Dean is totally first.

I was reading mprov and Annilow talk about ipods. I don’t have one, or a cell phone. I don’t like personal music systems or portable phones. I don’t like music or calls when I’m mobile, either walking or driving, well, except car radios. I do make minor use of a car CD player.

I got into a discussion with my daughter who attends Michigan State once on the ride home from school. I asked what they do on campus. I told her when I went to college I joined People Against Racism, went to baroque music and jazz concerts, demonstrations, lectures, plays, and art exhibits. I told her we had 6 different student run film series on campus, dividing my attention between 2 and 5 films a night. There were documentaries, foreign films, art films, retro films, experimental films, 8 mm films, all kinds of films, thankfully, because I didn’t have a television.

Her report was dismal. She told me they had none of that. She said Seinfeld came to campus, and sometimes there were bands or movies like Pirates of the Carribean. I was stupefied hearing this. I thought the whole idea of a campus was to provide a social setting involving other young adults where kids learned about things outside the sphere of their suburban existence. It was supposed to be a dynamic place that promoted spontaneity and sparked thinking, debate, and social and political action.

We also talked about another noticeable campus phenomenon. All kids, bar none, had ipods and cell phones with them wherever they went. Two people walking down the sidewalk would each be talking to another person on the phone, oblivious to the physical presence of each other. The sight of one person walking alone and listening silently to music was as or more common as the sight of groups of kids.

Now I remember walking alone on campus, but it wasn’t in some bubble shield that cordoned off my surroundings. My daughter seemed jealous of the accounts of my campus exploits, you know, back in the horse and buggy days when we had quadrophonic sound and record albums. I sense that the value of a college campus is being wasted on these kids and the main function of encouraging kids to advance towards meaningful adulthood is being defeated in large part.

Good work, linda b.

wOOT linda b! Yeah. And thank you Andres.

Last weekend while driving to Vermont ( check out www.jamaicacottageshop.com ) to South Londonderry and Jamaica on scenic route 100, my wife and I were heading north on Route 91 in western MA, just about to head into Vermont.

A car was passing us on the highway with the couple in it looking over at us, pointing and laughing.  My wife asked "What are they laughing at?"

When their car got past, I possibly figured it out.  It was a CT license-plated car with it's home state Dodd sticker on the rear bumper.

Maybe they thought it was funny for a MA plated-car to sport a out of state Obama sticker in the rear window ?  (reminded me of when I got questioned in 2003 by other MA residents why I was supporting VT's Dean over MA's Kerry)

My wife and I then laughed and proceded onto the Jamaica Cottage Shop where we decided on buying a gazebo-type structure they call the Florida Room.

It's a small world after all.

ANOTHER OPPORTUINITY FOR THE DEMOCRATS

http://www.progressivedailybeacon.com/more.php?page=opinion&id=1641

Democrats had better be ready for the Bush regime to use an attack on Iran as a political stick. A very blunt stick with which to beat Democrats about the head, while screaming, "Cowards," and insisting that, "they love Iran more than America and they love the Ayatollah more than the troops!"

For their part, because they are Democrats, Hillary 'Little Bush' Clinton will hem-n-haw and make excuses as to why she must go along with the Iranian assault and Congressional Democrats, urine dribbling down their trembling legs, will surrender and authorize Mister Bush's third disastrous war.

For the clueless Democrats, let's make it simple: For instructional purposes, think of the Bush-Rove-Republican scheme for election victory in 2008 as the, "Bomb Iran and Bludgeon the Ayatollah-Loving Democrats over the Head Plan," and work from there. Democrats ignore this warning, which they will most certainly do, at their own peril.

Now, the rest of America can sit back and watch as the Bush administration puts their plan into action. Too, it'll be pretty amusing to watch as the caught-completely-off-guard Democrats, as usual, disintegrate into a pile of blubbering buffoons

Wolfowitz 'tried to censor World Bank on climate change'
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
Published: 14 August 2007

The Bush administration has consistently thwarted efforts by the World Bank to include global warming in its calculations when considering whether to approve major investments in industry and infrastructure, according to documents made public through a watchdog yesterday.

On one occasion, the White House's pointman at the bank, the now disgraced Paul Wolfowitz, personally intervened to remove the words "climate change" from the title of a bank progress report and ordered changes to the text of the report to shift the focus away from global warming.

But the issue predates Mr Wolfowitz's appointment as president of the bank in June 2005. According to the Government Accountability Project (GAP), which has tracked efforts to censor debate on global warming, environmental specialists at the World Bank tried unsuccessfully to press for consideration of greenhouse- gas emissions in a paper written - but never published - in 2002.

It was politics that prevented the publication of that paper, according to one senior bank insider who spoke to the Los Angeles Times, and politics that has been the principal obstacle to progress since. Only now, with the Bush administration on the ropes politically and the scientific evidence for global warming reaching such critical mass that even President George Bush has been forced to acknowledge its reality, are those same bank officials trying again to put the issue on the agenda. "Our biggest obstacle has been that politically, [climate change] is very controversial," Kristalina Georgieva, the bank's strategy and operations director for sustainable development, told the LA Times.

linda b -

I watched the short video but it was like having an appetizer.

Just curious, what is Thelma Drake's position on the Iraq War ? 

ELIZABETH EDWARDS ON THE "ESTABLISHMENT DEMOCRATS"

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/08/elizabeth-edwar.html

Mrs. Edwards praised her husband for apologizing for his vote in favor of the Iraq War, and questioned Senator Hillary Clinton's, D-N.Y., for not doing the same.

And while Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., was in the Illinois state legislature and not the Senate in 2003, Mrs. Edwards equally questioned his motives.

"Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district," Edwards said, "and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way."

Mrs. Edwards was similarly no-holds-barred on the issue of health care.

"Hillary is saying we need to develop a political will," Mrs. Edwards stated, referencing her personal battle with cancer and the stories she's heard from other patients who can't afford health care, "She hasn't been talking to people if she thinks we need to develop it. We do not."

Taking aim at Obama, Mrs. Edwards continued, "I don’t know why it took six months, but I'm glad he has a (health care) plan now. It doesn’t cover fifteen million people. If you're one of those fifteen million, it's not universal for you. The fact that he says he'll fix it later, that's not the kind of bold response we need on a problem that is important to America."

More venting on the Democants


Cowardly Democrats give in to president on NSA wiretapping
Submitted by davidswanson on Mon, 2007-08-13 14:06. Spying
By Bill Press, Baltimore Sun

Use it or lose it. That's the first lesson of political power - which Democrats still haven't learned. As they proved by their vote on the National Security Agency wiretap legislation, when push comes to shove, Democrats would rather fold than fight.

A quick recap: In December 2005, The New York Times first reported that, shortly after Sept. 11, President Bush ordered the NSA to monitor international phone calls without first getting a warrant from the court, as required by the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA. As if that weren't bad enough, we soon learned that many domestic calls were also included in the NSA sweep; that only a handful of members of Congress had been informed of the program (and sworn to secrecy); and that then-Attorney General John Ashcroft had refused to sanction the White House order because he believed it was against the law.

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=nod...

IMO Elizabeth should be running for president, instead of John.

Learn from the fall of Rome, US warned
By Jeremy Grant in Washington

The US government is on a ‘burning platform’ of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon, the country’s top government inspector has warned.

David Walker, comptroller general of the US, issued the unusually downbeat assessment of his country’s future in a report that lays out what he called “chilling long-term simulations”.

These include “dramatic” tax rises, slashed government services and the large-scale dumping by foreign governments of holdings of US debt.

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.
“Sound familiar?” Mr Walker said. “In my view, it’s time to learn from history and take steps to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time.”

Mr Walker’s views carry weight because he is a non-partisan figure in charge of the Government Accountability Office, often described as the investigative arm of the US Congress.
While most of its studies are commissioned by legislators, about 10 per cent – such as the one containing his latest warnings – are initiated by the comptroller general himself.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Walker said he had mentioned some of the issues before but now wanted to “turn up the volume”. Some of them were too sensitive for others in government to “have their name associated with”.

“I’m trying to sound an alarm and issue a wake-up call,” he said. “As comptroller general I’ve got an ability to look longer-range and take on issues that others may be hesitant, and in many cases may not be in a position, to take on.
“One of the concerns is obviously we are a great country but we face major sustainability challenges that we are not taking seriously enough,” said Mr Walker, who was appointed during the Clinton administration to the post, which carries a 15-year term.

The fiscal imbalance meant the US was “on a path toward an explosion of debt”.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/80fa0a2c-49ef-11...

1.

I went back to my alma mata college last Thurs (hadn't been there in years).

Couldn't believe all the new construction.

Those rapidly rising student tuition and fees (easily outpacing the inflation rate) I see have been put to (private) infrastructure usage.

Hi folks, This is Andres from the above blog.

 Your welcome Linda*in*SFNM!

typo - alma mata

s/b - alma mater

* rdorgan back on 7 you asked about Thelma Drakes stand on the war.

Lets put it this way she has voted over 95% in agreement with Bush...  and 100% in agreement with his reckless Iraq war policy. She is simply a rubberstamp for his Administration.

ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE PASSES SB 840 AND OTHER MEASURES

Organizations line up to support SB 840...full article: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/...



http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/page...

Michael Moore's SICKO
Please sign up to leaflet audiences at
Michael Moore’s SiCKO.
Help build support for Single Payer Health Care


Friday, June 29, 2007 marks the national release of Michael Moore’s movie SiCKO. This powerful film can have a profound educational effect in support of Single Payer Health Care. In addition, we think many viewers will want to take some action after seeing the movie. We want to help them do that—in support of Senator Kuehl’s Single Payer bill, SB 840.

We’ll need many volunteers during the week of June 29 to July 6 to work in teams, passing out information about SB 840. Many organizations are working together to coordinate this leafleting campaign, including the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. Once you sign up, the coordinator for your area will contact you to confirm the date, time, and theater location where you will leaflet.

If you can leaflet at a theater in your area, you can call, snail mail, fax or email us with your information. To send it in email form, please copy and paste the information requested below. Thank you for your support.

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
Health Care Committee


Supporters of SB 840 (Kuehl)
California Health Insurance Reliability Act
Date of Release: July 26, 2006
Total: 457
http://www.dist23.casen.govoffice.com/ve...

ASSEMBLY HEALTH COMMITTEE PASSES SB 840 AND OTHER MEASURES

Organizations line up to support SB 840...full article: http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/...



http://www.progressivecaucuscdp.org/page...

Michael Moore's SICKO
Please sign up to leaflet audiences at
Michael Moore’s SiCKO.
Help build support for Single Payer Health Care


Friday, June 29, 2007 marks the national release of Michael Moore’s movie SiCKO. This powerful film can have a profound educational effect in support of Single Payer Health Care. In addition, we think many viewers will want to take some action after seeing the movie. We want to help them do that—in support of Senator Kuehl’s Single Payer bill, SB 840.

We’ll need many volunteers during the week of June 29 to July 6 to work in teams, passing out information about SB 840. Many organizations are working together to coordinate this leafleting campaign, including the Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club. Once you sign up, the coordinator for your area will contact you to confirm the date, time, and theater location where you will leaflet.

If you can leaflet at a theater in your area, you can call, snail mail, fax or email us with your information. To send it in email form, please copy and paste the information requested below. Thank you for your support.

Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club
Health Care Committee


Supporters of SB 840 (Kuehl)
California Health Insurance Reliability Act
Date of Release: July 26, 2006
Total: 457
http://www.dist23.casen.govoffice.com/ve...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/08/14/hillarys-white-house-rec_n_60342.html

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton cites her experience as a compelling reason voters should make her president, but nearly 2 million pages of documents covering her White House years are locked up in a building here, obscuring a large swath of her record as first lady.

Clinton's calendars, appointment logs and memos are stored at her husband's presidential library, in the custody of federal archivists who do not expect them to be released until after the 2008 presidential election.

---------------------------------

What's she hiding?????????

I read with interest the following comment by Elizabeth Edwards that John reproduced: "‘Obama gives a speech that's likely to be extraordinarily popular in his home district,’ Edwards said, ‘and then comes to the Senate and votes for funding... so you are going to get people behaving in a holier-than-thou way.’"

Nobody is this stupid, so let’s cut the bullshit. Edwards voted to authorize and fund, not defund, the war. In 2002, as a newly minted presidential candidate, with the WTC attack a year old, take it to the bank that this was designed to be "popular in his home district," because war opponents were swimming against a particularly strong tide at the time.

Now Obama is in the Senate and behaving "holier-than-thou" because the war Edwards voted to launch is a teeming mess five years later? Obama is holier-than-thou while Edwards sits on the sidelines giving expert advice to ex-colleagues about what they should do, now that he’s left the arena for the cozy comfort of his role as private citizen cum political pundit? Obama must be thinking about he scene in Robocop when Dick Jones of OCP tells arch fiend Clarence Boddicker that he has to kill Robocop and Clarence says "Your company built the fucking thing. Now I gotta deal with it?"

15.

Andres, thanks for the response.  I know nothing about Virginia, less even about the 2nd district but I don't understand how it appeared that the dem challenger Kellam was leading in many polls over Drake but just before the election, the last poll showed Drake ahead.  Drake won.

Was that like pulling a rabbit out of the hat by Drake or did actually Drake lead all along and the earlier polls were not accurately measuring sentiment of the voters in the 2nd ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_2nd_congressional_district_election%2C_2006

Virginia's 2nd congressional district election, 2006

...

In late June, CQPolitics wrote that the race: "is more competitive than initially expected in the Republican-leaning 2nd. This, in turn, has spurred CQPolitics.com to change its rating to Leans Republican from Republican Favored."[7]

Similarly, Larry Sabato's Center for Politics, in late June, rated the race as leaning Republican, and as one of the top thirty most competitive House races in the nation[8].

In late July, the Washington Post rated this race as a toss-up.[9]

SourceDateKellam (D)Drake (R)ZogbyNovember 1, 200643%51%Majority Watch pollOctober 31, 200650%45%RT StrategiesOctober 26, 200650%45%Mason-DixonOctober 10, 200644%46%RT StrategiesOctober 10, 200646%48%ZogbyOctober 2, 200646%42%RT StrategiesAugust 29, 200651%43%

Thelma won.

...

*rdorgan, Elizabeth Edwards is a cancer patient, a wife and mother.  Surely, that's occupation enough.

19.

ex-Senator Edwards (John) is like Alice In the Looking Glass.

So too is ex-Governor Romney.

Andres, HOWDY! Thank you for stopping by. And again, many thanks for all you have done and are doing.

Do I take it you live in Virginia? Have you had the opportunity to see and speak with Senator Webb yet? How do you feel about those who use cutting of funds as a means to not end the war? We all know that term is being played, because they would never cut funds from the troops that are still in place. Isn't that equal to continuing this war?

I'm just voicing what a lot of people around my neck of the woods have said about the Edwards, that's all.

Out--Now!

If John Edwards wins the dem nomination, he's got my vote in the general election.  Ditto, but with less enthusiasm, Clinton.

For now, my Obama 08 sticker is on my rear windows on my cars (only Gore's official entrance into the 08 race might have an influence on me as to whether they stay there or not).

19. Obfuscate:

1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand: "A great effort was made . . . to obscure or obfuscate the truth" (Robert Conquest).
2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.

24.

Well, it's always easy to be for something that you know isn't going to happen.  There's a lot of that going around. 

Yes, well thats an interesting question. She won by 4,888 votes. Kellam's family has been involved in this area for over 200 years. He did not differ much from many of her views including ending the war in Iraq. The situation next year will not be the same. 5,000 people will have changed their mind between now and then. If she continues to be out of touch with the folks here and continues to vote for this war her political career is in peril - big time!

John wrote: "Obfuscate: . . .To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand."

Did I write something you found difficult to understand?  Tell me if you have a specific question so I can clear that up.

29.

That sounds like a bluing of VA and that district in particular.  That's great.

(VA and MA are sister states in so many ways -- Jamestown and Plymouth, etc. and now can start hopefully being just as liberal and progressive too, thanks to your and linda b's work, and Rich's and the work of other VA activists)

30. The obfuscation consists of muddying the waters concerning Edwards' current stance on Iraq by ragging on his past actions, which he has renounced, and for which he has apologized.

It's what he says currently that defines him (and I don't agree with much of that, particularly "residual forces".)

Linda - Yes, I do live in VA. The views here are mixed on that issue. Ending a war cost money too. Dist 2 has a large military community, one of the largest in the nation. So one thing is for sure everyone here agrees that our troops need our support. We just think that to support our troops is to support an end to a war that has been misconceived, mismanaged, and in the end does not give the support it needs to those troops that have come home and require the care of this nation. We are placing our troops in the middle of a religious civil war and keep throwing more in like sticks on a fire…  that needs to end!

http://www.muddywaters.com/

John wrote "The obfuscation consists of muddying the waters concerning Edwards' current stance on Iraq by ragging on his past actions, which he has renounced, and for which he has apologized."

Thanks. I don’t really think I’ve misrepresented Edwards’ current position or the renunciation of his past actions. I think I’ve highlighted them. However, if some apology is what separates a good presidential candidate from a bad one, irrespective of past actions, Obama will be your candidate the day he apologizes after casting all the votes you find so reprehensible because, after all, he did not vote for invasion. He couldn’t. He was sitting on the sidelines like Edwards is now. It is like the purifying waters of baptism, erasing original sin, if I understand you correctly.

For a more rational view of muddying waters, consider this: Deciding to go into war is such a serious matter because it can’t be undone. The people in responsible positions after you make the decision have life and death decisions of their own to make to either cease, prolong or mitigate the effects of war that you helped begin. None of them are without the risk of suffering or the loss of life.

Let’s not obfuscate the certain fact that there is no state of conflict before a decision to invade, and after a decision to withdraw is made. It just so happens history reveals that not starting in the first place has much less severe consequences than the decision to get out afterwards.

Andres, thank you.

and of course, our linda b, for bringing you here. :)

I'm not sure why you Obama supporters feel compelled to bash Edwards.

running scared?

14 August Water levels in 3 Great Lakes dip far below normal.

14 August Arctic showing signs of global warming.

14 August Recent India floods spotlight myriad challenges. 

And, 

PLEASE, please try to avoid buying bottled water.  A HUGE pollutant,

 expense and waste.  Buy a bottle and fill it with water or whatever YOU want

and take with you.  Or, reuse a plastic bottle you purchased water in.

ALSO, SUMMER and parties.  If you are serving beer, please think about

renting a keg of beer instead of individual bottles.

14 August On the anti-bottled-water bandwagon.  

37.  OH!, AND Hillary-big time.

How can we do that? - By brining the issue up, discussing it with your neighbors, getting them and everyone you know to call the district offices, joining your representatives at public events, at church, their local coffee house and telling them face to face that they must take a stand against this war. Writing Letters to the Editor - they read those! - most importantly letting others know that they are not alone, that it is okay to speak up, and that it is the right time to do so. A great place to do so is attending the Aug 28th Take a Stand vigils or townhalls that will be taking place across this country!

Andres Moreno
Tue, 08/14/07
10:09 am

Andres,

Welcome....we all support the troops. Supporting the troops means voting for the funds to get them out of Iraq safely and responsibly. Good luck with Thelma Drake (lost cause, I believe, but keep up the pressure).

We need to also pressure our Democratic Senators and Reps to only fund a withdrawal and redeployment of US troops out of Iraq. Continuing to fund the war/occupation is supporting the Bush escalation.

Let's give Virgil Griffith a Nobel Prize or maybe even a Howardly. A good guy geek is helping to keep Wikipedia entries transparent.
------------
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/14/...

Diebold, CIA edit wiki entries
by winstnsmth [Subscribe]

Tue Aug 14, 2007 at 05:08:59 AM PDT

Wikipedia has launched a new feature that tracks back anonymous edits to the IP from which they came.

-----------

I'm sure everyone already read KOS but I just got up (again :)). This one gets a wow.

Canadian scientists find gene that turns cancers off
by a gnostic [Subscribe]

Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 08:24:47 PM PDT

This seems rather promising:

A unique gene that can stop cancerous cells from multiplying into tumours has been discovered by a team of scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency in Vancouver.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/8/13/...

One of the problems with the Americans Against the Escalation in Iraq is that they are targeting only Republicans. It isn't just the Escalation we are against but the entire continued occupation (bad framing).

Unfortunately, a handful of Democrats, the Bluedogs, are preventing real action on Iraq. And members of the AAEI refuse to target ANY Demcrats. Put your efforts where they will have the greatest payoff.

Thelma Drake is NOT likely to change her position. Efforts ought to be focused on moderate Republicans and Conservative Democrats who are the REAL obstacles to ending the occupation.

We here in Iowa we built from the State Legislative races up to organize; and then took it to Congress.

Is there a Virginia issue besides the war that can energize another portion of the electorate to add to the base for next year?

Phil wrote "I'm not sure why you Obama supporters feel compelled to bash Edwards."

Good question.  Go read Elizabeth Edwards' comments above.

Same question; Indiana?

so bash Elizabeth

Phil wrote "so bash Elizabeth."

What for? She's just an apologist and obscurantist for her husband.  It's the actions and judgment of the person she's defending that bothers me.  

Here's a press release backing up what I'm saying from a suspect AAEI strategy:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 08/12/2007

Chicago – A caravan of Iraq war veterans, vets of other conflicts and military families stopped in downtown Chicago Sunday morning as part of a statewide trip aimed at pressuring Republican members of Congress to bring an end the war in Iraq.

WHY Doesn't AAIE target Melissa Bean, a Conservative Bluedog, who is undermining Democratic efforts to stay firm on the need to get out of Iraq? She voted for the escalation. They only target Republicans but give Conservative Democrats a pass. Hmmmm........

 This is Melissa Bean's  (D-IL-08) "proud" record on Iraq. She votes with the Repubicans. Yet AAEI will not target her. Why not?

PassedMaking emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007 05/10/2007FailedTo provide for the redeployment of United States Armed Forces and defense contractors from Iraq 05/10/2007PassedDepartment of Homeland Security Authorization Act 05/09/2007FailedMaking emergency supplemental appropriations for fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes 05/02/2007

AAEI was created to counter the escalation plans of President Bush, thus the name! There are many different aspects and components to AAEI, Iraq Summer is one of them. All of them focus on one goal – ending the war in Iraq!!!