Over the Holidays…

My apologies for the lack of posts the last couple weeks.  It’s been a hectic holiday season of returning home, battling sickness, and seeing friends and family.  I’ll try to post more often.

In case you missed them, here are a couple stories that occurred over the holidays:

• Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27th. Riots have erupted across the country as Pakistan’s political future remains unclear. President Pervez Musharraf has blamed Islamic militants for carrying out the assassination, but Bhutto associates have accused Musharraf of having a role, claiming his government did not do enough to provide for her security.
• Violence has erupted in Kenya after a disputed election that gave Kenyan president Kibaki a second term. Over 300 civilians have been killed by police in what is said to be the worst outbreak of violence in Kenya since 1982.
• The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) last week voted three-to-two to approve a measure that would increase media consolidation. The new rule lifts a 30-year-old ban on companies seeking to own both a newspaper and television or radio station in the same city.
• The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously to demolish of 4,500 units of public housing. Under the plan, the city’s four largest public housing developments will be replaced with mixed-income housing. Hundreds of people were turned away from the City Council meeting as police shot protesters with pepper spray and tasers.
• And of course, the Iowa Caucus happens tonight, January 3rd. Tomorrow, a few choice candidates in the 2008 election will gain some new momentum.

Happy New Year everyone! 2008 is sure going to be an interesting one.

Mid-week Roundup 12/12

Losing our minds over Illegal Immigration

NAFTA has the power to trump state laws!

The Historical Truth of Our Relations with Iran

Report shows Bush manipulated climate science, suppressed scientists.

Nigeria battles Pfizer in court for conducting an illegal, unauthorized drug trial on Nigerian children.

Bad News for Prescription Drugs: pharmaceutical sales reps may be given licenses.

Murdoch Ready to Makeover the Wall Street Journal

Did you know Venezuela is a Constiutional Democracy?

Taiwan and mainland China: conflicting amnesiacs

New Orleans Homes to be Demolished (with video)

Why Won’t the Candidates talk about Americans’ Economic Pain?

Nuclear Disarmament and Peace on Earth…what’s that?

A Decent Article by Sean Penn calling on Americans to do what’s right

Meet a Millionaire with a Lower Tax Rate than You! (with video)

Mid-week Roundup 12/5

Here are some headlines rounded up from this week:

Is “Save Darfur” a PR Scam?

Drug giant Pfizer will boost outsourcing to Asia; also their Celebrex expert testifies in court without a license.

Private Contractors look to profit from domestic spying.

Hillary is quite tied up with Big Oil and defense contractors.

Guiliani’s ties to a terror shiek

Virginia primaries will demand oath of loyalty from Republican voters.

Bush Justice Department is okay with kidnapping.

100 Students walk out on former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Guantanamo heading to the Supreme Court.

The human costs of the Iraq Occupation.

Join the military, go to college… The Pentagon’s education recruitment pitch is a scam?

Iraq Vet is punished for seeking help.

US War Vets to speak publicly about war crimes this March.

Bush and Maliki agree to long-term US troop presence in Iraq.

Also, John Pilger has a new book called ‘Freedom Next Time,’ and here is a speech he gave in Chicago concerning media journalism…if you have 45 minutes to spare.

Mid-week Roundup 11/28

Okay, I think I might start doing a semi-regular blog round-up. Some of the entries I’ve been making have been quite lengthy, so rather than boring you with text, I’ll occasionally make posts with a few links in them, commonly referred to as a ’round-up’. That way you can choose any stories that interest you and move past ones that don’t.

On that note, here are a few stories of interest:

• Apparently 1 in 10 Americans went hungry last year.

• Here’s a good analysis of the poor questioning done by CNN in the last Democratic debate.

• The Not So Happy Holidays in Afghanistan

• Democracy Still Alive and Well in Venezuela

• Sweatshops for Jesus: crucifixes sold in US made in China

• A million homeless in Somalia

• John Ashcroft is willing to be waterboarded?

• 20,000 brain-damaged veterans are left off the wounded tally.

• Putting a human face on the victims of war

• Guiliani’s Culture of Corruption

• Dirty oil money spilled on Alaskan politicians

• Private security contractor Blackwater has been involved in 56 shootings in Iraq.

• And for anyone not scared of the future yet….a creepy video.