The Air We Breathe...

The Information Horizon: OK, I mixed metaphors which I will let others complete, as I thought of the air waves and the information highway and the rising tide and being in the same boat. Well, maybe I took it one thread too far.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

TO THE FCC and CONGRESS
Take Action! [**] <<== CLICK HERE And for more action ==>HERE

The FCC must not further deregulate the air waves. It is bad enough that the public airwaves are controlled by conglomerations already, that should be remedied. But to allow the expanded ownership by the print media should be prohibited. The whole purpose of the FCC should be to regulate something that is supposed to be free, but is limited. It turns out to be quite profitable, and the print media is not on hard times, except for the competition which arises from the same conglomeration. If these cannot be regulated to be serving the public good, then they should be making a profit for the public good.

This is not just an economic issue, it is a power issue. You will use yours for good, or you will use it for power and profit. If it is the latter, you should have neither.

I was not going to make a major production out of this, and I suppose I could have included of few statistics rather than just seemingly pull this out of the air waves, but here is an example I stumbled upon today. In doing a background check (google) on Joseph Stiglitz, "Making Globalization Work",
I came across a review in my local paper by Bruce Ramsey and embedded in that piece is the following:

His book is flavored with a deep distaste for inequality. "Those who are concerned about inequality see much of it arising out of luck -- the luck of being born with good genes or rich parents or the luck of buying a piece of real estate at the right time," he writes. "Those who are less concerned feel that wealth is a reward for hard work."

It is, of course, a combination of the two. Free-traders would give freer rein to luck in order to maximize overall economic gain. Stiglitz would not.

While this may seem "fair and balanced" [*], or at least I feel that Ramsey believes he is being so, his conclusion is slanted to the freeing up of the luck, after admitting it is a combination of the two. You, ladies and gentlemen, should be working hard to make sure not only hard work is rewarded, but that you are not making it easier for those getting something for free (the air waves) while making it harder work and harder luck to compete.

[Update: A New Optimism - -A New Pre-emption - - An old Foundation]

[Update: Pre-Empting Crimes ]

[*] And not in the FOX way, but here is a fairly powerful and balanced take on the media and democracy: The Proper Imbalance ]

[**] SEE COMMENT regarding Senate Bill 2332, the "The Media Ownership Act of 2007.

Pre-empting Crimes

Remember: Humor is a tool and so is the dictionary.
While Bill Clinton hinged his excuses on "what the definition of 'is' is". The current administration has pre-empted excuses by hinging humor and the dictionary on "what the definition of everything is".

Abuse of power is the issue. While Clinton was investigated and found to have hinged his evasion of his abuse of an intern, Nixon was investigated and found to have covered up his abuses on the national level, and Bush pre-empted abuses on the international level. But now what Bush has done to get us "over there" will congress investigate too much "over here"?

If the above is too hard to follow, then try this:
Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act: S. 1959 Here is the TEXT

While the above is the senate bill by the same name here is the House version which passed: H.R. 1955

While I did read the latter, the former will be discussed on The Thom Hartmann Show. [See Update]
AM1090 Seattle 9 AM to noon

`SEC. 899A. DEFINITIONS.
`In this subtitle:

`(1) COMMISSION- The term `Commission' means the National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism established under section 899C.

`(2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION- The term `violent radicalization' means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.

`(3) HOMEGROWN TERRORISM- The term `homegrown terrorism' means the use, planned use, or threatened use, of force or violence by a group or individual born, raised, or based and operating primarily within the United States or any possession of the United States to intimidate or coerce the United States government, the civilian population of the United States, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.

`(4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE- The term `ideologically based violence' means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual's political, religious, or social beliefs.

I hate to alert any potential terrorists but do not these definitions pertain to The Project for the New American Century ? It may be a section that united the vote for this bill, while an understanding of it, would certainly mean to change it.

[Earlier Posted Comment here:
Earlier radicals there:
Jefferson-

I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.Goldwater-

[Same Day Update: After posting the above I found this on Slate Bad Ideas]

[Update The Thom Hartmann Show: 11/29/07 ]
[11-29-07: TruthOut]

A New Optimism

Hope from Bush for Middle East Peace Spiegel Online International

White House Inaurgurates Mideast Peace Talks NPR

Urgent Diplomacy: Glasses Half Full in 11th Minute? RawStory
"We have a common duty to spread genuine hope" President Abbas Boston Globe

We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering, and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis. (joint statement)

Maybe we should hope for this over here,
before we can hope for it, over there.
Now that would be the real "hard work".*
A timeline for Peace? "Much Ado About Annapolis" Common Dreams

[Finally: The Rice Legacy "the one calling the shots." NPR

*[search blog] "optimism" and "hard work"

Update

Media Filter
Third Times a Charm?
See Comments.
[What about The Game?]

[ 11-29-07: Maybe I have reached my limit: (note recent updates have not been dated but likely linked][But they always have brackets, and now I will include a three here.

A New Optimism
Pre-empting Crimes
The Air We Breath...

The Game ]

Third Times a Charm?

Nixon
Clinton
Bush?

November 20thth Blame Bush and Cheney
Noveber 21stBlame Bush and Cheney
November 22ndBlame Media

I was hoping by the third day, we would have a headline.
I am not the Leaker-In-Chief.

Why the Democrats can't impeach.
Who would follow? Who would be the incumbent?
This is the political calculus that people may not do the math on, but who realize that if Democrats and Republicans can't stand up for the constitution and what is right, then how can they stand up against each other. And it is my opinion that they do need to stand up against each other or they will fall over alone. It is called competition. If the people don't see it, it does not mean they do not realize it is not there.

It is called politics and if politicians can not do the job in the kitchen they should not be cooks let alone serve the nation.

Happy Holidays.

THE GAME

SEE STAY THE COURSE or
HELP NAVIGATION
See Bottom Line there.
[UPDATE same day]

[5-15-08: Review - The Game is not supposed to be taken lightly, nor always meant a reference to Hard Work required of the readers. The troops are the ones that politics has bearing on most, and the reference to the media troops of ABC seems to take more credit for hard work than they actually do at times.]

[4-17-09: Update Patients for Change reminds me of Sabbatical and other Reviews.]

Local Media

AM1090 Seattle Weekday Schedule

Stephanie Miller 6 AM to 9 AM LIVE
Thom Hartmann 9 AM to Noon LIVE
Ed Schultz 12 PM to 3 PM Call 9 AM to Noon
Rachell Maddow 3 PM to 6 PM LIVE
Randi Rhodes 6 PM to 9 PM Call Noon to 3 PM
Mike Malloy 9 PM to 11 PM Call 6 PM to 9 PM

Air America Radio

THANK YOU DAVE ROSS!

For exposing the PVRHT act.
(Otherwise known as: H.R. 1955: for the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism)
OK, I left off(or spun off) the PA (prevention act)for its Patronizing Attitude and the quip that the act itself could fall under its own spell.
[Dave Ross interviewed Alicia Mundy (1) of the Seattle Times and Chip Berlet (2) of Political Research Associates.]

[If you read nothing further: read (1) and (2), above]

Bottom Line: The Senate should hold hearings on this act! Or have the guts to act as fast in rejecting this act as premature and ill advised based on the fear it was enacted under. One major failure of this piece is the appointment process which should be balanced in favor of the majority party. The other is the need to review current intelligence gathering and its use. That is what the committee should be limited to, if not extended to the suggestions contained here.

[OTHER COMMENTS]Congressional Quarterly Homeland Security "Boondoggle"
technocrati thought police? 3 tags
The Agonist "pointed at the Republican Party"
Video from the middle (link) 1st one Kennedy

Previous Posts:
Unity in Principle July 22nd, 2004
Intelligence for Commission
Bicameral Brain
Up The Filter August 2nd, 2004
CIA our job one November 17th, 2004
Slam Dunk to the Circular File!
The links that connect
"Slam dunk" of "pre-emptive strike" August 26th, 2006
Caution merited? September 26th,2006

Lastly: The words of the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 seems innocuous enough, but so do the words of the [Project for the New American Century] but it must be looked into. Recommendations for any new intelligence or laws must be put on hold until investigations of old intelligence and laws have been made, not to mention the Phase II.[Apparently done, yet...]
[For more radicalized research yet more conservative as in fiscally responsible consider what is already "out there" (I do not recommend you trust, but verify? YES!)

* Patronizing Attitudes may be the cause of radicalization and terrorism as spelled out in current research. Not to mention the problem of defining ideology and intelligence: having more of it, does not mean you have enough to handle it. The process is important and it must be considered what is being done to complicate the process by those who have no faith in the process, yet want to add to it.

Bonus hit: trust but verify

It may also be worthy to study the words of Thomas Jefferson under subheadings, When Revolution is the Only Answer, Consequences of Revolution, and Prospects for Reformation, and just before these The Need for Leadership:

"The moderation and virtue of a single character [i.e., George Washington] have probably prevented [the American] Revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish." --Thomas Jefferson to George Washington, 1784. ME 4:218, Papers 7:106

Speaking of "nuance" meaning nothing in this post should suggest violence is the answer, nonetheless I was surprised to find this, thinking I was reaching for something more "out there": from Goldwater

I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

Bottom line is the people, bottom line is your job. The political spectrum is not linear but needs ones own perspective and the realization that the answer is not limited to that linear spectrum either. This should be realized by the three branches of government and the light that intelligence should shine on the process as well as the "hard work" of all people.

FURTHER: Nothing is more important than the focus on activities not words, except for the law, as proper protest must have a line to cross and confidence that there is a line to stand on and the same one to cross to suffer the consequences. And that line must be applied up and down the process and its people. And a quick search of "laws, not people" found the fog of our ways, another act that needs following up to be certain congress has done the "hard work" spelled out in their job description .

[Long Story Short: Update from Slate found after my Pre-Empting Crimes.]

MEDIA FILTER

Media Matters
Free Press
- Stop Big Media

GoLeft.TV
AM 1090 Seattle [LOCAL}
Air America Radio
Ring of Fire
Consortium News

(to be expanded)

GRIST: Environmental news and humor
Blue Washington TV *
Kucinich TV

OTHERS
The Raw Story
DalyKOS
HuffingtonPost

* This may be an example of a gimmick, hijacking the terms Blue and Washington, which is not exclusively Left or State issues, but with names like Bill Moyers and Charlie Rose, they are not exactly what is called and know as "main stream media" by the media, but may be more main stream politics.

[[A SORTING OF EARLIER FILTERING]]
Network Comedy Beats The News
Gold Standard for News
Under Ed
Switching/Fixing Networks
NewsForTheLeft - Consortium News and more
Can anyone believe this?
Bush Retreat / Fox Attack
GoLeft.TV and more
Recess War!

[UPDATE: 11-21-07 THE LEAK Center for Media and Democracy
Source Watch
My Leaks
My Earliest.]

[11-27-07: Watching the Watchers: "the media's job is to act as a B_S_ filter."

"Vanity Fair" on "the so-called liberal media" ]

[4-9-08: Labels added -GAME,GoLeftTV - see links Watching the Watchers.]

HELP NAVIGATION

[update 2-5-09 LABELS Under Construction ]

[5-15-08: (nfry)= not fully read yet * and I have not followed through with * yet.]

This page is for those who may be new (or just old) to the world of blogging or in particular my train of dialog. Politics is about help navigation of our course. This page invites you to join that world and this. Have fun, following the links, and trains of thought, otherwise known as threads. TO THE RIGHT (I have not navigated the instructions enough to see if I can move it all to the left) is a column under the heading not beating around the bush? which was suppose to mean links to other sites, but now includes links like this. HELP NAVIGATION, then LOCAL POLITICS? which has a question mark added as that is not all it is about. Not to mention that it is definitely not original. (OK, there were two tangents, otherwise considered footnotes)

SEARCH BLOG: Top left corner of every blogspot page see SEARCH BLOG to insert a word or phrase to find all posts which contain it on this blog.
[Ctrl F] to search individual post pages use your CONTROL [Ctrl key] [type "F" key] to pop up a word search on your own computer, it should probably usually work.
LABELS: like Local that categorize post subjects(content is not completely labeled, but it will be a work in progress) note: italics sometimes used to hint at double entendre or sometimes emphasis in bold. Quotation marks may reference something that is just out there unattributed or used by me somewhere else, unless noted or linked.
Links: an option below the bottom line of every post that may be there if I choose to insert a link[*]. [12-17-07 Example: In this case the link provided at the bottom is also embedded at the GoLeft.TV and I take this opportunity to note the inconvenience if you do not have high speed internet to view the video, either way you get there. ALSO there, In particular if you scroll over you will see google search and if you click will get you the list of links to one of the runners-ups. ]

[12-14-07: See THE GAME to take the trip and follow the loop.

[ Bottom Line:
There and Here and around Now.
EMBEDDED QCON Quicke Comment on News ]
[Hint: another little clue to playing the game is that by scrolling over a link with your cursor (that is the little thing your mouse moves) you can see it on your bottom line before going there.]

12-17-07: our course [link added] Earlier: Local Politics? is now Local Content.

12-18-07: Note Right Column Content
Media Filter: Media Matters etc.
The Word: A Dictionary
The Law: The Constitution
The News: GoLeft.TV
Thought Crimes Act: Stop the Preemption
Find Senate Bill: example S. 1959
Find House Resolution: example H. 1955

[*] [4-9-08: henceforth referenced as "bonus link"]

LeftyBlog?

I'm not on LeftyBlog because...
Maybe I don't like tests.
Or maybe only global tests of reality.
[FOR LOCAL CONTENT CLICK HERE : OR SEE LABEL LOCAL]
But a challenge?
This may be a work in progress.

[[BLOG LIST]]
[[LEFTYBLOG]]
[[WASHBLOG]]
[[Northwest Progressive Institute Blog]]
[[AMERICAinSOLIDARITY]]

If I label all my local material under the Local label, will that help? If I link and loop LeftyBlog to my post that helps the reader navigate, will that help?
Well this is not my usual rant, rave or ramble. Well yes it is, because I never know where I will go or end. But the challenge may be addressed by more questions answered by more questions?(see previous sentence)

Originally a look at the needs of LeftyBlog found this:

Remember, LeftyBlogs.com is for local progressive political blogs with original content. Some questions:

I did not mean to read it literally, I just did not include the questions in my cut and paste,(see un#d bullet point 4)of (a challenge) above , and then was so bold as to add bold to "connect the dots", where I will begin with the last first.[leap*] There I go again. (two tangents: not to read )
Then "all politics is local" and "politics is everything". Not to mention just not right.

OK, now I will go back and see if I can follow any of this.
LATER.

* I am tracking better, as I almost left off this quote by taking my tangent
[in the mean time, I put LEFTeBLOG at the top of my RIGHT list, where a typo fortuitously crept in]

[TheLiaisonReport - Between the mean and the out there.]
[Bottom Line: LOCAL CONTENT {UNDER CONSTRUCTION - more later}]

[[WE GOT ED!]]
[[Portland and Air America have Thom Hartmann]]

Proof of Process?

I feel that there is now mathematical proof of my PBMP.
[Power Broker Mountain Project]
While math is not my discipline, it is only a tool of a mental process in dealing with the physical world.

As I have been so bold to note the 3 words preceding in bold, what follows is everthing else.

In fact the fourth point is the riddle itself. The point, the process, the structure and the dynamics?
Everything is give and take, the rest is the result and the reason. I don't know where that came from, but where are we going?

Is it any wonder that there are 3 branches of government, so it is written? Just what is the bottom line? Is not justice the point? And where are the people, not to mention the press and the law?

The Riddle Solved?

The Riddled Foundational Perspective?

"Thank You VETERANS!" DAY

I was going to say happy Veteran's Day,
but that has always been awkward,
no matter the times.

HONOR OUR VETS!
The Living! The dead have their own day.

Thank you for your "hard work"
and the best tribute would be
to do our "hard work" at home.
If this sounds redundant or political,
that is becaus it is.

They have fought for our rights and
what better way to honor them than
to use them. Our rights not the troops.
Before there is neither left.

OK... enough of my ramble.
Thank You for your particular combination of "hard work": 1st Lt. Ehren Watada

Thank you Parade? That is really hard work.
But some are jeered.

More Hard Work?

Speaking of veterans, Thank You Major General Paul Eaton(retired) for speaking up. I have yet to comment on the events of Saturday, but continuing on the Ray of Hope theme, Admiral Fallon is speaking out and General Eaton expressed confidence in Secretary of Defense Gates, and while this report(link) is not too informative, it agrees with the General's emphasis on diplomatic and economic approaches and some hope.

Thank you Vets! And those who serve.

NW Progressive Convention

Yesterday America in Solidarity
held its first NW Progressive Convention
A friend said to me: That name sounds socialist.
That shows you how the language has been hijacked.
Does this sound socialist?

Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if labor had not first existed. Labor is the superior of capital, and deserves much the higher consideration. Abraham Lincoln

[Presentations]
[[Presidential Poll]]

Congresswoman Lynne Woolsey - Congressman Adam Smith - CIVIL RIGHTS PANEL: 8th Congressional District Candidate Darcy Burner, ACLU Attorney Salvador Mungia, Backbone Campaign Executive Director Bill Moyer - - Retired Major General Paul Eaton - Washington Fair Trade Coalition - Washington Public Campaigns - Washington Community Action Network - Healthcare for All Washington
[Other Attendees:]
Americans United for Separation of Church and State - The Sanctuary for Veterans and Families - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

A Different Ray of Hope.

New Attorney General Michael Mukasey
approved by the full senate 53-40
(Here it is...) DemocraticUnderground
without the votes of 4 Democratic and 1 Republican presidential candidate.
(Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Obama, McCain)

The ray of hope is that:
"Majority Democrats in the Senate have a list of expectations, too -- chiefly, that Mukasey work closely with them."
but it is clouded by the need (A) for any new laws, before the old laws(B) are found (C) to be followed(D).

[A,B,C and D footnotes are referenced to previous links from Waterboarding the Law:
A. "Congress should go further and explicitly ban ‘waterboarding’ and other so-called enhanced interrogation techniques for all parts of the government.
Both Senators Kennedy and Biden have introduced legislation to this effect."
Senator Feinstein statement.
B. "caging lists" DailyKos
C. Stop Torture The Harvard Anti-Torture Coalition
D. "a government of laws and not of men" John Adams / Dan Rather]

Ray of Hope?

Republicans see the dark side:
Backstory: An impeachment vote turnaround stuns Washington therawstory.com

Democrats see the bright side:
Benchmarking Schumer on John Bolton, David Addington and Mukasey The Huffington Post

The ray of hope is where the Republicans went wrong and the Democrats may have gone right(no pun intended), that being that the issues were kicked down the road to further the process that is politics and democracy, that will hopefully bring more to light. But then, Bush is an optimist too.

[Another Ray? [Contrl F] meaning find Pelosi in:
Noun + verb + 9/11 strategy still works Frank Rich seattlepi.com:

The House isn't even going to bring up this malevolent bill because, as Nancy Pelosi has said, there has "never been a declaration by a Congress before in our history" that "declared a piece of a country's army to be a terrorist organization."

That is a good sign.]

I MUST SAY...

THIS IS A GLOSSY PIECE OF WORK

NEW DIRECTION CONGRESS does deserve the credit.
[UPDATE 12-20-07: SEE UPDATE HERE in particular 2007 Democrats more successful... ]

But I must also say...
That if Impeachment is not on the table, it must be up someone's sleave, because I am not sure that the constitution is in either of those places.

And I hope that what is up the congresses sleave is a plan to hold the Executive Branch accountable,* or this will just be another scrap of paper(as sworn at in the last post), not worth the ink one might print it with.

* [Update: bottom line

WATERBOARDING THE LAW

Mukasey Rx Gumbo "Goodbye Democracy, and All That..."

"Lawbreaker in Chief"

One Too Many Cooks: Rx LAW

Thank Kerry

and or Whitehouse?:
"Legislation Banning ‘Caging Lists’ Introduced in Senate" Daily KOS
Belated fixes for CAGING? Not to mention my comment on the "Mukasey Rx Gumbo" (firstlink.) *


MY COMMENT OF SEVERAL DAYS AGO:

Senators:[Democrats on the Judiciary]

The Mukasey nomination must be opposed. He refuses to answer a question on a crime that is in the Military Code of Justice as well as International Law, and Bush excuses because the nominee has not been briefed and if that were required in a time of war, then no nominees could be confirmed. By this form of logic, Bush has no accountability and Congress has no role of oversight in a time of war.

The Guardian "It's not fair..."

Bush says nominee cannot answer a question if something is illegal, even if the administration is not doing it?

This must be investigated and the president held accountable for lying on this count, if anything counts.
There should also be an investigation on the scrap of paper quote.

Capitol Hill Blue
Bush swears

Scraps? Worse. Bush swears at the constitution rather than upholding it. Are you?

[While I was very impressed with the reasoning of Senator Feinstein
in this
IT DOES NOT MITIGATE MY CONCERN!
Just how can we expect Kyl-Lieberman
to hold Iran accountable,
when we cannot hold our own.]

[Finally after not necessarily reading all of the above, I DID READ THESE:
How Schumer & Feinstein May Blow the Best Chance in Years to Stop Torture,
Stoptorture The Harvard Anti-Torture Coalition

and
Mukasey's testimony raises question: Is the president above the law?
Dan Rather Hearst Newspaper ]

[ALSO See this Grim News IMPEACH CHENEY! Register your support at www.CallCongress.org ]

* What is mentioned in the constitution is the press, and here is what is left of it.

Bumper Sticker Battle

Or: Bumper Sticker on Post-its.
Black and White / Thinking

From Whose Desk?
In particular.
FOX is in the hunt.
But the big shot is Edwards.

[FOX and Edwards are the real news TO READ, the rest is my ramblin, except the Post-its. Speaking of bumper stickers I forgot one:

Nuanced? Or...
Flippin Flop ;-]

[You know? Embedded in the first paragraph of Post-its may be the heart of, or Freudian projection of the fear that propels these guys(in the administration). Muslims avoid "physical labor". ??

COMPETITION! [they fear] But that falls into a meme. I'm being facetious. Who avoids physical labor?]

SPECIAL THANKS TO: GOLEFT.TV