01-23-09
- Flashback to Heroism: Colbert Roasts President Bush - 2006 White House Correspondents Dinner (video.google)
- Bush "burrowers" are going to be a problem for years. (tpmdc)
- Prison-Industrial Complex: Alternatives to Prison Protect the Community (commondreams)
- Bush Watch: UN may prosecute Bush administration, regardless of US action (rawstory) - Tough talk, but I don't see the teeth.
- Military-Industrial Complex:
- Get Afghanistan Right (washingtonindependent)
- Did Obama set up Mitchell to fail in the Middle East? (onlinejournal)
- Arabs Turn Skeptical About Obama in Wake of Gaza War (usnews)
- Obama Picks Lobbyist William J. Lynn III as Pentagon No. 2 (nbcnewyork) - More change we can believe in.
- A waiver to the new ethics rules regarding lobbyists was required on his behalf (msnbc).
- The nuclear-free dream fades (guardian) - Barack Obama's pledges on proliferation and securing stockpiles are not as radical as they seem, and face some tough challenges
- Bush's Phony War on Terror: Obama shuts network of CIA 'ghost prisons', bans renditions, torture; renewed US commitment to the Geneva convention (guardian)
- Dennis Blair Says Army Field Manual to Apply to CIA (military.com) - The manual outlines 19 legal interrogation techniques and forbids nine.
- WSJ Insists Obama Is Leaving Door Open For A ‘Jack Bauer Exception’ To His Torture Ban (thinkprogress) - See also my 01-22-09 entry (Obama Orders CIA . . .)
- What to Look For As the Obama Detention/Interrogation Review Process Proceeds (washingtonindependent)
- Complete accountability should now be demanded for Bush's innumerable war profiteering contract companies, beginning with Haliburton and KBR. (armytimes - KBR electrocuted soldiers)
- UPDATE 01-28-09: Democrat Senators Casey and Dorgan: KBR should be punished for its electrocutions of U.S. troops (armytimes) - Apply the China penalty--execute the company boss(es) in charge during the electrocutions.
- Obama and Science:
- AIDS Prevention/Reproductive Health: Obama plans to sign an executive order today reversing inhumane Republican "global gag rule." (google/ap)
- Energy/Environment:
- White House may put offshore drilling plan on hold (sciam) - Shortly after being sworn in on Tuesday, Obama ordered all federal agencies and departments to halt pending regulations until they can be reviewed by incoming staff.
- Obama’s EPA Places Brakes On New Coal-Fired Power Plants (thinkprogress)
- Economy/Science: How Obama Can Boost the Economy by Investing in Science (sciam)
- Stem Cell Research: Green light for US stem cell work (bbc) - FDA has cleared the way for the world's first study on human embryonic stem cell therapy, overturning Bush's prohibition.
- Satellite's-Eye View of Pres. Obama's Inauguration (sciam slide show)
- Global Warming:
- Drought, heat killing trees in western N.America (discovermagazine)
- 9 Ways NASA Can Tackle Climate Change (sciam)
- Conflict of Interest:
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein takes reins at Intelligence Committee (sfgate). This should be of further help to her billionaire husband Richard Blum's business ventures around the world.
- Flashback 04-30-07: Feinstein’s Cardinal shenanigans (thehill)
- A Step Back for Progressives:
- Kirsten Gillibrand Appointed by Paterson for U.S. Senate (blooomberg)
- NY Gov. David Patterson picks a blue dog conservative democrat(?) to replace Clinton. Wayne Barrett: Is Gillibrand Too Republican to Replace Clinton? (villagevoice). This may help Patterson in his reelection aspirations but will definitely hamper progressive movement in Congress. I had more respect for David Patterson than this selection deserves.
- Barrett: Did Paterson Consider the Bruno Connection to Gillibrand's Dad? (villagevoice) - Bruno indicted today for corruption. (bloomberg)
- Blue Dog Dem, with 100% NRA record, picked to replace Hillary (americablog)
- Globular Cluster NGC 2419 (apod) - The "Intergalactic Wanderer"
