Greetins from the land of the progressives. This is the Adirondack Howler for Sunday, November 21,2010, the Sunday before the Thanksgiving holiday. I have personal comments about the holiday but I will save it for a special post on Tuesday.
What's On My Mind
1) In today's Alternet.org, Steve Benen talks about a feature about Sarah Palin in an extensive article in the New York Times by writer Robert Draper. According to Benen, the piece had two memorable portions. The first is that Palin has no desire to work with the Democrats. (I think one can guess how she feels about progressives.) The second is a testy exchange with Draper when she defends her efforts in reading books. After reading the piece, I'm less impressed with Mrs. Palin. My President needs an intellectual curiosity without need to defend oneself. Benen's article can be found at http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/347891/guess_what_books_sarah_palin_is_pretending_to_read/#paragraph3 .
2) Saturday's Commondreams.org featured an article by Ralph Nader about the Transporatation Security Adminstration (TSA) and its implementation of full body scanners at airports. According to the article, there are questions about the safety and the effectiveness of the new machines and potential privacy violations. Nader also states that the Electronic Privacy Information Center has filed a lawsuit against the TSA's parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security. In my opinion, these new machines create a disincentive for my to ride in an airplane. A message to Washington: I agree with Mr. Nader on the need for improved intelligence. The piece can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/20-1 .
3) Saturday's Commondreams.org also featured an article by Steven Hill about how economic experts have been wrong on Japan for many years and now on Germany. According to Hill, the basic problem is not Japan and Germany but the structure of our own economy, especially when 70% of it is driven by consumer spending. This bit about consumer spending should give us pause as our nation approaches the Christmas season. Hill's article is located at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/20-0 .
Special Segment -- You and the Economy
Today's Special Segment deals with the display of a split in some of the rich when the talk centers on the long term future of our economy. First, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has an essay in Saturday's Commondreams.org that tells us that billionaires are going to go beyond their current greed. In my view, this article offers us a primer after an election corrupted by corporate money. Sanders's piece can be found at
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/20-5 . The second article, written by John Nichols and presented in today's Commondreams.org, talks about a letter that was sent recently to President Obama by the group Patriotic Millionaires For Fiscal Strength that indicates that the Bush tax cuts should be allowed to expire. The story can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/21 .
Three Cheers of the Week
1) To Michelle Chen for her article in today's Commondreams.org about the continuing negative consequences of Arizona's SB 1070. To me, ignorance and misunderstanding exacts a high price tag. The story can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/21-2 .
2) To Danny Schecter for his article in Commondreams.org this past Friday about how the shop til we drop concept during the upcoming holiday season serves only as a temporary elixir for our economic troubles. His piece is found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/19-2 .
3) To pro wrestler Mick Foley for going to Capitol Hill to help push for Federal legislation that deals with rape kits. I hope more men in his position will help him as well. His story was documented this past Friday at Talking Points Memo and can be found here .
Three Boos of the Week
1) To the Department of Homeland Security for living in a bubble when the discussion focuses on the new body scanning devices at airports. I believe when travellers use airlines, they should fell both comfortable and secure.
2) To Sarah Palin for her testy conversation about her reading habits to Robert Draper of the New York Times Magazine. I want to say to Mrs. Palin that you brought your problems on yourself.
3) To Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes for the continuing support of Glenn Beck despite all of his troubles. This is another affirmation that Fox News is in their own little world. The details are found in an article in Alternet.org by Sarah Pavlus of Media Matters for America. You can read it here .
I will return shortly with my choice for Video of the Week.
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