Male GOP House members try to block women from speaking

A group of male GOP House members, just tried to repeatedly block a group of female Democratic House members from speaking on the House floor. The Democrats wanted to speak about how Health Care Reform was important for women. The men would have nothing of it. Typical. Oh, did I just hear the "socialist" word? Read More......

Even as Dioceses file bankruptcy over sex abuse cases, Catholic Bishops threaten to undermine health insurance reform

Not happy with just ruining the lives of same-sex couples in Maine this week, the Catholic Bishops are trying to bring down health insurance reform in the House over the abortion issue. What really sucks is that members of the House are willing to let the Catholic Bishops, who enabled rampant sex abuse of children, to impose their theocratic view on this issue:

Under the agreement, anti-abortion Democrats will be permitted to offer an amendment on the House floor to the health-care overhaul bill. The amendment would prohibit a new government-run insurance plan created by the health-care bill from offering to cover abortion services, congressional sources said. It would also block people who received federal subsidies for the purchase of health insurance from buying policies that offered coverage for abortions.

The deal clears the way for the dozens of Democratic lawmakers who oppose abortion to lend their support to the health care package, the most dramatic expansion of health coverage in more than 40 years. It also satisfies the demands of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, which had threatened to oppose the House bill.

If the amendment from Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) passes, said Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the bishops conference, "we become enthusiastic advocates for moving forward with health care reform."

Who cares if the Bishops support health insurance reform? It's dangerous that the House is letting the Bishops dictate any kind of policy.

Does anyone on the Hill know the history of the Catholic Bishops Conference and the horrors they allowed to be inflicted on children? How can those Bishops speak with any moral authority? The Catholic Bishops protected and enabled pedophiles and child abusers. And, it's costing them. Last month, the Diocese of Wilmington became the seventh Diocese to file bankruptcy:

It joins a list of six other dioceses in the United States that have filed for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the bankruptcy laws in what lawyers said is an attempt to manage an avalanche of clergy sexual-abuse litigation.

But, in the warped world of DC, a group that is going bankrupt because it protected pedophiles and sexual abusers speaks with moral authority.

If I was on the Hill, I'd make this a debate about the Catholic Bishops and what they've done to children. Those hypocrites can't talk about the "sanctity of life" when they've destroyed so many. Check out the website of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) and ask if you want the Catholic Bishops setting policy for America.

If you don't want the Bishops dictating policy, call the House and urge your member to oppose the Stupak Amendment. The main number is 202-224-3121. Read More......

Saturday Morning Open Thread

Good morning. It's been a rough week. I prefer winning elections -- particularly when my rights are on the ballot. And, I really, really resent that the fact that people get to vote on people's rights in the first place. But, I do have to give a shout-out to my family for their help on the campaign in Maine. My parents, Rita and Chuck, did everything they could to help, as did my sisters. They were all beyond amazing and I am extremely grateful.

Watching Tom Tancredo storm off the set during a debate with Markos was a great way to end the week. Those right-wing, immigrant-bashing, homophobic tough guys, like Tancredo, are so thin-skinned.

And, I can always find comfort and laughs in the haikus for the Obama administration from KarenMrsLloydRichards. Here are a couple, which appeared in the comments, this week:

Sarah-approved pols
Crash and burn in her havoc--
She'll kill, baby, kill!

And:

ObamaCare kills!
Worse'n "homicide bombers"!
We'd ruther die sick!!

The House votes today on its health insurance reform bill. Obama is heading to Capitol Hill today to speak the House Democratic Caucus. I believe he's actually going to ask them to vote for the reform bill. We'll be monitoring events on Capitol Hill as they unfold. It should be a wild day.

Start threading the news.... Read More......

Moldy Peaches

So much great music from the Juno soundtrack and I love Kimya Dawson. It's the perfect tune for getting started on a lazy Saturday morning. The sun is out though so it's time to get on the bike before the rain comes back. Again. Read More......

Iranian student criticizes Ayatollah Khamenei in person

The exchange was recorded and was first published on Khamenei's website. Lots of talk about this story but for now, it's more a mystery that will be answered later. The Guardian:

He may be the bravest student in Iran or an unwitting stooge of the Islamic regime – or both. Either way, Mahmoud Vahidnia has gained instant fame after breaking a taboo by criticising the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to his face.

The 25-year-old maths student has been lauded by opposition websites after reportedly telling Khamenei that he had been turned into a "grand idol" who was above criticism. But in a twist demonstrating the inscrutable nature of Iranian politics, the incident has been used by Khamenei's supporters to show how he embraces criticism. Vahidnia has remained unmolested since his 10-minute critique, which condemned the recent brutal post-election crackdown and denounced the state broadcaster, IRIB, for biased coverage. But his most remarkable comments were reserved for Khamenei himself.

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Underwater kites for energy

Another very interesting new possibility for generating energy. What's also interesting is the brief mention inside the article about UK energy consumption being a third of US households. That is quite a difference and it's going to have to change in the future. Also inside is a link to a computer generated video of what it would look like underwater.

A completely new concept of underwater wave energy using a simple 7 ton kite turbine design has been developed by Minesto; which is a spinoff from the Swedish military and aircraft design firm Saab. The Deep Green underwater turbine captures the power of the ocean just like a kite in wind.

The system could generate 18 terawatthours of energy annually, enough to provide nearly 4 million British households with reliably green electricity every year. UK households now use about a third of what average US households use in energy.

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Cows are eating chicken what?

The new FDA is getting back in the business of protecting consumers after an eight year drought. This sounds like a reasonable request. I don't eat at McDonald's but well done for joining the call for change. A large buyer like that carries a lot of weight which in this case, is good news.

A coalition of food and consumer groups that includes Consumers Union and the Center for Science in the Public Interest has asked the Food and Drug Administration to ban the practice of feeding chicken feces and other poultry farm waste to cattle. McDonald's Corp., the nation's largest restaurant user of beef, also wants the FDA to prohibit the feeding of so-called poultry litter to cattle.

Members of the coalition are threatening to file a lawsuit or to push for federal legislation establishing such a ban if the FDA doesn't act to do so in the coming months.

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NBA and NHL teams also in front of others for H1N1 vaccine

First Wall Street and now the millionaire athletes. Most in need or most in greed?

Ontario health minister Deb Matthews vowed Thursday to investigate whether Toronto’s NBA and NHL players jumped the line for the swine flu shot while other groups are being forced to wait as the province’s supply dwindles.

Matthews said she shares the outrage sparked by reports that Maple Leafs and Raptors players got the shot even though the province doesn’t have enough yet to vaccinate school-age children.

Fortunately in the case of Canada, someone was fired for giving special privileges. Maybe it's too much "change" to do the same in the US. Read More......

UBS traders dumped losses on clients

Obama really needs to find better people to golf with besides CEOs from companies like this. What is also interesting to note here is that yet again, here is a big player who has been caught yet we're not seeing a perp walk. No, apparently that's only for smaller players who aren't white, nor part of the traditional who's who of the finance industry.

The losses involved here are considerably higher than the alleged $25 million ripoff from Galleon Group. Now the status quo media is comparing Galleon to the mob. Maybe, but there certainly appeared to be a lot of that going around in recent years. If you look at the billions that went down the drain during the credit crisis, either of these amounts are laughable. And to think these are the companies that Obama is giving preferential treatment to for the H1N1 vaccine.

Four former dealers at UBS plundered customer accounts to trade and dumped the resulting losses on them, Britain's financial regulator said, further denting the battered Swiss bank's reputation.

The scandal has cost UBS more than $55 million as the Financial Services Authority slapped on an 8 million pound ($13.2 million) penalty — its third largest ever — and the bank compensated clients by more than $42 million.

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Tancredo storms off set after Markos takes him down

Oh my God. This is priceless video. Just happened a short while ago.

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Sorry Cliff Clavin, but democracy did not originate in America

As if we haven't had enough stupidity from the Teabaggers, the actor who played Cliff Clavin reminded us again what a bunch of fools they are. Maybe the ancient Greeks might have something to say where democracy started. (Hint: it wasn't in Alabama.)

Actor John Ratzenberger, known partly for his role as Cliff Clavin in the 1980s sitcom "Cheers," slammed the Democratic bill as a form of socialism.

"These are Woodstock Democrats," he said at the rally. "We have to remember where their philosophy comes from. It doesn't come from America. It comes from overseas. It comes from socialism. And socialism is a philosophy of failure."

As for socialism being a failure, maybe Cliff hasn't been to Europe where it's doing just fine. Somehow people don't seem upset with having world leading health care and work stability. Read More......

US guaranteed $4.3 trillion during financial crisis

It saved the overall economy from something much worse and for Wall Street, it saved them from complete ruin. The problem now is that because no strings were attached (even now, it's weak) Wall Street sleeps comfortably, knowing that no matter how crazy they behave, the US government will be there to back them up, again. The risky bets are back as are the fat bonuses courtesy of the expensive guarantee. Without risk, how cautious will Wall Street really be? A Congressional Oversight Panel is reviewing this issue though whether Congress will act is another question.

"This apparently positive outcome, however, was achieved at the price of a significant amount of risk," the panel said in the report. "A significant element of moral hazard has been injected into the financial system and a very large amount of money remains at risk."

Elizabeth Warren, the Harvard Law School professor who heads the Congressional Oversight panel, said the guarantees also produced significant distortions in private markets, drawing funds to assets that had backstops.

"The fact that there is no upfront cost is both the beauty and danger of guarantees," she told a conference call on the report. "They are perhaps too tempting."

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