Greetings from the land of progressives. This is the Adirondack Howler for Sunday, November 28th, 2010. I hope that everyone had a happy, safe, and sustainable Thanksgiving and also did not get involved with the crowds associated with Black Friday.
What's On My Mind
1) This past week a crisis developed on the Korean Peninsula when North Koreans shelled the island of Yeonpyeong, killing two South Korean marines and two construction workers. Subsequently, a naval battle group led by the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington arrived in the Yellow Sea. I pray that a major war that involves Northeast Asia can be avoided at all costs. In Saturday's Commondreams.org, Matthew Rothschild offers his perspective of the current situation. His piece can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/27-4 .
Another take is found in three articles on the World Socialist Website:
i) The first essay is located at http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/kore-n23.shtml .
ii) The second essay is located at http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/kore-n24.shtml .
iii) The third essay is located at http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/nov2010/pers-n27.shtml .
2) I am happy to say that the WikiLeaks organization has done it again. This time it has released 250,000 classified cables from U.S. embassies, some of them as recent as this past February. In today's Commondreams.org, David Leigh of the Guardian (United Kingdom) gives an overview of what is about to be revealed. Leigh's piece can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/11/28-3 .
3) This week, a young man of Somali descent was arrested for attempting to set off a car bomb at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. According to Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com, this arrest is an actual setup by the F.B.I. itself. For detail, see Greenwald's article at http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/11/28/fbi/index.html .
Three Cheers of the Week
1) To WikiLeaks for the release of 250,000 classified cables from US embassies, demonstrating that this nation has no respect for the rest of the world. Once again, the mainstream media failed to live up to the responsibilities of a true Fourth Estate.
2) To Glenn Greenwald for bringing a sobering perspective to the arrest of a Somali-born man for an attempt to bomb a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland, Oregon. We as a general public need to take a deep breath and work to eliminate all the causes of terrorism throughout the world.
3) To Denise Civiletti for reminding us all of the ugliness of consumerism 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Her article can be found at http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/11/26-5 .
Three Boos of the Week
1) To Sarah Palin for her rant on Facebook on Thanksgiving day. On a hoilday like this, the world would be a better place on that day if Mrs. Palin refrained from making any comments until the next day, given her whining on posts in the past.
2) To the Republicans and any Democrat who is planning to oppose the extension of unemployment benefit to people who are struggling to find work, especially when there are six people for every job opening.
3) To the Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council for calling for an apology to the Southern Poverty Law Center as part of the process of covering the tracks of anti-gay hate groups. The article can be found at http://blogs.alternet.org/speakeasy/2010/11/27/the-family-research-council-should-be-apologizing-to-the-gay-community/ with links to additional articles at the end of the piece.
I will return shortly with the Video of the Week.
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