Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Avril


Kelly's new CD

Democracy Now Headlines- Wed. May 16, 2007

Best Night Ever

Lindsay Lohan tops Maxim's 'Hot 100' - CNN.com

Lindsay Lohan tops Maxim's 'Hot 100' - CNN.com:

"According to Maxim magazine, at least this month, she's the hottest woman in
the world."


While understanding how fake these lists are, Lohan is pretty hot.

Rupert Murdoch and Newscorp to become carbon neutral - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

Rupert Murdoch and Newscorp to become carbon neutral - AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth:

"Mr Murdoch has bought a Toyota-made Lexus GS450H 'green' car, and other
practical measures include solar-powered golf carts to carry people round the
Fox film lot in Hollywood, building environmentally friendly studios, replacing
company fleets with hybrids, using renewable energy, and offsetting remaining
emissions by financing windpower in India.

The world's most prominent
media tycoon is being hailed by environmentalists as the most important of a
chain of high-profile new recruits to the battle to control climate change,
including Sir Richard Branson and Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive of Tesco.

His planned campaign 'to change the way the public thinks about these
issues' could be particularly effective because of the strength of his
operations in the United States, China and India, the three most critical
countries for tackling global warming. Mr Murdoch told his employees: 'We must
first get out own house in order.'

News Corporation has a carbon
footprint of at 641,150 tons a year and will now aim to be carbon neutral by
2010. News International, which publishes his British newspapers, and the
publishers HarperCollins will achieve this goal by the end of the year and all
books published by the imprint Fourth Estate are to be printed on recycled paper
from 1 July."


Just some more information about News Corp. going carbon neutral. I think this is Murdoch taking a step towards the left on the global warming issues. It is also a great step for the movement being accepted as a whole.

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Report: D.C. Dems getting more action since the election

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Report: D.C. Dems getting more action since the election:

"The bottom line: Romantic opportunities have increased for Democrats. For one
thing, there are now more of them around Capitol Hill — all the better for
socializing. And some aides and political experts have noticed that Democrats
have begun to dress the part and are looking better…As one Democratic campaign
strategist remarked, “Taking back the majority certainly has its perks. With the
shift in power has come a shift in social standing for once-shunned Democratic
operatives. It seems everyone from lowly interns to nerdy policy wonks have a
full dance card so long as they have a ‘D’ behind their name.”The strategist
added that perks aren’t limited to normal social interactions: “Not only are
Dems getting more dates, they are getting better tables at restaurants and they
are not waiting in line at exclusive clubs.”"


Is Washington really like this?

Bill O'Reilly really loses it this time

O': 22-Yr-Old Beats 91-Man, Coward-Bystanders Do Nothing

Real Time Overtime 5-11-07

America's Next Top Model -FOR EMMY CONSIDERATION

Firedoglake - Firedoglake weblog » Iraq to Bar Media Coverage of Bombings

Firedoglake - Firedoglake weblog » Iraq to Bar Media Coverage of Bombings:

"Iraq’s interior ministry has decided to bar news photographers and camera
operators from the scenes of bomb attacks, operations director Brigadier General
Abdel Karim Khalaf said on Sunday (local time).
His announcement was the
latest in a series of attempts to curtail press coverage of the ongoing
conflict, which has already attracted criticism from international human rights
bodies. "


One do they think they can hide the fact that the country is violent.
Two is it their belief that reporters will begin to cover those often talked about topics that the press doesn't cover since they can't cover bombings.
Three, how about our military defending our presses right to cover a war that is being paid for with out tax money.

VENT Akon's Assault

Firedoglake - Firedoglake weblog » Fingerprints

Firedoglake - Firedoglake weblog » Fingerprints:

"According to McNulty’s account, Rove came late to the meeting and left early.
But while he was there he spoke up and echoed a point that was made by the other
White House aides: The Justice Department needed to provide specific reasons why
it terminated the eight prosecutors in order to rebut Democratic charges that
the firings were politically motivated. The point Rove and other White House
officials made is “you all need to explain what you did and why you did it,”
McNulty told the investigators."


The problem with all these scandals in Washington now is that everyone is so focused on winning partisan points, and defending their positions that truth is being quartered. You know what quartering is, that is when a person is tied hands and feet to four horses, one arm - one horse, one leg - one horse. Then the horses are whipped, tearing the person in four parts. That is what is happening to the truth in Washington.

The first thing I think of is what is Rove doing at this meeting. The second is that every scandal during the Bush administration has been an attack on Bush. I am not saying that the scandals don't have merit. With a new scandal developing it does make sense to have someone from the White House trying to get ahead of it, knowing that the attack will end up pointed at the president.

I have not followed this closely, in the end I think most of these scandals are a mixture of political motivations and first rate blunders.

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: MSNBC quotes WhiteHouse.org on Falwell’s political influence

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Video: MSNBC quotes WhiteHouse.org on Falwell’s political influence:

"Yeah, WhiteHouse.org. The most infamous, relentlessly anti-Bush parody site on
the ‘Net.You can imagine how it played out. Producer to intern: “We need a
fawning description of him from the White House website to show how influential
he was with conservatives.” Intern to producer: “Great! I’ll just google white
house falwell…”"


Someone is going to get fired.

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Iranian lawmakers want to talk to Congress

Hot Air » Blog Archive » Iranian lawmakers want to talk to Congress:

"Proponents hope the effort, for which they were gathering petition signatures
Tuesday, will be condoned by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who
has final say in national matters…“If (Iranian) government officials can
reconcile with Americans, why can’t the Iranian nation reconcile with the
American people?” asked Jalal Hosseini, a pro-reform lawmaker who signed the
petition.So far, proponents have gathered 20 signatures and plan to seek more at
the 290-seat parliament. Backers come from across Iran’s political spectrum…“We
also seek to moderate Iran-bashing laws at the U.S. Congress through direct
contacts with them and invite U.S. congressmen to get firsthand, correct
information about realities in Iran,” said reformist lawmaker Darioush
Ghanbari."


This sounds like a good break, and I hope it is one that will develop. I really like the idea of by passing the presidents in each country and having representatives from congress talk to representatives of their Parliament. I don't think that Iranians want war any more than Americans do. In the 60s they said give peace a chance, I say give communication a chance.

Is Bush Mentally Ill? Newsweek Says Yes | NewsBusters.org

Is Bush Mentally Ill? Newsweek Says Yes NewsBusters.org:

"Is President Bush mentally ill? Sharon Begley is a senior editor for
science at Newsweek, which apparently entitled her to conduct a tired
psychoanalysis of President Bush and his state of denial about the war in Iraq,
suggested earlier in his life by his comforting his mother as his sister Robin
died of leukemia at age three, and his alcohol abuse as an adult. It 'could all
be dismissed as psychobabble,' Begley wrote, but she marshaled experts to
diagnose him from afar for his 'pathological certainty that things are going
well.'"


I have said it before and I am saying it again. I think that personal attacks are a distraction and anti-productive to discussion politically. If we want to understand the issues that need to be dealt with, they get us no closer to understanding or solving them. If you disagree with someones ideas, attack their ideas. If your ideas are stronger, you do not need to attack others personally, your ideas will win on their merit.

Meredith Vieira Advances Democratic Line on 'Big Oil' Conspiracy | NewsBusters.org

Meredith Vieira Advances Democratic Line on 'Big Oil' Conspiracy NewsBusters.org: "

Vieira: 'Let's talk about the refineries for a minute because there's been a lot
of controversy about them. Maintenance problems at refineries around the
country. There are some people, consumer activists, some analysts and even some
politicians like Senator Schumer here in New York, who believe that the oil
companies are basically holding back the production of gas, they're slow on
repairs of their refineries, to keep the price of gas high. Senator Schumer has
not gone so far as to say that the oil companies are in collusion but he did
say, quote, 'that they wink at each other and do the same thing.' First I'd like
your response to that.'"


Where this falls apart is that this is asking the presidents of the oil companies to be very honest and open with each other, and trusting. The nature of business is that you always want to sell more than the other guy in the market. I find it hard to believe that on the one hand you say that they are dirty, but not so dirty that they would lie to fellow oil producers. Each producer would be secretly violating the oath, attempting to make money off the oil that it was believed the others were not selling.

The second thing is that these businesses are responsible to their share holders. If there was a deal of this nature it would have to be done without them knowing, or with them in on it. The larger you expand the circle of people who know about a scandal, the more you are likely to get a leak. No share holder would willingly accept getting less of a return than is possible for an investment.

I don't believe it.

Stephanopoulos: Those Against Obama Because He's Black Won't Vote for Any Democrat | NewsBusters.org

Stephanopoulos: Those Against Obama Because He's Black Won't Vote for Any Democrat NewsBusters.org:

"Reminiscent of Bryant Gumbel's 1989 charge on the Today show that you're either
“a racist or a liberal,” on Sunday's This Week, ABC's George Stephanopoulos
presumed only Republicans are racists who will not vote for Democratic candidate
Barack Obama, who had an African father. During the roundtable, Sam Donaldson
proposed that the country is ready for an African-American President, but noted
how “he said he thinks he'll lose some votes because of that, and so the
question is what does the word 'some' mean? In critical elections, not just in
the South, it may mean something.” Moderator Stephanopoulos then jumped in: “I
guess I think that anyone who's not going to vote for Barack Obama because he is
black isn't going to vote for a Democrat anyway.” "


Is anyone really so blind that they think that all the racists live in the Republican party. There are a number of concerns in this belief.

One is that are all racists even honest about being racist. How many claim to be tolerant, but live in gated communities where their encounters with those who are different from themselves is very limited. It is easy to say you are tolerant, when that tolerance is never put to a real test. How many of them would feel as tolerant if a member of their family were harmed by a minority.

Two is the idea that left and right are solid groups. One might vote for the democrats for environmental reasons, but hold ideas similar to the Republicans on all other issues. I know in my life I have met people who are liberal on some issues, and surprisingly conservative on others.

Three is that the practice of many left wing ideas have racist and classist effects. I live in a town that bars fast food chains from operating. It is against the liberal image of the town, but it limits the options for those who have less money to spend on food. Environmental actions also have similar effect on low income families, many of which are minorities. I am not suggesting that these policies are racist, but that when all groups are not considered in taking action - it dis-empowers those groups left out.

Chicago Girl Sues Teacher for Showing 'Brokeback Mountain' to Class | NewsBusters.org

Chicago Girl Sues Teacher for Showing 'Brokeback Mountain' to Class NewsBusters.org:

"According to the suit, a substitute teacher introduced herself as Ms. Buford to
Jessica's class at Ashburn Community Elementary School, 8300 S. St. Louis Ave.
She then said, 'What happens in Ms. Buford's class stays in Ms. Buford's class,'
the suit claims. Buford then had a student close the door, and started showing
the controversial R-rated film, which features two men engaged in sex."


Because this is gay sex this is going to be a political issue, used by those on the right to attack the gay agenda and by those on the left to attack religion in school. I think the thing that is clear here is that students should not have been watching an R rated movie, with sex in it. It wouldn't matter if it had been a movie that contained straight sex, it would have been wrong. I think it is a moral issue, children should not be shown R rated movies, plain and simple. The teacher was a substitute, my guess is she knew that it was wrong, and she did it believing that there would be minimal actions taken. I think she should be suspended from teaching.

The Right’s Field » The Romney Religion Drop

The Right’s Field » The Romney Religion Drop:

"The Spartanburg Herald-Journal reported that some unsigned literature
attacking Mormonism was being mailed to some households in the state. The
literature was described as “an eight-page diatribe,” with the title “Mormons in
Contemporary American Society: A Politically Dangerous Religion?” It did not
mention Romney, who is Mormon, but was seen by politically active South
Carolinians as a direct attack on his candidacy, the paper said."


There are some ugly battles that are going to be waged in this election, most of all in the primary cycle. The reason being that attacks like this that are blind, it is difficult to pin on a source. When there is only one candidate that is running for the party - like when the president is running for re-election, attacks are easy to tag. Any attack on the candidate in such a case, more often than not is from the other party. However in this case, with so many people going for the gold, in the chaos knowing who is doing the attacking - or rather not knowing, gives freedom.

New War Czar Douglas Lute Just Another Bush-Era Happy Talker [Oliver Willis: Like Kryptonite To Stupid]

New War Czar Douglas Lute Just Another Bush-Era Happy Talker [Oliver Willis: Like Kryptonite To Stupid]:

"BRIG. GEN. DOUGLAS LUTE, DIR. OF OPERATIONS, CENTCOM: Well, Paula, this goes
very much to our primary effort for 2005 and that is to enhance the quality of
Iraqi forces. You know, we need to keep this in perspective. But in seven months
ago there was no Iraqi army, there were no Iraqi commando battalions. There was
very little that could be called an Iraqi police force. We've made a great deal
of progress in the last seven months. But this is still an immature emerging
force. Things like infiltration by insurgents, things like sharing intelligence,
developing their own intelligence, and developing a coherent chain of command
are all things that we're working on for this calendar year."


I hope that it doesn't turn out that this new war czar is cut from the same cloth as Bush and the crew that got us into the war. What the war needs, what Iraq needs and what America needs in someone who can approach the problems we are facing there from a new perspective. I think that Bush and his supporters have invested too much into success and have lost perspective. On the other hand democrats have invested too much in failure and also lost perspective. What is needed for a good solution is a new vision and some new ideas on how to reach that goal.

The BRAD BLOG : EXCLUSIVE: Palm Beach County Supervisor Questions Coulter's 'Stalker' Explanation as Reason for Felonious Voter Fraud

The BRAD BLOG : EXCLUSIVE: Palm Beach County Supervisor Questions Coulter's 'Stalker' Explanation as Reason for Felonious Voter Fraud:

"The Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections is dubious about the explanation
by the apparent vote fraudster, Ann Coulter, that she used her realtor's address
on her voter registration application for fear of stalkers, The BRAD BLOG has
learned. Further, when the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office closed their
investigation into the documented allegations in April, following an unusual
call from an FBI agent, the election chief who had brought the complaint to the
PBSO was never notified."


Isn't this really much-a-do about nothing, really if you disagree with a persons ideas take on their ideas, this is petty bullshit.

Presidential Debate Highlights

Tom DeLay.com - Home - Right Wing News: Should Teachers Be Able To Get Away With Faking A School Shooting?

Tom DeLay.com - Home - Right Wing News: Should Teachers Be Able To Get Away With Faking A School Shooting?:

"Every time a student does something that is the least bit suspicious these
days, he ends getting in hot water because they think he's going to be the next
school shooter. But, what happens when a group of teachers actually stage a fake
school shooting to terrify their students? "


I think that this event is horrible. I would hope that all the teachers involved in this crazy prank should be fired. A prank of this nature not only scares the students, but could make them take a real attack less than serious. I don't know what they were attempting to teach the students.

Candidates on News Shows

Tim Russert

3 Reasons to stop blogging about Britney Spears - Cosmetic Celebrity

3 Reasons to stop blogging about Britney Spears - Cosmetic Celebrity:

"Ok, so she drinks alcohol, big frigging deal. Now get used to the idea there
are celebrities that enjoy themselves and move on to something more useful."


I think this may be the best argument I have encountered all day - good point. I would say the same about Lindsay - yeah she is underage, but what does that mean anyway.

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