Corporations Are Not People

The People's Rights Amendment

Section 1.  We the people who ordain and establish this Constitution intend the rights protected by this Constitution to be the rights of natural persons.

Section 2.  People, person, or persons as used in this Constitution does not include corporations, limited liability companies or other corporate entities established by the laws of any state, the United States, or any foreign state, and such corporate entities are subject to such regulation as the people, through their elected state and federal representatives, deem reasonable and are otherwise consistent with the powers of Congress and the States under this Constitution.

Section 3.  Nothing contained herein shall be construed to limit the people's rights of freedom of speech, freedom of the press, free exercise of religion, and such other rights of the people, which rights are inalienable.

 Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Mass) has introduced a bill to amend the constitution and re-introduce reality to the conservative members of the Supreme Court who can't tell the difference between a person and a corporation.  Show your support for the People's Rights Amendments by signing here.

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The Daily Bread

recipe and directions here

First loaf since we returned from our glorious vacation.  Seems the kids were eating (horrors) store bought bread for a couple of weeks.

Apple Pie

Apple Pie Recipe Here

Paul Ryan

Paul Krugman:

“There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.”

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9 Year Anniversary, Green Energy Exploration

Credit: NASA

 The NASA rover Opportunity celebrated its 9th year on Mars.  For nine years this rover has driven in and out of craters, sand dunes and rocky hillsides.  The rover has taken tens of thousands of photos, drilled into rocks, dusted them, magnified them and examined the elements in martian rocks.  Not only has this wonderful little rover showed us Mars like we've never seen it before, this Rover has effectively demonstrated the effectiveness of green energy.  For nine years this Martian rover has been powered only by solar energy in brutal environmental conditions.  While we have harnessed solar power on Mars, it's a lot easier on Earth where we receive considerable more energy from the sun than does Mars.  Here on Earth, we have not begun to grasp the full potential and promise of green energy.

Credit: NASA, Stuart Atkinson

Shauna Theel, at Media Matters has written a definitive article on solar energy; Myths And Facts About Solar Energy.

 The Road To Endeavour

Senator Harry Reid on Filibuster Reform

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) was the only member of the democratic caucus to vote against the "filibuster reform" bill.

 January 24, 2013
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)

This country faces major crises in terms of the economy and unemployment, the deficit, global warming, health care, campaign finance reform, education and a crumbling infrastructure – to name a few.  In my view, none of these problems will be effectively addressed so long as one senator can demand 60 votes to pass legislation. The rule changes adopted today are a step forward in making the operations of the Senate more efficient and expeditious.  They are not enough.

Most Americans grew up believing that in America the majority rules.  That is not the case in the Senate. For many years now, especially since President Obama has been in office, it has taken 60 votes to pass any significant piece of legislation. When Lyndon Johnson was majority leader in the 1950s, he filed cloture to end a filibuster only once.  Majority Leader Reid has filed cloture 390 times.

 The Senate is not the House and the minority party must be treated with respect and given the opportunity to offer amendments and make their case in opposition.  A minority must not, however, be allowed to permanently obstruct the wishes of the majority.  That is not democracy.  That is a perversion of democracy.

In my view, if a senator or a group of senators are strenuously opposed to legislation they have the right and duty to come to the floor and, for as long as they want, engage in a talking filibuster by explaining to the American people the reasons for their objection.  They should not, however, continue to have the right to abuse arcane Senate rules to block a majority of senators from acting on behalf of the American people

Evolution?

This 17 year veteran of the Louisiana State Legislature has no clue how evolution works.  Your friendly clueless republican legislator at work.  Governor Jindal wants the GOP to stop being the "stupid party", does the governor realize what an almost insurmountable task he has placed before the GOP stalwarts?

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Governor Jindal Wants The GOP To Stop Being Stupid

Credit: www.gov.state.la.us

Governor Bobby Jindal:

 "We must stop being the stupid party, I'm serious."

 This is the Governor that signed the Louisiana Science Education Act an "anti-science law" that allowed the teaching of creationism in public school science classes.  Governor Jindal also signed into law his "signature School Voucher" bill allowing government funds to pay for students attending Parochial and Young Earth Creationism (the earth is only 10,000 years old) schools.  Last November the bill was ruled unconstitutional, but Governor Jindal is appealing the ruling stating; “This ruling changes nothing for the students currently in the program. All along, we expected this to be decided by the Louisiana Supreme Court.” 

Louisiana Progress:

... other cruel budget cuts in Louisiana are set to stand-cuts to battered women’s shelter programs, to higher education, preschool programs, anti-truancy efforts and a range of other efforts to make life better for working people.  Governor Jindal has demonstrated a complete disregard to access to health care by dismantling public hospitals with no plan for care for the uninsured, rejecting the expansion of Medicaid and healthcare exchanges and denying 400,000 Louisianans the ability to access quality health care through the Affordable Care Act.

If Governor Jindal wants the republican party to stop being the stupid party, he has many opportunities to stop stupid republican policies in his own state; creationism in public school science classes, public funding of religious schools, abstinence only sex education, climate change denial, denying thousands access to health care and raising taxes on the poor while cutting taxes for the wealthy.  We must also mention Governor Jindal's infamous "sand barrier islands".

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Happy Friday

NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI), and The Hubble Heritage Team STScI/AURA)

M51, the Whirlpool galaxy and its companion.  Many galaxies have many arms, this grand design galaxy is noteworthy for containing only two curved arms.  Under dark skies you can see M51 with binoculars, it's located just underneath the last star on the handle of the big dipper.  The Whirlpool galaxy is between 25 and 37 million light years away. 

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M51 Hubble Page

40 Year Anniversary Roe Vs. Wade

Republicans in DC and in state legislatures all across the country are trying to eliminate a woman's right to choose and make decisions about her own body.  Sign the Reproductive Bill of Rights and send them a message. 

The Bill of Reproductive Rights states:
We the people of the United States hereby assert the following as fundamental human rights that no government may deny, and that our governments at every level must guarantee and safeguard for all.

1. The right to make our own decisions about our reproductive health and future, free from intrusion or coercion by any government, group, or individual.
2. The right to a full range of safe, affordable, and readily accessible reproductive health care—including pregnancy care, preventive services, contraception, abortion, and fertility treatment—and accurate information about all of the above.
3. The right to be free from discrimination in access to reproductive health care or on the basis of our reproductive decisions.

Sign the Reproductive Bill of Rights

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Fired Up?

I love this story about Edith Child from Greenwood, S.C.  Absolutely, the best video to watch at the start of President Obama's second term.  If American's aren't fired up and standing behind our president, his policies aren't going anywhere.  Organizing for Action

Sign up to Organize For Action

Four More Years, Sweet!

Congratulations President Barack Hussein Obama.   All of us will have to raise our voices to move this country forward against firmly entrenched self interests.  Join the American citizens signing up to defend "our most ancient values and enduring ideals" here.

Raise The Minimum Wage

 

National Women's Law Center:

• Women represent nearly two-thirds of minimum wage workers.
• A woman working full time, year round at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour earns just $14,500 – more than $3,600 below the poverty line for a family of three.

Time To Cancel Keystone XL

The Keystone XL pipeline decision will show whether President Obama is serious about climate change or not.  An approval of the pipeline is not only "game over for the environment", it will be game over for Organizing For America. 
Who will back President Obama's agenda if he begins his second term with an approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline that will increase our dependence on fossil fuels, set the stage for some of the worst oil spills in our nations history and dramatically increase US carbon emissions, similar to adding 6 million cars to our nations highways.  We need green energy production; wind and solar including an updated modern electrical grid that can move that green energy.  A 1700 mile long pipeline carrying the dirtiest crude ever mined and processed with a terrible environmental footprint is not the way to protect "our children and future generations"

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Credit: Wikipedia

Martin Luther King Jr., "Letter From a Birmingham Jail"

Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial "outside agitator" idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.

Notre Dame Hypocrisy

Credit: Matt Bors

Seattle Progressive Talk Survivors Guide

It's been a couple of weeks since we lost all our favorite progressive talk show hosts on King 1***.   KBCS 91.3 comes in very clear in Redmond and I've listened to it on 405 North as far as Mill Creek.   There is now a Progressive Radio in Seattle (PRS) team working to bring more progressive programing into the Seattle area.  The PRS team has prepared a list of local stations (AM & FM) and internet resources (for streaming) which I've shared below.  The petition to Save Progressive Talk Radio In Seattle has almost 10,000 signatures now.

PROGRESSIVE RADIO USERS GUIDE FOR SEATTLE

LOCAL STATIONS:
 KBCS 91.3 FM - Bellevue Stream live or donate here
Thom Hartmann, Noon – 3:00 PM (limited Seattle range for broadcast signal)

 930 AM KBAI - Bellingham Progressive Radio 
Carries a full line up from Bill Press to Randi Rhodes and Ring of Fire.

 1180 KLAY AM – Lakewood/Tacoma
Stephanie Miller, 9:00 AM to Noon and Thom Hartmann, 4:00 to 7 PM weekdays.
The station is powered at 5,000 watts, and their coverage extends from Seattle to Olympia, better in some locations than others. The streaming capability does not appear to work.

NATIONAL: (ALL TIMES ARE FOR SEATTLE)

WCPT 820 AM – Chicago's Progressive Talk Radio
Stream the full line up on your computer or smart phone from Chicago’s Progressive Talk.
Click on the “Listen Live” link and choose a radio player.

Monday through Friday
6 am - 9 am The Stephanie Miller Show
9 am - 12 pm The Ed Shultz Show
12 pm - 3 pm The Thom Hartmann Program
3 pm - 6 pm The Norman Goldman
6 pm - 7 pm The Leslie Marshall Show
7 pm - 10 pm The Alan Colmes Show
Sunday 5 pm - 8 pm Ring of Fire

Colorado’ Progressive Talk Radio - AM 760 -
Stream the full line up on your computer or smart phone.

San Francisco’s Progressive Talk Radio – KNEW 960, -
Stream most of the full line up on your computer or smart phone.

Sign the Petition Don't let Seattle lose Progressive Talk Radio

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Governor Chris Christie Slams NRA

“To talk about the president’s children or any public officer’s children who have — not by their own choice, but by requirement — to have protection and to use that somehow to try to make a political point, I think, is reprehensible,” Christie said. He added: “I think it’s awful to bring public figures’ children into the political debate. They don’t deserve to be there. And for any of us who are public figures, you see that ad and you cringe. You cringe because it’s just not appropriate to do that, in my opinion.”

The NRA ad Chris Christie mentions is truly despicable.   The NRA has become a national embarrassment and a parody of political action associations.  I'll give Governor Chris Christie credit for calling out the NRA, its just sad the Governor is one of the few republicans willing to do so.   

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2012 National Geographic Contest Winners

The Matterhorn 4478 m at full moon.  Photo and caption by Nenad Saljic

Wallpapers here

More Winners here

Priceless

Outstanding!

Maui Beach with the island of Molokai in distance

8 hours on an airplane (wasn't a direct flight) and it was worth it.  83 degrees air temperature, ocean temperatures average around 75 degrees creating a wonderful snorkeling environment.  Humpback whales are here in large numbers this time of year.  Breaching whales, blowhole spouts, pec flaps and tail fluke dives are common sights from the beach. 

The Daily Bread

recipe and directions here

This will be the last Daily Bread for a couple of weeks.   The closest I'll be to an oven for the next two weeks is when I walk past a bakery or pizza shop.  My wife and I are leaving for a well earned two week vacation tomorrow.   I'll be posting pictures and posts during our hiatus.