Year: 2013

Categories
Politics

The Liberal Ascendancy

Yes, I know, it’s only been a week and already I’m full of prophecies and predictions about a liberal (say it with me: Lib-er-al) era that’s just beginning. Others have argued with me that it’s too soon or that the conservatives aren’t going away or that I live in good old liberal (say it again: Lib-er-al. Doesn’t it sound all smooth and creamy?) New Jersey and that I have no idea what’s happening in redder areas of the country.

Possibly true, and you might not lose money betting against me, but not only do I believe it to be true, there is some solid evidence to back it up. The conservative era is coming to a close and the implosion of the right wing is decidedly under way. Don’t get me wrong; the conservatives and the Republican Party can and will do a lot more damage to the country and to Barack Obama‘s second term (look what they’ve done to reproductive rights and collective bargaining), but their ability to set the agenda is pretty much over.

Consider:

The GOP gave in on taxes in the fiscal cliff negotiations, and then they postponed the debt ceiling fight for three months under the utterly mistaken belief that they will have the upper hand when it comes to negotiations over the debt. I have news for them: they’re going to lose again. The debt is actually slowing and the nation’s fiscal trajectory is towards recovery, more employment, higher housing prices and improved tax collection. Add in the fact that most Americans do not support the massive cuts that the Republicans are proposing and you have the recipe for disaster for the right’s agenda.

Opposition to all forms of gun control, an area where the GOP still has some strength, will take its toll on Republican popularity. I think we’ll get a background checks bill and perhaps a limit on ammunition, but there probably won’t be a national assault weapons ban. Still, the right is on the defensive about not wanting to do anything on guns, when it’s likely that some Republicans will vote for some limits.

We will get an immigration bill this year and the GOP will have to come along or face increasing political marginality. Even so, the Republicans might not get any political advantage from a bill that allows more children of illegals to obtain citizenship. Why? because many Hispanics are already liberals (a third time: Lib-er-als) who are in favor of the government programs that serve the nation and their communities. On this, the right wing is correct: voting like Democrats will not help the GOP. It will only help the president and the left. But they really have little political choice.

Opposition to Chuck Hagel will not block his nomination, and no evidence of Israel-bashing will be found. True, many on the left are uneasy with his anti-gay comments, but he’ll get enough votes to be confirmed.

Marriage equality will become legal in more states over the next few years, even if the Supreme Court rules against a national right, which I would say is a 50-50 proposition at this point. Remember that the Court will be ruling on economic and social rights, and not the moral correctness of whether all adults should be able to marry the person they love. The right wing is moving backwards on this issue. Even gay Republicans know that.

Storms have raised the possibility that maybe, just maybe, there’s something to this climate change thing that conservatives have been denying for years. Oil will rule the day for a while, but more severe weather will finally un-jam the logs and we can truly move towards energy independence based on fuels other than fossil.

There are many more issues, but I’ve made my point. The Democrats and President Obama have the wind of public opinion at their backs and as long as they both run a smart campaign to win support for specific legislation, we should see the first fruits of the liberal (in Texas, lib-ruhl) movement this year. We won’t get everything we want, but more progress will come in later administrations and Congresses. One more presidential election win will also result in some conservative Supreme Court justices retiring, and all it will take is one switch to get a liberal (one more time for FDR: Lib-er-al) majority.

Can you dig that? I knew that you could.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

Categories
Foreign Policies Politics

Al Qaeda In Mali: Islamist Fighters Carve Out New Country

Malian soldiers patrol the streets of Diabaly, about 250 miles north of the the capital, Bamako.

“I figured it was only a matter of time before Africa got back in the news in this manner…” 

 

MOPTI, Mali — Deep inside caves, in remote desert bases, in the escarpments and cliff faces of northern Mali, Islamic fighters are burrowing into the earth, erecting a formidable set of defenses to protect what has essentially become al-Qaida’s new country.

They have used the bulldozers, earth movers and Caterpillar machines left behind by fleeing construction crews to dig what residents and local officials describe as an elaborate network of tunnels, trenches, shafts and ramparts. In just one case, inside a cave large enough to drive trucks into, they have stored up to 100 drums of gasoline, guaranteeing their fuel supply in the face of a foreign intervention, according to experts.

Northern Mali is now the biggest territory held by al-Qaida and its allies. And as the world hesitates, delaying a military intervention, the extremists who seized control of the area earlier this year are preparing for a war they boast will be worse than the decade-old struggle in Afghanistan.

The catalyst for the Islamic fighters was a military coup nine months ago that transformed Mali from a once-stable nation to the failed state it is today. On March 21, disgruntled soldiers invaded the presidential palace. The fall of the nation’s democratically elected government at the hands of junior officers destroyed the military’s command-and-control structure, creating the vacuum which allowed a mix of rebel groups to move in.

Earlier this year, the 15 nations in West Africa, including Mali, agreed on a proposal for the military to take back the north, and sought backing from the United Nations. Earlier this month, the Security Council authorized the intervention but imposed certain conditions, including training Mali’s military, which is accused of serious human rights abuses since the coup. Diplomats say the intervention will likely not happen before September of 2013.

h/t Huffington Post

Categories
Tid Bits

Damn! Just When You Thought It Was Safe To Eat Healthy

“FEEL GOOD about what’s in this bottle. Our Vanilla Chai Tea is a smooth blend of brewed green tea, heart healthy soy portein, chai spices and a hint of vanilla flavor — it’s as nutritious as it is delicious!”
Delicious, but misleading.
Bolthouse Vanilla-Chai Nutrition-Panel

Let’s face it; hundreds of multi-million dollar food corporations will go out of business if even just a quarter of Americans were to suddenly decide to eat more conscientiously in regards to their good health. Eliminating foods and beverages with added sugar, salt or artificial coloring. No flavoring agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers or thickeners. No GMOs, MSG, BHA or BHT, whatever that is!

A health conscious friend of mine brought Bolthouse Farms Vanilla Chai Tea beverage to my attention. Just one taste of the drink and I fell in love. Without reading the label (I trusted that my friend had looked it over and give it his seal of approval–wrong lol!) I began chug-a-lugging the drink in short intervals, intending to have the drink as my lunch while I sat at my desk at work. After the relishing in the euphoria from the rich, creamy, vanilla-y smoothiness, I came crashing down off my high 10 minutes later. Then I got a slight headache and was a little light-headed. Checked the bottle and saw the reason: a serving size of 8 ounces of the drink garnered you 26 grams of sugar. I did the math (not quickly, because my head was still a bit foggy): 1 teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams…. so 26 grams means 6.5 teaspoons of sugar in a 1 cup serving!

And the list of ingredients didn’t make me feel any better:

“Soymilk from concentrate (water, soymilk concentrate), cane sugar, soy protein isolate, natural flavor, acacia gum, calcium (tricalcium phosphate) carrageenan, salt, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) Magnesium (magnesium oxide), green tea (water, green tea extract, vitamin B6 (pyridozine HCL), zinc (zinc sulfate), iron (ferrous lactate, vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)”…and the green tea (the healthy junk) was actually the 11th list!

I understand that without this toxic mix of chemicals in our foods, by the time our favorite products leave their respective packaging plants and make their way to our neighborhood grocer’s freezer, they’d resemble for the most part, squirming maggots on a corpse.  Did you know that there are approximately 3,000 food additives that are classified into six major categories?:

1. Nutritional supplements

Many foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals. The primary reason for this practice is to replace nutrients lost during processing and to prevent deficiency diseases. Some of the common fortifications are: vitamin D in milk, vitamin A in margarine, iron and B vitamins in breads, and iodine in table salt.

2. Preservatives

The safe-use period of many foods is greatly extended through the addition of preservatives, which retard spoilage, preserve flavor and color and keep oils from turning rancid. Preservatives protect foods, such as cured meats, from developing dangerous toxins, such as botulism, a food poisoning illness.

3. Flavoring agents

These are the most commonly used additives. Some, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG), are used to enhance flavor. Others, like chemical concentrates of a flavor such as strawberry, are used to boost flavor. Flavorings are often used when a natural flavoring is unavailable or too expensive to use in a particular commercial product.

4. Coloring agents

These additives are used strictly to make foods more attractive to the consumer. Even some fruits, like oranges, have color added to their skins to make their color match the expectations of consumers.

5. Emulsifiers, stabilizers, and thickeners

A large variety of products from this category are used to improve the texture and consistency of foods. Emulsifiers are commonly used to keep ingredients from separating in sauces and salad dressings. Lecithin, gelatin and pectin are commonly used natural emulsifiers.

6. Acids and alkalis

These additives are used to neutralize the acidity or alkalinity of certain foods. Citric acid, for instance, might be used to add tartness to certain foods.

The best advise is the obvious one; read, moderate intake and outright abstani! Our good health is our own business it seems. Food companies have their own bottom line and we are no where near it.

Here’s to Your Good Health! (however you attain it.)

h/t  Food additive listing: Publix

 

 

Categories
News

Chicago Mom Loses Fourth Child To Gun Violence

Five people were gunned down in Chicago yesterday, which included a man who was the son to a local woman who already lost 3 of her kids to gun violence.

The 34-year-old son, the youngest of Shirley Chamber’s children, was shot in the head while sitting in his car on the West Side of Chicago.

WLS-TV reported Shirley’s two other sons and daughter were shot in separate attacks more than a decade ago.

Shirley told ABC News:

“Right now, I’m totally lost because Ronnie was my only surviving son.

What did I do wrong? I was there for them. We didn’t have everything we wanted but we had what we needed.

They took my only child. I have nobody right now. That’s my only baby.

After the gunman shot Ronnie Chambers, he then continued to shoot down 3 other men on the South Side, with two of them left dead and one critically injured.

Categories
Technology

It Is Now Illegal To Unlock Your Cell Phone

I know… You bought that phone and you think you have the right to do whatever you want to do with it, right? Wrong. Starting today, January 26th, unlocking your cell phone without permission from the carrier is illegal.

The new law, which applies to devices purchased after today, came about in October when the Library of Congress’ Register of Copyrights, which determines exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), ruled that unlocking cellphones and tablets without carrier permission should be illegal.

In its decision (PDF), the Copyright Office said there is now “a wide array of unlocked phone options available to consumers,” so reversing the unlocking policy would not have an adverse effect. At the time of the ruling, the Copyright Office provided a 90-day grace period, which ends tomorrow.

Unlocking a cellphone usually requires entering a code or using some third-party service to remove restrictions on a phone that lock it down to a specific carrier.

Once unlocked, you can use a handset with any compatible network.

Categories
Sarah Palin Tid Bits

Sarah Palin Booted From FOX

Once again, Ms. Palin’s out of a job.

After failing to meet her ratings expectations, Sarah Palin is once again, out of a job. Fox News reports that Palin, who earned $1 million a year as a regular contributor to the station, was no longer meeting her contractual obligations–in other words folks no longer cared what she had to say–about anything.
Bill Shine, the network’s executive vice president, had this to say about Ms. Palin’s departure:

 “We have thoroughly enjoyed our association with Governor Palin. We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

Wish we could say the same…

Categories
Sports

Stan The Man Laid To Rest

Stan “Stan The Man” Musial was laid to rest today. After his funeral, his family laid a wreath outside of Busch Stadium in St. Louis while the band played “Amazing Grace.” After, fans who had gathered, broke out into a touching tribute to Stan The Man by singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”

Video: TRIBUTE TO STAN THE MAN

Categories
Politics Republican

The New GOP Brain Trust: Moving Forward

The Republican National Committee unveils its Growth and Opportunity Project, an initiative established to support the growth and influence of the Republican Party and its future campaigns.
The website www.GrowthOpportunityProject.com will serve as a forum for grassroots supporters to share ideas and recommendations about the way “forward” (their word, not mine) for the GOP.

If you think you may have some good suggestions for the Republican Party’s future endeavors, why not take their survey today!

Categories
Politics

Disappointed Over Filibuster Failure, Iowa Senator Resigns

Senator Tom Harkins
Sen. Tom Harkins

73-year-old Senator Tom Harkin becomes the third Senate retiree in recent weeks, joining Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia. He told The Associated Press in an interview, “It’s just time to step aside,” and allow a new generation of Democrats to seek higher office.

The senator is an outspoken advocate on filibuster reform, having just addressed the Senate on the topic on the very morning of Harry Reid’s filibuster fiasco. Reid’s decision came as a complete surprise and disappointment to Harkin, and may well have been the straw that broke the camel’s back as far as the successive announcement of his departure.

A strong proponent of president’s gun control proposals, Harkin’s states, “As a hunter, I know that the recreational use and collection of guns is important to many Iowans and as this debate advances, I will work to protect the legitimate rights of law-abiding American gun owners. But we cannot continue down a path of unlimited access to any arms, including those capable of shooting hundreds of bullets in a very short time.”

Harkin is a leading liberal in the Senate, having served as a key salesman of the ObamaCare bill.

No doubt that Harkin’s soon-to-be empty seat could spark an open competition from both sides of the Houses in the Senate although much of the Senate discussion on the Democratic side will be focused on fourth-term Rep. Bruce Braley, who represents the northeastern part of the state.

Categories
Entertainment

How to Get Along With an Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)

Artwork/Amy Conton

Aquarians are extremely intelligent and interesting people to be around. They challenge the status quo, show you new ways of looking at the world and really force you to question yourself and everything around you. However, they can rub some people the wrong way. Understand how an Aquarius works so you can appreciate these individuals to the fullest.

Engage in some intellectual rapport with your Aquarius friend or acquaintance. There’s nothing that an Aquarius appreciates more than mental stimulation. Talk about politics, philosophy, psychology and science to really get her gears turning.

Avoid letting yourself take anything personally in any kind of debate that may naturally occur between you and an Aquarius. It is Aquarius’ nature to grow extremely opinionated and contrary while debating, and he may even take the exact opposite position on a topic to simply force you to see the other side. They are constantly questioning ideas, and while they may be very dogmatic about a concept one day, they might not be the next. Do not let this get to you. If you are bothered by having your ideals coming into question, decline to participate in debate.

Expect an Aquarius to be unpredictable. She may be gregarious, personable and extroverted one day and be quiet and thoughtful the next. She is also given to wild experimentation in her way of doing things. Do not be disturbed by this, it simply comes along with the type of person who is constantly questing for some kind of truth.

Grow a bit of a thicker shell if you’re the sensitive type, because Aquarius tends to “call it like he sees it.” This can be viewed as overly assertive and tactless by some, but Aquarius is just trying to cut past the fluff so that he can get to the center of the matter. If an Aquarius touches on your insecurities or hypocrisies (big or small), it’s better to listen to what he has to say than get angry at him because it is more productive.

Understand that Aquarius can be a very unemotional and detached sign. When growing to be closer and closer friends, you may intuitively start expecting a more sensitive side to emerge that you can open up to. Don’t be disappointed if this does not happen. You can still pour your heart out to an Aquarius and explain every overpowering emotional experience you’ve ever undergone, and she will listen with her undivided attention. It is simply that she processes these things more like a scientist fascinated by how you work, than a sympathizing ear. This does not mean she doesn’t love you or care about you–it’s just the way she is.

Tips & Warnings
As long as you don’t come off as close-minded or emotionally clingy, you have a great shot at making a friendship with an Aquarius work.

h/t  e How

Categories
Entertainment

“Auf Wiedersehen America!” Says Tina Turner

Tina Turner

GENEVA (AP) – Tina Turner is on her way to becoming a Swiss citizen.

The American rock diva has lived in the Zurich suburb of Kuesnacht since the mid-1990s. The local Zuerichsee-Zeitung newspaper said on its website the local council announced its decision to grant the 73-year-old Turner citizenship in an official notice published in Friday’s edition.

The decision still requires formal approval from cantonal (state) and federal authorities.

How Fitting: “You Better Be Good To Me”  Tina Turner

h/t The Associated Press

Categories
Politics

Unemployment Claims At Record Lows. Stock Market At Record Highs

Are things getting better in the economy? Seems that way. Here’s proof.

The Labor Department said Thursday that weekly unemployment benefit applications dropped 5,000 to a seasonally adjusted 330,000. That’s the fewest since January 2008.

The four-week average, a less volatile measure, fell to 351,750. That’s also the lowest in nearly five years.

The decline may reflect the government’s difficulty adjusting its numbers to account for layoffs after the holiday shopping season. Layoffs spike in the second week of January and then plummet. The department seeks to adjust for those seasonal trends, but the figures can still be volatile.

If the trend holds up, fewer applications would suggest the job market is improving.

And this. Despite shares in Apple falling over 12% on Thursday, the market still closed today at record highs.

The bull market kept its momentum Friday as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed above 1,500 for the first time since Dec. 10, 2007, and the Dow Jones industrial average finished less than 30 points from breaking 14,000.

It was the fourth straight week that Wall Street’s three major indexes finished higher, with the S&P 500 and the Dow hitting new five-year highs again.

Yep! I’ll say that things are definitely getting better. 🙂

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