Astroworld

Sally,
I couldn't use the link to DU, however, here is the source article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7218008.stm

Morgana, I copied and pasted it to the address bar and it worked that way.

Wow! Just WOW!

(Sally. . .the link to demunderground brings up my Outlook Express, with address in email.)

Now, i just have to share this. It just fits in such a profound way with your significators, Linda. Sorry for my personal injection here, but. . .I FINALLY GOT A PIANO today! I haven't had a piano in years and this one just spoke to me despite the Mercury/Mars collaboration in retro. It's old, a Harvard console grand. A heavy piece with a rich, deep tone and incredible touch. I slowed down when i saw it. Literally. The woman selling it was very knowledgeable about pianos and sound boards and felts and stringing and struts.

I'm just so darned excited i could pee myself. Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Saint Saens and all -- I bow to you, please sprout wings on my fingers, so that i might honor again.

Oh Morgana, i just see you've posted up the link! Awesome

Karen, I am excited for you and wish you great great success in channeling the masters so you will be one yourself soon.

Looks like some States are calling their National Guard home. I wonder if this movement will also catch on.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20080201/wl_oneworld/45361573901201888896

Karen congratulations on your piano! We've always had musical instruments in our home, piano, electronic keyboards, guitars, flutes, drums (dumbeks), trumpet we still make a lot of happy noise.

Plus tons of art supplies, I mess with water colors (my favorite medium), and I have stained glass projects. All good for the soul and spirit, especially in these times.

Oh sorry, I meant to say something re: the broken cable. ( Heard on the German News the other night!) but I got caught up inthe election sweep! See how they do that!
& Speaking of International News I hope you are OK Betsy. That winter storm in CHina sounds like a real Bear!

Oh thank you, Capt'n! And Morgana. . .what fun it would be to visit YOUR house! Wish my sister was still here in body, for boy howdy could she boogie woogie! She could rock a grand piano. Petite and weighing in at 100 lbs., she packed a whallop on those keys.

I found the headlines interesting today for the absolute corruption -- unheard of profits for our oily friends, weather challenges (as you mention qop and yes Betsy hope you weigh in here) and then the youth making BIG sounds by clapping millions into Obama's hands.

Karen, I can hear your music already ... kudos to you for following your dream!

Congrats on your new piano! We, too, have always had musical instruments in the house, too much fun.And art supplies too....right now my fav medium is pencil, both coloured and graphite. Interesting how many artists are in this group.
Sounds like Mercury R is humming along with this disruption of communication / internet lines.

Wonderful Karen, enjoy the music! I'm lucky to have a 24 hour classical music station, so someone else can make the music while I paint!

Here's a little humor to wrap the day
http://wonkette.com/351619/anything-you-can-spare-for-cartoon-violence

It has come to our attention that the economy is in a bit of a pickle. As financial and macroeconomic experts, we’re all too aware of what this portends: hobos! Yes, thousands of shabby, unshaven, impoverished tramps will soon be spreading out onto America’s streets — and America’s editorial pages! In this week’s Cartoon Violence, we offer up a guide to the coming hobocalypse that will help you make it through with your bindle intact.

080201-1.jpg The society that hobos will build will ape the one they left behind.

Hillary is honoring her promise to John Edwards: on the stump today talking about the need to lift people out of poverty!

Congratulations on your piano, Karen. It will be quite a joy to be able to go downstairs or in the living room and make beautiful music. Bach, Beetoven and so much more. Did the person who sold you the piano have a lot of good sheet music to got with the piano?

I longed to be able to play the piano when I was a kid. I learned a few bits such as chopsticks, but never had a chance to really learn how to play.

You will never look at a beautiful Chopin Nocturne quite the same way anymore.

Oh Karen, how wonderful. You were called, and you answered. May you make music that fills the universe.

..........

If there are any regulatory agencies left, I hope they are paying attention.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/business/01legal.html?em&ex=1202014800&en=ec2374de28b34675&ei=5087%0A

Fiore hits it on the head...

http://www.sfgate.com/comics/fiore/

Sally, all, I found another reference to the communications being cut to Iran. Tin Foil Hat - but worth pondering.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/1/165625/6577/619/447888

WV, that was really cute, and funny. Hahaha.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20080201_Bush_legacy__Setting_a_standard_in_fear-mongering.html

Bush legacy: Setting a standard in fear-mongering

Richard A. Clarke is former head of counterterrorism at the National Security Council
When I left the Bush administration in 2003, it was clear to me that its strategy for defeating terrorism was leaving our nation more vulnerable and our people in a perilous place. Not only did its policies misappropriate resources, weaken the moral standing of America, and threaten long-standing legal and constitutional provisions, but the president also employed misleading and reckless rhetoric to perpetuate his agenda.

This week's State of the Union proved nothing has changed.

Besides overstating successes in Afghanistan, painting a rosy future for Iraq, and touting unfinished domestic objectives, he again used his favorite tactic - fear - as a tool to scare Congress and the American people. On one issue in particular - FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) - the president misconstrued the truth and manipulated the facts.

Let me be clear: Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. If this were true, the president would not threaten to terminate any temporary extension with his veto pen. All surveillance currently occurring would continue even after legislative provisions lapsed because authorizations issued under the act are in effect up to a full year.

Simply put, it was wrong for the president to suggest that warrants issued in compliance with FISA would suddenly evaporate with congressional inaction. Instead - even though Congress extended the Protect America Act by two weeks - he is using the existence of the sunset provision to cast his political opponents in a negative light.

For this president, fear is an easier political tactic than compromise. With FISA, he is attempting to rattle Congress into hastily expanding his own executive powers at the expense of civil liberties and constitutional protections

More at the link...

Obama's Harry and Louise....damn

http://www.prospect.org/csnc/blogs/ezraklein_archive?month=02&year=2008&base_name=health_care_debate_mandates_as

Boy oh boy.........I am watching Moyers interview Waxman! It's appalling!
Waxman is a real hero! ( we know that)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/us/02mardigras.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin
New Orleans Journal
Parade Returns, and the Heart of the City Rejoices
Happy Mardigras, NOLASharon...............

Third undersea cable reportedly cut between Sri Lanka, Suez
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/third-undersea-cable-reportedly-cut/story.aspx?guid=%7B1AAB2A79-E983-4E0E-BC39-68A120DC16D9%7D

Are they reporting these undersea cable incidents on TV? I haven't seen
anything, and it sounds serious to me, like it was done deliberately - sabotage or worse I would think.

AS I STATED above the Deustche World News Journal openly reported it several days ago!

I didn't mean to shout up there.....I just didn't retype the caps...

Thanks Linda Hill, your interpretation of the Sabian Symbols always surprises me with their profundity!

http://moveon.org/press/pr/obamaendorsementrelease.html

MoveOn Endorsement Throws Progressive Weight
Behind Barack Obama

3.2 Million Members Nationwide Mobilize to Get Out the Progressive Vote for Senator Obama

Group Has Over 1.7 Million Members In Super Tuesday States

In a resounding vote today, MoveOn.org Political Action's members nationwide voted to endorse Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President. The group, with 3.2 million members nationwide and over 1.7 million members in Super Tuesday states, will immediately begin to mobilize on behalf of Senator Obama. The vote favored Senator Obama to Senator Clinton by 70.4% to 29.6%.

Senator Obama accepted the endorsement stating:

"In just a few years, the members of MoveOn have once again demonstrated that real change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up. From their principled opposition to the Iraq war - a war I also opposed from the start - to their strong support for a number of progressive causes, MoveOn shows what Americans can achieve when we come together in a grassroots movement for change. I thank them for their support and look forward to working with their members in the weeks and months ahead."

Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org's Executive Director, issued the following statement on the group's endorsement:

"Our members' endorsement of Senator Obama is a clear call for a new America at this critical moment in history. Seven years of the disastrous policies of the Bush Administration have left the country desperate for change. We need a President who will bring to bear the strong leadership and vision required to end the war in Iraq, provide health care to every American, deal with our climate crisis, and restore America's standing in the world. The enormity of the challenges require someone who knows how to inspire millions to get involved to change the direction of our country, and someone who will be willing to change business as usual in Washington. Senator Barack Obama has proved he can and will be that President.

"With 3.2 million members nationwide and over 1.7 million members in states that vote next Tuesday, we'll be able to immediately jump into action in support of Senator Obama's candidacy. We've learned that the key to achieving change in Washington without compromising core values is having a galvanized electorate to back you up. And Barack Obama has our members 'fired up and ready to go' on that front.

more...

Good move by MoveOn, but it comes so late, that I don't know if it will make a difference, since some people have already cast their votes via the early voting process.

Reading that article by Linda Hill, I was just thinking that the antithesis of FEAR(negative) is HOPE(positive).

Accentuate the positive.

http://carolynbaker.net/site/content/view/307/

BANANA REPUBLIC--WITHOUT THE BANANAS--OR THE REPUBLIC, By Bill Bonner

London, England Friday, February 1, 2008

David Fuller is right. What we are really watching is the decline of the United States of America…its currency…its capital base…and its competitiveness in the world economy.

The feds can try to play out more lines of credit to strapped families, but what they are really doing is giving them more rope with which to hang themselves. The real problem is that American wages have not kept pace with inflation…which means, the average American is not as rich as he used to be. He can only pretend to be rich…by exchanging more of his leisure time for dollars…and by borrowing. Both of those "coping mechanisms," as Robert Reich called them, are now exhausted. Now, he's going to swing.

Over the last 30 years, Americans believed they were on top of the world. Everybody said so. And, logically, they should have been. It was post Reagan Revolution, with the most modern, most capitalistic economy in the world…with the latest technology, with the world's best brains, with the top schools, and with Wall Street to "allocate capital" in the best possible way. If workers couldn't get ahead in this economy, they couldn't get ahead anywhere. At least, that was what people believed.

But capitalism is a jungle, we keep saying, not a zoo. It lets animals get fat, but only so they can be eaten by hungrier beasts.

very large snip

Meanwhile, China is said to have about 70% of its $1.53 trillion pile in U.S. dollars. Cheng Siwei, Vice President of the Popular National Congress: "In terms of the structure of our international reserves, we must take advantage of the appreciation of strong currencies in order to offset the depreciation of weak currencies." 'Sell the buck,' he must have whispered to his broker.

And in even the formerly weak currency zone of Latin America - the home of the real 'banana republics' - the dollar is wilting. Central banks in Argentina, Peru and Colombia have had to intervene to hold up the greenback. According to Mario Bodersohn, in the Buenos Aires paper, La Nacion, there's "no precedent for such an intense sell-off of a reserve currency." Usually, it's their own pesos, reals, colons, and australs that people are laughing at. Now, it's the gringo notes that get the punch lines.

More at the link....

Here's some more clarification on how the nominees for each party will be determined:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080202/ap_on_el_pr/super_tuesday

Thanks for the Mardi Gras wishes, qop. It is a happy and hopeful time for NOLA although there is still a lot of work to do (a lot of people were disappointed this week by the judge's dismissal of the class action suit against the army corp of engineers). However, Mardi Gras is a time to celebrate and be happy & carefree in the moment, an Aquarian party of friends (the typical NOLA attitude). May the Blessings extend to all!

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/02/healthcare-numbers/

Healthcare numbers

Jonathan Gruber, one of the country’s leading health care economists — and someone not affiliated with any of the campaigns — has a new paper on covering the uninsured. He makes use of a detailed simulation model that he’s been developing for several years to assess alternative strategies.

One conclusion is that trying to cover the uninsured with tax credits, Bush-style, is — surprise, surprise — a very inefficient strategy: lots of revenue loss, while most of the people who get the benefits would have been insured anyway.

But the big conclusion, relevant to current debates, is on the role of mandates. Gruber compares a program of mandate-less subsidies to help people pay for insurance — broadly similar to the Obama plan — with a program that combines subsidies with mandates — broadly similar to the Edwards and Clinton plans.

More at the link...

OPEC MAY CUT OIL IN MARCH

http://www.cnbc.com/id/22942327

http://twilightpines.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=67

Internet Access to Iran Severed - Experts fear a Super Bowl attack

We’ll see soon enough.

Well, I tried to research these companies ( cables) You have to be a member to get info about SEA-ME-WE 4, ( eaasier to get a list of Skull Bones Members.)
We sure are beng subjected to a LOT OF chatter about the presidential candidates tho........

This source claims there were no ships in the area where the cables were "cut":
http://tinyurl.com/2sl6f3

Secretary of State Lieberman?

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/03/secretary-of-state-lieberman/

And according to this, a fourth cable has now been cut.
http://tinyurl.com/3xgqp5

Wow, Pat C, that's quite a link. I don't think i would ever have found that just doing a search on my own. You're one saavy woman!

I've been "feeling" something in the nether air. Hope this is not it, in fact i just shared with hubby that something was up before reading this about the cables.

Sally, could this be an energetic outburst coincindiental to the coming eclipse?

And Shy, no reason to tip their hand, er nukes, eh? No ships, no complicity, no track? Reminds me of Smeagol in the Lord of the Rings when he replies to Sam, "What am i doing? I'm sneaking."

Yes, Karen, and subs do sneak around, huh?

Things must not be gong all that great in Der Gropenator-land:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/3/175034/1810/420/449096

Maria endorsed Obama? Hahahahahahaha.

Shy, thanks for that link. Today was a dismal day for me and that made me smile.

Teresa

Here's another version with a dynamite picture!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
The suprises just keep coming......hope they are all pleasant or humerous ones.

some Sunday entertainment courtesy Dowd:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/opinion/03dowd.html?hp

That one thread where posted the news that Maria was backing Obama, now has 777 responses and they have had to start a second one. OK, now tell me the significance of 666+111. Hahahaha. (Sorry I'm just reveling in this turn of events.)

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/03/6809/
Is Michael Mukasey Prioritizing the Harassment and Imprisonment of Journalists?
by Glenn Greenwald
Grand Jury Subpoenas such as the one issued to Risen have as their principal purpose shutting off that avenue of learning about government wrongdoing — the sole remaining avenue for a country plagued by a supine, slothful, vapid press and an indescribably submissive Congress. Mukasey has quickly demonstrated that he has no interest in investigating and pursuing lawbreaking by high government officials, but now, he (or at least the DOJ he leads) seems to be demonstrating something even worse: a burgeoning interest in investigating and pursuing those who expose such governmental lawbreaking and turning those whistleblowers and investigative journalists into criminals.

Have to be very careful not to connect dots when there isn't sufficient info for doing so, but this is very interesting, too, in terms of those cables being cut and (so some say) isolating Iran from the internet (others disagree that it is total isolation--I haven't a clue):

http://tinyurl.com/3422xw

.????????????????????????????????????????????????.

http://harpers.org/archive/2008/02/hbc-90002302
The Case for Impeachment

BY Scott Horton
PUBLISHED
February 3, 2008
I predict that before Bush leaves office, the case for his impeachment will and should be given a more careful hearing. It must not be pursued as a partisan remedy to force a transfer of power. Rather it should be used as an institutional remedy. Polling now shows that a large majority of Americans believe that President Bush and Vice President Cheney have committed serious transgressions against the Constitution which would merit consideration of the impeachment process. Impeaching President Bush and Vice President Cheney for their attempts to hijack the Constitution would make a clear statement about abuse of power..........

Whew! The only upset last night was the Giants tromping the Patriots. Now onto Super Dooper Doozey Tuesday.

Teresa, I'm sorry you had a dismal day yesterday and I hope today is much brighter.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/4/237/29697/181/449335

mcjoan in Daily Kos:

FISA Fight: Unintended consequences

At 2:30 EST today, the Senate is scheduled to resume debate on amendments to the FISA fixes bill. As they consider the critical fixes they are making, they should be particularly cognizant of the very real dangers of letting this administration--any administration--have broad access to communications data.

That reality goes just beyond the Constitutional threat. There is potentially a very real national security threat posed by the domestic spying program.
Although the Bush administration calls it a vital weapon against terrorism, its domestic wiretapping effort could become a devastating tool for terrorists if hacked or penetrated from inside, according to a new article by a group of America's top computer security experts....

snip

This information should be a must-read for every Senator as they consider the key fixes to the bill, particularly Whitehouse's amendment on minimization, the process of weeding out data obtained about U.S. persons and destroying it. This amendment would grant the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court the discretionary authority to not only approve minimization rules but to review their implementation. But that's the bare minimum of what should happen to curtail this program.

Massive fixes aren't going to come to this legislation with the Congress we have now. But we can't let the perfect become the enemy of the at-least-better-than-the Protect America Act. That means (1) NO telco immunity, (2) NO basket warrants or reverse targeting, (3) sequestration of illegally harvested evidence, and (4) a 4 year sunset.

Call your own Senators and give them that message. And when you've finished, make a call or a fax to the list of Senators most likely to waver or to be persuaded to do the right thing.

More at the link....

Very interesting article on those cable cuts and what it all might mean:

http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/02/04/cable-news/#more-1757

HA HA HA.What goes around comes around!
I just watched Sierra Club Chronicles about the bulldozing of Esperanza the community garden on the lower east side IN 2000.
UNDER GUILIANNI'S WATCH!
HE dropped out of the presidential race with only7 1DELEGATE!

Ooops.......

http://wrybread.com/gardens/

Oh wow!
Another non partisan high profile figure, steps into "party politics" to endorse Obama

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4376739

"I have attempted throughout my life to give a voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, and options to the cynical and complacent. From Northern Ireland to Sarajevo to Latin America, I have sung and marched, engaged in civil disobedience, visited war zones, and broken bread with those who had little bread to break."

Through all those years, I chose not to engage in party politics. Though I was asked many times to endorse candidates at every level, I was never comfortable doing so. At this time, however, changing that posture feels like the responsible thing to do...........

Cynthia McKiney is going to be interviewed by Amy G after the break, Link TV!

A wag over at DU thinks those cables were cut by the Persian Gulf Monster:
"I'm sorry guys, but give me a break, I'm like the only one of my species left, you'd be draggin' ass if that was you too!"

I saw a headline on that DU link that QOP gave in her post, saying Joan Baez endorses Obama. I often wonder what became of Joan. Anyone remember that beautiful timeless song by her entitled "Diamonds and Rust"?

Actually, the antonym for the word "hope" is "despair". A propos for these times.

Woo-woo, board is hoppin' today. Now, this is for ya'll, but Luna would be particularly interested in this Monsanto travesty outlined in this open letter to a former Hillary supporter:

http://carolynbaker.net:80/site/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=310&pop=1&page=0

Crystal; That was what I intended to post! Joan Baez disappeared from public view for quite a few years. Her husband David did serve a lenthy prison sentance for his anti-war activities, while she raised their son. Enough to make anyone want to stay home!
But she did surface several years ago; in the ditch with Cindy Sheehan at Crawford!

The post about McKiney was an after thought as I was watching TV while I posted. SHe sounded VERY GOOD! Not at all that "crazy bitch" label they tried to smear her with! But she is not yet an official Green Candidate.

Oh and I still do have a 33 1/3 record player and several Baez records!

Karen! That is a gem! 2 GIANT DOTS FIRMLY CONNECTED! I have printed it out to take to my caucus, and wil post it on DU & Huffpo, Common Dreams etc.

Mayor Giuliani or Ghouliani, as he was referred to in New York, presided over a city that saw a lot of controversial policies during his 2 terms as Mayor. The one incident I'll never forget, was the case of a young African immigrant who was gunned down infront of his apartment by 4 white plain-clothes cops in an unmarked car, who were looking for a rape suspect. They claimed he was reaching for a "gun". It turned out to be his wallet. They pumped 41 bullets into his body. The Mayor had the trial moved from NYC(cosmopolitan) to upstate Albany(predominantly white), and the 4 cops were acquitted of all charges. The real rapist was later arrested. But that wasn't the worst of it. What I will never forget, is the grief on that mother's face when she came from Africa to claim her son's body, and how quiet, and well spoken she was. And his little brother back home in Africa who said that when he heard how his brother had died, he thought that it was American gangsters who had killed him (out of the mouth of babes).

Phew Crystal, that was a ghoulish portrait of Ghouliana. Awesome, girl!

And Joan Baez truly a peace activist's icon. Glad to see she's out front again!

Now, this little tidbit which adds intrigue to the severed cables. Yes?

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=41594§ionid=351020102

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/04/rice-911-commission/

Rice Was ‘Uninterested In Advising The President’ Before 9/11, Wanted To Be His ‘Closest Confidante’

http://www.newsweek.com/id/107492
UPDATE: According to Shenon, then-White House counsel Alberto Gonzales was intent on placing blame on the Clinton administration. When Ashcroft “unveiled a memo that seemed to cast the antiterror record of the Clinton Justice Department in an unflattering light, Gonzales and his aides high-fived each other.”

UPDATE II: Emptywheel has more.
http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2008/02/02/dont-worry-isikoff-tells-you-dc-is-not-corrupt-and-dishonest/

...........

Truth or Terrorism? The Real Story Behind Five Years of High Alerts

A history of the Bush administration's most dubious terror scares — and the headlines they buried

http://tinyurl.com/2fqbc9

(Rolling Stone)

don't forget, the original timeline is here:

http://juliusblog.blogspot.com/2004_08_01_juliusblog_archive.html#109156476570482138

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2008/02/senate-votes-surveillance-law-week

This week, Senators finally cast their votes on amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This is a critical week for the privacy and civil liberties of all Americans — the amendments are the last chance the Senate has to prevent handing the Administration a blank check to spy on you for years to come.

Of the amendments, the most important is The Dodd-Feingold Amendment to Strike Retroactive Immunity. The vote on this could happen as early as Monday — so email or telephone your Senators now and tell them where you stand!

Friday, former counterterrorism expert Richard Clarke penned a brilliant and revealing editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer. Clarke, you may remember, was a security advisor to four presidents before retiring in 2003 and becoming a vocal critic of Bush's flawed counterterrorism strategy.

Here comes Super Tuesday!!!
Let the chips fall where they may.

HOPE springs eternal, but as the old adage goes - Man proposes but God disposes.

Or if you prefer Mark Twain's version:

http://twainquotes.com/God.html

Thank you for your good wishes, Sally. I've been struggling with some depression lately and Sunday wasn't one of my better days.

On a lighter note, while reading the posts above, I realized that while you all were listening to Joan Baez, I was listening to Bobby Sherman and the Patridge Family. And I still have their LPs. Egads!!

Thanks karen! I've been reading lots of bad things about Monsanto for a few years now. to hear them tell it, they're the answer to all the world's hunger problems.

They're probably part of the problem with the dying bees too. Their genetically modified seeds are contaminating other crops and fields in which they aren't planted. It's a time bomb waiting to happen at some critical point in the future when nothing can be done to reverse the damage.

(((((((Teresa)))))))

The Traveling Wilburys comes to mind as some music that might be helpful, but there is wonderful, uplifting music, classical to new age. Music is food for the soul.

And here's some good lovin' music, too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3KZ0TVB2r8&feature=related

However old he gets, he can still buoy the soul.

Good morning AW! Great music shy!

I'm so grateful that I am not in one of the Super Tuesday States today. In my house it has been cold..flu...cold...flu...cold...flu. Oy. I have entirely too much time on my hands, no energy, and I'm so tired of sitting here but it is as it is.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/what/

What?
Via Talking Points: Michelle Obama: I’ll “Think About” Supporting Hillary

Um, whatever criticisms progressives might have, Clinton and Obama are far closer to each other on every issue than either is to any Republican. (I’ve never suggested otherwise.) Once the nominations are settled, any progressive ought to work enthusiastically for any Democrat — and any conservative ought to work enthusiastically for any Republican.

Update: Yes, she did catch herself — that’s why I provided the full link. But there has certainly been talk that if Obama isn’t the nominee, some of his supporters might walk — I’m certainly seeing that in my mail. I haven’t seen any of that from Clinton supporters, but maybe my mail is selective. And I have no idea what’s going on on the GOP side. Anyway, stop it: if this is about anything besides cult of personality — or, in the case of Clinton-haters, cult of of anti-personality — you shouldn’t have even an instant’s hesitation about staying with your party, whoever is nominated.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/nooooooo/

Nooooooo!!!
Via Duncan Black, Clinton’s people think this might go to the convention.

I hate this thought. I feel obliged to write about the Dem horserace because there are real policy issues at stake, and I think it’s important to highlight those issues. But I hate doing it; I hate the whole nastiness between people who should be able to realize that they’re fundamentally on the same side. I really really want this thing to be over.

Let's look at the bright side. At least whoever wins the nomination, will be able to pronounce the word "nuclear" properly.

...and then there's this!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080205/ap_on_re_us/navy_sonar;_ylt=AmpZICHuhp6AS9VrYkNxN1Ss0NUE

Navy must comply with no-sonar rule

Environmental groups seeking to protect whales from the potentially harmful effects of sonar cheered a legal victory against the Navy and the Bush administration.

U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ruled Monday that the Navy is not exempt from complying with both the National Environmental Policy Act and a court injunction that created a 12 nautical-mile no-sonar zone off Southern California.

More at the link….

I just remembered. I heard it from the source once removed! Sir Jeramy Greenstock; British Ambassador to the UN 2002,3,and then was assigned to a post inIraq, during Bremer's tenure,
who wrote a book about the lies around the rush to war.............which came out 2?-3? years ago. I realized I haven't heard any more about the book! It has dropped off the radar......... So last month, I asked his friend; sure enough, the book has been stifled! ( By his Government? Murdoch? Our government?)

Here it is!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Greenstock
On November 27, 2005 The Times reported that the publication of Greenstock's book had been barred by the Cabinet Office.[1]

Ok Mercury is rx. no kidding. I get into the voting booth, my halfass glasses slip and I mark my ballot for Biden, oops. Felt like such an idiot, walk back to the desk and tell them I oops'd, got another ballot, marked it. And WOW that felt good.

We'll have Super Tuesday thread up today. Sally and I have been looking at a variety of charts and hope we'll have a lively discussion.

Go vote!

Morgana, been there, done that. :) and had quite a serious internal discussion with self regarding that vote. I made my decision, but will i regret not voting for Kucinich even though he's no longer in the running? My thought was, would there ever be any way of knowing if the vote was cast, and would the count be made public? Hooboy.

Patqop, i remember that book. Must be the details were quite revealing, far more so than say the exposes of Naomi Klein, for example.

Looking forward -- with excitement -- to the new thread!

Oh that's funny Morgana!
Watching the lovely Dana Perino do a press conference, on Cspan...........the snow is breaking up the satellite signal,& making her look like the monster she really is! Quite Fascinating!
I was watching the Senate proceedings...........
Those unspeakables; were trying to push thru the FISA, & the Stimulus bills with many Senators missing today! They voted to vote with the quorum they HAD, rather than wait! Give em Hell Harry and Deputy Dick ( Durbin) had to put a stop to that. They were quoting from Orwell on the Senate floor!
Looking forward to the discussion....now the TV's gone!

~Has anyone else noticed the strange resurgence of McCain, like, in a few weeks time from No Man's Land to 48%?
~Has anyone else noticed the consistent dead heat numbers between Obama and Clinton (just a few points like in the fake exit poles which matched the outcome which only happens when it's in the repug interests?).

Maybe, just maybe the answer lies with Zogby:
McCain beats Clinton in every pole 8-9%.
Obama beats McCain in every pole 8-9%.

Somebody tell me I'm delusional here about the 1-20-09 chart, which set me off with the genuine concern of who this brittle little McCain man might pick as VP...and who this VP could be the mask behind the mask of the next "president".

color me paranoid.

Karen, I'm with you on writing in Kucinich. Since the '08 election has that familiar (but not 'because') square of mars/neptune the same old strangeness we've seen since the Aug '99 eclipse appear to be lining up to fool us Thrice.
VP choices are crucial all around. Because this election looks like a 'bait 'n' switch'.
Can't help it: Obama has a wind blowing right through him (but I could be wrong). Clinton is more substantial, yet has no intention of prosecuting war crimes and not a word on either side about the corpse of our constitution and bill of rights lying there rotting in the middle of the cocktail party.

Heads or tails?

Karen, like you I plan to vote Reality and what I know is true. Kucinich, Edwards...
not what has been pre-packaged in cellophane and hammered into our consciousness for the last 24 months.
I'm writing in this time for the first time in 40 years because we're not going to let them dictate the darkside into our minds.
giving it away to the wrong party? Don't think so...this time the point is much deeper than those artificial numbers and outcomes.

Here's a little quote from Cosmic Path website which I think may apply today:

"The young do not know enough to be prudent, and therefore they attempt the impossible - and achieve it, generation after generation."
Pearl S. Buck
1892-1973, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize Winning Author