Travelin' Soldier

Here is a thought to not only those soldiers of years gone by, but to the thousands upon thousands today in harms way. The wars we are fighthing are still completely unjustified uses of our military. Bring 'em Home. Plus, anything to play the Dixie Chicks.

Finding Your Truth: Living a Soulful Life

John Legend gives a beautiful, stirring "soulful" commencement speech at UPenn. It brought tears to my eyes.



When you look at the list of crises we face, there is a common thread that ties many of them together.

The people who created these crises or allowed them to happen either didn't look hard enough for the truth, or didn't listen to those voices that could tell them where the truth lived.

We lost thousands of lives and spent billions (possibly trillions) of dollars fighting in and rebuilding Iraq, all based on the false premise that there were weapons of mass destruction or that Saddam Hussein was in cahoots with Al Qaeda and caused 9/11.

All falsehoods that were allowed to poison the debate while dissension and fact-checking came too little, too late.

We've spent trillions of dollars bailing out banks with phantom profits that were selling financial products whose values had no grounding in reality.

The fact that some of them didn't even understand their own product didn't stop them from getting millions of people to buy into it.

Meanwhile the regulators and the press failed to ask the right questions and bear witness to the house of cards until it had already collapsed.

From the war in Iraq to credit-default swaps to the internet bubble to the real estate bubble, too often we got caught up in the hype and failed to see the real truth...

Too often we become apathetic. We see the lies, we see the obfuscation, the deception. But we fail to point it out.

We're afraid to rain on the parade. Afraid to rock the boat. Afraid to pursue the truth.

Is Obama Who We Thought He Was?

I was never all that enthralled with Obama. He is a tremendous politician, certainly, charismatic, nice and kind which is different for a politician. But, he is just that a politician. How many backtracks have we had this week alone? He decided that we little peons couldn't handle the torture abuse photos though he pledged transparency and accountability. Some were released in Australia anyway. They are disgusting and yes, more anti-american sentiment could occur, but if we would actually account for the torture we committed then just maybe we might begin to end that justifiable emotion. No, our President wants to move on...he wants to "look forward." But, it ain't his constitution, it is ours. We own it not him and by allowing torturers to break the public sentiment we are slowly destroying that document.

Yesterday, we heard the Military Tribunals are back on. Liberal groups blasted the move and is most certainly a campaign promise broken. I thought we were a country of values that need to ensure our values in every aspect of our lives. Just not in the criminal justice system I guess. Torture, ok, due process not ok.

This morning I read Obama appoints a top polluting lawyer to enforce environmental laws. Did we not have this for the last eight years. Here it is from Think Progress:

President Barack Obama has nominated a lawyer for the nation’s largest toxic polluters to run the enforcement of the nation’s environmental laws. On Tuesday, Obama “announced his intent to nominate” Ignacia S. Moreno to be Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources Division in the Department of Justice. Moreno, general counsel for that department during the Clinton administration, is now the corporate environmental counsel for General Electric, “America’s #1 Superfund Polluter“:

No lobbyists? Oh, I guess he isn't a lobbyist just another scum bag who believes capitalism reigns supreme over our lands.

Do we really believe we will get a safe, affordable health care system from him? Is it any wonder we are propping up the same oligarchial banks that destroyed our economy with almost no accountability and no consequences...or is that the torture debate? I have a hard time deliniating the two now.

It took me a month to sour on President Clinton, the last Democrat in the Whitehouse. One more move by Obama like this and I am out...I may be out already...

Eliot Spitzer

Yesterday I put up on the blog a conversation Charlie Rose had with Elizabeth Warren, Naomi Klein and William Greider. They discussed the economic mess. Of course one would expect their perspective. Surprisingly Eliot Spitzer has the exact same perspective. Both conversations mention Paul Krugman and Stieglitz as economic wizards and are those that "get it." He goes after politicians and the Obama administration who are propping up the same old system.

I have followed Eliot Spitzer's entry back into the public fold. His voice during this time is needed, of course him as a public figure would have been much better. But, we all know his words in the financial crisis have tremendous credibility and that is why he has a platform.

He is also, in my opinion sincerely apologetic and forthright as to his transgressions as you can see from the second video. And I have to say Rachel Maddow goes where no one has gone before asking him questions about the personal to the political. That appears in the second segment. Spitzer should have never been a politician. He should have made his life going after these fuckers who are starving our economy.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Election Day in May?

It is election day today in Jersey City and many places around the state including my used to be hometown of Hoboken. Above is Steve Fulop, someone who doesn't seem like he is in it for the glory, but for real. He is the first independently elected official in Jersey City history. Yes, that is true, no other candidate elected to the city council or the Mayor's office has ever done it without party support. He did it four years ago. After flirting with running for Mayor this time around he is making a go at the council one more time. It makes it just as difficult this time around because they are gunning for him. He does, however have a big following in Jersey City, especially here in Ward E. Here is hoping he wins. Maybe even One Jersey City folks will make the run off instead of the same old dopes running things here. Here is props for Dan Levin as Mayor though he has a steep hill to climb.

Naomi Klein, William Greider and Elizabeth Warren on Charlie Rose

Last night I was in a bad mood and didn't want to go to bed. Should I watch the Mavericks try and gain some respect after the Refs screwed them? Eh. I don't feel like it. A movie? Nothing on...should I read Che? Naaah. Then, I saw Charlie Rose who always has a good conversation with whoever he has on. Who he had on is Elizabeth Warren, Harvard Law Professor, head of the TARP program and all around wonderful. She explains everything and makes it easily understandable. It is almost like Denzel Washington is sitting in front of her saying "talk to me like a four year old." She explains why market regulation is good and is Obama going to do it? She isn't sure.

Then, William Greider and Naomi Klein together discuss where we are, where we are going and if Obama is making it work. Greider is an optimistic fellow, but says Obama, who is doing some things well and is a brilliant politician is propping up the old system for the Oligarchs, which he doesn't think will work. And Naomi says this period will go down as the greatest heist in monetary history. $12 trillion dollars transferred from public coffers to private ones. Wow. Watch it it is worth your 45 minutes. It begins around 2:00 minutes after the blinking.

Mother's Day for Peace

The mother's day for peace is what I wish for, the origins of mother's day was in anti-war regard for all of the mother's who lost sons to war. While we still have two wars raging and another one beginning in Pakistan let us commit ourselves to peace. $130 Billion more for wars is not a committment to peace. Nor is 50 civilians dead in a war that seems to have no end and no meaning. The human casualties have names and we must end these wars.

Naomi Klein Discusses "Crony Capitalism" with Rachel

Naomi sums up just what I have been thinking lately. This massive bail-out is for the Oligarchs and not for us, shoved down our throat and we take it lying down, not a fucking protest to be had anywhere. This morning I read the subway in New York is rising its prices up and up and up into 2013. How is it that we give these Oligarchs all of our money and none of it comes back to us. None of it. It is baffling to me. The greatest financial crisis in three generations and all we are doing is moving the money?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

The Great State of Maine

Ok. I was happy when Massachusetts did it, Connecticut, nice! Iowa did it, surprised really. Vermont, great! But, Maine, one of my favorite states in the union?! Yay. Check out this woman above who asks her partner to marry her after the Governor signed the bill - by text message...totally hip.

Facebook?

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Reproductive Health

Congressman Smith gets a smackdown from our Sec. of State.

Think Facebook is Fun?

Think Again. Facebook Privacy Policy says:

Facebook "also collects information about you from other souces, such as newspapers and other instant messaging services. This information is gathered regardless of your use of the website."

Ever wonder who owns or invests in Facebook? How about CIA related sources? Watch below.

Piglet