February 26, 2010 archive

Energy Smart Tom speaks directly … must read comments

Representative Tom Perriello (D-VA-5) was one of the first candidates to make the Energy Smart list.  Yesterday, not for the first time, he provided a clear statement as to why he merited and continues to merit a prominent position in the ‘must support’ list for anyone concerned about fostering a prosperous and secure America future.  

Interviewed by David Roberts, Grist, Perriello spoke strongly about the imperative for better energy policy, including the necessity of putting a price on carbon.  While too many in the Commonwealth are flaunting their anti-science syndrome credentials, Perriello is speaking forthrightly and directly. His narrow victory in 2008 has him in the Republican cross hairs for defeat this November but Perriello doesn’t speak directly — he speaks with great integrity and from principle.   That characteristic, of having the courage of convictions and being able to speak coherently about them, goes a long way with voters who might disagree in a specific case but who respect a clear-speaking politician with principles.  

And, Tom’s words about the Senate-House relationship — his direct and strong words — merit attention, echoing, and applause.

Docudharma Times Friday February 26




Friday’s Headlines:

VA to reopen Gulf War vets’ files

After Canadian gold, cigars and champagne

USA

At health-care summit, Obama tells Republicans he’s eager to move ahead

Toyota crisis puts spotlight on auto electronics

Europe

Now Greece heads for junk status as crisis intensifies

Court throws out David Mills bribery, clearing way for Silvio Berlusconi reprieve

Middle East

Turkish leaders meet to dispel coup plot tensions

Haaretz probe: Dubai assassins’ passport photos were doctored

Asia

Suicide bombers strike in heart of Kabul

Thailand on edge for Thaksin Shinawatra ‘Judgement Day’

Latin America

Mexico puts its drug suspects on parade

Gulf War Syndrome

Real Good News for Our Brother and Sister Veterans of Gulf War I, who like those who served with us in Vietnam, and many before that and after, the Country once again turned their backs and ignored after they returned, will hopefully get what the Country Promises for Service To. Trouble is, again, it’s way to late for those who have already passed on. For us it was Agent Orange and the other defoliants used, Vietnamese and Vets are still suffering from the lasting contamination, as well as PTSD, suffered in great numbers by those who serve especially in our occupations of others. The Country Cheers on War and the funding for but refuses to pony up for the long lasting results of many who are sent!

Muse in the Morning

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket
Muse in the Morning


Sighting

(Click on image for larger view)

Zwei…

Yet Another Bombing in Kabul

Media worldwide are publishing photos of a massive suicide bombing yesterday in downtown Kabul, but what’s the difference between looking at those brand new photos, instead of looking at very similar photos of a very similar bombing in Kabul January 16, 2009?

What’s the difference between looking at brand new photos of a bombing in Kabul, instead of very similar photos of a very similar bombing in Kabul July 7, 2008?

What’s the difference between looking at brand new photos of a bombing in Kabul, instead of very similar photos of a very similar bombing in Kabul September 17, 2009?

October 8, 2009?

December 15, 2009?

August 15, 2009?

 

January 18, 2010?

And so on.

Late Night Karaoke

Open Thread

APA will not justify or defend human rights abuses.

Congratulations, American Psychological Association (APA), on re-writing your guidelines to unambiguously not justify or defend violations of human rights.  While a policy of not justifying or defending human rights abuses is not the strongest language possible, APA has unequivocally graduated beyond justifying or defending the ancient black arts of coerced confessions and abject psychological domination brutally secured using physical and psychological crowbars into consciousness.  

I don’t have a lot to say about this except that a profession that professes to excel at understanding the human psyche probably should not have availed itself of that knowledge to inflict expert levels of long-lasting psychological trauma on their fellow humans, or be associated with those who do, regardless of who asked or paid for such services.

I’ll refrain from offering any further sneering congratulations on the nature of these grave lapses in judgment or on the modest language not justifying or defending human rights abuses, and instead offer a heartfelt “thank you” for addressing this oversight at long last, insofar as you have, as well as thanking APA members who withheld their dues and/or support for APA until this policy was unambiguously clarified to not justify or defend human rights abuses.  

Let’s acknowledge this modest, but unambiguous win in the language of policy for all concerned.  Abusers of human rights can no longer use the APA policy to justify or defend themselves.

The newer, unambiguous guidelines (below) go into effect in June, 2010.

The AFA has turned Cowardly 20100225

Well, the American Family Association, that bastion of truth, has stopped taking its own comments from users.  To comment there, now one has to sign up for a Facebook account or your word is not noted, nor can one read other comments.

I am not completely surprised, but I thought that they might be more honest a site, like ‘Dharma and Kos.  But, then again, no.

Under the Radar

A one year extension was quickly passed via voice vote in the Senate minus any protections for the privacy of US citizens because of a threatened filibuster by Republicans. The bill now goes the the house. Let’s see of they have more spine that the Senate and let parts of the Patriot Act slip into the sunset.

Patriot Act Elements Extended

The Senate on Wednesday extended for a year key provisions of the nation’s counterterrorism surveillance law that are scheduled to expire at the end of the month. One provision authorizes court-approved roving wiretaps that permit surveillance on multiple phones. A second allows court-approved seizure of records and property in antiterrorism operations. A third permits surveillance against a noncitizen suspected of engaging in terrorism who may not be part of a recognized terrorist group. In agreeing to pass the bill, Senate Democrats retreated from adding new privacy protections to the USA Patriot Act. The Senate approved the bill on a voice vote with no debate. It now goes to the House.

Will we continue to kiss out 4th Amendment Rights good-bye? Or will the house tell the Senate “forgettabouit”?

Overnight Caption Contest

Removing Health Insurance’s Antitrust Exemption — will Lower its Cost

With all the other HCR news, you may have missed this important tidbit. (I know I did.)

House Votes To Repeal Antitrust Exemption for Health Insurance Firms

Thursday, February 25, 2010

On Wednesday, the House voted 406-19 to end a 65-year-old antitrust exemption for health insurance companies, part of Democrats’ broader strategy to revive their health reform efforts ahead of Thursday’s bipartisan health care summit, Roll Call reports (Dennis, Roll Call, 2/25).

The bill (HR 4626) would amend the 1945 McCarran-Ferguson Act, which exempts insurers from federal antitrust law if they are regulated by the states.

http://www.californiahealthlin…

Granted it’s NOT the Public Option, BUT still it’s important to finally putting the brakes on the run-away rising costs of Health Care, hopefully

For Your Consideration: Negotiating

One of the important points of  negotiating that I learned early was that you take nothing off the table, no matter how outrageous or unobtainable. You come to the table with everything you want, EVERYTHING. One of my favorite bloggers is Hecate, a Wiccan lawyer who works in DC. Her comments on “Yes We Can!”

It’s probably just me, but I’m a huge negotiation geek. It was my favorite class in law school. Every single exercise, my partner and I got buckets and buckets more than anyone else. As we were doing one of the exercises, someone in the class sighed out loud, “They’re doing it again.” There’s an art to negotiation, and a huge part of that art is going in knowing who and what you’re up against. Plus, negotiation is great fun. I’ve made a very respectable living for years based, inter alia, on my ability to negotiate (and to go for the jugular when people won’t negotiate with me). So it’s driven me batshit insane to watch the Obama administration and the Senate Dems “negotiate” and I use that term loosely, themselves into a losing position on health care reform.

Load more