01 October 2009
The cost of the health care status quo.
120 people died today because they didn't have health insurance.
30 September 2009
The cost of the health care status quo.
120 people died today because they didn't have health insurance.
28 September 2009
Where's the change!!!!
I'm looking for it, but I'm really having a problem seeing very much change I can believe in.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
24 September 2009
05 August 2009
The health care answer is simple.
Do you need to go to the doctor? Can you afford it?
This should not be the equation in America.
You should not get proper medical treatment only if you can afford it.
The health care of the citizens of this country should be our mutual responsibility.
We should all have access to a government run health care system that we all pay for according to our ability (taxes).
Health care should not be a privilege reserved for those of us who have been lucky enough to keep a good job.
And for those of you who rail against the evil idea of a government run health care system, I will simply point out that the two most successful health care programs in the country are MediCare and the Veterans Administration Heath Care - both government programs.
Health Care should not be a profit driven system -period.
Single-payer is the answer.
This should not be the equation in America.
You should not get proper medical treatment only if you can afford it.
The health care of the citizens of this country should be our mutual responsibility.
We should all have access to a government run health care system that we all pay for according to our ability (taxes).
Health care should not be a privilege reserved for those of us who have been lucky enough to keep a good job.
And for those of you who rail against the evil idea of a government run health care system, I will simply point out that the two most successful health care programs in the country are MediCare and the Veterans Administration Heath Care - both government programs.
Health Care should not be a profit driven system -period.
Single-payer is the answer.
06 July 2009
Why I am Vegan
If a picture is worth a thousand words,
here are thousands and thousands of "words"
explaining why I am vegan.
In case you can't tell what's going on here, these fish
are being squeezed so tightly in this net that all of
their eyes are literally bulging out of their heads.
Can anyone look at those pictures
and say they feel good knowing this
is what they are eating?
There is no escaping it.
If you are eating meat, dairy or eggs,
you are contributing
to some of the most inhumane
and violent treatment
of living beings on the planet.
Not to mention that a plant based
diet is much more healthy and
more environmentally friendly
than eating animals and their excretions.
It makes me feel good that I can look
at the pictures below and say,
"This is where my food comes from."
here are thousands and thousands of "words"
explaining why I am vegan.
In case you can't tell what's going on here, these fish
are being squeezed so tightly in this net that all of
their eyes are literally bulging out of their heads.
Can anyone look at those pictures
and say they feel good knowing this
is what they are eating?
There is no escaping it.
If you are eating meat, dairy or eggs,
you are contributing
to some of the most inhumane
and violent treatment
of living beings on the planet.
Not to mention that a plant based
diet is much more healthy and
more environmentally friendly
than eating animals and their excretions.
It makes me feel good that I can look
at the pictures below and say,
"This is where my food comes from."
20 April 2009
How dare they treat us like this!!!
Roxana Saberi an Iranian American - Born in America - Moved to Iran about six years ago to work as a corespondent for NPR and BBC news.
She was recently arrested by Iranian authorities, tried, convicted of spying and sentenced to 8 years in prison.
According to some accounts I've read, the trial was held in secret and lasted a matter of minutes.
Her father says she was coerced into making false statements.
It has also been reported that her lawyer was not with her when she appeared before the judge.
We should be OUTRAGED that an American citizen is being treated so unfairly!!! This woman is being denied her basic rights!
What kind of country locks people up for 8 years without a proper hearing, without proper evidence, with "coerced" testimony...oh...right...um...never mind.
She was recently arrested by Iranian authorities, tried, convicted of spying and sentenced to 8 years in prison.
According to some accounts I've read, the trial was held in secret and lasted a matter of minutes.
Her father says she was coerced into making false statements.
It has also been reported that her lawyer was not with her when she appeared before the judge.
We should be OUTRAGED that an American citizen is being treated so unfairly!!! This woman is being denied her basic rights!
What kind of country locks people up for 8 years without a proper hearing, without proper evidence, with "coerced" testimony...oh...right...um...never mind.
15 April 2009
When will Washington's priorities actually reflect the prioities of the majority of U.S. citizens?
How long is it going to take Washington to realize that we need to get out of Iraq and Afghanistan now? The only thing we've truly accomplished is to weaken America in about every way you could possibly measure. And of course we've made some private contractors incredibly wealthy. And in some cases it's been contractors who have done everything they can to side step their obligations to pay U.S. taxes by locating their headquarters someplace like the Cayman Islands.
I'm really surprised congress hasn't taken the financial meltdown in the country as an excuse to discontinue these increasingly unpopular and costly debacles.
I think the Democrats have gotten so used to being called weak on defense, that they feel like they have to keep up this posturing to look like they are ready and willing to kick butt.
Meanwhile we keep flushing millions and millions of dollars down the toilet every month.
I'm really surprised congress hasn't taken the financial meltdown in the country as an excuse to discontinue these increasingly unpopular and costly debacles.
I think the Democrats have gotten so used to being called weak on defense, that they feel like they have to keep up this posturing to look like they are ready and willing to kick butt.
Meanwhile we keep flushing millions and millions of dollars down the toilet every month.
04 April 2009
Now we start paying for Gitmo.
Time to say "I told you so" to anyone who ever thought our indefinite detention and mistreatment of prisoners was justified.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
25 March 2009
Damn, this world sucks sometimes.
I can't believe it's been another year already. Time for this horrific bloodbath again.
This year the Canadian government has approved the slaughter of 338,200 seals.
This year the Canadian government has approved the slaughter of 338,200 seals.
09 March 2009
The Bush disaster plagues us still.
Can someone tell me why the people running KBR aren't in jail?
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
07 February 2009
Rachel Maddow speaks truth to power.
I've got to say, I am getting very frustrated with the self righteous tone the Republicans are taking as they try to block President Obama's stimulus package. They talk as though the election that just happened (wherein the American public resoundingly rejected the republican approach to the economy) never even happened!
Obama has tried very hard to be include the Republicans in the development of this bill, and he's basically been slapped in the face by the Republicans for his effort.
It's time for Obama and the Democrats to straight-arm the republicans to the sidelines and get on with the business that the American citizens elected them to do.
Obama has tried very hard to be include the Republicans in the development of this bill, and he's basically been slapped in the face by the Republicans for his effort.
It's time for Obama and the Democrats to straight-arm the republicans to the sidelines and get on with the business that the American citizens elected them to do.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
04 February 2009
20 January 2009
Inauguration Day
Well, it's finally happening. The end of eight long long years.
I'm watching the news this morning and the crowds on the mall in Washington DC are amazing. It's really exciting. In about 2 hours Barack Obama will be President.
I'm watching the news this morning and the crowds on the mall in Washington DC are amazing. It's really exciting. In about 2 hours Barack Obama will be President.
29 December 2008
Putting it in perspective
On February 14, 1990 NASA's Voyager space craft turned around and took this photograph of Earth from 6.054 billion kilometres away.
In this reading from his book, Carl Sagan puts this pale blue dot very eloquently in perspective.
11 November 2008
In my lifetime?
Since the election I've heard a lot of people saying they never thought they'd see an African-American president in their lifetime.
I now find myself wondering if I'll ever see Gay people treated fairly and equally in my lifetime.
I really hope so.
How sad that a movement to take away people's rights is lead and supported almost exclusively by church groups. People that get together every week to talk about how important love is, and to talk about how important it is to treat others how you would like to be treated are now celebrating the fact that they have succeeded in taking away the civil rights of other people.
I now find myself wondering if I'll ever see Gay people treated fairly and equally in my lifetime.
I really hope so.
How sad that a movement to take away people's rights is lead and supported almost exclusively by church groups. People that get together every week to talk about how important love is, and to talk about how important it is to treat others how you would like to be treated are now celebrating the fact that they have succeeded in taking away the civil rights of other people.
05 November 2008
Still Sad and Still Mad
Well, just because Barack Obama won the election there's no danger of me changing the name of my blog to "Happiness and Joy".
This morning I woke to the news that Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative to amend their state constitution to prohibit gay marriage has passed. Not quite all the votes have been counted yet, but it looks like it is going to pass.
So, while we took a step forward as a country by choosing the more liberal and inclusive candidate for President, when you get down to the ground level, there are still a lot of people in this world who think it's their job to force their intolerant views on others.
This must be quite a blow to all the people in California who have worked so hard for so long for equal rights.
This morning I woke to the news that Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative to amend their state constitution to prohibit gay marriage has passed. Not quite all the votes have been counted yet, but it looks like it is going to pass.
So, while we took a step forward as a country by choosing the more liberal and inclusive candidate for President, when you get down to the ground level, there are still a lot of people in this world who think it's their job to force their intolerant views on others.
This must be quite a blow to all the people in California who have worked so hard for so long for equal rights.
A new page.
Well, what a night.
John McCain gave a very good concession speech last night. In fact if THAT John McCain had shown up for the campaign he may have had a chance of winning. It was the first time since the start of the campaign that he sounded sincere to me.
His speech was a good start toward healing the wounds caused by the campaign. But there are undoubtedly a lot of people out there that will be holding onto the distrust and fear of Obama that was sewn by the McCain campaign. I hope that through his words and deeds John McCain will continue to show his supporters that Obama is a President we can trust and that we can all work together.
As for President-Elect Barack Obama. He gave a very stirring speech last night in Chicago. People were watching and cheering, literally all around the world.
I really feel like this is the dawn of a new era for our country. I hope Barack Obama, his administration and the American People can live up to the promise.
John McCain gave a very good concession speech last night. In fact if THAT John McCain had shown up for the campaign he may have had a chance of winning. It was the first time since the start of the campaign that he sounded sincere to me.
His speech was a good start toward healing the wounds caused by the campaign. But there are undoubtedly a lot of people out there that will be holding onto the distrust and fear of Obama that was sewn by the McCain campaign. I hope that through his words and deeds John McCain will continue to show his supporters that Obama is a President we can trust and that we can all work together.
As for President-Elect Barack Obama. He gave a very stirring speech last night in Chicago. People were watching and cheering, literally all around the world.
I really feel like this is the dawn of a new era for our country. I hope Barack Obama, his administration and the American People can live up to the promise.
31 October 2008
McCain and Palin on message?
John McCain and Sarah Palin are both right on message.
The problem is they're on different messages.
How am I supposed to take John McCain seriously as a leader when he can't even keep his own campaign under control?
The problem is they're on different messages.
How am I supposed to take John McCain seriously as a leader when he can't even keep his own campaign under control?
29 October 2008
28 October 2008
John The Candidate and Joe The Plumber
Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha
OH MY GOD! The McCain campaign is so far off the rails that Fox News is getting scared by what they are saying!
The McCain campaign has actually put Fox news in the position of having to defend Barack Obama.
WOW!
Please Please tell everyone you know to go out and vote for Obama.
The McCain campaign has seriously veered off into lunatic territory now.
OH MY GOD! The McCain campaign is so far off the rails that Fox News is getting scared by what they are saying!
The McCain campaign has actually put Fox news in the position of having to defend Barack Obama.
WOW!
Please Please tell everyone you know to go out and vote for Obama.
The McCain campaign has seriously veered off into lunatic territory now.
25 October 2008
Change the country. Change the world.
We've always been at our best when we've had leadership that has called on us to look past our differences, to come together as a nation. - Barack Obama
This country needs an inspirational leader. This world needs America to have an inspirational leader.
John McCain's POW experience is an inspiring story. But John McCain of 2008 is not the guy to inspire the country and the world.
Barack Obama has worked hard to come from humble beginnings to achieve the American Dream. His whole life is an inspirational story.
Throughout this campaign John McCain has called Obama everything from a terrorist sympathizer to a socialist. In spite of these character attacks, Obama has responed with dignity and respect for his opponent. He's stuck to the issues.
He has also inspired many people to get involved in the process for the first time.
Please, vote for real change.
This country needs an inspirational leader. This world needs America to have an inspirational leader.
John McCain's POW experience is an inspiring story. But John McCain of 2008 is not the guy to inspire the country and the world.
Barack Obama has worked hard to come from humble beginnings to achieve the American Dream. His whole life is an inspirational story.
Throughout this campaign John McCain has called Obama everything from a terrorist sympathizer to a socialist. In spite of these character attacks, Obama has responed with dignity and respect for his opponent. He's stuck to the issues.
He has also inspired many people to get involved in the process for the first time.
Please, vote for real change.
Waaaaaasup! New and improved.
As silly as this is, it's really kind of poignant at the end of the second one.
Eight years ago.
Today
Eight years ago.
Today
24 October 2008
Michael Moore makes sense to me.
For some reason this guy has been really demonized by the right. But I don't know why. He sure seems to sound pretty level-headed here.
23 October 2008
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