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Martin Bashir - Krugman: Speaker Boehner, Paul Ryan 'completely deluded' 13 recs : By Galraedia
The ED Show - Billionaire Entrepreneur argues he's not a job creator 10 recs : By Galraedia
(Trayvon) Martin Spoke of ‘Crazy and Creepy’ Man Following Him, Friend Says 10 recs : By alp227
Michigan state police investigate election fraud claim 10 recs : By Bozita
88% of Baptist University’s Staff Quit Over Mandatory Anti-Gay Pledge 9 recs : By Ian David
Greatest Threads
Why did this girl cause her own murder? 150 recs : By obamanut2012
Saw this great cartoon on Facebook 113 recs : By Courtesy Flush
Paul Newman on Facebook 79 recs : By FourScore
Witness Says George Zimmerman Repeatedly Bullied Him At Work, Targeted Him With Racist Jokes 75 recs : By kpete
WTF? 67 recs : By marmar
The Left Column
Man charged with alleged threat to blow up Dem Party offices
(Wisconsin State Journal) Federal authorities charged a Madison man Friday with making a telephone threat in February to blow up the offices of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, among more than 100 calls he allegedly placed to the office this year.
Arizona Goes Birther: Secretary Of State Says It’s ‘Possible’ Obama Won’t Be On Ballot
(TPM) The man in charge of running Arizona’s elections has gone to the birthers. Secretary of State Ken Bennett now says he’s not convinced Barack Obama was really born in the United States and so he is threatening to keep the president off the ballot in November.
Why did this girl cause her own murder?
A 17-year-old girl is visiting her Dad and his girlfriend, and goes for a quick run down to the 7-11, just as it's getting dark, to buy a Coke and a Twix. She's hurrying back home so she doesn't miss the start of "Bridezilla when she notices some guy in an SUV cruising her, which really creeps her out. She walks faster, and calls her best friend on her cell to tell about the creepy guy...
Democrats’ Odds of Retaining Senate Improve
(NY Times/Five Thirty Eight) When we last took an overview of Senate races in December, Republicans appeared to be slight favorites to take control from Democrats, with a net gain of four to five seats representing the most likely outcome. Since then, however, Republican fortunes have diminished somewhat because of problems with the quality of some candidates and key retirements.
Witness Says George Zimmerman Repeatedly Bullied Him At Work, Targeted Him With Racist Jokes
(Think Progress) Among the evidence in the Trayvon Martin case released by the Florida state prosecutor yesterday was a 15-minute interview with a former work collegue of George Zimmerman. The man, who is not identified by name, says that Zimmerman relentlessly bullied him at work. Zimmerman, according to the witness, targeted him because he was Middle Eastern. He repeatedly called the man a “fucking moron” and mocked him using the voice of “Achmed the terrorist.” Zimmerman’s stories about the man would involve “bombing,” “I’ll kill your family” and other “jokes” about “Middle Eastern stuff.” According to the man, this went on “for days and days.”
GOP rookies revolt against Grover Norquist's grip
(Politico) A small but increasingly vocal group of fresman Republicans are publicly rejecting the idea they are beholden to Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform pledge for their entire congressional careers. One such member, Scott Rigell of Virginia, has openly rejected the pledge, explaining on his website that it would prevent Congress in some cases from eliminating corporate loopholes or government subsidies because those changes would have to be revenue-neutral. The math, he said, just doesn’t make sense.
Senators to Unveil the ‘Ex-Patriot Act’ to Respond to Facebook’s Saverin’s Tax ‘Scheme’
(ABC News) Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has a status update for Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin: Stop attempting to dodge your taxes by renouncing your U.S. citizenship or never come to back to the U.S. again.
Obama's clean debt-ceiling request stuns Boehner
(MarketWatch) President Barack Obama's refusal to tie spending cuts to a hike in the U.S. debt limit "almost took my breath away," House Speaker John Boehner said on Thursday. Obama met Boehner and other congressional leaders for a White House lunch on Wednesday and reportedly clashed over raising the debt ceiling. Boehner wants spending cuts to equal any hike in the debt limit.
Cool
Buried microbes exist at limit between life and death Science : By xchrom
My play is a finalist in the Native American New Play Festival! Writing : By yellerpup
Pictures: Elephant Underpass Reuniting Kenya Herds Environment & Energy : By xchrom
The Atlantic: A New Yorker's (Sadly Lopsided) Scorecard of Tokyo Transportation Public Transportation and Smart Growth : By marmar
Town of Lucas auctioning first flush of giant public toilet on eBay Weird News : By babylonsister
Around DU
Good Reads
- Conservative groups outspending liberal counterparts 4 to 1 on congressional races
- Toons: The Fountain of Youth, Like Profits, A Little Old-Fashioned Racism and More. - 5/18/12
- Daily Kos: Massachusetts Democrats seeking information on Scott Brown and JPMorgan Chase
- KETV Omaha: Nebraska groups offer shelter should society collapse
- Afghanistan's' Chicago resistance
- $25,000 to First Whistle-blower who turns-in Corporate secret donator to influence 2012 election
- ‘U.S. Department of Peace’ may never get its chance
- Craig Venter Wants to Solve the World’s Energy Crisis
- Best Tina Fey quotes – in honor of her birthday
- Why Environmental Politics Matters
Politics 2012
- Arizona....AGAIN....wtf...
- Romney Economics: State by State
- Friday Talking Points (211) -- Good Enough For My Money
- House Republicans Cut Defense Department Spending… On NASCAR
- The GOP's Fateful Journey from Moderation to Machiavellianism
- Is Mitt Romney’s love for America a Mormon thing? (Boorstein/WaPo)
- Americans Elect EPIC FAIL.
- While Mitt Romney says the economy is a wreck, GOP governors are boasting of robust recovery
- In case you're wondering here are when the Presidential and VP debates will be held & where
- Rinse Preakness says Obama is in love with the man in the mirror. He and Wolfie
General Discussion
- Former priest tries to hire hit man to kill his accuser...
- The 7 subspecies of the "modern" GOP
- Why President Obama's Support of Marriage Equality Might Make the Difference in Washington State
- Ed Ray, Bus Driver During Kidnapping, Dies at 91 (Chowchilla, CA school bus in 1976)
- What Would Happen If?
- Fun in Facebook comments on the NRO link falsely accusing Elizabeth Warren of plagiarism
- The way things really work... an old proverb updated
- Man Charged With Threatening To Blow Up Wisconsin Democrats’ HQ - RawStory
- Why Environmental Politics Matter
- Degrees of Separation of Culpability. How the Plutocrats are carrying out a global mass slaughter.
Topics
- African American: Anybody heard from Cornel and/or Tavis lately?
- Classic Films: TCM Schedule for Sunday, May 20, 2012 - What's On Tonight: Cesar Romero
- Religion: Why I find Christianity so hard to stomach.
- Occupy Underground: So now Occupy is against world trade and capitalism? They will lose support of the 50+% of the 99%
- Photography: Water, a walk and of course another sunset
- Environment & Energy: House Republicans Attempt To Nix Military's Clean Energy Initiatives
- Ancestry/Genealogy: I finally found pictures of my great-grandfather!
- Science Fiction: Anybody besides me looking forward to the new Judge Dredd movie?
- Buddhism: Blessed One by Thich Nhat Hahn
- Sports: Do it!
Places
- North Carolina: Coming to the Convention...where's the barbecue?
- Wisconsin: Capital One flagged ‘Friends of Scott Walker’ for credit card fraud
- Pennsylvania: Joe Sestak Hints He'll Run for Governor in 2014 Against Corbett
- Latin America: Repsol cancels Argentina gas exports
- Hawaii: Federal agent seeks to dismiss Hawaii murder case
- Canada: New G20 report: Who will hold police accountable?
- Minnesota: US House voted on the right to trial
- Texas: Pennsylvania Doctors Worry Over Fracking 'Gag Rule'
- Washington: Volunteer for Wisconsin GOTV phone banks with WA State AFL-CIO
Latest Breaking News
(Federal) Grand jury investigating Oakland schools police
1 min ago - The Oakland Unified School District police force is the focus of a federal grand jury investigation, the district's spokesman said Friday. The district was notified in a letter Thursday that its Police Department is the subject of an investigation b ... (SF Chronicle)
China strengthens military, Pentagon report says
22 min ago - China is using its growing economic strength to extend its military’s influence by taking on new missions and investing in more advanced weaponry, the Pentagon said Friday. But the main focus of China’s military buildup continues to be directed towa ... (Washington Post)
Obama campaign working to counter new voter ID laws
34 min ago - President Obama’s reelection campaign launched a national drive Friday to counter new restrictive voter-access laws, which advisers said threaten his electoral chances in November. Organizers will fan out in key swing states this weekend to teach vo ... (wash. post)
Energy Department cuts payments to 4 federal lab workers
36 min ago - Four high-ranking federal lab workers found a way to turn “per diem” funds for a temporary assignment into a steady flow of extra income — at taxpayers’ expense. The overpayments, discovered in an inspector general’s audit, boosted the annual pay of ... (washington post)
Mystery over Bridgeport arrests: Molotov cocktails or brewing equipment?
1 hr ago - As the NATO summit approached, Chicago police Friday continued to hold several people suspected of making Molotov cocktails but would say nothing about the arrests, adding to a growing mystery over the nature of the investigation. Police earlier Fri ... (Chicago Tribune)
(Trayvon) Martin Spoke of ‘Crazy and Creepy’ Man Following Him, Friend Says
1 hr ago - A girl who talked on the phone with Trayvon Martin on the night of Feb. 26 has told a state prosecutor that she heard rising fear in Mr. Martin’s voice that peaked with words like “get off, get off,” right before she lost contact with him and he was ... (NY Times)
CFTC opens probe into JPMorgan trading loss: NYT
2 hrs ago - (Reuters) - The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) has opened an enforcement case to examine possible wrongdoing at JPMorgan Chase & Co in connection with the bank's multi-billion-dollar trading loss, The New York Times said late on Fri ... (Reuters)
Michigan state police investigate election fraud claim
2 hrs ago - May 18, 2012 at 9:32 pm Michigan state police investigate election fraud claim By Associated Press Grand Rapids— State police are looking into Michigan's 76th District race after a man who filed to run as a Democrat withdrew and the Democratic incu ... (AP)
House passes foreclosure protections for vets
3 hrs ago - The House overwhelmingly passed an amendment Friday that would expand foreclosure protections for service members, their families and disabled veterans. The legislation was attached to the National Defense Authorization Act, which the House passed F ... (Washington Post)
Defense Budget That Breaks Spending Agreement Passed By House
4 hrs ago - WASHINGTON -- The House passed a defense budget Friday that exceeds the deal cut by Congress and President Barack Obama last summer, and that would have to be paid for with cash taken from poverty programs, health care and the federal workforce. The ... (Huffington Post)
Chicago protesters break away from nurses' rally
4 hrs ago - By RYAN J. FOLEY and NOMAAN MERCHANT CHICAGO (AP) - Hundreds of protesters broke away from a large rally and began marching through Chicago streets Friday, taunting police and shouting about everything from bank bailouts to nuclear power - a prelude ... (AP-Excite)
Donations to Scott Walker Flagged as Credit Card Fraud
4 hrs ago - When MaryAnn Nellis tried to pay for groceries on April 14, her credit card was declined. Later, she said, she found out why: Her credit card company, Capital One, had flagged an earlier purchase as potentially fraudulent. The problem? A $5 donation ... (The Atlantic Wire)
A dozen protest at TD Ameritrade (call for Ricketts to refrain from attacking Obama)
4 hrs ago - By Roseann Moring About a dozen people protested outside the Omaha headquarters of online stock broker TD Ameritrade because of a national controversy involving retired company founder Joe Ricketts. Ricketts came under fire after The New York Times ... (Omaha World Herald)
House OKs $642 billion defense bill
4 hrs ago - By DONNA CASSATA | The Associated Press First Published 6 hours ago • Updated 36 minutes ago Washington •Ignoring a White House veto threat, the Republican-controlled House approved a $642 billion defense budget Friday that breaks a deficit-cutting ... (Associated Press)
FBI to Investigate Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s Administration for Bribery Relating to Appointments
5 hrs ago - A developing story out of Ohio is getting the attention of the progressive press: the FBI is currently investigating claims that Governor John Kasich made promises of political influence and threatened the jobs of those who would not help him replace ... (wepartypatriots.com)
NLRB Region 2 Authorizes Issuance of Complaint Against Verizon for Unfair Firings, Discipline
5 hrs ago - Washington, D.C. -- National Labor Relation Board Region 2 has authorized the issuance of a complaint against Verizon Communications for its actions in disciplining and firing workers following the two-week strike by union members last August. Regio ... (CWA)
Judge might split Guantanamo trial of 9/11 suspects
5 hrs ago - By Jane Sutton MIAMI | Fri May 18, 2012 5:45pm EDT (Reuters) - A U.S. military judge is considering splitting up the trial of five Guantanamo prisoners accused of plotting the September 11 attacks because of conflicts in scheduling and strategy, la ... (Reuters)
Video Released of Trayvon Martin Buying Iced Tea and Skittles
6 hrs ago - Video released of Trayvon Martin buying iced tea and Skittles By Richard Luscombe, The Guardian Friday, May 18, 2012 17:53 EDT Prosecutors have released video footage of Trayvon Martin buying sweets and a drink in a Florida convenience store minute ... (Raw Story / Guardian)
'Reporter's Privilege' Under Fire From Obama Administration Amid Broader War On Leaks
8 hrs ago - RICHMOND, Va. -- The Obama administration Friday morning continued its headlong attack on the right of reporters to protect their confidential sources in leak investigations. Before a panel of the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, a Department of Jus ... (Huffington Post)
Man charged with alleged threat to blow up Dem Party offices
8 hrs ago - Federal authorities charged a Madison man Friday with making a telephone threat in February to blow up the offices of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin, among more than 100 calls he allegedly placed to the office this year. William O. Diederich repe ... (Wisconsin State Journal)
Senator wants parties to refund convention money
9 hrs ago - Senator wants parties to refund convention money (AP) – 20 minutes ago WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican senator has asked both political parties to refund the millions of federal dollars each has received to help pay for this summer's presidential ... (Associated Press)
Japanese whalers set out to kill 260 whales for ‘scientific research’
9 hrs ago - Japanese whalers set out to kill 260 whales for ‘scientific research’ By Agence France-Presse Friday, May 18, 2012 15:08 EDT A pair of Japanese whaling vessels left Friday for the northwestern Pacific aiming to catch 260 whales for “scientific resea ... (Agence France-Presse)
U.S. soldier referred for court martial for 2009 Iraq shooting
9 hrs ago - SEATTLE | Fri May 18, 2012 2:43pm EDT (Reuters) - A U.S. soldier accused of shooting dead five fellow servicemen at a military clinic in Baghdad in 2009 has been referred to stand trial by military court martial, Joint Base Lewis-McChord said on Fri ... (Reuters)
baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died age 86.
9 hrs ago - The most recorded artist of the 20th century Celebrated German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died at the age of 86, just 10 days before his 87th birthday. One of the giants in the tradition of Lieder interpretation, Fischer-Dieskau featured ... (NY Times)
Cuban scholars denied US visas seen as among most open to engagement, change
10 hrs ago - Cuban scholars denied US visas seen as among most open to engagement, change By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, May 18, 12:07 PM HAVANA — The U.S. State Department has given Raul Castro’s daughter a visa to attend an academic conference in San Fr ... (Associated Press)
U.S. swing states' jobless rates dive in April
10 hrs ago - Jobless rates in all but two U.S. states dropped in April from a year before, and were sharply lower in battleground states that could decide November's presidential contest. Sharp drops in unemployment rates were registered in Florida, Nevada and O ... (Reuters)
Brazil president to receive apologies for human rights abuses she suffered
10 hrs ago - Brazil president to receive apologies for human rights abuses she suffered By Associated Press, Updated: Friday, May 18, 1:23 PM SAO PAULO — The Rio de Janeiro state government said Friday it will apologize to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff for ... (Associated Press)
Appeals court affirms minority voting rights law
10 hrs ago - By Terry Baynes Fri May 18, 2012 1:34pm EDT (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Friday upheld a key provision of the landmark U.S. voting rights law aimed at protecting minorities in states and local areas with a history of racial discrimination ... (Reuters)
Colombian human rights situation 'grim' in 2012: NGO
10 hrs ago - Colombian human rights situation 'grim' in 2012: NGO Friday, 18 May 2012 10:45 Rosemary Westwood With the passage of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the United States and Colombian governments need to protect human rights defenders and trade union ... (Colombia Reports)
Trade deal with U.S. could harm Colombia farmers
11 hrs ago - Trade deal with U.S. could harm Colombia farmers Fri May 18, 2012 12:20pm EDT By Diana Delgado BOGOTA, May 18 (Reuters) - Colombia promised that a free trade agreement with the United States will create jobs and stimulate the economy, but farmers in ... (Reuters)
Video
The ED Show - Billionaire Entrepreneur argues he's not a job creator
WKRP "As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly" Thanksgiving
Martin Bashir - Krugman: Speaker Boehner, Paul Ryan 'completely deluded'
The Last Word - Rewriting Ben Stein on presidents
Cenk Uygur Slams Hannity: Hateful Racist On Rev. Wright.
Mittens & Ted debate health care--1994
Terry Gilliam, 1970, explaining his stop-motion animation
Mitt Romney: "I stand by what I said, whatever it was."
Birther Madness in Arizona: The Movie!
Papantonio Hammers Heidi Harris on Corporate Welfare
Thom Hartmann: The Right's Obsession w/Female Body Parts?
Challenge to watch this without getting a lump in your throat
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