Demotix | The Street Wire

NOT YOUTUBE
Demotix is a new site from England that allows downloads of video and photos (right now it's limited to photos right but text and video are due soon). Because its English, you will see things there from a distinctly different orientation. For example, check out these raw images from Gaza.
(Suggested by TechCrunch)

Announcing the 2008 P.U.-litzer Prizes | Media and Technology | AlterNet

WHO IS THE STINKIEST OF THEM ALL?
Now in their 17th year, the P.U.-litzer Prizes recognize some of the nation's stinkiest media performances.
(ALTERNET)

HAPPY NEW YEAR
This video reminds me that what we hope for these holidays is not new toys but time at home with our families and loved ones, that everyone is special, and may need someone to stand by them.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS
(Suggested by Connie Acevedo)

WORLD CLOCK
This is so cool I have added a permanent link on each of our sites.
(Suggested by KATHRYN MILLER)

LEAVE SARAH PALIN ALONE!
Here’s a cute picture I got from a friend. Don’t know if its real or photoshopped or what the real story is but it reminds me of some shenanigans I was involved in in 1972, the year we crazies took over the Democratic Party in Alabama.
After the debacle of 1968, the party was abandoned by the white folk. Blacks were busy creating their own political blocs and divisions. And, so, in the resultant power vacuum Don Siegelman, Al Lapiere and other novices captured the state party apparatus.
In Mobile no one wanted to even look like they were campaigning for George McGovern. The Mims brothers were in full rebellion, refusing to mount even a token campaign. Helen Morgan, her daddy, a few others, and I volunteered to swim up the proverbial waterfall, launching the McGovern campaign here.
The local Republicans were trying to upset Senator John Sparkman by riding on Nixon's coattails. It would be a major victory to unseat this party stalwart and institution. They busily linked McGovern to Sparkman on all of the issues, never missing an opportunity to call it the “McGovern/Sparkman” ticket. Sparkman was about as anxious to be linked with McGovern as McCain welcomed Bush on the campaign trail.
We? Well we did our best to dance around the minefield, trying to run a professional campaign without experience, without the support of our local machine, without money, and with an abysmally unpopular candidate who we happened to love. A real Democratic Party dream team.
At some point - I’m guessing it was after McGovern gave some heckler the finger and told him to kiss his ass – we went to a Sparkman breakfast at the Admiral Semmes. We sat there and fumed as Sparkman spoke. He didn’t just distance himself from McGovern, he did everything but endorse Nixon. We came back to the office completely pissed.
I went to our portable sign outside and put “VOTE THE MCGOVERN/SPARKMAN TICKET” on it and then called the local GOP office to tell them what I had “just seen at the McGovern office.” Ann Bedsole showed up shortly thereafter to take pictures. I kidded with her, letting her know that it was an orchestrated payback from us. I even helped her take the pictures. We got chastised by the state office and soon agreed with them that we had acted selfishly and impolitic just to make a point and took our sign down but, secretly, we were glad we made our point.
Political campaigns are still run by people who react in all sorts of ways and for all sorts of reasons. After these last two contentious political years, the paradigm for gauging political contentions should be obvious: delve beyond what someone says something means but first, check to see if what they said was said is itself accurate. For varying reasons people are eager to pile onto Sarah Palin on the basis of “something” coming from “somebody”, third-hand through a journalist. Somehow, that’s seen as gospel. No matter that we know that McCain’s campaign was high jacked by the same party hacks who have years of shady history behind them, that there were divisions within the GOP establishment as well as within each contender’s ranks that constantly showed turmoil and that there is something out there called “the base” (“the lowest”) driving their party to all sorts of suicidal distractions.
I think Palin is a lightweight and that given enough rope she will hang herself. I hope she takes the GOP down with her. But I think that she deserves to be treated in the same way we wanted our candidate to be treated. With respect and with the accurate assessment of what she herself claims, not by some amorphous Rovian whisper campaign that is being directed by who knows who.
(Photo courtesy Tom Cooksey)

ROME REDUX
Through the magic of Google Earth you can now travel back in time to see Ancient Rome and all of its architecture in full 3D. The feature was developed by the Rome Reborn Project which aims to recreate a 3D representation of the ancient city of Rome from the year 320 AD, at the peak of the city's development.
(PC WORLD)

OBAMA AND CUBA?
This Wall Street Journal article details the crack in the door for changes in US-Cuba policy occasioned by Obama's election victory. (The Wall Street Journal? The biggest "champions" of opening trade and relations with Cuba have been agri-business giants like Archer Daniels.) Will Obama follow Clinton's lead and not "upset the (hard-line Miami-Dade Cuban American) applecart"? After all, his plate is pretty full. While Clinton's first missteps (like "don't ask, don't tell") are legion the opportunities he missed (ending the Cuban Blockade is one of those) are also worth scrutinizing.
Obama has several avenues available to him. He can work with Congress to end the travel ban, change some travel regulations to the extent of his executive authority, while engaging diplomatically with Cuba in a way that respects its sovereignty as a nation.
Here is an ARTICLE in which Obama's Latin America foreign policy advisor reiterated the president-elect's Cuba policy: " …as president the candidate will move quickly 'within [the] possible and practical bounds of his authority' to lift the family travel and remittances restrictions. Anything more than that, Sanchez told the Miami Herald, will have to wait."
Cuba could present Obama with a quick opportunity to show that he is serious about trying to right wrongheaded policies and in wanting to doctor up our ailing image abroad. Where better than in our hemisphere? That Latin America is watching and holding its breath is evident in this:

ARTICLE in the British newspaper, The Guardian, on the hope of reconciliation between the United States and Latin America, starting with Cuba. ARTICLE reporting Brazilian President Lula's call to President-elect Obama to end the blockade on Cuba. His voice is part of a growing chorus from Latin America. (WALL STREET JOURNAL, suggested by Latin American Working Group)

AYERS IN HIS OWN WORDS
On March 13 of this year, John McCain sat down for an interview with Sean Hannity. McCain was not yet aware of the narrative Hannity had been spinning for months, and so Hannity filled him in: William Ayers is an unrepentant "terrorist," he explained, "On 9/11, of all days, he had an article where he bragged about bombing our Pentagon, bombing the Capitol and bombing New York City police headquarters. ... He said, 'I regret not doing more.'" McCain couldn't believe it. Neither could Ayers.
(IN THESE TIMES)

MCCAIN'S HOBSON'S CHOICE
McCain has squirreled away enough funds to pay for a raft of television ads in battleground states over the final days. But, the decision to finance a final advertising push is forcing him to curtail spending on Election Day ground forces. The vaunted, 72-hour plan that Too used to mobilize voters in 2000 and 2004 has been scaled back for McCain who is spending half as much as Obama on staffing and has opened far fewer field offices.
(WASHINGTON POST, suggested by fivethirtyeight.com)

DUMB AND PROUD OF IT
Perhaps the most potent reason why intellectuals struggle in elections is that intellectualism has been equated with subversion. The brief flirtation of some thinkers with communism a long time ago has been used to create an impression in the public mind that all intellectuals are communists. Almost every day, men like Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly rage against the "liberal elites" destroying America.
(ALTERNET)

CQ Politics | Sorting Out the Truth on McCain’s “Socialism” Allegations

TRICK OR TREAT?
Just in time for Halloween, the campaign's biggest scare tactic is the Socialist Boogeyman. Progressive taxes do indeed spread the wealth a bit. But they do so much more modestly than government owning the means of production. Few serious policy makers — including McCain — consider progressive taxation socialist. In fact, on the October 26, 2008 edition of NBC’s Meet the Press, McCain stood by a comment he made in 2000 that “there’s nothing wrong with paying somewhat more” in taxes when you “reach a certain level of comfort.”
(CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY)

IS THIS ON!
When the GOP nominated John McCain as their candidate many hoped that it meant that the middle and "left" of the party, recognizing not only the mood of the country but that their message was way off base, was wresting control from the on board crazies. When this thing is over there will no doubt be all sorts of things written about how the McCain campaign got kidnapped by the Bush people and turned him into some sort of political Frankenstein, a monster of many parts. The conflicts probably also explain the manifestation of this now-not-so-latent tension between these party tendencies as evidenced by the internal bickering in the McCain campaign and the public breaking of ranks by its politicians and pundits. It might also account for the flareups between Palin and the McCain staffs about her being "off message". But, lest we make the mistake of giving these guys too much due, look at this enlarged sample of self-identified Republicans and independents who identify with Republicans. When asked the question, “who is to blame for John McCain’s possible defeat?” Republicans believe McCain will have lost because of a hostile mainstream media, economic events beyond their control and Democrats having more money and resources. Few have begun to examine the bigger issues. Their views of the current campaign, the mood of the country, the state of the economy and the future of their party and country suggest a party very much out of touch.
(DEMOCRACY CORPS)

E. J. Dionne Jr. - Civil War on the Right - washingtonpost.com

ET TU, BRUTUS?
For years, many of the elite conservatives were happy to harvest the votes of devout Christians and gun owners by waging a phony class war. Suddenly, they are discovering that the very anti-intellectualism they courted has begun to consume their movement. The cause of Edmund Burke, Leo Strauss, Robert Nisbet and William F. Buckley Jr. is now in the hands of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity -- and Sarah Palin. Reason has been overwhelmed by propaganda, ideas by slogans, learned manifestoes by direct-mail hit pieces.
(WASHINGTON POST)

Final Presidential Debate Fact Check - Fact Checker

CHECKING THE FACTS
This is a pretty good site for checking facts. This one lays out where each of the candidates stretched the truth.
(Suggested by Donna Soto)

Why I'd Be a Better VP than Sarah Palin

ME JOHN, ME!
Johnny Cash's daughter would like to submit her name as a replacement for Sarah Palin saying that she feels confident that McCain will see in her the very attributes he desires in his VP choice. For your consideration, her big, fat résumé.
(Suggested by MOLLY THOMAS)

SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE
The news keeps getting "worser and worser" for McCain. Yesterday even the GOP stalwarts started piling on. None other than neocon looney William Kristol and David Brooks, amongst many other commentators and politicians, started railing against McCain and bemoaning the state of their glorious GOP. (See today's Press Register for the Kristol piece.) Given the fractuous animosity and internecine stuggles between their competing party wings, maybe that's not really such big news.
Except they're going public. And, maybe, this is just some sort of tough love lesson for the party: "if you choose to break party discipline (be a 'maverick'), you will pay the price." Hey, I understand. I was so pissed at the Democratic Party, that I voted for Ralph Nader. But, seeing Joe Scarborough on Stephen Colbert - above and beyond being thrilled by what he said about McCain's campaign - was transformational. It went far beyond anything that I've seen on television lately.
I lived in Pensacola when he was coming up and saw how he went from a local dumbass know-nothing to a powerful and somewhat thugish GOP wunderkinder and then to a loud-mouth wannabee O'Reilly television commentator. And that's about all I've really known about him for lo these many years except that during Katrina a lot of folks rallied locally to take up the slack occasioned by the Bush Administration's indifference. Kathryn, Carlos' mom, was one of those that bought things out of her own pocket, generated fund drives, and broke the curfew to ferry the supplies to Mississippi. Scarborough was one of the local luminaries who rose to the challenge by being tremendously instrumental in that process.
Here he was on Colbert last night, not quite the mugwump pushing Obama, but giving his assessment that the election was over.
What really was so surprising and refreshing was the manner in which Scarborough has matured. He stayed on message while still comporting himself admirably against Colbert's antics, jovially giving every bit as good as what he got against Colbert's right wing strawperson. Unfortunately, it ended too soon. I wanted Scarborough to finish his thought process about how he'd gotten to where he was and especially the GOP's Katrina response.
Now, no one thinks that Scarborough is Saul on the road to Damascus. I just wanted to hear what he had to say about expecting someone to remedy a problem - be it a natural disaster or an economic one - if the solution is antithetical to their political philosophy and I wanted to hear it from someone who was out there dealing with the realities of trying to help someone who truly needed help.

Former federal prosecutor decries William Ayers link - Los Angeles Times

AYERS CASE PROSECUTOR SPEAKS OUT
A former United States Attorney has publicly taken issue with the characterization that the case against William Ayers was dismissed for "prosecutorial misconduct." The government dropped the case after the Nixon administration's "illegal activities, including wiretaps, break-ins and mail interceptions," were exposed, he said.
(LATIMES)

The Forbidden City: Beyond Space and Time

VIRTUAL CITY
IBM and China’s Palace Museum have created an exact replica of the 178-acre Forbidden City. After working meticulously for three years to recreate every building and thousands of major artifacts, the virtual Forbidden City is now available for download free. Once inside, you can choose an avatar, dress him or her up in Qing Dynasty-era robes, take virtual tours, play Go with computer-controlled characters, call up maps, explore buildings and objects that allow you to click for deeper information.
(IBM, suggested by Tech Crunch)

The Nation - Who You Callin’ a Maverick? - NYTimes.com

A DIFFERENT BRAND OF BULL
To those who know the history of the word "Maverick", applying it to John McCain is a bit of a stretch — and to one Texas family in particular it is even a bit offensive.
(NEW YORK TIMES, suggested by Devon Hanks)

America’s Voice | Blame the Immigrants!

AND THE WINNER IS.....
Michelle Malkin wins the America’s Voice "Blame the Immigrants!" contest. Oh, no, wait, she doesn't win the contest, she's the watershed. This site had run a contest asking what immigrants would be blamed for next, giving a list of possible disasters. "Did you know that immigrants are to blame for Global Warming?", they asked. That was the conclusion of a recent "study" released by the Center for Immigration Studies, anti-immigrant "think' tank". Sad news, though, no one thought it would be the Wall Street meltdown. As Jon Stewart would say, "Damn youuuuuuuuuuuuuu Michelle Malkin!!!!" But, fear not, you can still vote in the poll. The blame game continues.

Steering the McCain Campaign, a Lot of Old Bush Hands - washingtonpost.com

BUSH WARMED OVER
The clutch of Bush veterans helping to coach Palin reflects a larger reality about McCain's campaign: Far from being a group of outsiders to the Republican Party power structure, it is run by skilled operatives who learned their crafts in successive Bush campaigns and various jobs across the Bush government. This has caused distress for some Republicans, who had hoped for a new brand of Republicanism. "It's insane to me that at the same time that it's running saying it's not going to be the Bush administration, this campaign looks like the Bush campaign on steroids," said one Republican strategist.
(WASHINGTON POST, suggested by AlterNet)

PSSSSST! DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT....
There are some little ironies that make me grin. Like Republicans are from the "Red states", that "Right brain thinking" is creative and intuitive, that "right" means "moral", left, sinister. But the email I got recently about the latest "political rumor" is not just comical, it shows some interesting dynamics at work in the political process and the disconnect in supposedly "right thinking" people.
The email, forwarded to/from groups of medical and legal professionals, claims that they have information that:

"On or about October 5th, Biden will excuse himself from the ticket, citing health problems, and he will be replaced by Hillary. This is timed to occur after the VP debate on 10/2."

Heavy stuff, no? Now, where did our intellectual think tank get this chestnut that they clearly acknowledge is only a rumor? From "a man who generally checks things out before sending," a man, who they claim, is in the DNC.
This would be pathetic except that this is the kind of nonreality-based wishful thinking pap, like the supposed Palin affair, that seriously distracts us from the discussion that we need to have. And, what is really scary about this email is to see just exactly how a whisper campaign is intentionally set out by these fools.
Again, the email:

"There have been talks all weekend about how to proceed with this info. Generally, the feeling is that we should all go ahead and get it out there to as many blog sites and personal email lists as is possible. I have already seen a few short blurbs about this - the 'health problem' cited in those articles was aneurysm. Probably many of you have heard the same rumblings."

"However, at this point, with this inside info from the DNC, it looks like this Obama strategy will be a go. Therefore, it seems that the best strategy is to get out in front of this Obama maneuver, spell it out in detail, and thereby expose it for the grand manipulation that it is."

"So, let's start mixing this one up and cut the Obamites off at the pass - send this info out to as many people as you can - post about it on websites and blogs - etc."

What could the intentional spreading of a lie hope to accomplish? And, what happens to the credibility of the folks spreading the lie after the date comes and goes for the unveiling of THE SECRET PLAN? Well, first, its spread anonymously. Secondly, even when pegged as a prevaricator, one can fall back that it was "just a rumor". Most importantly, it keeps the "faithful" pumped up and if you're driven by faith you can avoid reason. That's how we spend time on irrelevant issues like someone's middle name or the wearing of a flag pin and avoid topics like a melting economy, the effects of deregulation or any of the other really important issues that we have before us. Unfortunately, it has always worked in the past. It scuttled Kerry and was effectively used by the right wing against McCain himself. SEE SWIFT BOATING VIDEO USED AGAINST MCCAIN BY CLICKING HERE.
But the fact that McCain and Obama are the candidates left (oops) standing this year may signal a move away from the effectiveness of such silly crap. Let's hope so.

INFECT ME!
The "viral video" is having an enormous impact on modern day society.Only a few presidential elections ago, the only campaign videos that existed were created either by stiffs in suits working for one of the candidates or by stiffs in suits working for the corporate media. Either way, the results were usually pretty lackluster. Now, thanks to the internet citizens and private groups can easily join the national debate. Here are 10 virii that focus on the presidential elections and are catching everyone's attention.Make sure you check out the SNL skit with Tina Fey!
(ALTERNET)

SCENE FROM THE VIEW
I've never seen "The View" but found this little segment interesting, not only because of the item that they're discussing but also because it's a panel of really intelligent and serious women giving their views. And, unlike the pap from the "heavyweight" discussion outlets like CNN and Fox(!??!) they really seem to tackle a problem by talking it out with (not over) each other.
(ABC)

America’s Voice | News Blogs Call McCain Ad a “Fraudulent” Attack Designed to Fool Latino Voters

SAY IT AIN'T SO, STRAIGHT TALKER
The New York Times and The Washington Post are denouncing McCain's latest Spanish-language campaign ad as fraudulent.
(AMERICA'S VOICE, suggested by AlterNet)

BELIEF YOU CAN CHANGE INTO
How did the folks who have been the bulwark of reaction become the harbingers of change? (SEE THIS ELLEN GOODMAN PIECE.) It was a testimony to the GOP's ability to market belief and blind faith that they could get even the Christian Crazy blue hairs at their convention talking sensitively about the little unwed mother (imagine what they would say if it had been Chelsea - whore daughter of that whore dad and bitch mom - who was knocked up) and talking all sorts of smack about change like they were the Socialist Workers' Party. It was a regular kumbayah moment. The only thing missing was Ann Coulter singing "We Shall Overcome". Add to that the GOPs really remarkable job of marketing Palin based on her experiences as a small town mayor and subsequently governor of this sparsely populated and uniquely situated state, as part of their "populist" resume.
But Palin is really the MAYOR OF NOWHERE. The universe of local governance in Wasilla is sharply circumscribed even by the standards of small towns. Firefighting and schools, two of its main elements, are handled by the regional government. The state has jurisdiction over social services and environmental regulations. With so many government services in the state subsidized by oil revenue, and with no need to provide for local schools, Wasilla has also made do with a very low property tax rate, the bulk of which is paid by people who live outside town but shop at its big-box stores.
And, as this Michael Kinsley piece notes, "libertarian" Alaska is, in essence, an adjunct member of OPEC. It has four different taxes on oil, which produce more than 89% of the state's unrestricted revenue. On average, three-quarters of the value of a barrel of oil is taken by the state government before that oil is permitted to leave the state. Alaska residents each get a yearly check for about $2,000 from oil revenues, plus an additional $1,200 pushed through by Palin last year to take advantage of rising oil prices. Any sympathy the governor of Alaska expresses for folks in the lower 48 who are suffering from high gas prices or can't afford to heat their homes is strictly crocodile tears.
(ELLEN GOODMAN, WASHINGTON POST and TIME MAGAZINE)

New election low: distorting the fact-checking - Los Angeles Times

BASTA!
News organizations and these admirable truth-squadding outfits, including PolitiFact.com, do not collaborate. But in independent news reports and commentaries this week, they seemed to reach a consensus to say "enough" to the McCain camp's efforts to demonize Barack Obama.
(LA TIMES)

Mixed Impressions on Taxes - washingtonpost.com

CUTS BOTH WAYS
The candidates are facing misperceptions on their tax proposals.
(WASHINGTON POST)

McCain Ad Featuring Katie Couric Removed From YouTube - mediabistro.com: TVNewser

LIPSTICK REMOVED
A new ad which features a comment from CBS' Katie Couric has been removed from YouTube. A CBS News spokesperson says: "CBS News does not endorse any candidate in the presidential race. Any use of CBS personnel in political advertising that suggests the contrary is misleading." McCain still has the ad on his Web site.
(MEDIA BISTRO)

I SEE DEAD ISSUES
In political parlance, The goal of "vapor," or "ghost," ads is to stir up news-media interest rather than to reach voters directly through the purchase of expensive TV time.
(WASHINGTON POST)

A Lipsticked Pig and the Politics of Perception - The Fix

PRACTICING THE "BIG UNTRUTH"
The hubbub created by the lipsticked-pig remark reveals the acute importance of the politics of perception in this campaign.
(WASHINGTON POST)

AD IS "UNTRUE"
A new McCain ad caricatures Barack Obama's education record by claiming that his only achievement is to pass legislation ensuring "comprehensive sex education" for kindergartners. It implies that its critique of the Democratic presidential nominee has been endorsed by the non-partisan journal Education Week, when in fact it is a hodge podge of quotes from a variety of sources stitched together to form a highly partisan political attack.
(WASHINGTON POST)

SEE RELATED STORY

As Campaign Heats Up, Untruths Can Become Facts Before They're Undone - washingtonpost.com

THE VITALITY OF "UNTRUTHS"
As the presidential campaign moves into its final stretch - what this article characterizes as "untrue accusations" and rumors (what you and I would call lies) - have started to swirl at a pace so quick that they become regarded as fact before they can be disproved.
(WASHINGTON POST)

WHO ARE YOU GOING TO BELIEVE, ME OR YOUR LYING EYES?
It was only because I thought it sexist that I didn't pass along a really hot picture of Sarah Palin that has been circulating on the internet. Well, it turns out that the picture of her wearing an American flag bikini and holding a rifle at a teen pool party is a fake. As my partner, who was a law clerk there, quipped when he first heard about this, "Who has a pool in Alaska?" This cite has the original photo side by side with the fake as well as comments from the photographer.
(GUANABEE)

NAToday - North Arlington, New Jersey News

BE MORE SPECIFIC!
My nephew Chicky (Albert Granell) scared the hell out of me when he sent me an email asking me to see his pictures from "the convention".

OUT OF NOWHERE
After my good friend Vincent took me to task for the comment about Alaska's racial makeup I sent him this reply:

The remark about Alaska's racial makeup was - like the crack about disability - just an aside and not of great relevancy. When you start talking demographics there all sorts of qualifiers and footnotes, but the point that I left undeveloped is that even in racial composition it is a wholly different place. In general, the "white" racial category includes the subgroup White Hispanics and varies greatly across the country. Of the total population, White Americans make up 76%. Non-Hispanic whites make up about 68% of the population. White Americans are the majority in every region, but attain their highest concentration in the Midwest, where they account for 84% of the population. African Americans make up 12%, Asian Americans 5%, and Hispanics 15%. 45% of American children under the age of 5 are minorities. Alaska breaks down to blacks 3.7%, Asians 4.6% and Alaskan natives 15.4%. I'm sorry that it distracted from the real point that Palin comes from nowhere with no apparent credentials save her gender and nutty politics. In contrast to Alaska, the United States is urbanized. 80.8 percent of its 300 million population residing in cities and suburbs. With a population of 670,000, Alaska is ranked 48th out of the 50 states. But ranked by population density, Alaska is the least densely populated at 2.849 people per square kilometer (1.1 per square mile), with the next nearest ranking state, Wyoming, at 13.208 (5.1 per square mile).

IS THIS A GREAT COUNTRY OR WHAT?
Is this a great country or what? Where else could you have two people from such humble backgrounds vying for the most prestigious, powerful and dangerous positions in the world?I liken McCain's Veep choice of Sarah Palin to Nixon's decision to play nice with China. (hmmmmm!) Maybe it's going to take THEM to do it. If Barack wins, we have our first Black Prez and if we lose, well, at any rate we can console ourselves that the glass ceiling has been broken.
Apart from her obvious distaff state and her evangelical "pedigree", what is truly remarkable is how she got to be - should McCain win - next in line for the presidency.
While Barrack has an advanced degree in world affairs, is a Senator, blah, blah, blah, this lady figuratively and literally comes from nowhere. There are only three other states that are smaller in population than Alaska, a state that is nearly 71% white. (I also found it interesting that a large portion of its population (12%) is disabled and, so, one assumes - that despite its libertarian reputation - is on some sort of public transfer program. But, I digress.) Nor can you explain it as based on her 6 year experience as the councilperson and (subsequently) Mayor/Manager of a town that has a population the size of Hamilton, Alabama. In fact there are only 10 cities in Alabama that are smaller than Wasilla. (Click link above for comparison of Wasilla, Alaska to Alabama cities.) Truly remarkable.
RELATED STORY

Barack Obama, A Free-Market-Loving, Big-Spending, Fiscally Conservative Wealth Redistributionist - NYTimes.com

"POST-PARTISAN" ECONOMICS?
Barack Obama spent 12 years at the University of Chicago, mostly as a senior lecturer on constitutional law. It happened to place him inside what is arguably the intellectual center of modern American economic conservatism, the home of Milton Friedman and the laissez-faire philosophy known as the Chicago School of economics. Obama didn’t spend much time with Friedman’s disciples at the law school. Instead, he became friendly with another crowd: liberals who had come to think that Friedman was right about a lot, just not everything. Some of the confusion about Obama's economic policies stems from his presentation as a postpartisan figure. But, invoking pragmatism doesn’t help the average voter much; ideology, though it often gets a bad name, matters, because it offers insight into how a candidate might actually behave as president. Obama does have an economic ideology. It’s just not a completely familiar one. Depending on how you look at it, he is both more left-wing and more right-wing than many people realize.
(Suggested by DOUG PERRYMAN)

OBAMA AND THE REAGAN DEMOCRATS
The flight of the Reagan Democrats away from the Democratic Party in the 1980s and earlier was largely driven by racial issues. But their hesitation is based primarily on two other issues. First, Obama's inability so far to convince these voters that he shares their passion. Second, doubts about Obama’s national security credentials; many refusing to dismiss their worst fears – that he does not love America or even might harbor a secret agenda.

Citing History, Bush Suggests His Policies Will One Day Be Vindicated - washingtonpost.com

VENCERE
George Bush Too and Fidel Castro both claim that history will absolve them. (Fidel actually wrote a book by that title.)As the door begins to close on his tenure, Too is increasingly drawing on selected events of the past to argue that history will vindicate him. Unfortunately Bush, many historians have already reached a conclusion. In an informal survey of scholars this spring, just two out of 109 historians said Bush would be judged a success; a majority deemed him the "worst president ever."
(WASHINGTON POST)

'Diverse' GOP Convention Speakers Revealed | PEEK | AlterNet

ONE BIG WINNEBAGO
In announcing the speakers for the Republican Convention, its handlers are touting the GOP's "diversity". No, really! It's a regular Rainbow Coalition, a People's Park all over again. Can't wait to see the GOP Diversity Parade: Bush, Cheney, Arnold and Giuliani. Yippee!!!!
(ALTERNET)

OBAMA'S MEDIA SKILLS
I'm not sure what Howard Kurtz's message is in this piece, but it's a nice distillation of articles about both candidates. I especially liked this New Republic quote:

"Do you remember when conservatives used to speak warmly, and sometimes rapturously, about Barack Obama? That was back when they were certain that the Clinton voodoo magic would make Hillary the nominee, and Obama her sympathetic roadkill. Since then, the right has made the horrifying discoveries that Obama is, successively, a left-wing ideologue, a coddler of anti- Americanism, a wine-sipping elitist, and, now, a shameless flip-flopper. The man will say anything, discard any position, in order to win the election.
If such a tragic tarnishing of the reputation could happen to a fresh-faced reformer like Obama, it could happen to anybody. And, in fact, it has--at least to anybody who has happened to attain the Democratic presidential nomination at any point over the last five election cycles."
(WASHINGTON POST)

BUSH REFLUX
While Barrack Obama attempts to portray John McCain as just Bush-warmed-over, this article sees McCain as someone who was actually on the right and in front of Bush when it came to promoting the idea of “national greatness” conservatism. "It was during the Balkan wars that Mr. McCain and his advisers read a 1997 article on the Wall Street Journal editorial page by William Kristol and David Brooks of The Weekly Standard," the article says. These neocons "won them over to a more activist agenda at home and a more muscular role in the world." Scary stuff.
For a scathing attack on McCain check out
THIS NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE BY FRANK RICH.(NEW YORK TIMES and TRUTHOUT)

AN ABOMINATION INDEED
Apparently trying to avoid the mistake John Kerry made of taking the high road and just ignoring blatently false or silly attacks, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has hit back with a 40-page rebuttal to the new Swiftboater book 'The Obama Nation.'
(Click on red headline above for the entire report.)
How did the GOP core constituency become the ignorant or easily misinformed? Weren't we the unwashed and they the hoity-toity? On the Obama site www.FightTheSmears.com, they call the author out for being a fringe bigot peddling rehashed lies. Noone seems to hold the Republicans accountable for this cyclical rape of the political process. In fact, we have come to expect that the Mud Machine will perform this fandango every four years. The electorate either buys into it by making this jackoff more profits or just forgives them because well, "that's the way they are." (Remember, during the primaries that the Clinton's attacks were seen as a warmup for the big boys?) This man hides behind something he probably rails against, The First Amendment.

(This video is part of the Media Matters attack on Corsi. I really enjoyed the part where Corsi protests that he's the victim of ad hominem attacks!)

FOR MORE, click
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE,
HERE
(Suggested by TRUTHOUT and MEDIA MATTERS)

NO "GOOD GUYS"
I watched the Jim Lehrer News Hour's coverage of the Georgia-Russia conflict Tuesday night and became convinced that we're not getting enough of the story in the Russo-Georgian Conflict. Dimitri Simes' assessment that there are no "good guys" and that we should not repeat the mistake we made in Iraq of choosing a side without knowing more or getting more concessions rang true. If you're at all interested in world politics this is really worth a read.
Just coincidentally, John Furman sent This Piece from Clear Politics that is also informative. It also makes clear that the situation over there is complex and longstanding. The article ties the Russian actions to their experiences in Kosovo and their paranoia about the "strategic encirclement and strangulation of Russia." From that experience they concluded that the United States and Europe were not prepared to consider Russian wishes even in fairly minor affairs. That was the breaking point. If Russian desires could not be accommodated even in a minor matter like this, then clearly Russia and the West were in conflict. According to the article, for the Russians, the question was more one of how to respond. Having declined to respond in Kosovo, the Russians decided to respond where they had all the cards: in South Ossetia.
Wednesday night's News Hour had former Secretaries of State Madeline Albright and Lawrence Eagleburger speaking on the crisis. Although from two divergent camps, they seemed to be of one mind in supporting Georgia.
My cousin Sixto Mendez sent me this excellent New York Times Article Taunting the Bear that sets out the history of the conflict in detail.
Good friend Steve Stokke chimes in by recommending Russia Today as a source of news.
For criticism of media coverage CLICK HERE, HERE , HERE, and HERE, that last link being commentary by Pat Buchanan!

Media Matters - Fox News suffers another debate snub; bloggers take a bow

HANDING FOX ITS ASS
Fox News has been taken down several notches, demotions that can be traced back to the blogger-led debate boycott from 2007 and the repercussions it set off. The goal was to portray Fox News as illegitimate, to spell out that Fox News was nothing more than a Republican mouthpiece and that Democrats need not engage with the News Corp. giant, let alone be afraid of it.
(MEDIA MATTERS)

CLOSER TO HOME
Remember National Geographic before the internet? It was always full of pictures of some far off land. Well this month's story centers on the US and Mobile is named one of the "Top 50 Places to Live and Play" in that magazine. One of the places newcomers are advised to visit includes Cafe 615.
(MSNBC, unearthed by MJ Brown)

McCain’s attacks on rival fall flat with vets group - Las Vegas Sun

ATTACK WAS FLAT
Disabled veterans, in Las Vegas for their national convention, gave Senator John McCain a tepid reception, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Although purely anecdotal, they reported that just one of the 14 veterans they interviewed after his speech said he is a certain McCain voter, and the nonpartisan group’s legislative director expressed concerns about McCain’s proposed “Veterans’ Care Access Card.” But as with most presidential campaign events, the intended audience was not the veterans in the hall but television viewers.
(LAS VEGAs SUN)

The Scorecard: 2008 Congressional campaign news and analysis - Politico.com

WHAT SINKING SHIP?
Former Iowa Republican Rep. Jim Leach is now endorsing the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The former Iowa congressman's backing was announced as part of a group of GOP activists crossing party lines this year. Leach told reporters: "I'm convinced that the national interest demands a new approach to our interaction with the world." Leach added that Obama offers the leadership to do that.
(POLITICO)

ORDER OF MYTHS PREMIERE
You really missed out if you didn't catch the premiere of Order of Myths last night at the Saenger. Even the impressive advance hype - a review in the New York Times, screening at Cannes and selection for Sundance - didn't do the film justice. The film opened with what for me were two setups. The first, Maskers talking about how there really does not exist any division in Mardi Gras. "Bullshit," I muttered. The next is the (White) Queen Helen Meaher. I laughed at what I thought to be the funny coincidence that she was a Meaher.

The film weaves back and forth, seemingly about to present a lavish puff of pastry about our gracious southern ways. And then the Butler drops the serving dish! No "color by Pathe", no palatable placebos, a truck, a hard dose of reality, as the film digs deeply into the underbelly of Mobile Mardi Gras. It discusses not only the mundane and the good but also the "bad" (in a Yankee, or PC, or Liberal, "you ain't from around here are ya?" kind of way) and the good and the bad as we locals understand and (perhaps unfortunately) accept as normal. It ended on an up beat by showing the tremendous efforts being made by everyone on both sides of the racial divide.

If the Societies are a metaphor for the two communities then last night's premiere itself presented the tension and dichotomy in Mobile's two racial societies. Everyone who was everyone was there. And, while it might be easy to dismiss what Ms. Brown has to say (and show), it could not have been lost on the gentry, the captive audience in attendance, that many are in total agreement with what the film shows and the need to get along in this race relations thing. That alone was worth the price of admission.

The Order of Myths - a film by Margaret Brown

MOVIE PREMIERES HERE
The Mobile premiere of Order of Myths is this Thursday at the Saenger at 7pm. This film by Margaret Brown has gotten some attention in the international arts community and looks like something worth seeing. Check out the trailer (no, not that kind of trailer) at their website.

Speaking of movies, two recent movies of note, both of them foreign movies, both having to do with Jews and both of them remarkably moving: Black Book and Broken Wings. Paul Verhoeven's Black Book is a Dutch film about a woman hiding out in Holland during the nazi occupation. Verhoeven has made big main stream blockbusters and this one has that feel. Broken Wings, on the other hand, has the feel of a little independent movie. Set in Israel this story about a mother and her kids is on the other end of the spectrum but is every bit, perhaps even more, satisfying. And, in the interest of equal time, another film well worth seeing - and for the same feel good reasons - is the Lebanese (christian) film Caramel, about a bunch of ladies in a beauty shop. (Eddie Murphy eat your heart out.)

FOOD FRONT: MIDTOWN
I'm aware of only three changes in Midtown Fare: Mellow Mushroom, Trolley's and The Pillars.
Mellow Mushroom just opened a new site at the Loop. I'd been hearing that is the place to go but I don't venture much past Broad Street except maybe to visit Mohawk Street or eat at my favorite, Yen's Restaurant. So, here they go and open up just a few blocks from Mohawk. What a great place! And, although it looks like something put together in San Francisco, these guys are from Auburn! War damn Eagle.
Good Friend Tammy Morgan has taken over the Michael's Midtown (the second one, not THE Michael's Midtown Cafe) and just won some well-deserved raves from the Nappy Awards. Although it has the "joint" ambiance - like the Blind Mule - Trolley's will shock the hell out of you at how way-past-good the food is and how pleasant they make you feel in there. It's like a joint in Austin. Having come from Guido's (and Texas) Tammy knows how to put together a fine, but still non-pretentious, dining experience. They have these leetle-beeety burgers with bloooo cheeeese that are just perfect. And, they are giving Silver Horse a run for their money as a favorite nighttime bar spot. Rocky Top!
As for The Pillars, since I was thinking about this email and their touting of the new Tapas menu, we went there Friday night for super. Never ordered the tapas as it looked pretty ho hum. (Go to the Global Grill in Pensacola or downtown to David Rasp's Royal Scam). The service was great, the food excellent but it looks like they're taking a beating from all of the new competion. Your parents' friends were there reliving the golden Mims years but not many others.
Speaking of competition, I was telling Anhn over at The Bakery about Mike Ivy and his new place and she got all pumped up about beefing up the menu, beginning with Sushi on Thursdays. If you're looking for muchies to pack in the beach basket, The Bakery is still the place to go, it's on your way and is owned by friends. But, don't forget that 219 (conti and joachim, also owned by friends) has a market with some really great consumables and they seem to be better prepared for things like sandwiches and meals. (But you have to get there before 2 on Saturdays and they're not open Sundays. WTF?).
If you haven't done the market at Cathedral Square you are missing out on a special treat. Don't know how long that is going to go on.
PS: I had assumed that Mike Ivy's invitation to lunch meant he was open for business. That's still pending.
PPS: Roll Tide!

FOOD FRONT: DOWNTOWN
Some interesting shifts in the local food front lately. Sadly Guido's has closed. Zitzos' has lost their lease and is probably on its last legs. After a costly and disastrous move from "the cellar" occasioned by some sort of building malfunction, our favorite Greek ladies have been told by the building management that the smell from their food is some sort of distraction. (Probably has nothing to do with the new building right across the street and the fact that they're trying to sell that white elephant. Speaking of which, the Joe Cain Cafe is getting good feedback. Their menu looks good.) That's a shame, because the new location on the mezzanine floor was such a perfect fit and it looked like Claire and Momma Zitsos might actually get a break.
On a positive note, Michael Ivy has started a new joint in the old Uncle Simi's building and is open for lunch. (Don't know much right now, I'll tell you after I go there for lunch today.) The address is 101 N. Conception. Last week Jo and I were looking for a decent place to have a salad. Woody Walker recommended The Blind Mule. If you haven't been there you are really missing out. (BTW: Ditto, If you haven't tired out the Bicycle Shop's MexMenu.) The Mule is something well worth keeping a locals' secret. The place is oh-so-perfectly low-rent (in a good, Thirsties - not in a Greyhound terminal or Hayley's bathroon - kind of way). Not only is the ambiance pleasant, when you get the menu (and your food) you'll be really knocked out.

Cryptex Concept Phone Solves Da Squinty Code - Gadgetell

A TOO SMART PHONE
Okay, this one goes on the counter right next to my watch rewinder and my salad washer (for which, in my younger days, I actually had some use). Here's a "concept phone" that uses a cryptex device (a type of puzzle that uses a cylindrical set of combination rolls that has to be aligned in such a way so it will open up to reveal what is hidden inside) to dial the number. Once you have input the number you want, just twist the top until an LED turns green. And here I went and wasted my time standing in line for the new iPhone.
(Gadgettell)

GET OVER IT!
This is an interesting collection of the buzz on the Obama magazine cover. Make sure you follow all of the links within the story.
According to insiders within Conde Nast, sales execs have been inundated with responses to the New Yorker cover, to the point where one said, "I feel like I should be wearing a bulletproof vest" One ad sales executive said this week's issue was discussed at every meeting with advertisers he attended on Monday, "and not in a good way"
WaPo: Unfortunately, as debate about the image grew, The New Yorker missed a golden opportunity to question the rather odd American relationship to satire. Why must it be broadly effective rather than just funny? Why must humor, like grief, somehow be good for us on a deeper level? Instead, the magazine fell into the deadly trap of overanalyzing the funny in public, writes Phillip Kennicott.
Slate : Although every critic of New Yorker understood the simple satire of the cover, the most fretful of them worried that the illustration would be misread by the ignorant masses who don't subscribe to the magazine, writes Jack Shafer.
E&P : Cartoonists not fond of Obama art.
Salon : The blogosphere's reaction to the New Yorker cover proves that the Bush era has killed a lot of liberals' sense of humor, writes Gary Kamiya.
NYDN : Some called for New Yorker editor David Remnick to step down, while others praised him for calling attention to the smear tactics.
FBNY : Barry Blitt: A Modest Retrospective.
(MEDIA BISTRO)

Woman Arrested at McCain Event for "McCain=Bush" Sign | Video | AlterNet

FIGHT BACK
"Excuse me," the cop asked, all of a sudden sounding polite. "Yes, I do," I repeated, pissed off that for a few minutes I had let him scare me into a steaming pile of silent complacency. I admit it, he had scared me when he asked me if I wanted to go to jail. In those days cops were scarry things, especially Prichard Cops. They were mostly tobacco-chewing good ole boys They wore those crumply and ill-fitting uniforms topped with the soft garrison Kit Carson caps like those assholes in those photos who are grinning during their Mississippi trials for hanging black kids. These were "troubled days" and they were the lilly white front line of falangist resistance, pulled in like all of the other cops in the area for Nixon's visit to Mobile.
From the moment our group had walked past Broad Steet heading for the International Trade Center we had been bird-dogged by an all-too-obvious surveilance. Cop cars and "undercover" government cars paced behind us, some of them backing up as we walked down the street. Helicopters hovered. The scene was surreal. When we reached Water Street we were ringed by police. The cop had asked to see my sign. I handed it to him, never expecting him to rip it up. So, when I composed myself, I told him that I was ready to go to jail, that I had merely been asserting my rights and that he had been wrong. Taken aback, he answered that he was just "following orders". "That's what Calley said," I told him, "you saw how they let him hang in the breeze," and he just walked away.
To his credit, local lawyer Graham Gibbons offered to file a civil rights action for us. I found out years later that while it was happening Clay Swanzy, Jack Edwards' press secretary had voiced concerns about what he saw as a clear violation of our rights. But it went away because we didn't do anything about it.
So, when you see this video of the lady who is arrested for having an anti-Bush sign or hear about the reporter and Scalia, or any of the other reminders of just how much we have come to tolerate all of the encroachments on our liberties, take a second to recompose yourself and fight back, dammit.
(ALTERNET)

Ron Paul Campaign Cola ~ Chris Pirillo

POP POLITICS
Jones Soda launched its Campaign Colas with three limited-edition colas honoring each of the major presidential candidates: Obama’s Yes We Can, McCain’s Pure McCain or Clinton’s Capitol Hillary. Bowing to public pressure, they recently added Ron Paul’s Revolution Cola. If you're interested, here's a page that features discount coupons.
(LOCKERGNOME)

WHAT THE POLLS SHOW
The most recent polls show how Barack Obama and John McCain are faring against each other.

SEE ALSO

(CQ POLITICS)

CHENEY'S CHENEY
Think of David Addington as the id of the Bush White House. Though his hidden hand is often merely suspected - in signing statements, torture policy and other brazen assertions of executive power - Addington's unbridled hostility was live and unfiltered yesterday before the House Judiciary Committee.

FOR A THUMBNAIL SKETCH ON ADDINGTON CLICK HERE

FOR A THUMBNAIL SKETCH ON YOO CLICK HERE

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FIND GREAT SIGNIFICANCE IN A PERSON'S FOREIGN-SOUNDING NAME:

Find out who Zalmay Khalilzad and Ziad Abdelnour are by clicking on their names.
(WASHINGTON POST)

Deputies Reprimanded After Officer Bitten By Alligator - Orlando News Story - WKMG Orlando

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
Volusia County (Orlando) Sheriff's Deputy Keith Baughman threw a towel on an alligator he and other deputies encountered in an apartment parking lot. He jumped on its back and tried to wrestle it. Baughman was thrown off the back and then bitten, witnesses said. "His pants ripped up and blood was gushing out and everything," witness Carlos Martinez said. "He started limping away and the alligator was laughing at him. The dude then shot it twice in the head."
(LOCAL6.COM, unearthed by Fark)

The Associated Press: Texas GOP cuts off vendor that sold racist button

NOW THEY'RE PC!
The Texas Republican Party is distancing itself from a vendor who sold campaign buttons at last weekend's state convention that asked, "If Obama is president ... will we still call it The White House?
(AP)

Fairhope safe opened, marijuana found inside - Breaking News from the Press-Register - al.com

EAT YOUR HEART OUT, GERALDO
A crowd of nearly 30 Fairhope, Alabama citizens and media folks watched as a locksmith lifted away the heavy, black door of a city safe that had been abandoned and unused since 1971. The event, planned and advertised for weeks as a promotional for the new Fairhope Museum of History turned out to be a surprise. Apparently, (hopefully?), it had last been used by the Police Department prior to 1971 to store drug evidence and yielded a small cache of marijuana.
(PRESS-REGISTER BLOG)

West Virginia Blue - Democratic politics and progressive policies for WVa

MCCAIN IGNORES GOVERNOR'S REQUEST
An aide to Gov. Chet Culver said Thursday that Republican presidential candidate John McCain ignored the governor's request to cancel a campaign visit amid a massive flood recovery effort in the state.
(WEST VIRGINIA BLUE)

t r u t h o u t | Big Oil Firms Ready to Sign Agreements With Iraq

BIG OIL TO GARNER IRAQ CONTRACTS
Iraq is preparing to award contracts to several Western energy companies to help develop its vast oil resources. The two-year, no-bid contracts will be awarded to companies that have been advising the Iraqi Oil Ministry in recent years, said Asim Jihad, a spokesman for the ministry. He said officials expect that U.S.-based Exxon Mobil and Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, France's Total and British oil company BP will secure the biggest contracts.
(TRUTHOUT)

Op-Ed Columnist - Frank Rich - Do Angry Clinton Women Love McCain? - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

MCCAIN'S SOFTER SIDE
While the McCain campaign apparently believes that women are easy marks for its latent feminist cross-dressing, a reality check suggests that most women can instantly identify any man who’s hitting on them for selfish ends.
(NEW YORK TIMES OP-ED)

mediabistro.com: FishbowlLA

TWO AND TEN, DAMN IT!
Carlos drove his brother and I to Dauphin Island yesterday, so this video struck me as particularly funny. The video is part of a marketing strategy for a company trying to raise the awareness of some new California laws and to call attention to their hands-free mobile devices.
(MEDIA BISTRO)

Global Paradigms

WHAT A CONSERVATIVE HAS TO SAY
McCain's kind of Churchillian posturing doesn't seem to be having much impact on the American public, which notwithstanding the short-term improvement in the security in Baghdad and a few other cities, continues to regard the Iraq War as a costly mistake and wants to see the next president drawing up a plan for a gradual withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
(GLOBAL PARADIGMS)

MODERATE GOPers ABANDONING SINKING SHIP
"Swift Boaters" continue to attack Hillary's sex, her aggressiveness, her supposed lack of sexuality. They ridicule Obama's middle name and talk about his minister, while still, somehow, characterizing him as a non-Christian. They're the loud mouths who want to talk through the movie you just spent eight bucks to see. But these silly ad hominem attacks haven't masked the fact that continuing to support the war and apologizing for the fiasco that has been the last eight years is having a tremendous impact on the folks in "THE MIDDLE". The middle is not just the class. It isn't dependent on one's income. It's all of us who have been caught in the raging cultural, political, and ideological noise and want the shit to just stop. For example, a newspaper syndicate's computer analysis has found that hundreds of people who gave at least $200 to Bush's 2004 campaign have donated to Obama. Among them are Julie Nixon Eisenhower, the granddaughter of the late GOP president Dwight Eisenhower; Connie Ballmer, the wife of Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Steve Ballmer; and Tom Fanning, the chief operating officer of the Southern Company. Is this just the "Big Dogs" hedging their bets, a Limbaugh-like conspiracy to put up a strawman, or is the country's political DNA going through a permutation? I have friends who fall into the category that is spoken about in this story. They're not the Microsoft Execs, but they make up the bulwark of the Republican Party. They're culturally liberal and economically conservative. They work their asses off. They party just as hard, maybe not always legally. They may or may not go to church and consider your decisions about your God to be your business. I've always wondered how they could continue to make excuses for folks with whom they really share little. Judging from my recent conversations with them, at least some of them have stopped. Some of them supported McCain because he was the most progressive, some Hillary and some Obama and that could be the real Bush legacy; that the blowhards will be silenced long enough so we can get the real picture. Pass the popcorn, please. (TRUTHOUT)

t r u t h o u t | The Fall of Conservatism

BEING RIGHT
"The era of American politics that has been dying before our eyes was born in 1966. That January, a twenty-seven-year-old editorial writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat named Patrick Buchanan went to work for Richard Nixon, who was just beginning the most improbable political comeback in American history. Having served as Vice-President in the Eisenhower Administration, Nixon had lost the Presidency by a whisker to John F. Kennedy, in 1960, and had been humiliated in a 1962 bid for the California governorship. But he saw that he could propel himself back to power on the strength of a new feeling among Americans who, appalled by the chaos of the cities, the moral heedlessness of the young, and the insults to national pride in Vietnam, were ready to blame it all on the liberalism of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Right-wing populism was bubbling up from below; it needed to be guided by a leader who understood its resentments because he felt them, too.
(TRUTHOUT)

Op-Ed Contributor - Puerto Rico’s Moment in the Sun - Op-Ed - NYTimes.com

MOMENT IN THE SUN
This article about Puerto Rico and the national election was sent to me by my good friend Connie Acevedo whose uncle was the "go to" guy for Muñoz Marin (our FDR).
(NEW YORK TIMES, unearthed by Connie Acevedo)

Too Poor to Parent? | Reproductive Justice and Gender | AlterNet

TOO POOR TO PARENT?
At lunch yesterday I watched as the Texas FLDS children were loaded on buses in order to rightfully return them to their parents. It seems a misplaced concern to worry about children who are being cared and loved (if they are not truly being abused) and not worry about the countless kids out there who are being abused and who we know do go hungry every day as a routine matter of course. As this article shows, black children are twice as likely to enter U.S. foster care than white children. While some just use this as kindling for their own racial notions, the real culprit is our inattention to poverty.
(MS, unearthed by AlterNet)

Noel Luis Rios

REMEMBERING
I got an email recently called "Meaning of Flag Draped Coffin". It was one of those well-meaning but jingoistic emails that is spreading a slough of urban legends about the flag. In responding to the sender I sent her these sites that debunk the email's contents and another that had interesting facts about the flag:

http://www.ushistory.org/BETSY/more/folds.htm

http://www.ushistory.org/BETSY/flagetiq.html

I also ran across this page I had put together about five years ago about my cousin Noel Luis Rios who died in Viet Nam. Since Monday is Memorial Day, I thought it was worth a read.

t r u t h o u t | Liberals Work to Change McCain's Image

OUTTING MCCAIN
Changing the media image of John McCain won't be easy. Outside groups, though unaffiliated with the presidential campaigns, are doing the Democrats' dirty work.
(TRUTHOUT)

Media Matters Action Network: Fear and Loathing in Prime Time

HATE TV
There are many serious problems facing the United States today: a faltering economy, a health-care crisis, and the ongoing war in Iraq, to name a few. Yet, in certain corners of the Hate TV one issue stands above all others: illegal immigration.
(MEDIA MATTERS)

Government May Have Massive Surveillance Program for Use in "National Emergency" | Rights and Liberties | AlterNet

WHY? DO I LOOK GUILTY?
“Main Core,” part of so-called “Continuity of Governance” plans, is a program that authorizes computer searches through massive [unspecified] electronic databases in order to discover potential threats in the event of a national emergency. The database can identify and locate perceived "enemies of the state" almost instantaneously. One source claims that 8 million Americans are now listed in Main Core as potentially suspect. “Main Core is the table of contents for all the illegal information that the U.S. government has [compiled] on specific targets,” said a former military operative.
(ALTERNET)

Straight talk - News - The Phoenix

STRAIGHT TALK NEEDED
It's time to start covering John McCain. Not by trotting out the usual war-hero-turned-blunt-maverick narrative, but by taking a hard look at the strengths and weaknesses he'd bring to the presidency.
(BOSTON PHOENIX)

Truthdig - Reports - Render Unto Darwin That Which Is Darwin’s

THE CULT OF SCIENCE
The New Atheist writers have become the high priests not of science but the cult of science. Science is not always directly empirical. Science is not governed by absolute, immutable laws. Science, far from telling us we can know everything, tells us that there are things that we don't know. Science affirms the complexity and mystery of the universe. Science, like the religious impulse, opens us up to a world where we face mystery.
(TRUTHOUT)

The cordial zone stops here—a classic expletive-laden eruption from Bill O'Reilly - 236 - The Feed

ANY WAY YOU SPELL IT
This outburst by Bill O'Reilly wasn't too surprising as it shows him to be the same bully he plays on TV. The only real question it left me with is wondering whether Bill O'Reilly is a douchebag or a douche bag?
(23/6)

The Harper's ( Bazaar ) Index: Hillary Clinton's "Sexless" Style, Julianne Moore, & Orgasm-Inducing Luggage

HARPER'S INDEX
Yes, I confess. Back when I had a subscription to Harper's, I would immediately turn to the Index and probably not much more in the magazine. Here is a compilation of the most recent Indexes.
(JEZEBEL)

The Associated Press: Study of 'Daily Show': It's a lot like O'Reilly

JON STEWART SHOW IS LIKE O'REILLY
A journalism think tank studying The Daily Show doesn't believe many people get their news from Jon Stewart — because otherwise they wouldn't get the jokes. The Project for Excellence in Journalism also said it was surprised at how much the Comedy Central late-night program resembles The O'Reilly Factor,Hardball and other cable news shows in content.
(AP, unearthed by Media Bistro)

WHAT KIDS TEACH US
Carlos lives with his mom. I was miffed at him the other day because he hadn't called me in a few days. When he came over for the weekend I was so happy to see him that I let it go. But that night when we were having a quiet moment, I thought about it. I reminded him that I worry about him, that it hurts my feelings when he takes me for granted, and that he's old enough to take responsibility for letting me know he's okay.
And then I told him that if he was "ever, ever lucky enough to have children" he'd know what it really means to love someone and how important a child is to a parent. "You'll also have a lot of regrets about things you did or didn't do and you'll miss me. But know, this, I love you with all my heart and nothing that you do can change that," I told him.
He had tears in his eyes and apologized. I assured him that everything was okay, that I wasn't nagging and that It really was a sincere effort by me to let him know that everything was okay between us, that I was proud of him, that I loved him tremendously, that everyone makes the same mistakes and has the same regrets and that what I wanted him to know was what kids teach us - true, full, real love.

Los Angeles Asian Plastic Surgery | Los Angeles Asian Rhinoplasty | Los Angeles Asian Cosmetic Surgery

ASIAN NOSE SURGERY, ANYONE?
So, this ad for "Asian Nose Surgery" shows up on my google mail page. "Hmmmm," I wonder, "do people in Beverly Hills want Asian noses or is it a service for Asians?"

'The Final Word Is Hooray!'

WILL THE REAL POLLYANNA PLEASE STAND UP?
Days or weeks into the war, commentators and reporters made premature declarations of victory, offered predictions about lasting political effects and called on the critics of the war to apologize.
(FAIR)

Australia has more cellphones than people - USATODAY.com

AUSSIES ARE BI
Are Australians bi-aural or merely ambi-dextrous? According to government statistics, Australia has more cell phones than people.
(USA TODAY, unearthed by Media Bistro)

The 50 most influential US political pundits - Telegraph

POLITICAL PUNDIT POLL
So, what the hell do the British know about us? Well, for one thing, England's The Daily Telegraph thinks it knows who the top political pundits are. "These are the people who make voters sit up and take notice. They are the ones who political candidates and campaigns are constantly seeking to woo and influence. They include television presenters, newspaper columnists, bloggers and talking heads," they claim. See if you agree.

ALSO CHECK OUT THEIR LIST OF LIBERAL AND CONSERVATIVE LEADERS

(THE DAILY TELEGRAPH, unearthed by Media Bistro)

The not-so-Nobel decision

NOT-SO NOBEL
In 2003, the Nobel Prize for Medicine went to the breakthrough field of diagnostic MRI scanning. It was shared by two scientists. The exclusion of one of the developers of the MRI as the third co-recipient of the Nobel has sparked talk of the possibility of a link between his exclusion and his views on creationism.
(ANWERSINGENESIS, unearthed by Tommy Bealle)

NBC's Todd: Bill Clinton ‘Woefully Unprepared for 21st Century Media’ - 4/28/2008 12:01:00 AM - Broadcasting & Cable

ROLE REVERSAL: TUBING BILL
As NBC News political director Chuck Todd sees it, none has gotten burned by this new-media phenomenon quite like former President Bill Clinton. "It's fascinating: Nobody's been a bigger victim of the so-called YouTube moments than Bill Clinton," Todd said. "I think Bill Clinton was woefully unprepared for 21st century media."
(B&C, unearthed by Newser)

CQ Politics | Make or Break Moments on the Presidential Campaign Trail

AN ANECDOTAL HISTORY OF CAMPAIGN FLUBS
Hillary has her Bosnia comment. Obama has guns, religion and Wright. Add these to the long list of campaign gaffs.
(CQ POLITICS)

Expelled Exposed

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING BEN STEIN?
I've been wondering how a bright guy like Ben Stein could have gotten himself involved in something like a "documentary" about Creationism - oops, I mean "Intelligent design. I ran into THIS NEW YORK TIMES ARTICLE surrounding the making of the movie and also a reference to this Expelled/Exposed a site which is an attack on the movie. According to the site's promo they "show you why this movie is not a documentary at all, but anti-science propaganda aimed at creating the appearance of controversy where there is none."
(NEW YORK TIMES & EXPELLED EXPOSED)

WHAT THE HELL IS SHE THINKING?
Hillary Clinton will appear Thursday, April 17 on the Stephen Colbert show. What the hell is she thinking? Set your Tivos. This will be a television moment.

MCCAIN'S INTEGRITY
In a rather oblique way, my son Carlos is named after Eugene Debs (CLICK HERE FOR THAT STORY), a historical personage I hold in high regard. I came to admire him after reading the biography The Bending Cross not only because of his supposed great oratorical skills and principled positions but because he managed to avoid becoming the thing he was fighting. He treated an antithetical opposition with respect and dignity, even after the point of being incarcerated for his beliefs.
I was reminded of his example in this Slate article about John McCain that was sent to me by John Furman. It's worth a read and might fill you with hope that no matter who wins we might get someone in the White House who is worth a damn.
Here's a passage from that article:

And then, for maybe the third time that morning, McCain spoke of how it affected him when Udall took him in hand. It was a simple act of affection and admiration, and for that reason it meant all the more to McCain. It was one man saying to another, We disagree in politics but not in life. It was one man saying to another, party political differences cut only so deep. Having made that step, they found much to agree upon and many useful ways to work together. This is the reason McCain keeps coming to see Udall even after Udall has lost his last shred of political influence. The politics were never all that important.
(SLATE, unearthed by John Furman)

mediabistro.com: TVNewser

FIRST LADY TO GUEST HOST
Laura Bush will co-host the 9am hour of the Today Show next Tuesday, April 22, joined by her daughter, Jenna Bush during the program. According to the program's spokesperson, Bush will be involved in all aspects of the show, from interviewing guests to participating in segments. She will also give a special look at her new children's book, Read All About It!
(MEDIA BISTRO)

Car Audio/Stereo at SoundDomain: Spring Break Nationals: The DLS Demo Car

ANOTHER APPLE
When I was a kid my step-father would be up at the crack of dawn to go to work. But on weekends you could find him outside polishing his latest love and joy. He was in love with gadgets in general and automobiles in particular and we all get that from him. This blog highlights my brother Eddie's car which he exhibited at the Spring Break Nationals in Daytona.

WHAT'S THE REAL DEAL?
Without any noise or announcements in the Cuban press, the government several days ago lifted the regulation that prohibited nationals from staying as guests in hotels. Is this, and other recent announcements, a beneficial measure or propaganda cosmetics?

CLICK HERE FOR OP ED PIECE FROM SEATTLE TIMES (RADIO PROGRESO)

mediabistro.com: TVNewser

DOES LOU DOBBS HAVE A BIRTH DEFECT?
The Huffington Post caught a Lou Dobbs slip-up from Friday's Situation Room, when the CNN anchor almost used the term "cotton-picker" when referring to Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.
(MEDIA BISTRO)

mediabistro.com: TVNewser

LOU DOBBS ES UN PINCHE PENDEJO
So, how is it exactly that a news personallity becomes the poster boy for the pinheaded attitudes about immigration? A trailer for the film Under the Same Moon includes authentic quotes from three reviewers who all reference Lou Dobbs's anti-illegal immigrant stance.
(Suggested by Media Bistro)

NICARAGUA POOR GET PAT*S T'S - New York Post

PATS ARE THIRD WORLD CHAMPS
The Giants may be the Super Bowl champs, but there will still be one place in America where the Patriots' dreams of a perfect season live on: Nicaragua.
(NEW YORK POST)

AN OUTTING
(This story is dated but I ran across it in a recent Washington Post article about conference gaffs. It so worth repeating.)

Michelle Madigan, a Dateline producer, attempted to bypass the conference's press-registration process and take hidden cameras into the event, purportedly to record hackers admitting to their exploits. Defcon offered Madigan press credentials four times, but she refused each time, intending instead to work around the conference's strict rules against hidden cameras on the sly. The result was public embarrassment for Madigan; she was called out as an undercover reporter and then followed by a throng of attendees armed with very visible cameras and camcorders as she fled the show.

CHECK OUT WIRED'S STORY HERE
(Gizmodo)

Truthdig - Reports - The Next 4,000

THE MEANING OF ROUND NUMBERS
When U.S. military deaths in Iraq hit a round number, as happened Sunday, there’s usually a week or so of intense focus on the war—its bogus rationale, its nebulous aims, its awful consequences for the families of the dead. Not likely this time, though. The nation is too busy worrying about more acute crises, some of them real and some of them manufactured.
(TRUTHDIG)

BAD NEWS
Good friend Jim Alvarez passed away this weekend after a brief battle with cancer. A dedicated teacher, he was also an avid Dead Head, poker player and rugby nut. I had known Jim longer than anyone else in Mobile. I met him when he came to visit us in our "filthy hippy lair" in Panama City in 1968. He had come to propose to Donna on the same day I had asked her to marry me. We stayed good friends through all of the craziness of the Sixties and up to the present. I'm glad his friends were able to throw him the little party at the Blue Gill last weekend. I thought that he would be with us at least a little longer than this. Will miss him. Wake is tommorrow at Radney's on Dauphin Street at about 5 pm.

Howard Kurtz - With BlogTalkRadio, the Commentary Universe Expands - washingtonpost.com

BLOG-TALK-RADIO
A year and a half after New Jersey businessman Alan Levy launched the venture, BlogTalkRadio is averaging 2.4 million listeners each month for programs that range from politics to the paranormal, along with sports, finance, food, religion and romance.
(WASHINGTON POST)

The Richardson Endorsement: Bye, Bye Hillary - Richard Whalen

SAY GOODNIGHT, HILLARY
Quite moved by Obama's major address on race relations and Obama’s response to the controversial remarks of Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Richardson said: "Your candidacy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our country, and you are a once-in-a-lifetime leader….As a Hispanic-American, I was particularly touched by his words."
(CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY POLITICS)

Dissension Arises at Fox News Over Treatment of Obama - New York Times

TRUTH SPIKE HITS FOX
Critics of the Fox News Channel regularly complain that the network beats up on Democrats and takes comments out of context. Usually, though, those critics are not Fox anchors. On Friday Chris Wallace, host of the weekend political talk show “Fox News Sunday,” took the hosts of “Fox & Friends” to task for their conversations about Senator Barack Obama’s comments about race. His complaint — which created both a tense moment and some must-see TV — was that his colleagues were taking those comments out of context.
(Suggested by MEDIA BISTRO)

News Hounds: Neo Nazi/White Supremacist Hal Turner Confirms Friendship And Kinship With Sean Hannity

I'M SORRY, I THOUGHT YOU SAID TED TURNER
During a week of almost non-stop attacks against Obama over his association with a controversial pastor, Sean Hannity was confronted on the air about his own association with white supremacist/neo Nazi Hal Turner. Hannity at first denied knowing Turner but a few days later Turner confirmed what had been reported elsewhere. He wrote, "Yes, we were friends and yes, Sean agreed with some of my views."
(NEWS HOUNDS)

'Chocolate Rain' Voted Among YouTube's Best - washingtonpost.com

THE REAL OSCARS
Speaking of YouTube (see below) look at the results of YouTube users who voted on six nominees for each category: music, sports, comedy, instructional, short film, inspirational, commentary, creative, politics, series, eyewitness and "adorable."
(WASHINGTON POST)

YouTube - Leningrad Cowboys & Red Army Choir - SWEET HOME ALABAMA

COLD WAR NO MORE
Okay, this is too funny. Not only is the Red Army doing Sweet Home Alabama (Pssst! Don't Tell Tihart.) it's being done by the Lenningrad Cowboys, a Finnish group. (The White Army band apparently was not available.)
(Suggested by Matt McCarthy)

ET TU, DREW?
Drew Carey, Adam Sandler, and Jim Caviezel have at least one thing in common. Their political donations have been 100% Republican. Aside from the novelty of getting to see who in Celebrityhood is giving to whom, this site lets you look up political donations by zip code and name.
(NEWSMEAT)