China Knows How to Grasp the Future

China Is Leading the Race to Make Renewable Energy - NYTimes.com

While the U.S. sends its jobs there and the Senate sits on its hands. Wake up!

Can I retire to Canada? The EU?

Op-Ed Columnist - The Tea Party Teens - NYTimes.com

This is the scary and dangerous result of the Rupert Murdoch-style propaganda-driven right-wing sensationalism that has taken over the majority of mainstream media outlets. Mega-corporations have taken over and then packaged the systematic destruction of democracy as "government" to be castigated and distrusted. A government "of the people, by the people and for the people" has become a scapegoat for all the failures of capitalist greed run riot.

Long Time Coming

No, not the health care reform package, although that has taken 30-some years. It looks like it won't be much of a reform bill anyway, just sort of a new patient's rights act. The insurance companies and their shills in The Senate (I'm looking at YOU, Leiberman!) have made sure that nothing really changes when it comes to providers of health care insurance and their profits. What could have been a shining moment in history for the Democrats and President Obama will most likely go down as just another blast of hot air from a House of Congress that long ago became an extension of the military-industrial-financial complex and a prime example of capitalism run amok.

No, I'm writing about writing here in this blog. I've let it go to seed for quite some time now. It's not that I thought we progressives had won any big victory last November; it would have taken electing someone like Dennis Kucinich or Rachel Maddow for something like that to be true. It would also require a true super-majority of progressives in the Senate and not just Democrats who tend to come in all different shades of the political spectrum. Sometimes I wish the Democratic Party was split between the liberal and conservative brands. Then maybe people would understand for what and whom they are voting. We should have parties that identify by their priorities and concerns rather than some meaningless names that people seem to think are valid in some way. It would be so much more meaningful and convenient if we were allowed to vote for members of the Liberal or Conservative Parties, or the Labor Party or the Aristocratic Party. These are labels that give away intent and purpose, that tell people what they are getting or at least what to expect.

Instead we have euphemistic names for political parties that either blur the lines of distinction that could inform the public or obscure them completely. We end up adding italicized modifiers to distinguish party members' true goals and ideals, such as Blue Dog Democrats or Moderate Republicans.  Yet these terms do little or nothing to convey real meaning to the voter. "Blue Dog Democrat" sounds so cute and fuzzy until one realizes that the term means something more like "wolf in sheep's clothing" or "trust no farther than you can spit." "Moderate Republican," which used to convey a sense of honorable righteousness and common sense can now be lumped with other oxymorons such as "military intelligence" or "moral majority." They are nearly extinct anyway.

So it's time to start writing again, because the media at large do not ask the correct questions and present the wrong or incomplete answers; because progress for The People is so damn difficult to attain in this environment of rampant corporatism and virulent greed; and because I can't seem to sit quietly and watch all that is good about this country go to hell in a handbasket while shallow, evil people ransack and pillage it into obsolescence or worse.

Citigroup 2006: America - A Modern Day Plutonomy - International Business Times -

Citigroup 2006: America - A Modern Day Plutonomy - International Business Times -

If this doesn't infuriate you, you're either dead or worth over a billion.

Harkin: Health bill will have public option - TheHill.com

Harkin: Health bill will have public option - TheHill.com

Finally, somebody in Congress gets it right by noting the majority's wishes!

Rachel and Ana have a tea party

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Talking Business - From Washington, an A.I.G. Flogging for the Masses - NYTimes.com

Talking Business - From Washington, an A.I.G. Flogging for the Masses - NYTimes.com: "Meanwhile, the real culprits — like Joseph J. Cassano, the former head of A.I.G.’s financial products division— are counting their money in “retirement.” Nobody on Capitol Hill seems much interested in getting that money back. (And the bill does nothing about bonuses that were paid before 2009, meaning that most of those egregious Merrill Lynch bonuses, paid at the end of last year, will not be touched.)"

Cenk Uygur: The Real Problem with CNBC

Cenk Uygur: The Real Problem with CNBC: "CNBC never did any exposés about the enormous risks these financial companies took. They never exposed the insanity of the derivatives market. And they never told their audience that the executives of these companies have been robbing their shareholders blind. Because they didn't see that as their job. They saw their job as doing whatever it took to keep Wall Street happy and playing ball with them.

They were part of the broken system. There was no journalism going on at CNBC. That is what our underlying complaint is. That is what CNBC continues to miss to this day as they try to defend themselves by saying their words were taken out of context. The problem was the context!"

Bob Cesca: The "Obama Bear Market" and Other Tales of Cable News Insanity

Bob Cesca: The "Obama Bear Market" and Other Tales of Cable News Insanity: "If there's one thing we've learned since January 20, it's that President Obama is driving the establishment press (and far-right conservatives) crazy. To date, the volume of media ridiculousness compressed into these 50 short days has been almost impossible to comprehensively document. Seriously, I'm afraid at this rate we'll run out of internet by Memorial Day."

Report: 'Dirty bomb' parts found in slain man's home - Bangor Daily News

Report: 'Dirty bomb' parts found in slain man's home - Bangor Daily News: "BELFAST, Maine — James G. Cummings, who police say was shot to death by his wife two months ago, allegedly had a cache of radioactive materials in his home suitable for building a “dirty bomb.”"

More like Obama than not

Find out if Obama Is Yo Mama at LiquidGeneration.com!

Still More To Go

While celebrating the historical election of the first black president, I realize that there is still a great deal to be done here in America. Several states passed initiatives to ban gay marriage last night. This is the new avenue of discrimination here in this country. It needs to be rooted out and left to whither in the sunlight of reason. We cannot rest until all Americans are considered equal and have the same rights under the Constitution.

Change Is Here

We did it! America made history last night and the whole world knows it. Barack Hussein Obama will be the 44th President of the United States.

McCain's Arizona Senate Seat Could Go Democrat in 2010

Whether he decides to stand for another term in office or not, McCain will likely face the battle of his political life (again). Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano will be term limited, and with her strong approval ratings and popularity statewide, she’d pose a significant threat to McCain.

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FBI: McCain Camp ACORN Statement "Too Political For Us To Be Involved"

FBI: McCain Camp ACORN Statement "Too Political For Us To Be Involved":

"The Huffington Post reached FBI spokesman Richard Kalko by phone, who at first said he would have no comment about the ACORN investigation. (No surprise.)

But when told that the McCain campaign had sent out a memo alleging that Barack Obama had critical information to the case, Kalko asked for more details.

'When did they send that out?' he asked. When told it was a fresh release, Kalko asked the Huffington Post to forward him Davis's statement. 'I'd like to take a look at that,' Kalko said. 'Though I don't want to get your hopes up that I'll comment.'

Moments later, Kalko emailed back, writing: 'We have no comment on this issue.'

Reached again by phone and asked whether Davis's release would be taken seriously as an investigatory matter, Kalko merely said: 'It's just too political for us to be involved. We're just going to hide under our desks over here. Sorry.'"

Voter-Fraud Fraud: The New Yorker

The idea that Democrats try to win elections by arranging for hordes of nonexistent people with improbable names to vote for them has long been a favorite theme of Rove-era Republicans. Now it’s become a desperate obsession.

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Update: 'Joe the Plumber' is related to Charles Keating

From the "too good to be true, except it's actually true department," Joe "the plumber" Wurzelbacher is related to Robert Wurzelbacher, Jr., who is Charles Keating's son in law. Keating was the head of Lincoln Savings and Loan, and was involved in a scandal with John McCain a in 1987. Robert Wurzelbacher himself did 40 months in prison.

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Massive RNC "Ayers" Robocall Campaign May Violate State Law

The Republican National Committee launched a massive robocall campaign on Thursday designed to alarm voters about Barack Obama's past association with former radical Bill Ayers. The committee may be violating state law in the process.

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Just A Minute With: Paulo Coelho on digital media

An interesting interview with bestselling author Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist, Eleven Minutes and many more) about his enthusiastic embrace of online media. Coelho maintains a personal blog and profiles across several social networking sites. A few years ago, he even started distributing digital versions of his books for free over the internet.

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A Different Sarah; Very Different

The Great Schlep from The Great Schlep on Vimeo.

Barack Obama & Joe Biden's Rescue Plan for the Middle Class

Barack Obama: We can’t wait to help workers and families and communities who are struggling right now – who don’t know if their job or their retirement will be there tomorrow; who don’t know if next week’s paycheck will cover this month’s bills. We need to pass an economic rescue plan for the middle-class and we need to do it now.

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Exclusive: Inside Account of US Eavesdropping on Americans

Despite pledges by President George W. Bush and American intelligence officials to the contrary, hundreds of US citizens overseas have been eavesdropped on as they called friends and family back home, according to two former military intercept operators who worked at the giant National Security Agency (NSA) center in Fort Gordon, Georgia.

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Alaska Paper Bashes Palin for Claiming She's "Vindicated"

Sarah Palin's reaction to the Legislature's Troopergate report is an embarrassment to Alaskans and the nation. She claims the report "vindicates" her. She said that the investigation found "no unlawful or unethical activity on my part." Her response is either astoundingly ignorant or downright Orwellian.

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Judge: GOP's voter purge a 'violation of federal law'

Recently, the GOP chairman in Macomb County, Michigan, detailed a plan to use a list of foreclosed homes to challenge voters. His pronouncement drew an immediate backlash, with predictions that the plan would "backfire." It has.

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Report: Voters shut out

A New York Times report says voters have been illegally removed from rolls in many states. CNN's Brian Todd reports. In Louisiana, as much as two voters removed for every one added this cycle!

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Obama Leading McCain in New Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota

Obama, an Illinois senator, leads 49 percent to 42 percent among Ohio voters, according to a Columbus Dispatch poll of 2,262 likely voters released yesterday.The survey, conducted Sept. 24 to Oct. 3, shows a change from a poll by the newspaper before the parties' nominating conventions, when McCain had a single percentage-point advantage.

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Democrats Organize Against 'Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote'

Americans in the grips of the mortgage foreclosure crisis to know their rights before Election Day and also to refuse to back down if their right to vote is challenged by at their polling places by Republicans on Election Day, says a group organized by Democrats.

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VotersUnite!

Make sure you are registered to vote by the deadline in your state, and find out where you vote on election day. Many voters went to the polls in the primary election and discovered they weren't on the registration rolls. Don't let that happen to you.

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CBS: Report shows GOP illegally purging voters in 19 states

Brad Friedman comments, "So CBS News has noticed. Where the hell are the Democrats, and why aren't they raising holy hell about all of this stuff everywhere & seem to have no clue that they are in a War on Democracy being waged by their GOP opponents."

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Poll: Obama Grabs The Lead In Florida

This could be big news. A new survey of Florida from Public Policy Polling (D) is giving Barack Obama the lead in Florida, where John McCain has led in virtually all the polls up to now. The numbers: Obama 49%, McCain 46%. Three weeks ago, it was McCain 50%, Obama 45%. What's behind Obama's surge? The economy.

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DEBATE: Addressing McCain on Veterans Issues

After watching the debate I have to speak up. I am a currently serving veteran of the Iraq war who is soon to go back. Senator McCain, with all due respect, you do NOT speak for me. Stop implying that you are the only one who can understand our veterans, because for millions of us clearly you do not. So let me address some of the things you said...

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Did Gingrich Give Orders To House GOP To Vote Against Bailou

Now that House Republicans are insisting their vote against the bailout yesterday had nothing to do with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s supposedly “partisan” speech, some are wondering what in fact turned at least 10 Republican votes Blunt thought he had against the bill.

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CNN: McCain failed to deliver Republican House votes

Ed Henry on John McCain's leadership and influence, CNN 09/29/08

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The beginning of the end for McCain

In the remaining 35 days there are 2 more presidential debates and 1 vice-presidential debate. But if Sen. Obama holds his current lead and wins this election, we are going to look back on last week and this one as the pivotal fortnight during which McCain and, more broadly, the Republican-conservative political project finally came undone.

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Bush had no plan to catch Bin Laden

The U.S. missed the opportunity to catch Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2001, new evidence reveals, because Washington was obsessed with starting the Iraq War and failed to allocate enough troops to the task. The blunder was allegedly compounded by a decision to turn down an offer of 60,000 Pakistani troops.

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Palin Implicated By Witness in ‘Troopergate’ Probe

An Alaska woman who owns a company that processes workers’ compensation claims in the state has told an independent investigator that she was urged by the office of Gov. Sarah Palin to deny a benefits claim for Palin’s ex brother-in-law, a state trooper who was involved in an ugly divorce and child custody dispute with Palin’s sister

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Pakistani Civil War Feared

The violence and political unrest in nuclear-armed Pakistan continues to grow worse.

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So what's the bailout costs to date in 2008 for the U.S.

With the flurry of recent government bailouts--and a much larger one likely on the way--we decided to try to put them in perspective. The circles below represent the size of U.S. government bailout, calculated in 2008 dollars. They are also in chronological order.

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Via Kos: Defenders of Wildlife goes after Palin with shocking ad

Obama Uses The "L" Word!

Obama accuses McCain campaign of 'lies' - Decision '08- msnbc.com:

"NORFOLK, Va. - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday accused Republican John McCain's campaign of using 'lies and phony outrage and Swift-boat politics' in claiming he used a sexist comment against vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin."

And it's about time. McCain and Palin and the Republican Party have been lying to the American people. A person lies whenever that person purposely misrepresents, misinforms, or makes shit up. It's not rocket science to determine when somebody is lying. If what they are saying denies the facts in evidence, they are lying. And yet, until now, the Dems and Obama have been soft-balling McCain/Palin by saying things like they are "not telling the truth" or "stretching the boundaries of spin." Call it what it is, and make the mainstream media call it what it is. Then the people can decide whether or not they want another liar in the White House for the next four years.

NYPD transformed since Sept. 11 attacks

The nation's largest police department, with about 37,000 officers, has spent tens of millions of dollars on an array of security measures designed to thwart threats.. It's also assigned 1,000 officers to counterterrorism duty, including 10 detectives posted around the globe who collect and share intelligence.

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Democracy Now producer Nicole Salazar being pushed around and arrested by the police as she was trying to cover the St. Paul protests.

Adam McKay: We're Gonna Frickin' Lose this Thing

This race should be about whether the Republican Party is going to be dismantled or not after the borderline treason of the past eight years. But instead it is about making the word "community organizer" a dirty word and a beauty queen who shoots foxes from a plane. Someone is not in any way doing their job and it's the press.

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Suit seeks to save Cheney files - Los Angeles Times

Suit seeks to save Cheney files - Los Angeles Times: "Historians and open-government advocates are concerned that Vice President Dick Cheney, who has long bristled at requirements to disclose his records, will destroy or withhold key documents that illustrate his role in forming U.S. policy for the last 7 1/2 years.

In a preemptive move, several of them have agreed to join the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington in asking a federal judge to declare that Cheney's records are covered by the Presidential Records Act of 1978 and cannot be destroyed, taken or withheld without proper review."

Running Avg. 2008 Election Polls

Why the media should apologize - Roger Simon - Politico.com

Why the media should apologize - Roger Simon - Politico.com: "ST. PAUL, Minn. — On behalf of the media, I would like to say we are sorry.

On behalf of the elite media, I would like to say we are very sorry.

We have asked questions this week that we should never have asked.

We have asked pathetic questions like: Who is Sarah Palin? What is her record? Where does she stand on the issues? And is she is qualified to be a heartbeat away from the presidency?

We have asked mean questions like: How well did John McCain know her before he selected her? How well did his campaign vet her? And was she his first choice?"

Faster Rise In Sea Level Deduced From Melting Greenland Ice

If the lessons being learned by scientists about the demise of the last great North American ice sheet are correct, estimates of global sea level rise from a melting Greenland ice sheet may be seriously underestimated.

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Giant Ice Shelf Breaks Off In Arctic

seven mile chunk of ice breaks off Canadian shelf!

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A defeat for taxpayers in military housing

Homes delayed, not built years after well-connected firms land huge contracts

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Baghdad Reporter Posts Youtube Video; Debunks Surge Myth

"I came to investigate the American military's report that violence is falling in Baghdad. That life in the city is improving. That the US surge has transformed the city...What I found contradicts all the official reports. Baghdad is a city where one street is at war with the next; where the people are more desparate than I've ever seen them."

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