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Giving
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 01/17/2010 14:53:53

A few thoughts on giving to help those in need. Recently a group of people set up a table outside my workplace to collect money for disaster relief in Haiti. I became suspicious when I saw that they were collecting cash. Lots of cash. People who went about their daily rush, and feeling guilty about the situation in Haiti, combined with the heartbreaking photos the group posted, were filling the large jars at rapid pace.

I was even more concerned when I overheard one of the volunteers tell a donor that this was their only location! (Hopefully he meant locally, as they claim to be an international agency). Also, I must admit i did find it amusing when they asked if they could bring their collection table inside because it started to drizzle rain outside. I mean, really! What kind of disaster relief people are that wimpy? Perhaps I'm just cynical because I had to stand for days on end on a hot airport tarmac in New Orleans in blazing heat/sun while attempting to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina.
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7 comments (Latest Comment: 01/17/2010 23:01:12 by Mondobubba)

Country First
Author: TriSec    Date: 01/16/2010 14:29:24

I don't like Martha Coakley.

There, I said it.

I don't know what it is. She really and truly rubs me the wrong way. I don't think she's been that great of an Attorney General, and I also don't believe she has the temperment, passion, or wherewithal to be an effective senator.

I also didn't like the fact that Senator Kennedy's body was barely cold when the democratic machine in this state started lining up behind her; we had many good and bold candidates, but because it was important that she be the first woman senator from this state, she became the chosen one.

And her attitude all along has been all wrong...from the day she annouced, it felt like she expected to be called "Senator"....and this entire campaign and election was nothing more than a formality before she went to Washington.

But then along came Scott Brown.

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5 comments (Latest Comment: 01/17/2010 14:23:36 by AuntAzalea)

The Other News
Author: BobR    Date: 01/15/2010 11:55:53

The news coverage of the unimaginable disaster and tragedy in Haiti has been pretty much non-stop, and rightly so. So as a service to our readers, here are some interesting stories that might have flown a bit under the radar....
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30 comments (Latest Comment: 01/15/2010 23:41:21 by Scoopster)

Do whatever you can.
Author: Raine    Date: 01/14/2010 13:41:03

There are no words to describe what I have been seeing.

Today, I ask you to do something, anything to help alleviate the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Haiti. That said, be aware. The FBI has -- sadly and somewhat expectedly -- issued a fraud alert. Do what you can, but heed these warnings.

Today is critical for hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti. They need water, they need shelter and they need to be rescued. You and I can only donate what little money we have, and even if it is one dollar, it will help. I fear that this is just the tip of the iceberg in regards to what we are seeing. My heart is heavy, and I wish I could do more. There are lists of ways to help all over the internet. Here is one to get you started. Please add to the list as you find more.

While tempted, I'm not posting links to the stories of devastation, or to the stories of the evil hatred I am seeing out there -- not in today's blog. Now is time to focus on helping the victims of this disaster. Now is a time to not waste energy on those that desire to see more suffering. The news will unfold on it's own as the day progresses, and I will allow for them to do their jobs.

Right now is the time when collectively we can put our energy together for those that need us most. This is one planet and one home. We must do what we can for the mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers that need help in the most desperate way.

and
Raine

 
19 comments (Latest Comment: 01/15/2010 05:57:59 by livingonli)

Wednesday Science Roundup
Author: BobR    Date: 01/13/2010 12:53:28

As an occassional alternative to politics, we bring you some interesting science news for today...
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27 comments (Latest Comment: 01/14/2010 01:40:14 by Mondobubba)

Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 01/12/2010 11:21:42

Good Morning.

Today is our 2,491st day in Iraq and our 3,019th day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do, with the latest casualty figures from Iraq and Afghanistan, courtesy of antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4373
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4234
Since Capture of Saddam (12/13/03): 3910
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3514
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09): 145

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 325
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 956
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 626
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq: 1,395
Journalists - Iraq: 335
Academics Killed - Iraq: 431

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 948, 221, 550, 000 .00


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26 comments (Latest Comment: 01/12/2010 22:07:36 by Will in Chicago)

You bet there's a double standard.
Author: Raine    Date: 01/11/2010 13:48:31

So I wanted to talk a little bit about Harry Reid. Yesterday, we learned that while the President was running for office, he said Barack Obama was "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." This is according to a book titled Game Change, written by Mark Halperin (Time) and John Heilemann (New York magazine).

The comments, while insensitive, (and for some - offensive) were forgiven by the man that Senator Reid was talking about, Barack Obama. As he put it, the 'book is closed'. That didn't stop a lot of heads from exploding, especially a certain leader of the RNC, who called for the resignation of Reid.
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22 comments (Latest Comment: 01/11/2010 22:22:41 by livingonli)

Help the Media with Facts, Please
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 01/10/2010 15:44:01

Okay so sometimes, well, often, the news organizations get things wrong or leave out important little details to stories. I know, SHOCKING. It's our jobs as citizens to help them out (straighten them out). This couldn't have been clearer with the recent faux pas by George Stephanopoulos on GMA when he let "America's Mayor" say some pretty stupid things, namely, that "we never had an attack under George W. Bush".

We need to speak up en masse when they fuck, er, forget their jobs. So keep these numbers handy people: (a few may be out of date, but I'll try to update them asap).
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2 comments (Latest Comment: 01/10/2010 23:38:01 by Will in Chicago)

How about that recovery?
Author: TriSec    Date: 01/09/2010 12:29:58

Good Morning.

Well, the job figures are out for December, and they're not quite what the President had in mind. After November, a lot of us were hopeful that maybe things would be a wee bit better this past month. Alas, It was not to be.


The nation can expect sluggish job growth and high unemployment in coming months as tight credit, long-term joblessness, and cautious spending by consumers and businesses weigh on the economic recovery, Eric Rosengren, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, said yesterday.

Rosengren, addressing the Connecticut Business and Industry Association in Hartford, made his remarks shortly after the Labor Department reported that US employers cut 85,000 jobs in December and that more than 600,000 unemployed Americans stopped looking for work. That helped keep the nation’s jobless rate steady at 10 percent, since only those who actively seek work are counted by the Labor Department as unemployed.

The December employment report was a setback to hopes that the national labor market had hit bottom and job growth would resume. Analysts said it was particularly disappointing following November, when the nation added 4,000 jobs - the first job growth in nearly two years, according to revised statistics released yesterday.

“I was hoping for a positive number in December and a new spin on the shape of the recovery,’’ said Bill Cheney, chief economist at John Hancock Financial in Boston. “In the end, we’re left just about where we were before: All the pieces are in place for the job market to turn around, but it hasn’t done so yet.’’


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4 comments (Latest Comment: 01/10/2010 15:35:11 by Scoopster)

The Wrong Approach to Terrorism
Author: BobR    Date: 01/08/2010 13:47:42

There have been a lot of interesting discussions over the last few weeks about how to deal with the threat of terrorism. Sadly, the most interesting information is relegated to the lesser known or more biased news networks, so they are either ignored or dismissed out of hand. The mainstream discussion seems to revolve around "stricter restrictions via the TSA", "gitmo-ize the crotch-bomber", and "military action with Yemen". None of this will work, and will likely be counter-productive.

So why won't it work and what might work instead? First we need to look at a little history...
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37 comments (Latest Comment: 01/09/2010 01:33:48 by trojanrabbit)

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