woot

whose label sez: and giblets.  That you only get *part* of the giblets?  I did better than usual today: I got a *whole* heart, 2/3s of the gizzard, but only about a third of a liver.  Also, most of the neck skin was cropped.

http://www.juancole.com/

Many pundits are maintaining that the failure to hold parliamentary elections on time will, perhaps, force US troops to stay longer and in greater numbers than envisaged in the Status of Forces agreement.

Meanwhile, the Iraqi government arrested dozens of security officials, saying that they were implicated in Sunday's attacks.

Back to elections. Elections in Iraq cannot be held to international standards. There typically are no big public rallies, for fear that they would be blown up by Sunni Arab guerrillas. Candidates can seldom campaign publicly for fear of assassination. For the election itself, the US military declares a curfew and prohibits vehicular traffic for 3 days. Everyone is reduced to walking to the store to buy bread and other necessities. You can't drive. This measure prevents car bombings of the polling stations.

BOSTON - Big banks will not be forced to downsize and the public will be the last to know when they fail, a controversial bill unveiled by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Congressman Barney Frank proposes.

The long-awaited "too big to fail" legislation was roundly criticised during a congressional hearing Thursday as a nod to the biggest financial firms in the U.S.

"This is TARP on steroids," said Rep. Brad Sherman, a Democrat, referring to the U.S. Treasury programme that gave trillions to financial companies.

Published on Friday, October 30, 2009 by CommonDreams.org

Coal River Mountain Emergency: Sit-Ins-Funeral March Erupt at EPA/JP Morgan Chase Offices Across Nation

by Jeff Biggers

BREAKING NEWS: The Coalfield Uprising is spreading across the nation.

As millions of pounds of explosions rip across their mountain communities, including the clean energy landmark of Coal River Mountain, scores of residents from the Appalachian coalfields have joined with supporters from across the country in a series of sit-ins, die-ins, protests, and a haunting "Day of the Dead" funeral procession and sit-in in the courtyard of the Washington, DC headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/10/30-4

This message is now global: Mayors for Peace, a Hiroshima/Nagasaki- initiated international network of local authorities campaigning for the elimination by 2020 of all remaining nuclear weapons, is supported by more than 3,000 cities in 134 countries and regions. Every visitor to Hiroshima and its Peace Museum comes face to face with a history from which we must all learn — or risk repeating.

Who better to visit Hiroshima, witness its message firsthand, and speak to the world's nuclear fears, than the commander in chief of one of the world's largest nuclear-equipped militaries?

Now, as the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Japan on Nov. 12 and 13 offers him an unprecedented opportunity to build already-established momentum toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.

****************

May it be.

though I doubt it (peeps *already* afraid of socialism).  But it would for sure kill ANY health bill.   Some kinda dumb. Period. And he *ain't* dumb.

replace the current delegate selection system with an absentee ballot only IRV method of determining representation at the Convention, but I got jumped by Iowa Party leaders for my proposal to the point of being accosted by a former Congressman

so what is that thanks I get from you?

since Obama's nomination is a slam dunk and a way to test relative strengths of blue dogs v. progressives might be useful

of what has happened so far. I just Thank God John Edwards didn't get the nomination or the current VP might be named Sarah.

the possible Edwards winning enough delegates to get the nomination followed by the subsequent revelation gives support to the idea of super delegates who can control blocks of votes at the convention to deny a mistake from happening

just like now, if the flaws in the bill were great enough the progressive caucus could still pull the plug

Having dinner with tc tonight - nice surprise.  I'll give her a hug from all of us here.

Lovely view again from my table (late lunch).  Nice cool breeze, home in the ayem to tend to the little ones tomorrow.

Thanks for the common sense approach.

 A person's passion tells me a lot about their soul . But, age has taught me that passion must be harnessed by reason. I respect and relish the passion that aims to right the ills of this country but given what supports the status quo - one has to efficiently and effectively use their passion.

• Your soul is oftentimes a battlefield, upon which your reason and your judgment wage war against passion and your appetite.
• Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody.
• But how shall I, unless you yourselves be also the peacemakers, nay, the lovers of all your elements?
• Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.
• If either your sails or our rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.
• For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
• Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing;
• And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.

Reason and Passion
BY
Khalil Gibran

(excerpted)

how bout them Hawks!

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has praised a UN proposal to regulate Iran's uranium enrichment programme.

Speaking before talks with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, he called it a "positive first step" in stopping Tehran developing a nuclear weapon.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8334235.stm

http://www.timesargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091028/NEWS02/910280316/

We gathered here over six years ago because presidential candidate Howard Dean offered the hope of reform of the antiquated U.S. health care coverage system.  It was touted as a visionary plan, but a review shows how modest the proposals were in comparison to the bills about to be debated in Congress: 

My plan consists of four major components.

First, . . . we'll redefine and expand two essential federal and state programs -- Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Right now, they only offer coverage to children from lower-income families. Under my plan, we cover all kids and young adults up to age 25 -- middle income as well as lower income.

Second, we'll give a leg up to working families struggling to afford health insurance. Adults earning up to 185% of the poverty level -- $16,613 -- will be eligible for coverage through the already existing Children Health Insurance Program.

. . . .

Third, we need to recognize that one key to a healthy America is making healthcare affordable to small businesses. . . .

With the plan I've put forth to the American people, we'll organize a system nearly identical to the one federal workers and members of Congress enjoy. . . .

The final element of this plan is a clear, strong message to corporate America that providing health coverage is fundamental to being a good corporate citizen.

This is all a credit to Dean's pioneer efforts, but let's not lose perspective. 

whatever is left of them.  Reports that he won't be filibustering - Fineman on Maddow.

Steeper 
Medicare 
costs stun 
retirees

Premiums | One private
plan in Oregon is raising
prices 45%, another 100%,
and others are folding

By BrenT HUnSBerger
tHe oreGoNIAN
More than a quarter-million Or-
egon retirees enrolled in private
Medicare plans got their plan change
notices this month, and some are
still reeling from the sticker shock.
Although most plan costs aren’t
changing drastically, one of the
state’s largest is boosting premiums
by 45 percent, while another plan’s
cost is more than doubling. Stand-
alone prescription drug insurance is
increasing as well. And 16,000 retir-
ees are losing their plans and must
shop for a replacement, state offi-
cials say.
Such is the annual dance many se-
niors find themselves in leading into
open enrollment, which begins next
month. But this year, it’s happening
against a volatile political discussion
over health care reform. And seniors
must absorb the increases without
benefit of a cost-of-living adjustment
in their Social Security checks.

more......

My little community care unit literally lives on them.  This is an *extremely poor* population, and a whole lot of prescriptions are simply never filled.  It seems to be one of the ways Big Pharma can undo some of the evil that it does. . . . 

Just sayin'

and I apologize.  I either missed that post, forgot the post or misunderstood the post.  Now I do understand and thanks for telling me.

Again,my apologies.  Will you try it again?  Maybe you could get a committee going or get backing from a high profile progressive...maybe Weiner or Grayson.  Just  musing on possibilities.

Who in the blazes in Maha?

By seashell on Oct 30, 2009 5:27 PM EDT

www.democracynow.org/2009/10/29/roundtable

Healthcare Roundtable: With Exclusion of Single Payer, What Opportunities Remain for Meaningful Reform?

While much of the healthcare debate in Washington and the media has focused on the proposal to create a government-run insurance program, the legislation being considered includes many other provisions that could change how healthcare is delivered in this country. We host a roundtable with three guests who have been closely following the debate: Lois Uttley, co-founder of Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need; Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of Health Initiatives at Community Service Society of New York; and Dr. Oliver Fein, president of Physicians for a National Health Program.

Sorry I tried to embed the segment on Health Care Reform - very informative. But I think it opens up when the browser accesses the page. If you don't have Quicktime -hopefully you won't hear it.

However, if you're an Amy Goodman fan - enjoy one of the best alternate news shows available. 10/29/09

I won't do it again.