Americans are paying for it at the pump
Watch the short video
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
Energy Security Now
Generating new family-wage jobs and strengthening our economy
The Washington Energy Security initiative will create family-wage jobs and provide crucial additional income to rural landowners. Farmers hosting wind projects earn up to $5,000 a year per wind turbine, helping to keep family farms alive. Local energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will create thousands of new jobs in engineering, construction and building design.
Voters will have a chance to provide clean and affordable energy for Washington consumers by voting on this important issue on November 7, 2006. To qualify the Energy Security Initiative for the November ballot, 300,000 signatures from registered Washington voters need to be collected by June 30, 2006.
Washingtonians for Energy Security needs volunteers from across the state to gather signatures from friends, at events and at their businesses. Please call (206) 283-3335 today to order petitions or make a donation.
For more information contact:
Washingtonians for Energy Security
150 Nickerson St., Suite 109Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 283-3335Fax: (206) 283-3336
E-mail info@energysecuritynow.org
We must gather OVER 300,000 signatures to place this initiative on the November 2006 ballot. We need YOU to help gather signatures! Please join us.
U.S. Congressman Jay Inslee
Earth Day Founder Denis Hayes
Climate Solutions
NW Energy Coalition
NW Energy Efficiency Council
NW Sustainable Energy for Economic Development
Renewable Northwest Project
Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter
United Steelworkers Wash
PIRG
The Washington Energy Security initiative will create family-wage jobs and provide crucial additional income to rural landowners. Farmers hosting wind projects earn up to $5,000 a year per wind turbine, helping to keep family farms alive. Local energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will create thousands of new jobs in engineering, construction and building design.
Voters will have a chance to provide clean and affordable energy for Washington consumers by voting on this important issue on November 7, 2006. To qualify the Energy Security Initiative for the November ballot, 300,000 signatures from registered Washington voters need to be collected by June 30, 2006.
Washingtonians for Energy Security needs volunteers from across the state to gather signatures from friends, at events and at their businesses. Please call (206) 283-3335 today to order petitions or make a donation.
For more information contact:
Washingtonians for Energy Security
150 Nickerson St., Suite 109Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 283-3335Fax: (206) 283-3336
E-mail info@energysecuritynow.org
We must gather OVER 300,000 signatures to place this initiative on the November 2006 ballot. We need YOU to help gather signatures! Please join us.
U.S. Congressman Jay Inslee
Earth Day Founder Denis Hayes
Climate Solutions
NW Energy Coalition
NW Energy Efficiency Council
NW Sustainable Energy for Economic Development
Renewable Northwest Project
Sierra Club, Cascade Chapter
United Steelworkers Wash
PIRG
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
More from comments
Hi,
Thanks so much for linking to our “Friends with Low Wages” video on Trailing Edge Blog. We appreciate your help getting the word out about Wal-Mart’s ruthless anti-union campaign.
The video has now been watched more than 125,000 times, and is getting a lot of attention. We even heard from Wal-Mart, whose spokeswoman told an Arkansas newspaper that “it's a shame that this group would use this type of publicity stunt to take away from what we do to help working families save money every day.”
(http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/01/19/business/01brookswvideo.txt)
Of course, what’s really a shame is how far Wal-Mart will go to keep workers from standing up for themselves. Just last week, a federal appeals court decided to allow a lawsuit against Wal-Mart for threatening to withhold health care and retirement benefits from employees who form unions (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/3598578.html).
Thanks again for your coverage on this issue.
- Liz
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
http://us.f611.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=liz@americanrightsatwork.org
Thanks so much for linking to our “Friends with Low Wages” video on Trailing Edge Blog. We appreciate your help getting the word out about Wal-Mart’s ruthless anti-union campaign.
The video has now been watched more than 125,000 times, and is getting a lot of attention. We even heard from Wal-Mart, whose spokeswoman told an Arkansas newspaper that “it's a shame that this group would use this type of publicity stunt to take away from what we do to help working families save money every day.”
(http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2006/01/19/business/01brookswvideo.txt)
Of course, what’s really a shame is how far Wal-Mart will go to keep workers from standing up for themselves. Just last week, a federal appeals court decided to allow a lawsuit against Wal-Mart for threatening to withhold health care and retirement benefits from employees who form unions (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/business/3598578.html).
Thanks again for your coverage on this issue.
- Liz
Liz Cattaneo
American Rights at Work
http://us.f611.mail.yahoo.com/ym/Compose?To=liz@americanrightsatwork.org
Monday, January 23, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Honest, it really is Bin Laden on this tape
When Seeing and Hearing Isn't Believing
By William M. Arkin
Special to washingtonpost.com Monday, Feb. 1, 1999
"Gentlemen! We have called you together to inform you that we are going to overthrow the United States government." So begins a statement being delivered by Gen. Carl W. Steiner, former Commander-in-chief, U.S. Special Operations Command.
At least the voice sounds amazingly like him.
But it is not Steiner. It is the result of voice "morphing" technology developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
By taking just a 10-minute digital recording of Steiner's voice, scientist George Papcun is able, in near real time, to clone speech patterns and develop an accurate facsimile. Steiner was so impressed, he asked for a copy of the tape.
Steiner was hardly the first or last victim to be spoofed by Papcun's team members. To refine their method, they took various high quality recordings of generals and experimented with creating fake statements. One of the most memorable is Colin Powell stating "I am being treated well by my captors."
"They chose to have him say something he would never otherwise have said," chuckled one of Papcun's colleagues.
Read the rest here
Found at What Really Happened
By William M. Arkin
Special to washingtonpost.com Monday, Feb. 1, 1999
"Gentlemen! We have called you together to inform you that we are going to overthrow the United States government." So begins a statement being delivered by Gen. Carl W. Steiner, former Commander-in-chief, U.S. Special Operations Command.
At least the voice sounds amazingly like him.
But it is not Steiner. It is the result of voice "morphing" technology developed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
By taking just a 10-minute digital recording of Steiner's voice, scientist George Papcun is able, in near real time, to clone speech patterns and develop an accurate facsimile. Steiner was so impressed, he asked for a copy of the tape.
Steiner was hardly the first or last victim to be spoofed by Papcun's team members. To refine their method, they took various high quality recordings of generals and experimented with creating fake statements. One of the most memorable is Colin Powell stating "I am being treated well by my captors."
"They chose to have him say something he would never otherwise have said," chuckled one of Papcun's colleagues.
Read the rest here
Found at What Really Happened
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Non-political Parties
Do you have feelings of inadequacy?Do you suffer from shyness?
Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Tequila.
Tequila is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions.
Tequila can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything.
You will notice the benefits of Tequila almost immediately, and with a regimen
of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live.
Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past, and you will discover many talents you never knew you had.
Stop hiding and start living, with Tequila.
Tequila may not be right for everyone.
Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Tequila.
However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur,table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister.
Tequila… Leave Shyness Behind.
May those who love us, love us.
And to those that don't love us, may God turn their hearts.
And if he doesn't turn their hearts, may he turn their ankles so we will know them by their limping.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
Putting it all in perspective
President George W. Bush was scheduled to visit the Methodist Church outside Washington as part of his campaign. Karl Rove made a preliminary visit to the Bishop and said to him, "We've been getting a lot of bad publicity among Methodists because of Bush's position on stem cell research and the like. We'd gladly make a contribution to the church of $100,000 if during your sermon you'd say the President is a saint."
The Bishop thinks it over for a few moments and says, "The Church is in desperate need of funds and I will agree to do it."
Bush pompously shows up looking especially smug and as the sermon progresses the Bishop begins his homily:
"George Bush is a petty, self-absorbed hypocrite and a nitwit. He is a liar, a cheat, and a low-intelligence weasel. He has lied about his military record and had the gall to put himself in a jet plane landing on a carrier and posing before a banner stating 'Mission Accomplished.' He invaded a country for oil and money, and is using it to lie to the American people. He is the worst example of a Methodist I've ever personally known, but compared to Dick Cheney and the rest of his cabinet, George Bush is a saint."
The Bishop thinks it over for a few moments and says, "The Church is in desperate need of funds and I will agree to do it."
Bush pompously shows up looking especially smug and as the sermon progresses the Bishop begins his homily:
"George Bush is a petty, self-absorbed hypocrite and a nitwit. He is a liar, a cheat, and a low-intelligence weasel. He has lied about his military record and had the gall to put himself in a jet plane landing on a carrier and posing before a banner stating 'Mission Accomplished.' He invaded a country for oil and money, and is using it to lie to the American people. He is the worst example of a Methodist I've ever personally known, but compared to Dick Cheney and the rest of his cabinet, George Bush is a saint."
Monday, January 16, 2006
W...T...F...
If you are having a difficult time putting the missile attack on a neighborhood in Pakistan in mental perspective, click here to see what Kate has to say about it.
I think about all this in terms of religiosity, and I come up with flippant little thoughts like “Do unto others…”, “An eye for an eye”, and “What goes around”.
When are we going to see some maturity in our Nation’s leadership?
I think about all this in terms of religiosity, and I come up with flippant little thoughts like “Do unto others…”, “An eye for an eye”, and “What goes around”.
When are we going to see some maturity in our Nation’s leadership?
Sunday, January 15, 2006
A culture created (by Republicans)
Another great shot of whiskey
(Excerpt from Billmon’s Whiskey Bar) click here for complete post
On a warm evening in June 2003, a star-studded crowd of political and corporate conservative celebrities flocked to the Homer Building on 13th Street NW to toast the opening of the Washington outpost of [Ralph Reed’s] public-affairs firm Century Strategies . . . Mingling in the lobby and enjoying drinks and hors d'oeuvres were the likes of Ken Mehlman, now the campaign manager for Bush-Cheney '04; former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, chairman of the Bush campaign and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; Grover Norquist, the conservative anti-tax activist; Jack Abramoff, then an uber-lobbyist for Indian casinos; and lobbyists from some of Reed's blue-chip corporate clients.”
National Journal
Go-To Guy
July 17, 2004
(Excerpt from Billmon’s Whiskey Bar) click here for complete post
On a warm evening in June 2003, a star-studded crowd of political and corporate conservative celebrities flocked to the Homer Building on 13th Street NW to toast the opening of the Washington outpost of [Ralph Reed’s] public-affairs firm Century Strategies . . . Mingling in the lobby and enjoying drinks and hors d'oeuvres were the likes of Ken Mehlman, now the campaign manager for Bush-Cheney '04; former Montana Gov. Marc Racicot, chairman of the Bush campaign and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; Grover Norquist, the conservative anti-tax activist; Jack Abramoff, then an uber-lobbyist for Indian casinos; and lobbyists from some of Reed's blue-chip corporate clients.”
National Journal
Go-To Guy
July 17, 2004
Friday, January 13, 2006
From John Conyers
The following is an excerpt from a John Conyers letter to interested and concerned Americans, hopefully willing to take a stand against the culture of corruption allowed and, indeed, encouraged by George W. Bush. Please click over to the complete letter, and do what you can to stand up and be counted. There should be millions of voices raised in support of this effort. Nothing less will make the difference required to finally put our prison system and corrupt politicians in the proper proximity.
(Excerpt)
I also want to let you know about a program I have started called the Citizen Cosponsorship campaign which encourages people to sign onto my legislation calling for the investigation of possible impeachable offenses. We have amassed 30,000 signatures in a week and are seeking to reach 100,000 cosponsors by the time Congress reconvenes at the end of January.
This campaign follows a thorough review of Bush Administration misconduct I undertook which culminated in the publication of a 250-page report. [A copy of the report may be found at Raw Story.com and also at CensureBush.org.]
The latest incidence of the Bush Administration's abuse of power underscores why we must unite to take strong action now. Late last night we learned that NBC is investigating reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) conducted wiretaps of CNN reporter, Christiane Amanpour. While it is very troubling that the NSA would be targeting journalists to uncover terrorist plots, what is especially disconcerting is that Ms. Amanpour's husband served as a senior advisor to the John Kerry presidential campaign and would have been using the same phone that the Agency is alleged to have been wiretapping. The overreach of the NSA in conducting warrantless wiretaps is astounding in its audacity and I have demanded the White House disclose to Congress whether, and to what extent, journalists have been under surveillance and report on additional elements of this program. 21 other Members of Congress joined me in this request, a copy of which may be found on RawStory.com.
These continued constitutional abuses means your voice needs to be heard. Please take the time to get involved. Help send the message to the President, the media, and the American people that we want an end to the war and we are not going to stand for an imperial presidency any longer.
Sincerely,
John Conyers
(Excerpt)
I also want to let you know about a program I have started called the Citizen Cosponsorship campaign which encourages people to sign onto my legislation calling for the investigation of possible impeachable offenses. We have amassed 30,000 signatures in a week and are seeking to reach 100,000 cosponsors by the time Congress reconvenes at the end of January.
This campaign follows a thorough review of Bush Administration misconduct I undertook which culminated in the publication of a 250-page report. [A copy of the report may be found at Raw Story.com and also at CensureBush.org.]
The latest incidence of the Bush Administration's abuse of power underscores why we must unite to take strong action now. Late last night we learned that NBC is investigating reports that the National Security Agency (NSA) conducted wiretaps of CNN reporter, Christiane Amanpour. While it is very troubling that the NSA would be targeting journalists to uncover terrorist plots, what is especially disconcerting is that Ms. Amanpour's husband served as a senior advisor to the John Kerry presidential campaign and would have been using the same phone that the Agency is alleged to have been wiretapping. The overreach of the NSA in conducting warrantless wiretaps is astounding in its audacity and I have demanded the White House disclose to Congress whether, and to what extent, journalists have been under surveillance and report on additional elements of this program. 21 other Members of Congress joined me in this request, a copy of which may be found on RawStory.com.
These continued constitutional abuses means your voice needs to be heard. Please take the time to get involved. Help send the message to the President, the media, and the American people that we want an end to the war and we are not going to stand for an imperial presidency any longer.
Sincerely,
John Conyers
Thursday, January 12, 2006
From the comments
Hey,
It’s Liz from American Rights at Work.
I’m writing because we’re launching a new cartoon to expose Wal-Mart’s anti-union campaign. “Friends with Low Wages” features Garth Brooks and a new take on one of his classic hits. Garth recently signed an exclusive distribution deal with Wal-Mart and you may have caught him in one of the TV ads he did for Wal-Mart over the holidays. Because you’ve covered our issues on Trailing Edge Blog in the past, we thought you and your readers might be interested in poking fun at the retail giant.
You can view it here: http://www.WalMartWorkersRights.org
Please take a look and let us know what you think of the video. Thanks for your help!
Take care,
Liz
Liz CattaneoAmerican Rights at Workliz@walmartworkersrights.org
P.S. If you want to learn more about American Rights at Work and our efforts to support workers' rights to a free choice and a fair chance to join a union, check out our website at www.americanrightsatwork.org.
It’s Liz from American Rights at Work.
I’m writing because we’re launching a new cartoon to expose Wal-Mart’s anti-union campaign. “Friends with Low Wages” features Garth Brooks and a new take on one of his classic hits. Garth recently signed an exclusive distribution deal with Wal-Mart and you may have caught him in one of the TV ads he did for Wal-Mart over the holidays. Because you’ve covered our issues on Trailing Edge Blog in the past, we thought you and your readers might be interested in poking fun at the retail giant.
You can view it here: http://www.WalMartWorkersRights.org
Please take a look and let us know what you think of the video. Thanks for your help!
Take care,
Liz
Liz CattaneoAmerican Rights at Workliz@walmartworkersrights.org
P.S. If you want to learn more about American Rights at Work and our efforts to support workers' rights to a free choice and a fair chance to join a union, check out our website at www.americanrightsatwork.org.
Prison britches for Bobby
The Soon-to-be-Indicted Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio's Connection To Electoral Fraud
There's been a great deal of speculation over the last several days, particularly in the light of Jack Abramoff's recent guilty pleas, concerning the connection of Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) to Election Fraud in Ohio, vis a vis his stewardship and authoring of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) back in 2001 and 2002. The heavy-handed tactics he has taken since, in order to keep the flawed act from being changed in any way over the years, along with going to great lengths to keep the nation's eyes off of massive electile dysfunction in Ohio and elsewhere since 2004, may finally get the attention it all properly deserves.
Both Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon have directly informed prosecutors of Ney's alleged wrong-doing in regard to money and gifts given to Ney, in apparent exchange for support on various legislation and even personal business deals. Ney, who chairs the important U.S. House Administration Committee, has been fingered, and now subpoenaed, for accepting illegal trips, gratuities and other apparent quid pro quo deals with Abramoff's former firms, partners, friends and groups who had paid both him and Scanlon as lobbyists.
His direct connection to the HAVA Election Reform bill passed in the wake of the 2000 Florida Election Debacle, and his various extraordinary efforts to specifically block amendments to the bill and to smokescreen attempted investigations into his home state's conduct during the 2004 Election Debacle, has been less widely reported. Until now.
Click the link...there is much more to see here
There's been a great deal of speculation over the last several days, particularly in the light of Jack Abramoff's recent guilty pleas, concerning the connection of Congressman Bob Ney (R-OH) to Election Fraud in Ohio, vis a vis his stewardship and authoring of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) back in 2001 and 2002. The heavy-handed tactics he has taken since, in order to keep the flawed act from being changed in any way over the years, along with going to great lengths to keep the nation's eyes off of massive electile dysfunction in Ohio and elsewhere since 2004, may finally get the attention it all properly deserves.
Both Abramoff and his partner Michael Scanlon have directly informed prosecutors of Ney's alleged wrong-doing in regard to money and gifts given to Ney, in apparent exchange for support on various legislation and even personal business deals. Ney, who chairs the important U.S. House Administration Committee, has been fingered, and now subpoenaed, for accepting illegal trips, gratuities and other apparent quid pro quo deals with Abramoff's former firms, partners, friends and groups who had paid both him and Scanlon as lobbyists.
His direct connection to the HAVA Election Reform bill passed in the wake of the 2000 Florida Election Debacle, and his various extraordinary efforts to specifically block amendments to the bill and to smokescreen attempted investigations into his home state's conduct during the 2004 Election Debacle, has been less widely reported. Until now.
Click the link...there is much more to see here
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
The buck stops (in a Republican pocket)
1-9-2006: DuPage County Elections paid $30,000 to Republican political consultant
Frank Salvato, a Republican media consultant, acknowledged in a brief interview with Black Box Voting today that he received nearly $30,000 from the DuPage County (IL) Elections division in 2004. Initially, when asked what DuPage County was paying for, Salvato said "media consulting."
Salvato's bio from his Web site, TheRant.us, describes him as a political media strategist. "He supports and is affiliated with the Republican Presidential Task Force, the RNC's Presidential Victory Team, RightMarch.com, Republican National Committee, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and is a GOP T... More
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Random Thoughts
Every morning as I browse through my favorite blogs and the buzzflash headlines, I stumble across dozens of items that are worthy of posting about, but I have been reluctant to push the post about Depleted Uranium any further away from the top because it is so damned important. There are people in the Pentagon and elsewhere that need to be held up in a public forum and allowed to explain their decision to unleash this toxic material on an innocent world. I know it is going to happen eventually, but it shouldn’t take an eighty or ninety percent Veteran death rate to force the people who can to do the right thing regarding this issue.
I turned sixty in 2005, and decided that my right of passage would be marked by acquiring my first tattoo. I opted for a Gecko, which represents the energy of bringing dreams to reality. It has been an appropriate and significant image for me.
In 2006, many of our Congressional Politicians and their Lobbyist friends will be going through a rite of passage of their own, and I would like to suggest an appropriate and significant tattoo for each of them…”This Side Up” in tribal script right above their ass crack. This would also represent the energy of bringing dreams to reality for many of them.
The voting machine issue (Diebold and ES&S) will be an add-on to the scandal that is currently unfolding before our eyes. I hope the entire truth is revealed, and it shows that the Bush vote was inflated by thirty percent, because it would be painful to think that more than twenty percent of Americans could be stupid beyond recovery. I suspect that GW has never legitimately been elected to any office.
I just heard that the twelve miners in West Virginia have been found alive. Blessed Be! (Next morning update: I found out that all but one have died, and the single survivor is not expected to make it. My heart goes out to the families.)
Could it be true that GW Bush thinks a court order is something he shouts from the throne?
I turned sixty in 2005, and decided that my right of passage would be marked by acquiring my first tattoo. I opted for a Gecko, which represents the energy of bringing dreams to reality. It has been an appropriate and significant image for me.
In 2006, many of our Congressional Politicians and their Lobbyist friends will be going through a rite of passage of their own, and I would like to suggest an appropriate and significant tattoo for each of them…”This Side Up” in tribal script right above their ass crack. This would also represent the energy of bringing dreams to reality for many of them.
The voting machine issue (Diebold and ES&S) will be an add-on to the scandal that is currently unfolding before our eyes. I hope the entire truth is revealed, and it shows that the Bush vote was inflated by thirty percent, because it would be painful to think that more than twenty percent of Americans could be stupid beyond recovery. I suspect that GW has never legitimately been elected to any office.
I just heard that the twelve miners in West Virginia have been found alive. Blessed Be! (Next morning update: I found out that all but one have died, and the single survivor is not expected to make it. My heart goes out to the families.)
Could it be true that GW Bush thinks a court order is something he shouts from the throne?
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