Greetings, fellow Freedom Fighters™ and Defenders of Democracy™!
Today, we bring you an assortment of news. Read all about it …
- exactly what lifestyle the minimum wage can support
- Venezuela (and The Scallion) believe that the Bush administration is sabotaging their bid for temporary U.N. Security Council seat
- there is NO such thing as academic freedom: just ask Staughton Lynd (or Ward Churchill or Jan Blits for that matter)
- why Virginians should elect Jim Webb for U.S. Senate rather than George Felix Allen, who is "mediocre"
... and much, much more!
Keep the faith and keep fighting: together, we WILL win our nation back!
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From our mailbag
Kevin Tillman joined the Army with his brother Pat in 2002, and they served together in Iraq and Afghanistan. Pat was killed in Afghanistan on April 22, 2004. Kevin, who was discharged in 2005, has written a powerful, must-read document:
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/200601019_after_pats_birthday/
From a blog: with 655,000 innocent Iraqi civilians dead, no wonder Riverbend describes "a certain hopelessness" in her blog ... and no wonder we Americans can never feel as if we have done enough to help because, sure enough, we probably haven't:
http://billmon.org/archives/002843.html
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From Working Families
Hear it all from workers near the minimum wage and Roseanne Barr at the vlog 7 Days @ Minimum Wage debuting today.
Then sign the pledge to vote to raise the minimum wage Nov. 7.
Life at the minimum wage means $206 a week. It means swallowing your dreams and working just to survive. It means not being able to buy shoes for your children...putting in 10 hours a day just to pay for a room for the night...facing the hard fact that you can t afford college...not knowing where your family s next meal will come from.
All this week, ACORN and the AFL-CIO are hosting 7 Days @ Minimum Wage, a video blog (vlog) featuring low-wage workers struggling to get by and actress-comedienne Roseanne Barr. Each day there s a new story and a reminder of one great reason to hope: If we all turn out to vote Nov. 7, we can raise the minimum wage.
Please take a moment right now to pledge you will vote Nov. 7 to raise the minimum wage.
The only thing that has blocked an increase in the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour has been the unwillingness of Republican congressional leaders to allow a clean vote on the legislation with no poison pills and no strings attached.
Minimum wage workers have been waiting a decade for a nationwide raise that can help lift their families out of poverty. But the Republican leadership has pulled every kind of cynical political ploy imaginable to block a minimum wage increase even holding it hostage to budget-busting tax breaks for the 8,200 wealthiest estates in America. Minimum wage workers should not have to get in line behind Paris Hilton and the Wal-Mart heirs to receive the long-overdue pay increase they rightly deserve. In this election, we must elect members of Congress who will give America a raise.
Your votes Nov. 7 will determine whether life will get a bit more livable for minimum wage workers.
Don t miss 7 Days @ Minimum Wage and don t miss your chance to give hard-working, low-wage workers a raise. Sign the pledge now.
Thank you for voting for working families.
In solidarity,
Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO
P.S. Follow all the state and national news about the minimum wage at AFL-CIO Now the AFL-CIO s news blog for working families.
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From Jim Webb's Senate campaign in Virginia
We've got it! Today, the Washington Post endorsed Jim Webb's campaign for U.S. Senate. I could write a million words about why Jim is the obvious choice for Virginians, but I think I'll let the Washington Post do the heavy lifting today. From their endorsement:
Contribute to our Fight Back Fund today!
We're just 20 days away from election day. We have the momentum in this race, but we're not going to let up. We're going to get Jim Webb's message out to the voters. And on November 7, we're going to elect Jim Webb.
Sincerely,
Jessica Vanden Berg
Campaign Manager
Webb for Senate
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From AlterNet
Colbert feminist three-way [VIDEO]
Baking pie with Fonda and Steinem
Bush thinking of 'replacing' Iraqi government? [VIDEO]
A whole new definition of Democracy.
Saddam to be the November surprise
What a co-inky-dink!
Religious right rally's first gaffe
Church opposes bigoted agenda
Marriage in America:
... officially abnormal
I won't allow Bush's crimes to disappear down the memory-hole ...
Do what you want, but I refuse to play along.
How Gun Culture Props Up Domestic Violence
By Joan Burbick, The New Press
Gun owners say they need firearms to protect themselves from criminals. But what about domestic violence victims who need protection from gun owners?
The U.S. Takeover of Iraqi Oil
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
The Bush administration co-opted the compassionate language of debt relief to ensure that Big Oil will get its way in Iraq.
Wal-Mart's Rapidly Shrinking Benefits
By Cindy Zeldin, TomPaine.com
The mega-store is sinking to a new low by further limiting health insurance options for its lowest-paid employees.
Are Evangelicals Over?
By Alan Wolfe, Comment Is Free
With the recent revelations that Bush aides mocked members of their Christian base, it has become increasingly clear to many evangelicals that their alliance with the Republicans is not paying off.
Air Travel Is Killing the Planet
By Jay Walljasper, Ode
Burning jet fuel creates a large -- and growing -- share of greenhouse gases. But there may still be ways to see the world without harming it.
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Bush Admin Pisses off Evangelicals, OKs Gay Marriage [VIDEO]
The Cultural Conservative Exodus has begun...
Dick Cheney: Old school comic
Don't forget to tip your waiters!
It's true: Bush declares 'National Character Counts Week'
You truly can't make this stuff up
Dangerous Ignorance
US officials don't know the difference between a Sunni and Shiite
Former FDA Chief to plead guilty
Another one bites the dust
If everyone agrees the religious right is “nuts,” can liberals finally catch a break?
I'm just looking for some equality here ...
Fighting the 'Imperial' Internet
By Bill Moyers, Scott Fogdall, TomPaine.com
Corporate media are looking to use the "free market" to add the internet to their empire. But we can't let them dominate the 'net and undermine our democracy.
'Gifted Child Industry' Preys on Parents' Insecurities
By Helaine Olen, AlterNet
Even as a lucrative industry is making millions off of parents' desire to ensure that their kids are exceptional, public schools are cutting programs for children that are truly gifted.
Iraq Dominates Senate Races in Connecticut and Rhode Island
By Zack Pelta-Heller, AlterNet
This election offers the chance for the Democrats to dump the pro-war senators Joe Lieberman and Lincoln Chafee. How their opponents talk about Iraq could determine who wins.
Howard Zinn on Our 'Addiction to Massive Violence'
By Yuri Loudon, The Internationalist
The man who changed the way we look at history turns his eye on where Iraq war resistance fits into the history of peace activism.
What the Dems Will Do If They Take Over
By Matt Taibbi, RollingStone.com
Will Democrats spend their first moments in the majority issuing a nasty payback for a decade of Republican punishment?
The Danger of Screaming Race in Rape
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, AlterNet
What I learned from the Duke rape case.
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Colbert vs. Dawkins [VIDEO]
Does God exist. Go.
Lieberman flips on wacko Bolton
Shocking.
Woodward sells the same interview twice
Bush is a hero! Bush is a liar!
Poll: Abuse of power doesn't matter to most Americans
Lies, damned lies, and statistics in the Foley case
Police state round-up
What fresh Hell does the War on Terrr have for us this week?
Moyers Preview: Net Neutrality
Who will own the tubes?
Pentagon Monitoring Peace Activists' E-Mails
By Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
"This information is being provided only to alert commanders and staff to potential terrorist activity or apprise them of other force protection issues."
Why Gas Prices Are Falling
By Nomi Prins, TheNation.com
When gas prices were high, the Bush administration blamed the Iraq war. But now that they're sinking, it's clear that theory doesn't hold up.
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Racists on the Ballot: Hard-Right Radicals Run in 2006
By Alexander Zaitchik, Intelligence Report
Across America, right-wing radicals are running for everything from national political office to a county mosquito control board.
South Dakota's Abortion Ban Showdown
By Rebecca Clarren, Ms. Magazine
South Dakotans have come out in force against a draconian abortion ban. Can they stop it before it upends abortion rights throughout the nation?
Celebs Ignore "Green" Wal-mart's Worker Oppression
By Evan Derkacz, AlterNet
Prominent liberals are lining up to praise Wal-Mart, and the company can thank its recently-hired democratic operative, Leslie Dach.
How to Make Hundreds of Thousands of Dead Iraqis Disappear
By Eric Alterman, HuffingtonPost.com
The Lancet study that estimated 655,000 Iraqis killed since the US invasion of 2003 was based on some of the most solid research methods possible, but that didn't stop the American press from trying to say it wasn't so.
Open Season Was Too Dumb for My Child
By Dorothy Woodend, The Tyee
Enough with the animals and stereotypes already. Sony Pictures's latest animation film is an exercize in stupidity.
Olbermann to Bush: 'Your Words are Lies that Imperil us All'... [VIDEO]
The government is the most dangerous enemy.
Blacker than thou, cracker!
Who's behind those offensive ads?
Bill O'Reilly says he'd hit the blogosphere with a hand grenade
Host confirms POTUS has no idea what's going on "in the Internet."
Hate group intimidates Latino Voters...
Cowardly bigots associated with Republicans
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Desperate GOP Stoops to Lowest Fear Politics Imaginable
By Robert Parry, Consortium News
Republicans are ignoring U.S. intelligence in desperate political attack ads as they face huge losses in Congress in the fall elections.
Government Death Squads Ravaging Baghdad
By Dahr Jamail, Ali Al-Fadhily, IPS News
Two more morgues are planned for construction in Baghdad as death squad killings have soared -- 1,536 were killed in Iraq's capitol in September.
How Prescription Drugs Are Poisoning Our Waters
By Elizabeth Royte, OnEarth Magazine
An aging population and our growing addiction to pharmaceuticals may have disastrous consequences for our water supply.
Selling Voters on the Minimum Wage Hike
By Sasha Abramsky, The Nation
How New Mexico successfully framed the minimum wage as a moral issue, and was able to pass a progressive ballot initiative.
Cities of the Future Won't Look Like Ours
By James Howard Kunstler, Kunstler.com
The era of cheap oil is over, and lost with it an energy-rich way of life that billions of city dwellers have come to take for granted.
Why does the media love hate-crime? [VIDEO]
'God Hates Fags' is compelling, sure, but where are the citizen groups?
Saddam Hussein to be murdered for the GOP
Joshua Holland: Another huge opportunity missed as ideology again trumps common sense...
Catholic Charities must carry contraceptives
If employees are of diverse faiths...
Two testify that Hastert knew about Foley
Time to call Diebold...
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From the Center for American Progress
GOOD NEWS
Google will mount solar panels on the rooftops and parking lots of its headquarters, "in what could be the largest such installation in the United States." It will generate 1.6 megawatts of electricity, enough power to light 1,200 homes.
STATE WATCH
ILLINOIS: "When it comes to exposing potential conflicts of interest by state lawmakers, Illinois gets an 'F,'" according to the Center for Public Integrity.
HEALTH CARE: Gap grows between the best and worst hospitals.
CIVIL RIGHTS: The NAACP plans to monitor polls in the November elections in 10 states.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Bill O'Reilly interviews President Bush: "You cannot be confrontational with the President of the United States."
TPM MUCKRAKER: Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) blames FBI raids on liberal conspiracy.
ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE: Watch Quiet Revolution, a new short film about conservative efforts to remake the judicial branch.
DAILY KOS: Country star Tim McGraw talks about his progressive values.
DAILY GRILL
"I don't know."
-- White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, 10/16/06, when asked "Are we winning [in Iraq]?"
VERSUS
"My fellow citizens: not only can we win the war in Iraq, we are winning the war in Iraq."
-- President Bush, 12/18/05
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STATE WATCH
CALIFORNIA: "The state attorney general is investigating a Spanish-language letter warning some Orange County Latinos that they could be jailed or deported if they vote in the November election."
MISSOURI: State high court strikes down voter ID law.
HEALTH CARE: Race gap persists in health care screenings.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Matt Drudge's efforts to cast doubt on global warming reaches new level of desperation.
HARPER'S: Interview with Jeff Smith, the star of Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?
E&P: Media challenged to report on accuracy of studies of Iraqi death rates.
HULLABALOO: Vice Chair of House Intel Committee admits ignorance of the difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
DAILY GRILL
"If you look at the general overall situation, they're doing remarkably well."
-- Vice President Cheney, 10/17/06, on the situation in Iraq
VERSUS
"Former US secretary of state James Baker was visibly shocked when he last visited Iraq, and said the country was in a 'helluva mess.'"
-- Melbourne Herald-Sun, 10/18/0
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GOOD NEWS
Dozens of the nation's most influential evangelical leaders have written President Bush demanding he act immediately to help curb the genocidal violence in Darfur. Support their efforts at EvangelicalsForDarfur.org.
STATE WATCH
ILLINOIS: In Chicago, breast cancer kills more blacks than whites.
TEXAS: School district in Texas becomes first in the nation to teach students to "fight back and use their advantage in numbers to take tactical control if a gunman enters their classroom."
MASSACHUSETTS: "In one-fifth of Massachusetts cities and towns, there is not a single dentist to soothe toothaches or fill cavities."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Iraq: worse than civil war.
TPM MUCKRAKER: Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) drops nearly $800,000 on legal fees over Abramoff accusations.
DAILY DISH: How one Brit's view of the U.S. has changed under President Bush.
POLITICAL TICKER: Officials link election campaign to letters warning thousands of Southern California Hispanics they could go to jail or be deported if they vote.
DAILY GRILL
"My gut tells me that [Iraq insurgents] have all along been trying to inflict enough damage that we'd leave."
-- President Bush, 10/19/06
VERSUS
"We're not so different, [President Bush] and I. We get it. We're not brainiacs on the nerd patrol. We're not members of the factinista. We go straight from the gut, right sir? That's where the truth lies, right down here in the gut."
-- Stephen Colbert, White House Correspondents Dinner, 4/28/06
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GOOD NEWS
"Lateefa al-Geeod has become the first woman elected to parliament in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain this week, a country in which women only won the right to vote in 2001."
STATE WATCH
NEW YORK: New York State's highest court yesterday ruled that religious groups "must abide by a state law requiring that health insurance policies in New York cover contraception."
COLORADO: "Immigrants' wait for IDs, aid getting longer."
HEALTH CARE: Two new reports find that more Americans are working for companies that do not offer health insurance plans.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Bill O Reilly on the blogosphere: "I'd go in with a hand grenade."
WAR & PIECE: Why won't Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) release his supposed "exoneration" letter from the ethics committee?
POLITICAL ANIMAL: Graph shows why most people are feeling the economic squeeze.
UNCLAIMED TERRITORY: On Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) heralded strategy for Iraq.
DAILY GRILL
"During National Character Counts Week, we renew our commitment to instilling values in our young people and to encouraging all Americans to remember the importance of good character."
-- President Bush, 10/13/06, declaring this week "National Character Counts Week"
VERSUS
"Nineteen days before the midterm elections, President Bush flew here [to Pennsylvania] to champion the reelection of a congressman who last year settled a $5.5 million lawsuit alleging that he beat his mistress during a five-year affair."
-- Washington Post, 10/20/06, on Bush's campaign appearance for Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)
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GOOD NEWS
The complete works of Charles Darwin -- 50,000 pages of searchable text and 40,000 images of original publications -- are now available free online.
STATE WATCH
MARYLAND: "Maryland will reinstate health care benefits to poor legal immigrant children and pregnant women in response to a court ruling that found it improper to cut them from Medicaid rolls."
ARIZONA: The U.S. Supreme Court rules Arizona can implement its stringent voter ID law.
POLITICS: Absentee voting is growing and reshaping political campaigns.
BALLOT WATCH: "Ballot blunders abound as election nears."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE): 12-14 conservatives may vote to change course in Iraq if Senate changes hands.
7 DAYS @ MINIMUM WAGE: Seven real people with seven real stories of living on the minimum wage.
POP SCI BLOG: Al Gore condemns Bush space militarization policy.
DAILY GRILL
"We've never been stay the course."
-- President Bush, 10/22/06
VERSUS
"We will stay the course."
-- President Bush, 8/30/06
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From "Democracy Now!"
* Gaza in Crisis: As Military Siege Enters Fifth Month, Israel Threatens New
Military Offensive *
Israel has ratcheted up threats of a massive ground offensive in the Gaza
Strip. We go to Gaza to speak with physician and community activist Dr. Mona
El-Farra.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439234
* "My Name is Rachel Corrie" Opens in New York *
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" - a play based on the life of the late US peace
activist who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer - was scheduled to open last
March at the New York Theatre Workshop. But six weeks before opening night,
the theater announced it was indefinitely postponing the production. The
move that was widely criticized as an act of censorship. On Sunday, the play
finally opened at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York. We play exclusive
excerpts of the play, and speak with Rachel Corrie's father , Craig; her
sister, Sarah; and the play's co-editor, Katharine Viner.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1437210
* Oscar-Winning Actor Vanessa Redgrave to Present International Human Rights
Award to Extraordinary Rendition Survivor Maher Arar *
Tonight, the Institute for Policy Studies will award its International Human
Rights Award to extraordinary rendition survivor Maher Arar. In 2002, Arar,
a Canadian citizen, was falsely accused of terrorist links and handed over
to Syrian authorities where he spent nearly a year enduring brutal torture.
Just last month the Canadian government exonerated Arar and criticized both
Canadian and US officials for his ordeal. Maher Arar's Human Rights award
will be presented by Oscar award-winning actor Vanessa Redgrave.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439251
* Headlines for October 18, 2006 *
- President Bush Signs 2006 Military Commissions Act
- Admin Moves to Dismiss Detainee Challenges
- Rights Groups Vow Challenge to Detainee Law
- Revised Bush Space Policy Rejects Future Arms Control
- 10 US Troops Killed in Iraq; Monthly Toll Hits 67
- Iraq Sees 35% Increase in "Absolute and Desperate" Poverty
- 9/11 Health Worker Lawsuit Allowed to Proceed
- Vacated Conviction for Late Enron Founder Kenneth Lay
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439225
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* Latino, Monitor Groups Say Proposed FCC Rules Limit Media Diversity *
The FCC is currently reconsidering a number of broadcast ownership rules,
including whether a single company should be able to own both a newspaper
and television station in the same market. A new study conducted by the
Media and Democracy Coalition has concluded that the proposed FCC rule
changes would reduce local news coverage and eliminate diverse voices and
viewpoints. We speak with National Hispanic Media Coalition President Alex
Nogales and Consumer Federation of America Research Director Mark Cooper.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1346253
* Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program *
British journalist Stephen Grey helped expose the Bush administration's
secret CIA rendition flights. He joins us to talk about his new book, "Ghost
Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program."
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1347246
* Headlines for October 19, 2006 *
- NATO Bombing Kills 9 Afghan Civilians
- October US Death Toll in Iraq Hits 70
- Bush Admits Possible Iraq Parallel to Vietnam
- 11 US Soldiers Face Trials for Iraq Murders
- Poll: Support for GOP-Congress at 14-Year Low
- Pinochet Questioned Over Torture, Disappearances
- Leading UK Muslim Barred From Attending US Conference
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1346245
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* Venezuela's UN Ambassador Accuses Bush Administration of Blackmailing
Other Countries Over Contested UN Seat *
Francisco Arias Cardenas, Venezuela's Ambassador to the United Nations
condemns the White House's dirty tricks as Venezuela vies against Guatemala
for open UN Security Council seat.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1434200
* Legendary Historian, Attorney & Peace Activist Staughton Lynd on War
Resisters, the Peace Movement and the 1993 Lucasville Prison Uprising *
For the past fifty years Staughton Lynd has dedicated his life to activism
and social change as a historian, lawyer, labor activist and Quaker
pacifist. He has been called a saint of the modern American Left. He joins
us today in Democracy Now's firehouse studio.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1434205
* Headlines for October 20, 2006 *
- US Revises Baghdad Plan Amid "Disheartening" Failures
- Iraiq Gov't Moves To Cover Up Reports of Civilian Deaths
- U.S. Citizen Facing Execution In Iraq Suffers Court Defeat
- Palestinian-Americans Denied Entry Into Gaza & West Bank
- Top UN Official Criticizes Israel Over Siege of Gaza
- Bush Says He Will Ignore Parts of New Defense Bill
- GOP in California Suspected of Voter Suppression
- Ozone Hole Over Antarctica Reaches Record Size
- Thousands Protest Bush and Sen. Allen in Virginia
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1433257
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* The End of Maliki? Will a Coup Unravel Iraq? Robert Dreyfuss and Raed
Jarrar Discuss the War in Iraq *
The Bush administration is coming under increasing pressure for its handling
of the war in Iraq in the face of relentless bloodshed there. Over 100
Iraqis and seven US troops were killed over the weekend in a wave of
bombings and attacks that stretched across Iraq. Could a coup be in the
works?
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425227
* Does Tee Stand For Terrorist? NYC Student Stopped on Staten Island Ferry
For Wearing T-Shirt Saying "We will not be silent" in Arabic *
Hunter College student Stephanie Schwartz says Coast Guard officials stopped
her two weeks ago aboard the ferry. During the summer, Iraqi blogger Raed
Jarrar was stopped by security officials for wearing the same t-shirt at JFK
Airport. He was forced to change the shirt before boarding a JetBlue flight.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425232
* FCC Commissioner Michael Copps and Juan Gonzalez on the Color of Media
Consolidation *
Copps and Gonzalez spoke at last week's town hall meeting in New York on
diversity and media ownership. The FCC is reconsidering a number of
broadcast rules -including whether a single company should be able to own
both a newspaper and television station in the same market.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425236
* Headlines for October 23, 2006 *
- October On Pace to Be One of Bloodiest Months of War
- U.S. Diplomat: U.S. Displays Arrogance & Stupidity in Iraq
- U.S. Moves Closer to Building New Stockpile of Nuclear Weapons
- Polls: Chance of Democrats Taking Control of Senate Increases
- Barack Obama Considers 2008 Presidential Run
- Boeing Subsidiary Linked to CIA Torture Flights
- Red Cross Slams U.S. Military Commissions Act
- Israel Admits It Fired Phosphorus Shells in Lebanon
- Brother of Pat Tillman Slams Iraq War and Bush Administration
- Green Party Candidates Blocked From Debates
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425222
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From HuffPo
A federal investigation into Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) intensified, with agents raiding the home of the congressman's daughter as well as several other locations near Philadelphia and Jacksonville, FL. Weldon is under investigation for corruption, facing accusations that he used political influence to gain lucrative lobbying contracts for his daughter.
News of another scandal broke yesterday. Former FDA Chief and Bush appointee Lester M. Crawford was charged with lying about the fact that he and his wife own stock in companies regulated by the FDA, a clear conflict of interest. These companies primarily deal in pharmaceutical and medical concerns, but the Weldon's stock options also include the food company Pepsico. Crawford served on the board of the FDA Obesity Working Group while in possession of at least $62,000 in Pepsico stock.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...Census Reveals a New Minority: Group Has Slipped for Decades
Marty Kaplan: Bush as Bobby McFerrin
Nora Ephron: My Weekend in Vegas
Nathan Gardels: US Should Set Example for North Korea and Ratify
Nuclear Test Ban
Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on Rush Limbaugh's radio show yesterday, where the conservative host asked Cheney about mounting discontent among Americans with the war in Iraq. After admitting that there was "a natural level of concern," Cheney added, "If you look at the general overall situation, they're doing remarkably well."
His assessment seems unlikely in light of recent news out of Iraq, but moreover his words seem out of touch with American sentiment. Yesterday CNN released a poll that revealed public support for the war is at an "all-time low," with 64% of respondents saying they are against the war.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...See Where Gas Costs Under $2: Prices Fall to Lowest This Year
Hilary Rosen: Madame Speaker
Joshua Zeitz: 245 Votes Against Protecting Children
RJ Eskow: A Brave Conservative Exposes The GOP's "Vulnerability Gap" On Terror
In an interview yesterday with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, President Bush accepted a comparison between the current war in Iraq and Vietnam War.
Stephanopoulos told the president that New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has compared the current situation in Iraq to the 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam. Bush replied, "He could be right...there's certainly a stepped up level on violence, and we're heading into an election." The Tet offensive is widely considered to be the turning point in the Vietnam War.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...Could This Man Be President? Meet a Red-Hot Political Star
in 06 Election
John Kerry: Will You Fight With Them?
Bob Cesca: The President Gets His Wish: He's The Dictator
Matt Stoller: Debate Train to Crazy Town
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace defended Donald Rumsfeld yesterday, saying that "the good lord" tells the Secretary of Defense "what is best for our country."
Meanwhile, President Bush, Sec. Rumsfeld, and other advisers face an increasingly violent and chaotic situation in Iraq. Said Richard Haass, the former chief of policy planning at the State Department, "The Iraq situation is not winnable in any real sense of the word 'winnable."
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News: He Says Election Isn't About Him: Tell Us if He Affects Your Vote
Alan Rusbridger: Corporate Social Responsibility and Newspapers
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy: Iraq for Sale: Further Evidence of the Bush Administration's Incompetence
Marty Kaplan: The (Jonah) Goldberg Variations
The military's security plan for Baghdad is the last chance to secure Iraq, US officials say. Without ending the widespread sectarian violence in the capital city, US commanders believe there is little chance for a stable Iraqi government. "As Baghdad goes, so goes Iraq," said Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli.
President Bush met with advisers this weekend to discuss Iraq strategy, but many officials doubt there is any alternative to the established plan: stopping insurgents, stationing troops to keep the peace, and winning over the population with reconstruction projects. US efforts have so far been unsuccessful, with October on track to be the deadliest month for US troops in over two years.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News: Sen. Obama Will Consider 2008 White House Run
Matt Stoller: Joe Lieberman's Slush Fund Problem
Andy Stern: Let's Re-Balance Our Democracy
Rick Jacobs: Senator Feinstein: Lead California
Then sign the pledge to vote to raise the minimum wage Nov. 7.
Life at the minimum wage means $206 a week. It means swallowing your dreams and working just to survive. It means not being able to buy shoes for your children...putting in 10 hours a day just to pay for a room for the night...facing the hard fact that you can t afford college...not knowing where your family s next meal will come from.
All this week, ACORN and the AFL-CIO are hosting 7 Days @ Minimum Wage, a video blog (vlog) featuring low-wage workers struggling to get by and actress-comedienne Roseanne Barr. Each day there s a new story and a reminder of one great reason to hope: If we all turn out to vote Nov. 7, we can raise the minimum wage.
Please take a moment right now to pledge you will vote Nov. 7 to raise the minimum wage.
The only thing that has blocked an increase in the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour has been the unwillingness of Republican congressional leaders to allow a clean vote on the legislation with no poison pills and no strings attached.
Minimum wage workers have been waiting a decade for a nationwide raise that can help lift their families out of poverty. But the Republican leadership has pulled every kind of cynical political ploy imaginable to block a minimum wage increase even holding it hostage to budget-busting tax breaks for the 8,200 wealthiest estates in America. Minimum wage workers should not have to get in line behind Paris Hilton and the Wal-Mart heirs to receive the long-overdue pay increase they rightly deserve. In this election, we must elect members of Congress who will give America a raise.
Your votes Nov. 7 will determine whether life will get a bit more livable for minimum wage workers.
Don t miss 7 Days @ Minimum Wage and don t miss your chance to give hard-working, low-wage workers a raise. Sign the pledge now.
Thank you for voting for working families.
In solidarity,
Working Families e-Activist Network, AFL-CIO
P.S. Follow all the state and national news about the minimum wage at AFL-CIO Now the AFL-CIO s news blog for working families.
-----
From Jim Webb's Senate campaign in Virginia
We've got it! Today, the Washington Post endorsed Jim Webb's campaign for U.S. Senate. I could write a million words about why Jim is the obvious choice for Virginians, but I think I'll let the Washington Post do the heavy lifting today. From their endorsement:
- [Jim Webb] was prescient in warning, back in 2002, that the war in Iraq risked stranding the United States in a long-term occupation without an exit strategy. An intelligent man with a record of integrity, he has resisted the packaging of political consultants, which can only be a good thing. Those assets, as well as his deep familiarity with military and national security affairs, offer the promise that he would make an able, if unorthodox, U.S. senator. And the fact that his youngest son is deployed as a marine in Iraq gives him a perspective that is rare in today's Congress.
- Quite simply, he is a mediocre senator whose six years of undistinguished service do not justify rehiring.
- ...Mr. Allen lacks any comparable independent-mindedness. He has spent his time in the Senate in lock step with the Bush administration, embracing tax cuts that have imperiled the nation's fiscal health; subsidies for oil and gas companies that hardly needed the help; prisoner detention policies that have undercut America's image abroad; and restrictions on embryonic stem cell research despite its medical potential.
- ...Virginians deserve better and more enlightened representation. Mr. Webb offers that hope.
Contribute to our Fight Back Fund today!
We're just 20 days away from election day. We have the momentum in this race, but we're not going to let up. We're going to get Jim Webb's message out to the voters. And on November 7, we're going to elect Jim Webb.
Sincerely,
Jessica Vanden Berg
Campaign Manager
Webb for Senate
-----
From AlterNet
Colbert feminist three-way [VIDEO]
Baking pie with Fonda and Steinem
Bush thinking of 'replacing' Iraqi government? [VIDEO]
A whole new definition of Democracy.
Saddam to be the November surprise
What a co-inky-dink!
Religious right rally's first gaffe
Church opposes bigoted agenda
Marriage in America:
... officially abnormal
I won't allow Bush's crimes to disappear down the memory-hole ...
Do what you want, but I refuse to play along.
How Gun Culture Props Up Domestic Violence
By Joan Burbick, The New Press
Gun owners say they need firearms to protect themselves from criminals. But what about domestic violence victims who need protection from gun owners?
The U.S. Takeover of Iraqi Oil
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
The Bush administration co-opted the compassionate language of debt relief to ensure that Big Oil will get its way in Iraq.
Wal-Mart's Rapidly Shrinking Benefits
By Cindy Zeldin, TomPaine.com
The mega-store is sinking to a new low by further limiting health insurance options for its lowest-paid employees.
Are Evangelicals Over?
By Alan Wolfe, Comment Is Free
With the recent revelations that Bush aides mocked members of their Christian base, it has become increasingly clear to many evangelicals that their alliance with the Republicans is not paying off.
Air Travel Is Killing the Planet
By Jay Walljasper, Ode
Burning jet fuel creates a large -- and growing -- share of greenhouse gases. But there may still be ways to see the world without harming it.
-----
Bush Admin Pisses off Evangelicals, OKs Gay Marriage [VIDEO]
The Cultural Conservative Exodus has begun...
Dick Cheney: Old school comic
Don't forget to tip your waiters!
It's true: Bush declares 'National Character Counts Week'
You truly can't make this stuff up
Dangerous Ignorance
US officials don't know the difference between a Sunni and Shiite
Former FDA Chief to plead guilty
Another one bites the dust
If everyone agrees the religious right is “nuts,” can liberals finally catch a break?
I'm just looking for some equality here ...
Fighting the 'Imperial' Internet
By Bill Moyers, Scott Fogdall, TomPaine.com
Corporate media are looking to use the "free market" to add the internet to their empire. But we can't let them dominate the 'net and undermine our democracy.
'Gifted Child Industry' Preys on Parents' Insecurities
By Helaine Olen, AlterNet
Even as a lucrative industry is making millions off of parents' desire to ensure that their kids are exceptional, public schools are cutting programs for children that are truly gifted.
Iraq Dominates Senate Races in Connecticut and Rhode Island
By Zack Pelta-Heller, AlterNet
This election offers the chance for the Democrats to dump the pro-war senators Joe Lieberman and Lincoln Chafee. How their opponents talk about Iraq could determine who wins.
Howard Zinn on Our 'Addiction to Massive Violence'
By Yuri Loudon, The Internationalist
The man who changed the way we look at history turns his eye on where Iraq war resistance fits into the history of peace activism.
What the Dems Will Do If They Take Over
By Matt Taibbi, RollingStone.com
Will Democrats spend their first moments in the majority issuing a nasty payback for a decade of Republican punishment?
The Danger of Screaming Race in Rape
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, AlterNet
What I learned from the Duke rape case.
-----
Colbert vs. Dawkins [VIDEO]
Does God exist. Go.
Lieberman flips on wacko Bolton
Shocking.
Woodward sells the same interview twice
Bush is a hero! Bush is a liar!
Poll: Abuse of power doesn't matter to most Americans
Lies, damned lies, and statistics in the Foley case
Police state round-up
What fresh Hell does the War on Terrr have for us this week?
Moyers Preview: Net Neutrality
Who will own the tubes?
Pentagon Monitoring Peace Activists' E-Mails
By Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive
"This information is being provided only to alert commanders and staff to potential terrorist activity or apprise them of other force protection issues."
Why Gas Prices Are Falling
By Nomi Prins, TheNation.com
When gas prices were high, the Bush administration blamed the Iraq war. But now that they're sinking, it's clear that theory doesn't hold up.
-----
Racists on the Ballot: Hard-Right Radicals Run in 2006
By Alexander Zaitchik, Intelligence Report
Across America, right-wing radicals are running for everything from national political office to a county mosquito control board.
South Dakota's Abortion Ban Showdown
By Rebecca Clarren, Ms. Magazine
South Dakotans have come out in force against a draconian abortion ban. Can they stop it before it upends abortion rights throughout the nation?
Celebs Ignore "Green" Wal-mart's Worker Oppression
By Evan Derkacz, AlterNet
Prominent liberals are lining up to praise Wal-Mart, and the company can thank its recently-hired democratic operative, Leslie Dach.
How to Make Hundreds of Thousands of Dead Iraqis Disappear
By Eric Alterman, HuffingtonPost.com
The Lancet study that estimated 655,000 Iraqis killed since the US invasion of 2003 was based on some of the most solid research methods possible, but that didn't stop the American press from trying to say it wasn't so.
Open Season Was Too Dumb for My Child
By Dorothy Woodend, The Tyee
Enough with the animals and stereotypes already. Sony Pictures's latest animation film is an exercize in stupidity.
Olbermann to Bush: 'Your Words are Lies that Imperil us All'... [VIDEO]
The government is the most dangerous enemy.
Blacker than thou, cracker!
Who's behind those offensive ads?
Bill O'Reilly says he'd hit the blogosphere with a hand grenade
Host confirms POTUS has no idea what's going on "in the Internet."
Hate group intimidates Latino Voters...
Cowardly bigots associated with Republicans
-----
Desperate GOP Stoops to Lowest Fear Politics Imaginable
By Robert Parry, Consortium News
Republicans are ignoring U.S. intelligence in desperate political attack ads as they face huge losses in Congress in the fall elections.
Government Death Squads Ravaging Baghdad
By Dahr Jamail, Ali Al-Fadhily, IPS News
Two more morgues are planned for construction in Baghdad as death squad killings have soared -- 1,536 were killed in Iraq's capitol in September.
How Prescription Drugs Are Poisoning Our Waters
By Elizabeth Royte, OnEarth Magazine
An aging population and our growing addiction to pharmaceuticals may have disastrous consequences for our water supply.
Selling Voters on the Minimum Wage Hike
By Sasha Abramsky, The Nation
How New Mexico successfully framed the minimum wage as a moral issue, and was able to pass a progressive ballot initiative.
Cities of the Future Won't Look Like Ours
By James Howard Kunstler, Kunstler.com
The era of cheap oil is over, and lost with it an energy-rich way of life that billions of city dwellers have come to take for granted.
Why does the media love hate-crime? [VIDEO]
'God Hates Fags' is compelling, sure, but where are the citizen groups?
Saddam Hussein to be murdered for the GOP
Joshua Holland: Another huge opportunity missed as ideology again trumps common sense...
Catholic Charities must carry contraceptives
If employees are of diverse faiths...
Two testify that Hastert knew about Foley
Time to call Diebold...
-----
From the Center for American Progress
GOOD NEWS
Google will mount solar panels on the rooftops and parking lots of its headquarters, "in what could be the largest such installation in the United States." It will generate 1.6 megawatts of electricity, enough power to light 1,200 homes.
STATE WATCH
ILLINOIS: "When it comes to exposing potential conflicts of interest by state lawmakers, Illinois gets an 'F,'" according to the Center for Public Integrity.
HEALTH CARE: Gap grows between the best and worst hospitals.
CIVIL RIGHTS: The NAACP plans to monitor polls in the November elections in 10 states.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Bill O'Reilly interviews President Bush: "You cannot be confrontational with the President of the United States."
TPM MUCKRAKER: Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) blames FBI raids on liberal conspiracy.
ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE: Watch Quiet Revolution, a new short film about conservative efforts to remake the judicial branch.
DAILY KOS: Country star Tim McGraw talks about his progressive values.
DAILY GRILL
"I don't know."
-- White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, 10/16/06, when asked "Are we winning [in Iraq]?"
VERSUS
"My fellow citizens: not only can we win the war in Iraq, we are winning the war in Iraq."
-- President Bush, 12/18/05
-----
STATE WATCH
CALIFORNIA: "The state attorney general is investigating a Spanish-language letter warning some Orange County Latinos that they could be jailed or deported if they vote in the November election."
MISSOURI: State high court strikes down voter ID law.
HEALTH CARE: Race gap persists in health care screenings.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Matt Drudge's efforts to cast doubt on global warming reaches new level of desperation.
HARPER'S: Interview with Jeff Smith, the star of Can Mr. Smith Get to Washington Anymore?
E&P: Media challenged to report on accuracy of studies of Iraqi death rates.
HULLABALOO: Vice Chair of House Intel Committee admits ignorance of the difference between Shiite and Sunni Muslims.
DAILY GRILL
"If you look at the general overall situation, they're doing remarkably well."
-- Vice President Cheney, 10/17/06, on the situation in Iraq
VERSUS
"Former US secretary of state James Baker was visibly shocked when he last visited Iraq, and said the country was in a 'helluva mess.'"
-- Melbourne Herald-Sun, 10/18/0
-----
GOOD NEWS
Dozens of the nation's most influential evangelical leaders have written President Bush demanding he act immediately to help curb the genocidal violence in Darfur. Support their efforts at EvangelicalsForDarfur.org.
STATE WATCH
ILLINOIS: In Chicago, breast cancer kills more blacks than whites.
TEXAS: School district in Texas becomes first in the nation to teach students to "fight back and use their advantage in numbers to take tactical control if a gunman enters their classroom."
MASSACHUSETTS: "In one-fifth of Massachusetts cities and towns, there is not a single dentist to soothe toothaches or fill cavities."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Iraq: worse than civil war.
TPM MUCKRAKER: Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) drops nearly $800,000 on legal fees over Abramoff accusations.
DAILY DISH: How one Brit's view of the U.S. has changed under President Bush.
POLITICAL TICKER: Officials link election campaign to letters warning thousands of Southern California Hispanics they could go to jail or be deported if they vote.
DAILY GRILL
"My gut tells me that [Iraq insurgents] have all along been trying to inflict enough damage that we'd leave."
-- President Bush, 10/19/06
VERSUS
"We're not so different, [President Bush] and I. We get it. We're not brainiacs on the nerd patrol. We're not members of the factinista. We go straight from the gut, right sir? That's where the truth lies, right down here in the gut."
-- Stephen Colbert, White House Correspondents Dinner, 4/28/06
-----
GOOD NEWS
"Lateefa al-Geeod has become the first woman elected to parliament in the Gulf kingdom of Bahrain this week, a country in which women only won the right to vote in 2001."
STATE WATCH
NEW YORK: New York State's highest court yesterday ruled that religious groups "must abide by a state law requiring that health insurance policies in New York cover contraception."
COLORADO: "Immigrants' wait for IDs, aid getting longer."
HEALTH CARE: Two new reports find that more Americans are working for companies that do not offer health insurance plans.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Bill O Reilly on the blogosphere: "I'd go in with a hand grenade."
WAR & PIECE: Why won't Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) release his supposed "exoneration" letter from the ethics committee?
POLITICAL ANIMAL: Graph shows why most people are feeling the economic squeeze.
UNCLAIMED TERRITORY: On Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) heralded strategy for Iraq.
DAILY GRILL
"During National Character Counts Week, we renew our commitment to instilling values in our young people and to encouraging all Americans to remember the importance of good character."
-- President Bush, 10/13/06, declaring this week "National Character Counts Week"
VERSUS
"Nineteen days before the midterm elections, President Bush flew here [to Pennsylvania] to champion the reelection of a congressman who last year settled a $5.5 million lawsuit alleging that he beat his mistress during a five-year affair."
-- Washington Post, 10/20/06, on Bush's campaign appearance for Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA)
-----
GOOD NEWS
The complete works of Charles Darwin -- 50,000 pages of searchable text and 40,000 images of original publications -- are now available free online.
STATE WATCH
MARYLAND: "Maryland will reinstate health care benefits to poor legal immigrant children and pregnant women in response to a court ruling that found it improper to cut them from Medicaid rolls."
ARIZONA: The U.S. Supreme Court rules Arizona can implement its stringent voter ID law.
POLITICS: Absentee voting is growing and reshaping political campaigns.
BALLOT WATCH: "Ballot blunders abound as election nears."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE): 12-14 conservatives may vote to change course in Iraq if Senate changes hands.
7 DAYS @ MINIMUM WAGE: Seven real people with seven real stories of living on the minimum wage.
POP SCI BLOG: Al Gore condemns Bush space militarization policy.
DAILY GRILL
"We've never been stay the course."
-- President Bush, 10/22/06
VERSUS
"We will stay the course."
-- President Bush, 8/30/06
-----
From "Democracy Now!"
* Gaza in Crisis: As Military Siege Enters Fifth Month, Israel Threatens New
Military Offensive *
Israel has ratcheted up threats of a massive ground offensive in the Gaza
Strip. We go to Gaza to speak with physician and community activist Dr. Mona
El-Farra.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439234
* "My Name is Rachel Corrie" Opens in New York *
"My Name is Rachel Corrie" - a play based on the life of the late US peace
activist who was killed by an Israeli bulldozer - was scheduled to open last
March at the New York Theatre Workshop. But six weeks before opening night,
the theater announced it was indefinitely postponing the production. The
move that was widely criticized as an act of censorship. On Sunday, the play
finally opened at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York. We play exclusive
excerpts of the play, and speak with Rachel Corrie's father , Craig; her
sister, Sarah; and the play's co-editor, Katharine Viner.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1437210
* Oscar-Winning Actor Vanessa Redgrave to Present International Human Rights
Award to Extraordinary Rendition Survivor Maher Arar *
Tonight, the Institute for Policy Studies will award its International Human
Rights Award to extraordinary rendition survivor Maher Arar. In 2002, Arar,
a Canadian citizen, was falsely accused of terrorist links and handed over
to Syrian authorities where he spent nearly a year enduring brutal torture.
Just last month the Canadian government exonerated Arar and criticized both
Canadian and US officials for his ordeal. Maher Arar's Human Rights award
will be presented by Oscar award-winning actor Vanessa Redgrave.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439251
* Headlines for October 18, 2006 *
- President Bush Signs 2006 Military Commissions Act
- Admin Moves to Dismiss Detainee Challenges
- Rights Groups Vow Challenge to Detainee Law
- Revised Bush Space Policy Rejects Future Arms Control
- 10 US Troops Killed in Iraq; Monthly Toll Hits 67
- Iraq Sees 35% Increase in "Absolute and Desperate" Poverty
- 9/11 Health Worker Lawsuit Allowed to Proceed
- Vacated Conviction for Late Enron Founder Kenneth Lay
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/18/1439225
-----
* Latino, Monitor Groups Say Proposed FCC Rules Limit Media Diversity *
The FCC is currently reconsidering a number of broadcast ownership rules,
including whether a single company should be able to own both a newspaper
and television station in the same market. A new study conducted by the
Media and Democracy Coalition has concluded that the proposed FCC rule
changes would reduce local news coverage and eliminate diverse voices and
viewpoints. We speak with National Hispanic Media Coalition President Alex
Nogales and Consumer Federation of America Research Director Mark Cooper.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1346253
* Ghost Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program *
British journalist Stephen Grey helped expose the Bush administration's
secret CIA rendition flights. He joins us to talk about his new book, "Ghost
Plane: The True Story of the CIA Torture Program."
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1347246
* Headlines for October 19, 2006 *
- NATO Bombing Kills 9 Afghan Civilians
- October US Death Toll in Iraq Hits 70
- Bush Admits Possible Iraq Parallel to Vietnam
- 11 US Soldiers Face Trials for Iraq Murders
- Poll: Support for GOP-Congress at 14-Year Low
- Pinochet Questioned Over Torture, Disappearances
- Leading UK Muslim Barred From Attending US Conference
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/19/1346245
-----
* Venezuela's UN Ambassador Accuses Bush Administration of Blackmailing
Other Countries Over Contested UN Seat *
Francisco Arias Cardenas, Venezuela's Ambassador to the United Nations
condemns the White House's dirty tricks as Venezuela vies against Guatemala
for open UN Security Council seat.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1434200
* Legendary Historian, Attorney & Peace Activist Staughton Lynd on War
Resisters, the Peace Movement and the 1993 Lucasville Prison Uprising *
For the past fifty years Staughton Lynd has dedicated his life to activism
and social change as a historian, lawyer, labor activist and Quaker
pacifist. He has been called a saint of the modern American Left. He joins
us today in Democracy Now's firehouse studio.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1434205
* Headlines for October 20, 2006 *
- US Revises Baghdad Plan Amid "Disheartening" Failures
- Iraiq Gov't Moves To Cover Up Reports of Civilian Deaths
- U.S. Citizen Facing Execution In Iraq Suffers Court Defeat
- Palestinian-Americans Denied Entry Into Gaza & West Bank
- Top UN Official Criticizes Israel Over Siege of Gaza
- Bush Says He Will Ignore Parts of New Defense Bill
- GOP in California Suspected of Voter Suppression
- Ozone Hole Over Antarctica Reaches Record Size
- Thousands Protest Bush and Sen. Allen in Virginia
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/20/1433257
-----
* The End of Maliki? Will a Coup Unravel Iraq? Robert Dreyfuss and Raed
Jarrar Discuss the War in Iraq *
The Bush administration is coming under increasing pressure for its handling
of the war in Iraq in the face of relentless bloodshed there. Over 100
Iraqis and seven US troops were killed over the weekend in a wave of
bombings and attacks that stretched across Iraq. Could a coup be in the
works?
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425227
* Does Tee Stand For Terrorist? NYC Student Stopped on Staten Island Ferry
For Wearing T-Shirt Saying "We will not be silent" in Arabic *
Hunter College student Stephanie Schwartz says Coast Guard officials stopped
her two weeks ago aboard the ferry. During the summer, Iraqi blogger Raed
Jarrar was stopped by security officials for wearing the same t-shirt at JFK
Airport. He was forced to change the shirt before boarding a JetBlue flight.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425232
* FCC Commissioner Michael Copps and Juan Gonzalez on the Color of Media
Consolidation *
Copps and Gonzalez spoke at last week's town hall meeting in New York on
diversity and media ownership. The FCC is reconsidering a number of
broadcast rules -including whether a single company should be able to own
both a newspaper and television station in the same market.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425236
* Headlines for October 23, 2006 *
- October On Pace to Be One of Bloodiest Months of War
- U.S. Diplomat: U.S. Displays Arrogance & Stupidity in Iraq
- U.S. Moves Closer to Building New Stockpile of Nuclear Weapons
- Polls: Chance of Democrats Taking Control of Senate Increases
- Barack Obama Considers 2008 Presidential Run
- Boeing Subsidiary Linked to CIA Torture Flights
- Red Cross Slams U.S. Military Commissions Act
- Israel Admits It Fired Phosphorus Shells in Lebanon
- Brother of Pat Tillman Slams Iraq War and Bush Administration
- Green Party Candidates Blocked From Debates
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/10/23/1425222
-----
From HuffPo
Scandals Of The Day...
From wikipedia.orgGOP Rep. Weldon: Corruption Probe Intensifies...Fmr. FDA Chief: Charged With Lying About Stocks...
Scandals linked to the Republican Party continued to stack up yesterday.A federal investigation into Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) intensified, with agents raiding the home of the congressman's daughter as well as several other locations near Philadelphia and Jacksonville, FL. Weldon is under investigation for corruption, facing accusations that he used political influence to gain lucrative lobbying contracts for his daughter.
News of another scandal broke yesterday. Former FDA Chief and Bush appointee Lester M. Crawford was charged with lying about the fact that he and his wife own stock in companies regulated by the FDA, a clear conflict of interest. These companies primarily deal in pharmaceutical and medical concerns, but the Weldon's stock options also include the food company Pepsico. Crawford served on the board of the FDA Obesity Working Group while in possession of at least $62,000 in Pepsico stock.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...Census Reveals a New Minority: Group Has Slipped for Decades
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: Ned Lamont's Concession Speech (A Speech I Never Want to Hear)Marty Kaplan: Bush as Bobby McFerrin
Nora Ephron: My Weekend in Vegas
Nathan Gardels: US Should Set Example for North Korea and Ratify
Nuclear Test Ban
CHENEY: SITUATION IN IRAQ GOING "REMARKABLY WELL"...
APVice President Dick Cheney appeared on Rush Limbaugh's radio show yesterday, where the conservative host asked Cheney about mounting discontent among Americans with the war in Iraq. After admitting that there was "a natural level of concern," Cheney added, "If you look at the general overall situation, they're doing remarkably well."
His assessment seems unlikely in light of recent news out of Iraq, but moreover his words seem out of touch with American sentiment. Yesterday CNN released a poll that revealed public support for the war is at an "all-time low," with 64% of respondents saying they are against the war.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...See Where Gas Costs Under $2: Prices Fall to Lowest This Year
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: Signs of the Coming Apocalypse: A HuffPost Pop Quiz!Hilary Rosen: Madame Speaker
Joshua Zeitz: 245 Votes Against Protecting Children
RJ Eskow: A Brave Conservative Exposes The GOP's "Vulnerability Gap" On Terror
Bush: Iraq Could Be Like Vietnam...
From wikipedia.orgIn an interview yesterday with ABC's George Stephanopoulos, President Bush accepted a comparison between the current war in Iraq and Vietnam War.
Stephanopoulos told the president that New York Times columnist Tom Friedman has compared the current situation in Iraq to the 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam. Bush replied, "He could be right...there's certainly a stepped up level on violence, and we're heading into an election." The Tet offensive is widely considered to be the turning point in the Vietnam War.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News...Could This Man Be President? Meet a Red-Hot Political Star
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: Iraq for Sale Update: DVD Becoming a Weaponin 06 Election
John Kerry: Will You Fight With Them?
Bob Cesca: The President Gets His Wish: He's The Dictator
Matt Stoller: Debate Train to Crazy Town
Top US General: The "Good Lord Tells" Rumsfeld What Is "Best For Our Country"...
APChairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace defended Donald Rumsfeld yesterday, saying that "the good lord" tells the Secretary of Defense "what is best for our country."
Meanwhile, President Bush, Sec. Rumsfeld, and other advisers face an increasingly violent and chaotic situation in Iraq. Said Richard Haass, the former chief of policy planning at the State Department, "The Iraq situation is not winnable in any real sense of the word 'winnable."
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News: He Says Election Isn't About Him: Tell Us if He Affects Your Vote
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: Bush Spins the Rising Bloodshed: The Iraqis Are Killing Each Other Over There to Sway Your Vote Over HereAlan Rusbridger: Corporate Social Responsibility and Newspapers
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy: Iraq for Sale: Further Evidence of the Bush Administration's Incompetence
Marty Kaplan: The (Jonah) Goldberg Variations
MILITARY'S BAGHDAD PLAN: LAST CHANCE TO SECURE IRAQ...
AP/yahoo.comThe military's security plan for Baghdad is the last chance to secure Iraq, US officials say. Without ending the widespread sectarian violence in the capital city, US commanders believe there is little chance for a stable Iraqi government. "As Baghdad goes, so goes Iraq," said Lt. Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli.
President Bush met with advisers this weekend to discuss Iraq strategy, but many officials doubt there is any alternative to the established plan: stopping insurgents, stationing troops to keep the peace, and winning over the population with reconstruction projects. US efforts have so far been unsuccessful, with October on track to be the deadliest month for US troops in over two years.
Click here to read the whole story.
Click here to discuss it on HuffPost.
On AOL News: Sen. Obama Will Consider 2008 White House Run
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: The Lamont Litmus Test: Why Are So Many Democrats Failing It?Matt Stoller: Joe Lieberman's Slush Fund Problem
Andy Stern: Let's Re-Balance Our Democracy
Rick Jacobs: Senator Feinstein: Lead California
posted by The Scallion @ 7:01 PM
