Saturday, August 18, 2007

Jon Stewart interviews "Cheney" author

Via Democratic Underground, Jon Stewart: Time to End the "Traitor" Talk

The other night on The Daily Show, our next to last, best American Journalist - Jon Stewart - directly confronted Cheney Biographer Stephen Haynes on the tendency of the Administration and it's supporters to cast aspersions on the patriotism of those who are critical of the War in Iraq.

Click here for more.



(Stephen Haynes' book is entitled Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President.)

UPDATE: Click here for Oscar's Saturday Comics

Bill Moyers shares some thoughts on his fellow Texan, Karl Rove

Haloscan comment thread

Friday, August 17, 2007

In-depth article about Charlie's case, by Ronald DuPont



In the High Springs Herald...
Having not eaten since Sunday night, Alachua political activist Charlie Grapski sat in a jail cell interview room Thursday and made allegations of mistreatment by police and of inadequate medical treatment or no treatment at all inside the county jail.

With multiple black bruises on his arms, a 2-inch cut on his face and sleepy, red eyes, Grapski sat in a locked room at the Alachua County jail and spoke with High Springs Herald Editor Ronald Dupont Jr., who sat on the other side of a steel grate.

At least four times during the interview, Grapski stopped talking, stared partway at the ceiling and lost track of time until Dupont called his name.

Click here to read the rest.

Update from Jessica in the comments:

FYI, I called the jail and you can put money in Charlie's account with a credit card, so he can buy things in the jail store, by calling this number: 1-888-277-2535


Haloscan comment thread

Happy birthday, Demetrius!

A very happy birthday to Demetrius!



(jc created this graphic for Demetrius' birthday last year, at my request. I just had another one of those pangs of missing her all over again.)

Haloscan comment thread

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Charlie update

Thank you SusanD for pointing out this comment from the end of an old thread...

"Charlie is being held at the Alachua County Jail, 3333 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32609. Phone #352 491-4444 Ext.4

He will be pleased to get messages of solidarity from you. Also calls to the jail to express concerns for his safety are encouraged. He was brutalized by the APD when arrested and in the jail when resisting the strip search.
Michael Canney | Homepage | 08.16.07 - 12:29 am
Update: I just found this article, which was written in March:
Corruption Watch: Alachua FL must reform

Another update, from the comments in the current thread...

Charlie has been charged with 6 felonies, a psychiatric evaluation has been ordered and bail has been set at $60,000. A bail reduction is being sought.

Thanks for posting the message up front. Check the latest newspaper at: highspringsherald.com

It won't be online until later tonight. Please spread the word.
Haloscan comment thread

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Rethinking Assumptions


Today is the Feast of the Assumption, a holy day of obligation in the Roman Catholic church. I recall a priest once trying to convince us that they were really holy days of *opportunity*. That "re-framing" didn't really work for me.

But since then, I've learned that there were stories of holy men in the bible being "assumed" into heaven without dying first.

So no, I didn't actually go to church today. But, before the day is over, I wanted to be sure to celebrate the Assumption as I now understand it.

Girl power! W00t!

Haloscan comment thread

Action alert: Postal rate hike would harm smaller publishers

Hat tip to it's simple if you ignore the complexity at My Left Wing, I want to draw your attention to an important action alert from Free Press.
Postal regulators have accepted a proposal from media giant Time Warner that would stifle small and independent publishers in America. The plan unfairly burdens smaller publishers with higher postage rates while locking in special privileges for bigger media companies.

In establishing the U.S. postal system, the nation's founders wanted to ensure that a diversity of viewpoints were available to "the whole mass of the people." Time Warner's rate increase reverses this egalitarian ideal and threatens the marketplace of ideas on which our democracy depends.

It's time stand up for independent media. Demand that Congress step in to stop the unfair rate hikes.

Click here for more.

On an unrelated topic, this link was posted in the comments:
Grapski charged with striking police

Haloscan comment thread

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Guess who this is...

Demetrius has been modeling some new animals in 3D so that we can have a wider range of species in our section of animal designs. This week he's been working on members of the bear family--polar bear, panda bear and brown bear. And it struck me that he just had to do this...




Do you know who it is?

Haloscan comment thread

Monday, August 13, 2007

Open Thread



Daughter in Ohio singing with her fellow choir camp participants.

Haloscan comment thread

Rove resigns. Meaning...?



Via Crooks and Liars, Karl Rove has resigned.

What, exactly, does that mean?

Haloscan comment thread

Sunday, August 12, 2007

OMG Have we arrived?

by Subway Serenade



From the Washington Post

Democrats appeared to be on the run, disorganized and demoralized. But outside of Washington there was hope. Grass-roots Democratic activists had seen the future of our politics in Howard Dean -- plain-spoken and unapologetic. His presidential candidacy had come up short, but its fresh, optimistic approach -- predicated on offering clear contrasts between the two parties -- was poised to redefine the party.

Dean was elected chairman of the Democratic Party despite predictions of electoral doom by the usual suspects in Washington, including the Democratic Leadership Council. In the House, Democrats chose Nancy Pelosi to lead them over current DLC Chairman Harold Ford, who warned of disaster if Pelosi won. Calling her a "throwback" who practiced a "destructive and obstructive" style of politics, Ford proclaimed, "I don't think Nancy Pelosi's kind of politics is what's needed right now." Today, Nancy Pelosi is the first female speaker of the House.

I remember "The Wizard of Oz" well. After getting through the flying monkeys, we had to fight through fields of opiates, then when we finally got into the Emerald City we were told by those living in opulence inside that we would have to fight the evil outside, which for all we knew could have been caused by those ordering us to fight.

Oh, and we had to fight the evil unarmed and unprotected.

But then we vanquish the evil and return to the castle, only to find that those who ordered us to fight were themselves buffoons, and their leader was in fact, a very bad wizard who tries to buy off his embarrassment with trinkets and paper, leaving the big question entirely unanswered.

"When do we go home?"

And the answer is so simple, Glenda is surprised we didn't figure it out for ourselves.

They who rule have said that we have no brains, no heart, no nerve and that we'll never go home again. That we have nothing to look forward to than war and toil and death.

That's what The American People, and the Peoples of the World are waking up from. There IS no place like home and we will have it.



...And we will make it new again.

Haloscan comment thread

Washington Post Op-ed by Markos and Susan G

I just found out via Firedoglake that Markos and Susan G penned an op-ed for the Washington Post. They do make some good points.

But, if anyone feels so inclined, this would appear to be a good opportunity to write to the WaPo addressing the extent to which Markos speaks for the "left" or the "netroots".

The Washington Post
1150 15 St. NW
Washington, DC 20071

and by e-mail at:
letters@washpost.com

Haloscan comment thread