The Boehner from another planet

Quote of the week:
"We just come from two different planets."
John Boehner, House Speaker (R-Ohio) about him & President Obama

We have known for a long time that Boehner was from another planet (Planet GOP). Bit the question is what did we do to Planet GOP to make them want to destroy life on earth?

Gingrich's Extremist Anti-Palestinian Stance Follows Millions from Casino Magnate Sheldon Adelson

Although Thom Hartmann said today that Gingrich (according to Florida polls) had imploded for the second time, it's still worth noting how easily he can be bought (although he doesn't come cheap). He is, in fact, the Israeli candidate for president. The real question is why doesn't he have to register as an agent of foreign government.

Gingrich's Extremist Anti-Palestinian Stance Follows Millions from Casino Magnate Sheldon Adelson

The New York Times today on Penn South: A positive view

The lead story in today's New York Times Arts Section "Towers of Dreams: One Ended in Nightmare" by Michael Kimmelman is very positive toward Penn South (our home), an attitude that's very unusual for Times' reporters. In this case Kimmelman is comparing the history of the late Pruitt-Igoe development in St. Louis (demolished in 1972) with the success of Penn South and trying to explain the differences which led to such different outcomes. The immediate peg for the story is a documentary, "The Pruitt-Igoe Myth."

Ralph Nader Responds to Obama's State of the Union Address

"He Says One Thing and Does Another": Ralph Nader Responds to Obama's State of the Union Address

Egypt: Sharif Abdel Kouddous Reports from Cairo Marking 1 Year of Rebellion in Tahrir Square; HBO documentary tonight

HBO will mark the 1st anniversary of the uprising in Egypt with "In Tahrir Square" showing Democracy Now correspondent Sharif Abdel Kouddous reporting from Tahrir Square in the first 18 days of the rebellion. Unfortunately the discussion with the filmmakers at the end of the broadcast is cut-off.

Egypt: Sharif Abdel Kouddous Reports from Cairo as Crowds Mark 1 Year of Revolution in Tahrir Square

We must stop this corporate takeover of American democracy - Newsroom: Bernie Sanders - U.S. Senator for Vermont

We must stop this corporate takeover of American democracy - Newsroom: Bernie Sanders - U.S. Senator for Vermont

GOP/Tea Party debate

Looking at photos from last night's Republican clown show it definitely looks more like a GOP event now that the five white guys got rid of the black guy & the woman

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Let's make 2012 the best yet

This photo taken by Lindsay Beyerstein on Sept. 26th @ Liberty Plaza Park (OWS) best sums up 2011 & looks forward to 2012.

[Thanks to Joe Macare for referring to the photo in his excellent Truthout article "The Year Dissent Came Back"]

The Messiah

The Messiah tonight @ The Community Church. Ann sang, as she does every year

Quote of the Day: On Democracy

Heard @ the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, SA (via Democracy Now):
"The U. S. Has the best democracy money can buy"

Let's weed out the bad mayors

The latest words of wisdom from Hosni Bloomberg
From yesterday's speech:

And I would, if I had the ability - which nobody does really – to just design a system and say, ‘ex cathedra, this is what we’re going to do,’ you would cut the number of teachers in half, but you would double the compensation of them and you would weed out all the bad ones and just have good teachers. And double the class size with a better teacher is a good deal for the students.”

I have a better suggestion: Let's have half as many mayors and weed out all the bad ones and just have good ones. Bloomberg would be first on most people's weed-out list.

A thought for today

Those who can do.
Those who can't go into politics

Film award season begins: The run-up to Oscar

So here we go again. The film award season is underway. And our annual Oscar Odyssey will begin. Today The New York Film Critics Circle announced its awards.

Best Film: "The Artist"
Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"
Best Actor: Brad Pitt, "Moneyball" and "The Tree of Life"
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"
Best Supporting Actor: Albert Brooks, "Drive"
Best Supporting Actress, Jessica Chastain, "Take Shelter" and "The Tree of Life"
Best Screenplay: Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin, "Moneyball"
Best Cinamatography: Emmanuel Lubezki, "The Tree of Life"
Best Foreign Language Film: "A Separation" directed by Asghar Farhadi
Best Non-Fiction Film: "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" directed by Werner Herzog
Best First Film: "Margin Call" directed by J.C. Chandor
A Special Award will be given posthumously to filmmaker Raoul Ruiz

Washington Lobbyists Crafted $850,000 Secret Plan For Bank Lobbyists To Undermine Occupy Wall Street | Truthout

If Wall Street banksters & big city mayors, like Bloomberg, had the courage of their convictions they would have sat back & let the OWS patriots (as Thom Hartmann calls them) do their thing; but their hysterical use of pepper spray, rubber bullets & beating up a pregnant protester says more about the power of the OWS truth than the truth of power. When you attack peaceful protesters in the dead of night & exclude the press it's obvious you have something to hide.

Washington Lobbyists Crafted $850,000 Secret Plan For Bank Lobbyists To Undermine Occupy Wall Street | Truthout

Capitalism vs. the Climate by Naomi Klein (from The Nation)

This is the best analysis of the current situation I've read. That won't surprise anyone who has read The Shock Doctrine. Not only is Naomi Kiein the best progressive thinker, but she can really write.

Capitalism vs. the Climate | The Nation

This Is What Revolution Looks Like | by Chris Hedges - from Truthout

This Is What Revolution Looks Like | Truthout

The knee

Ann's knee in all its glory. She's doing very well, but rehabs a bitch. Likely date of discharge next Monday. Could change.

Ann's surgery

Ann's surgery went very well. She's in recovery & awake. I've seen her twice. I'm hoping the next time I see her (probably around 4:30PM) she'll be in a room. But all is going very well.

Measures of poverty

There's a new measure of poverty in the U.S. from the Census Bureau. It jiggles the numbers & concludes that less of some groups & more of other groups are poor, but as Lawrence Katz, Harvard professor of economics, says: "The big picture is that in this so-called recovery there are more people in distress regardless of how you measure poverty". (NYT, 11/8/11)

10,000 Surround White House to Protest Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline

Here's this morning's interview about the Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline. Obama is postponing a decision, I hope it's not just an election ploy. The pipeline needs to be stopped. It would be an environmental disaster & despite claims will
Not create jobs.

10,000 Surround White House to Protest Keystone XL Tar Sands Oil Pipeline