Greetings, fellow Freedom Fighters™ and Defenders of Democracy™!
Here are this week’s top stories:
-- Didja hear about that awesome peace march and rally on Saturday the 27th? Not if you were reading mainstream media -- especially if you went looking for it today! In striking contrast, however, “Democracy Now!” spent the entire hour this morning devoted to the rally. Police estimates number the marchers in the tens of thousands -- a typical police estimate snapshot for anti-Bush events; organizers estimate that 500,000 attended; Impeach Bush organizers say that 150,000 attended. John Conyers hinted that impeachment is NOT off the table and that it will take even more marches like this one to force Congerss to do America’s bidding. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Liberation … oops, we meant “Freedom” … made a poignant statement: he went to Iraq thinking he was serving his country to do what was right. He was devastated to realize that the invasion was founded on lies. He was even more devastated to learn when he came home that Bush has been cutting veterans’ funding hand over fist. Other speakers included Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, Jane Fonda, Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, and more -- all well worth the listen. Yes, Gentle Readers, today’s DN!, which appears at the bottom of the DN! section, is a program you won’t want to miss! Just scroll down to our information clearinghouse section for the link. Incidentally, WPFW’s Community Comment took calls exclusively from marchers this morning. One caller said that he arrived late and saw that, even as he was leaving, more and more marchers were pouring in. Based on the steady influx of people, a mere “tens of thousands” hardly seems an accurate estimate.
-- Even MORE McCain flip-flops!
-- Bush’s State of Denial speech (from the “Whatchew smokin’, homey?!??” department); Jim Webb’s brilliant rebuttal
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301369.html
-- Scooter Libby on trial; Karl Rove subpoenaed!
-- Yes, the fuckers in the GOP killed the minimum wage increase AGAIN -- the bastards!!!
-- Canada pissed off at the U.S.’s insistence on keeping Maher Arar on the terrorist no-fly list, despite the Canadian government’s very decent total apology and public exoneration of the man accompanied by a payment of $8.9M
-- The senatorial hearing of Alberto Gonzales:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/
article/2006/02/06/AR200602
-- The Republican smear campaign against Obama continues
-- Osama bin Forgotten along with the Katrina survivors
If we do nothing else, we must all work together to mandate Congress to revoke any further funding for Bush’s wars and invasions of aggression and greed.
Keep the faith and keep fighting: together, we WILL win our nation back!
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From our mailbag
Yes, America, you are owned and operated (except what has been mortgaged to China) by the banks and bankers:
http://www.themoneymasters.com/
D.C. 9/11 Truth: America needs to know the truth behind 9/11 because, after all, that was the first bill of goods sold to the American people regarding why Iraq had to be invaded. We of the Scallion are still trying to figure out why WTC 7, which was never touched by an airplane, went down if the government’s likes … oops, we meant “official story” … is true (cough, cough).
http://www.dc911truth.org/
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From our information clearinghouse
These are items we receive from the countless mailing lists to which The Scallion collectively subscribes. They are worth the effort of at least a good skim.
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From AlterNet
Bush Administration Repeats Failed WWI Strategy in Iraq
By Adam Hochschild, Tomdispatch.com
As with WWI troop escalation, the "Big Push" in Iraq will likely do nothing to end the war and much to light the fuses of future ones.
President Bush is now regularly threatening Iran in his speeches. Despite Iraqi government protests, U.S. forces have seized Iranians in Iraq, and Bush is sending nuclear aircraft carriers and missile defense batteries to the Persian Gulf. The unthinkable -- a wider war -- is unfolding.
Resistance to an attack on Iran is growing in Congress, but we need your help! Sign the petition to Congress -- No War with Iran!
Finding Hope in a Post-Oil Society
By James Howard Kunstler, Orion Magazine
America invested most of its late twentieth-century wealth in a living arrangement with no future: Suburbia represents the greatest misallocation of resources in the history of the world. It's time for us to make other arrangements.
Minimum Wage Rises, Sky Does Not Fall
By Barbara Ehrenreich, AlterNet
A visit to Washington state, which has the highest minimum wage in the country, reveals a booming economy with none of the problems Big Business had been warning about.
Is Breast Cancer Awareness a Marketing Sham?
By Lucinda Marshall, AlterNet
Breast cancer is the only disease we try to eradicate by going shopping. But does all that thinking pink really contribute to "The Cure"?
What You Can Do to Help End the War in Iraq
By Saif Rahman, Foreign Policy in Focus
Some political and personal reasons why you should march on Washington on January 27 to call for the end of the occupation of Iraq.
Feminism Brings Benefits to All -- Men Included
By Neil Chethik, AlterNet
Why Nancy Pelosi's achievement is a victory not only for our daughters and granddaughters but also for our sons and grandsons.
The End of Sovereignty
By Sean Gonsalves, AlterNet
The second casualty of the U.S.-led war in Iraq is the meaning of the word sovereignty.
Hillary's Problem Is Hillary, Not Republicans
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, AlterNet
The Democrats need someone who can win. That someone is not Hillary.
PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web
Part II: America's shocking complicity with Saddam: betraying the Shiite rebellion of 1991 [VIDEO]
By Barry Lando
In 1991, Bush 41 called on Iraqis to rebel, then turned his back ... actually aiding Saddam to repress the rebellion.
Dems dodge questions about Iraq's usurious Oil Law [VIDEO]
By Joshua Holland
Quelle surprise!
Wal-Mart accused of consumer fraud
By Tara Lohan
A watch-dog group has reported that Wal-Mart is using misleading signs to pass off nonorganic products as organic.
Keeping It Legal
By Barbara O'Brien
The real abortion debate is not between advocates for "choice" or "life." It's between rational people and foaming-at-the-mouth fanatics.
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Why We Love to Hate Hillary
By Jack Hitt, Mother Jones
Hillary Clinton is like our national Rorschach: She stokes our every emotion, from our deepest fears to our darkest hatreds.
Bush's SOTU: Nixon Would Have Been Proud
By Joshua Holland, AlterNet
Bush's sixth State of the Union speech was loaded with proposals that will go nowhere, and had little relationship with reality. So much for hoping that a 28% approval rating would teach him anything.
What Adults Should Know About Kids' Online Networking
By Kate Sheppard, WireTap
Think you've read everything about Myspace? Think again. Social network expert danah boyd breaks it down.
Fed Up Soldiers Finding New Ways to Protest the War
By Jeanine Plant, AlterNet
How some soldiers are using a little-known shield law to protect their right to dissent.
U.S. Prisoners Exposed to Deadly Chemicals in Toxic Sweatshops
By Christopher Moraff, In These Times
For more than a decade, the Federal Prison Industries has been forcing inmates to handle toxic "e-waste" containing arsenic, mercury, lead and other cancer-causing chemicals.
The Anti-Christian Mythology of Phillip Pullman
By Annalee Newitz, AlterNet
His Dark Materials yields more religious propaganda than anti-religious content.
Justice Demands Acquittal in Long Beach Hate Trial
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson, AlterNet
The issues of racial hate and justice are pitted against each other in a Long Beach courtroom.
The Pentagon vs. Press Freedom
By Norman Solomon, AlterNet
We often hear that the Pentagon exists to defend our freedoms. But the Pentagon is moving against press freedom.
PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web
Libby: 'I will not be sacrificed so Karl Rove can be protected'
By Evan Derkacz
Cheney's #2 throws Rove under bus; Prosecutor charges destruction of evidence...
Olbermann laughs at Fox 'nothing' Channel ad [VIDEO]
By Evan Derkacz
Don't worry, nobody thought you weren't a propaganda factory...
More McCain flip-floppery
By Joshua Holland
Dick Cheney's the kindest, most gentle ... or maybe he's a psycho ...
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Government Food Safety System a Sham
By Jason Mark, AlterNet
A new federal program for livestock tracking will benefit big corporations, threaten small producers and do nothing to protect consumer health.
A Tortured Logic
By Amy Goodman, King Features Syndicate
It is up to the new Democratic majority to investigate the use of torture and demand prosecution for those who engaged in it.
Darfur Diaries: Stories of Survival
By Jen Marlowe, AlterNet
Three filmmakers chronicle their journey to document the tragedy in Darfur where 200,000 people have been killed and 2.5 million forced from their homes.
Jim Webb Offers the Democratic Response to Hillary and Obama
By Jeff Cohen, AlterNet
Last night, Webb offered a populist, anti-corporate stand on economics and a blunt attack on Bush for "recklessly" dragging our country into war, while Hillary and Obama barely uttered a peep.
Our Last Chance to Build a Governing Coalition in Iraq?
By Barry R. Posen, MIT Center for International Studies
The Iraq efforts Bush discussed in his State of the Union address will likely be futile without an Iraqi government based on a legitimate political consensus. To make this happen, Bush needs to act now.
The World Agrees: Stop Bush Before He Kills Again
By Robert Scheer, AlterNet
President Bush has accomplished what Osama bin Laden only dreamed of by disgracing the model of American democracy in the eyes of the world.
Feingold to Senate: "Rise to the occasion on Iraq" [VIDEO]
By Evan Derkacz
They don't.
Senator Byron Dorgan: bin Laden is "Osama been forgotten"
By Bob Geiger
While time is wasted in Iraq, al Qaeda grows.
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Holding Hillary and Obama Accountable on Iraq
By Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report
Rep. Maxine Waters aims to stop Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton from tip-toeing around the issue of Iraq and for them to get serious about an exit strategy.
Is There A Kosher Way to Criticize the Israel Lobby?
By Matthew Yglesias, The American Prospect
Wes Clark is the latest to be caught up in the rigged rules for discussing Israel-related issues in America.
The 'War on Terror' Is Really the War on Our Republic
By Robert Parry, Consortium News
From the beginning of the "war on terror," George W. Bush has lied to the American people about the goals, motivation and even the identity of the enemy -- and that is sounding the death knell for the Republic.
Our Justice System Has Gone Mad
By Silja J.A. Talvi, The Nation
America's culture of locking up its citizens has gone too far -- three percent of Americans are under some form of correctional supervision, and we may finally be at the beginning of a trend toward real criminal justice reform.
Top 10 Reasons You Should Be Terrified that "Dr." Eric Keroack Runs Bush's Family Planning Program
By Evan Derkacz
A creepy powerpoint presentation...
GOP tries to kill minimum wage
By Bob Geiger
Defeated Republicans opt for political suicide.
Dems help sink real opposition to Bush's Iraq
By David Sirota
Apparently, circus contortionists have replaced political leaders in Washington, D.C.
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Rural America Pays the Price for War in Iraq
By Tom Engelhardt, Tomdispatch.com
American dead of the Iraq and Afghan occupations come disproportionately from rural America.
Where Mel Gibson Got His Anti-Semitism
By Heidi Beirich, Intelligence Report
Numbering near 100,000, radical traditionalist Catholics, who reject the teachings of the modern papacy, may form America's largest group of anti-Semites.
Top 10 Solutions for a More Perfect Union
By Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation
There are ten good bills awaiting passage in Congress that could make a real difference.
Savvy Iraq War Protests Don't Just target "The Decider" in DC
By Evan Derkacz
Tens and perhaps hundreds of thousands will march in Washington and elsewhere to protest Bush, the occupation of Iraq, and Congress's reluctance to prevent escalation.
The Terrorists of Our Imagination Aren't Muslims ... They're Us
By Anneli Rufus, AlterNet
Terrorism is now the stuff of fiction, as a glance at the best-seller lists will attest. But while Islamic plotters make the headlines, the terrorists we find on the bookshelves live in our own backyard.
CBS Refuses to Broadcast Iraq Footage
By Rory O'Connor, David Olson, MediaChannel.org
CBS's Chief Foreign Correspondent notified peers that the network won't broadcast her grisly Baghdad story "that is largely being ignored."
The Struggle Over Dams, Displaced People and the Environment
By Jacques Leslie, AlterNet
The battle over dams is at the core of worldwide conflicts involving water scarcity, environmental degradation, globalization, social justice, and the growing gap between rich and poor.
Are You Ready For Some Football?
By Sean Gonsalves, AlterNet
Why sports metaphors don't work for war.
What happens to your emails when you die?
By Heather Gehlert
If you don't decide who should gain access to your digital property, a court might for you.
Patrick Leahy slams Gonzales over rendition, torture [VIDEO]
By Joshua Holland
There's a new sheriff in town; watch the Attorney General dodge and weave ...
Daily Show v. Dick Cheney [VIDEO]
By Evan Derkacz
A full 10-minute monty ...
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Torture Sours U.S.-Canadian Right-wing Lovefest
By Sarah Anderson, AlterNet
Stephen Harper, Canada's conservative Prime Minister, campaigned on strengthening ties with the Bush administration. But the love affair has ended over the American "rendition" of a Canadian citizen to Syria.
McCain v. McCain... a bloody tangle [VIDEO]
By Evan Derkacz
Think you know John McCain?
The Washington Iraq Peace March: A Protest to Be Proud of
By Karen Houppert, TheNation.com
In a protest event that organizers estimated at almost half a million, citizens of all stripes demanded an end to the occupation of Iraq.
Agribusiness' Endless Appetite for Profit
By Matthew Wheeland, AlterNet
An interview with author Michelle Simon, whose latest book covers the ruthless manner in which corporate giants market junk foods to boost their profit margin.
Who Would Jesus Deport?
By Alexander Zaitchik, Intelligence Report
A grassroots movement is forming in which anti-immigrant rhetoric dovetails with the odes to God and country that have long constituted conservative evangelical boilerplate.
The Big Risks and Small Rewards of Farming
By Tom Philpott, Grist Magazine
Thoughts from a small farm during the midwinter lull.
PEEK and Video: The hottest buzz and videos on the web
Kennedy invokes brother's words in minimum wage fight
By Bob Geiger
JFK on helping "... the many who are poor"
Half-Million at DC Protest? [VIDEO]
By Evan Derkacz
Introducing: NY Times math...
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From the Center for American Progress
GOOD NEWS
Ten leading U.S. corporations -- including General Electric, Alcoa, DuPont and Pacific Gas & Electric -- launched a coalition with four environmental groups to push for mandatory federal caps on carbon emissions. Details on the partnership HERE.
STATE WATCH
MARYLAND: Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) embraces "clean-car" initiative.
DELAWARE: Questionable legislative ethics.
ENVIRONMENT: Three hundred sixty-nine mayors have pledged "to do what the Bush Administration will not: take meaningful steps to reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases that are toasting the planet."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Video: CNN debunks false Obama "madrassa" smear.
WAR ROOM: The conservative alternative: escalation with "oversight."
POLITICAL ANIMAL: Bush phones it in for anti-choice activists, again.
POLITICO: New Capitol Hill newspaper launches several new blogs.
DAILY GRILL
"The president listened too much to the Vice President ... Of course, the president bears the ultimate responsibility, but he was very badly served by both the Vice President and, most of all, the Secretary of Defense."
-- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), 1/22/07
VERSUS
"[Vice President Cheney is] one of the most capable, experienced, intelligent and steady vice presidents this country has ever had."
-- McCain, 7/16/04
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GOOD NEWS
London promises that the 2012 Olympics will be the "greenest games" in history.
STATE WATCH
WYOMING: Legislators propose bill that "would allow Wyoming to void same-sex marriages granted by other states."
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: Washington Post: Congress needs to stop "dithering" on voting rights.
ECONOMY: New Center for American Progress report shows the economic costs of poverty on children.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: On Roe v. Wade anniversary, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) calls for judicial "sonogram test."
POLITICAL WIRE: 'Civil war' in the White House over Libby trial.
ESCHATON: Time magazine's new politics blog needs a fact checker.
TAPPED: Fox News tackles the all-important State of the Union fashion news.
DAILY GRILL
"In New Orleans and in other places, many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country. ... A hopeful society comes to the aid of fellow citizens in times of suffering and emergency -- and stays at it until they're back on their feet."
-- President Bush, 2006 State of the Union
VERSUS
"New Orleans is still a mess and the pace of recovery across the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina's strike remains achingly slow after 17 months. But none of this captured
President Bush's attention on the year's biggest night for showcasing policy priorities. On Tuesday night, ... Katrina received not a single mention."
-- AP, 1/24/07
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GOOD NEWS
"A bipartisan group of senators" -- including Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) -- " introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at preventing American companies from profiting from the use of foreign sweatshops and other unfair labor practices abroad."
STATE WATCH
IOWA: State House approves bill to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour.
UTAH: Bill intends to "block gay-straight alliances from forming" in high schools.
WASHINGTON: Teachers are forced to offer "alternative views" to Al Gore's Oscar-nominated global warming documentary "An Inconvenient Truth."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Video: Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) chides colleagues on Iraq: "If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes."
THINK PROGRESS: Audio: Fox News' Gibson says CNN reporter who debunked Obama smear probably attended the same madrassa.
TREE HUGGER: Inspired by "An Inconvenient Truth," Steven Spielberg may produce film on visionary green architect.
POLITICAL TICKER: Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) introduces resolution demanding congressional approval for war in Iran.
DAILY GRILL
"Wolf, Wolf, I simply don't accept the premise of your question. I just think it's hogwash."
-- Vice President Dick Cheney, after Wolf Blitzer asked if mistakes in Iraq had hurt the adminitration's credibility, 1/24/07
VERSUS
"The level of activity that we see today from a military standpoint, I think, will clearly decline. I think they're in the last throes, if you will, of the insurgency."
-- Cheney, 6/20/05
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GOOD NEWS
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) is "installing in her Capitol Hill office energy-efficient lights that dim in response to natural light." At her urging, five other senators are doing the same. These efforts "could cut electricity consumption as much as 50 percent in participating offices."
STATE WATCH
CALIFORNIA: State bans toxic dry-cleaning chemical.
COLORADO: "Colorado's new law banning state spending on illegal immigrants has cost more than $2 million to enforce - and has saved the state nothing."
MAINE: Maine rejects REAL ID.
EDUCATION: After Michigan's ban on affirmative action and declining minority enrollment rates, "public universities are scrambling to find race-blind ways to attract more blacks and Hispanics."
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Conservative senators attempt to abolish federal minimum wage.
NRDC ACTION: Take action to help save polar bears from global warming.
DAILY KOS: Pelosi says Bush told her escalation would succeed because "I told them it had to."
WALMART WATCH: Wal-Mart to pay $33 million in overtime wages it failed to pay to employees.
DAILY GRILL
"But the biggest problem we face right now, is the danger than the United States will validate the terrorist's strategy, that in fact what will happen here, with all of the debate over whether or not we ought to stay in Iraq. ... That we don't have the stomach for the fight. That's the biggest threat."
-- Vice President Cheney, 1/24/07
VERSUS
"Oh, I'm so sorry the vice president so underestimates the people of this country. He has so little faith in this country to say something like that. ... [M]aybe the vice president should tell the families of those who have lost their lives, over 3,000, and over 23,000 wounded, some very seriously for life, that they don't have the stomach? Come on, let's get real here."
-- Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), 1/24/07
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GOOD NEWS
"Three new vaccines arrived on the market in 2006, the most in a single year," as "breakthroughs in technology, increased funding and higher profits are spurring a boom in vaccine discovery and development that could save or improve the lives of millions of people by attacking such scourges as cancer and malaria."
STATE WATCH
HAWAII: New bill "would grant the equal rights and responsibilities of marriage for same-sex couples, while stopping short of being defined as marriage."
RHODE ISLAND: Bill "would ban mandatory overtime for nurses and other workers at hospitals."
HEALTH CARE: A quarter of the nation's uninsured are eligible, but not enrolled, in public health programs.
BLOG WATCH
THINK PROGRESS: Video: Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) blasts conservative effort to burden minimum wage bill with dozens of amendments.
POLITICAL TICKER: Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) places his full schedule online every day.
POLITICS TV: Video from Saturday's anti-escalation rally in Washington D.C.
AFL-CIO NOW: Bill would ban sale of products made in sweatshops.
DAILY GRILL
"[I]t will discourage our troops, who we're asking to carry out this new plan, and it will encourage the enemy."
-- Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), 1/28/07, discussing anti-escalation resolutions
VERSUS
"I don't see this enemy as needing any more emboldening or getting it from any resolution. They're emboldened now."
-- Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), 1/28/07
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From "Democracy Now!"
King's Message: Stop the war, Help the Poor
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/300307_amy19.html
Global Warring, Global Warming, Global Warning
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/299166_amy11.html
* Lt. Ehren Watada Faces Court Martial for Refusing to Serve in Iraq
Last week a military judge ruled Watada cannot present evidence challenging the
war’s legality nor explain what motivated him to resist his deployment order.
He is the first officer to refuse to go to Iraq. With his court martial less
than two weeks away, Lt. Watada is facing up to six years in prison.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/23/1530235
* Peace Activist Bert Sacks Challenges U.S. Fine For Bringing Humanitarian Aid
to Iraq in 1997 *
While First Lieutenant Ehren Watada faces court martial for refusing to deploy
to Iraq to fight, Bert Sacks was fined $10,000 for going to Iraq to bring
humanitarian aid. In 1997, Bert Sacks brought medicine to Iraqi civilians in
defiance of the U.S. sanctions. Sacks is now petitioning the Supreme Court to
take up his case.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/23/1530245
* Legal Scholars: Congress Has Constitutional Power to Limit Scope of Iraq War &
Block Escalation *
President Bush delivers his State of the Union address tonight where he is
expected to re-state his intention to escalate the war by adding over 21,000
troops to Iraq, regardless of whether Congress supports him or not. However
constitutional law experts say Congress has the power to cap the number of
soldiers sent to fight and to limit the use of appropriated funds for the war.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/23/1530250
* Over 50,000 March in Istanbul in Funeral Procession for Slain Turkish-Armenian
Editor Hrant Dink *
Dink was assassinated on Friday outside his office shortly after receiving death
threats by Turkish nationalists for his writings about the Armenian genocide of
1915. We speak to Zanku Armenian of the Armenian National Committee of America.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/23/1530254
* Headlines for January 23, 2007 *
- Death Toll in Baghdad Bombings Reaches 88
- Support for U.S. Deteriorates Around World
- Maxine Waters Urges Lawmakers To March Against War
- Sen. Webb: Fund Katrina Recovery Not Iraq
- Government's Power to Open & Read U.S. Mail Questioned
- General Strike Paralyzes Lebanon
- Security Forces in Guinea Kill 30 Protesters
- Paper: Israeli Officials Prepare Public For Attack on Iran
- Airline Bars Man From Flight Over Bush T-Shirt
- Berkeley Tree-Sit Enters Seventh Week
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/23/1531222
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* In 4th State of the Union Since Invasion of Iraq, President Bush Urges
Congress to Back Escalating War *
Despite increasing opposition, President Bush vowed last night to escalate the
war in Iraq and proceed with his plan to send 21,000 more troops to Iraq. He
urged Congress to give his new Iraq strategy "a chance to work."
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1533216
* The Occupation: Veteran Correspondent Patrick Cockburn Reports from Iraq *
As President Bush calls on Congress to support his call to send more troops to
Iraq, we go to Baghdad for a report from London Independent correspondent
Patrick Cockburn.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1533239
* Rep. Maxine Waters Calls on Congressional Colleagues to Join Massive Anti-War
Rally *
Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters of California has sent a letter to every other
member of the House urging them to participate in Saturday's anti-war protest
in Washington. She joins us to talk about her call and her resolution to
withdraw US troops from Iraq.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1534208
* The View from Nairobi: Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai Reacts to State of
the Union from the World Social Forum in Kenya *
While President Bush delivered his State of the Union address, more than eighty
thousand people have been gathering in Kenya this week for the seventh annual
World Social Forum. The theme of the meeting is “People’s Struggles, People’s
Alternatives Another World is Possible.” Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai joins
us from Nairobi.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1534232
* Bush's New Energy Proposals: A Break from the Past or More of the Same? *
President Bush introduced proposals to cut US gasoline consumption by twenty
percent over ten years and ease the country’s dependance on foreign oil. The
president steered clear of calling for mandatory caps on U.S. carbon dioxide
emissions and rejected calls for a commitment to stricter fuel economy rules.
Award-winning New York Times science reporter Andrew Revkin analyses President
Bush’s proposals.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1534251
* Critics: New Bush Proposals Shift More Health Care Costs onto Working
Americans *
Health care advocates are heavily criticizing Bush's health plan. They say that
it actually shifts more of the cost of health care onto working Americans,
imposes a new tax on those that already have health care and does nothing to
hold down skyrocketing health care costs. We speak with Dr. Steffie
Woolhandler, co-founder of Physicians for a National Health Program.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1535212
* Headlines for January 24, 2007 *
- Bush Urges Iraq War Support in State of the Union Address
- Bush Approval Rating Drops to 28%
- 5 Blackwater Employees Killed in Iraq
- US Conducts New Airstrike in Somalia
- Lebanon Strike Ends After Clashes Kill 6
- Thousands Honor Slain Editor in Turkey, Armenia
- Hundreds Arrested in LA Immigration Raids
- DNA Testing Exonerates Two Prisoners
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/24/1533211
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* EXCLUSIVE... 911 Calls in North Dakota Town Reveal Dangers of Media
Consolidation *
Five years ago this week a train derailed in Minot, North Dakota leaking
thousands of gallons of toxic chemicals into the air. One person died and
hundreds were hospitalized. The city's six non-religious commercial radio
stations all owned by Clear Channel never aired warnings for local
residents. In a broadcast exclusive, we air the 911 tapes for the first time,
and speak to Eric Klinenberg, author of “Fighting for Air: The Battle to
Control America’s Media.”
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/25/153207
* Targeted: Homeland Security and the Business of Immigration *
Author and radio host Deepa Fernandes joins us to talk about her new book,
“Targeted: Homeland Security and the Business of Immigration.” Fernandes
documents the hidden human struggles behind the immigration debate and exposes
how big business has been a driving force in setting immigration policy.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/25/153210
* Headlines for January 25, 2007 *
- Senate Committee Rejects Iraq Troop Increase
- Hezbollah: Opposition Could Have Overthrown Government
- Ex-Panthers Arrested Decades After Confessions Under Torture
- Ex-Police Deputy Arrested in 1964 Murders of Black Youths
- Queens Shooting Survivor Released from Hospital
- Election Workers Convicted over Ohio Recount Tampering
- Pentagon Unveils Heat-Inducing Ray Gun
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/25/152258
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* Our Mercenaries in Iraq: Blackwater Inc and Bush's Undeclared Surge *
On Tuesday, five employees of the private security firm Blackwater USA were
killed in a violent Baghdad neighborhood. Hours later, President Bush used his
State of the Union address to call on what some are calling an undeclared surge
of private mercenaries in Iraq. We speak with Jeremy Scahill, author of the
forthcoming “Blackwater: The Rise of the World’s Most Powerful Mercenary Army.”
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/26/1559232
* Pentagon Unveils Heat-Inducing Ray-Gun: Non-Lethal Crowd Control or Dangerous
Weapon? *
The Pentagon unveils a new heat-ray gun that is designed to make targets feel
like they are about to catch fire. It’s main goal: pain. Does it violate
international law, and could it be used for torture? Retired Marine Col. Gary
Anderson says: “Why would I want to use an $8 million weapon [when I can use] a
25-cent pen knife?” Human Rights Watch military expert Marc Garlasco says the
weapon raises major concerns. They joins us for a discussion.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/26/1559240
* Murder Charges Against Former Black Panthers Based on Confessions Extracted by
Torture *
Police in California, New York and Florida arrested eight former Black Panthers
earlier this week on charges related to the 1971 killing of a San Francisco
police officer. Charges were thrown out in 1974 after it was revealed police
used torture to extract confessions in the case. We speak with two of the
defendants’ attorneys.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/26/1559250
* Headlines for January 26, 2007 *
- Deployment Extended for 3,000 Troops in Afghanistan
- Bush Admin Enacts “Kill or Capture” of Iranians in Iraq
- Iraq in Talks With Chevron, Exxon
- 4 Killed, 100 Injured in Lebanon Clashes
- 7th World Social Forum Concludes in Nairobi
- Admin Seeks Dismissal of Wiretap Suit
- Ex-Deputy Arraigned in 1964 Civil Rights Murder Case
- Massive Anti-War Protest Set for DC Saturday
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/26/161203
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The United States sent Canadian citizen Maher Arar to Syria where he was imprisoned and tortured. Canadian Prime Minister Harper has apologized to Arar, and the Canadian government has awarded him $9 million. Canada is demanding Arar's removal from the U.S. terror no-fly list. The U.S. government response: no apology, no fly.
Read Amy Goodman’s column on Arar, then click on commondream.org’s “Email This Article” feature
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0125-30.htm
Up to Democrats to investigate Torture
by Amy Goodman
The new head of the Senate Judiciary Committee was angry. Sen. Patrick Leahy was questioning U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about a man named Maher Arar.
Arar is a Canadian citizen the U.S. detained without charge then sent to Syria in 2002. Leahy fumed: "We knew damn well, if he went to Canada, he wouldn't be tortured. He'd be held. He'd be investigated. We also knew damn well, if he went to Syria, he'd be tortured."
Read full column:
http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0125-30.htm
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* Rep. Maxine Waters, Rep. John Conyers, Rep. Lynn Woolsey, Navy Seaman
Jonathan Hutto, Bob Watada & Others Call for End to Iraq War at Anti-War
Rally in Washington *
Anti-war protesters filled the streets of Washington on Saturday in one of
the largest protests since the invasion of Iraq. Veterans and military
families joined lawmakers, peace groups and celebrities to urge Congress and
President Bush to bring the troops home now. Protest organizers United For
Peace and Justice estimated 500,000 took part in the demonstration. In
California, smaller rallies were held in San Francisco, Los Angeles and
Sacramento. In Washington, marchers converged on the National Mall for a
two-hour rally. The crowd included people who came on 300 buses from 40
states.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/29/1453230
* "Silence Is No Longer An Option": Jane Fonda, Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon
and Tim Robbins Speak Out *
On Saturday Jane Fonda took part in her first anti-war protest since the
Vietnam War. "I haven't spoken at an anti-war rally for 34 years," Fonda
said. "But silence is no longer an option." Meanwhile actor Tim Robbins
called for the impeachment of President Bush.
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/29/1453235
* Headlines for January 29, 2007 *
- Antiwar Groups Rally in Washington
- U.S. and Iraqi Forces Kill 300 Gunmen in Najaf
- Gates: Resolution Opposing War Escalation "Emboldens the Enemy"
- Senate Unanimously OKs Petraeus to Head Iraq Forces
- Bush Defends Policy to Kill Iranians in Iraq
- Report: Turkey Considers Invading Northern Iraq
- Canada Pays Maher Arar $9M Settlement
- Suicide Bombing Kills Three in Israel
- Israel Faces Possible Sanctions Over Cluster Bombs
- New Orleans Officials Threaten Tenant Attorney
- Molly Ivins Hospitalized
Listen/Watch/Read
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/01/29/1453224
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From Greg Palast
Off the Rails:
Big Oil, Big Brother Win Big in the State of the Union
by Greg Palast
23 January, 2006
There was that tongue again. When the President lies he's got this weird nervous tick: He sticks the tip of his tongue out between his lips. Like a little boy who knows he's fibbing. Like a snake licking a rat.
In his State of the Union tonight the President did his tongue thing 124 times -- my kids kept count.
But it wasn't all rat-licking lies.
Most pundits concentrated on Iraq and wacky health insurance stuff. But that's just bubbles and blather. The real agenda is in the small stuff. The little razors in the policy apple, the nasty little pieces of policy shrapnel that whiz by between the appearances of the Presidential tongue.
First, there was the announcement the regime will, "give employers the tools to verify the legal status of their workers." In case you missed that one, the President is talking about creating a federal citizen profile database.
There's a problem with that idea. It's against the law. The law in question is the United States Constitution. The Founding Fathers thought the government had no right to keep track on a citizen unless there is evidence they have committed, or planned to commit, a crime.
But the Founding Fathers didn't imagine there were millions and billions of dollars to be made by private contractors ready to perform this KGB operation for the Department of Homeland Security, tracking each and every one of us to keep tabs on our "status."
These work databases will tie into "voter verification" databases required by the Help America Vote Act. And these will tie to the databases on citizenship and so on.
Will Big Brother abuse these snoop lists? The biggest purveyor of such hit lists is Choice Point, Inc. those characters who, before the 2000 election, helped Jeb Bush purge innocent voters as "felons" from Florida voter rolls. Will they abuse the new super-lists? Does Dick Cheney shoot in the woods?
There were several other little IEDs (improvised execrable policy devices) planted in the State of the Union. Did you catch the one about doubling the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? If you're unfamiliar with the SPR, it is supposed to be the stash of oil we keep in case the price of crude gets too high.
Well, the price of oil has been horribly high but Dick Cheney, the official who sits on the Reserve's spigots, has refused to release the oil into the market.
Instead of unleashing the Reserve and busting Big Oil's price gouging Bush will double the Reserve, which will require buying three-quarters of a billion barrels of oil. This is a nice $40 billion pay-out to Big Oil from the US Treasury. Compare this to the President's health insurance plan which will be "revenue neutral" -- that is, have a net investment of zero.
But the $40 billion in loot the oilmen will get from us taxpayers for doubling the Reserve is nothing compared to the boost in the worldwide price of crude caused by this massive, mad purchase. While the Congressional audience didn't even bother polite applause for the reserve purchase plan, there's no doubt they were whooping it up in Saudi Arabia. Clearly, the state of the Saudi-Bush union is still pretty good.
But why end on a cynical note? I must admit I was moved by the President's praise of Wesley Autrey, a New Yorker who, last month, threw himself on top of a man who had fallen on subway tracks -- and held him between the track rails as the train passed over them.
While the President properly acknowledged Autrey's courage in saving the man who fell on the subway tracks, Mr. Bush still did not explain why Dick Cheney pushed the man in the first place.
Greg Palast is the author of the New York Times bestseller: Armed Madhouse: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Class War. The subscribe to Palast's investigative reports, go to www.GregPalast.com
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From Media Savvy
Communications At The Crossroads
An excerpt from the new book "Digital Destiny" explains how big business is trying to turn new media into old media.
Suspect Arrested In Hrant Dink Murder
Turks are shocked and galvanized; was there a wider consipracy to kill the Armenian-Turkish journalist?
White House's Claim It's Going Legit On Wiretapping Met With Skepticism
What does the Attorney General's letter to Congress really mean, and what questions should the media be asking?
VIDEO: MediaChannel and Davos 2007
The exclusive World Economic Forum, held annually in Davos, Switzerland, has opened up the conversation to include independent voices from across the globe. MediaChannel submits this video to applaud this inclusive approach and to press for more a formal and lasting commitment to support and collaborate with independent media and global citizens.
Davos Summit Nears--What Is The Media Saying?
The World Economic Forum begins Wednesday in Davos, Switzerland. How is the media taking part in it--and how can you?
Obama Meets The Echo Chamber: The Anatomy Of A Smear
How a smear bounces around the conservative echo chamber, this time with presidential contender Barack Obama.
Lewis Libby Trial Coverage Central
The Associated Press will carry MediaBloggers coverage of the Libby trial--just in time for MediaChannel founder Rory O'Connor's reporting next week.
The Pentagon Vs. Press Freedom In The Watada Case
Norman Solomon: "By sending subpoenas to Sarah Olson... the Pentagon is trying to chip away at the proper role of news media."
Boston Globe Closes Foreign Bureaux
Soon the only US daily papers with any foreign presence will be the three big national papers: the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal.
No Substitute for Free and Unfettered News Gathering
Former talk show host Phil Donahue makes an impassioned plea for reason in the Sarah Olson/Ehren Watada case.
Obama's Madrasa Story Still Bouncing Around Fox News
After CNN debunks Insiht magazine's madrasa story, its corpse is still wandering the halls of Fox News and the right-wing blogosphere.
Helping Lara Logan (updated 1/26)
An unusual plea from CBS News Foreign Correspondent Lara Logan highlights the fact that the network television s coverage of the Iraq war still leaves something to be desired.
Lewis Libby Trial Coverage Central
Rory O'Connor's liveblogging of the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial starts today! You can read our round up or go straight to Media Is a Plural to read the latest dispatches!
Outrage: Yet Another Surge
Not only does it look as if there are military preparations for striking Iran, it looks as if the White House is doing public opinion preparations for a strike on Iran. Three items stand out this week.
Five Suspects Arrested In Hrant Dink Murder
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink was killed by a small group of nationalists, but his controversial and progressive legacy continues.
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From HuffPo
Nathan Gardels: World Economic Forum Meeting In Davos Confirms Power Shift Away From US...
APFrom Nathan Gardels' Blog:
This year's theme at the World Economic Forum annual meeting -- "the shifting power equation"-- confirms the view of the global elite gathering in Davos, Switzerland that power is draining away from the United States to multiple centers as countries from Brazil to China moved beyond "emerging" markets to establish themselves as major players on the world scene...
...Usually, Davos gets it right because its motto, which might be described as "follow the money, with the conscience trailing behind," pretty much approximates how the world works.
Click here to read more.
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: New Media in Old EuropeSteve Case: It's Time for a Revolution in Health
Robert L. Borosage: State Of The Union: Deteriorating
Lizz Winstead: A Little Jab'll Do Ya
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Rep. John Murtha: My Testimony To The Senate Foreign Relations Committee...
APFrom Rep. John Murtha's Blog:
I delivered the following testimony on Iraq to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. My plan calls for (1) the redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq, (2) the execution of a robust diplomatic effort and the restoration of our international credibility, and (3) the repairing of our military readiness and the rebuilding of our strategic reserve to face future threats.
Click here to read more.
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: My First "Davos Moment"Esther Dyson: Release 0.9: Cookies and Disclosure
Martin Varsavsky: Europost: As America's Discontent with Bush Grows, Europeans Sigh with Relief
Jane Smiley: Is There Something Wrong with the System?
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Rep. John Conyers: Saturday's Peace Rally In Washington
APFrom Rep. John Conyers' Blog On Saturday's Peace Rally In Washington:
Celebrities joined many activists and Members of Congress to call for an end to the fighting now. There was a very big crowd on the mall and most media coverage has been pretty positive.
Jane Fonda returned to the peace movement, calling upon Americans not to forget the lessons of Vietnam. I had a chance to speak to Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, who have also used their celebrity as movie stars to bring the media focus to the growing anti-war movement.
Click here to read more.
ON THE BLOG TODAY
Arianna Huffington: John McCain Bites My Head OffNorman Lear: In the Language of Today
Christopher Chyba: Is There a Kind of Multipolar Security Spiral Now Taking Place in Northeast Asia?
Pachacutec: Libby Trial: Who's Your Daddy?
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And now for something you'll really like!
In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth and populated the Earth with broccoli, cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow and red vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.
Then using God's great gifts, Satan created Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream and Krispy Creme Donuts. And Satan said, "You want chocolate with that?" And Man said, "Yes!" and Woman said, "and as long as you're at it, add some sprinkles." And they gained 10 pounds. And Satan smiled.
And God created the healthful yogurt that Woman might keep the figure that Man found so fair. And Satan brought forth white flour from the wheat, and sugar from the cane and combined them. And Woman went from size 6 to size 14.
So God said, "Try my fresh green salad." And Satan presented Thousand-Island Dressing, buttery croutons and garlic toast on the side. And Man and Woman unfastened their belts following the repast.
God then said, "I have sent you heart healthy vegetables and olive oi l in which to cook them." And Satan brought forth deep fried fish and chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained more weight and his cholesterol went through the roof.
God then created a light, fluffy white cake, named it "Angel Food Cake," and said, "It is good." Satan then created chocolate cake and named it "Devil's Food."
God then brought forth running shoes so that His children might lose those extra pounds. And Satan gave cable TV with a remote control so Man would not have to toil changing the channels. And Man and Woman laughed and cried before the flickering blue light and gained pounds.
Then God brought forth the potato, naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and deep-fried them. And Man gained pounds.
God then gave lean beef so that Man might consume fewer calories and still satisfy his appetite. And Satan created McDonald's and its 99-cent double cheeseburger. Then said, "You want fries with that?" And Man replied, "Yes ! And super size them!" And Satan said, "It is good." And Man went into cardiac arrest.
God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.
Then Satan created HMOs.
posted by The Scallion @ 6:39 PM
