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Archive for February 2013

Netroots Nation: Two Proposals for Panels on Torture

Greetings Everyone,

  Just a head’s up for anyone thinking about or planning to attend this year’s Netroots Nation June 20 – 23rd, in San Jose California.

http://www.netrootsnation.org/

  I have organized and proposed two panels on, no surprise, torture.

If it is chosen, one will be on “Torture in American Prisons” with panelists Robert Hillary King (the released member of the Angola Three who spent 29 years in solitary confinement

http://www.kingsfreelines.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R… Carter Camp (a leader in the American Indian Movement http://bsnorrell.blogspot.ca/2… and Dr. Craig Haney (who assisted Dr. Philip Zimbardo with his experiments http://haney.socialpsychology…. and one other unconfirmed panelist. The panelists will talk about what techniques used in prisons according to the UN definition, why are they torture, why is it important to stop them, and what we can do to stop them.

The second panel, if it is chosen, will be on “Torture and Accountability” with panelists Marjorie Cohn (former president of the National Lawyer’s Guild http://www.tjsl.edu/directory/… Dr. Jeffrey Kaye known in the blod world as Valtin (a clinical psychologist who treats those who have survived torture, who writes extensively on the subject http://firedoglake.com/author/… Armando Llorens (a lawyer who has blogged extensively about the issue on DKos and on Talk Left http://www.talkleft.com/specia… and an unconfirmed panelist. The panelists will be talking about why is it important to hold those responsible at the highest levels for authorizing and ordering torture since 9/11 legally accountable, where are we now with the issue, and where do we go from here.

   I hope, if you attend the conference, you will take the time to attend one or both of these panels, if they are chosen. We are very lucky to have expert panelists.

   Standing for justice and accountability,

              For Dan,

              Heather

Woozle Wednesdai

Those of you who already either know me or know of me know that I am a massive pootie person. We  moved into an apartment and now have a pootie, named Princess Ashley; however I grew up with both cats & dogs and I love both. I do not discriminate against any animal & love animal photos of all kinds. Please enjoy the following and add any photos that you think the community would like to see. Now, enjoy the photos & have some fun.





On Rubio’s Reply

Rubio water

While it’s the awkward lunge for the water bottle that everyone will remember from Marco Rubio’s rebuttal of the State of the Union, what the content and tone of the address convey is significant.  Yes, Rubio flubbed the speech, although what impact that has upon his chances for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination remains to be seen.  However, the defensive tone of the speech, combined with the content, indicates a Republican Party on the ropes that is struggling with messaging and ideas.  That was evident from the moment he opened his mouth and began to speak last night.

At the very outset it was clear that Rubio was on the defensive against what Republicans are correctly perceived as wanting to do.  He discussed what Republicans didn’t want to do.  He launched into the same old, and tired, attacks against President Obama.  He effectively called him a communist, socialist, take your pick of various scare tactics used against anyone left of center.  It was straight out of the Republican playbook, but with a tone that made clear the speaker was unsure if those scare tactics would work.  After all, Mitt Romney ran on those exact same scare tactics and he’s still Former Gov. Romney, while President Obama just delivered another State of the Union address.

Most remarkable, though, was a prescient criticism of the Rubio rebuttal that I heard, although I forgot the person who mentioned it.  It basically went along these lines:

Marco Rubio just criticized ‘big’ government by pointing out everything that government has done for him and his family.

On Rubio’s Reply

While it’s the awkward lunge for the water bottle that everyone will remember from Marco Rubio’s rebuttal of the State of the Union, what the content and tone of the address convey is significant.  Yes, Rubio flubbed the speech, although what impact that has upon his chances for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination remains to be seen.  However, the defensive tone of the speech, combined with the content, indicates a Republican Party on the ropes that is struggling with messaging and ideas.  That was evident from the moment he opened his mouth and began to speak last night.

State Of The Union Limerick Live-Blog Recap!

I managed to sneak these limericks into the State of the Union liveblogging tsunami of comments over at The Place That Shall Not Be Named. Thought you might enjoy this alternative account of the festivities 😉

Speaker Boehner: hey, what’s up with him?

The orange fellow is looking quite grim

As his caucus rebels

He develops new “tells”

Will he ever prevail? Odds are slim.

All the others seem happy enough

(Then they’re made of less lachrymose stuff)

Boehner always seems blue

And can weep right on cue

I am guessing tonight will be rough.

Poor Paul Ryan; the kid looks upset

Like he just lost a costly bar bet

When your world turns to sh*t

Just call up Uncle Mitt

All your worries he’ll help you forget.

Mitch McConnell stares out into space

With a vacuous look on his face

All expression he lacks

Like a man carved of wax

No museum? He looks out of place.

What’s with Biden? He looks awful pale

Tonight’s make-up was really a “fail”

Let’s just hope he’s alright

And not ailing tonight

‘Cause we need Fightin’ Joe to assail!

This applause for each line’s getting old

Yes, I know, these proposals are bold

But it’s not overreach

To just lay out a speech

Before all these hot ideas grow cold.

Just imagine if Mitt gave this speech

We’d be watching with one painful screech

We’d be screaming in pain

As he sold out to Bain

But tonight he’s on Cayman’s white beach.

Manufacturing! Yesss! Tell us more!

Now Obama’s got programs in store

To bring jobs back again

For our women and men

It’s a message we cannot ignore.

Infrastructure! It’s time to get real!

Crumbling bridges? Let’s move on that deal!

Weatherize every home

Be it bung’low or dome

Help our kids get a good school-day meal!

Education from preschool for all!

What about it? Let’s answer the call!

Our investment return

As our kids really learn

Will have all of our folks standing tall!

Go to college (you won’t be a snob!)

It’s essential for any good job

We’ll help parents to find

Which school won’t be a grind

To help cute little Cindy or Bob

Immigration? More boots on the ground!

We need people – ideas will abound!

Send me up the damn bill

Don’t waste time on the Hill!

And enough with your whimpering sound!

When you live in this challenging age

You can’t get by on minimum wage

In the land of the brave

You’re a lowly wage slave

That is really a dreadful outrage!

Many troops will return from afar

Well, the generals look like they are

Feeling sad to hear that

But peacetime’s where it’s at

I’ll buy them the first round at the bar!

Now it’s freedom, for folks the world o’er

As we travel to each distant shore

As Commander in Chief

It’s Obama’s belief

That although we’ve done much, there’s still more.

Equal treatment for all, straight or gay!

And yet Boehner just sits, ashen gray

As he seethes in his seat

In his squirmy defeat

Face it, orangeman: today’s a new day

Gun control: now it’s time we get real

This is really a simple appeal

Since the Newtown dark day

Many more passed away

Like Hadiya, so folks: here’s the deal

It’s past time for the Congress to act

On the measures that Gabby has backed

For the families who’ve cried

We are here by your side

We must feel your deep pain and react

As the gun carnage stats are rolled out

There is something of which there’s no doubt

Hey: Ted Nugent! You turd

We will not hear one word

Because “hate” is not what we’re about!

Now rebuttals come next, I can’t wait!

First I’ll fix a nice little snack plate

Then I’ll drink to the Prez

And the things that he says

But for GOPers, I won’t stay up late.

The Daily F Bomb, Wednesday 2/13/13

Happy hump day, Herd! That was some SOTU last night, eh? I wish I had my old dual attention span back. I kept missing what the Prez was saying because I was watching Boehner twitching for a drink and grinding his teeth.

I was also afraid they’d break in any minute with Dorner news. Dorner has made me think of a question. Among many.

Have you ever been picked on by police? How good a consumer are you? Do you like or hate shopping? When you watch TV, can you say afterwards what that commercial you just saw was for? (I used to work at a research place and was amazed at how commercial messages just don’t stick with me.) Are you more of a word person or a number person? How do/did you handle telemarketers? Do you prefer things planned in advance or spontaneous?

The Twitter Emitter

We have some tweets on the SOTU:

The the response:

What are you reading? Feb 13, 2013

For those who are new … we discuss books.  I list what I’m reading, and people comment with what they’re reading.  Sometimes, on Sundays, I post a special edition on a particular genre or topic.

If you like to trade books, try bookmooch

I’ve written some book reviews on Yahoo Voices:

Book reviews on Yahoo

All The News Fit To Share: Mid-Week Edition

IMG_2602

Warm sunny photo, Arches National Park, October 2012.  Every photo I took of my kids, okay 95%, they had the sun in their eyes.  

Welcome to your nearly-nightly news diary that we leave open throughout the weekend! JanF and I are combining forces for an open news thread we hope will please all of you.  

Please comment on any of the stories in the diary or comments, or share any news stories you like from anywhere!  

News stories may be added throughout the day and night, so please stop back if you are inclined.  

This will serve as the open news thread until Thursday or Friday overnight.    

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