Madrid tennis - this week II (Quarter-finals Friday)

Roger Federer V. Andy Roddick (The battle of the newlyweds)

Roddick started off strongly winning the first 2 games. They were on serve until 5-5 Then Federer broke Roddick served out the set, it's now 1-0 in sets. They are on serve in the second set.Roddick 6 Federer 6. (tiebreak: Roddick 7-5)  
Third set Federer 6-1 .
Roddick being tended to for an injured finger on his left hand (he's right-handed)
It must be really hot out there or else Andy has a nervous twitch, because he has called for a towel before each point. It is 3:40 PM in Madrid.

Congratulations Roger! Into the semi-finals. He will play either Andy Murray or Juan Martin del Potro tomm.

First set:

A. Roddick   5

R. Federer    7

Second set:

 Roddick   7 (tiebreak:Roddick 7-5)
 Federer     6

Third set:

Roddick   1
Federer    6

Sets: Federer 2-1

Next: Novack Djokavic v. Ivan Lubicic



9:20 (EST): Sorry for the delay. My computer rebelled against the hard work. Back now.

Madrid tennis - this week

In Tennis: The clay court season is in full swing, leading up, of course, to Paris (5/24-6/7)

This week: Madrid: Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open:

Today (Thurs) Round of 16

Men

R. Nadal ("Walkover" - Kohlscreiber left leg injury)
P. Kohlschreiber

A. Roddick   ("Walkover" - Davydenko left leg injury)

N. Davydenko

R. Federer   6 6
J. Blake        2 4

A. Murray     7  6
T. Robredo   5  1

N. Djokovic   6 6
A. Seppi         4 4

J. Del Potro   4  6  6
S. Wawrinka  6  4  4

I. Lubichich    3 6
G. Simon         6 4

F. Verdasco (in progress)   7 6
J. Monaco                             5 2





Women

D. Safina         6  4  6

L. Safarova     0  6  3

J. Jankovic      6  6 

E. Vesnina       2  2

A. Savay            4  6  6
V. Azarenka      6  2  2

A. Bondarenko    6  2  6
A. Chakvetadze   0  6  3

C. Wozniaki          6  6

A. Klaybanova      2  2

New York State takes a step toward Marriage equality

From The Human Rights Campaign (HRC):

Last night, the New York State Assembly passed the marriage equality bill (A.7732) with a vote of 89 to 52. Thanks go to Governor Paterson and Assemblyman Daniel O'Donnell for their leadership.

Much will be expected of Tom Duane to lead the bill through the Senate, which will be much more difficult.

A Marriage Equality Rally
Sunday May 17
45th and 6th Avenue
from 5-7pm.

Many of New York’s Broadway and Television stars are turning out to take action. Appearances are scheduled by Cynthia Nixon, Kristen Davis, David Hyde Pierce with performances by Audrey McDonald, The Cast of Hair, Cheyenne Jackson, and many more. Also, elected officials scheduled to attend include City Council Speaker Quinn, Senator Duane, Assemblyman O’Donnell, Senator Liz Kruger and many more.

UNDO THE COUP AT WBAI! Hands Off WBAI

If there is anything that is as sure as day following night in New York left circles it is that a group will try to get control of radio station WBAI. Well! It's happening again. Here's the latest info re: the Grace Aaron attempted coup.

UNDO THE COUP AT WBAI!
Pacifica National Removes General Manager - Program Director Next?
Gag Rule Imposed on Programmers Who Dissent from National Takeover

WBAI is under attack from Pacifica’s Interim Executive Director, Grace Aaron of Los Angeles, as well as from the Pacifica National Board majority and the WBAI Local Station Board majority. Exploiting a very real financial crisis at the station, they want to impose their own brand of programming – removing what some label “racial divisiveness and balkanization,” meaning community self-determination programs, particularly those by and for the Black community.

On May 6, Aaron removed WBAI’s progressive Black General Manager, Tony Riddle, and replaced him with LaVarn Williams, Pacifica’s Interim Chief Financial Officer, from Berkeley. Another progressive Black manager, Program Director Bernard White, has been harshly attacked by majority board members locally and nationally; he is likely to be fired soon. The Local Station Board reportedly held an “executive session” on April 20 at which the majority did a snap “evaluation” of these 2 managers (over strong minority objections), which initiated the process of firing them. No data was collected and they were given no chance to respond. Riddle had served as manager for 13 months. White, a 30-year station veteran, has recently resumed work after major surgery.

These actions follow Riddle’s and White’s vocal and written protests about the recently revealed attempt by Aaron to hijack the station by changing the locks on the station’s broadcast transmitter room and installing equipment for remote control of programming – all without notifying manager Riddle.

Meanwhile, Aaron has imposed a gag rule threatening any programmer who discusses matters on air that she deems a “risk” to Pacifica will be removed from the air. Already, Wakeup Call programmers Don DeBar and Errol Maitland, who have dissented on the air, have been disciplined.

All these steps are reminiscent of the Christmas Coup of December 2000, when Pacifica changed locks, fired local managers, and purged dissenting programmers & other staff, with the goal of mainstreaming BAI – until a mass movement of listeners and staff fought back and won back control of the station and network.

• Attend a Public Forum on the WBAI Crisis – Tues., May 12, 7:00 PM at Dist. 1707, 75 Varick St. (n. of Canal St.), 14th Fl., Manhattan (A or 1 train to Canal St.) – Sponsor: Ad Hoc Community Activist Coalition on WBAI – for info on this event & those below, call 212-561-7231.

• Attend CEMOTAP’s Great Debate on Bloomberg’s Policies - Sun., May 17, 6 - 9 PM
Bernard White speaks re WBAI, 7:30 - Salem Church, 129th & AC Powell Blvd., Harlem

• Speak out at the WBAI Local Station Board mtg., Wed., May 20, 7 PM – place TBA

Fight Back! VOICE YOUR PROTEST * BECOME A WBAI VOTING MEMBER!

Send an email to the Pacifica National Board at pnb@pacifica.org – which reaches each board member individually, including Grace Aaron. Please send a cc to info@justiceunity.org.

Demand Hands Off WBAI Management! Maintain local control of programming!
* Also call Grace Aaron at (310) 286-1011 or (310) 402-4087 with the same message.
* Sign a petition to RECALL Local Station Board members Steve Brown, Mitch Cohen, James Ross, and Carolyn Birden, leaders of the attack on WBAI management.
* At this point, IT IS URGENT THAT YOU JOIN THE STATION (by donating $25 or more or 3 hours of volunteer work) so that you have the right to vote for Justice & Unity board candidates and to recall destructive board members. Call the station’s pledge line at (212) 209-2950 – ask them to note on the card that you oppose removal of local management. Or pledge at www.wbai.org.

Stay updated with: THE WBAI JUSTICE & UNITY CAMPAIGN
(212) 591-2111 * www.justiceunity.org (join our email list there) * info@justiceunity.org

Mothers' Day was originally (1870) an anti-war day

When you are celebrating Mothers' Day on Sunday (May 10) it would be a good idea to remember the reason Julia Ward Howe first suggested the holiday. According to Amy Goodman (on Democracy Now) this morning: Julia Ward Howe’s “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” which was written in 1870, protest[ed] the carnage of the Civil War, Amy also showed a brief new film by Robert Greenwald on Mothers' Day. Here are the opening words (Reading the film by Gloria Steinem):

Mother’s Day really was in its origin an antiwar day, an antiwar statement. Julia Ward Howe was sickened by what had happened during the Civil War, the loss of life, the carnage, and she created Mother’s Day as a call for women all over the world to come together and create ways of protesting war, of making a kind of alternate government that could finally do away with war as an acceptable way of solving conflict

Obviously this is as relevant today (maybe more) than in 1870.

Here is the excerpt from Greenwald's Mothers' Day video (as shown this morning on Democracy Now).




(If you are reading this on FaceBook, click here to see video)

Maine today, New Hampshire tomorrow

Yesterday Maine became the fifth state to legalize gay marriage, following Mass- achusetts, Connec- ticut, Iowa and Vermont. The New Hampshire legislature passed a same-sex marriage bill, the governor could sign it as early as today (Thurs.) It's very likely that the opposition to gay marriage in Maine will follow the California example and pursue what the NYT calls a "people's veto," since Gov. John Baldacci signed the bill. The future of gay marriage in Maine may depend on what its organized supporters learned from Prop. 8. The Times quotes the Maine Marriage Alliance's Rev. Bob Emrich: "... they are very well funded, they have a great organization, and they've been at it a long time." The idea that civil unions are the equivalent of marriage is about as valid as "Separate but Equal" was. But just as in the case of schools, it's separate and unequal.

Pete, you outlasted the bastards, man.

Those were the words of Bruce Springsteen on Sunday (May 3) in tribute to Peter Seeger, on his birthday. And what a night it was. Because Ann was one of the performers at Pete's 90th birthday party at Madison Square Garden, Andrew and I had great seats for what has to be one of the most exciting events in recent memory. I think Springsteen's tribute to Pete was the highlight of the evening, after which he and Tom Morello (from Rage Against the Machine) performed Ghost of Tom Joad:

It says, 'Wherever there’s a cop beating a guy, wherever a hungry newborn baby cries, wherever there’s a fight against the blood and the hatred in the air, look for me, Mom. I’ll be there.'

Well, Springsteen said, Pete has always been there. And he has always been there for labor, for civil rights, for peace and, in recent years, particularly, the environment. The birthday party was both a tribute to Pete and a fund raiser for his Clearwater project to clean-up of the Hudson River. (I think it's entirely possible that that was the only reason the very modest Pete Seeger agreed to this tribute.) In addition to Springsteen and Morello, the evening included Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Tom Paxton, Ani Difranco, John Mellencamp, Bernice Johnson Reagon (and her daughter Toshi, named after Toshi Seeger, Pete's lifetime partner), Billy Bragg, Arlo Guthrie, Taj Mahal, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristof- ferson, Ben Harper, Roger McGuinn, Dave Matthews, Bela Fleck and the McGarrigle Family and Tao Rodriguez Seeger, Pete's grandson. Oh! and how can we forget Oscar the Grouch and Tom Chapin doing Garbage, Garbage, Garbage. In addition to the musical performers (almost all of whom did Pete's songs), Tim Robbins, Ruby Dee, and Norman Leer also appeared.

Morrello and Warren Haynes (Gov't Mule and the Allman Bros. Band) were the real workhorses of the evening. Everytime someone needed guitar back-up, they called on one or the other or both. Ann and the NYC Labor Chorus also officially performed four separate times (on their own they sang To My Old Brown Earth, and a smaller Chorus contingent backed up Bernice and Toshi Reagon - with others - on Oh Freedom, Joan Baez on Jacob's Ladder and Emmylou Harris and the McGarrigal family on The Water is Wide.) Obviously, because they were on stage from curtin to curtin, they joined in most of the songs.

Other highlights were Taj Mahal and Morello (Waist Deep in the Big Muddy,) Bela Fleck and Tony Trishka (Banjo Suite,), Dave Matthews (Whiskey Rye Whiskey) and everyone doing We Shall Overcome, to close the first act and This Land is Your Land to end the second. Then to top it all off, everyone, plus the Seeger family, ending with Irene Goodnight.

Lets give Bruce the final word:

At 90 he remains a stealth dagger through the heart of our country's illusions about itself. Pete Seeger still sings all the verses all the time. And he reminds us of our immense failures as well as shining a light toward our better angels in the horizon where the country we've imagined and hold dear we hope awaits us

(The photos are from NotloB music)

(The upper (left) photo is obviously Bruce and Pete; the lower (right) photo (left-right) Arlo Guthrie, Joan Baez, Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Pete and Dave Matthews. Behind them in red vests are several NYC Labor Choristers.

Send your comments on health care to your senators

It's very important that we be heard by Congress on the issue of health care. It is our right as human beings to have the best available health care, not only what profits the insurance companies. Especially with the new Schumer cop-out proposal, which truly benefits the insurance companies and not the rest of us. MoveOn.org will send your message to your senators if you click here

Our health-care bureaucrats or theirs?

I've been following the right-wing attack on health-care reform and one bogus argument keeps cropping up. Do you want bureaucrats running the medical-care system? Well the real question is who's bureaucrats do you want to decide on your health-care? Our bureaucrats or theirs? In other words, do you want corporate health-care bureaucrats evaluating your claim (and rejecting it to protect their corporate profits) or our bureaucrats, who don't answer to the profit motive to make their decisions.

House passes Matthew Shepard bill

According to Political Intelligence:

The House [of Representatives yesterday] ... passed an expanded hate crimes bill that would protect gay victims, and its chief sponsor in the Senate [Ted Kennedy] called for prompt final action.

The measure passed 249-175 over the objections of conservatives, the Associated Press reports.

The bill -- named for Matthew Shepard, the gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998 [despite Rep. Virginia Fox's bogus claim that the bill is mis-named because, according to her, Shepard was the victim of a robbery, not a hate crime] -- is a stronger version of a bill that died two years ago under a veto threat from President Bush.

By contrast, President Obama supports it.

Specter: One more Democrat or another "Blue Dog"?

OK, so long-time "moderate" Republican Senator Arlen Specter switched parties. Although he will make all kinds of ideological noises about why he made the move, there's, however, only one reason why he switched: he almost certainly couldn't have gotten the Republican nomination and running as an independent would have been very difficult - mostly because of the dollars it would have cost and the organization he would have had to build from scratch. But I still see it as a mixed bag.

On the positive side it's another blow to the Right-wing Republican (redundant?) ego, especially the day after the news that only 21% of voters are willing to admit they are Republicans. It will move the Democrats closer to the magic 60 votes in the Senate to cut-off filibusters. Specter won't have to compromise his principles to fit in to a reactionary party. He's smart and articulate, characteristics which either party could use at this moment when they're both brain-drained.

But on the negative side, he will probably move the Democratic caucus to the right (not necessarily that extreme a move). What do we need with another "Blue Dog" Democrat? As a Republican, Specter was always a burr under the party saddle, now he's no longer there to irritate them.

All this said, it will make things more interesting and it's distracted the cable news shows from curtain-to-curtain swine flu.

The incredible shrinking party

Recently, on a right-wing website:

Former Senator, TV star and presidential candidate Fred Thompson tells Newsmax that President Barack Obama is revealing his 'naivete, ineptitude and arrogance' as he deals with matters of national security.

I think that says it all about why only 21% of Americans are still willing to identify as Republicans (35% call themselves Democrats and the rest (including the 8% the Republicans lost since October) identify as independents. That's the lowest percent for any party in about 25 years. There was a very interesting discussion of the new numbers for Republicans on the Ed Show on MSNBC tonight. Ed Schultz asks a very important question, If Obama has around 64% approval why not go for single-payer health insurance. Now is the time.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

(If you are viewing this on FaceBook, click here to see "Ed Show" video)

May 4: End the Occupation - Target Motorola

Join us on May 4th, in a day of protest targeting Motorola. We will be working within the system, as our allies support a human rights resolution in the shareholder meeting and through grassroots protest outside of the meeting and across the country.

Pat Robertson gnaws on his anti-gay bone

As always Pat Robertson manages to distort any discussion to gnaw on his ideological bones. His response to last week's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning that Obama's election and the latest capitalist crisis (and the concomitant rise in unemployment) are providing extreme right-wing groups with meat for organizing is as usual a distortion of reality:

It shows somebody down in the bowels of that organization is either a convinced left winger or somebody whose sexual orientation is somewhat in question. But it’s that kind of thing, somebody who doesn’t think that we should have abortion on demand, is labeled a terrorist! It’s outrageous!

In addition to being horrified by the deep seated bigotry in this typical comment, I can't help but wonder what "somebody whose sexual orientation is somewhat in question" could possibly mean.

What's most interesting about the conservative response to this DHS report is how they are all distorting the report to make it seem as if it's about them. I guess even they think they are extremists. But I didn't think they would admit it.

Paterson introduces gay marriage bill

From the Human Rights Campaign:

[On Thursday, New York's] Governor David Paterson took a strong stand for equality for lesbian and gay couples and their families by introducing a marriage equality bill in the New York state legislature. This is a critical step to fully recognizing the love of lesbian and gay couples who are in committed relationships all across the state of New York.

According to SFGate:

Newly installed New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan said Wednesday [before Paterson even introduced the bill] that he will use the prominence of his new job to challenge same-sex marriage legislation in New York.

Yahoo! News says:

Gay marriage has broad support in the Democratic-controlled New York lower house, the Assembly, where it passed in a 85 to 61 vote in 2007. It was not put to a vote in the state Senate.
The bill is again expected to be passed in the Assembly. In the Senate Democrats hold a majority for the first time in more than 40 years, but it is slim -- 32 to 30 -- and at least one Democrat has said he opposes the measure.

It continues to be incomprehensible to me, why anyone would deprive people of a basic civil right just because they are lesbian or gay. How long do we have to be slaves to these neanderthal ideologies. I hope this act will strengthen Paterson's election possibilities. Unfortunately it still takes courage for a politician to support gay marriage.

Texas Gov. threatens to secede

Almost as soon as I said that Republicans were behaving like children whose toys had been taken away, the lunatic Governor of Texas yesterday told a right-wing "Don't Mess With Texas" Tea Party:

There's a lot of different scenarios. We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, you know, who knows what might come out of that. But Texas is a very unique place, and we're a pretty independent lot to boot.

In other words, if I can't get what want, I'll run away from home. I suppose next he'll want to reinstitute slavery.

We really need a few adult right-wingers. Their current infantile behavior is really foolish.

Republican's infantile behavior

lt seems as if the Republicans are behaving like children whose toys have been taken away and they are jumping up and down and screaming. The real question is: how much of this childish behavior do the rest of us have to tolerate before we say, "Your grounded. Go to bed."

Poll indicates a lessening of American hostility to socialism

The latest Rassmussen poll (Thursday, April 09, 2009) indicates a lessening of American hostility to socialism

Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 20% disagree and say socialism is better. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure which is better.
Adults under 30 are essentially evenly divided: 37% prefer capitalism, 33% socialism, and 30% are undecided. Thirty-somethings are a bit more supportive of the free-enterprise approach with 49% for capitalism and 26% for socialism. Adults over 40 strongly favor capitalism, and just 13% of those older Americans believe socialism is better.

(for more on this click here)

Where have you gone, Ed Murrow, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you

A March 2nd, Pew Research Center study concluded:

For all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades.

The partisan gap by their measurement has been growing wider as each president has taken office. But they don't seem to focus on what seems to me the real finding of the study: Democrats are far more willing to give a new Republican president a chance than are Republicans supportive of a new Democratic president. Only 27% of Republicans (in the polls) approve of the job Obama is doing and 26% of Republicans supported President Clinton at a similar point in his presidency, while a full 36% of Democrats gave their support to W. Bush, despite one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history. Daddy Bush, in 1989, won approval from 41% of Democrats. 41% of Democrats backed Reagan, 56% of Republicans supported Carter and in 1969, 55% of Democrats approved of the job Nixon was doing. So you can see how much more partisan Republicans are than Democrats in recent post-election periods.

Whet strikes me is the imbalance between the utterly moderate social change that Obama wants to bring about and the out-of-control response of the Republicans. Try this on for size: Rep. Spencer Bachus, an Alabama Republican, told a Birmingham paper that there were 17 socialists in Congress. I don't know if he was holding a piece of paper in his hand at the time. But it is striking that the best the Republicans can do at this moment is to reproduce one of the worst periods in U.S. history - the McCarthy era. What scares me more than the echoes of McCarthyism is the absence of a towering media figure like Edward R. Murrow to challenge these McCarthyites head on. There is no one of Murrow's stature today who would jeopardize his or her career to bring Bachus-like Republicans to heel. Unfortunately, the most visible figures in today's corporate media are handmaidens to wealth and power.

(I should just point out that I realize that Murrow didn't by himself bring down McCarthy. There many brave people who stood up to the prevailing right-wing winds, some of whom went to prison rather than testify before the Senate or House committees. But it often takes someone like Murrow to put the nail in the coffin of injustice.)

Rachel Corrie's mom commemorates her birthday

Rachel Corrie
On March 16, 2003, Rachel Corrie, a peace activist and student was run over and killed by an Israeli catepiller D9 bull dozer. Today her mother sent out this letter:

Dear Dan,

Today would be the 30th birthday of my daughter Rachel, who was run over by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza in 2003 as she tried to save a Palestinian family's home from demolition. Last month, when my husband Craig and I traveled to Gaza with CODEPINK, it was so moving for us to reconnect with the families and the children that Rachel cared so deeply about.

The 793,520 children of Gaza (56% of the population) have lived under occupation and siege all of their lives. They suffered unconscionably through the attacks and devastation inflicted upon them by the Israeli military during 22 days of horror in December and January. Hundreds did not survive. But those who did, still smile and laugh like all children. They are beautiful, resilient, curious and full of potential. They deserve the basics that all children in the world should have: ample food, clean water, healthcare, safe places to play and learn. They deserve the tools to deal with their nightmares, and sleep that is not punctuated by bombing. They deserve life, freedom, and hope.

We can be a part of the hope and the solution by arming ourselves with the experience, knowledge, and insight to be stronger advocates for these children and their families--to open the borders, to end the siege, to end the occupation, and to see justice prevail.

We hope you will join CODEPINK in the campaign to Speak Out for the Youth of Gaza.

In peace,
Cindy Corrie

Kal Penn goes to the Washington

Last night we watched House and were surprised and saddened (at the time) by the death of a key character Dr. Lawrence Kutner (played by Kal Penn). You may remember Kal Penn as Kumar in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) and then Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008). Some of us remember him in the wonderful film The Namesake (2006) Now we find out , that Kal Penn is leaving the show House to work in the White House as the associate director in the White House's Office of Public Liaison & Intergovernmental Affairs. He responds to an Entertainment Weekly question :

I understand it was your decision to leave House. True?

KAL PENN: Yes. I was incredibly honored a couple of months ago to get the opportunity to go work in the White House. I got to know the President and some of the staff during the campaign and had expressed interest in working there, so I'm going to be the associate director in the White House office of public liaison. They do outreach with the American public and with different organizations. They're basically the front door of the White House. They take out all of the red tape that falls between the general public and the White House. It's similar to what I was doing on the campaign.

Maybe we'll eventually see Harold and Kumar work in the White House. Till then Go Kal, Go.

Two more victories for marriage equality

(from The Human Rights Campaign)

we celebrate another huge step towards marriage equality not in a matter of months or years, but literally days.

Vermont made history today, as the first state in America to enact marriage equality through legislative process – just FOUR DAYS after another huge win for marriage equality in Iowa.

This is a resounding message about the direction of our country. Not only did the Vermont Legislature vote to support marriage equality, but they did so with a two-thirds majority to override the Governor's veto.

Basic fairness and constitutional equal protection were the linchpins of Friday’s historic Iowa Supreme Court ruling that overturned a 10-year-old ban on same-sex marriage and puts Iowa squarely in the center of the nation’s debate over gay [marriage] rights. (from the DesMoinesRegister.com)

For years I have argued that I don't understand how who else gets married and to whom could possibly affect our marriage. By the way, there are many hetro-sexual marriages that I would rule out, before any gay marriages. But the bottom line is that in a democracy we can't just deprive people of their rights because we want to. If anyone can get married, everyone can get married.I'm much more concerned about women being brutalized within marriage than the gender of the marriage partners.

Rachel Maddow on MSNBC says "we have reporters on the ground in Vermont and the sky has not fallen yet." She also reminds us that the Washington, DC council has voted to recognize gay marriages performed elsewhere.

North Carolina dominates NCAA men's tournament

Michigan St. and North Carolina for all the marbles. I think, unlike me, I'm going with the universal favorite North Carolina. Except the CBS sportscasters both picked Michigan St. Let's see if they own up to it during their half-time chatter. Never once mentioned their pre-game pick.

Michigan State         72  ( Final)

North Carolina         89  

Most points scored in half in tournament history: 55 tonight

Largest half-time lead in tournament history: 21 points 

Ellington (NC) 17 pts. at the half   (19 total) 

Hansborough  (NC) #5 scorer in tournament history 

Ty Lawson 8 steals, ties tournament record, Champonship game record.

Michigan St. 21 turnovers 

ER ends well

Just for the sake of history, I wanted to note that Thursday's ER finale (9-11PM) got 16.2 million viewers, which was the largest audience for a drama series finale since Murder She Wrote in 1996 (16.5). But when this is compared with  the most-watched television episode in U.S. television history the last M.A.S.H. with over 105 million viewers it doesn't hold a candle. The only current TV series that might garner that many viewers at the end (not upcoming) is The Simpsons.

The Final Four

Well here we go the Final Four. The end of March Madness. The semi-finals start tonight - tip-off at 6:07PM.  Since UConn is the only one of my four favorites (Mich., Pitt., Temple) I am rooting for them tonight. I'm also cheering for Villanova over No. Carolina. Obviously the smart money is on Carolina

UConn -            73
(Jim Calhoun has never lost a Final Four game until tonight 4-1)
Michigan St.-    82  Final
Mich St. beat two #1 teams Louisville last week, UConn tonight


Villanova -           69

No. Carolina -      83   (Final) 

(18 trips to the Final Four)

Monday Night:

Michigan State

North Carolina

The end of ER and NBC

Well ER just finished after 15 years. It was as good an ending as could be. Some of the veterans were there, a new generation of ER doctors ( Rachel Greene, Mark Greene's daughter) and at the end an explosion brings many new patients to the ER, and life and death go on.

But the end of ER may symbolize the end of NBC as a serious network. They have already announced that they (like Fox, My9 and WB11) are abandoning programing the 10:00 o'clock hour. Five nights of Jay Leno at 10PM is the equivalent of news.

But yesterday they announced the end of serious journalism at NBC by firing the best sportscaster in the business. After 25 years Len Berman and channel 4 are no more and NBC 4 news and I are no more. When the bottom line determines journalistic values that's the end of serious journalism.

Once-upon-a-time NBC was the hallmark of network TV - Hill St. Blues, Cheers, St. Elswhere, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, West Wing and now five nights of Jay Leno. No offense to Leno, but come on that's not prime time network TV, that's protecting your bottom line and the audience be damned.

April 3: Amy Goodman on Bill Moyers Journal

Bill Moyers' Journal
Friday, April 3, 9:00pm
13 (Thirteen/WNET New York)
Former bank regulator William K. Black offers his thoughts on the economic crisis and the bailout of the financial industry.
Also: Amy Goodman ("Democracy Now!") and Glenn Greenwald (Salon) on the big corporate media.

Limbaugh is right!

For once I agree with Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh in his latest shot across Obama's bow says that "...if he [Obama] fails America is saved. Barack Obama's policies and their failure is the ony hope we've got to maintain the America of our founding" That's true. If the nation as it was founded in slavery, a nation in which only propertied white men could vote and participate in its democracy - then it's quite true Obama must fail and the racist, sexist Limbaugh-led Republican Party must succeed.

One other Limbaugh note: He says he is going to sell his New York City apartment (good luck with that) and not come back to New York City again because of new taxes on rich people like him. I can only cheer a Limbaugh-less city.

N.Y. Post's Mushnick's silly column today

It's becoming ridiculous the extent to which critics of the President are going to indict him for anything they can latch on to. In this weekend's N.Y. Post TV WEEK Phil Mushnick berates the President and the"hard left" media once again for his "horrifying" gaffe two weeks ago on Jay Leno regarding the Special Olympics. Mushnick starts off by establishing his own liberal bona-fides:

As a registered Democrat since the age of 18 and a newspaperman since I was 20, I never wanted to believe, as I suspected, that the news media for the most part leans hard left.  

I dont know exactly what the "hard left" is. Having been on the left most of my political life (unlike Mushnick I have not been a registered Democrat,except in 1984 & '88) I have never known what the O'Reillys, Mushnicks and other hard right "journalists" mean by "hard left."

Although I think the President's remark was ignorant and unfortunate, it's hard to understand how it can be described as "horrifying." I doubt that even the Special Olympians or "an entire population of unfortunates and their loved ones" measured the media's coverage of the President in these terms. I suspect most Special Olympians and "their loved ones" are pulling for the President to succeed, unlike Phil Mushnick. When Mushnick compares how the media treats this presidential gaffe as opposed to how it would have treated it when G.W.Bush was president, he gives away his secret purpose in writing this column. He is interested in showing how the "hard left" media favors Obama over W. If Mushnick or anyone else thinks the "hard left" media needed a remark like this (careless, but hardly "frightening") to "bash [W] for "first degree insensitivity" they are forgetting all the post-Katrina "great job, Mike!" comments to think anyone would need an unfortunate, but hardly "frightening" comment by Obama. This kind of foolishness so characterizes the "hard Right" today that it becomes more-and-more foolish.

March Madness 2009: 3

Contested Terrain Live Blog March Madness 2009

So here's the 2009 Final Four: I'm rooting for a UConn v. No. Carolina  championship game on Monday April 6th. Meanwhile, thy each have to win another game for that to happen.

April 4th  6:07 PM

UConn

Mich St

April 4th  40 min. after first game  

Villanova

No. Carolina

So we now have three out of the final four: UConn will play Michigan State who soundly beat overall tournament #1 Louisville today (64-52) and Villanova (in its first final four since 1985) will face the winner of the Oklahoma/ UNC game, which is being played now.

Oklahoma        60

No. Carolina    72 (final)  

Sorry I missed the first game. We were in the air and as you know they don't let you get on line while the plane is in the air. Anyway we're home afe and sound. 

3/28         4:40PM

Conn 82 (final)

Missouri 75

3/28           7:05

Pittsburgh 76 (final)

Villanova 78

Sunday

2:20 PM

Louisville

Mich. St.

5:05PM

No. Carolina

Oklahoma

Well, here we are again - March Madness, the Sweet Sixteen and the Elite Eight. I'm going to try to live blog it all, but we're in Lincoln, Neb. today (Thurs) and tomorrow (Fri) and traveling back to New York Saturday (that will be the most difficult) and Sunday at home.

So, three out of my four favorites (Michigan, Texas and Temple) lost last weekend, only UConn survived to fight another day. I'll try to make some better selections this time around.

Here's the Thurs. - Fri. schedule: (if you want info on last week go to:

My choices are marked wih a *

Yesterday (Thurs)

7:07 PM #1 Conn* 72 (final)

#5 Purdue 60

7:27 PM #1 Pitt* 60 (final)

#4 Xavier 55

9:37 PM #3 Missouri *102 (Final)

#2 Memphis 91

9:57 PM #3 Villanova* 77 (tinal)

#2 Duke 46

Well I'm bragging about my four victories last night!
We'll see if I can keep it up tonight


Today (Fri):

7:07 PM #1 Louisville 103 (final)

#12 Arizona* 64

7:27 PM #3 Syracuse* 71

#2 Oklahoma 84 (final)

9:37 PM #3 Kansas 62

#2 Michigan St.* 67 (final)

9:57 PM #1 No. Carolina* 96 (3:00)

#4 Gonzaga 68

April 3 & 4: March On Wall street: Bailout People Not Banks

In news from Capitol Hill, [according to today's Democracy Now] independent Senator Bernie Sanders is attempting to block President Obama’s nominee to head the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Gary Gensler, a former Goldman Sachs employee. Sanders said Gensler had worked with Sen. Phil Gramm and Alan Greenspan to exempt credit default swaps from regulation, which led to the collapse of AIG and has resulted in the largest taxpayer bailout in US history. He also worked to deregulate electronic energy trading, which led to the downfall of Enron. Sanders said, “We need an independent leader who will help create a new culture in the financial marketplace and move us away from the greed, recklessness and illegal behavior which has caused so much harm to our economy.”

Vermont Senate votes to legalize same-sex marriage

According to this morning's Democracy Now: Vermont Senate Votes to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage

The Vermont Senate voted overwhelmingly yesterday to legalize same-sex marriage. If the bill becomes law, Vermont will become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage without being forced to do so by the courts. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports several other New England states are moving forward with similar bills. The New Hampshire House of Representatives is set to vote on the issue later this week. Next month a legislative panel in Maine will hold a hearing on a bill to allow gay couples to marry, just as lawmakers did last month in Rhode Island. Same-sex marriage is already legal in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

"Off with their heads?"

The latest news that 10 out of the 15 top AIG-bonused executives and 9 out of the top 10 have agreed to return their ill-gotten-gains has the anti-bonus crowd in Congress qvelling (gloating) at having tamed these Wall Street-Pompadours. After all didn't these Congress members step into the arena to defeat the failed executives who have gotten bonuses. But the real question is haven't the politicians and the media used the anger against the AIG-rewarded executives directed attention away from the real problem of which AIG is only the symptom? The AIG executives - as incompetent and vaneglorious as they may be - would never have gotten those bonuses if it weren't for the over all Wall Street "let them eat cake" culture. Remember the words of Wall Street's Gordon Gekko: "Greed is good." And that is the essence of Wall Street (maybe capitalism's) culture.

Ann's session

Getting ready to photograph Ann's session ("juggling it All - Small Grantsmakers and Time Management") at the annual Grants Managers conference in Denver.

March Madness: live blog

Well once again March Madness is upon us (and I don't mean the AIG bonuses) Here are the teams in as close a version of the brackets that I can come up with. I'll keep you posted (no pun intended) on how it all goes. Tuesday it all started for real. Morehead State (#16) qualified to play Louisville (#1) in the mid-west region on Friday. In the history of the NCAA tournament no #16 team has ever beaten a #1. Last Tuesday Morehead State won the right to face Louisville: Morehead State 58
Alabama State 43.

My favorites are Michigan, Conn., Temple and Texas. Well we'll see.

Opening Round Game
March 17
16Alabama St. 58
16Morehead St. 43

Sorry for the failure to complete the weekend's activity. We were in Boulder, Colo. Saturday/Sunday and didn't have internet access. Yesterday we arrived in Denver (the Grand (sic) Hiatt Hotel) were we found out that we had to pay ($9.99 per day) for internet access. We reluctantly decided to pay, but learned several significant lessons: (1) After I bitched at them about the lousy customer relations this ripoff this charge represented, they decided to give us one day access free (of course it should all be free; (2) We should always ascertain whether a hotel charges for internet access and if it does we should simply stay somewhere else; (3) When I was bitching to the desk-person an about the access charge, he said when other hotels in Denver began charging for access, the Hiatt also did. The Hiatt, if it were really concerned about its patrons, it could have decided to stand up and not charge for access. Wouldn't that have been a great marketing decision. Always acceding to the worst decisions of your business competitors isn't a smart way of doing business. In sum, always bitch, you might get something free and always check on free or pay internet access before choosing a hotel.

Well, anyway, here's the weekend at a glance. I hope to do better next weekend. Thursday & Friday we'll be in Lincoln, Neb. and Saturday (3/28) back to home sweet access.

MIDWEST

1 Louisville         74
16Morehead St  54                    Louisville  79

8 Ohio St.    72                           Siena          72      Louisville   
9 Siena         74 (2OT)

5 Utah         71
12 Arizona  84                           Arizona         71     Arizona

4 Wake Forest    69                 Wake Forest  57
13 Cleveland St.  84

6 West Virginia 60
11 Dayton            68                    Dayton    43

3 Kansas             84                    Kansas      60            Kansas
14N. Dakota St.  74

7Boston Coll.       55
10Southern Cal.   72                   Southern Cal.  69     Michigan St.

2Michigan St.       77                  Michigan St.      74
15Robert Morris  62

WEST

Thursday

1 Connecticut       103               
16 Chatanooga       47                Connecticut    92

8 BYU             66                        Texas A&M     66       Connecticut (Thurs. 7:07 PM)
9 Texas A&M 79                        

5 Purdue                61                   
12 Northern Iowa 56                  Purdue         76           Purdue

4 Washington      71                  Washington    74
13 Mississippi St 58

Friday:
6 Marquette         58       
11 Utah State        57                  Marquette      79

3 Missouri      78                      Missouri           83          Missouri
14 Cornell       59

Thursday:

7 California  71                          
10 Maryland 84                        Maryland       70           Memphis  (Thurs. 9:37 PM)                   

2 Memphis 81                           Memphis        89
15 Calif St Northridge 70

EAST

Friday:

1Pittsburgh    72                         
16E. Tenn. St. 62                         Pittsburgh        84

8Oklahoma St. 77                       Oklahoma St.   76     Pittsburgh (Thurs 7:27 PM)
9Tennessee       75

5Florida St.   59                          
12Wisconsin  61 (OT)                  Wisconsin   49          Xavier                               

4Xavier             77                          Xavier         60
13Portland St.  59  

Thursday:

6UCLA          62                              
11Va Comm 54                                UCLA          69

3Villanova       80
14American     67                           Villanova     89          Villanova (Thurs 9:57PM)

7Texas 76                                        
10Minnesota 62                              Texas  69                    Duke

2Duke 86                                         Duke    74
15Binghamton 54


SOUTH

Thursday:

1North Carolina 101                      
16Radford 58                            No. Carolina   84      No. Carolina

8LSU 75                                     LSU                  70
9Butler 71

5Illinois            72                                                   
12Western Ky. 76                           Western Ky.      81        Gonzaga

4Gonzaga 77                                    Gonzaga             83
13Akron 64

Friday:

6Arizona St. 66                                 
11Temple       57                                 Arizona St.   67

3Syracuse                   59                   Syracuse        78      Syracuse
14Steph.  F. Austin   44

Thursday:

7Clemson 59
10Michigan 62                                 Michigan        63        Oklahaoma

2Oklahoma 82                                Oklahoma        73
15Morgan St 54.

Watchmen: A review

Well Andrew and I saw Watchmen and I thought I would share my thoughts with you.

First of all it confirms a long-held belief of mine that not everything has to be made into a film. But if you are going to make a well-beloved classic into a film, the film should do more than the original does. Watchmen doesn't. But I am really glad we saw it. It is one of the most visually extraordinary films I have seen. It is also, unfortunately, one of the most violent. It's actually two separate films (as is the book, two separate books). One, which is a parody of superheroes, which was perhaps more relevant in 1985 than it is today, the other is a philosophical dissertation on nuclear war. The first is what makes Watchmen fun; the second is sophomoric.

The Watchmen are a group of mostly-retired masked crime fighters. In Nixon's fifth term masks were made illegal. The story is set off by the murder of one of the group - Edward Blake "The Comedian" (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) - the murder is discovered by the other psychotic of the group - "Rorschach"/Walter Kovacks (Jackie Earl Haley). Rorschach's mask is an ever-changing ink blot. (I think his mask is my favorite part of the movie.) Rorschach visits each of the others to tell them about The Comedian's murder and to warn them about a list which may be targeting them. As Rorschach travels from one to the other, we meet the other Watchmen: "Ozymandias," the only one who's identity has been made publicly known as Adrien Veidt (Matthew Goode), known as the smartest man in the world (also one of the richest) and "Dr. Manhattan"/Jon Osterman (Billy Crudup) - the only genuine super-hero in the lot due to a nuclear accident which has left him with superpowers. When Rorschach visits Manhattan second generation Watchmen, Laurie Jupiter/Silk Spectre II (Malin Ackerman) is with him. Her mother Silk Spectre/Sally Jupiter (Carla Gugino) was part of the original group of masked crime fighters. And lastly, the other second-generation masked crime fighter Nite Owl II/Dan Dreiberg (Patrick Wilson).

So the mystery of Watchmen is who killed The Comedian and why. If you've read the book, you already know the answer. If you haven't, you will find out what is really going on. For a while Rorschack focuses on a suspect, Moloch (Matt Frewer), one of their old enemies. But it's all more complicated than that. A secondary story revolves around the love triangle: Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre II and Nite Owl II and who ends up with who. When Manhattan and Silk Spectre II break up, he goes off to Mars to find himself.

Remember, Watchmen is at its heart a send-up of superheroes. For example, when Laurie and Dan are together and they try to have sex, Dan (Nite Owl II) can't get it up - but wait. They put on their superhero costumes, get in his plane and save a bunch of people from a fire. When they get back to his house, they have hot sex to the tune of Leonard Cohen's great "Hallelujah." Amazing what you can do with the right costume. And don't forget perhaps the most commented on part of the film, the big blue guy's (Manhattan) nudity and ample endowment.

But all that aside, the main message of Watchmen is that we can control nuclear devastation by finding an enemy that both the U.S and the Soviet Union (remember it's the 80s) can join together and target instead of each other. The death of thousands of New Yorkers is an acceptable loss. Sounds like the justification for Hiroshima and Nagasaki and it's not acceptable.

Well what to say: one of the most talked about films of the year isn't doing very well at the box office. Last week it sold $85.9 million. This week it was down to $18 million. That's quite a drop.

On some early Watchmen reviews

I haven't seen Watchmen yet, but I have read the review by J. Hoberman in this week's Village Voice. It's at best a mixed review. Hoberman says: "Watchmen is neither desecratory disaster nor total triumph." "... director Zack Snyder has managed to address the cult while pandering to the masses." After noting that Snyder and his writers "slightly" changed the ending, he says: "Watchmen doesn't lack for self-confidence or even entertainment value. Its failure is one of imagination ... the filmmakers are unable to teleport themselves to the level of the original concept." He concludes in much the same vein: "For all its superficial fidelity, Snyder's movie stands Moore's novel on its head, trying to reconstruct a conventional blockbuster out of those empty capes and scattered shards."

Not promising but we'll see for ourselves.

A quite different review from Harry Knowles on his Ain't it Cool News site says:

I WATCHED THE FUCKING WATCHMEN AND FUCKING LOVED IT! It isn’t the perfect 5 hour wet dream that I always dreamt of, but I love it. I can’t wait to see the dialogue you all have with this film, with each other and with us here at AICN. This was fucking awesome!

Jimmy Fallon's first late-night TV show

OK! I'm watching the first Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. So far, about 45 min. into it, it's awful. In case you don't know, Fallon is replacing Conan OBrien on Late Night, while Obrien goes out to LA to replace Jay Leno on The Tonight Show (you remember Johnny Carson, who did it for 30 some odd years).

I should say I've never been a fan of Conan Obrien, but he did try to bring a new sensibility to late night talk shows. I never thought he was very funny, but he kept pushing the late-night envelope and that's always worth doing. Fallon's first night guests are Robert DiNiro and Justin Timberlake. The only reason I could figure out why they were on the show was to promote their latest endeavors. DiNiro was promoting the Tribecca Film Festival and Timberlake was promoting a new MTV show that sounds terrible, it sounds like a new version of Punked (Never one of my favorite shows). The last guest, Van Morrison, almost saved the show, but not because of Fallon, only because Morrison is extraordinary. I mean think about it. Robert Diniro, Justin Timberlake and Van Morrison: who is he trying to appeal to?

I should say that when Obrien (who began the show in Fallon's dressing room) was awful when he began and became a late-night success. That's why NBC gave him the Leno time slot and then had to give the 10pm slot to Leno (five nights a week). In other words, NBC is going from ER to Jay Leno, talk about the deterioration of prime-time TV. If NBC didn't give Leno the 10pm slot, he would probably would have done a show in competition with Obrien's new show. That's all about the machinations of network TV and they wonder why they're losing audiences.

So anyway, Fallon no! But I'll check back next week. Maybe he'll be better. But I'm not optimistic.

CODEPINK Int'l Womens' Day Events

CODEPINK is cosponsoring The Nation's panel:
"Meltdown: The Economic Collapse and a People's Plan for Recovery"

Friday, March 6th at 8:00pm,
(doors open at 7:15pm)

New York Society for Ethical Culture,
2 West 64th Street

The panel speakers include Naomi Klein, Joseph Stiglitz, Barbara Ehrenreich, Bill Fletcher, Jr., and Christopher Hayes.

This event is free!

Co-sponsors: The New Society for Ethical Culture, Public Concern Foundation, Democracts.com, Democracy Now!, Haymarket Books, CODEPINK NYC.

This year on International Women's Day CODEPINK will honor Afghan sisters by hosting a film screening, small craft fair and panel
followed by the 2nd annual concert
with NOUR,
(a middle-eastern folk ensemble!)

This is a blessed, beautiful day to honor women around the world- so come out and honor this day with CODEPINK!

MARCH 8,
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY FILM SCREENING,
Afghan Women: A History of Struggle
Panel discussion and benefit concert


12:30pm: doors open; Afghan Craft Sale begins
1:00 pm Film Screening followed by panel discussion with the filmmaker Kathleen Foster, Professor Fawzia Afzal-Khan, and Fahima Vorgetts from Women for Afghan Women

Greenberg Lounge, Vanderbilt Hall, NYU Law School,
40 Washington Square South

RSVP: This is a free event but the seating is limited.
Please RSVP to codepinknyc@gmail.com

Co-sponsors: NYU Law Students for Human Rights, NYU Law Students for Reproductive Justice, NYU Law Women

4:30pm NOUR (MIDDLE EAST FOLK ENSEMBLE CONCERT) "From Irene To Ishtar",

Eisner Lubin Hall in the Kimmel Center, New York University,
60 Washington Square South

Benefit for CODEPINK Women for Peace and Doctors Without Borders http://www.myspace.com/nourmusic

RSVP for Non-NYU (Guests): Guests can purchase tickets at the day of the event at Ticket Central (Kimmel Center, 2nd Floor, 60 Washington Square South) for $10 non-NYU student and $20 guests.
Guest will also have the option to reserve a ticket in advance for $7 non-NYU student and $15 guest.
To reserve guest tickets in advance, please RSVP to codepinknyc@gmail.com

(NYU students and staff can either purchase tickets in person at Ticket Central
(Kimmel Center, 2nd Floor, 60 Washington Square South)
or purchase online through NYU Home/ NYU Life/Ticket Central. NYU student: $5 advance / $7 day of the event, NYU staff : $10 advance /
$15 day of event.

March 8: Int'l Working Women's Day March and Rally

On International Working Women’s Day
Uphold the Legacy of Women's Resistance
Bail Out Women and our Communities

SUNDAY, MARCH 8, Rally 1:00 p.m.
Union Square
(14th & Broadway)
Everyone is welcome

2:00 p.m. - march

3:30 p.m.--Kimmel Building, (site of recent, NYU
occupation) Washington Square South & LaGuardia Place

4:00 p.m. Ending Ceremony at Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Memorial
(Site of 1911 fire that killed 146 women workers and girls)
Corner of Washington Sq. Place & Greene St.

Sign the women’s bill of rights at the rally. Add your own demands.

For information & leaflets call 212.633.6646

Sponsored by Int’l Working Women’s Day ‘09 Coalition
c/o Solidarity Center
55 W. 17th St., 5th Fl,

The Simpsons enter TV history

The 20-year run of Gunsmoke has been the longest running prime-time scripted series until this season, when The Simpsons became 20-years old. Since The Simpsons has been renewed for two more seasons, next year it will break the record in its 21st season. Just one caveat - Law& Order- in its 19th season- is breathing close behind.

Odetta memorial - Feb. 24, 2009

Tonight we went to The Riverside Memorial Church, where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his historic anti-Vietnam War speech, to celebrate the life and music of Odetta (Dec. 31, 1930-Dec. 2, 2008). Among the speakers and musicians who paid tribute to the voice of the Civil Rights Movement were David Amram ("Amazing Grace"), Sweet Honey in the Rock ("God's Gonna Cut You Down"), Josh White Jr. ("Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out"), Dr. Maya Angelou (poem), Emory Joseph ("Keep on Movin' It On"), Wavy Gravy (comments), Peter Yarrow with his daughter and the Brooklyn Tech (H.S.) Choir ("Don't Laugh at Me"), Pete Seeger, Tom Chapin, Sonia Sanchez (comments), Harry Belefonte (comments), Bernice Reagan ("Goodnight Irene") and many people from Odetta's family and career.

I thought the highlights of the evening were the wonderful Maya Angelou and Tom Chapin, Pete Seeger, Peter Yarrow, Josh White Jr., Emory Joseph, accompanied by David Amram doing "This Land is Your Land."

All in all it was a wonderful evening. I just wish it had not been for such a sad occasion.

Odetta goodnight, sweet princess.

Radical right nut jobs challenge Obama's right to be president

The radical right nut jobs are becoming more and more desperate. Since they completely misjudged the electorate first during the campaign and then by blindly rejecting Obama's stimulus package, they are now back to challenging his birthplace and therefore his constitutional right to be president. I have believed for a long time that the Republicans have had people working on articles of impeachment - even before Obama was inaugurated. This bogus birthplace nonsense seems to be their current weapon of choice.

The Alabama Republican, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, met with constituents on Saturday,

And a local resident asked him if there is any truth to allegations that arose during the presidential campaign concerning Obama’s place of birth, the Cullman Times reported.

He answered

Well, his father was Kenyan and they said he was born in Hawaii, but I haven’t seen any birth certificate. You have to be born in America to be president.

Right-wing website Newsmax also reports that longtime Obama opponent Alan Keyes also says Obama has failed constitutional muster to become president, since, he argues, Obama was born in Kenya. You really have to listen to his diatribe at an interview last week in order to get the full impact of the right-wing desperation and loss of touch with reality. These people may seem like extremes but I think they are in the mainstream of the right.

(If you are reading this on Facebook click here to watch Keyes diatribe) .

Notice that in case the birthplace nonsense doesn't work out for them, Keyes falls back on the desperate ploy McCain and Palen used when they became desperate: accusing Obama of being "a radical communist who will destroy America. "

One thing for sure, the more of the electorate who become aware of this, the more out-to-lunch these people will appear. They clearly move from the position of political opponents of the president to people with a more psychiatrically diagnosable disease.

Vote YES! Unions are still important for workers

I think it has become clearer and clearer that the current crisis of capitalism is a direct result of the expanding economic inequality. The different aspects of this crisis: credit, mortgages and unemployment have all resulted from the growing weakness in the ability of workers to defend themselves from avaricious bosses. The ongoing capitalist war against the primary institutions of workers' protection - unions - has been a key element of the growing inequality in wealth and income. Unions are obviously neither the only or the final answer to the problem of inequality, but, at least in the short run, they are essential to the workers' fight. Public perceptions are also a key element of our fight against this growing inequality. So, in the interest of changing the current anti-union public perceptions I am helping to spread the word about this looney poll in Parade Magazine. The following was recently forwarded to me.

Can you take a minute to stand up for workers?
This Sunday's PARADE Magazine promotes an online poll asking: "Does America still need labor unions?"
Please VOTE YES right now and pass this along to your friends and family.
I think you'd agree that it's a pretty absurd question from PARADE. With the gap between the rich and the poor wider than it's been since 1928, and with working families bearing the brunt of the economic downturn, it's clear we need unions more than ever.
That's why we're fighting so hard for the Employee Free Choice Act. Workers deserve to be able to negotiate for better wages and benefits, but the deck is stacked against them.
Chances are good you saw the poll in yesterday's paper too. PARADE calls itself America's most widely-read magazine, reaching more than 70 million readers. Please be sure your voice gets heard in this poll! Tell PARADE America needs unions!
And with anti-union special interests waging a well-funded campaign of misinformation about the Employee Free Choice Act, you can be sure our opponents will be sending this poll around.
Let's make sure they don't skew the results. Vote YES today – America still needs unions!
Thanks so much – and don't forget to pass this along to everyone you know!
Sincerely,
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
www.AmericanRightsatWork.org

Live blogging the 61st Oscars

Well we've had most of the 2009 movie awards (or at least the nominations). Here's the Big Gold One - the Oscars.
Who do you think should win? Well the red acrpet nonsense is over. Now the Oscars and Hugh Jackman, the host.

From Slumdog Millionaire


BEST PICTURE: winner: "Slumdog Millionaire"
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
"Frost/Nixon"
"Milk"
"The Reader"
"Slumdog Millionaire"


BEST ACTOR: winner: Sean Penn, Milk
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"
Richard Jenkins, "The Visitor"

BEST ACTRESS: Winner: Kate Winslet, The Reader
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

BEST DIRECTOR:Winner: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Gus Van Sant, "Milk"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM: Winner: Departures (Japan)
"The Baader-Meinhof Complex" (Germany)
"The Class" (France)
"Departures" (Japan)
Revanche" (Austria)
"Waltz with Bashir" (Israel)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: Winner:Slumdog Millionaire, Jai Ho, A.R. Rahman
"Slumdog Millionaire," "Jai Ho," A.R. Rahman
"Slumdog Millionaire," "O Saya," A.R. Rahman & M.I.A.
"Wall-E," "Down To Earth," Peter Gabriel & Thomas Newman

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Alexandre Desplat
"Defiance," James Newton Howard
"Milk," Danny Elfman
"Slumdog Millionaire," A.R. Rahman
"WALL-E," Thomas Newman

The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Jerry Lewis, presented by Eddie Murphy

BEST FILM EDITING: Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Chris Dickens
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Kirk Baxter, Angus Wall
"The Dark Knight," Lee Smith
"Frost/Nixon," Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
"Milk," Elliot Graham
"Slumdog Millionaire," Chris Dickens

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS: Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Barba
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Eric Barba
"The Dark Knight," Chris Corbould, Nick Davis, Paul Franklin, Tim Webber
"Iron Man," John Nelson

BEST SOUND EDITING: Winner: The Dark Knight, Richard King
"The Dark Knight," Richard King
"Iron Man," Frank Eulner, Christopher Boyes
"Slumdog Millionaire," Tom Sayers
"Wall-E," Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood
"Wanted," Wylie Stateman

BEST SOUND MIXING: Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Mark Weingarten, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce
"The Dark Knight," Ed Novick, Lora Hirschberg, Gary Rizzo
"Slumdog Millionaire," Ian Tapp, Richard Pryke and Resul Pookutty
"Wall-E," Ben Burtt, Tom Myers, Michael Semanick
"Wanted," Chris Jenkins, Frank A. Montaño and Petr Forejt

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM: Winner: Smile Pinki
"The Conscience of Nhem En"
"The Final Inch"
"Smile Pinki"
"The Witness - From the Balcony of Room 306"

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: Winner: Man on Wire
"The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)"
"Encounters at the End of the World"
"The Garden"
"Man on Wire"
"Trouble the Water"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR ;Winner: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Josh Brolin, "Milk"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"
Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: WINNER: PENELOPE CRUZ
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Winner: Dustin Lance Black, Milk
Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"
Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"
Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Marttin McDonagh, "In Bruges"
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, "WALL-E"

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Winner: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"
David Hare, "The Reader"
Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"
John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"
Eric Roth, Robin Swicord, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

BEST ANIMATED FILM: Winner: Wall-E
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"Wall-E"

BEST ANIMATED SHORT FILM: Winner: "La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"La Maison en Petits Cubes"
"Lavatory - Lovestory"
"Oktapodi"
"Presto"
"This Way Up"

BEST ART DIRECTION: Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
"Changeling"
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button"
"Dark Knight"
"The Duchess"
"Revolutionary Road"

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Winner: "The Duchess," Michael O'Conner
"Australia," Catherine Martin
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Jacqueline West
"The Duchess," Michael O'Conner
"Milk", Danny Glicker
"Revolutionary Road," Albert Wolsky

BEST MAKEUP:Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Colleen Callaghan, Fionagh Cush
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Colleen Callaghan, Fionagh Cush
"The Dark Knight," Peter Robb-King, John Caglione Jr.
"Hellboy II: The Golden Army," Mike Elizalde, Thom Floutz

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Winner: Slumdog Millionaire, Anthony Dod Mantle
"Changeling" Tom Stern
"Slumdog Millionaire," Anthony Dod Mantle
"The Reader," Chris Menges
"The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button," Claudio Miranda
"The Dark Knight," Wally Pfister

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM: Winner: "Spielzeugland (Toyland)
"Auf der Strecke (On the Line)"
"Manon on the Asphalt"
"New Boy"
"The Pig"
"Spielzeugland (Toyland)"

N.Y. Post: Racist cartoon

I reluctantly reproduce this obviously racist cartoon from Wednesday's (2/18) N.Y. Post. But I think people need to see it in order to evaluate it.

To me - in the context of U.S. racial history and the use of images of gorillas to depict people of color and the connection between the president and the stimulus bill - the racist content of the cartoon is obvious. What surprises me is that any sane person would be surprised by a racist cartoon in the N.Y. Post

And once you accept the connection between our first African-American president and the bloody gorilla depicted in the cartoon, the question of assassination rears its ugly head. It also raises questions of police murdering obviously unarmed victims.

There is a major demonstration currently underway outside the N.Y. Post. More later. People are calling for a boycott of the Post (most of us already do that) and the businesses that advertise in a racist rag like the Post.

Yesterday, Thursday (2/19), The N.Y.Post - under pressure from growing community opposition - to its racist cartoon (see above) issued a statement it mislabelled an "apology."

It was meant to mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill. Period. But it has been taken as something else - as a depiction of President Obama, as a thinly veiled expression of racism. This was certainly not its intent; to those who were offended by the image, we apologize

Then they went on to attack the so-called opportunists in the media and public life who are taking advantage of the situation. This kind of half-assed apology does nothing to alleviate the situation. In fact, it tends to demean "those who were offended by the image," which obviously is in their heads.

If, in fact, this is the only way the N.Y.Post (and its editors and cartoonist) could find to "mock an ineptly written federal stimulus bill" the only people who are inept are the Post editors and cartoonist. Their lack of any understanding of U.S. racial history and their lack of sensitivity with community feelings says far more about the N.Y. Post than about the stimulus bill.

If you can't make it to the protests outside the Post building, click here to send a letter of protest to the Post.

Feb. 19: Protest N.Y. Post racist cartoon

I do believe in freedom of the press and freedom of speech, but protesting a racist cartoon is guaranteed by freedom of speech. For better or worse, I believe the founders actually believed in an independent press, not the current sycophantic press like the N.Y.Post. Anyone who believes that the N.Y.Post cartoon is not racist, I have a bridge you might want to buy.


Thursday, February 19, 2008 at 12 Noon
New York Post Office
1211 Avenue of the Americas (between 47th & 48th Sts)
New York, NY

The New York Post maligned President Barak Obama in an overtly racist cartoon depicting two police officers, one is pointing a smoking gun at a large chimpanzee, lying on the ground clearly shot dead. The caption reads “They’ll have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill.”

The cartoon in Wednesday’s (2/18/09) edition on the infamous “Page Six,” is a crass distortion of a recent horrific incident in which a 200 pound pet chimpanzee mauls a woman and police shoot and kill him.

NYC Councilman Charles Barron has called for A City Wide Emergency Protest Demonstration. Th e protest will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 12 noon in front of the New York Post main offices at 1211 Avenue of the the Americas (between 47th and 48th Streets) New York, NY.

“The clearly racist tone is outrageous,” said Colette Pean of the Women of Obama. “We are in support of Councilman Barron and we must let the New York Post know this will not be tolerated by the people in this city.”

Invited speakers joining Councilman Barron include Reverend Al Sharpton of the National Action Network, NYC, State Senator Bill Perkins, State Assemblywoman Inez Barron, Viola Plummer of the Women for Obama, Monica Moorehead of the International Action Center, and representatives of the Committee to Eliminate Media Offensive To African People (CEMOTAP),20December 12th Movement, NAACP-Jamaica Queens, Harriet Tubman, Black Men’s Movement, and many others.

Can all Obama's men and all Obama's women put Humpty Dumpty together again?

I've been trying to get my head around the current capitalist crisis. Here's what I've concluded. It seems as if what Obama is trying to do is save free-market capitalism from itself. That after all is what Roosevelt did with the New Deal, although ultimately it took WWII to finish the job. If you have any thoughts I'd love to hear from you.

Let me start a bit generally and then come back to the current situation. But first a thought that's both general and specific. Whatever happens with the economic system, with capitalism, only we, the people, can make the change we want, we need. Change can only come from the bottom up, not from the top down. Trickle-down democracy will not work.

Capitalism has to turn everything it touches into a commodity: something that can be sold for a profit, the Holy Grail of capitalism. It's virtually the definition of capitalism. It is certainly its raison d'etre. Capitalists literally turn everything from necessities to luxuries into commodities: religion, war and even our health. The key commodity is labor and that's the core of this crisis. Over the last 30 to 40 years there has been an extraordinary increase in inequality in this society. From that has followed an explosion in credit in order for workers to live a "middle class" lifestyle. According to economist Robert Kuttner:

In 2006, for the sixth straight year, the U.S. economy grew at a decent rate - on average. Gross domestic product (GDP) growth was up by not quite 3 percent. But that comforting average conceals a widening gulf. For the vast majority of Americans, wages and salaries declined and economic life became less secure. Layoffs accelerated. Health insurance cost were shifted onto employees more and more. Pension coverage deteriorated. Reconciling work and family life became more of a struggle. The notable gains went to the top 10 percent, and most of that to the top 1 percent. Since 2000, median income, adjusted for inflation, has actually fallen by 5.4 percent for all families of working age, despite GDP growth of more than 18 percent. (The Squandering of America: How the Failure of our Politics Undermines our Prosperity)

I know it's always satisfying to blame Bush and certainly everything has gotten worse over the last eight years, but it's really a result of 40 years of growing inequality. That's the core of the current capitalist crisis. Labor is the most important commodity. Capitalists need to keep the cost of labor as low as possible.Kuttner puts it this way:

...though the trend [widening inequality] accelerated under [George W.] Bush, it actually started in the 1970s, when the postwar pattern of high growth producing more broadly shared prosperity went into reverse.

The Republicans know exactly who they work for: the same military-industrial complex that Ike warned us against in his farewell address. And that is what fascism is after all, isn't it? The military-industrial complex using the state to carry out its nefarious deeds . Unfortunately the Democrats are not at all as clear as the GOP about who they work for. They've supported the invasion of Iraq, the Wall Street "bailout" ( the greatest theft in American history), and gone along with almost every proto-fascist (anti-American) proposal put forward by Bush and the Republicans (yes that's a band, a band of thieves). So if capitalism collapses, who's going to stand-up for a progressive agenda? Perhaps for the moment a progressive capitalism is the better of the alternatives (I can't believe I really said that, did I?). But the real question is: what will this version of capitalism look like? In order to answer that question (even hypothetically) we have to look at how the problem began. But one thing needs to be emphasized first, capitalism is rife with contradictions and therefore it constantly tends toward crises. So the best the king can do with Humpty Dumpty is temporarily put him together (Humpty will almost surely fall off that wall again).

But meanwhile the two parties disagree about what course to follow to solve the current problem. The Republicans have either bought the trickle down supply-side mythology (more tax breaks for the rich) or are trying to use it to undermine Obama and the Democrats. (Or, as Ann said, both.) The Republicans know that if Obama can put Humpty together again, even if only for a while, they will be wandering in the political desert for more than 40 years. Or as Nobel laureate Paul Krugman said (NYT, 1/19/09):

Old-fashioned voodoo economics -- the belief in tax-cut magic -- has been banished from civilized discourse. The supply-side cult has shrunk to the point that it contains only cranks, charlatans and Republicans.

Although the immediate cause of the crisis was the explosion of credit and the effects of many borrowers' inability to repay those loans (toxic loans). And how the lending institutions tried to profit from this situation. And how administration after administration failed to police Wall Street.

Obama seems to understand the solution lies in putting people back to work so that they have money to spend. Despite Republican belief that as Reagan said: " In this present crisis Government is not the solution to our problem. Government is the problem." Or as McCain and Palin ran around the country yelling at their campaign stops:" You know better how to spend your hard-earned money than the government does." The latest statistics belie that nonsense. At a time when only spending (and only the government can spend in the amounts necessary) will increase demand and create jobs, people are saving more and spending less, which is the opposite of what's necessary. It also seems to me a rejection of democracy (which is still a process wherein the people decide what they want and then hire people through elections to carry these wishes out) while the Republican ideology is anarchy or, perhaps, chaos rather than democracy.

What, it seems to me, has to emerge from all this "stimulus" discussion are several things: (1) a guaranteed job for every person who wants one. (2) Those jobs must provide workers with a wage that will entitle them to at least a "middle class" lifestyle. (3) Sufficient training/education so that they will be qualified for whatever work they want to do. (4) Excellent health care for all. This will put Humpty together again, at least until the contradictions of capitalism knock him off the wall again.

Grand Theft Auto?

Two New York Times headlines today (Wed.): (1) "Automakers Seek $14 Billion More." (2) "Grand Theft Auto Add-On." Irony?