Worthy of note too, is that the “Wisconsin” statue atop the dome wears a helmet with the state animal, a badger, on top. The badger is a particularly ferocious fighter when threatened. Are the American people showing their teeth and claws?

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This video at least offered some assurance that I’m not on an island someplace using the remaining sheets of my idealism for personal hygiene…

Deregulation rules! No I’m serious….Rules me. Rules you.

What happens to a world where money and power are raised above people?

It’s hard to place a finger on any one thing but I can place my hand on three big issues which dish out a daily feast of disillusionment. Watered-down health care reform, public option dead in the water before it’s first swimming lesson and within this the blue dog democrats, the Joe Liebermans, the Republicans who stall in a cloud of histrionics, refusing to compromise, the giveaways to big pharma and big insurance; the wars, the warring, the military budget in our country, the military occupations, the dead soldiers, the dead innocents; financial reform, which is not reformed at all, but just the same, an inside job from the treasury straight to Wall Street with the people left holding the bill and wondering what the fuck just happened.

Who to trust? Where does one go to find hope now? I am not sure, but I keep reading and if faith in any sort of corporate media was shattered long ago, my faith in grassroots organizing and the still free internet is something. Perhaps if enough people speak out…There is no shortage of ideas…and there is a growing frustration and anger as people power continues to be co-opted by corporate power, lobbyists, those with more money. And as Darcy Burner says, these issues are too important to give up on, despite the feelings of powerlessness and disillusionment. If we give up we will be trampled like buffalo, like Indians.

Great recent articles fomented this rant:

“Joe Lieberman’s Healthcare Bill Is Worse Than Nothing. Kill It.”
by Darcy Burner

The war we can’t win
by A.J. Bacevich

Colbert conservatism and the military budget
by David Sirota

“Obama’s Big Sellout”
by Matt Taibbi

“The Status Quo’s Favorite Canard: ‘It’s About Being a Candidate As Opposed to Being President’”
by David Sirota

This can’t augur too well for Sarah Palin’s political career, but it might provide yet another booster rocket for her writing career…One more classy, selfless act from a classy, selfless family…

Don’t think I need to provide links for this one…

And I can’t refuse…the coincidence is too sublime. “Playgirl” by Ladytron just came up on my music shuffle.

Hey playgirl, hey playgirl
Northern lights catch you coming down
Sleep your way out of your hometown
Hey playgirl, hey playgirl
Northern lights catch you coming down
Sleep your way out of your hometown

Today, on my first visit, I viewed this video of an interview with that blog’s founder, David Goldstein, giving a very calm, articulate discussion of the role of the blogosphere in media, the regressive tax structure of Washington state, and the genious of conservative politcal movement in copting populist/verbal methods of reframing issues and getting the poor and middle classes to identify with the very wealthy.

Goldy

And to explain my post title, here’s the other Goldie I referred to, most well known as a jungle/drum ‘n’ bass dj/producer and owner of the Metalheadz record label.

Goldie

Here she is taking it to the Treasury Dept.

Find HuffPost entry and entertaining comments here.

Chen Wenling's "What You see Might Not Be Real" displayed in an art gallery in Beijing.

poster in Union Square

Jill and I spent a day in the big apple over the holidays. Took the “Dragon Coach” (Chinatown to Chinatown) and spent our day split between Chinatown and the Flatiron. We were lucky enough to hit the Union Square Holiday Market. People were out and the atmosphere was festive.

In the context of the racist comments hollered at McCain/Palin rallies, Frank Rick, an op-ed columnist for the New York Times, wrote this very insightful piece on racism and the campaign trail.

And an article about the real Mavericks.

And the New York Times’ endorsement for Barack Obama.