Edited: I originally had asked why Senator Bayh had voted for Alito's confirmation after voting against cloture. Craig at Reverent and Free has pointed out the Washington Post article was a mistake, so as Emily Litella would say, "nevermind".

Filibusted

Nineteen cowardly Democrats voted for cloture today to end the filibuster.

The confirmation vote will likely be tomorrow. Moderate Republican Lincoln Chafee is expected to vote against Alito. I doubt if any Republicans will join him. I wonder how many Democrats will vote to confirm. I am guessing 10.

(The Alito vote) "is going to have echoes for years and years to come. If you are concerned and you want a justice that is going to stand for the working men and women in this country, it's not going to be Judge Alito." Senator Kennedy

link

Here are the Democrats who voted "no" (to continue the filibuster:

Bayh, Ind.; Biden, Del.; Boxer, Calif.; Clinton, N.Y.; Dayton, Minn.; Dodd, Conn.; Durbin, Ill.; Feingold, Wis.; Feinstein, Calif.; Kennedy, Mass.; Kerry, Mass.; Lautenberg, N.J.; Leahy, Vt.; Levin, Mich.; Menendez, N.J.; Mikulski, Md.; Murray, Wash.; Obama, Ill.; Reed, R.I.; Reid, Nev.; Sarbanes, Md.; Schumer, N.Y.; Stabenow, Mich.; Wyden, Ore.

Independent Jeffords voted "no"

And the ones who voted yes:

Akaka, Hawaii; Baucus, Mont.; Bingaman, N.M.; Byrd, W.Va.; Cantwell, Wash.; Carper, Del.; Conrad, N.D.; Dorgan, N.D.; Inouye, Hawaii; Johnson, S.D.; Kohl, Wis.; Landrieu, La.; Lieberman, Conn.; Lincoln, Ark.; Nelson, Fla.; Nelson, Neb.; Pryor, Ark.; Rockefeller, W.Va.; Salazar, Colo.

Source Washington Post

Ellsworth makes it official

Ellsworth is the next candidate to attempt to break Hostettler's 14 year stranglehold on this Congressional seat.

Vanderburg County Sheriff Brad Ellsworth today announced he will run for Indiana`s 8th District Congressional seat.

Ellsworth could face incumbent Republican John Hostettler in the November General Election.

Democrats have high hopes for Ellsworth, some saying "the time is now" in knocking Hostettler out of his seat.

It`s called the "Bloody 8th" District because of "no-holds-barred" campaigning and television ads that sometimes resort to personal attacks.

link

Chewbacca

It is always nice to see someone you kind of know make it, especially when it is someone who has faced such adversity as Chewbacca. Chewbacca is sometimes a guest editor at Kickass Media in fact a link to his Christmas message was posted here.

Well, now, Chewy has become sort of an blog celebrity after his blog was featured in Maxim (I can't provide an actual link since Maxim is blocked by my firewall) and Digg.com. Congratulations to Chewbacca.

Democratic Underground

I have noticed this blog as well as Masson's Blog and Hoosier Democrats are listed on the Indiana page of the Democratic Underground forum. It looks like they have a thriving forum and I hope to participate in the future.

Election 2006

What will it take for the Democrats to win back seats in the House and Senate? They have tried the war, Republican corruption, and the economy and they failed miserably. This fall the only thing that may work is healthcare and specifically the medicare plan debacle.

Why not take it one step further and put forth a medicare for all plan that would guarantee universal healthcare. In 1945, 75 percent of the country was in favor of universal healthcare and Truman had a plan, but it was torpedoed by southern politicians who feared it might lead to racially integrated hospitals.

In 1994, universal healthcare became an issue again, but strong insurance lobbyists, American Medical Association and a haranguing Rush Limbaugh muddied the water and scared the American public. Now ten years later, it may be time again to push the issue again as medical care costs are skyrocketing several times over inflation. The Indianapolis Star had an article yesterday which detailed a Muncie man's struggle to find a health insurance provider. It is a shame that in the so called "wealthiest nation in the world" that a man like this has to struggle to be able to find quality healthcare. He would not have this problem in any of the western industrialized nations as the United States is the only one of this group which fails to provide universal coverage.

Life along the Wabash

Tonight PBS aired Life along the Wabash. I grew up nearby both the Wabash and the White Rivers. I spent quite a few nights sitting alongside the Wabash as a child with my parents and then later with friends at the haunted Purple head bridge, so it was interesting to watch. I even recognized a few of the people on the show.



It was bright white limestone, shining up through clear water, that inspired Native Americans to name their sacred river “Waa-paah-siki” or the “Bright White.” French fur traders shortened the name to “Ouabache,” and the early settlers changed it again, to the name we know today: “Wabash.”

The Wabash is Indiana’s river. Its story of beauty and inspiration, of exploration and discovery, is the story of how we became who we are, both as a state…and as a nation.

That spirit of exploration and discovery lives on in “The Wabash: Life on the Bright White River,” a 500 mile, 19 county adventure, from the Ohio border to the Ohio River, to examine the delicate balance that exists between the people who live on the banks of the Wabash, and the Wabash River itself.

WFYI

Lyrics to Johnny Cash's song "If it wasn't for the Wabash River"

Brazilification

Brazilification was a word coined by author Douglas Coupland in Generation X. It represents the widening gulf between the rich and the poor and the accompanying disappearance of the middle classes. This is what is happening in the United States according to this article.

ALBANY, N.Y. Jan 27, 2006 — The disparity between rich and poor is growing in America as the federal minimum wage has remained flat for years, union membership has declined and industries have faced global competition, according to a study released Thursday.

The report by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute, both liberal-leaning think tanks, found the incomes of the poorest 20 percent of families nationally grew by an average of $2,660, or 19 percent, over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, the incomes of the richest fifth of families grew by $45,100, or nearly 59 percent, the study by the Washington-based groups said.


Here are the the Economic Policy Institute results for Indiana.

Your daily abortion news from the general assembly

A number of bills relating to abortion will go before an Indiana House of Representatives committee today.

Pregnant women considering abortion would have to be informed about the physical risks involved in the procedure and the possibility of adoption at least 18 hours before the abortion under House Bill 1080. The bill will go before the House Public Policy and Veterans Affairs Committee at its 10 a.m. meeting in room 156-D. House Bill 1172, which will also go before the committee, would require the doctor to inform the women that their fetus may feel pain during the abortion.

Another bill that will go before the committee is House Bill 1247, which would allow people to sue under Indiana's wrongful death statute over the injury or death of a fetus that has achieved viability.

link

I only wish there was this much concern about the health and welfare of children once they leave the womb.

I don't often do memes, but I've been tagged by Jim and Greg, so why not?

Four jobs you've had in your life: corn detasseler, grocery bagger, pharmacy store clerk, library assistant

Four movies: Animal House, Airplane, Dumb and Dumber, Fletch (I can watch comedies over and over)

Four television shows you love: Lost, The Office (UK, but the American version is good too), Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Four Places you have lived: Bedford, England, Bicknell, Indiana, Washington D.C., Batesville, Indiana

Four places you have been on vacation: Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Prague

Four websites you visit daily: Arts and Letters Daily,Indianapolis Star, my blog, Worldcrossing

Four places you would rather be right now: someplace warm on the beach, London, Las Vegas, Brazil for Carneval

Four bloggers you are tagging: Naw, I'll ask for volunteers.

Bill limits aid for illegal workers

House panel OKs measure to deny services to immigrants who lack documentation

A bill designed to keep undocumented immigrants from getting public assistance or health-care services was approved Tuesday by the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.


Voting on House Bill 1383, which now will go to the full House for a second-reading vote, comes at a time lawmakers in several other states are debating the same issue: How to deal with the growing number of undocumented immigrants who have flocked to the United States in search of jobs.

link

I really do not like this bill. I agree with Rep. John Aguilera, D-East Chicago who said "In my opinion, we're headed in the wrong direction," (The bill to block access to public assistance)"appears to be mean-spirited and directed at the Hispanic community," he said. "There is nothing in the bill that deals with the businesses and employers hiring these workers."

That's the problem. One cannot fault the migrants for coming here to try to find a better life. Many of them are exploited by companies who are too cheap to to pay legal workers. The fines paid by employers who hire illegal immigrants are not stiff enough to penalize them financially.

I am still recovering from Las Vegas, so I haven't had a chance to post much lately, but here are a few tidbits.

"Survivor" will be having local auditions today.

I hope the Pacers can resolve this Artest/Stojakovic saga quick fast and in a hurry because they are struggling.

Isaiah Thomas is sued for sexual harassment. An interesting allegation from this is that the victim claims Isaiah pushed to schedule more Sunday noon games, so the opposing team would get drunk the night before at strip clubs Thomas had connections with and be sluggish for the game. Hmmm, and to think Larry Bird fired him for not being a great strategist here. I think that's pretty innovative.

Stuck inside of the Memphis Airport with the BBQ Blues

Yeah, I know Bob Dylan sang stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues and I am not even really stuck. I am between flights. The Memphis airport with its decor that would rival a greyhound bus station and carpet that may have been here since the airport's opening does have one thing going for it--the smell of Memphis BBQ. I want some so badly, but I foolishly ate some substandard California Pizza Kitchen at the Indianapolis Airport. There is a cool Sun Studio store as well. I wanted to buy one of the famous t-shirts, but unfortunately, my size falls somewhere between small and triple xtra large, so they had nothing for me.

So no t-shirt, no bbq, just me sitting here feeling like I am on a movie set from the seventies. It's that bad, really.
--------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE from the Memphis Airport Lounge:

Lead story on the 7 O'clock news:

The whale is found in the Thames River in London is now dead.

Chorus of 30something women sitting next to me: "Aww... that is so sad"

Next report:

The bodies of the two missing West Virginia miners were found today.

Chorus of 30something women: (silence).

Out of town

I am in Vegas for a few days. I don't know if I'll be able to post.

Judge Strikes Down Md. Ban on Gay Marriage

This is great news. It appears it is going to take a gradual judicial ripple effect in order to have any change on this issue. On the other hand, my cynical side notes that it is an election year and the great wedge issue is in the news again.


Ruling Is Stayed as Constitutional Fight Ignites

A Baltimore judge ruled yesterday that Maryland's law banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory and "cannot withstand constitutional challenge," throwing open the possibility of a bruising legislative battle over a constitutional amendment.

Unlike decisions in Massachusetts and New York state, the Maryland ruling will not immediately bring lines of same-sex couples to city hall for civil ceremonies. Circuit Court Judge M. Brooke Murdock immediately stayed her decision, and the attorney general's office has voiced plans for an appeal.


The Post

Miracle on 53rd Street

Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 46 yard field goal on 53rd street today on the Letterman Show. Dave held the ball for him.

Hunter Smith and Justin Snow also appeared on the show with him.

Feds after Google data

I find this a bit chilling. The government cannot even claim this is a vital national security issue. It is interesting to note all of the portals turned over the information, but google was the only holdout.

The Bush administration on Wednesday asked a federal judge to order Google to turn over a broad range of material from its closely guarded databases.

The move is part of a government effort to revive an Internet child protection law struck down two years ago by the U.S. Supreme Court. The law was meant to punish online pornography sites that make their content accessible to minors. The government contends it needs the Google data to determine how often pornography shows up in online searches.

In court papers filed in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Justice Department lawyers revealed that Google has refused to comply with a subpoena issued last year for the records, which include a request for 1 million random Web addresses and records of all Google searches from any one-week period.

The Mountain View-based search and advertising giant opposes releasing the information on a variety of grounds, saying it would violate the privacy rights of its users and reveal company trade secrets, according to court documents.

Nicole Wong, an associate general counsel for Google, said the company will fight the government's effort ``vigorously.''


link

Doug Masson has the new EST/CST zone map. It appears I will be an hour ahead of my family in Knox County. I guess I will never be late for dinner again.

Charlie Averill notes that right to work legislation has been introduced in the Indiana General Assembly. Charlie lists why this is bad for Indiana workers. It is well established that people in right to work states trail the rest of us in almost every major social and economic indice.

Around the World in less than 50 fillups

This is a pretty cool site. John and Helen Taylor are driving around the world (over 18k miles) with less than fifty fillups. They are using some sort of special petrol to help them with fuel efficiency. They just started from London yesterday, I believe, and are currently in Frankfurt, Germany. You can follow their progress at the link. I believe they will eventually be near Indianapolis, but it is hard to tell from their map. They said something on the site about Cleveland. I emailed their public relations person to find out more information but he has not bothered to write me back.

"I am Indy" update

Perhaps you are curious, a glutton for punishment or maybe you still paint your face and wear high heel boots. Anyway, the song I posted about earlier this week"I am Indy" is available online for your listening,er, pleasure.

Thanks to Jim for emailing me the link.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

At some point today, I will hear Dr. King's moving words uttered in 1963 in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. The media will talk about about his contribution to the civil rights era and rightly so. That is the legacy of Dr. King that has been safely co-opted and enshrined as part of the national myth. What will be omitted of course is his advocacy for the poor and his strident anti-war speeches. Dr. King spoke so eloquently in the years before his death about the need for social justice in this country. He called for greater redistribution of wealth and more economic equality. He was appalled by the paucity of social spending in contrast to the seemingly endless budget for the military and war. He spoke out against the Vietnam War, our Latin American policy which favored the elite, and our foreign policy which supported cruel dictators. He called the United States "the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today" and asked for change. We listened to him about civil rights, but we did listen to him about poverty and war?

Mining for the Truth About Sago

There should be public outcry about this. Workers' lives are more important than protecting corporations. I hope someone reminds President Bush this the next time he shows up at a West Virginia coal mine for a photo opportunity.


The country has just witnessed a terrible mine tragedy, but surviving miners and their families, the media, or any citizen, for that matter, will probably not be able to get much information from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) about what went wrong at the Sago mine in West Virginia.

There will be some information available, but for anyone looking to delve into what really happened on Jan. 2, the full details of that day or of what happened in the months preceding the mine disaster may never be brought to light. This is because, under the Bush administration, things are different when it comes to getting information from MSHA.

Under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), miners and their families, mine operators, reporters and concerned citizens were once able to obtain factual information while an accident investigation was in progress. In the pre-Bush MSHA, which includes the administrations of Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, "matters of record" were made public during accident investigations. This information -- including witness interviews, laboratory results, MSHA-approved mine plans, inspectors' notes and inspection memos from before the accident -- is important. You can't avert a mine tragedy in the future if you don't know what went wrong in the past.

link

Man sues chatroom pals: I was humiliated beyond what 'no man could endure'

Full disclosure: I have participated in political forums for years now. Does that make me a dork? Yeah, but anyway, I don't know how many times someone has gotten so frustrated they threatened to sue the other participants. Someone finally did.


Mike Marlowe fully admits that he sometimes gave George Gillespie a hard time in that AOL chatroom.

But never in his wildest imagination did he expect to be sued in court for what he characterized as "razzing."

"We gave him crap," said Marlowe, a 33-year-old welder in Fayette, Ala. "I'm not going to deny it. I teased him and he teased me back. He gave it back better than he ever got it."

A generation ago, such petty personal beefs might have been settled with fists outside the corner bar, but now it's the Internet age — and Ohio resident George Gillespie instead filed a $25,000 lawsuit against two erstwhile cyber chums he met in the sprawling 900-room, mostly anonymous society that makes up AOL's chat universe

link

A 'Crash' course in hype

I found this story while reading the Huffington Post.

While most studios consider the mailing of 12,000-15,000 screeners to be a major push, the indie distributor (of "Crash")is sending out north of 130,000 -- including the unprecedented move of including all members of the Screen Actors GuildScreen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild.

I really enjoyed this film, but I thought it may have been released too early in the year to receive Oscar attention. Perhaps this is why they are mailing out so many screeners.

Here is a review that I wrote about the film last May.

Reasons to Bork Alito

From the NYT:

EVIDENCE OF EXTREMISM Judge Alito's extraordinary praise of Judge Bork is unsettling, given that Judge Bork's radical legal views included rejecting the Supreme Court's entire line of privacy cases, even its 1965 ruling striking down a state law banning sales of contraceptives...

OPPOSITION TO ROE V. WADE In 1985, Judge Alito made it clear that he believed the Constitution does not protect abortion rights. He had many chances this week to say he had changed his mind, but he refused. When offered the chance to say that Roe is a "super-precedent," entitled to special deference because it has been upheld so often, he refused that, too...

SUPPORT FOR AN IMPERIAL PRESIDENCY Judge Alito has backed a controversial theory known as the "unitary executive," and argued that the attorney general should be immune from lawsuits when he installs illegal wiretaps...

INSENSITIVITY TO ORDINARY AMERICANS' RIGHTS Time and again, as a lawyer and a judge, the nominee has taken the side of big corporations against the "little guy," supported employers against employees, and routinely rejected the claims of women, racial minorities and the disabled...

DOUBTS ABOUT THE NOMINEE'S HONESTY Judge Alito's explanation of his involvement with Concerned Alumni of Princeton is hard to believe. In a 1985 job application, he proudly pointed to his membership in the organization. Now he says he remembers nothing of it - except why he joined, which he insists had nothing to do with the group's core concerns...

What a weak attempt to relate

I just don't know what to think about this. Quite frankly, I am looking at the lyrics that Simmons "penned" and I am feeling a bit embarrassed. Perhaps Simmons' wife skinemax movie great Shannon Tweed would have been a better selection.

The IRL has great racers, good competition, marketable personalities and they still cannot crack the NASCAR stranglehold. I don't know if this alliance with KISS will bring new fans.

On another note, it is a little known fact that the KISS Army fan club started in Terre Haute. Now, I am starting to wonder if Terre Haute native Tony George was a founding member.


KISS circuit: Simmons signs deal to promote IRL

INDIANAPOLIS -- Don't be surprised to find a checkered flag soon amid the black-and-white KISS face paint of tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons.

Simmons and marketing partner Richard Abramson have signed a deal to promote the Indy Racing League, the open-wheeled circuit announced.

The promotion campaign features a 91-second anthem called "I Am Indy" co-authored by Simmons, performed by the band BAG.

The lyrics, which repeat the song's title "I Am Indy," preach about individuality and top-speed performance: "I am everything I want/ I have everything I need/ I know exactly what to do/ 'cuz I am Indy."

link

Miscellany

Ever wanted to watch the evening news in another country?

Lawgeekgurl reports the government is opening our international mail.

Cool Link

A decent GOP proposal

Now I can support a plan like this. I hope one day we can have national election reform. Instant run-off voting and the elimination of gerrymandering could eliminate voter apathy and change government as we know it.

I imagine some Republicans will not like this plan either as redistricting disrupts the status quo and threatens incumbents.

I see House Minority Leader Bauer is still clinging to the "good ol' boy" winner take all census year election. That is so foolish. Perhaps he is upset because he did not think of it first and he was upstaged by Bosma again. One thing for sure is that this non-partisan solution will need bi-partisan support.


GOP plan: New body should draw maps

Some legislators cool to proposal giving bipartisan commission redistricting authority

The drawing of legislative districts would be taken away from lawmakers and handed to a bipartisan commission in a bid for more competitive races, under a proposal unveiled Monday by House Republicans

<...>

House Minority Leader B. Patrick Bauer, D-South Bend, said he thinks the election held each census year should decide which party draws the maps

link

Bitchin' Camaro

Camaros could be cool again if GM develops this new version which resembles the 1969 muscle car.




Ok, the Dodge Challenger concept car is nice as well.

2006 legislative session

In today's Indianapolis Star there is an article about "other educational bills" introduced this session. At the top of the list is

Fetal development curriculum (SB 45)

Introduced by: Sen. Jeff Drozda, R-Westfield

Would require each school district to include instruction on human fetal development in its high school health education curriculum.

Of course, Doug Masson wrote about this a month ago. Check out his post if you want the language of the bill.

One of the provisions in the bill is that possible complications from early termination must be discussed. Senator Drozda and other similar Indiana legislative monomaniacs never give up.

Lawmaker's goal: Overturn Roe v. Wade

State Representative Troy Woodruff is probably best known for breaking a promise to his constituents in Knox County. The promise was that he would vote against daylight savings time. The people in Knox County are livid, so Woodruff has resorted to the ultimate wedge issue--abortion.

From the Indianapolis Star:

Abortion would be illegal for most women in Indiana, including victims of rape and incest, under a bill filed this week in the Indiana House.

Indiana's legislators have chipped away at abortion for decades, imposing waiting periods and other restrictions, but the measure proposed by Rep. Troy A. Woodruff, R-Vincennes, is the first direct attempt in years to outlaw most abortions.
The only exception allowed under House Bill 1096 would be for women whose health or life would be permanently impaired if a pregnancy continued. The bill would define life as beginning at conception and make it a felony to perform all other abortions. Anyone convicted would face up to eight years in prison.

This is really getting old

Pat Robertson says "God is Punishing Ariel Sharon".

The Indiana House Roads and Transportation Committee approved a bill today that would create an "In God We Trust" license plate.

Update: Check out Doug Masson's list of Indiana license plates.

Thanks for the assist from Moulton:

We gotta blow up those things we don't understand!

Terre Haute station drops NBC show


TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Television station WTWO is refusing to air a new NBC series that features Jesus Christ as a supporting character.

The station said it would not broadcast "The Book of Daniel," which debuts Friday, because of complaints from viewers.

The show, starring Aidan Quinn as an Episcopal priest who regularly converses with a physical Jesus Christ, has drawn fire from conservative Christians, including the Tupelo, Miss.-based American Family Association.

link

So they pull television show because of viewer complaints before it even airs? WTWO out of Terre Haute was my NBC affiliate when I was kid. I imagine a few crackpots in the Wabash Valley who are Reverend Wildmon's email list have called to complain to the station. Apparently, the Episcopelian priest played by Aidan Quinn is addicted to painkillers, has an alcoholic wife, a gay son and a pot dealing daughter. I am sure none of us have ever known a Christian family like that.

I wonder if the WTWO would refused to air a documentary on Jesus' life since it would point out that many of the people around him were outcasts, prostitutes, the poor, and lepers.

The Oh Really Factor

David Letterman tells Bill O'Reilly, "60% of what you say is crap"

The normally apolitical talk show host takes O'Reilly to task over the war, Cindy Sheehan and the so-called war against Christmas.

Transcript available at Far Left

Video Links at Crooks and Liars

Thanks to Jim for sending me the link.

Also, read the coverage at crooks and liars about how Bush administration spied on CNN correspondent Christiane Amanpour and how NBC covered that story up.

West Virginia

The breaking story late last night was that 12 out of 13 of the miners had survived, so it just makes today's news even more difficult.

This Washington Post story reports the mine has had 273 safety violations over the past two years. There were 208 violations last year and over one third of them were "significant and substantial" which could lead to explosions. A former Mine Safety and Health Administration advisor stated, " 16 violations logged in the past eight months were listed as "unwarrantable failures," a designation reserved for serious safety infractions for which the operator had either already been warned, or which showed "indifference or extreme lack of care." Bloomberg reports that the largest fine levied for the serious violations was 440 dollars.

West Virginia is a lot of like southwestern Indiana as it is poor and dependent on coalmining. Most of the union mines in southwestern Indiana had closed by the 1980s. They did not close 25 years ago because there was no more coal in the ground, instead they closed to break the unions. Many of those same mines have reopened and as far as I know there is not a single union coal miner working in Indiana.

The Sago mine in West Virginia was a non-union workplace. I do not know its history, but I would not be surprised if the coal operators used the same methods to break the union as they did in Indiana. It makes me mad when people say "unions were necessary in the past, but we do not need them any more". This statement cannot be further from the truth. Someone needs to hold the coal operators accountable as the federal government is not doing its job. People are expendable assets to corporations and as long as maximum safety violations are a few hundred dollars, corporations will choose their profit over the safety of their workers. There have been many quotes from miners in the wake of this tragedy as to how dangerous their job was, but they did not have a way standing up to management in a unified manner. As long as companies show "extreme lack of care" for their workers, unions are very necessary.

Update: Sisyphus Shrugged notes prospective Justice, Mr. Alito is on the record as deciding that the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act should protect miners less than it does.

Sisyphus Shrugged also notes President Bush cut MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) funds in real dollars, fired a whistleblower, put a mining company executive in charge, reduced staff by 170, tried to slash funding, and exempted the MSHA from the Freedom of Information Act.

We have the government we deserve, right?

Another Update: Read how the coal operators got rid of the United Mineworkers at Labor Blog

Defending Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut's son responds to his father's critics.

Thanks to Reverent and Free for pointing this out.

Halfway through the aughts?

We're halfway through this decade and we still do not have a name for it. It used to be so easy--the 80s, the 90s, but what now? I haven't really heard many people use the term "aughts", which apparently is what was used one hundred years ago. We'd better choose a name now as it's too important of a decision to leave to VH-1.