You think me unsurprising. Wait –
I have a thing or two to share. I’ll never
be the river in full spate, the raging fire,
but, look, I have my moments too:
fish-leap, a flash of juggled silver
barely seen before the splash,
a fleeting shadow shooting through
the water to some secret place;
the sudden kudu in the underbrush,
etched by your headlights, leaping clear.
And you paused at the wheel, aware:
at first just awed by muscled grace,
but then, the mind’s eye’s shattered glass,
the heart’s revealing race, the taste of fear.

-Isobel Dixon

by Paul Krugman

The Congressional Budget Office has looked at the future of American health insurance, and it works.

A few weeks ago there was a furor when the budget office “scored” two incomplete Senate health reform proposals — that is, estimated their costs and likely impacts over the next 10 years. One proposal came in more expensive than expected; the other didn’t cover enough people. Health reform, it seemed, was in trouble.

But last week the budget office scored the full proposed legislation from the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). And the news — which got far less play in the media than the downbeat earlier analysis — was very, very good. Yes, we can reform health care.

( Read more... )

sauce

The body of Muslim woman, killed in a German courtroom by a man convicted of insulting her religion, has been taken back to her native Egypt for burial.

Marwa Sherbini, 31, was stabbed 18 times by Axel W, who is now under arrest in Dresden for suspected murder.

Husband Elwi Okaz is also in a critical condition in hospital, after being injured as he tried to save his wife.

Ms Sherbini had sued her killer after he called her a "terrorist" because of her headscarf.

The case has attracted much attention in Egypt and the Muslim world.

German prosecutors have said the 28-year-old attacker, identified only as Axel W, was driven by a deep hatred of foreigners and Muslims.

'Martyr'

Medics were unable to save Ms Sherbini who was three months pregnant with her second child. Her three-year-old son, was with the family in court when she was killed.

Axel W and Ms Sherbini and family were in court for him to appeal against a fine of 750 euros ($1,050) for insulting her in 2008, apparently because she was wearing the Muslim headscarf or Hijab.

Newspapers in Egypt have expressed outrage at the case, asking how it was allowed to happen and dubbing Ms Sherbini "the martyr of the Hijab".

Senior Egyptian officials and German diplomatic staff attended the funeral in Alexandria along with hundreds of mourners.

Media reports say Mr Okaz was injured both by the attacker and when a policeman opened fire in the courtroom.

I hate,

because
they are evil
as habitual hunger
in a child's stomach,

people
who try
to change man
the hunter for truth
into
a castrated cow
grazing
in the peace
of mental death.

Ex-Defense Secretary Robert S. McNamara Dies at 93



Robert S. McNamara, perhaps the most influential defense secretary of the 20th century, who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of Vietnam and spent the rest of his life wrestling with the war’s moral consequences, died early Monday at his home in Washington, the Associated Press reported, citing his wife, Diana. He was 93, and according to the news agency, had been in failing health for some time.

Serving Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968, Mr. McNamara oversaw hundreds of military missions, thousands of nuclear weapons and billions of dollars in military spending and foreign arms sales. He also enlarged the defense secretary’s role, handling foreign diplomacy and the dispatch of troops to enforce civil rights in the South.

“He’s like a jackhammer,” President Johnson said. “No human being can take what he takes. He drives too hard. He is too perfect.”

As early as April 1964, Senator Wayne Morse, Democrat of Oregon, called Vietnam “McNamara’s War.” Mr. McNamara did not object. “I am pleased to be identified with it,” he said, “and do whatever I can to win it.”

Half a million American soldiers went to war on his watch. More than 16,000 died; 42,000 more would fall in the seven years to come.

The war became his personal nightmare. Nothing he did, none of the tools at his command — the power of American weapons, the forces of technology and logic or the strength of American soldiers — could stop the armies of North Vietnam. He concluded well before leaving the Pentagon that the war was futile, but he did not share that insight with the public until late in life.

In 1995, he took a stand against his own conduct of the war, confessing in a memoir that it was “wrong, terribly wrong.” In return, he faced a firestorm of scorn.

( Read more... )

If you haven't seen The Fog Of War, DO IT! it was really influential to me when it first came out, and it's still a powerful documentary. Also it has a sweet Philip Glass soundtrack.

Appearing on CNN's Reliable Sources, CNN anchor Don Lemon emphatically defended the media's extensive coverage of Michael Jackson's death over the last two weeks. He argued that Jackson was an "accidental civil rights leader" and that critics of the coverage were "elitist."

Here's a bit of the transcript:

HOWARD KURTZ: Don't you feel deep down that this is overdoing it?

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: No, I don't feel it's overdoing it. And I don't -- and when I hear people say that, I have to be very honest with you, Howie, I think it's elitist. I don't remember -- I'm sure there was some criticism when there was the coverage of Princess Diana's death, but I don't think that there was this sort of criticism that we're having with Michael Jackson.

Michael Jackson is an accidental civil rights leader, an accidental pioneer. He broke ground and barriers in so many different realms in artistry, in pictures, in movies, in music, you name it. So, no, I don't think it's overkill.

KURTZ: Okay. He did all of those things. He also was accused of child molestation, and was a seriously weird person. But he has been dead for more than a week and we are still going almost wall-to-wall.

LEMON: Well, he has been dead for more than a week, yes, but Michael Jackson twice -- well, once, I should say, he was acquitted of child molestation. The other time it was settled out of court.

KURTZ: Right.

LEMON: And if you talk to people who were involved in those cases, they don't believe that he did it. So let's put that aside.

The Pew Research Center released findings last week indicating that "nearly two-in-three Americans say news organizations gave too much coverage to the story. At the same time, half say the media struck the right balance between reporting on Jackson's musical legacy and the problems in his personal life."

Blacks followed the death of the African American singer - who had been on the national stage for four decades - more closely than the population as a whole. Eight-in-ten African Americans say they followed news about Jackson's death very closely, compared with 22% of whites. Women followed the story more closely than men (35% very closely compared with 26%). Close to four-in-ten (38%) of those under 40 say they followed the music icon's death very closely, compared with 27% of those between 40 and 64 and 20% of those 65 and older. [...]

About two-thirds of the public (64%) say news organizations gave too much attention to the death of the 50-year-old performer, who had been rehearsing for a major comeback tour. About three-in-ten (29%) say the coverage was the right amount. Only 3% say there had been too little coverage.

Source.

I find it amusing how Lemon is portraying CNN's coverage as a loving tribute, when in reality most of it has been devoted to uncomfortable speculation -- how many times did they show the interview with MJ's former nurse and discuss what drugs he might have wanted? If it's not uncomfortable speculation, it's also stupid fluff -- Anderson Cooper's report of "WHAT ABOUT BUBBLES?" comes to mind. Certainly the death of a worldwide cultural icon is important, but to treat complaints about the barrage of coverage as elitism is ridiculous. MOST of CNN's coverage has been more fitting for TMZ or the E! network. While losing a figure like Jackson is culturally relevant, speculating on whether or not Debbie Rowe wants the kids back is not. But, this 'debate' follows in the Reliable Sources tradition of everyone missing the point.

URUMQI, China – Tensions between ethnic Muslims and China's Han majority in the far western Xinjiang region erupted in riots that killed 140 people and injured 828, an official said Monday, marking the deadliest unrest to hit the volatile area in decades.

A peaceful protest Sunday of about 1,000 to 3,000 people in the regional capital, Urumqi, apparently spun out of control, as rioters went on a rampage and clashed with police. The official Xinhua News Agency reported hundreds of people were arrested.

( Read more )

Source

Mom accused of sex with toddler, dog

Webcast leads to arrest

By Trevor Wilhelm, The Windsor Star
April 28, 2009

Police call it one of the most shocking and disturbing crimes they've seen after a woman allegedly broadcast herself on a webcam having sex with her toddler and her dog.

"It's one of those things that just makes your stomach roll," said Essex County OPP Const. Janet Hayes. "It's hard to believe there are people out there that can commit these despicable offences, especially against their own child. You can't comprehend someone that could do something like that."

( Read more... )

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/accused+with+toddler/1540278/story.html

I was browsing through Etsy and somehow came across these, um no idea if I'd consider buying one.

Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton, Stephen Harper and Iggy

It's the Political Circus! finger puppet politicians! 4 leaders of the 4 major parties (Elizabeth May is available separately). Haven't you always wanted to get engaged in politics? Well now is your chance! Play with your politicians, make them say all the wonderful things you've always wanted them to say. Each leader is about 15cm tall (Iggy is about 20cm). If you just want one puppet, they are 15$ each. Just email me gabe(at)fishonfridays.ca. Politicians are not intended for small children.

The Jack Layton and Olivia Chow finger puppets, handmade in Ottawa, are part of the "It's The Political Circus!" project. They are both about 15cm tall and available here as a set! Think of the possibilities! Jack, Olivia, your fingers.... Jack and Olivia are not intended for small children.

Morning Edition, July 6, 2009 ·

The Central Intelligence Agency in recent years has taken on new assignments such as monitoring rogue regimes and tracking terrorists. The agency has another mission: analyzing the global economy. Intelligence officials say the global financial crisis has emerged as the top U.S. security threat. And to help figure it out, the CIA is recruiting Wall Street bankers.

"A New York congressman says in a YouTube video that Michael Jackson was a "pervert, child molester, pedophile."

Rep. Peter King said society is "glorifying" a "low-life" while ignoring the efforts of teachers, police officers, firefighters, veterans and volunteers. King is among the possible Republican contenders for the seat held by Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand."




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/06/pete-king-michael-jackson_n_226062.html

(Thanks for the support folks. Please rate, subscribe and feel free to post! Twitter.com/elonjames )

In Episode 3 of the 2nd Season of "This Week in Blackness" Brooklyn Comedy Company's Elon James White discusses the Sarah Palin's sudden departure from politics and a possible new Black charismatic GOP Presidential hopeful.

The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. ... We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto.

(Newt Gingrich)

We have confirmation that one of Mousavi's campaigners has died due to being tortured. (both links are in Persian and basically said that he died due to bleeding in the head)

Plans for a world wide rally on July 25th.

Join us in organizing a global day of action in solidarity with the Iranian people! We are coordinating a multi-city event July 25, and we need someone with superb online organizing skills who can hit the ground running now for a two-week all-out dash of blogging, twittering and online organizing to pull this thing together. Fast paced, fun, for an important cause. Gain experience and play a crucial role in organizing for this worthwhile cause! Contact united4iran@gmail.com.

The National Iran Resistance demands for brothers in arms, wearing the coat of arms of the Republic, to defy & resist orders which could harm unarmed citizens. The officers Corps are disgusted. So many lost children & relatives. We are fed up. We demand the Khobregan and Parliament to authorize the Armed Forces to apprehend foreign & domestic thugs killing our people.

I was reading another community when it occured to me I haven't had to really think about a response to pro-life arguments in a long time. The arguments about abortion I see always follow down one of a very few paths, and are easy to predict. If you've had one argument about abortion, you've had them all, it seems. I'm willing to bet pro-life people feel the same way.

Do any of you yearn to hear a new conversation? Do you wish you'd be asked a question you don't already have an answer to (and have had the same answer for years)? If any of you have a question or a point that you'd like to see brought into the debate that you don't think people have already heard a million times, please post it.

My contribution:
Most of my patients (I work in an abortion clinic) refer to what's inside them as a baby. I have many, many religious patients who come in wearing crosses, bracelets with saints or stations of the cross pictured on them (or other non-Christian religious icons). Some of these patients even reference that abortion is against their belief system, but that they are sure this is the best decision for them. They have their procedures, and almost all of them are emotionally stable before, during, and after their procedures. It doesn't matter if a woman calls an embryo a baby or what sanctity she places on developing human life. Women will have abortions anyway, because other aspects of their life are more important to them.

Insomnia in a Strange City
by Clare McDonnell

Too hot with the duvet on,
too cold with it off,
I am a corkscrew, twisting
on the edge of wine-dark dreams.
The territory is scented by others,
making an intruder of me.
Tired of watching each red minute pass
I go to the window, look the city in the eye.

A tethered dog barks twice
to ask if he is alone in the world.
There is no reply.

Jaundiced light bleeds over the pavement
and spills into oily puddles
that splash the worn shoes
of a lame night-walker.
Macho youths bluff their way
past shadows in doorways.
A Coke can dances along the gutter
to its own tinny music.

A tethered dog barks twice
to ask if he is alone in the world.
There is no reply.

Lovers, whose fermented hurt explodes
through the black bottle-neck of night,
scream their grief at each other.
A coiled cat unwinds itself
into an arch, then settles again
on yesterday's dead headlines.
An alarmed car, molested by a stranger,
shrieks in panic for its owner.

A tethered dog barks twice
to ask if he is alone in the world.
There is no reply.

Then suddenly dawn sighs
and a blackbird sings of home.
I crawl under the alien duvet
and crush the poking fingers of insomnia
that teased my tired mind.
In splintered dreams of dark streets,
I run to comfort the tethered dog.
We lie together in our chains.