New web sites

The folks trying to buy the 100-acre Fairhaven Highlands proposed development and turn it into a city park now have their own website - One Hundred Acre Wood.

New - local website that addresses

Media conference a surprising success

The media conference was a surprising success. Surprising because so many attended and were very focused on learning more about independent media. Over 20 people attended all the sessions I checked ou

Independent media should be of interest

There is an interesting media conference this Saturday, May 21, in Bellingham, that is oriented towards independent and grassroots efforts. This includes blogs, public TV and radio, small newspapers,

This “blog” now approaching its 10th anniversary

Well, when my sainted aunt writes asking if I’m feeling OK because nothing has been posted here, then it is time to pay attention to this blog. With over 300 people a day checking for posts, I could b

Sequoia voting machines being challenged

Our county auditor has decided to buy vote-counting machines with secret software. Here is a link to information on a lawsuit in Everett dealing with these same machines. Sequoia machines are being ch

Larsen feels no need to be accountable

Apparently my name is on Larsen’s black list. He has replied to some others on his vote for the bankruptcy bill - but only, as he writes, because they support him. He explains that only 25 people emai

Hey Rick - call home

Still no answer from Rick Larsen’s staff. No answer to direct questions has been the process for the past couple years. His office probably responds the same day to questions from lobbyists, PR firms

Rick is catering to some wealthy donors

Rick Larsen is voting with the conservative Republicans these days. Rick was one of the key few Democrats who voted FOR the harsh new bankruptcy law - and for the elimination of all estate taxe

Two years since the invasion of Iraq

Shock and awe was the strategy of the Bush government. Maybe we are in shock now as our kids continue to be killed and maimed. 1,500 dead and thousands with blown off limbs. We may soon be in awe of t

They fooled me

Sinn Fein is a sham. Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein are fronts for the IRA - the Irish Republican Army and its brutal methods of torture and killing of innocent Irish.

Shame on Brazil

The government will arrest some poor guys and execute them for the murder of Sister Stang. The government will say they are shocked, just shocked. But the government of Brazil is relieved that Stang i

How do you solve a problem like Maria?

Maria Cantwell has voted to restrict class-action law suits - siding with the Bush administration to remove legal rights from working people. My Democratic friends seem to be silent on her voting reco

Iraqi election

With the Bush government in high celebration of the Iraqi election, and all the TV news reporting from the Green Zone that all is going great - even though they only know what the US Army tells them -

Tsunami relief

What if we gave $10 for every American. That would be $3 billion. Family of three? Give $30.

Military’s highest and best use

Let’s not criticize George Bush for being slow to respond to the tsunami disaster. Unless you will also hammer UN Secretary Kofi Annan for spending three more days at the Jackson Hole ski resort after

Ebb and flow

These photos below may not be of the Tsunami. An email says they are of the Qiantang Tidal Bore in China - a real tidal wave generated by the tides.

Tidal photos

Where? Indonesia is my guess. They were sent to me. If you know any more about the location, please let me know. The bottom photo is a close up of the second photo’s far right side, just behind the gr

How the tsunami crossed the ocean

An animated map of the Indian Ocean shows how the deep-ocean waves sped out from the earthquake. NOAA prepared the map.

Rumsfeld doesn’t have a clue

He embarked on a war of conquest of a foreign country for the benefit of oil companies.

Diversity of news

Reading foreign news websites is a most enlightening process. We learn things and read perspectives not found in our controlled US media. Not that other media are not controlled to some extent also, b

Three blind mice?

Richard Cohen of the Washington Post has it right. You need to register with the Wa Post to read his column, Presidential medals of Failure. The fourth failure is, of course, Bush himself. But these t

What are those poor kids dying in Iraq trying to protect?

When Al-Jazeera first went with an English version last year, they were boomed off line in the US by several never-revealed Internet companies using illegal electronic processes. The common assumption

That soldier didn’t think of that question all by himself

An energetic reporter set it up - and made sure it would happen. Edward Lee Pitts, embedded with a unit going north to Iraq, saw the troops working with unarmored vehicles and saw an opportunity to ge

We need to use critical thinking

Israel is restarting the terrorist violence. Since Arafat died a month ago, there have been no serious Palestinian attacks - and all the world has been watching the Palestinian leaders try to organize

We think a little torture will protect us

To be concise, if we start to rationalize torture then we are lost. It is the absolute opposite direction of democracy. It is the basic tool of the tyrant - the dictator. Terror is created by torture.

Below is a response from John Poirier

to my post of Nov 6. He sees things differently, and I think he is right. I received several emails on that post, but this is the one that explains things best.

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blockquote>The gay “issue” did

Shame on Israel

Today they again arrested Mordechai Vanunu. We expect the worst for him. This courageous Jew has dared to speak out against Israel’s madness. This in a country that says it is tolerant. But he

One can be for gay rights and not be for gay marriage

The Democratic Party continues to be unable to understand people and what motivates them. The party - and party members - have pushed extreme gay rights issues up the noses of conservative Christians

We have a new reality

Well, Americans like the Bush vision and values. He is elected by a majority of the people and electors. And he has a Senate and House of Representatives that are able to carry through his programs.<b

Some election recommendations

I don’t kid myself that these have much affect, as most who check this blog have their own strong opinions. But, for the record, and for those who ask me each election, here are some issues and candid

If we force it down their throats then it is not democracy

The beauty of a website is you don’t force yourself on others. I got an email today from TL - and he graciously gave me the email addresses of dozens of people. And he gave them to many others. All of

Boy, does Crossfire ever deserve it

Jon Stewart - host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central - was guest on CNN Crossfire on Friday. They thought he would be funny as well as plug his book America (The Book) A Citizen’s Guide to Democr