Celebrating Blogroll Amnesty Days (BAD)

These are blogs that I discovered recently and I enjoy. I found a couple of local gems.

Ob Rag Blog
Freaks, Uppity Women and Politicos

(I was born in OB, heh)

Indigenous Nudity
A frank commentary of American politics, personal finance and culture.

One Sided War
gods are mean but people are worse

Oh Well: A Commentary on News and Politics
This is a blog examining the political, social and economic issues from my own irrelevant perspective. When examining some of these issues, I just have to shake my head and say, "Oh well. Whatever happens, happens."

San Diego Politico
News, commentary and opinion dedicated to advancing a Progressive Political and Social agenda here in San Diego County.

The Rational Realist
Opinions and insights on alternative investments with a focus on real estate securities.

Angry Renter.com
Renters and responsible homeowners against a government mortgage bailout

NOW and Bill Moyers

NOW

and Bill Moyers

Pierre Sprey and Marilyn Young

Vartan Gregorian

A History of Aerial Bombing

I got nuthin' today. Not even a squirrel pic. Sorry.

I knew somebody was going to pick up on this one when I read it yesterday.

It's a real bummer. Especially as it coincides with reports about the increasing. troop suicides . Watching CSPAN is sometimes frustrating.

Here's a question. How come they never counted troop suicides till the 1980's? And how much of it is the war, and how much is the economy. Don't tell me service members don't have family members who have lost jobs in this economy.

The Financial Crisis Is Driving Hordes of Americans to Suicide
By Nick Turse, Tomdispatch.com. Posted January 29, 2009.

The depression has begun. Amy Goodman talks to William Greider about it today This bullshit ain't going away and I know why it's happening AND why those who really can do something about it, won't. I have a theory anyway, but I could be wrong. I sure hope I'm wrong.


Christ Almighty, Abu Dhabi has it figured out, WTF is wrong with us?

Oh look, it's a right wing weenie roast

ABC & CBS Chide Republicans for 'Turning Cold Shoulder' to Obama


They don't know what a mandate IS.

Mr. President, please tell them, and thank you :)

Covington’s White Collar Unit Depleted by Exodus to Justice

23 Corporate Crime Reporter 5, January 27, 2009

Woooooooooot!

Trying to find bloggers for BAD

Obviously I've gotten a bit loopy.

Reading Rising Powers, Shrinking Planet

The New Geopolitics of Energy
by Michael T. Klare

I'm finished with The Way of the World by Ron Suskind.

Frankly, one of the things that struck me was that it was a legal filing from military lawyer who happend to be a Holocaust survivor's child that started the ball rolling that led to Obama's order to close Gitmo.

World Celebrates Inaugural of Barack Obama as 44th President

Published Jan 20, 2009, by ■ Carol Forsloff

As an American this kind of blows me away. I knew that Americans would celebrate, but the world?

Wow.

Gaza tunnels resume smuggling

Gah.

Za.

Russia ready to cooperate with US on Afghanistan

MOSCOW (AP) - Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev says Moscow is ready to help U.S. efforts in Afghanistan by allowing the Americans to ship cargo intended for coalition forces across Russian territory.

Medvedev says that Russia also is ready to help international efforts to combat drug-trafficking and terrorism.

He spoke in televised comments during Friday's visit to Uzbekistan, a central Asian nation bordering Afghanistan.

Medvedev expressed hope that President Barack Obama's administration will be more successful in stabilizing Afghanistan than its predecessors.

Medvedev's comments appeared to reflect the Kremlin's hope of mending relations with Washington following a breakdown in ties under former President George W. Bush.

2009-01-23 13:28:07 GMT

Afghanistan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

...Afghans display pride in their religion, country, ancestry, and above all, their independence. Like other highlanders, Afghans are regarded with mingled apprehension and condescension, for their high regard for personal honor, for their clan loyalty and for their readiness to carry and use arms to settle disputes.[63] As clan warfare and internecine feuding has been one of their chief occupations since time immemorial, this individualistic trait has made it difficult for foreign invaders to hold the region...

Why are those in power so fucking stupid?

Update 9:23 PM 1/30/2009
Hmmmm. Looks like these people have another angle on the same problem.
Bill Moyers interview

David Sirota on Bill Moyers Journal

The kid is seriously easy on the eyes. The fact that he's such a smart, progressive political strategist and journalist doesn't hurt.

I'm not embarrassed by my President any more

In fact, I'm pretty darn proud.

Obama to reverse 'global gag rule' on family planning organisations
Daniel Nasaw in Washington
guardian.co.uk, Friday 23 January 2009 16.23 GMT
Article history
...The rule change "would be huge," California Representative Diana DeGette of Colorado told National Public Radio. "By the US restricting women's rights to reproductive planning internationally, it really destroys their lives. Because they can't control the size of their family, that affects their use of resources and food and child nutrition and so many other things. The way to increase the stability in Third World countries, frankly, is for sensible family planning."


Obama Reaches Out to the Muslim World
Not only was Obama the first President to mention the word "Muslim" in an inauguration speech, he did it with his hand out instead of with his fist clenched (to borrow a Presidential phrase).

Appointing Emissaries, Obama and Clinton Stress Diplomacy
...Mr. Mitchell, a former Senate majority leader, helped broker a peace agreement in Northern Ireland. Mr. Holbrooke, a longtime diplomat who was the American ambassador to the United Nations, played a central role in drafting the 1995 Dayton peace accords, which ended the war in Bosnia...

Obama's stimulus proposal advances in Congress
The bill moves forward in the House over Republican efforts seeking deeper tax cuts.
Associated Press
January 23, 2009
Washington -- Amid grim new evidence of economic weakness, legislation at the heart of President Obama's recovery plan advanced in Congress on Thursday over the persistent opposition of Republicans seeking deeper tax cuts.


Senate passes wage discrimination bill
By JIM ABRAMS – 17 hours ago
...Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid predicted that "the first bill that President Obama will sign will be this piece of legislation." He said the bill would send an important message because "this administration stands for equality and fairness."

Obama strongly backs the measure and invited Lilly Ledbetter, the retired Alabama tire company worker whose lawsuit inspired the legislation, to accompany him on the train trip bringing him to Washington for the inauguration...

The Freedom of Information Act is Back
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies
By Barack ObamaPresident of the United States
January 21, 2009

I did not know I could cry so many happy tears. I've noticed an uptick in hits on my blog from other countries. It's nice to not feel like a pariah simply because I'm an American.

Do I credit my new President?

Yes I do.



Here's the squirrel pic, they're out today.

TV interlude

Whoa, that was quick. Some right to lifer talking about abortions and then a shoulda been an abortion on Dr. Phil. (mAnn Coulter).

'Scuse me while I go scrub my eyeballs and ear canals.

Thank heaven for bloggers. This just made me giggle:

"Bush: booed by 2 million, buoyed by 2 networks. And they wonder where blogging came from.
SS"

Obama Directs C.I.A. to Shut Guantánamo

By MARK MAZZETTI and WILLIAM GLABERSON
Published: January 21, 2009
WASHINGTON — President Obama signed executive orders Thursday directing the Central Intelligence Agency to shut what remains of its network of secret prisons and ordering the closing of the Guantánamo detention camp within a year, government officials said.

Good news regarding the US government? Oh My, I hardly know how to react to this, it's been so damned long.

My congressman is a dickhead

Recent House Votes

Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 - Vote Passed (289-139, 6 Not Voting)The House passed this bill to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover an estimated total of 11 million children.

Rep. Brian Bilbray voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

I'm confused

It's a new era. Why are us liberal bloggers still trying to highlight the idiocy of right-wing pundits?

Ann Coulter, Michelle Malkin, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh should be allowed to slide into irrelevancy, slowly, painfully, and endlessly.

No more fighting with these turds.

No more extra media coverage for their over-inflated egos.

No more shining a light on their hate.

Who takes these fucktards seriously?

Seriously?

I mean, really, is it a majority of people in the US, or some whiny, spoiled ass bitches who pay these whores to spew elitist hatred for the masses?

Fuck 'em, the masses have spoken.


Of Al Gore's Presidency Denied, Eight Years of Illegitimacy, and the Triumph of Meritocracy over Corrupt Entitlement -- A BuzzFlash Editor's Blog by Mark Karlin
Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Channel surfing the inauguration

I thought:

"If I hear one more teevee pundit fawn over something grand that Ronald Reagan said I'm gonna puke!"

Then I thought "It's exciting to have two little girls in the White House."

Are these girls cute or what?



We Win!: The Inaugural Celebration Caps a Victory in the Political Cultural War
Mojo blog (Mother Jones)

...Before hopping on that train, Obama proclaimed, "People who love this country can change it."

That is the opposite of the old slogan used by the right when the political culture war began: "America, love it or leave it." No, the protesters of that time countered, America, make it better...

(gay Episcopal bishop Gene Robinson says some really great stuff in the embedded link)

Obama Inauguration Celebrities: The List

hat tip to skippy

Israel continues hanging itself

Israel to keep tight grip on Gaza reconstruction
Mon Jan 19, 2009 10:45am EST

I forced myself to read the articles linked to this one yesterday. I was bleary eyed by nightfall. I was sad also, that democracies like the US and Israel have become as ugly in their behavior as the ugliest, most vicious dictatorships.

I'm not sure that whoever is running PR for Israel knows that it's impossible to control the message these days. There's just too much technology available for very little money. The real story is going to leak out.

Watching HBO webcam on the mall in DC, listening to the speeches.

I was there

Just not for this show.