly, to channel information to the National Security Advisor Condi Rice. Democrats and 9-11 Commission members balk at Bush's "toothless" post which will not have enough power to provide a boost to security efficiency. Instead of merging and aligning existing posts, or at least creating a full cabinet level position, Bush has chosen to place another spaniel in a bulldog position. Yet one more little puppy for Bush to pat on the head and then send away until desired.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
PetFinder service looks to match animals with human ~~slaves~~ companions.

Bowling Green will reclassify owners of two or more unadulterated pets as kennel owners to stem overbreeding.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
John Barrow is seeking a U.S. House seat in Georgia against Republican incumbent Max Burns. An attorney by way of Harvard, Barrow won his primary last week, and has had strong fundraising abilities so far. Barrow, who has a track record of populist votes, especially in support of families, is married to a veterinarian.

DAILY PHOTO
Time to cut this card

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
At Net Politik, Nick Lewis has put together a superior selection of clips from George Orwell's writings. It is amazing just how well Orwell understood the power that corrupts good societies.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Bush Twins: You been Punk*d!

Look, I like Al Franken, and even better, I respect him. But: Radio does not belong on TV.

Mad Cow Disease, indeed. Talk about sweet irony.

Monday, August 2 Issue #41

2004-07-29T15:05:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Get your free Kerry Kit, while supplies last.

Vote in the WRAL news poll.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Ron Reagan makes a strong case against Bush. (thanks to Steve at ILTW for the link)

Journalist Josh Marshall posts a provocative teaser for his Washington Monthly article due out soon concerning Italian intelligence and the forged Niger documents.

The Post calls for fair-dealing on the black farmer assistance lawsuit.

Bob Herbert describes American ~~lies~~ politics.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Bush campaign demands journalist disclose race prior to covering event?!?!

Powell called in July to testify at Plame Grand Jury inquiry.

Republicans continue to hold up another much needed housing bill, despite strong House support.

Airline bailout will cost taxpayers billions more.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned to walk forward."
-FDR

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"We want to reduce greenhouse gases. Ours is a large economy. We used to generate more wealth than we are today. And as a result, we do contribute greenhouse gases to the atmosphere."
-July 19, 2001

BLOG OF THE DAY
Congrats to andante from Collective Sigh for winning Tom Burka's contest at Opinions You Should Have. Collective Sigh is a fellow North Carolina-based blog, and you can find great political blogging from it's proprietor. Andante, who is a member of the infamous Liberal Coalition, offers a balanced blend of commentary, news coverage, photos, and rants to keep you coming back every day.

BLOGWORTHY
A female soldier offers a first-hand view of duty in Iraq. (thanks to Kate!)

POGGE gives us a Canadian perspective on Kerry's appeal to the voters while speaking at the Democratic Convention.

Mick at From the Trenches digs inside wage stagnation and the destination of corporate profits.

Billmon finds irony in this week's Republican whining campaign.

Mustang Bobby points to a Miami Herald article as solid proof of voter fraud in Florida...which was pretty much a given after 2000.

Green Voicemail takes a shot at Tom Ridge's color of the day.

Over at The Vast Dairy State Conspiracy, shw found an excellent quote from one of my favorite TV personalities...well...back when I watched TV, culinary scientist Alton Brown.

Finally, a new face to Blogworthy, Gillon from I Voted For George looks at Britain's statistical fallacies, and our on involvement in collateral damage.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
PATRIOT Act provisions being used to fight drugs instead of terrorists.

Drug war prevents police efforts from being used to stop violent crime.

LINK OF THE DAY
Its Rock, Paper, Saddam: A satirical pictoral of Saddam on trial.

SITE OF THE DAY
The Online Etymology Dictionary offers word origins and meanings from thousands of words.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
This isn't really a site, its a song. One of the most unusual songs I've ever heard. William Shatner doing "Common People". Seriously.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Here is a Pittsburg news channel's reporting on the Heinz Kerry "shove it" incident, with the exchange caught on video.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to the ACLU for pulling out of a federal donation program in protest over Patriot Act provisions. The program allowed employees to donate money to various causes, and the ACLU alone stands to loose $500,000. However, sometimes wacky, sometimes nutty, the ACLU nonetheless is one of the few organizations willing to take a stand for personal liberties and private freedoms. Executive Director Anthony Romero called out Ashcroft's style of law enforcement, and raised a serious warning to other nonprofits about the over-zealous usage of Patriot provisions to conduct invasive searches of employee records. While there is no doubt we must work to prevent terrorism, we must not yield our most basic freedoms to support the cause. Otherwise, the terrorists win. Amazing how self-professed "protectors of liberty" are the very ones so eager to "protect" us by limiting our freedoms. More claps to the ACLU, whose balls sure do swing heavy occasionally.

Slaps to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for declaring an Alabama law banning the sale of sex toys legal. By a 2-1 margin, the court determined that sexual privacy was not protected by the Constitution or other laws. The decision was made because the majority members did not want to give legal precedence for overturning incest and prostitution laws. Not only is this a huge leap of logic, it completely ignores the affects in the other direction. Instead, this law establishes that sexual privacy rights can be usurped by state legislation in a way never before conceived. Under this precedent, any legislation can pass a law restricting sexual privacy with the backing of the Circuit Court's ruling. If not for the below disgusting situation, these two judges would each be getting 12" Middle Finger-shaped dildos straight up their arses...sans KY.

My Middle Finger to the Florida Republican Party for swearing by electronic voting machines, then strongly advising party members to utilize absentee ballots. Jeb Bush, as well other administration officials, have repeatedly claimed the voting machines were reliable and safe, but based on this report in the StPete paper, its pretty obvious the GOP has no trust in the machines. I really thought Florida had a chance this year to lead the way in electoral reform. Instead, Jeb and his cronies have continuously blocked progressive reforms which would have protected election integrity and assured all voters that the tallies would be accurate. Jeb might as well out his partisan agenda and admit publically that his actions are taken to prevent voter turnout, and ensure that results are just controversial enough to keep Florida in the red...just like the national budget.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Animal advocacy degree will be offered at Duquesne University in Pittsburg.

Another NC animal shelter is operating with overcrowded kennels.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Erskine Bowles is running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by potential Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards. Bowles, who lost to Elizabeth Dole in 2002, served as President Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff from 1996-1998, taking only $1/year as salary for his position. The latest polls show Bowles with a 10-point lead over Republican Richard Burr. I met Bowles on Thursday, and was quite impressed with his charisma and genuine interest in talking to people. In fact, the campaign posted one of the pics I took on the front page of the website, and made a blog entry for additional pics.

DAILY PHOTO
Erskine Bowles and Island Dave in Morehead City, NC

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Since I had to learn about Keynesian economic theory in Political Econ, so do you! Besides, that Say guy was a neo-con before it was insane to be a neo-con.

Thursday, July 29 Issue #40

2004-07-28T20:32:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Send a letter to Kerry and Bush speaking out against the current War on Drugs.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Read the text of Jimmy Carter's speech from Monday night.

Bush is again proposing cutting Medicare funding, this time for cancer doctors.

The Village Voice jumps on the Obama bandwagon.

Here is the text of Obama's speech.

Richard Cohen critiques Kerry's use of international standing in campaign sound-bites.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Informed Consent's Juan Cole argues with Cheney.

John Nichols chides the media for missing convention highlights, such as Obama's masterpiece.

Progressive Greens left to ponder exactly how to feel this election year.

Nader's presence in the race should convince Democrats to favor instant-runoff, or 1,2,3 voting.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe."
-H.G. Wells

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"I've been talking to Vicente Fox, the new president of Mexico... I know him... to have gas and oil sent to U.S.... so we'll not depend on foreign oil. "
-October 3, 2000

BLOG OF THE DAY
Digby over at Hullabaloo is one of the most cited bloggers around. Known for having insights with teeth, the site offers commentary on all thing political, from a liberal point of view, naturally. You'll see digby's posts show up often in the Blogworthy section of CEM.

BLOGWORTHY
Atrios brings the media hypocrisy to light in the coverage of blogger integrity.

Mortgage costs are complex and daunting for most anyone to consider, so Paperwight's Fair Shot offers a look at the shady tax resemblance of mortgage insurance.

Island Dave's View takes a look at flip-flopping, and why it is a good thing.

The Mahablog takes on William Safire in a personal and nuanced view of abortion.

Grocer hates Ben Cohen's anti-American activities, enough so to burn Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and sell the products of a terrorist financier. That Good Night's tenacity has the scoop.

For anyone following Iron Blog on a regular basis, you know about the row this week over a score. Judge Pineapple Girl defends her decisions on her blog.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Arkansas medical marijuana initiative needs help to get on November ballot.

ACLU sues to get Arizona ballot signature approved, cites unjust restrictions.

LINK OF THE DAY
Joel Caris from Nightmares For Sale has a photo album posted from his trip to the Glacier National Park. The photos are breathtaking.

SITE OF THE DAY
AlterNet is a hub for independent media and journalism articles, of which the CEM has referenced many.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
If Google and Yahoo searches bore you, check out the Devilfinder Search Engine. (thanks to Dave at Spacecoastweb: blog)

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
This is one of the funniest pieces I have seen in a long time. Will Ferrell doing his Dubya for ACT.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to XM Radio for signing NPR veteran Bob Edwards to a new show which will appear in a timeslot competing with Edward's old "Morning Edition". Edwards was a master of the calm, intelligent radio show, and could be counted on to address many issues other shows would not cover. NPR's hard shift to a middle ground has made many people reconsider NPR's integrity, especially after the FAIR study came out demonstrating a particular conservative lean to NPR guests.

Slaps to Washington DC's Metro for again resorting to extreme measures to enforce a no-food and drink law on subways and in stations. After receiving a warning from a station officer, one rider quickly finished her candy bar and discarded the wrapper. Instead of letting the situation die, the officer handcuffed her and searched her, claiming she had finished the bar after entering the station. The woman spent time in a jail cell, and was released when she paid a measly $10 fine. WTF??? With John Ashcroft screaming insane babble about "the terrorists are coming! The terrorists are coming!", don't you think the Metro officers have more important things to look out for than someone chewing? Jesus Christ...

My Middle Finger goes in effigy to the once powerful French, who yet again, hedge their bets in hopes of screwing the U.S. out of a promise. France has held back on fulfilling its promise to provide troops to aid the NATO-led training mission in Iraq. While I France had every right and justification for refusing to take part in the war with Iraq, this latest gaff underscores just how low the French have sunk in international relations. This was one chance for France to work toward better ties with the U.S. and take part in restoring order to the chaotic nation. Again, had no promise been made, France would have every right to abstain from participation, but after making a commitment, dammit, we expect them to honor it. The longer France waits to hold its end of the bargain, the more opportunities there are for our soldiers to be slaughtered.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Animal rights group screws chance to investigate pig-farm cruelty accusations.

"Lucky" rescued after being shot with an arrow.

Feral cats in Cape May getting the blame for disappearing wildlife.

Caged killer whale tries to live up to its name,

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Patty Murphy is looking to hold on to her U.S. Senate seat from Washington. Murphy, who has served two full terms in the Senate, has fought hard to strength education and afterschool programs, and has an intent focus on family interests. She believes in fair trade and labor rights, as well as supporting smart growth for our nation's economy.

DAILY PHOTO
So simple even Republicans can understand it.

(thanks to BagnewsNotes)

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
During this week of amazing speeches, lets remember one of the best orators of his day, George McGovern.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Insurers sure are getting creative in screwing their customers.

Wednesday, July 28 Issue #39

2004-07-27T23:29:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Request Cafe Press to carry hemp clothing.

Demand Ashcroft to commission a Special Counsel to investigate Florida voter fraud.

FEATURED ARTICLES
The Clinton's speeches prove they are strong supporters of Kerry's campaign.

NC exemplifies problems states are having with homeland security.

Many Iraqis find electricity to be an elusive resource to access as deadly bombings continue unabated.

Nicholas Kristof reminds us how we must count the costs of any war.

The Capital Times expresses the disappointment of many in the 9-11 Commission's findings.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Justice Department accused of manipulating arrests in an Islamic charity case to coincide with the Democratic Convention.

Molly Ivins, doing what she does best.

Media hosts continue to practice fluff journalism.

If these people weren't so serious, I'd be LMAO. Ok, I'm LMAO anyway! (thanks to the General)

Helen Thomas grows angrier at Dubya every day.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber."
-Plato

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods. "
-December 20, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
The Road to Surfdom has been featured repeatedly in the Blogworthy section and is today's Blog of the Day. The commentary is precise and to the point, and writer Tim Dunlop is quick to hone in on details many other bloggers miss.

BLOGWORTHY
I Like to Write looks at the tort reform debate from the silent voice of consumer protections.

Kos offers a glowing opinion of Obama's keynote address, an opinion shared by the CEM and Island Dave. Another good entry from Steve Bates.

Mick at From the Trenches digs into the dirty deeds done dirty cheap by partisan econopundits.

Bryant at Make Me A Commentator pens a brilliant narrative look from the eyes of Suzy Registered Voter and Conservative Cat. Excellent!

Why aren't the Democrats being more honest? NTodd asks the hard sarcastic questions.

Southpaw has several mp3s from Tuesday's speeches.

Seeing the Forest's Dave Johnson describes a speech you didn't get at the convention, one from Michael Moore.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Medical marijuana crackdown does not resemble "compassionate conservatism."

When did the War on Drugs disappear from the political radar?

LINK OF THE DAY
Think your going to Heaven? Afraid your calling's in Hell? Find out for sure right now!

SITE OF THE DAY
This may be a hoax, but damn, some days this feels really accurate...Check out the full Museum of Hoaxes site here.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Ben Cohen is one of the most progressive activists in the nation. Thinking about him led the CEM to long for his original co-brainchild: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
You can watch the masterful, once-in-a-campaign-season speech of Barack Obama here. (thanks to Marc at Whopundit for the link!)

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to future President of the United States ~~John Kerry~~ Barack Obama. No diss to Kerry, but Obama was the man of the day on Tuesday at the Democratic Convention. He was everything he was billed to be, everything we all hoped we would be. He was dramatic, powerful, intelligent, and charismatic. Obama has a bright future ahead of him, and though this was but one speech in a much longer political career, he may one day bring about a significant change to our racial barriers. I believe MLK Jr. would be quite satisfied with Obama's record of public service, and would have stood applauding his speech tonight. Man, what an orator! Hell, if Obama runs against President Kerry in 2008, the CEM will be jumping in line behind him.

Slaps to Oklahoma voters who overwhelmingly picked conservative Democrat Dan Boren over Kalyn Free in the state Congressional primary. Free, a member of the Chotaw nation, had been a Candidate of the Day at the CEM two months ago, and has an outstanding resume. Boren is one of the ruling families in the southeastern OK district, and tends to fall to the right of many Democrats. Free's campaign was a long shot, but the CEM held out hope. Dare I say John Kerry could find a spot in his new administration for her?

My Middle Finger to anyone who continues to resist the implementation of an emergency election verification program to provide paper, or otherwise recountable, receipts for votes cast. With the new revelation that Miami-Dade computers have lost data from the 2002 election, worries about the 2004 counts grow stronger. We must demand verified ballots. You will hear many politicians...cough...Republicans...cough...state that there is no time to install a verifiable system. I've got an easy way to do this. You take all those unread Executive memos floating around the White House, tear them in 3x3 squares, and hand them to voters as they enter the booths. Could this be manipulated? Sure, but it is no less reliable than the current system. For security, implement Al Gore's lockbox, and count by hand if necessary. It worked for hundreds of years, why not this year. Demand verifiable elections now!

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Court battle over pet custody in Monterey.

Cockfighting still legal in Louisiana, laws pending.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Brett Wagner is running in the 24th district of California. This national security expert once served at the internationally-respected Center for Strategic and International Studies, and is currently the President of non-partisan think tank California Center for Strategic Studies. Wagner, who has received degrees from UCSB and Georgetown, has received endorsement from numerous labor unions as well as Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank.

DAILY PHOTO
Obama in 2012

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
New Yorker Magazine offers a long but engaging look at Bill Clinton and his memoir.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Michael Moore turned down on his offer to show F9-11 to Dubya in Crawford.

Tuesday, July 27 Issue #38

2004-07-26T22:48:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
The Washington Post is calling for nominations for it's Best Blogs contest. Take a moment to sign up on the site, and mark your favorite blogs in several categories.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Paul Krugman voices our fear of election fraud, a fear well founded in the 2000 scandal.

Is corporate responsibility an oxymoron? So asks Lois Levin and Robert Hinkley.

Bush's environmental record has never been good, as the LATimes discovered.

NYTimes editorializes the black farmers' loan compensation story covered by the CEM days ago as a Middle Finger.

Despite a month of sovereignty, Iraq is no closer to calm as the Christian Science Monitor points out.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Penal system hits record for incarcerated Americans. Only in the U.S....or maybe China.

Speaking of China, they're pretty pissed about the beating of a Chinese tourist by a Homeland Security Agent.

British MPs set to officially back Kerry candidacy in a slap to Tony Blair and his allegiance with Dubya.

Can a press fluff article be more moronic than this?

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true!"
-H.L. Mencken

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than -- I say more Muslims -- a lot of Muslims have died -- I don't know the exact count -- at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill. "
-February 18, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Political Animal by former CalPundit blogger Kevin Drum remains a consistent voice in Blogistan. From inside-the-beltway scoops to down and dirty campaign breakdowns, TWM posts should be daily reads.

BLOGWORTHY
Paperwight's Fair Shot draws together the subversive actions of the current administration, and offers a harsh criticism to those who would turn the other cheek.

Chris Bowers at the blogfather MyDD warns against an intellectual property bill coming before the Senate.

The British are considering immunizing children against the effects of cocaine and other drugs. Radley Balko at the Agitator breaks open this Orwellian overture by a state toward its citizens. Be very afraid.

Tex at UnFairWitness found a story showing that the US backs terrorists who take up arms against Iran. Big shock, huh?

The Road to Surfdom is quickly becoming one of the CEM's most enjoyable reads, this time Tim takes on one-ball bandits Novak and O'Beirne.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
In case it wasn't obvious, Bush is screwing up the War on Drugs, too.

Now retired football star Ricky Williams speaks out about drug testing in the NFL.

LINK OF THE DAY
Think you might be going crazy? Having second thoughts about your obsessive-compulsive split personality disorder? Take this test to know for sure.

SITE OF THE DAY
Technorati and CNN have teamed up to keep track of the writings of the convention bloggers. Get a complete, up-to-date wrap-up here.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Sometimes, when life makes it too tough to make a decision or plan ahead, there is one place to turn to that never fails. The Magic 8-ball.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
How to spot a liar.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to the USA editor(s) who rejected Ann Coulter's commissioned assignment from the Democratic Convention. The article is pure sleaze, worse even than the typical garbage which Coulter slimes into columns nationwide. A talentless media-whore, and otherwise despicable attention junkie, Coulter had been working for USA Today, and was to have a piece published this morning. Instead, a outstanding editor stopped her crap prior to release, to the chagrin of Coulter. A copy of the article, along with embedded editor's comments, demonstrates that finally, an editor can stand up against inane babble and idiotic moronitude which spews far too often from the right side of the aisle. (tips to reef the dog at dkos.

Oh, and a special additional Clap goes to the entire lineup of speakers at Day 1 of the Democratic Convention. From start to finish, the fire was palpable, the excitement invigorating, and the tenor progressive. I was especially impressed with Al Gore, Bill Clinton, and Michael Negron, a college student and winner of an MTV contest. Jimmy Carter's tone was perfect for the elder statesman of our day, and perfectly balanced the upbeat rallies being echoed around him. DNC, despite the numerous glitches, the show rocked!

Slaps go to Said Mortazavi, an Iranian prosecutor who closed two newspapers which had reported on a trial in which he was involved. Mortazavi, in moves the Bush administration would envy, has overtly attempted to cover up evidence in a murder trial, and the newspaper closure is but the latest episode. Iran, at times appearing to peak over the wall of theocracy, has a hard time avoiding typical power pitfalls inherent in such a system of government. Then again, after Bush2, how can we point fingers when the Middle Finger is so often pointed at ourselves?

My Middle Finger chaffes in extension toward the Bush Administration, this time for attempting weaken safety and health protections for mine workers. Miners, already among the most likely to be injured, sickened, or killed as a result of work-related factors, need greater support, and could have it at very reasonable costs. The new rules will allow additional higher levels of diesel particles in the worker's air supply, a dangerous change which will likely lead to incredible increases in black-lung type illnesses. Bush Administration: Go Cheney yourselves...

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
The Larry Flynt of the dog-fighting world is charged in magazine case.

The last thing animal rights advocates need is someone with the mentality of a wacko anti-abortion fanatic advocating for the justified killing of scientists.

Researches decide to use time-out instead of spanking elephants.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Jack Flynn is a clear underdog in the Congressional race from NC-9. His opponent, GOP line-tower Sue Myrick, is strong in the district, and will be able to significantly outspend Flynn. A former Navy veteran, Flynn is strong supporter of our military men and women. With a Kerry push toward the election, this race could get tight, as could many races this Congressional year.

DAILY PHOTO
Sometimes, its just nice to see...

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
After an eloquent and passionate speech before the DNC, Jimmy Carter's life is one worth a revisit.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Moore is taking his fight to Bush's neighborhood.

I've heard of making an ass out of a mayor, but a mayor out of an ass?

Monday, July 26 Issue #37

2004-07-25T22:31:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Let the Forest Service know you oppose logging roads in formerly protected areas.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Sunday's NYTimes op-ed from Richard Clarke offers the former Terrorism Czar's critique of the 9-11 Commission's report, and suggestions of his own on reforming security and intelligence.

Bill Moyers, doing what he does best.

Lawsuit brought by ACLU in Ohio set to go to trial. Punch-card ballots get a first case in court.

Rick Perlstein considers the differences between the right-thinking and the right-wing.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Barbara Ehrenreich, ever the fiery commentator, rips in to the ~~alien~~ Wal-Mart invasion.

NYMagazine offered a long article into the growing campaign to build a vast left-wing conspiracy.

Bob Herbert takes a moment to look at Sen. Edward Kennedy prior to the launch of the Democratic Convention today.

Massive human-chain protest in Israel signifies serious disapproval for the "security" barrier.

With friends like these...

Drug lawsuits undermine FDA??? Are you Nucking Futs? Short answer: Yep.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time."
-Jack London

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"And, most importantly, Alma Powell, Secretary of Colin Powell, is with us. "
-January 30, 2003

BLOG OF THE DAY
Nightmares For Sale is written by one of the smoothest opinionaters in the blogosphere. Joel Caris, a regular judge for Iron Blog, has long focused NFS on politics, but has recently decided to hedge his bets and include more of his everyday life, a change that has been reflected in writing that is incredibly genuine and personal. Whether looking for political rants or intellectual reflection, check out NFS often (Joel has been on vacation, lucky bastard, but should be posting again this week.)

BLOGWORTHY
Keith at The Invisible Library caught an important story missed by the CEM and all other media outlets save his source Government Executive. The WaPost did not pick this up til Sunday evening, 3 days later, and no other news coverage is reported on a Google News search of the subject. If Bush can place his own man as archivist, he can literally rewrite history. 1984...1984...1984...2004...2004...What 2000 election controversy???

The General provides satirical comfort to a fellow General in need.

When the jobs disappear at home, they are likely available for the taking in Iraq, as Green Voicemail's tinheart makes clear.

The Road to Surfdom is on target again, this time considering the consequences of the Philippine withdrawal from Iraq. CEM penned a similar opinion for Claps in Issue #30

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Former assistant principle plants drugs in student's locker = gets charges dropped = teaches our children what???

Man, I've been so stoned that I lost track of a roach or two, but I've never been this stoned.

LINK OF THE DAY
One the most useful links you will use, especially if you want to view foreign porn sites, AltaVista's Babelfish can translate between English, French, German, Japanese, and a handful of other language. Translate a cut-and-pasted block or an entire page at once. Wait, nevermind on that foreign porn site stuff...they work just fine without the translation :)

SITE OF THE DAY
Bob Brigham, someone the General would recognize as "probably French", operates as a co-conspirator of CEMonitor over at BlogShares and is working hard to bring down the cabal in Washington. His new site, Blogswarm, is a new dynamic distribution site for political campaigns. Blogswarm has teamed up with dozens of campaigns, political parties, and PACs to distribute press-releases, action alerts, and campaign information through a central server. By signing up for email update, or by simply visiting the site daily, you can read the latest releases and stay up-to-date during Campaign 2004.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
One Word: TooStupidToBePresident

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Jon Stewart wonders if Bush thinks the American People are safer.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Teresa Heinz Kerry for telling annoying conservative editor Colin McNickle to "shove it" after McNickle repeatedly asked Heinz Kerry about an earlier comment. I had no problem with the principle of Cheney uttering "fuck yourself" to Sen. Leahy, though I objected then to the reason behind the insult, and I have no objection to Teresa's slap-down here. In this case, McNickle pestered Kerry long past the point where Cheney would have Cheneyed. McNickle, told what to do with his fist, carkeys, or any other inanimate object which could be shoved, once compared progressives to socialists in the Coulter-light tradition. I hope Heinz Kerry shows up on the White House lawn with a bull horn telling Bush to "shove it" on November 2. Then, just to rub it in, the Kerry daughters could strip naked and mud wrestle for a homosexual charity....

Sorry, got a bit off target...

Slaps go to the city of Boston for waiting until the last minute to settle a labor deal with firefighters. While both sides contributed to the stalemate, the city spent thousands of dollars which could have been better spent providing PortaJohns for the Democratic Convention. Firefighters deserve everything they get and more. They're up there with police officers, teachers, and medical personnel: they should make much more than they are willing to accept, not less than they clearly deserve. Boston residents have seen thousands of lives and billions of dollars in property saved by the excruciatingly difficult labor of the firefighters. The city has a fiduciary duty to protect the tax investment of its citizens, but treating firefighters like greedy swindlers is no way to handle business. Boston owes its firefighters too much for such nonsense, and it should not such take a hostile situation to award them decent compensation.

My Middle Finger should poke Robert Rhodes blind for severely beating a Chinese tourist he had mistaken for a drug smuggler. The amount of marijuana "suspected" was minimal, and even if she were guilty of distribution..cough.cough..complete bullshit..cough...Rhodes tactics were well beyond what should be used, especially considering his opponent. I'll bet this bastard was the sick puppy that beat up freshmen during all seven years of his high school career. Should I ever meet Rhodes on the street I'll.....well, I'll look the other way, hoping he doesn't think I'm stoned, but you better believe that once his back is turned, he'll feel the wrath of my Middle Finger.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
The lions of Saddam's dead son Uday move from a dictator's prison to a democratic one.

Animal healer finds letting go tough.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Peter Clavelle represents one of the few candidates to win the backing of two political parties. The Burlington, Vermont mayor is seeking the Governorship of that state in a bid backed by both the state's Democratic and Progressive parties. Burlington is consistently one of the most highly regarded communities in the nation, and known internationally as an example of sustained growth meeting responsible government. The unity of the two parties has propped Clavelle up as a serious challenge to incumbent Jim Douglass. Clavelle is currently favored in the heavily Democratic state, and the seven-term mayor looks to bring a progressive voice to the helm of the state of Vermont.

DAILY PHOTO
Biz Markie and Al Sharpton: "Oh Baby you...you got what I nee--eeed"

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
The horror taking place in Sudan is nothing new to the devastated nation. Take a quick look at a short history of the Sudanese.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
If these are the people protecting Dubya, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Look, I didn't buy it when Bill Clinton saying it, don't think I'll believe you instead!

Friday, July 23 Issue #36

2004-07-23T01:00:00.000-04:00

Quick Note from Island Dave
I received a question from a reader who wanted to know why I use so many WaPo sources, especially in the two Articles sections. The reason is three-fold:

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Sign the Americans Coming Together petition demanding open government from our elected officials.

Sign a petition in favor of the McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act (S.139/H.R.4067). The petition has already been signed by over 320,000 people, add your name to it soon!

FEATURED ARTICLES
SNAP! Post acknowledges Berger failures, but smacks down the Republican leak machine. NYTimes not willing to "out" the leak-masters.

Paul Krugman asks the questions we all need answered. Friday morning's column sees him ask when someone will be held accountable for Iraq.

House passes law eliminating judicial branch powers to acknowledge same-sex marriages, bill will likely die in the Senate.

Newsweek's Richard Wolffe takes a moment to freeze-frame John Kerry's campaign in the days leading up to the convention.

The Nation's David Corn takes a look at the Capital Games being played over Joseph Wilson.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
The NYTimes joins the demands for verifiable elections.

Here's an article from April from former Clinton official Robert Reich on what a second Bush term would look like. (Thanks to the fulcrum)

Mark Green refocuses us on what progressive politics should look like.

At Salon, James Galbraith looks at a Bush campaign which is dangerous and on the run.

Senate Democrats were able to block 3 additional judicial nominees in a strategy that I completely endorse. Dem's have finally gotten wise to the power of the judiciary, a lesson hard-learned after Bush v Gore.

Michael Moore makes a lot of people nervous. Few people make the GOP nervous. Michael Moore makes the GOP nervous. Hmm...

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"We are so vain as to set the highest value upon those things to which nature has assigned the lowest place. What can be more coarse and rude in the mind than the precious metals, or more slavish and dirty than the people that dig and work them? And yet they defile our minds more than our bodies, and make the possessor fouler than the artificer of them. Rich men, in fine, are only the greater slaves."
-Seneca

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"You see, if you can't raise enough by taxing the rich, guess who gets to pay next? Yes, the not rich. That's all of us. "
-July 20, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Folkbum's Rants and Rambles is of one my daily reads, and a source for some of the best blogging around. Folkbum's proprietor Jay Bullock is the current Iron Blog Democrat (2-0!) at the pop culture meets Plato site, and former CEM Blog of the Day, Iron Blog.

BLOGWORTHY
The hypocritical fiscal actions of conservatives have been long documented and covered in numerous ways. After this week's delay of a spending bill in Congress, Paperwight's Fair Shot looks at the GOP failure to live up to conservative standards of fiscal responsibility.

Helena Cobban at Just World News tackles the reintroduction of the bureaucratic neo-con factory Committee on the Present Danger.

Mick at From the Trenches talks to corporate side-stepping maneuvers, as well as giving everyone the real story behind the McDonalds "Hot Coffee" case.

Can the Dems pull an upset retaking of the House this year? Attaturk at Rising Hegemon has a suggestion to make just such a thing happen, and borrows one of the strongest plays out of the GOP playbook to boot.

Are you confused about Dubya's support for the 9-11 commission? Tim Dunlop at The Road To Surfdom provides a chronological list of Dubya's support or opposition in a way even Shrub could understand.

Anonymous, senior intelligence officer and author of "Imperial Hubris" was interviewed on NPR's Diane Rehm Show, and bubba from Southpaw breaks down the highlights.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
A measure to expand medical marijuana laws in Oregon gathers enough signatures to qualify for voting on the November ballot.

Detroit will vote on August 3 on measure to exempt medical marijuana users from possession laws.

LINK OF THE DAY
Anyone who listens to Al Franken knows about Bill O'Reilly using a false source to back up a point he was making. Well, in fact, there appears to be a Paris Business Review. Proof is in the linking ;)

SITE OF THE DAY
Greg Palast has been one of the most aggressive liberal journalists of the past decade. He was one of the few who actively covered the election fraud in Florida during the 2000 election, and his book "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" has opened more than a few eyebrows. GregPalast.com maintains many of his articles and resources, including newly published pieces.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
A Picture's Worth is one of the most interesting sites I have ever discovered. It is a photoblog which accepts reader submissions of a photograph and an associated back-story which gives more information about the photo or the circumstances it documents.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
MoveOn PAC has developed a stylish new ad comparing John Kerry to Dubya. It is the best I have seen this year from a pro-Kerry camp.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER
Claps to the House of Representatives for unanimously passing a measure labeling the situation in Sudan "genocide." Though largely for posterity, the vote puts pressure on the Bush administration which has thus far been unwilling to label the tragedy what it clearly is. Colin Powell has been the sole member of the Bush team to show active interest in the Sudanese crisis, but has also failed to label the situation genocide. This vote, the last taken prior to the summer Congressional adjournment, shows a rare unity in Congress, and one not likely repeated when the body reconvenes in six weeks. If you want to get a personal meeting with your congressman, now is the time to do so, as many will be spending time campaigning in home districts over the summer.

Slaps to GOP "statesman" John Pappageorge, a Michigan lawmaker, for uttering what we all knew the Republicans really thought. His simple but clear sentence, given to the Detroit Free Press, consisted of "If we do not suppress the Detroit vote, we're going to have a tough time in this election." Pappageorge's statement clearly reflected the GOP's desire to find ways to hinder voter turnout in the largely black Democratic city of Detroit. While the statement is more innocent than it is being made out to be, it nonetheless represents the opinions white conservatives have for the "lesser" races. If this statement was one which shocked the CEM, it would have received the Middle Finger. Slaps go instead because the GOP is displaying its public incompetence as well as its racist priorities, and while the latter is well-established, the former has been a bit too scarce over the past ten years.

My Middle Finger goes to the 9-11 commission, and specifically commission chairman Thomas Kean, for telling the American people that we are more stupid and less imaginative than the terrorists who executed 9/11. Kean's quote, "This was a failure of policy, management, capability and, above all, a failure of imagination," has sparked outrage in the blogsphere for insulting the intelligence of our citizens. The report, light on substantial finger-pointing, spread blame so thin that none is enough to condemn anyone other than the GOP-maligned CIA. As other bloggers have pointed out, contrary to the report's findings and Rice's testimony, many of us imagined that this could happen. The problem occurred when policymakers failed to act on sufficient intelligence in any constructive, protectionistic manner, and instead, twiddled thumbs until the attacks occurred. For all it's months of intense and difficult work, and the continual stonewalling put up by the Bush administration, you would think the commission might have come back with a few more of the facts on Saudi Arabia and Executive Branch failures, and less of the non-partisan vanilla pasteurization of the events in the now-officially sterilized version.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Sick bastards pay big bucks to shoot big penned bucks. (Thanks to commenter. I lost the comment, and your handle, when I switched comment coding; drop me a comment and I'll edit to include proper credit :)

Why couldn't there have been a food fight?

Pack of wolves in Idaho exterminated after killing sheep.

U.S. delegation backs a return to whaling.

Drug smugglers use dogs as suitcases to transport cocaine.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Bill Gluba has a solid chance of winning a Congressional seat in Iowa's 1st district. One of the candidates receiving strong support from Kerry and Edwards, Gluba also has the backing of popular Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. His opponent Jim Nussle has been criticized for casting votes which benefited rich taxpayers over the more common Iowa citizen. Gluba may be able to ride a Kerry tide to victory this year, a common goal for many Democratic candidates.

DAILY PHOTO
Justice, this would be...

(Thanks to Joe @ American Leftist)

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Anyone wanting to understand the mindset behind the neo-con aggressionism needs to read one document if no other. The Project for a New American Century established extensive policy desires for pre-emptive war, offensive national defense, and the expansion of American influence throughout the world. In particular, read the group's manifesto "Rebuilding America's Defenses: Strategy, Forces and Resources For a New Century". Its a long read, complex, and ideologically naive, but nonetheless is important to comprehend the direction these people are trying to go.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
We already have a "fake" military operating in Iraq (contractors, not our soldiers), so why not allow GIs to get fake breasts

Thursday, July 22 Issue #35

2004-07-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Write the Sudanese ambassador about the horrors women face in his country.

Demand your right-to-know is preserved in disclosing transportation dangers.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Mike Morford looks at the rigging of the 2004 election.

Helen Thomas continues to tongue-lash the Bush Administration, this time over pre-emptive war.

Joseph Wilson responds to the smear attack launched by conservative ideologues.

Bloggers are beginning to establish an independent media in China.

GAO report finds that war costs drastically exceed current funding levels.

Barbara Ehrenreich takes on abortion in her NYTimes op-ed.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Military families are stumping the right-wing: they praise F9-11.

Bloggers get a credit for supporting the now surprisingly-well positioned campaign of Ginny Schrader.

National Guardsmen asked to voluntarily extend duties beyond the legal 24-month limitation.

Burgeoning Latino population strongly favors Kerry over Bush.

Richard Cohen questions the absence of the anthrax scare in coverage of intelligence failures.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"The great French Marshall Lyautey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, 'In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon!"
-John F. Kennedy

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"When I picked the Secretary of Education I wanted somebody who knew something about public education. "
-April 30, 2003

BLOG OF THE DAY
Some days, I've just got to have a solid dose of sarcastic news. When the Onion is not enough, and the General has taken a heterosexual break, Tom Burka's Opinions You Should Have offers unique humor in short bursts, perfect for inducing a moment of levity. OYSH is blogging the Democratic Convention, so the entries next week will be highly anticipated.

BLOGWORTHY
Hairy Fish Nuts breaks apart the "stronger pot" article of a couple of days ago in a masterful manner.

Over at the Vast Dairy State Conspiracy, shw explores the anti-pregnant women claims of the Bush campaign.

Pandagon's Jesse Taylor takes a quick look at the military housing appropriations vote.

How did I miss this? Shari at An Old Soul... gasps at Bush's proposed "character education." Sounds like brainwashing to me...Come on libertarians, forget Bardanik, vote Kerry this year!

Billmon at Whiskey Bar often offers incredibly well constructed arguments for the issues of the moment, but Tuesday's entry concerning economics is a classic.

In the art of the smear campaigning, the Bush-Cheney campaign is Van Gogh, Renoit, and Picasso all in one. Dave Johnson at Seeing the Forest explores the amazing, and sickening, ability of Republicans to distort views on any situation.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Canada is consistently more liberal and progressive than the U.S. as the Canadian Prime Minister vows marijuana decriminalization.

As long as busting marijuana growers is considered legal plunder, the drug war will rage on.

Judge does the right thing, is rewarded by vacating his decisions.

Government is sued for blocking marijuana research.

LINK OF THE DAY
The book Dubya was reading in that Florida classroom on 9/11 was titled "My Pet Goat." Naturally, being that the company carries everything else, Amazon sells the book online. Reader reviews were posted sarcastically after the title got out, and some of them are hilarious. Unfortunately, Amazon removed the reviews, but Sadly No made a copy first.

SITE OF THE DAY
ProgressivePunch.com is a clearinghouse for Congressional and Senate voting records. You can search by name, or by most any subject area.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
C-SPAN has long been the only reasonable effort made to keep our citizenry educated about the government and its actions. C-SPAN.org is even better, offering live streams of all 3 C-SPANs, as well as C-SPNradio. From Congressional debates and votes to public statements and press conferences, the C-SPAN networks cover it all. Anyone interested in hearing the presentation of the final 9-11 Commission report should tune into C-SPAN3 at 11:30A ET.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Watch Right-Wing Squares; help me win a T-Shirt! Please spread the link to your friends...I really need the T-shirt!

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps go out to Ben Cohen for being much more than an ice cream maven. Co-founder of Ben & Jerry's, Cohen has been active in progressive politics for years. He maintains the website True Majority, and is currently touring the nation with his "Burning Bush" tribute to the President, as in "liar, liar, pants are on fire". Cohen has been outspoken against Bush policies, and is ramping up his support for the ouster of the cabal ruling our nation illegally. This year, Cohen might want a new ice cream flavor to be called Burning Bush, and would be sure to include lots of right-wing nuts in the recipe!

Slaps of great strength are raining down on the cheeks of Annie Jacobsen, whose insensitive paranoid screed sparked fear in ignorant America after she spent a flight cohabitating with 14 Arab men. Jacobsen, apparently a bit too tight in the girdle , feared her life might end during the trip. The men, dangerous musicians, likely threatened to play something other than the "Worship4Life" album. Jacobsen's story launched follow-ups in the gullible major media, feeding unwarranted suspicion of dark-skinned men everywhere...not that this is exactly a new behavior in the U.S. Had it not been for the below story, Jacobsen would have been penetrated by my Middle Finger.

My Middle Finger seeks out the anonymous asshole who didn't have the guts to take a byline for spreading this asinine attempt at journalism during a time when important issues are at hand. Accusing Howard Dean of voting in favor of incest is simply moronic, and demonstrates not only an ignorance of anything remotely relevant to our nation or the 2004 election, Dean's vote in favor of the couple's marriage was one of compassion rather than hatred. No half-wit would consider this bill, and Dean's vote on it, a vote endorsing incest. Clearly, the author of this trash is less than a half-wit. Have some guts and identify yourself. If this piece is the work of a troll or sensationalist moron, posting an attempt at humor, go screw yourself, there are far better targets than this load of crap.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
One woman has dedicated her time to saving animals.

With wildfires looming, animal welfare group rescues animals in the path.

Microchips and GSP are being used to keep track of wayward pets.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
David van Os is the black sheep of the Texas judicial system. Running for the Texas Supreme Court, van Os looks to break onto a panel held tightly by Republicans. In the state which executes more people before breakfast than Cuba, Supreme Court decisions can often affect the execution of, well, executions. Van Os has a reasonable shot at a seat, a situation unfamiliar to Democrats in Texas. Van Os has a non-partisan but progressive track record that would do well to serve the people of the state than the heavily corporation-friendly current Republican members.

DAILY PHOTO
Jenna Bush: Class like Daddy (hat tip to Collective Sigh)

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
In the growing fight against Fox News, as well as the release of Outfoxed, the Center for American Progress offers a perfect look at the life and activities of Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox, the New York Post, and hundreds of other media outlets across the nation.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Senator John Warner was personally responsible for arranging Senate facilities for space cowboy reverend Moon. Yep, that reverend Moon.

~~Puppeteers~~ Supporters of Bush pen book in his defense.

I know there are more out there like this; Bring 'em on!

Wednesday, July 21 Issue #34

2004-07-20T23:29:00.000-04:00

Quick Note from Island Dave
Many of the article links, as you have surely discovered, require registration in order to view the piece. Kos has posted that everyone can simply use his registration info for quick access.

User Name = dailykos
Password = dailykos
If an email address is needed, use kos@dailykos.com

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Now that the Senate shot down the FMA, it is time to contact your Representative.

Host a house party for Kerry/Edwards, or find a party near you to attend.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Hourly pay is not keeping up with inflation, an extremely troubling trend.

Oliver Miles of The Guardian (UK) argues that rapid disengagement is the only intelligent choice remaining in Iraq.

Human rights group hopes to reveal U.S. secret jails to the world.

Republicans, tired of living under the protections of a three-way balance of power, want to tell courts which cases they can accept.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
NYCity and 8 states enter lawsuit over power plant pollution.

Greg Palast looks at Kerry's introduction of "disenfranchised" into the campaign rhetoric.

The satirical but genuine Garrison Keillor chimes in on Democrats of the current day.

Bush takes information out of context...duh.

Canadians wonder who will protect them from the Al-Jazeera-like bias of Fox News.

Linda Rondstat was thrown off of Las Vegas stage for expressing her political views.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"A citizen of America will cross the ocean to fight for democracy, but won't cross the street to vote in a national election."
-Bill Vaughn

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"We don't want to discourage the innovators and those who take risks because they're afraid of getting sued by a lawsuit."
-June 24, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Its always good to read what my neighbors to the north think about the world, eh? Peace, order, and good government, eh? is not only for Canadians, but for anyone interested in a different perspective from those typically available in the U.S. or U.K.

BLOGWORTHY
Philip Carter at Intel Dump takes a lot at an exhaustive New York Times report about soldiers being bilked over insurance scams.

The Fulcrum's Charles2 takes a look at a WSJ article comparing "Two Americas" to two very different economic recoveries.

Is Jesus' General being spied upon? And if so, is it the French?

Neil Shah at Polemic Propaganda takes a look at Cheney's international legacy.

Dave at spacecoastweb:blog penned his recent experience debating politics with a conservative church member, and his approach is truly textbook. With more conversations like this one, this nation might be a bit less divided and able to have honest discourse about our problems.

Marc from whopundit shakes his stick at feckless self-loathing conservative David Brooks.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Montana group gets medical marijuana initiative on November ballot.

LINK OF THE DAY
Know wha' I'm sayin'? Fo' shizzle! Let Snoop Dog translate any site from English to Snoopizzle with the Shizzolator.

SITE OF THE DAY
The Nation is a premier online mirror for the monthly magazine. Along with Mother Jones and American Prospect, The Nation is one of the last bastions of liberal journalism available to our nation. The site hosts numerous articles from some of the best liberal writers around.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
What is cooler than spending time reading through old Doonesbury cartoons?

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Tom Ridge is "The Minister of Fear."

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Senate Democrats for using a procedural vote to block the appointment of William Myers, an anti-conservationalist former member of the Interior Department, to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Democrats kept the nomination from coming to a final vote, and in essence, defeated Myers' appointment. Myers, who recklessly disdains environmental protections, would have provided arch-conservatives with yet another anti-progressive power player in the judiciary. Amazing, isn't it, how often Bush whines about "activist judges" when the only activist judges nominated over the past twelve years have been his?

Slaps to the 9-11 Commission which will apparently fail to state what has unfortunately become clear and obvious: the tragedies of 9-11 could have been prevented. In the Thursday release of the report, the commission will mark at least 10 occasions where opportunities were missed, but they will not go as far as the evidence suggests they should. The panel claims that while both Clinton and Bush administrations had chances to disrupt the plot, none would have clearly led to the blockage of the terrorist attack. Clearly, had anyone gotten just one of those chances right, I believe it is clear that the attacks could have been prevented. The key word is could. I don't claim that they would have been stopped, but it is painfully clear how short the Commission has sold its own value and influence. To suggest that success at any of those 10 opportunities would not have had a chance to disrupt the plot insults my intelligence, and unfortunately, keeps a great deal of the public as ignorant of the truth as they were to begin with...

My Middle Finger probes the corporate assholes of insurance companies which have scammed our soldiers into paying for unnecessary insurance policies. As touched on in the Blogworthy section above, the G.I.s are sweet-talked into purchasing coverage at prices much higher than the far superior government policy. While our military brass continues to focus on our current two front line battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan, the overall state of the army, in particular, has degraded to the point of mediocrity. Stop-loss programs, Guard and Reservist call-ups, and allowing our soldiers to waste hard-earned cash are but a few signs of a dangerously overstretched army, one which is beginning to look more and more like an arthritic runner instead of the sleek sprinter it is billed as.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
PETA investigator video tapes Pilgram's Pride employee abusing chickens.

New rules in NC should improve animal shelter conditions.

Exotic pets typically face sad lives.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Ginny Schrader may well be the most fortunate candidate this year. Her race in the 8th Congressional district of Pennsylvania took an unbelievable turn two days ago as her expected rival, incumbent Republican Jim Greenwood, decided to retire from the House and withdraw from the race. Schrader, whose campaign was going well but did not look promising, saw an enormous boost in her fundraising following the dropout, and for a while was taking in $3,000 an hour. With Schrader the sudden favorite to win the seat, the Democrats' chances of retaking the House jump considerably, especially considering that this was not expected to be a terribly competitive race.

DAILY PHOTO
Can anyone spot the terrorist?

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
With the disgusting horrors turning up in Iraq bringing conversations back to My Lai, maybe we should take a moment to reflect on what that massacre, and what it said about our nation during Vietnam, and by comparison, what the sodomy, rape, and torture of Abu Ghraib say about us now.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
I'm speechless.

I'm still speechless.

"Peace President"???

Tuesday, July 20 Issue #33

2004-07-19T17:29:00.000-04:00

QUICK NOTE from Island Dave
Starting in this issue, the section formerly known as NEWSWORTHY will hence forth be converted to a new section called BLOGWORTHY. Instead of articles from newspapers, journalists, newswires, and similar "mainstream" sources, the new section will offer a selection of articles in the blogosphere. Though not representative of the content of the entire liberal blogosphere, the links will be to those articles that I particularly enjoyed, were outraged by, or feel are important views on an issue. From sites on well-known blogs like Daily Kos (and including the numerous Kossacks), to lesser-known, but no less relevant and important blogs such as Blog of the Day candidates Collective Sigh and Hairy Fish Nuts, this section will offer a brief glimpse into stories worthy of your notice on liberal blogs.

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Sign the FTC complaint filed by MoveOn.org and Common Cause against Fox broadcasting for the usage of the deceptive term "Fair and Balanced".

Urge your Senators to block the appointment of William Myers to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

Tell various government representatives that you want equal rights for all people.

FEATURED ARTICLES
WaPo's E.J. Dionne looks at the impact Howard Dean had on this year's Democratic campaign for the Presidency.

Iyad Allawi is no better than Saddam; this needs to be front page news.

The Boston Globe looks at U.S. casualties in Iraq since the transfer of power.

Friday's NYT mea culpa for its failure to do its duty in regards to war with Iraq.

Excerpt from Time Magazine article addresses the Bush administration slight to homeland security spending.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Floridians pay millions for state to fight disclosure of felons' list.

A long New Republic article looks at Bush misleading everyone with price estimates for the Medicare bill.

A small good-news story amidst the chaos in our military affairs.

Delay ethics probe likely dead before beginning, thanks to his cronies on the ethics committee in Congress.

American Prospect looks at just how expensive those swing voters are.

John Nichols looks at the dangerous precident set by Republicans canceling primaries.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"We may not imagine how our lives could be more frustrating and complex--but Congress can."
-Cullen Hightower

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"But we've got a big border in Texas, with Mexico, obviously -- and we've got a big border with Canada -- Arizona is affected. "
-June 24, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
The Invisible Library is the blog of a self-professed "radical librarian." From politics and war to books and ~~three-way sex~~ "alternative lifestyles", the Library will voice an opinion you've got to respect. Bonus: pics of his cat.

BLOGWORTHY
New law in Salt Lake City prohibits the use of certain common words, such as "unity" and "justice" when displaying items. What else is now prohibited might surprise you. (thanks to oyster at Your Right Hand Thief for the link)

Maryscott O'Connor is one of the most active, engaging, and intelligent posters on Daily Kos. Her comments are often edgy and provocative, but a recent diary entry really outshines all others. Please read her story here.

Island Dave's Monday Daily Kos diary entry concerns the callup of a 68 year-old reservist for duty in Iraq.

Attaturk at Rising Hegemon breaks it to you gently...not! We live in a imperial empire, one unlike any which has ever existed argues Attaturk.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Oregon journalist looks at medical marijuana laws.

Draconian drug warriors want parents to lie to their children.

LINK OF THE DAY
The Center for American Progress studied the impact of Iraq deployments on reservist and National Guard members. The situation is extremely dire, more so than many realize.

SITE OF THE DAY
The Animal Rescue Site is a valuable resource for animal lovers. You can click a link once per day, causing sponsor organizations to contribute to an animal welfare fund. Make sure to click daily!

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
The National Park Service offers users an opportunity to discover information on their favorite national parks. There are literally hundreds of parks to choose from, including national reserves and sites of historical interest.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Seymour Hersh's speech before the ACLU has been causing many shocks around Washington. We all knew that torture was taking place in Iraqi jails, but Hersh's accusations are beyond damning. He claims to have seen video of American GIs raping Iraqi boys and says, to paraphrase, that the boys' shrieking was the worst part. Horrible as this accusation is, we must pay attention and take this crime to its perpetrators, no matter how high we have to go. You can watch Hersh's speech before the ACLU here. Hersh starts speaking at about the 1hr7min mark.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to former President Jimmy Carter and others for pleading with the Supreme Court to rule juvenile executions unconstitutional. While I have grave doubts about the legal aspects of such a plea, Carter's incredible ability to force imporant issues to the popular forefront should add weight to this complex and troubling issue. Certainly there are acts for which execution by the state should be warranted. However, in any tolerant society, we must allow our children to make mistakes. Though not excusing any actions taken which cause irreparable harm to others, we nonetheless must err on the side of caution in utilizing such an extreme punishment. Our youth deserve the chance to reestablish themselves in society, even if that requires an extended stay in corrections facilities, rather than face execution for an act which is at least in part due to home life and parental treatment.

Slaps to the media for allowing the Bush administration to steal the ball on the Iran-Al Qaida issue. For anyone who has followed this closely, as has Current Events Monitor, the link was long assumed and fairly well substantiated long ago. Iran has offered assistance in the past, though certainly not always overtly or through obvious government outlets. Bush has managed to take this issue, brought to light by interim reports from the 9-11 Commission, and turn it into one which makes him appear proactive in the fight against Al-Qaida. In fact, Bush has long avoided substantial reports that both Iran and Saudi Arabia assisted the terrorists in some facet prior to the 2001 tragedy. Instead of acting upon such reports early, Bush invaded Iraq in a bait-and-switch, and now has switched-and-baited the situation back the other way to appear focused on Iran. Now, of course, the media suddenly notices the potential Iran-Qaida links after years of outlying speculation and back-page reporting on such ties which are light-years beyond any involving Iraq and the terror group. The CIA, however, denies that substantial ties exist beyond safe-passage for terrorists through Iran.

My Middle Finger points pointedly at the Department of Agriculture for refusing to compensate black farmers under an agreement reached five years ago, settling claims of discrimination in procuring loans and aid. Justice Department lawyers spent loads of tax money aggressively fighting the payments, which were to come out of the $3 billion settlement reached previously. Over 90%, according to an Environmental Working Group study, were denied compensation. Our nation will never begin to work effectively towards solving racial issues until we are able to admit the racism inherent in our current government. To spend tax money to fight the payments is insane. To deny the payments to these farmers is simply criminal.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Pittsburgh-area community members could face fine or jail time for feeding strays.

Links between domestic and animal abuse are strong.

Houston woman arrested for leaving puppy in scorching-hot car.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Mel Fox is running a tough race in the 6th Congressional district of Indiana. This Purdue graduate spent eight years working in the Department of Agriculture under President Clinton, and was the first woman to head the Farm Service Agency. Her background in agriculture leads to strong support for farmers, as well as an inherent belief in the importance of everyday people. Education and homeland security are two issues she works hard to improve, and hopes to take her pro-children agenda to Congress this year.

DAILY PHOTO

Tom Ridge has raised the terror alert to threat level Ernie in response.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Does anyone still believe that George W. Bush supports our troops? Maybe you should take a look back at his stance last year on funding health care for National Guard and Reservists.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Oklahoma race turns ugly...sort of.

Jerry Falwell: Breaking the law, Christian-style.

In the War on Terrorism, the Homeland Security Department is really doing a great job. [/sarcasm]

Friday, July 16 Issue # 32

2004-07-15T23:08:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Send a public comment about the recently changed logging road rules.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Kevin Phillips pens a brilliant article spelling out a how Kerry can win.

Florida elections look to be a sham again this year.

Norm Ornstein demands verifiable election results.

Is a U.S. military exercise intended to bait China into engaging? Chalmers Johnson ponders.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
John Ascroft continues to silence CIA whistleblower Sibel Edmonds

Senate passes tobacco buyout bill which includes FDA tobacco regulation.

David Sirota recognizes the growing rift between the wealthy elite and fiscal conservatives in the Republican Party.

Eric Alterman takes a look at the bias of Fox.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Nothing's ever really changed. What difference does it make whether it's the Corporate state or the Nation state? In our struggle for freedom we still find ourselves fighting the state."
-Jay Terpstra

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"It's amazing with the software that has been developed these days that enable a camera to distinguish the difference between a squirrel and a bomb. "
-June 24, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
From the Trenches is an informed blog which speaks from the soul of the working class. From taxes and consumer affairs to labor and international corporations, FTT has it covered. The perspective is unique in the blogsphere, and well worth a read every day, especially for those of us who feel the pinch every time corporations need to fill investor pockets..

NEWSWORTHY
The couple thrown out of a Bush rally for wearing anti-Bush shirts had their charges dropped.

Media Matters calls John Gibson on his blatant lies...er..."untruths."

Soldier blogger in Iraq is ordered to cease publishing.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Author Joel Miller argues that DARE is killing families, not stopping drug use.

Los Vegas local details the failed and expensive drug war.

LINK OF THE DAY
I don't usually link news pieces in this section, but this story needs to get media play, so spread the word: Seymour Hersh, who is a well-respected and reputable journalist, claims to have seen video from an U.S. controlled prison in Iraq which shows U.S. troops sodomizing young boys. This goes well beyond "fraternity pranks", don't you think, Rush?

SITE OF THE DAY
The Village Voice has consistently delivered progressive content which often attacks subjects other news outlets have overlooked or "missed".

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Want to find out what the blogs are yacking about today? What links are popular right now? Looking for specific content in the blogosphere? Intelliseek's Blog Pulse is the site to check.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Bush and Kerry do "This Land is Your Land".

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps To the U.S. House, including my Congressman, Walter Jones, for voting to block aid to Saudi Arabia in the Foreign Appropriations bill passed late Thursday night. This is a serious rebuke of Bush Administration wishes, with Bush crying that this will "severely undermine" anti-terrorism efforts in that nation. However, it has been clear to anyone who would bother to look that the Saudis have supported the U.S. in daylight and funded terrorists by night. In fact, the Saudis look only to pay off groups to stay out of the kingdom, and could apparently care less whether U.S. interests are seen to. The Congressional vote was the correct one, and should be followed closely by serious pressure on the Saudis to honestly participate or else we'll....never mind: we already have Iraq...

Slaps to the Bush administration (man, this is getting old) for stalling the handover of documents in a U.N. investigation into contracts in Iraq. Specifically, the International Auditing and Monitoring Board has been consistently rebuffed by the U.S. while trying to obtain information about contracts such as those awarded to Halliburton. As the U.N. ambassador to the IAMB put it, "there are weaknesses that could lead to fraudulent activities. It makes it easier to defraud the system if the controls are weak." For a bunch of grown men who claimed they were returning "adults" to the White House, they sure are acting like a teenager with a porno mag.

My Middle Finger goes to the dirty bastards in numerous government agencies which have decided to outsource government jobs rather than ensuring American citizens can find work. According to LATimes reporter Warren Vieth, more than 40 state governments have sent work to nations such as India. WTF? When our own governments do not reinvest in our communities, the corporate republic is clearly our form of governance. No longer do we send our tax dollars to create jobs for U.S. workers. Instead, foreign firms are winning contracts paid for by our tax dollars. If this doesn't sound a serious warning about the incestuous relationship between corporations and government, you need to receive a SLAP along with this Middle Finger. (thanks to Mick at From the Trenches)

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Woman who offered her pet pig as bait to catch tiger will face charges.

New Orleans operates a "Neuter-on-Wheels".

More racing greyhounds, this time in Rhode Island, test positive for cocaine.

Australian research wants veterinarians to help spot child abuse.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Al Weed is trying to win a Congressional seat in the 5th district of Virginia. Weed, who includes being a farmer, a soldier, and a college graduate on his list of life experiences, once served as Technical Advisor to the U.S. Director of the World Bank. After a stint as an Army Green Beret in Vietnam, Weed eventually moved back to the farm, though has stayed active in numerous committees and groups.

DAILY PHOTO
Karl Rove: What an asshole

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
With the Bush Administration removing logging road restrictions on natural areas, requiring state governors to "opt-in" to the ban, it is time to quick look back at Clinton's environmentally-friendly action.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
I swear, they would take your last damn nickel.

Thursday, July 15 Issue #31

2004-07-14T22:25:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Let Bush know that you expect this election to operate legally and be verifiable.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Veterans of the war in Iraq may survive, but many face traumatic head injuries.

Arianna Huffington wonders whether Bush is "Presidential or Pathological".

Two Florida reporters tune us in to the company behind the felon lists.

NYTimes finally realizes that bloggers exist.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Joe Conason believes Bush would benefit from a postponed election.

Grist Magazine speaks to Bush and the environment.

AskQuestions.org took a look at the corporate dominance of search engines.

Bush v Poor Kids: Round 15

WaPo editors rage that recent Supreme Court decisions have thrown sentencing into chaos.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Men make history, and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better."
-Harry S Truman

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Pennsylvania's unemployment rate is 5.1 percent. That's good news for people who are trying to find jobs. "
-July 9, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Rain Storm takes on everything from politics and the military to society and justice (which you would discover on your own if you visit the site). Rain Storm is one of the blogs which has been chosen to attend the Democratic Convention less than two weeks from today. Check back for intriguing reports.

NEWSWORTHY
The Bush Administration fails to fulfill promise on AIDS funding.

The Hate Amendment introduction was voted down in the Senate, will likely return next year.

Mike Ditka has announced that he will not seek a Senate seat in Illinois. Obama's chances look better all the time.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Arkansas is one of many states which may vote on medicinal marijuana this fall.

Albany legislators will address Rockefeller drug laws.

LINK OF THE DAY
Jesus' General always offers his satirical best when addressing homosexual issues. Read his newest letter to Senator Santorum.

SITE OF THE DAY
RealClearPolitics is a cluttered but overflowing clearinghouse for election news, poll results, and daily headlines.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Ever think you could write a book? AuthorHouse is willing to publish it. Though I cannot vouch for the experience, the organization offers some pretty nice services if you've ever wanted to see your works bound professionally and available for distribution.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
MoveOn PAC has introduced a new video comparing Cheney and Edwards.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to Tony Blair for having more guts than George Bush in admitting responsibility for faulty pre-war intelligence. Though he offered caveats to his acceptance, Blair takes his leadership roll far more seriously than Bush has ever done. As John Edwards pointed out, leaders must lead during the good times, but also during the bad. Blair, at least, holds himself to a more accountable standard than our own leader...which isn't saying much.

Slaps go exhaustively to NATO for being stupid enough to NOT CHECK to see that the organization was supporting a legitimate counterterrorism unit. Jonathan Idema conducted his own independent raids and maintained a private jail in Afghanistan, kidnapping and detaining individuals that he had determined may have vital information. NATO supplied bomb-sniffing dogs on three occasions to the mercenary, but apparently were fooled by the "American-style uniforms." Geez, if I weren't fairly confident that American operatives were supporting such actions and misleading NATO, this would have easily been a Middle Finger.

My Middle Finger seeks out the woman who incited widespread anger in France by claiming to be assaulted in an anti-Semitic attack. The charge, which occurred in a nation already on edge over racial issues, had provoked outrage from common folk and hired guns like President Jacques Chirac and Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin. After determining the claim was a hoax, further investigation finds that the woman had a history of filing false charges. What we need less of is reactionary justice as was demonstrated by the French reaction. Instead, people like this woman should be quickly told to "Go Cheney yourself." My Middle Finger makes just that point.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Animal rights activists are being charged as "terrorists."

Britain set to enact tougher animal rights laws, including the outlaw of animal tail-docking.

Hartz is under fire from thousands of complaints.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Inez Tenenbaum is seeking to hold the U.S. Senate seat from South Carolina being vacated by the well-respected Fritz Hollings. Tenenbaum has a strong back ground in education, and has experience serving the public as the S.C. Superintendent of Education. She has served on numerous task forces and advisory boards, and received a law degree from South Carolina Law School.

DAILY PHOTO
The Keynote Speaker at the Democratic Convention: Barack Obama

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Get a more in-depth look at the presumptive Democratic nominee, John Kerry, at Wikipedia.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
You had to know that Airport Security would come to this one day.

Wednesday, July 14 Issue #30

2004-07-14T01:27:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Join a father of a slain Columbine student in calling for a renewal of the assault weapons ban.

You can thank or spank your representative for his/her vote on the Farr-Rohrabacher amendment which would have forbid tax money from being spent arresting medical marijuana patients.

Send a note to Colin Powell urging him to continue to push for Sudanese relief. You can also take part in numerous other Amnesty International letter campaigns.

Want to send an email sure to be immediately deleted? That is, if your email address hasn't already been added to the spam list for Bush-Cheney 2004.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Paul Krugman takes a look at Enron and that skank Tom "The Exterminator" DeLay.

The WaPo editorializes on the FMA: "Kill This Amendment", and journalist Harold Meyerson continues the onslaught.

Superior journalist Dan Baum looks at the difficult transition from killing machine to average joe.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
The NYTimes offered a look into Outfoxed director Robert Greenwald and the making of the documentary.

British journalist George Monbiot takes an English view of media bias and war coverage.

Robert Scheer notes that facts seem to mean less than they once did.

Former Treasury Secretary Robert Reich scolds Congress for failing to reform executive pay rules.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"To no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay right or justice."
-From the Magna Carta

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"And today, I'm able to sit down with the Prime Minister of Japan and discuss key issues like North Korea. In other words, a former enemy -- former enemies sit at a table together and say, how can we work to keep the peace, because there were people that preceded me that had great faith in the ability of freedom to change societies."
-July 9, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
I Like To Write is one of my daily reads, especially for scoops on the Georgia political scene. ILTW keeps the points on target, relevant, and, well, to the point. You can find great views on national and international politics here, but those of you in Georgia should be reading ILTW every day.

NEWSWORTHY
Liberal groups rallied for paper voting receipts on Tuesday...and the WaPo actually bothers to cover it this morning!

As the economy recovers, employers are passing less on the employees.

If we are winning the war on terror, and safer today under Bush, why is the acting CIA chief saying this?

Bush v Environment: Round 212.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Houston "war on drugs" will target blacks...again.

Can cannabis help fishermen see better at night? Please?

Drug Warrior Queen considers a run against Barack Obama in the Illinois Senate race.

Hypocrite conservative Representative backs federal government over the will of the people.

LINK OF THE DAY
Hear Robert Greenwald in an On the Media interview.

SITE OF THE DAY
OurCongress.org is a spanking new site featuring the collaborative efforts of Kos (Daily Kos), Jerome Armstrong (MyDD) and others to analyze and report on important races in the U.S. House. The site looks great, and is well worth a visit for the latest on Congressional races.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Ever want to take a class without worrying about your grades? MIT offers numerous self-paced courses free online, though not for credit, of course. Anyone can access course materials and become educated on over 700 subjects through MIT OpenCourseWare.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Donald Trump fires a new Apprentice: George W. Bush.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps go to the Philippines for choosing to protect the life of one citizen over continuing a foolish effort to pacify Iraq. While many liberal bloggers will seriously disagree with my logic, it is clear to me that the Philippines has shown great support for the hostage and made the only decision it could to protect him. While bloggers argue that this move validates the hostage-taking, the rash of kidnapping and subsequent execution of various foreign nationals failed to send other nation's fleeing, but yet, did not diminish the appeal of hostage-taking in general. This pull-out protects the life of one man, but will do nothing to further encourage more kidnapping. Regardless of the Philippines' decision, the hostage crisis will continue...One Bulgarian was killed yesterday, one more is still being held...

Slaps go out to men. Ouch! Okay, not all men, just those that continue to discriminate against women in the workplace. Although Morgan Stanley settled a sexual discrimination case this week, there are still overwhelming occurrences of sexual favoritism and bias in all industries. Wall Street, it seems, may be the Mecca (or Medina) of male chauvinism, and is unlikely to change its ways any time soon.

My Middle Finger goes to whomever (likely a Rethug) determined that the Presidential election may need to be delayed should a terrorist attack occur. While contingency plans should surely be in place in the event of such an attack, this should be no different than with any other natural disaster. Elections polling should take place in any areas unaffected, with contingency plans kicking in for those regions whose voting process is disturbed. For more on this, check my blog entry here.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
A war veteran feline earns his stripe.

Morons in Maryland are still killing any dog unlucky enough to be born a pit bull.

Wisconsin park changes its practice of using leg traps for stray dogs.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Denise Majette is seeking a U.S. Senate seat from the Peach State and is facing a tough primary battle. Currently holding a U.S. House seat, this Duke University School of Law graduate has worked in Congress to strengthen policies for education and veteran's affairs, and considers small businesses a priority for our nation. Check in on her progress during next week's primary in Georgia.

DAILY PHOTO

One down...

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Does anyone still believe Bush favors cracking down on corporate improprieties? Dr. Michael Niman presents a look at the administration's relationship with unethical corporations in this 2002 article.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
The Rethugs are so desperate, they're soliciting donations from one blogger's dog!

Friday, July 9 Issue #29

2004-07-08T12:42:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Email Bush about your desire to have U.S. support for the United Nation's Population Fund.

Urge lawmakers and Bush to renew necessary assault weapons ban.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Bush administration is pushing Pakistan hard to deliver boost to his campaign by capturing bin Ladin and others, which is ironic considering Pakistani support of Taliban prior to 9-11.

Fiscal responsibility? Bush administration has overseen largest federal spending increase since Nixon and Johnson era.

Well-respected journalist icon Helen Thomas blasts Bush administration as liars.

Joe Scarborough??? Joe Scarborough criticized Bush campaign??? Hell is freezing over.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
House Republicans abuse power to defeat PATRIOT Act reform legislation.

Arianna Huffington praises Kerry's selection of Edwards as VP nominee.

Pfizer steps up to reduce drug prices, but is this more than a smokescreen?

The Iraq insurgents number greater than previously indicated.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the bible is filled, it would seem more consistent that we called it the word of a demon than the Word of God. It is a history of wickedness that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind."
-Thomas Paine

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"I glance at the headlines just to kind of get a flavor for what's moving. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are ... probably read the news themselves. "
-September 21, 2003

BLOG OF THE DAY
The Drug Policy Alliance, a leading drug reform advocacy group, maintains an official blog for drug war information and daily events called D'Alliance.

NEWSWORTHY
Army General seriously concerned of condition of U.S. military.

Department of Homeland Security again awards contract to company that is hamstringing labor and union participation.

An anti-Bush shirt gets two thrown out of rally.

House fails to back Bush agenda in Cuba policy.

"Tort Reform" nonsense effectively killed by Senate Democrats.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Federal government will continue to spend money arresting medical marijuana patients.

Three different reform initiatives on ballots in November.

LINK OF THE DAY
Want proof of Bush's love for Ken Lay? Check out all of the documents.

SITE OF THE DAY
Judicial Watch is a non-partisan watchdog which keeps an eye on the legal system and relevant legislation.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
The Living Room Candidate is an election advertising vault which houses a collection of the last 52 years of political TV ads.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Louis Black of the Daily Show on the Reagan fad.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps to the Florida Division of Elections for making an amazing about-face to protect voting rights for over 2,500 former felons. In a surprising reversal of official position, Katherine Harris wannabe Glenda "The Wicked Witch" Hood decided to give up attempts to block the ex-felons from voting in the next election. For once, civil voting rights are protected in one of the most corrupt and ethically-challenged states in the union.

Slaps off the cheek of Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton for providing a smoke-and-mirrors claim of increased funding for park services. While the amount of budgeted funds have indeed increased dramatically over the last four years, the net result is that park budgets have been severely underfunded. A great deal of the budgeted money has yet to be distributed, and has left park services grasping for badly needed cash.

My Middle Finger smirks at George W. Bush for walking out of a press conference when reporters asked him legitimate questions about his good buddy Ken Lay. While the Bush administration has long fought to distance its people from Lay and Enron, the long-standing ties raise serious questions about Bush's integrity and ethical decisions. Lay, whose company policies bilked employees out of billions in retirement accounts, was a diehard Bush backer in 2000, and Enron was the biggest contributor to the Bush-Cheney campaign. Bush, who has never been good at fielding media questions, has appeared more agitated and confused during recent appearances, leading many to speculate on conditions inside the administration. Could my prediction of a Neo-Watergate be coming true?

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Columbus considering stronger animal rights laws.

Italy is getting tough on people who abandon animals.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Jon Jennings is a former assistant coach of the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers, and is seeking a seat in Congress from the 8th district of Indiana. His race, once considered a GOP hold, is now hotly contested, with Jennings running close to his Republican opponent. Jennings spent time in the Justice Department during the Clinton administration, and favors strong support for education initiatives.

DAILY PHOTO

Bush gets huffy over Lay questions.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Wonder where Dubya ranks in terms of the all-time worst Presidents? How about views from history experts.

Thursday, July 8 Issue #28

2004-07-06T14:35:00.000-04:00

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

2004-07-06T13:13:00.000-04:00

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

2004-07-04T18:18:00.000-04:00

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

2004-07-03T02:04:00.000-04:00

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

2004-07-02T11:53:00.000-04:00

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.

Thursday, July 1 Issue #23

2004-06-30T21:49:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Tell your Senators that you do not want them supporting anti-abortion candidate.

Take the first step toward energy independence.

MoveOn.org wants you to host a movie house party for the release of Outfoxed, a movie documentary about the lies of the conservative media.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Your email is not private, says the 1st District Court of Appeals.

Mark your calendar for July 9: Nader and Howard Dean to debate on NPR!

For peace to build in the Middle East, Bush must pressure his Saudi "kin" to live up to expectations.

Wisconsin's progressive newspaper The Capital Times strips away the glitter from Iraqi sovereignty.

Barbara Ehrenreich, subbing at the NYTimes for factual louse Thomas Friedman, offers a brilliantly written defense of Michael Moore.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
AARP study finds drug prices increased substantially since the Medicare drug provisions were passed.

Nader's campaign has created strange bedfellows.

Kerry pushes wider education options and counters cries of "pessimism."

The Supreme Court decisions are a small victory against the anti-Constitution Bush Administration.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Ninety-eight percent of the adults in this country are decent, hard-working, honest Americans. It's the other lousy two percent that get all the publicity. But then--we elected them."
-Lily Tomlin

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"My mom often used to say, "The trouble with W" -- although she didn't put that to words."
-April 3, 2002

BLOG OF THE DAY
Check out the official blog of Air America's "The O'Franken Factor" to keep up to date on show discussions.

NEWSWORTHY
Fahrenheit 9-11 will open up in 800 more theaters this weekend, doubling the current number to about 1700. It will even be seen in southern strongholds like Jackson, MS, and large military towns like Jacksonville, NC.

Nearly 1/5 of returning troops suffer from PTSD.

Bush's approval rating fell to an all-time low in a recent poll, down to 42%.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Vermont looks to legalize medical marijuana.

Conservative William Buckley says the Dutch can teach us a lesson about drug policy.

LINK OF THE DAY
You can see exactly who finances Bush's campaign, and how he has acquired those connections on this interactive Washington Post page.

SITE OF THE DAY
The University of Illinois hosts an exhaustive collection of the works of Booker T. Washington. From his early writings to his most famous works, you can literally spend days reading all of the collections.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Mark Perkel is one of the most irreverent, annoying (in a good way) personalities on the net. Check out his site and his blog.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Bush vs. Choice: The Crawford Wives

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps resound for the High Court of Justice in Israel for forcing humane restrictions on land annexations levied in preparation of erecting the protective barrier. The barrier itself is circumspect and controversial, but the High Court made a decision which strongly favored Palestinian civilians occupying land along the route. Until a sense of humanity is brought back to the savage fight between the two sides, no hope for a lasting calm can prevail. The High Court made the correct decision. Let's hope more Israelis and Palestinians work in the same direction.

Slaps echo across the cheeks of State Department and Bush Administration officials for ignoring the genocide in Sudan. With famine, disease, gang-rapes, and countless murders, the horrific conditions have been left to fester while U.S. foreign policy "advisers" focused on Iraq. Sec. Powell went to Sudan this week, but the violence has already claimed thousands of lives. Although I hope his trip is successful now, Powell should have been dispatched months ago. The Bush Administration should not have waited til this week to handle a dire situation far more harrowing than Iraq in 2003. Earlier action may have saved thousands from death and torture.

My Middle Finger points angrily at drug companies who inflated prices of medication after the Medicare legislation passed. Despite claims of increased costs and economic need, the continued bilking of senior citizens is sickening. If drug companies want to continue to pursue true free-market operations, all prescription drug advertising to consumers should be eliminated. Let doctors, who are the people most likely to understand the specific needs of patients, control which medications are used. Although this may not be feasible under current conditions, it is clear that a move away from advertising expenditures must happen soon.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Greyhound abuser caught in Alabama.

Orange County, NC, animal shelter transfer going well.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Steve Broznek is a rising star in the Democratic Party. Seeking a House seat from New Jersey, the former Marine has long advocated stem cell research. Broznek worked for several investment and banking firms, and wants to end tax cuts for the highest taxpayers.

DAILY PHOTO

There is no other choice

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
With the current scandals in the Bush White House bringing back memories of Watergate, maybe it is time to revisit that infamous affair. This interactive guide gives in-depth coverage of the events and players in the most well-known scandal of our era.

Wednesday, June 30 Issue #22

2004-06-29T22:01:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Urge your representative to oppose the Clean-Up Act which imposes draconian punishments on music and rave promoters.

FEATURED ARTICLES
NC Congressman Walter Jones makes inane remarks, steps on toes endorsing state House candidates.

The Post's Robert Samuelson rails against political polarization.

Harold Meyerson give Big Dick and the Bush Administration a big FU.

Another sham transfer...

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
"Limbaugh Amendment" battle will rage in the Senate.

The murky world of drug trials.

John Kerry pushes his higher education proposals.

Upcoming book by a senior-level intelligence official asserts that the U.S. is losing the War on Terror.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better."
-King Whitney Jr.

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"More Muslims have died at the hands of killers than -- I say more Muslims -- a lot of Muslims have died -- I don't know the exact count -- at Istanbul. Look at these different places around the world where there's been tremendous death and destruction because killers kill. "
-Febuary 18, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Freewayblogger.com is an open photo blog which posts pics taken by visitors. Freeway Blogging consists of placing signs or drawings on an overpass or road sign, and then snapping a photo.

NEWSWORTHY
Bush was interviewed last week by an Irish reporter. During the interview, Bush got testy repeatedly, acting like an arrogant jerk when the reporter caught him in obvious misstatements. You can watch the video here.

Abortion opponent reappointed to FDA Panel.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Reforms of draconian NY state drug laws fail to pass.

Moral Blindness: an AlterNet summary.

Montel Williams, former Marine and talk show host, will argue before Congress on July 7 for the inclusion of a medical marijuana amendment to a House spending bill.

LINK OF THE DAY
Feel like an interactive conspiracy theory? This one may be more than a theory.

SITE OF THE DAY
Media Matters for America was founded by former conservative shill David Brock. Brock, who eventually saw the error of his ways, and MMA monitor conservative talk show hosts like Limbaugh and O'Reilly, and provide rebuttal arguments.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Want to read positive news stories for a change? Check out Good News Agency, where every news item will bring back hope in mankind.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Impeachment: My Anti-Drug.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps today go out loudly for Roger Eaton, the Democratic candidate for the NC district 3 Congressional seat. Roger was good enough to sit down with me for two hours after working a 12 hour night shift at his Owens Corning job. Although his campaign faces a strong incumbent opponent in right-wing wacko Walter Jones, Roger's self-confidence and knowledge of the issues will make this contest a serious one. Should anyone doubt that "regular" people can get involved in politics, let Roger Eaton be a perfect example of a "regular" person who certainly has.

Slaps are handed out to the Department of Transportation for allowing Greyhound to go the way of Amtrack. Greyhound has announced a significant reduction in service stops in an effort to maximize profitable routes. Despite the drop in overall popularity of long-distance bus service, Greyhound still provides millions of people point-to-point service that could never have been afforded any other way. In a time when Amtrak has been reduced to a shell of its potential, and airlines are falling from the corporate skies, it is utterly irresponsible for the Department of Transportation to allow Greyhound's financial situation to degrade to this point. By ignoring the Greyhound situation, the DOT has ignored those at the lowest income levels who have depended on the bus line for their travel needs. Too bad that the DOT will realize too late just how important the service is to the movement infrastructure of the U.S. Just like Amtrak...

My Middle Finger points toward Walter Jones for his comments made while endorsing two candidates for the NC state House. Not only did Jones back two challengers to Republican incumbents in the primary, he did so in Wake County, which is not located in Jones's own 3rd District. Jones called the two candidates"conservative in the...moral sense, particularly regarding a marriage between a man and a woman." Jones has apparently drank too much of the neo-con Kool-Aid and continues to impose his own asinine opinions on the constituents of others. (see Helms Lake)

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Six puppies were killed, and a seventh seriously injured, by assholes and fireworks.

Lauren Zavrel proves that one person can make a huge difference for animals.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
After visiting Roger Eaton yesterday, I naturally had to choose him as my Candidate of the Day. Instead of presenting his case here, I'll refer you to the post about the meeting on Island Dave's View.

DAILY PHOTO
A Japanese-American was interned during WWII

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Learn about a few people and events tied to the civil rights movement, with access to copies of original documents from such icons as Thurgood Marshall.

Tuesday, June 29 Issue #21

2004-06-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Join Rep. Nancy Pelosi and the Congressional Black Caucus in demanding that Bush engage the genocide in Sudan immediately.

Take part in several important emails concerning clean air issues.

Let the Drug Czar's office understand your desire to see medical marijuana research become accepted nationwide.

Demand treatment, not incarceration, for drug offenses.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Bloggers, including Kos, are beginning to be noticed in traditional media and political events.

Keep an eye on the Ashcroft/Sibel Edmonds situation; it has the potential to become a serious news story (if media decide to engage this, that is.)

Bush has destroyed any chance at diplomacy with North Korea.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Former Republican Representative Bob Barr offers a surprising heads-up on the emerging police state.

Mother of slain soldier defies Bush Administration on coffin photos.

New York Times Bob Herbert looks at the disaster that is our nation's health care.

9-11 families struggle to force Bush to be honest about the disaster.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"War like any other racket, pays high dividends to the very few. The cost of operations is always transferred to the people who do not profit."
-General Smedly Butler

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"These stories are being written every day in America. Every, single day this is happening. We never hear half of them or any -- I never, but, you know -- I barely hear any of them, but I just know they're happening.
"
-March 3, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Talking Points Memo is one of the most informative and widely read blogs on the Net. Josh Marshall is an established journalist and well respected in the blogosphere. Currently, Marshall is implying that his current work may break open the Niger-uranium memo controversy, and is likely to make a serious impact on the political environment in Washington.

NEWSWORTHY
Will Bin Ladin help Dubya out of his predicament?

In the rush to war in Iraq, Bush and Cheney have made lots of "sacrifices." Here a good look at just what our leaders have given up.

The poor, as usual, get the short end of the stick from Bush.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Progressive marijuana initiative will appear on ballot in Oakland.

Confusion reigns in California over marijuana laws.

The Supreme Court has decided to hear medical marijuana case for later session of 2004.

Reform initiatives may appear on many ballots this year.

LINK OF THE DAY
If you have seen Fahrenheit 9-11, please use MoveOn.org's new Letters to the Editor function which allows you to easily send pre-written letters to regional and local papers. The site lets you know which, if any, of the four pre-written TTE have been sent to each paper, and which are still available to send.

SITE OF THE DAY
Project Vote Smart is one of the most thorough resources for political information on the internet. You can find out voting records and position stances, as well as public statements and campaign financing information.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Newtopia Magazine offers in-depth editorials from a green/progressive perspective.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
MoveOn.org's Kerry vs Bush in wartime.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Dual Claps go out to F9-11 filmgoers and the Supreme Court. Fahrenheit 9-11 smashed records for a documentary and was the Number 1 movie in America over the weekend. Filmgoers waited in long lines and sat in packed theaters, and in most cases, awarded the film a standing ovation at the end.

The Supreme Court correctly determined that enemy combatants, even those taken in foreign nations, had the right to pursue relief in the U.S. court system. Although the Padilla case was returned to lower courts on a technicality, it is likely that, due to the rulings in the Hamdi and Guantanamo cases, Padilla will be decided similarly, meaning Bush's unjust incarceration of potential criminals cannot stand in our Constitutional system of government. However, Elaine Cassel counters that the decisions were really victories for Bush. The court also determined that the blockage of an internet porn law should remain in effect and sent the case back to a lower court, a surprising reprieve for First Amendment protections.

Slaps go to the U.S. Army for again looking toward reservists for deployment in Iraq. Despite the fact that reservists already make up about 30% of deployed soldiers, the Army looks to pull more from their hometown lives for use in the chaotic, dangerous "sovereign" nation of Iraq.

My Middle Finger is pointing toward the Coalition Provisional Authority for its frightened, secretive handover of sovereignty to the fledgling Iraqi government. While the move may well have protected the CPA and Iraqi officials from attack during the ceremony, the handover marks a bad precedent for future actions in that nation. By beginning its sovereignty in such secrecy, can we really expect government actions which are open and easily viewed by Iraqi civilians in the future?

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
Horse slaughter controversy is focused in Texas.

Athens adopts humane treatment of strays for the upcoming Olympics.

French reality show faces lawsuit over animal deaths.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Jeff Smith is running for Congress from Missouri. Smith, who will receive his Ph.D. this fall, has tons of experience in politics, with an emphasis on urban renewal and education. His degrees in African-American studies and Political Science offer a strong background in populist issues, and his presence in Congress would add strength to growing progressive voices demanding reform on social issues.

DAILY PHOTO
Raise your hand if you're an idiot.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack is on the short list for Kerry's VP selection. Learn more about him here.

Monday, June 28 Issue #20

2004-06-27T20:17:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Sign the DCCC letter to Mr. Bush urging his support for a Patients' Bill of Rights.

FEATURED ARTICLES
Get the FAQ of the facts on Fahrenheit 9-11.

16 Afghani citizens slaughtered for possessing voter cards.

An American Marine is now facing a brutal beheading at the hands of Iraqi captors.

The June 30th handover in Iraq occurs this week, but it will not make the sovereign nation more secure.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
Are environmental regulations hampering oil refinery production? No, says Clay Risen of the New Republic.

Fahrenheit 9-11 opens up at #1 despite showing on about 1/3 the screens of the other Top 5 movies.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong."
-Voltaire

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"Iraqis are sick of foreign people coming in their country and trying to destabilize their country."
-May 5, 2004

BLOG OF THE DAY
Ok, we've all seen Iron Chef on the Food Network, right? Well, now I introduce you to . It might sound silly, but this blog is a serious arena for discourse. Four Iron Bloggers, namely Democrat, Green, Libertarian, and Republican, stand in defense of their blogging skills on subjects such as school vouchers and the death penalty. Challengers come from the blogosphere. New rounds start each Monday, with each day during the week bringing a new rebuttal or argument. Non-partial judges score each argument and award the match to the best blog performance.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
British police officers want to return to a war on marijuana.

Oregan meassure may somewhat relax medical marijuana restrictions.

Supreme Court may decide to hear arguments over federal involvement in simple drug possession case.

SITE OF THE DAY
ProgressivePunch is a searchable database which ranks Members of Congress on a progressive scale. You can search by member name or zip code.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Fern Shubert, one of six GOP candidates looking to challenge Mike Easley for NC Governor, is famous in this state for stirring up a protest to the addition of "Approaching the Quran" to the UNC-CH curriculum. Now, she has grown even more desperate to mark her place in NC politics by launching a TV ad which basically asserts that Easley's "inaction" allowed 9-11. Here is the Raleigh N&O piece about the ad.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH
A Washington state group is suing that state's Attorney General over cruelty in slaughterhouses.

Dalia Lama plea convinces KFC to stay away from Tibet.

Temple Grandin has helped improve the animal care at beef plants for over ten years.

DAILY PHOTO

Balls. Pure Balls.

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
I've gotten requests recently for information on Richard Mellon Scaife, the billionaire GOP supporter whose money has touched many a scandal. This 1998 CNN article offers a little light on the reclusive conservative financeer.

Saturday, June 26 Issue #19

2004-06-25T10:38:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS
Oppose HR4547, a bill which seeks to install regressive, draconian mandatory minimum sentences for drug sales to minors.

FEATURED ARTICLES
A Guardian Unlimited journalist provides an amazing look into the daily lives of insurgents in Iraq. Long, but well worth it.

Scott Wilson of the Washington Post offers a view from the eyes of our soldiers in Iraq over the 60-plus days of recent fighting against insurgents.

Jack Ryan drops out of Illinois Senate race as expected.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES
American Prospect article looks at the effects of a draft on the U.S. military.

Bill Gates Sr. comments on the G.I. Bill.

The Christian Science Monitor calls out Wal-Mart over its current labor lawsuits.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"When they took the fourth amendment, I was silent because I don't deal drugs. When they took the sixth amendment, I kept quiet because I know I'm innocent. When they took the second amendment, I said nothing because I don't own a gun. Now they've come for the first amendment, and I can't say anything at all."
-Tim Freeman

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"It's important for us to explain to our nation that life is important. It's not only life of babies, but it's life of children living in, you know, the dark dungeons of the Internet."
-October 24, 2000

BLOG OF THE DAY
SCOTUSblog covers all aspects of Supreme Court proceedings. Check out the site regularly to follow the often complex decisions rendered by SCOTUS.

NEWSWORTHY
John Kerry was in Ohio on Friday, pushing his jobs message.

DRUG WAR UPDATE
Legislation working through the system would lead to arrests of non-impaired drivers who test positive for drug metabolites.

Disconnect between law enforcement and public over War on Drugs is evident in annual poll.

Cats earn their keep....for once.

LINK OF THE DAY
Kos offers proof positive that conservative parties are backing Nader's candidacy.

SITE OF THE DAY
D.C.'s Political Report offers free resources for political maps, parties, and state by state coverage of contributions.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY
Refdesk.com is an enormous clearinghouse for basically any subject you can conceive. From maps and dictionary access to news, advice, and hundreds of other reference resources.

ONLINE VIDEO OF THE DAY
Republicans have lost their minds. Check out this asinine advertisement from the Bush campaign. Click on the video from the campaign homepage. Just when we thought they couldn't get any lower...

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps go out to Senators from both parties for agreeing on progressive legislation. The Energy Savings Performance Contracting is a measure backed by the Sierra Club and the Teamsters, and should save taxpayers money by using private financing to build energy infrastructure. The ESPC was attached to the defense reauthorization bill which recently passed the Senate. Hopefully, the scattershot House will keep its hands off of this bit of cooperative legislating.

Slaps go to NATO for failing to act quickly on sending additional troops to Afghanistan. Violence continues in many lightly controlled areas, with civilian and military casualties occurring almost daily. If the Bush administration wants Afghanistan to advance toward democracy, it must pressure our allies to contribute additional troops in order to stabilize the chaotic nation.

My Middle Finger advances toward the FEC's general counsel for recommending that TV advertisements for Fahrenheit 9-11 be considered political commercials, meaning they could not air after July 30. Despite the intentions of Citizens United (the direction of my other Middle Finger, the legal wrangling has offered tons of free press for Moore's film.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH

The Terminator wanted animals in shelters to be euthanized sooner....then changed his mind.

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY
Patsy Keever, a Duke University graduate, is seeking the Democratic nomination to face Charles Taylor for the 11th District House seat from NC. Keever is a veteran public school teacher and is seeking a return to liberal representation from the mountainous area. Her primary opponent will be Clyde Morgan, a former candidate for the NC House.

DAILY PHOTO

BUSH LANDS IN IRELAND

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON
Think you know the real story of Pocahontas? Chief Crazy Horse offers the Powhatan Nation's view.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS
Tami Jordan, recently praised by Bush as an "inspirational person" and "good soul", owes over $300,000 in fines from a 2000 civil case which stemmed from convictions for forgery and theft.

Friday, June 25 Issue #18

2004-06-24T18:29:00.000-04:00

TODAY'S ACTION ALERTS

Let your Senators know that you want them to oppose the Hate Amendment (Federal Marriage Amendment).

Join Ben & Jerry's cofounder Ben Cohen in telling your Representative and Senators that any energy bill must include support for renewable sources.

Tell Dubya that you do not support his anti-choice appointments.

Tell Cheney: Prove It or Resign

Urge the EPA to reverse dangerous mercury standards.

FEATURED ARTICLES

Did Cheney run our nation on Sept. 11 in a temporary coup?

Human Rights Watch calls released torture documents "not sufficient."

Activist/Journalist Greg Palast laments that many votes are never counted.

"Democracy Itself is in Grave Danger" says Al Gore.

NYTimes columnist Bob Herbert breaks apart the right-wing's "tort reform" argument.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLES

Lee Iacocca, a staunch conservative, has thrown his support behind John Kerry.

The Supreme Court has allowed Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force records to remain unavailable for viewing by watchdog groups.

E.J. Dionne of the Washington Post offers a look at the Democratic Illinois Sentorial candidate Barack Obama.

Jack Ryan, Republican candidate for the same seat as Obama, may be forced to withdraw from the race after sex allegations are revealed from a divorce case with his former wife, the actress Jeri Ryan.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom."-Bertrand Russell

TODAY'S BUSHISM
"It's hard to be successful if you don't make something somebody doesn't want to buy."
-March 9, 2004.

BLOG OF THE DAY
There are four things that I start most mornings with:

is the community center for liberal bloggers with daily news updates, editorials on current events, and an aggressive progressive agenda. The dKos 8 are the site's chosen candidates for the November 2004 election. Through dKos, the candidates have collected over $40,000 in donations.

NEWSWORTHY

You can read more about liberal ice cream icon Ben Cohen in an interview with Grist Magazine.

The nursing shortage of the nation is being felt personally in North Carolina.

American business representatives scarce at UN business conduct and ethics convention.

Medicare is failing in yet another way: severely underfunding access to cancer drugs.

DRUG WAR UPDATE

The Utah Supreme Court allows peyote use during religious ceremonies.

High Court may hear medical marijuana case which has most recently been decided in favor of patients.

LINK OF THE DAY

Need a laugh? Is it a Bush or a Chimp?

SITE OF THE DAY

The Victory Fund is a Gay and Lesbian PAC which supports openly homosexual candidates.

COOL SITE OF THE DAY

Blogshares is a fantasy trading market based on blogs instead of stock. You can participate for free, or upgrade your account for one year for just $15.

CLAPS, SLAPS, AND THE MIDDLE FINGER

Claps go out today to Lee Iacocca for sticking to his conservative financial principles in backing John Kerry. Iacocca's experience from decades in big business has given him a keen view of our economy, and according to his endorsement of Kerry, he recognizes that Bush has abandoned his fiduciary responsibilities. It isn't everyday we welcome turncoats, but for Iacocca, we'll make an exception.

Slaps swing toward Paul Wolfowitz for his inane comments that journalists in Iraq were "afraid to travel" and were simply "publish[ing] rumors." Although Wolfowitz soon offered a retraction and apology, his original response is typical of an administration obsessed with control and blinded by ideology.

My Middle Finger is extended towards Dick Cheney for uttering "fuck yourself" to Vermont Senator Pat Leahy after a heated argument on the floor of the Senate. While I have no objection to any form of the f-word being used in appropriate circumstances (as in "fucking Republicans!"), the usage of such an infantile remark in a professional setting is unprofessional and a sign of the juvenille, bullying persuasion of Bush Administration officials.

ANIMAL RIGHTS WATCH

Tanya Tucker gives up her furs.

One activist solved a "turtle killing field."

CANDIDATE OF THE DAY

Stan Matsunaka is running in the fourth district House race in Colorado. He will be facing Hate Amendment supporter Marilyn Musgrave, a Congresswoman who spent more time on the FMA than important issues facing her constituents. Matsunaka, a solid supporter of women's rights, is forcing this rematch of the 2002 race, a contest which Musgrave won by 13 points. Visit Stan at his new 2004 site, which is still under development, or at his 2002 site.

DAILY PHOTO

Future First Daughter Alexandra Kerry

TODAY'S POLITICAL CARTOON

HISTORY LESSON

Someone making news this week you might have missed is John Negroponte. If the name is familiar, you might know him better as one of those responsible for covering human rights abuses during Iran-Contra activities. He had been Bush's ambassador to the UN, but now has been sworn in as the ambassador to the "like-new" nation of Iraq. Learn more about him here.

STRANGE HAPPENINGS

Justice of the Piece?