Thursday, July 31, 2008

Video | Dickson Despommier On Vertical Farming

From Big Think comes this interview with Columbia professor of environmental health sciences and microbiology Dickson Despommier, the pioneering researcher responsible for bringing national attention to the idea of vertical farming.



Linked.

Note: If the video doesn't load go to the Big Think link.
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Obama' New Ad | "The Low Road"



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Wednesday, July 30, 2008

The "Liberals" Who Represent Us

A perfect desciption by Digby this morning for the Liberals who represent us in the corporate media:

Richard Cohen and others like him who play the role of "liberal" in the mainstream media are the reason why so many people hate liberals. They're idiots.


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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Pic Of The Day - Apology


I'm pretty sure this is photo-shopped but I likes it still.

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Monday, July 28, 2008

Gov. Tim Kaine On Obama's VP shortlist

And the running mate is...Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine?
As Barack Obama turns to the choice of his running mate, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine has emerged as one of the campaign’s potential finalists..










I don't know much about Governor Kaine(yet). I'm certain he's being vetted furiously right now. I've actually heard crazy talk of Republicans being considered. I'm still partial to Gen. Wesley Clark or Sen. Jim Webb but with some of the names I've heard(Hagel,Veneman, etc.) this'll do fine.

Update: From the info coming out slowly about Gov. Kaine, I'm shall we say a bit less enthused. Apparently he's mostly anti-stem cell research, pro-life(as in anti-choice). These are the first items to come out so far. There should be more shortly.

Update info thanks to CandL.

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The Monday Quote

"They can conquer who believe they can."
-Dryden

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The Fembots Are Coming!

Here's Actroid DER-2. She apparently loves Hello Kitty:



Here she is in her acting/commercial debut for a bug-repellent/sun-screen spray:


Somewhat creepy.

Thanks BB for the link.

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The Worth1000 Photoshop Contest | "Mutations 3"



The rules:
Depict a mutation that might occur in nature. Don't depict a genetic crossbreed.

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Oil Companies Reward McCain For Flip-Flopping On Drilling

Old "straight talk express Johnie" knows who the bosses are, and they pay well.

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"Campaign contributions from oil industry executives to Sen. John McCain rose dramatically in the last half of June, after the senator from Arizona made a high-profile split with environmentalists and reversed his opposition to the federal ban on offshore drilling.

Oil and gas industry executives and employees donated $1.1 million to McCain last month -- three-quarters of which came after his June 16 speech calling for an end to the ban -- compared with $116,000 in March, $283,000 in April and $208,000 in May.."


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Sunday, July 27, 2008

Herald-Leader Shows John McCain Braving The Applesauce Aisle - Video

I tried to throw up the "John McCain attacked by applesauce" video last night but wasn't able to. Most of you have probably already seen it. Today my newspaper posted a pic from that very same supermarket trip without mention of the evil applesauce. They just showed the photo as they were supposed to, as an example of John's closeness to the "little people who have to grocery shop" I suppose, or maybe "why you don't take grandpa to the supermarket".
Even without the applesauce event the pic really doesn't do it justice. You have to actually see the video of John in the supermarket, in a dark suit and tie. A classic fish out of water. It made me wonder exactly which servant does the McCain family grocery shopping. It sure ain't "podge John".
There's an old saying that goes, "if it had been a snake it woulda got you". If those applesauce jars had been a slow sloth I think they'd have gotten Johnie there in that aisle. Anyway, here's John in the market:



Here's that Herald-Leader article;

Candidates vie for lead in polls, press coverage

They don't have the pic with the web story. Strange. But their story talks a lot about how John McCain is managing to stay in the race. Amazing how that's working out, without the "news" media's help of course.
By the way, you probably already know(unless you get all your news from tv and newspapers)-that lady "shopper" is an RNC plant. The Herald-Leader doesn't tell you that either. That wouldn't be nice to "Papa John".

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Vincent Bugliosi | Testimony Before The House Judiciary Committee

What a weekend. I haven't had much luck posting this weekend. This is about my fifth or sixth attempt. A bunch of house and garden work to do and when I'd try to Blog something either Blogger would throw me out or my own desktop Internet Explorer.
I'm on the laptop right now and so far so good. Being a wonderful "house husband" I'm cooking dinner(meatloaf) while it's going I'll try again. I found this at Informed Comment.



Vincent Bugliosi's opening statements during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the constitutional limits of executive power.

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Friday, July 25, 2008

Mick Jagger Turns 65 | "Sympathy For The Devil"

Tomorrow is Mick Jagger's birthday. Here's an interesting live version of "Sympathy For The Devil" from 1968's "Rock and roll Circus". John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and others are in the audience, Brian Jones is on Mick's right.



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Friday Evening Astronomy Pic

Here's something interesting, the "Evil Eye Galaxy"



Have a nice evening and
GREAT weekend surfers.

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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Barack Obama's Speech In Berlin

Barack Obama addressed a crowd of over 200,000 people in Berlin's Tiergarten Park today. Watch it unfiltered and unspun by the corporate media.



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Listen Up "News" Media! Jon Stewart Compares "Osama" And "Obama"

Apparently our brainiac "News" media has a problem with keeping Osama and Obama separate in their pointy little heads, so here's Jon Stewart on the Daily Show to explain it to them as simply as possible:



See how easy that was Matt Liar..er, Lauer?

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Google Releases Knol | A Website For Sharing Knowledge And Expertise

Google has just launched their new author driven web service Knol, where people can share and collaborate on authoritative articles focusing on their areas of expertise.



"The web contains vast amounts of information, but not everything worth knowing is on the web. An enormous amount of information resides in people’s heads: millions of people know useful things and billions more could benefit from that knowledge. Knol will encourage these people to contribute their knowledge online and make it accessible to everyone."

Linked.


Just a few quick samples:
How to Backpack
by Ryan Moulton

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
by E. Gene Deune

Influenza (Flu)
by Nima Afshar

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Letters From Afghanistan #1

From Scholars and Rogues here's Connor O'Steen a correspondent who's also working in Afghanistan for PARSA, a non-governmental organization (NGO) specializing in microeconomic development with an emphasis on women and children.

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Dogs, generals, and orphans
by Connor O’Steen










One of the things we have no shortage of in Kabul is dogs. Marnie Gustavson, the executive director of PARSA and the person who’s been nice enough to put me up in Afghanistan, currently has seven dogs living under her roof. It wasn’t exactly that she wanted this many; it was just how it turned out, really...
Continue.

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John McCain Gets Friendly Edit By Couric And CBS

McCain Rewrites History, CBS Writes Off Integrity
John McCain lies and CBS/Couric edits video to cover for him:

First some actual History:
2006----> The Anbar Awakening, in which Sunni tribes unite to resist Al Qaida.
2007----> Bush's troop surge


The video:


Here's Katie talking like she's an actuall journalist:

Couric took Rather to task for his reporting. "There were things in there that were quite egregious in terms of how it was reported," she said. "And sloppy work is sloppy work...They did not dot their I’s and cross their T’s when it came to that story...And our job is to get [it] right."-Couric, 2007
Here's Katie wishing there'd been some actual journalists before bloody dubya's war fun:
"And I remember feeling, when I was anchoring The Today Show, this inevitable march towards war and kind of feeling like, ‘Will anybody put the brakes on this? And is this being properly challenged by the right people?-Couric, 2007"
CBS's job-To cover for "The Crazy Talk Express" John McCain?

Thanks Kos.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Tom Brokaw Sinks "Meet The Press" Into Wankerdom

An irritating force meets an inadequate object
Al Gore on Meet the Press
by
David Roberts

Following his blockbuster speech on Thursday and his appearance at Netroots Nation yesterday, Al Gore was on Meet the Press today to talk about his new proposal. It was ... painful.

First off, Tom Brokaw's questions were, almost without exception, awful. Just awful. They reflected the most brain dead, ill-informed D.C. conventional wisdom you can imagine. The first three or four were basically the same: Won't solving global warming with a plan like yours cost big and create pain and devastate Main Street and raise prices and also cost big? Oy.


Link.

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KY. Governor Steve Beshear's Statement Regarding Trip Spending | "Whateva, Whateva!"

Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear responding to the Lexington Herald-leader report about his three planeload of officials tour hip-hopping across the state on our dime basically says; "Conservation? That's for thee but not for me! I'll do what I want, when I want, and spend all your moneys I want. The Herald-Leader and the voters can bite me!"
Arrogance meter now in the red at 96.9%!

Beshear: Aides will continue trips

"Gov. Steve Beshear will continue taking members of his cabinet on his 13-city town hall tour and will fly to other stops just as he and aides did last week at a cost of $7,088.

”I happen to think it's important to listen to what the people of this commonwealth think,“ he said in Lexington Monday at the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts convention. ”So when I'm going around the state for the next two months, I'm going to take the cabinet secretaries with me regardless of whether the Herald-Leader likes it or not.“"

Continue:


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Judge In "War Crimes Trial" Bans Evidence Obtained By Torture

Now who could have seen this coming? Well actually anyone with a set of morals and a belief in the rule of law.

Gitmo War Crimes Trial: Judge Bars All Evidence Obtained By Torture


"The judge in the first American war crimes trial since World War II barred evidence that interrogators obtained from Osama bin Laden's driver, ruling he was subjected to "highly coercive" conditions in Afghanistan.."


Linked.

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The Daily Show | "Obama Quest - The Legend Begins!"

A quick Daily Show clip on Barack Obama's Middle East "factfinding" trip:



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Sunday, July 20, 2008

Evening Video | "Battle Of Evermore"

The Robert Plant/Alison Krauss version. At the 2008 New Orleans Jazz Festivsl:



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Gov. Steve Beshear | The Clueless Express?











Photo: Pablo Alcala

What is up with Steve Beshear's administration? They're a little bit smarter than the guys in the Ernie Fletcher gang but at least the Fletcher Republicans had an excuse. When they finally got the Kentucky Governor's office back after so long I think they went a bit nuts. They thought they were set and untouchable. So they gambled in a lot of sneaky ways and lost. What's going on with the Steve Beshear administration though? These guys should be competent. Can't they hire a first year political student(or a DFH) to tell them how something like this little stunt is going to look to the voters. You'd think they were Kentucky Republicans the way they run around like they're in a cocoon with no accountability, Internets, or "News" media,

"Gov. Steve Beshear took three planeloads of officials with him to Pike County on Thursday at a cost of more than $7,000 for the first stop in his six-week statewide tour of town-hall meetings.
That came just days after Beshear suggested ways state workers could conserve on fuel when commuting.."




"Three planeloads of officials" for a "town hall meeting" in Pike County Kentucky. I've been to Pike County. ONE planeload of "officials" would have been plenty.

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Frank Rich | White House's Dark Side

NYTimes columnist Frank Rich has a good piece up today. You should read it.

"..And so we’re back where we started in the summer of 2001, with even shark attacks and Chandra Levy’s murder (courtesy of a new Washington Post investigation) returning to the news. We are once again distracted and unprepared while the Taliban and bin Laden’s minions multiply in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This, no less than the defiling of the Constitution, is the legacy of an administration that not merely rationalized the immorality of torture but shackled our national security to the absurdity that torture could easily fix the terrorist threat.."

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Saturday, July 19, 2008

Good News For Gray Wolves(For Now)

Federal judge restores protected status for gray wolves












Photo

Linked.

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Friday, July 18, 2008

This Just In...Pelosi Shows A Spine

Sometimes Speaker Pelosi makes me proud:

'Two oil men' in the White House to blame for high gas prices, Pelosi says..

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Thursday, July 17, 2008

Evening Video | Newton Faulkner

Wow!! It's been a hectic night! We took daughter No.1(oldest) out and helped her pick out a bike as one of her birthday gifts. That, and groceries, and feeding the menagerie here, and this, and that! Time flies...time flies.
I signed on here though just to post this video and then I shall surf a bit before bedtime. I've heard this song a few times on Slacker(Internet) Radio and it's been running through my head all evening. Newton Faulkner's "Dream Catch Me" on Jay Leno's Tonight Show:



Carter Chambers: Forty-five years goes by pretty fast.
Edward Cole: Like smoke through a keyhole.

--"The Bucket List"


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Barack Obama Lays Out His Foreign Policy

Tuesday in Washington D.C. Barack Obama spelled out his foreign policy concentrating on Iraq and Afghanistan.



Linked.


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Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Sonny Landham And Bob Barr Not Allowed To Speak At Fancy Farm Picnic

Hmmmmm...I'm torn here. I think Sonny Landham's worthless and Bob Barr's a Republican in Libertarian clothing(there's a fine line there anyway) but I really believe in free speech so what to do?

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Libertarian Presidential candidate Bob Barr of Georgia and Libertarian Senate candidate Sonny Landham will not be allowed to speak at Fancy Farm Picnic.

Link.

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Evening Video | Snow Patrol, Run

Good evening all. From Irish band Snow Patrol here's "Run":



I'm not that crazy about this video's interpretation of the song, but I love the song.

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Truthout Interview | Dennis Kucinich

The invaluable independent news site truthout has an interview up with Dennis Kucinich in which they discuss the politics of justice, the quest for peace and the rationale for holding the administration accountable for its decisions on Iraq.

Part 1:


Part 2:


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Voices Of Reason | Jim Hightower Talks About Marijuana

Author and national radio commentator Jim Hightower on Pot — Sharing His Thoughts on Pot, That Is



Marijuana: Myths vs. Reality

Myth: There is no scientific evidence proving marijuana's therapeutic qualities.

Reality: In a White House-commissioned 1999 report, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine declared that "nausea, appetite loss, pain, and anxiety are all afflictions of wasting and all can be mitigated by marijuana."

Myth: Marijuana's potential health benefits are insignificant compared to the damage caused by smoking the drug.

Reality: Marijuana need not be administered by smoking: It can be taken in food, tea, or through a smokeless vaporizer. Furthermore, a 2006 study by a leading pulmonologist, Dr. Donald Tashkin, found that even regular and heavy smoking of marijuana does not lead to lung cancer.

Myth: Allowing the medical use of marijuana will send the wrong message to children and lead to more youths using the drug.

Reality: In the 10 medical marijuana states that have before-and-after data, studies have unanimously shown that not only has youth use of marijuana not gone up overall, it actually has declined since medical marijuana became legal.

Myth: Marijuana is a gateway drug to harder substances, and therefore medical marijuana use will lead to dangerous drug use.

Reality: In science, the distinction between cause and correlation is a crucial one. A White House-commissioned study by the Institute of Medicine found that marijuana "does not appear to be a gateway drug to the extent that it is the cause or even that it is the most significant predictor of serious drug abuse; that is, care must be taken not to attribute cause to association." Moreover, claims about marijuana being a gateway make no sense in the context of medical marijuana: Patients often use marijuana instead of highly addictive prescription medicines like morphine and Oxycontin. Medical marijuana is a safe alternative for patients whose other options are not as reliable or effective.

Myth: Supporting medical marijuana is politically risky.

Reality: Across the country and with increasing frequency, public opinion polls show that support for medical marijuana is popular and steadily rising -- and cuts across demographic and party lines. A 2004 AARP poll showed that 72% of seniors support medical marijuana, and a 2005 Gallup poll found that 78% of Americans support "making marijuana legally available for doctors to prescribe in order to reduce pain and suffering." Compassion and relief from suffering are nonpartisan issues that all legislators can -- and should -- support.
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Barack Obama | The New Poster | Illegal Wiretaps

This sums it up pretty well. Obama's new campaign poster.



From Living in Small Sizes.

Linked.
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Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Bruce Lunsford's Now At Daily Kos

Apparently KY Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford knows these "Intranets" pretty well. He's put up a Diary at Daily Kos. What a great idea! Check it out and then help Bruce kick Bush's biggest Repub rubber stamp Mitch McConnell out for good.

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Bush Surges To.....26%!

John McCain's huggy-buddy surges to 26% in new Quinnipiac poll!
















Thanks Atrios.


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That "Liberal" Media Strikes Again | AP To Rove "Keep Up The Fight"

AP's Ron Fournier To Karl Rove: "Keep Up The Fight"

Rove exchanged e-mails about Pat Tillman with Associated Press reporter Ron Fournier, under the subject line "H-E-R-O." In response to Mr. Fournier's e-mail, Mr. Rove asked, "How does our country continue to produce men and women like this," to which Mr. Fournier replied, "The Lord creates men and women like this all over the world. But only the great and free countries allow them to flourish. Keep up the fight."


That'll show those pesky terroristic Democrats! Rove's AP boy Ron Fournier is now the head of AP's Washington Bureau. That'll show 'em to!

Link.

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Monday, July 14, 2008

Trapped In Afghanistan?

Juan Cole has a great article up(Go read it) about Obama's Iraqi plan and his recent comments about how he wants to shift American troops out of Iraq and into Afghanistan's ancient bloody trap:

Obama on Iraq and Afghanistan: A Friendly Critique

"..Afghan tribes are fractious. They feud. Their territory is vast and rugged, and they know it like the back of their hands. Afghans are Jeffersonians in the sense that they want a light touch from the central government, and heavy handedness drives them into rebellion. Stand up Karzai's army and air force and give him some billions to bribe the tribal chiefs, and let him apply carrot and stick himself. We need to get out of there. "Al-Qaeda" was always Bin Laden's hype. He wanted to get us on the ground there so that the Mujahideen could bleed us the way they did the Soviets. It is a trap.."
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I'd only comment that if our plan becomes how to set up an Afghani "strongman" then we'd need to walk a fine line between the Afghan government and the rights of the people of Afghanistan.

Thanks dday at Hullabaloo.

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Hey I'm Still Alive! Michael Franti Video And World Class Auto Superstore Still Sucks

To the regulars coming by-I'm not dead, I'm still alive! Been busy and couldn't find time to feed el Bloggo, but then that's why I'm FAR down the list from the A street Bloggers, or even those snooty D listers.
Lots of things goin' on, we went to the Lions Club Bluegrass Fair last night and had a pretty good time. Again reminded of why I hate carnies, they'll rob ya blind. Not in the level of robbing you blind as the pros at World Class Auto Superstore(BAH DA BING!)-but few are.
As always there's lot's of interesting things going on in the world. The Obama/New Yorker cover dust up for example. Meanwhile I'm still here trying to keep up, and here is Michael Franti and Spearhead with "I Know I'm Not Alone":



I'll be bahck!

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Friday, July 11, 2008

Hold Karl Rove In Contempt | Throw Him In The Basement Jail

Karl Rove has refused to comply with a subpoena from the House Judiciary Committee to testify about his involvement in the political prosecution of ex-Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.


"This is a guy who has told Congress that he will not show up under subpoena unless he is not sworn to tell the truth, unless he has the questions in advance, and unless he is assured that nobody is writing down his answers. Now does that sound like somebody who's prepared to tell the truth?





What I think they'll do? Another "sternly worded letter" of course!

Linked.

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Friday's Pic | Red Panda

Can't resist. From Cute Overload. It's baby red panda coming to getcha!:





















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Friday Video | Psycho Killer

Speaking of Bloody Duh-bya's theme song. Here's my nomination-Talking Heads With " Psycho Killer":



"I hate people when they're not polite!"

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8 Years Of George W. Bush In A Nutshell

That's of course with my country standing in for my flag. You know every time bloody duh-bya enters a room a band should start playing The Talking Heads's "Psycho Killer". Photo from: Group News Blog.


.."The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

Mr Bush, whose second and final term as President ends at the end of the year, then left the meeting at the Windsor Hotel in Hokkaido where the leaders of the world's richest nations had been discussing new targets to cut carbon emissions.."
uk-Telegraph
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Muhajababes | Looking Good

"Muhajababes", wearing the veil the right way. The wearing of the ever present Middle Eastern scarf as fashion statement or even fashion enhancement. Sietske in Beiroet:



The book Muhajababes by Allegra Stratton

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Naomi Klein Talks With Tavis Smiley

Naomi Klein author of "The Shock Doctrine" appeared on Tavis Smiley's show and discussed the use of that same shock doctrine in regards to the present oil and gas crisis to try to give the oil companies their wish lists of ANWR and coastal drilling.



Part 2.

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Thursday, July 10, 2008

OCTOPIED!

Now this I like. Octopied Building.



“Octo-Pied Building” installation in France featuring inflatable tentacles coming out of the windows.

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A Third Of Coral Reefs Facing Extinction

I've never been lucky enough to see a coral reef. I don't guess I ever will. We're sending them the way the way of the polar bears and the passenger pigeons.















Photo: HASSAN AMMAR/AFP/Getty Images

A third of reef-building corals worldwide are threatened with extinction due to climate change and water pollution.

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FAUX News Records Jesse Jackson's Obama Comments On Open Mike

I caught this little item early on The Today(Infotainment) Show. The corporate news really LOVES it when a black man says something mean about Obama. Personally my first thoughts when I saw it was: What was Jesse Jackson(or ANY Democrat) doing on the FAUX News Republican channel, haven't they learned? Aaand, who's decision was it to leave the mike on, because it worked perfectly(for FAUX News).
Being at work all morning I haven't had a chance to read any other Blogs about it yet. I did find this Countdown video with the fantastic Rachael Maddow giving the details on the YouTube:



By the way personally the only time I've thought Barack's had his nuts cut off was on his appeasement of bloody dubya on FISA.

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Senate Throws Out The Fourth Amendment

Approves spying on everybody, and telecom immunity to go along with it. I think they threw in somewhere that whatever duh-bya wants duh-bya gets. Who needs that fourth amendment anyway? Now they'll start working on whats left of the constitution. No wonder their approval ratings are worse than george w. bush. They're his bitches.

Oh...and Barack Obama? He's all for illegal spying and immunity to.

That sound you hear? It's the Bill of Rights being torn in half. Talk about losing the war on terror. Who needs external forces threatening your way of life when your elected lawmakers are doing such a good job of it?
Boingboing

Glenn Greenwald(as usual) says it best:
Democrats' strategy: Strength through bowing

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Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Universal Health Care For America Now

Health Care for America NOW has launched a formidable $40 million campaign today for universal health care for all of us. Elizabeth Edwards is leading their campaign.
Here's their first ad:



Linked here and here for starters.

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Homeland Security Officials Want To Put Shock Bracelets On Airline Passengers

Then on trains, buses and in personal cars. Oh, what the hell, just make everyone wear one all the time! The craziness is getting deeper.

DHS Considering Shock Bracelets For All Airline Passengers

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McCain=Bush | Woman Librarian Booted From McCain Event, Threatened With Arrest

61 year old librarian was removed from outside a John McSame event, ticketed, and threatened with arrest if she returned. Her crime; Holding a handmade sign that said "McCain=Bush".



She should be glad they didn't stomp her with their jack-boots.

McCain=Bush

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Monday, July 07, 2008

Daniel Ellsberg | What Every American Needs to Know (and Do) About FISA Before Tuesday, July 8th

Tomorrow, July 8th, could mark the beginning of official condoning of warrantless surveillance of US citizens in the US.
Here's a short interview with Daniel Ellsberg, famous for releasing the Pentagon Papers, about what every American needs to know -- and do in the next 24 hours -- about the new FISA (Federal Information and Surveillance Act) amendments.



What Every American Needs to Know (and Do) About FISA Before Tuesday, July 8th from Tim Ferriss on Vimeo.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IN 60 SECONDS:
Here are two steps you can take:
1. ALL AMERICANS: Go to
snipurl.com/2ubhq and put in your zipcode to find your Senator's phone number. Call them and read the short script on the same page. If no answer, click the link at the bottom of the page to e-mail them. If the above link doesn't work, go to eff.org, click "take action," and click the first item.
2. OBAMA SUPPORTERS: Go to
snipurl.com/2ubhl and invest 30 seconds to become a member of the group Obama watches for numbers that want him to oppose this bill. Recommend others search "obama please vote no" on Google and the MyBarackObama link will be in the top results.


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Sunday, July 06, 2008

Sunday Muse | Carlo Betocchi, "Come, Come to Me Now"

Come, Come to Me Now That I'm Old, Not Love
Carlo Betocchi
Translated by Ned Condini

Come, come to me now that I’m old, not love
but you, love’s shadow, dust of mute, humble things,
views of roofs, roads, shutters ajar where lovers
spy their love coming, of convalescing windows,
and weak progressions of sorrowful days,
and umbrous peace that vanishes
the way a duck shot in flight vanishes
into the marsh and drowns and a few feathers
float in the air: I’m reality here
that wavers hopelessly if you don’t come, my love,
love’s shadow, o dear sleep, to give me rest.

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TED Video | Natalie MacMaster: Fiddling in reel time

From TED, Natalie MacMaster backed by Thomas Dolby, who uses the synthesizer to create vocal layers in real time., Natalie MacMaster performs traditional reels, jigs and even some simultaneous step dancing:



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Saturday, July 05, 2008

Saturday Classic SciFi Finds | Alfred Bester, Brin And Bear

We took some things over to The Goodwill store this AM. While browsing their books I found a small treasure trove of Science Fiction. Someone has had to give up their collection.
I bought Alfred Bester's "The Stars My Destination", Greg Bear's "Dinosaur Summer", David Brin's "Infinity's Shore" with a "Years Best Science Fiction" from 1995, all hardcover. The Stars My Destination is in my top five science fiction novels of all time.

















Yeehaw.

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Friday, July 04, 2008

John And Cindy McCain | Elitism's Poster Couple

John McCain's surrogates in the Media and in politics have been throwing the word "elite" around at Barack Obama. If you looked up the word "elite" in the dictionary John and Cindy's pics should be by it. Matt Yglesias gives us this bit of history regarding that all average American McCain family:










"By contrast, John McCain is an all-American regular guy who, like most people, earns his keep by marrying an heiress. Like average, everyday folks the McCain's rely on credit cards to make ends meet month-to-month "Cindy McCain charged as much as $500,000 in a single month on one American Express card and $250,000 on another, while one of their two dependent children had an AmEx card with a monthly balance as large as $50,000." Yes it's true, one of McCain's dependent children spent approximately the median annual household income of the United States in a single month and that's how McCain knows how to connect with regular people.
Similarly, Mrs. McCain "favors suits made by the German designer Escada, which typically retail for around $3,000 a pop" so she understands that most Americans welcome Wal-Mart's discount prices. And like many Americans, the McCains are very effected by developments in the real estate market, since "trusts and corporations controlled by her and her children spent nearly $11 million between the summer of 2004 and February 2008 on three condominiums in Phoenix and a pair outside San Diego." The McCains understand that these days many young people graduate from college saddled with debt and need a helping hand, that's why they spent "$700,000 for a 1,900-square foot, three-bedroom loft condo for her then-22-year-old daughter Meghan McCain" after she graduated from Columbia. Similarly, they know all about problems with inflation since they "increased their budget for household employees from $184,000 in 2006 to $273,000 in 2007, according to John McCain’s tax returns."
Hilarious. Link.

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Karl Rove Machine Takes Over McCain Campaign

Well anyone surprised? Not me. The Bush crime family's "fix-it" guy takes over The Maverick's campaign:

Rove Minions Now Running McCain Campaign

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Weekend Astronomy Pic


Shell of a supernova:


"A new star, likely the brightest supernova in recorded human history, lit up planet Earth's sky in the year 1006 AD.
Now known as the SN 1006 supernova remnant, the debris cloud appears to be about 60 light-years across and is understood to represent the remains of a white dwarf star. Part of a binary star system, the compact white dwarf gradually captured material from its companion star. The buildup in mass finally triggered a thermonuclear explosion that destroyed the dwarf star.."


Link.

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Friday Video | Coldplay | 42

Happy Independence Day USA. I hope we become a lot more of a help to the world and less of danger in the next few years. I hope we can save ourselves. Here's Coldplay with "42" from Viva La Vida:



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Thursday, July 03, 2008

Happy 4th Of July "Journamalists"

Before I go a quick Happy Fourth of July also to our National corporate "News" media. With the latest piffle turned to tempest by you regarding General Clark's true comments about John McSameMcCain I'm reminded once again why I tune you out.



Anyway you're paid well for your B.S. and GOP butt-kissin' so enjoy your fourth, maybe Johnie will call you over for some more bar-bee-que. Congratulations

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Evening Video | Destroyed By Spam | "Farm Sluts"

Farm Sluts(2003) is a funny movie about the ruining of a man's life because of one nasty spam message. It stars Chris Parnell and lot's of other familier faces.



Warning: Not work safe(probably) and not young family safe:




More here.

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Happy Fourth Of July! "Star Spangled Banner"

Have a GREAT Fourth Of July. Once again here's Jimi Hendrix with his personal stamp on "The Star Spangled Banner":



Oh, and dubya sucks. That is all.
Gonna watch a movie later("Little Miss Sunshine") but right now I'm off to surf for a bit.

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Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Buzzball | A Human Hamster Ball

Now this looks fantastic..
"Buzzball" is a motorized hamster ball for people



Buzzball from Evento on Vimeo.

Linky.

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

This Brave Nation: Episode 5 | Tom Hayden And Naomi Klein

Author, Activist and Former California State Senator Tom Hayden talks in depth with the author of No Logo and The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein, about the state of the fourth branch of government: journalists.



This Brave Nation.

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Hot Wheels?

"Hope", the puppy born with only two legs. Got herself some nice wheels for the front.














Link.

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Olbermann On FISA And Obama

Keith Olbermann tries to talk(rant) sense on the FISA horror bill:



Link.

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Another Morning Joe - Cocker That Is

Good Mornin', here's the the funniest thing I've seen in days. The classic Joe Cocker at Woodstock with subtitles:



Linked and linked.

Oh, and Happy Birthday April!

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