INTERESTING TIMES

It's 23 minutes of the man talking sense. He's fired up. The audience is interesting to watch.

Sounds to me like some critical thinking about Israel is happening out there. Take this for example.

Nice NYT article here. As the Obama "transition team" (containing a few Clintonites) is working their way through the Whitehouse, preparing for the incoming staff, they are sworn to secrecy. "But few can contain their amazement, chiefly at the sheer increase in the size of the defense and national-security apparatus." Seems like the innards of the Whitehouse has been revamped in the style of a star ship. The Situation Room has secure video connections to US military commanders around the world, putting the "decider" in chief squarely into the military mindset and timeframe. So much for diplomacy, eh? The Department of Homeland Security, the sprawling new department which seems intent upon watching US has mushroomed into something quite large. I am relieved to hear that the new head of that Dept will be Janet Napolitano of Arizona. I liked her as Attorney General of AZ. She was straightforward, realistic, and fearless. Progressives in AZ have hopes that she will go far. Janet pledged to obstruct Shrub's Real ID (national driver's license) program, and now she is in charge of it. If we do end up with a national license and ID, it will be more reasonable because of her.

It was on Tuesday night, but I just got around to watching it. From 6-8pm on Tuesday nights I am learning about how you position the body to see optimally through the joint spaces for an xray. But this debate, ahhhhhhhhhh, what a sad commentary on America it is....
( rambling rant on potential presidents in a so-called town hall forum )

Another fascinating talk here:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html

In the House Foreign Affairs Subcomittee, Dr Paul got to ask a few questions of Dr Al Jabiri (spelling probably wrong) about the much-mentioned and seldom discussed US withdrawal from Iraq. First he asks if 6 months is a reasonable timeframe for a pullout, too fast or too slow, and gets a buck-passing answer (let the military experts answer that). But he keeps after the man and gets some information out of him about the situation in Iraq in terms of how the people feel about our "green zone" and military bases. Dr Al Jabiri doesn't seem accustomed to being questioned about what "the people" would say. The answers are as you would expect of a politician; he is loathe to paint himself into any corners. Dr Al Jabiri did say that somewhere around 70% of the Iraqi public supports the US reducing its presence both diplomatically and militarily. Dr Al Jabiri speaks through a translator. It's under 10 minutes long.

What do you think? Should we?

This Oregon Libertarian, Wes Wagner, speaks sense on the matter:

The Weekly Update from Media Matters for America is behind the cut. This org watches what is reported and what is not, and thinks critically about it. In this case the media is clamoring for Hillary's tax returns but not even noticing that McCain hasn't released his. It sounds like some are falsely reporting that McCain's tax returns have already been released. I find it interesting that the supposedly "liberal media" continues to dig dirt on non-Republican candidates but quietly shelters McCain. This media would be more aptly named the "corporate media". Its power and profitability will be at stake when their guys are out of the whitehouse. Ron Paul would have cut them a new one. Obama and Clinton are pawns in their game. It's painful to admit to what degree the media controls public opinion. Thank goodness for rebel blogs, shows like Democracy Now and orgs such as Media Matters. Independent media is out there!
( MM on the pulse )