Three Simple Lessons To Avoid Foreign Policy Problems

Whenever the Iraq War and all of it's bad repercussions are settled, there should be a few important learned lessons that should apply to all foreign policy for all future presidents.

During the Cold War, the U.S. did not like the government of the Soviet Union, yet effectively engaged this government in many ways including diplomatic. When nations at least talk, it tends to often soften hard feelings and may result in better security benefits for the public of both nations, perhaps even a genuine peace dividend at best.

After Iraq illegally invaded Kuwait in 1990, there was near universal world condemnation for this invasion. Countries like Saudi Arabia also even helped to pay the U.S. costs for this war. There needed to be a better peace agreement at the end of this war in 1991 that brought Saddam Hussein to arrest and international trial by world courts for this illegal invasion of Kuwait and other international crimes. His government leadership responsible for this war should also have been brought down at this time as well. This could have been the golden opportunity for the seeds of a new Iraqi Government and society to begin. Instead the second George Bush waits 12 years, with almost no international support this time around, restarts the 12 yearold Gulf War with Saddam Hussein to achieve what the 1991 peace terms did not. And now the country of Iraq is an unstable mess, threatening regional security.

Three lessons for all American presidents to post on the wall: #1.Talk to adversary nations. #2. End all wars with acceptable peace terms. #3.Don't restart old wars if you failed to properly conclude the matter in the first place. There you go, three simple ways to avoid some serious foreign policy problems. Three simple lessons not learned by the current administration.

Bush Still Looking For That Elusive Plan To Win The War In Iraq That Probably Doesn't Exist

One of the last of the "true believers" in the Iraq War has to be the main planner if it, George Bush. By stalling off his planned address to the nation about a change in policy to January gives time for Bush to allow the 8 month long Iraq Study Report recommendations to die a death in the short term memory shortcomings of the American public. It also gives Bush time to propose another unrealistic policy such as increasing troops in Iraq by 30,000 to 100,000 more than the current 140,000 levels in some sort of a desperate last ditch attempt to "win" this unwinnable war.

Besides raising troop levels, which is sure to be very unpopular with the public and fly in the face of the voter's message of the November elections, Bush may seek to replace the main generals involved in the Iraq War effort with some hardliners who believe that the war can still be won. Whether some latter day General Curtis Lemay type military leaders still exist in this day and age, who still believe that you can bomb your way out of any problem is a highly questionable notion. Many generals are more or less reasonable persons and often far more pragmatic about the situation in Iraq than Bush would probably want to hear. At some point even the generals view the situation as hopeless for real world reasons.

In an ideal world, it would certainly have been far better if the people of Iraq would have thrown roses at the feet of invading American and British forces after the 2003 war, as Donald Rumsfeld famously mispredicted. But it was only a matter of time before dead-enders such as Baathists, insurgents such as Al Qaeda agents and others would start a deadly cycle that Sunni and Shiite militia groups would eventually join. It was only a matter of time before the 1,300 year old conflict between the Sunni and Shiite sects would surface in this artificial nation created after WWI by Winston Churchill after oil was discovered in the region. Three Muslim sects with nothing in common were thrown together by Churchill in this new post WWI British occupation state that lasted until the 1958 rebellion in Iraq. This rebellion was inspired by 1956 Gamel Nasser Arab Socialist rebellion related to the Suez Canal rebuff of the British occupation forces in Egypt. After this 1956 rebellion in Egypt, Britain quickly began to lose all colonial occupation control in the MidEast.

In all fairness, Bush may now fear that the consequences of failure in Iraq are so high that no other course but victory is acceptable. Saudi Arabia apparently raised the stakes by threatening to put it's troops into Iraq to fight on behalf of the Sunni forces, which could only encourage Iran to put in it's forces and fight on behalf of the Shiites. The resulting regional war would probably end up with the Saudi oil fields in flames from Iranian missiles before very long, cutting off the MidEast oil supply to the Western world and only inviting Western nation's involvement and a possible world war. Private Saudi support for Sunni militia groups already exists, and Iran is certainly involved with some Shiite militia groups already. Rather than these neighbors of Iraq willing to act as peacekeepers, their role would quickly escalate to direct combatants for the Sunni and Shiite sects of the Muslim faith. Only 15% of the world's Muslims are Shiites, and Iran would have good reason to want to defend one of the only nations in the world, Iraq, with a Shiite majority, besides themselves.

Bush has a personal moltivation to want to see Iraq succeed not only for his place in history, but also because an American withdrawal will likely not result in sectarian peace in Iraq, but instead open up the serious opportunity for a serious regional war. This only illustrates how badly the Bush policy in Iraq has destabilized the region. Bush may be trying to desperately find a way to salvage this disasterous policy in Iraq. But likely too many people are unemployed in Iraq, up to 60%, too many support sectarian militia groups, and no easy way exists to change the minds of a public in Iraq where way too many people support lawlessness and the sectarian violence.

The ideal solution would be for far more persons in Iraq to support civil order, and oppose sectarian violence, and for domestic Iraqi military and police to maintain order, with all outside nations such as the U.S., Britain, Iran and Saudi Arabia out of Iraq. But how we ever get to this point is the vexing question. Bush continues to look for U.S. military solutions to resolve the situation in Iraq that probably don't exist. This is one complex Iraqi society social attitudes problem the U.S. cannot bomb it's way out of like WWII battles planned by General Curtis Lemay. A desire change among those living in Iraq is the key to peace. People in Iraq need to support civil order in their nation and need to be able to honestly and ethicly police their own nation. The U.S. or no other outside nation can really do this for Iraq, despite the political instincts of Bush that still seems to think that the U.S. can fix what we helped to break. Bush continues to look for that military solution that probably doesn't really exist, and will propose more grossly failing policies in January that will only eventually end the region up with the serious regional war that the world does not need.

Conan O'Brien's TV Show Avoids Possible FCC Problems By Creating Absurd Website That Becomes A Smash Hit With Nearly 5 Million Hits In First Week.

I deliberately avoided commentary on this huge story for days because it deals with some mildly offensive themes, which I do not care to glamorize on this Website, which I like to keep grounded in more serious themes, or entertainment news that is significant because it deals with moral or social psychology issues. But this Conan O'Brien story is now simply too big to ignore.

Last week's Monday night, LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN used another one of their cheap and juvenile costume or character humor bits. This humor program has had a long history of using this cheap stuff for laughs. But sometimes these humor bits including an absurd Frankenstein, a "self pleasuring" bear, or other cheap costume or character bits have proven surprising effective for this program. A few years ago an absurd phenomenon was created when Conan O'Brien created a phony crisis by claiming that the actor that played "Grady" on the 1970's TV Sitcom, SANFORD AND SON was missing. This joke only snowballed and built on itself for days until the actor that played "Grady" was brought on the show as though he was recently rescued from great danger, and given a loud heroes welcome.

Last week, the biggest phenomenon ever for this show was accidently created when a manatee costume was used for a cheap bit that was satire on adult webcams. This silly bit was destined to become a national phenomenon when Conan O'Brien joked about it being from a fictictional website called www.hornymanatee.com which has now received over 4.5 million hits by last night and probably about 5 million hits by today in just one week's time.

The fact of the matter was that www.hornymanatee.com did not really exist when Conan O'Brien first mentioned the site. It turns out that standards and practices at NBC notified Conan O'Brien that any website mentioned on the air must really exist or the rights to the name must be purchased for 10 years according to some obscure FCC rule. For $159, NBC purchased the name of the website www.hornymanatee.com and someone over at the CONAN O'BRIEN show decided to start building the website, which has not only become a PG rated satire on XXX websites on the internet, but has drawn many strange but very talented reader submissions. This website grows bigger by the day, although it includes some outrageous mildly offensive humor that may make some skittish. The website reminds you of a 1970's NATIONAL LAMPOON MAGAZINE gag.

It is interesting that an absurdly silly website like this has really taken off and become probably the biggest phenomenon ever for Conan O'Brien's TV show. It also proves that there is no justice in life, as serious websites like mine and others suffer from far smaller readership of generally less than 250 views a day at the peak of this website when it garnered national publicity for a feature such as an analysis of serious troubles in the MidEast. An absurdly silly escapist website like www.hornymanatee.com has become one of the biggest hits ever on the internet, now attracting decent paid advertising by big companies on a banner, and has become a money maker for NBC, which has started cost cutting measires that will result in more cheaper to produce programming next TV season. Why www.hornymanatee.com has become such a big phenomenon is probably huge surprise to even the producers of LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN which will probably see a ratings bounce as a result of this silly phenomenon. The next big marketing of this phenomenon should involve selling T-shirts, hats and coffee cups or manatee stuffed toys. NBC may be laughing all the way to the bank with this phenomenon which has turned out to be a huge surprise hit. Strange things happen.

Whirlpool Acquires Maytag, Eliminates Union Jobs That Can Devastate Small Communities

Whirlpool is the world's largest manufacturer of major appliances, and just like the ocean where big fish swallow up the small fish, Whirlpool acquired the much smaller 113 year old Maytag company recently. For the accountants and executives at Whirlpool, costing cutting became a major priority, and eliminating decent family wage union jobs became a high priority for the Christmas Grinches in the executive offices.

1,800 union jobs and 4,500 jobs nationwide will fall under the Whirlpool ax for thr Maytag workers. And small communities such as Newton, Iowa, Herrin, Illinois and Searcy, Arkansas will face closure, devastating the local economy's of these areas.

James Brown, a spokesman for the Machinists Union MidWest Territory summed up the problem with, " Lousy trade policies and a complete lack on enforcement of anti-trust and other measures to protect jobs and consumers leave American communities devastated". "Manufacturing jobs are the key to a strong middle class, stable families and vibrant communities. We cannot afford to lose them".

This is the trend of the last few years; a White House obsessed with one-sided "free trade" legislation that only encourages continued job exports to labor cheap nations. An antiworker and antiunion bias that favors companies that acquire others only to eliminate jobs not to continue to operate the company, but to resell the business for a profit to others including foreign concerns. Whirlpool reportedly sold Hoover Vacuum Cleaner to a Chinese company, Techtronic for $107 million last week, which effectively eliminates the jobs at Hoover and related brands such as Regina and Dirt Devil.

Small communities count on employment opportunities such as a major town supplier of work. When a large corporation pulls out of small communities, social problems such as increased family breakup, divorce, alcoholism, drug use, child or wife abuse, and crime may result. Right wing "family" organizations seem to miss this fact and are absent on economic issues that are really at stake in family and society breakdown issues created by the breakdown of the manufacturing economy. It should become a vital goal of the new Democratic controlled Congress to reverse this decline of the American manufacturing and the exodus of higher paying union jobs that support a middle class. The Bush Administration has unfortunately played the role of Nero all too well in the last few years, only "fiddling around" as the American manufacturing economy burns down and takes decent paying union jobs with it.

Support Family Living Wage Jobs And Buy Union Made Goods For The Holidays

In this holiday season, progressives should vote with their dollars and buy union produced goods that help to support family wage jobs. These products produced by union workers are not only high quality, but they they allow families to live in a decent home, drive a decent car, have enough food on their table, have health insurance and a retirement plan, and safe working conditions, unlike many nonunion companies that operate mainly to only enrich the lives if their corporate heads, sometimes with salary that runs into the millions while nonunion workers often work for the minimum wage around $5.15, have no retirement, and often seek public assistence from food stamps or public health programs. There is such a clear difference in the quality of employment between the union and nonunionized jobs that it should be a moral duty of progressives to spend as much money with union businesses as possible.

Some great union worker gift ideas include high dollar items such as Harley Davidson Motorcycles, produced by members of the Machinists Union and United Steelworkers members. Harleys are expensive, but what a great gift. They're the yardstick that great bikes are measured by.

If you're not into giving bikes as a gift, then maybe chocolates are more to your liking. Union made brands include Hershey's, See's Candies, Ghiardelli, Brown & Hailey, Russell Stover and even Hostess products. All are produced by union workers.

If giving food items is your style, then union workers are employed at Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Haggens, QFC and a few other businesses. And some food priducts such as Smuckers, Darigold, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola and Franz Bakery support union workers. Among department stores, only Fred Meyer is unionized in Oregon and some other states. Most department stores are nonunion.

If you want to give toys, the U.S. made products by Colorforms, Hasbro, Parker Brothers, Golden Books, Fisher Price, Etch-A-Sketch, Radio Flyer Wagon, Lionel Model Trains, Testor Model Paints, and a few other brands are union produced as long as the items are roduced in the U.S. Lionel Train is partially owned by progreesive singer, Neil Young, who is a huge train lover, and extremely good products that are very collectable and make great gifts.

Among fragrances, some brands such as English Leather, British Sterling, Alberto Culver Beyond, Revlon's Charlie, and a few more brands are union produced and you shoild consider purchasing.

If you like to give tools, then consider union made brands such as Sesrs, Craftsmen, Ridgid, Snap-On, Armstrong and Klein Tools, many of which are guaranteed for life and American made by union workers earning a decent wage.

There are many more items that are both American made and union worker produced, so be sure to check for the union label before purchasing. And sending your items consider either the U.S. Postal service or United Parcel Service which are both unionized, unlike FedEx which is nonunion.

Buying American made goods keeps jobs in the U.S. and buying union made goods keeps good family wage jobs alive in the U.S. There is no better way to wisely spent your holiday dollar this season than to by American and buy union made.

Monday Is The Last Mailing Day To Ship Items To Soldiers In Iraq And Afghanistan

If anyone out there has loved ones in Iraq or Afghanistan, or would simply like to send best wishes or gifts to soldiers to life their spirits, then Monday is the last mailing day to get items, postcards, well wishes, etc. to the soldiers by Christmas. Even if one has serious misgivings about the Iraq strategy, the fact of the matter is that these soldiers face serious danger in a attempt to prevent even more sectarian violence. They are saving lives of Iraq civilians by putting their lives in serious danger. Some U.S. military units will face 2% or more deaths, and 10% or more wounded. This is a great sacrifice and deserves the respect and well wishes of every American as a serious debate on Iraq strategy will ultimately decide how the U.S. mission is best achieved.

Every American should join in a chorus of be well, stay safe, and God bless for the U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mainstream Republican Senator Gordon Smith Offers A Blistering Attack On Bush War Strategy

Mainstream conservative Republican senators such as John Warner and Gordon Smith are becoming the driving effort to convince President Bush to drastically alter the failing war strategy in Iraq. As late as 2004, Smith was even the Oregon head of the 2004 Bush re-election campaign. Yesterday he offered a blistering attack in an deeply heartfelt speech on the Senate floor calling the current strategy of placing American lives in constant danger by having them patrol the same dangerous streets over and over, risking their lives both "absurd" and morally even "criminal". These are strong words for a sentor who noted that he tried to be a "good soldier" in offering support for the Iraq War policy of both Bush and Rumsfeld.

It is also mainstream Republicans who will likely warn the White House when they think this situation in Iraq is beyond redemption, and it's time to pull the plug. Between the possibility of a violent militia group coup in Iraq, and mounting American deaths in the face of a policing of the sectarian violence that clearly is not working, very soon the Iraq War is likely to break open and U.S. troops will likely begin to come home. Even previously unthinkable prospects such as allowing Syria some role in helping with the Sunni problems in Iraq, and Iran to offer some pressure on the Shiite community were given a boost by the Iraq study group this week. While many are right to be wary of giving Iran or Syria any attempt at boosting their regional power by involvement in Iraq, it is nonetheless a sign of how desperate the situation in Iraq has become.

What gives a Senator such as Gordon Smith so much credibility, was not only his previous strong suport for Bush, but also his deeply religious background as a Latter Day Saints Church Elder. Like the former Oregon senators, Wayne Morse who went from a Republican to antiwar Democrat, or very religious Baptist Republican Mark Hatfield, both of whom found deep moral reasons to oppose the continued Vietnam War, when a deeply religious senator such as Smith begins to break on war policy, then it starts to become a moral cause among many religious persons, creating a powerful argument against any failed policy that does little to stabilize Iraq or prevent more deaths and killing.

Just like the Biblically -inspired quotation, that "the hand writing is on the wall", new events and pressures from influential senators and others will soon result in major changs in the Iraq War policy or soon even send our troops home.

Mainstream Conservative Republican Senator, Gordon Smith Delivers A Blistering Attack On Iraq War Strategy(alternate version)

(Often CD boxsets include many alternate unused versions of the songs. Here's a rarity for our readers here, an alternate unused version of the main feature. You can read and digest both and see what you think about both versions.)

More and more mainstream Republicans are beginning to voice deep reservations about the Bush Iraq War strategy. Another huge defection from the Bush policy in the Iraq War was mainstream conservative Senator Gordon Smith of Oregon, who has maintained the Oregon reputation for independence by offering a blistering and heartfelt attack on the present war strategy. In the traditions of other independent thinking statesmen of the past from Oregon such as former Senator Wayne Morse, a Republican turned antiwar Democrat, and Senator Mark Hatfield, a very religious Baptist who had deep moral problems with the continued cycle of death from Vietnam, Smith, a Latter Day Saints Church Elder, has broken from what he called the "good soldier" ranks of supporting the war in Iraq, and now refers to this war as both "absurd" and the contined cycle of American deaths by failure to change direction as morally "criminal". These are strong and heartfelt words from a very religious and decent man, deeply concerned with the continued cycle of failings to secure peace and safety in Iraq that puts American lives in constant danger.

It is important breaks among Republican senators such as Gordon Smith, John Warner and others that are warning President Bush that there has come an end to accepting his failed policies on Iraq. In 2004, Gordon Smith headed the Oregon re-election campaign for George Bush. Today he raises serious moral questions about his war policy that puts the same American soldiers in death's way by putting them patrolling the same dangerous streets in Iraq, only to face danger from the same bombs because the security situation and war strategy has not adjusted or changed. It is important breaks in loyal mainstream Republican senators like Smith and Warner who will likely force a big change in the Iraq War. Something big is likely to break very soon. Too many bad events are jelling together to force a major policy shift much sooner rather than later.

GM and Ford Disclose Talks To Sell Plants To Chinese Automobile And Parts Manufacturers

On Friday, it was disclosed by both Ford and GM, that both companies are in negotiation with Chinese automobile and parts manufacturers to purchase both closing and closed plants owned by the former American automobile giants. This would give Chinese automobile companies a major advantage to leap into competition with what is left of the dying American automobile industry.

There is not a clear guarantee that would keep many jobs in the U.S., as a Chinese company purchased the defunct British company MG, but did move the manufacturing to the U.S. at wages far below the $62 or more that some some highly professional workers at Ford and GM may earn. Workers could earn as little as $5.15 an hour in Chinese owned companies, with no clear retirement or health care benefits offered.

Given this weeks' bad news of the sale of Hoover Vacuum Cleaners to a Chinese company, Techtronic, and the increases in production of Goodyear Tires, it is yet another huge hit to a declining American manufacturing base, and a clear sign of the powerful growth of Chinese industry. It also speaks volumes about union-busting in America as high paying American manufacturing jobs are becoming a relic of the past just like the Model T.

No archaelogist have ever unearthed a society unable to produce it's own pottery that has ever survived. Even the most backward of world civilizations has been able to manufacture the basic goods it needed to survive. The inability of American society to manufacture and produce it's own basic goods is a clear sign of a society undergoing a deep and severe social regression. You might try clicking the U.S. Army ad that often runs over on my ads column for an employment opportunity.

America's Greatest Growth Industry; Prisoners

While American industry and high paying union and manufacturing jobs continue to decline in America's dying manufacturing base, one industry continues to see a great increase; prisoners. During the massive social spending cuts during the Clinton and Bush Administrations the nation has seen the largest increases in the prison population, which is now at nearly 2.2 million persons, with an additional 4.1 million on probation and 800,000 on parole. At 7 million persons at some stage of staus in the criminal justice system, this industry ranks as perhaps the largest pool of persons than work in any industry segment in America except for food services work or government employment.

The U.S. has the largest incareration rate in the world currently. Even the worst of police states in the world don't round-up political opponents in the numbers that Americans have fallen into the criminal justice system. And some in law enforcement such as Multnomah County Sheriff Bernie Guisto, of Portland, Oregon, lament that the criminal justice system has become perhaps the largest provider of mental health services as programs for the mentally ill, drug treatment, and other social programs take huge budget hits from conservative lawmakers. Instead at a cost of about $111,0000 a year per prisoner, Sheriff Guisto finds himself running a system that is neither cost effective, nor providing essential skills such as education programs for prisoners to find work upon release.

Some states have moved to mandatory sentences or to three strikes laws, which only result in a huge prison population, sometimes for persons who are advanced in age and probably harmless for society. With the three strikes laws, this aging population of prisoners requires more health care just like any aging population does, which is a huge cost to the system.

Three strikes laws and mandatory sentences usually force a prisoner to plead guilty, to at least a lengthy plea "bargain" because they cannot afford the $80,000 or more to hire decent private attorney representation. Instead they have to rely on overworked, underpaid, and often with only limited skills, public defenders in which only a very small fee is paid. Sometimes these public defenders hardly ever see their client before a hearing is to be held, and these public defenders have a big interest in moving things along by pressuring their clients into a plea bargain even if innocent of the charges. A serious charge, or mandatory sentences, or three strikes laws almost ensure that a indigent client will plead guilty to a lesser charge even if they are innocent because the public defender has neither the time or is paid enough money to prevent many innocent persons from being convicted.

Serious problems with high numbers of HIV/AIDS infected prisoners exist, along with high numbers of mentally ill persons. And there is a high population that seems to impact minority communities. Among young men just between the ages of 25-29, 8.1% of African Americans are in prison, 2.6% of Hispanics, and 1.1% of Whites. And the largest areas of prison population growth are in rural and poorer communities, and always in larger cities as many assume.

With declining social service budgets, a decaying manufacturing base of declining high paying jobs, the huge prison population problem the U.S. is a direct reflection of a declining society where economic decline is destroying the nation's social fabric. Conservatives want blame social liberalism for society's problems, but it is actually problems like the growtth of dangerous addictive drugs such as meth or alcohol abuse and lack of viable economic opportunity and education that compounds to rob American society of at least $40 billion a year in annual prison costs. Society is seriously misdirected where so little money is put into mental health or drug education or counseling services, and welfare benefits to the poor encourage the breakup of the family and single parent households. Poor families lose public housing assistence if a man is present in the household, encoraging single parent households.

America is a badlybroken society, with little really constructive economic or other socail planning to save the nation. Many conservatives like President Bush think that serving the interests of the manufacturing and major capitalist classes will make America strong. But as this class seeks to maximize profits by sending more and more jobs to labor cheap nations such as China, more and more social problems develop and these wealthy classes demand protection from the poor, maximizing the number of poorer Americans in prison. Certainly no one wants to be a crime victim, but also no one seems to want to begin to repair the social problems that breed crime either. Until society addresses these problems that breed crime, the prisoner population growth trend is only likely to continue.

Hoover Vacuum Cleaner Company Sold To Chinese Company

Hoover vaccum cleaners have existed for nearly 100 yeasrs as a classic American product. Now Whirlpool, the current owner of Hoover products has decided to sell the company to a Chinese company located out of Hong Kong for $107 million dollars. Famous formerly American produced products such as Regina, Dirt Devil and Royal will now likely become Chinese made products, and workers who spent a lifetime producing these products in the U.S. will face unemployment and early retirement.

Whirlppol claims that the decision will allow them to "focus" on appliances. Yet for many American workers it is yet another sign of shrinking opportunity in a shrinking base of American manufacturing. Many workers may end up with far lower paying food industry jobs, as is usual when better paying manufacturing jobs disappear to labor cheap nations such as China. Many manufacturing workers in China earn around 42 cents, although a few automobile workers may earn as high as $1.50 an hour.

The Chinese company, Techtronic mainly sells power tools such as the Milwaukie brand and also AEG Power Tools. It gives the Chinese brand wider market share in the U.S. market by being able to continue selling in an established market and chain of retailers for Hoover products. Whirlpool is also seeking to sell the Amana corporation line of products as well. Amana was originally manufactured by a small religious group the Amanas. Like the Shakers who were known for excellent quality furniture, the Amana religious group produced goods that were known for quality. A vending machine compaby has also been recently sold by Whirlpool, as it rids itself of three companies that were acquired in a Whirlpool deal when they acquired Maytag. This is the current trend of American manufacturing capitalism; buying and selling of other companies for a profit rather than a development of new consumer products. Some companies are even known as "turn around" companies that solely exist by investors to buy and sell other companies for a profit and eliminate jobs in cost cutting efforts and resale the business to someone else. Workers often become an end of the line link in this game of corporate chess, thrown out and disposed of when no longer of use to whoever acquires the business assets of a targeted company.

Iraq Study Report, Well Intentioned, But With Shortcomings

The Iraq Study Report by 10 senior Republican and Democratic statespersons was a well intentioned 150 page reprt intended to find some solutions to one of the worst foreign polocy messes this country has ever become bogged down in, but had some obvious shortcomings.

This study group comprised well intentioned persons such as former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Conner, former Attorney General Edwin Meese, among others, but outside of former Secretary Of State, James Baker, few had much foreign policy experience. But even more lacking was any member with a background in MidEast history, Muslim religion or culture, or military experience. Essentially 10 well intentioned former members of previous administrations and others attempted to offer a bipartisan approach to the Iraq problem, but the lack of essential experience in critical areas only limits the overall usefulness of this report.

The report for example is nesrly naive in calling for some sort of negitiations with Syria and Iran over Iraq without seeking some viable concessions on issues such as seeking both accepting the right of Israel to exist, or placing the future of the Iranian nuclear program on the negotiation table. What putpose does it serve for the U.S. to invest $400 billion in the Iraq War effort, and lose more than 2,900 lives and have another 21,000 wounded only to allow Iran and Syria to reap the spoils of a weakened state that could become a satellite or puppet state of an Iranian-Syrian controlled empore that extends the width of the entire MidEast. A powerful nuclear armed Iranian empire of friendly states only promises to allow for a future security threat to little Israel, only 11 miles wide at it's most narrow point. Israel does have some land that it can return to Syria for a peace agreement, and Iran can only be included in any negotiations if they are willing to bring something worthwhile to the table. But many other states such as Jordan, Eygpt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain also have a stake in MidEast peace and are far more responsible states. Well these should not the first to be included in any MidEast peace talks is a good question.

Another problem is that while the eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops is the ultimate goal, without American air powewer, satellite and high tech military intelligence and advanced weapons, the government of Iraq would soon fall to any powerful militia organization. In fact even with all of the American help the government of Iraq could fall to a militia group coup anyway. It may alreadt be too late to salvage anything good from the continued mission other than to police the nation enough to prevent even worse sectarian killing.

There appears to be little real solutions to the sectarian violence that has waged for about 1,300 years of Shiite and Sunni sectarian infighting. Or that up to 70% of Iraqi police units are infiltrsted by militia group members, or that both the Iraqi police and military are so poorly equipped that only U.S. and British troops really have the firepower to somewhat police Iraq. Sectsrian violence is now so bad that opposing Sunni and Shiite neighborhoods now fire rockets and mortsars at each others' neighborhoods each night over the Tigres River in Baghdad, with no one including the U.S. effectively stemming this violence. Some American soldiers now tell reporters that either the Sunni or Shiite fighters will eventually win control of Iraq, that sectarian violence will not stop.

So maybe the best feature of the Iraq Study Report is that will President Bush some political cover to change Iraq policy if he is not too stubborn to do so, but for most other Americans it attempts some sort of bipartisan consensus to seek a way out of problem that only worsens by the day, and will unfortunately only end with a greatly strengthened Iran setting up for the next bigger MidEast conflict played out with nuclear weapons. 10 decent former statesmen probably spent their time on a report that will ultimately achieve little for MidEast peace and prevent the slow slide towards regional instability and a huge regional war with Israel and Iranian ally states.

David Letterman Renews CBS Contract Until 2010

David Letterman, who sometimes sends signals that he's bored with his job as host of THE LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, has signed a new contract with CBS to remain as host until at least the fall of 2010. With the spat of new programs out about that time, Letterman may be in an excellent position for a further pay increase by using leverage at that time. Reportedly, Letterman will be receiving $35 million a year, $10 million more than that of his NBC rival, Jay Leno. Dave Chappelle actually had the largest known contract at $50 million a year with COMEDY CENTRAL, that included DVD royalties, but walked away from the deal for some sort of unclear personal reasons.

Letterman will be running against Conan O'Brien who takes over THE TONIGHT SHOW for some time when Leno retires. Letterman has warmly encouraged O'Brien, but is still cool to Leno, after NBC executives passed Letterman over as TONIGHT SHOW host when Johnny Carson retired. Letterman was the personal choice of Carson, and Carson continued to quietly help Letterman out at CBS with jokes and advice. While the likable Conan O'Brien has a smaller but strong devoted audience than Leno, the late night ratings leader by a narrow margin over Letterman, it will be interesting to see whether O'Brien can maintain most of Leno's audience strength or lose many viewers to Letterman. Conan O'Brien was surprisingly good as host of the Emmy Awards this year, proving that he is far better talent and showman than many realize. Conan cannot be counted out to not maintain a sizable audience of loyal late night viewers. And with the strength of the best of the current TONIGHT SHOW writers and his own writers, may well prove to to be a major late night draw for viewers. And ABC's Jimmy Kimmel is beginning to gain some audience strength as well. The late night ratings war of the future is beginning to take shape. But it will likely be a more friendly competition than today's icy relationship between Leno and Letterman, with Letterman still reportedly unhappy at NBC executives for passing him over as the heir -apparent for Johnny Carson.

Goodyear Tires Moving More Production To China With 42Cents An Hour Labor

Goodyear Tires, the mainstay of tires for both Nascar and NHRA racing is moving more and more of it's production to China with 42cents an hour labor unfairly competing against American labor union, Steelworkers Union members. Currently many Goodyear union members are on strike, replaced by nonunion workers while more production is being sent to China. It seems to be a major union busting effort.

Goodyear claims this has moved the company towards better profitablity, however it is just another trend more high paying union jobs flowing from the U.S. Yet the all-American reputation of some sports such as NASCAR, seems at stake when so many low wage imports begin to replace former American made goods.

One hand, countries like China have greatly improved their economy by economic coups such as getting big contracts to produce formerly American made goods. On the other hand, it is only another squeeze on America's declining middle class, as the country becomes more polarized into a large pocket of working poor and a small wealthy class.

Hugo Chavez Lacks A Pragmatic Will

Confrontational President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez was unfortunately re-elected this weekend. Rather than being a true reformer for the social and economic inequity in Venezuela, Chavez is likely to maintain the economic status quo where the poor will not fare much better than they have in the past two terms of this leader who is increasingly becoming a new Fidel Castro. Like Castro, little economic gain among the poor comes from this confrontational form of leftism that solves little of the domestic problems at home of poverty and social inequity, but instead relies on blaming the U.S. at every turn.

Leftist governments like the Chinese and Vietnamese Communists are pragmatic by comparison. Cooperation with the U.S. has resulted in large and expanding trade that has dramaticly improved the economy of both states. By comparison , Castro's Cuba has lost out on a huge possible tourist trade with the U.S., and Chavez threatens the status of the state -run Citgo Oil to operate in the U.S. South American leftists don't seem to realize that Asian Communists are still Communists, but want respect in the world community, and want decent relations with large economic markets such as the U.S. to sell goods to improve their own standard of living. The Chinese and Vietnamese Communist Parties have reaped respect for the improving living conditions in their lands. But some like Hugo Chavez promise economic improvement that just never seems to come.

Castro's brother, Raul seems to be opening the door a little bit to better relations with Cuba, although the Bush Administration is unlikely to effectively act on this like President Nixon who sought to open up previously hostile and secretative China to the world. Chavez should look to these Asian examples of leftist governments that are pragmatic and take a clue. With the immense oil wealth of his nation, a product that the U.S. needs, Chavez is missing a major opportunity to improve his nation by better cooperation with the U.S.

Cable TV Offers Some Highlights And Lowlights This Week

Cable TV is offering some real highlights and some real lowpoints this week. One if the best promises to be the 2 hour season opener for THE CLOSER. This excellent police drama is more than well acted and well written. It's cable TV at it's very best. This is a must see event.

A far weaker entry is THE LIBRARIAN: RETURN TO KING SOLOMON'S MINES, an obvious RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK ripoff starring former ER star, Noah Wyle. Wyle is one of few high points in this blatant ripoff, with his usual pleasant and engaging personality caught up in a story not as nearly as good as INDIANIA JONES sagas by any means. Some silly special effects, that seem like childish HARRY POTTER ripoffs like a flying sword and harp only add to the silly nature of this so-so adventure drama that caught me fighting sleep by 45 in. Another computer-generated sequence with ghosts appeared to be the worst cheap re-enactment of another scene from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK that was memorable by comparison. Why attempt a scene so similiar to another in a far better film with a far smaller budget was only to invite a losing proposition comparison. Watch this if you wish, but be warned. Like the first LIBRARIAN from 2004 this film is disappointing, and only a little better than the first if that's saying much.

Two other cable TV comedies offer a little promise including the cruely funny comedy 10 ITEMS OR LESS, a tasteless grocery store comedy on at 11PM , and MY BOYS, another interesting comedy featuring the great comic Jim Gaffigan. This looks promising enough to watch at least once.

The Muslim World Population Bomb And The Rising Faith And State Issues

Very quietly, the world community has ignored that cultural differences within the Muslim community have encouraged this community to have disportionately large familes if sometimes seven or eight children, while other groups have either nearly replacement or declining birth rares. The steady rise in Muslim populations has eventually increased the populations so much, that traditional religious or ethnic group rule of the past has been gradually challenged.

In countries such as France and Great Britain, not only the increase in immgrants from MidEast Muslim states has created large ethnic Arab communities, but now presents a future wrest for political power in France and parts of Europe. Britain wrestles with a balance between the traditional Protestant dominated culture and a rising population with traditions in Islam.

In Turkey, the increased fundamentalist Muslim population threatens the more secular form of the government of Turkey, as Muslim fundamentalism creeps more into education and impacts what kind of NATO member or EU member Turkey could become. After the postWWI upheaval that eliminated centuries of Ottoman Empire rule that twice attempted to overrun Vienna by the sword to spread the Muslim faith as well as the WWI axis of Turkey with Germany, the more secular government of modern Turkey's declining influence as Muslim fundamentalism rises creates new challenges as how the Western world should view Turkey.

In Israel, the steady increase of the Palestinian population since the 1948 war, not only increased Palestinian political clout, but also evoked an Israeli backlash of fears of becoming a minority of the population of Israel at some point in the future and losing control of Israel to an Arab Muslim majority. This long feared, "Palestinian Population Bomb" by some in Israel only helped to fuel political negotiations on one level, but has also fueled fear and violent confrontation on the other hand.

But the one area in which the Muslim population bomb may have the greatest impact is in Russia. Th ethnic Russians are currently involved in declining birth rate cycle for many reasons, while the Muslim population of Russia is on a sharp increase cycle because of many families with seven or eight children. By the year 2050, some estimates claim that Muslims in Russia may be in the majority. If somewhat free elections still exist in Russia despite the antidemocratic nature of Putin and others, than Russia could become a Muslim dominated government with a vast nuclear weapons inventory by 2050. Depending on the nature of this government, this could mean a dangerous trend towards support for MidEast governments such as Iran or the proliferation of nuclear weapons if not open MidEast war that threatens Israel or beyond.

Cultural differences that have helped to dramaticly increase the Muslim world population is creating new political realities across the globe. Even in the U.S., the first Muslim was elected to Congress, who is now challenging that he be sworn in on a Koran and not the Bible. But then again some very flawed leaders such as Richard Nixon or Tom Delay were sweared in by the Bible, so the lpyalty of anyone to defending the values of this nation cannot be so easily defined by the book that they take the oath on. But the increasing world Muslim populations are creating new political realities the world over, and presenting new questions about the role of some with faith and state.

Britney Spears Turns 25 Today; Nation Braces For More Hard Core Partying

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Right Wing Blogs That Attack The Free Press, Limit Comments And Contrary Opinions On Their Sites

Some far right blogs that have been recently falsely claiming that AP makes up news about Iraq, curiously use various ways to limit comments and contrary statements including facts by others to challenge their outrageous one sided opinions.

One of the worst of these sites, FLOPPING ACES, uses a process where site operator "Curt", personally chooses which comments will appear. Contrary views do not seem to be allowed by him on the main site that challenge his outrageous claims, although on the Blogger operated FLOPPING ACES BACKUP, some contrary opinions seem to have been allowed without removal recently. It is also interesting that "Curt" uses this alais to hide his real identity and does not use his real full name, yet for days has made an issue about the identity of Iraqi police office Captain Jamil Gholaiem Hussein. Hypocrisy seems to show no limits. Other more credible left and right leaning website and blog operators use their real full name because they can stand behind their stories and features, and are more responsible journalists. It is trash journalists like "Curt" that stand behind an alais and print outrageous smear journalism.

Wild eyed journalist, Michelle Malkin, who always seems unduly angry about something, completely limits comments on her site. They simply don't appear. Her word is absolute, no matter how absurd her claims.

Another far right blog, NEWSBUSTERS, which is an antifree press blog solely devoted to attacks on what is claimed to be the "Liberal Media Bias", appears to be a hydralike multiheaded beast of many right wing bloggers who appear to use their real names, but use a registration proces to limit contrary comments. The site claims to oppose "media bias", yet bias is exactly what this site seems to practice, a one-sided biased attack on the free press, raising unfair doubts about mainstream press reporting.

While many other smaller examples of irresponsible right wing blogs exist, these are just three of the worst offenders. These three blogs all seek to "expose" what they claim to be problems in the press, yet limit freedom of speech, or hide behind an alais, or some other antidemocratic or antifree press means. These sites don't want facts posted that debunk their absurd claims against AP or other main media sources. Blogs may allow anyone to publish that wants to. But not everyone is responsible with this freedom it seems.

Some Right Wing Blogs Become Modern Day "Holocaust Denyers"

If anything is upsetting about the outrageous right wing attacks on the press reports of the murder of six Sunni citizens by a Shiite mob during the last few days, it is their unwitting efforts to become modern day Holocaust denyers, whe seem to be defending Shiite violence in Iraq, while denying reports of violence against Sunni Iraqis.

The press reports all examples of violence in Iraq with no political agenda and in a clearly impartial manner. By contrast when about 200 Shiites were killed and another 250 wounded by car bombs in the massive Sadr City slum area last week, the right wing blogs in America had no problem accepting this as probable acts of Sunni violence against Shiites. But when AP reported a mere six Sunni wordshippers were set on fire and the Sunni Mustata Mosque was badly damaged by blast damage, then some right wing blogs such as FLOPPING ACES, MICHELLE MALKIN and others began a concentrated effort to deny this Shiite mob violence against a mere six Sunni citizens, but accepted the killing and wounding of 450 Shiites as fact. Why such a proShiite extremist bias?

And this bizarre proShiite extremist bias by the far right has not abated in several days. The political right seems to be urging on Shiite extremists such the militia group dominated Iraqi Interior Ministry to crack down on press reporting of incidents against Sunni citizens. This same Interior Ministry has been implicated in running a torture chamber, planning crimes and violence against Sunni citizens, and possiby implicated in the planning and execution of the kidnappings and assault on the higher education offices recently. Some elements such as the radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are hoping to rid Iraq of more secular based education, and turning Iraqi education into a fundamentalist Muslim controlled entity much like the Taliban control of education in Afghanistan. Many professors have fled Iraq or have been murdered, with some of this violence possiby linked to the Iraqi government Interior Ministry, perhaps the most corrupt, violent and Shiite militia group dominated part of the official Iraqi government.

Why are some right wing blogs becoming mouthpices for the Shiite extremists and militias? Any encouragement of the Iraqi Interior Ministry to "crackdown" on press reporting of crimes against Sunni citizens will only encourage Iraq to slip into a worsening state of civil war, genocide and Shiite extremism with close ties to Iran. Why are some right wing bloggers encouraging this Shiite violence and acting like modern day "Holocaust denyers"? Why are some on the political right waging an attack on the media when they impartially report violence in Iraq? This defense of the Shiite violence against Sunni citizens is hardly in the best interests of Iraqi peace and healing. This modern day "Holocaust denial" right wing extremism on some American right wing blogs is both irresponsible and disgusting.

Just Another Day Of Iraq Situation Discouragements

Well, Thursday was certainly another day of discouraging news for any that held out hope of great breakthroughs to improve the dire situation in Iraq. Bush's conference in Jordan only turned out to be another, "You're doing a great job, Brownie" type event, similiar to his support for the much malaligned FEMA head, Michael Browne". Bush seemed to heap praise on a badly failed Iraqi leader, Nouri al-Maliki whose government is quickly failing and may not even survive for another 30 days, let alone take over Iraqi security by June as he absurdly claimed. In short this back-patting nonsense conference resolved little important issues or further shored-up Iraqi security and only resulted in the waste of jet fuel for Bush to fly to Jordan. Many gallons of jet fuel were wasted, and we can never get them back.

And the much touted soon-to-released, Baker Commission Report, while possiby leading the U.S. ever so gently from the quagmire of Iraq in words, is still likely to fall on deaf ears from the lack of deeds of President Bush who still seeks to "stay the course", and to blame the smallest group of insurgent activity, the tiny Al Qaeda presense, for the problems in Iraq.

For all the public hope for the Baker Commission to lead the U.S. out of Iraq, as though the commission is comprised of all-knowing and all-wise Moselike figures, few members are knowledgable in MidEast history or even the MidEast in general. Further few even have any military experience. Some like former Reagan Administration Attorney General Edwin Meese resigned in disgrace due to weak ethics. Meese's only real other contribution was to morally attack adult entertainment in another lengthy commission report, which was about to be expected from this mouthpiece for the Christian right wing. What Meese has to add to this commission comprised of former political has-beens is questionable. But it does illustrate that this unelected Iraq study group probably will carry far less weight with the White House than the hopes of the American public hold for it as a path out from Iraq.

In general, it's been just another frustrating day for the Iraq War, and little reason to hold out hope that a corner will soon turn.

Right Wing Bloggers' Credibility Takes A Huge Hit

Not only has the political right taken a real hit by losing control of Congress last month and only representing about 32% of American voters, but now the right is further damaging themselves by hurting any credibility or integrity standing. In the last few days some right wing journalists such as MICHELLE MALKIN and FLOPPING ACES have really left themselves out to dry by going out a crazy limb and first attempting to claim that six Sunni worshippers were not burned alive by an angry Shiite mob in response to the car bomb attacks that killed or wounded over 400 in the massive Shiite Sadr City Shiite slum area. AP quickly responded to this attack on their credibility by citing credible examples of witnesses such as a physician, grocery store owner and bookstore owners who witnessed the murders. And AP presented photographic proof that the Mustata Mosque had both the front door and a wall badly damaged by apparent bomb blast damage, and extensive interior damage to the Mosque was present as well. Instead of eating "crow", the right wing bloggers are back at with even thinner nonsense today.

Today, the right wing blogger over at FLOPPING ACES is down to questioning whether an informant to AP, an Iraqi police Captain Jamil Gholaiem Hussein even exists. And this website even uses Google Earth mapping to attempt to "prove" that this Iraqi police captain could not cover events only 5 miles away, somehow unable to believe that technology such as automobiles, telephones or computers exist in Iraq. In the last couple days, a letter from a U.S. Navy Lt. Michael Bean was paraded by right wing bloggers that questioned whether "Captain Hussein" even exists. For some reason the right wing bloggers over at FLOPPING ACES and MICHELLE MALKIN can't seem to understand that AP is likely using the name of "Captain Hussein" as an alais to protect the life and identity of an important informant to AP from being murdered by militia group death squads. This may be too deep of a concept for right wing bloggers to digest, but I'm sure most persons will clearly understand that security for important important news informants is critical in dangerous areas like Iraq. But the political right seem convinced in the their own sappy and far fetched conspiracy theory world view that because "Captain Jamil Gholaiem Hussein" could be be an alais to protect an important news informant from danger, then that means that AP makes up the news from Iraq. How the right can subscribe to such a silly premise defies common sense. But AP spokesperson, Linda Wagner already released a response to right wing bloggers citing that AP uses many sources when reporting a story.

In the last few days the right wing bloggers have gone from denying that six Sunni worshippers were burned alive to attempting to find some reason to attack the credibility of a single AP informant among many. This is simply pathetic.

Rev. Jesse Jackson Offers Up Some Continued Absurdity

I voted for Rev. Jesse Jackson in the 1988 Oregon Primary election for President. I felt that he was the best man for the office on the ballot. But I cannot support all of his words.

Today on CNN, Jackson continued attacks on comic Michael Richards after Richards appeared this weekend on Jackson's radio program. Jackson seems completely unwilling to accept that Richards has a few problems with anger and was simply not funny in his insults of customers during a controversial standup comedy performance. But Jackson didn't bother to admit that only days earlier some jokes and comments about Jews also bombed by Richards in another show. There is no reason to assume that Richards is rally a racist, just a very poor insult comic. Last night , comic Don Rickles had some hilarious racial jokes about Japanese and Hispanics and others, and today no one is after Rickles to apologize over, and over, and over again. Richards simply wasn't funny, but Jackson, Al Sharpton and a few others don't seem to get it and want to bring this up over and over on a daily basis that's absurd. Jackson once admitted that as a food service worker he would spit in the food of White people. I found it in myself to forgive these acts of racism by Jackson, andvoted for him as President. As a minister of the Gospel, Jackson should realize that to be forgiven by God for any faults requires forgiving others. Richards big sin was that he was not funny and lost his temper on stage. He's a frustrated has-been playing small comedy clubs and patrons heckle him. What could make a guy more angry than that?

Today on CNN, Jackson supported a boycott of SEINFELD. However it is Jerry Seinfeld who will get the lion's share of the DVD royalty money, much to the anger of the rest of the cast who will share very little of the royalty money. And Jackson complained that there are no late night comics that are African American, but it was very popular comic host, Arsenio Hall that decided to retire. It was also excellent comic Dave Chappelle that walked away from a $50 million dollar offer from COMEDY CENTRAL, that is twice what Jay Leno earns. It is not racism that has removed two of America's most popular comics from the airwaves. Both walked away from their popular programs for personal reasons. It was only Magic Johnson who failed in the ratings, with only one show with Howard Stern as guest that drew good ratings. Jackson needs to get his facts right. I can forgive that his facts are wrong. Jackson needs to extend forgiveness to Richards as many comics, White, Hispanic, Asian and African American tell racial jokes, but are generally funnier than the has-been Richards. Jackson needs to stop kicking a man when he's down. Richards missed good opportunities since SEINFELD including becoming the lead in MONK. He's hardly setting the world on fire playing little comedy clubs nowadays, and does not run million dollar organizations like Jackson or Sharpton. These millionaires should stop kicking a poor guy when he's down.

CNN's Michael Ware Offers Refreshing New Honesty To War Reporting

In a media world in which a certain amount of posturing often is the rule so not to offend some viewers, CNN's Australian born reporter. Michael Ware speaks from the heart and offers honest and unvarnished heartfelt opinions in his often dangerous reports from Iraq. This sets Michael Ware mile ahead of many reporters. His sheer bravery in risking his life to present important stories and his honest opinions, make this reporter one of the finest of my lifetime. He offers the warfront reporter bravery of both Ernie Pyle with the honesty that you'd expect from a great figure like Abraham Lincoln.

CNN is easily my favorite news source. Honest personalities who are great reporters set it miles ahead of wanna-be networks like FOX that varnish up the news so as to be pleasing to conservatives who seem unwilling to accept some simple reality as truth. When conservatives aren't varnishing the truth in order to make the "facts" fit, then they spend time condemning the accuracy of the media, their second favorite pastime. The truth is that conservatives have largely grown so out of touch with reality that they not see their big November election rebuke coming from the voters, and that issues like Iraq had grown way out of hand. Honest and excellent reporters like Michael Ware will keep any viewer who bothers to listen informed about the raw truth of Iraq, with no candy-coating or varnish of the facts like you'd expect from FOX. This clearly sets aside CNN as a superior news source.

Britney Spears Chooses A Bad Time To Act Wild For Photographers

Of all the important issues in the world, including the very serious situation in the MidEast, Britney Spears should hardly rate as even a bump on the screen. But for someone involved in a growing nasty divorce with her ex, Kevin Federline, her recent behavior seems hardly wise for anyone hoping to influence a divorce judge that she is a fit mother for the couple's children. If anything, Spears is only giving Federline's attorney team a treasure trove of information that is likely to haunt Spears in divorce court. All of the money in the world cannot erase a few days of extremely bad conduct, sometimes with new gal-pal, Paris Hilton.

Recent awful behavior of Spears includes "partying" until as early as 6AM with Hilton, comprising photos of leaving clubs including lewd and apparently deliberate "flashes " of her private parts to waiting photographers who are now posting these images on the Internet. For anyone hoping to impress a divorce judge as a fit parent to gain child custody, these awful and crude acts hardly offer any more than ammunition to Kevin Federline, whom himself is often a punchline to many late night comics' jokes. Often the mere mention of the name of Kevin Federline is enough to evoke laughter.

Beyond becoming a terrible role model to all the young girls who idolize her, Britney Spears seems to be involved in everything but producing some new music to sell. Her last album was several years ago, and sales have soared down from 28 million worldwide sales of her first album to only 100, 000 U.S. unit sales of a remix album of her "classics" in recent years. Unlike some in music industry such as The Rolling Stones, of which Mick Jagger has an economics background, and has treated the band as a serious business since the 1960's, Spears feels that doing everything but recording new music and doing lucrative concert tours is the right path to success. At some point the serious media needs to decide whether Spears is even a major celebrity any longer, or just a pathetic has-been who cannot even sell CDs in decent numbers to former fans or even find new some new ones. Even Maddona at least produces some new great albums and concert tours in between any personal news. With Spears it's just mainly bad personal news with no new music or concert tours. Images of public clubbing, lewd flashes to photographers, not once, but four times in the last few days, hardly seem like a good path to a revival or comeback for the former undisputed Queen of pop of this century. Everything looks more like a trainwreck than a clear path of clear thinking to think about her actions and the consequences of them for her life and career.

Keeping Americans Living Below The Poverty Line Goes High Tech

The business of keeping many Americans living below the poverty line is big business in America. New businesses have even sprung up, solely to keep many Americans saddled with very low wages below the Federal poverty level.

Some fast food businesses in Beaverton, Oregon where the minimum wage stands at $7.35 an hour such as McDonalds are now using remote drive-through operators to save $4,888 a year in normal full time wages by using a Fargo, North Dakota computer and business "solutions" company, SGI. SGI actually sets up other businesses such as Verity, in a neighboring town of just about 800 persons in North Dakota, which employs 150 young women to operate computers and headsets part-time, for the lower wage of just $5.15 an hour. Hiring these women for part-time computer and drive through work avoids offering health insurance and other benefits as well, and keeps any single mothers below the Federal poverty level, relying on food stamps, public housing or public health programs if they cannot make ends meet.

North Dakota is already a low wage "right to work" state, and like other "right to work" states, the per capita income of persons in North Dakota suffers compared to free states where workers are freely able to unionize for better wages, job benefits and working conditions. North Dakota ranks as #32 in per capita income in the U.S.

Even though some McDonalds in Oregon raised prices about 10cents an item in order to help pay for the minimum wage increase in Oregon, using remote drive-through operators is now being used by some McDonalds to now lower wages. Using computer technology, the workers at the local McDonalds receive the order from the North Dakota operator and make up the order. Many McDonalds and other fast food operators use a work crew highly comprised of high school students, Hispanic or Russian immigrants, or slightly older workers who cannot find work, to work for low wage part-time food service jobs. For workers older than high school age, this usually means a lifestyle living below the Federal povery level, especially if children are present in the family.

There is no guarantee that many fast food businesses are satisfied solely to use lower minimum wage workers from other states such as "right to work" states to keep wages low. Remote drive-through operators who speak English from India or other areas could be used to keep wages low in the near future. Many large corporations already use cheaper Indian labor for phone operators for product customer service lines. It is unfortunate that the business of keeping many Americans living below the poverty line is big business in America.

Loophole May Allow For Wage Reductions If Minimum Wage Increases

One dirty little secret is that businesses in some American states are allowed to pay as little as $2.00 an hour wages by classifying their workers as "waiters". This loophole allows for wages as low as $2.00 based on some premise that "tips" will pay the difference in salary. But this loophole really means that many food service workers are condemned to a very low wage lifestyle with little hope of ever achieving the American dream, and instead looking to public health programs and food stamps or public assistance programs to help these persons and their families to live.

One unfortunate fact is likely that many food service businesses will undermine any Democratic efforts in Congress to increase the minimum wage unless some provisions are in place not to move many food service workers into a "waiter" classification in order to reduce wages. And among Republicans such as John McCain, some are already lining up with business to keep wages low. McCain plays himself as a "mainstream" conservative, but sides with big business, supports increasing troops to Iraq, and voted against protecting Gay American from hate crimes.

Despite a Democratic majority in Congress, it will be interesting to see whether the big money restaurant and other lobby groups will allow the wages for the working classes' wages to increase or not. Whether a clear majority in Congress will honor the public will as in a number states, voters voted to increase the minimum wage, remains to be seen. The fight to increase the minimum wage will test the politicians vs. the big business lobby organizations and big corporate contributors and the public will for a minimum wage increase. Since 1997, Congress has raised it's own salary 9 times, but not once for the working class. This issue will test the soul of the new Congress.

Iran And Syria Only Increasing MidEast Influence Over Iraq As The U.S. Stands By Helplessly

Iran stands to be the big winner in gaining influence in the MidEast, as the U.S. seems only to stand by helplessly as both Iran and Syria are approaching Iraq . With no real goals to effectively engage either Iran or Syria and force some concessions, the U.S. is only allowing these nations to pick up the pieces of the badly tattered Iraq policy. This is both dangerous for the MidEast and long range goals for any peace for Israel or any U.S. foreign policy objectives. Vice President Cheney may currently attempting to secure some Saudi Arabian help for Iraq, but Saudi Arabia is hardly aqble to offer much or to gain much compared to the what Iran may gain by solidifying the MidEast under their dominance.

The failure of the Bush administration to effectively engage in any dialogue with potential adversary states strongly contrasts with past administrations that maintained a dialogue with the Soviet Union during the Cold war years and peace agreements that limited arm and the worldwide balance of nuclear weapons. This is yet another major area of Bush administration ineptness, when foreign policy professionalism is really needed to force concessions from Iran and Syria and to at least attempt to achieve something instead of allowing Iran and Syria a free hand to benefit from our loss of money and money in Iraq .

Will The Iraqi Government Collapse Soon?

With renewed sectarian violence in Iraq at an all-time high, and threats from the faction of nearly 40 parliament members associated with the radical cleric Sadr to withdraw from the government if Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki meets with President Bush next week in Jordan, it may signal that the government in Iraq is nearing collapse very soon. This will leave the U.S. in a deep problem of how to replace this government since it decided to pursue the failed path of democratic elections for a nation not at all ready for democracy. Normally an ineffective government could simply be replaced by the U.S. with another puppet government, bendable to U.S. foreign policy goals. With the increased violence in Iraq, and the government not seeming to be shored up no matter what the U.S. does, the U.S. is no doubt considering legal options to bring a reliable ally such as Dr. Ayad Allawi into power, while holdong out only a faint hope for the success of the al-Maliki government. With no militia group to truly call his own, al-Maliki's hold on power in Iraq has always been very weak to say the least, only borrowing some support from Shiite militia groups.

Buying Locally Keeps $45 In Your Local Community

Some economic studies have concluded that when buyers buy locally, they are keeping $45 in their local community compared to buyers who buy at big national chains such as Wal-Mart in which only $14 stays in the local community. In this coming holiday season, this speaks highly for buying at smaller shops and dealers in order to keep more money in your community for jobs and schools. Even worse, large retailers seem to depend more and more on goods that imported from nations such as China that sends much of the money out of the country. In fact the purchase of any larger imported goods such as sutomobiles, electronics, etc. sends a significant amount of cash flow out of the U.S., and with a very bad trade deficit, it is deeply difficult for the U.S. to get much of this money back through trade as the U.S. exports except for agriculture lag badly behind most other importers volume.

Have A Vegan Thanksgiving

I'm happy to say that no animals will be harmed for my Thanksgiving today, where I'll be having some Tofurky or oher vegan food products. No animals will be cooked for my benefit, as I'll eat only vegetables today and show respect for God's creation. The following is a list of celebrities who are also vegans and will no doubt be celebrating with a vegan feast today that respects the life of animals:

Casey Afleck, Gillian Anderson, Fiona Apple, Elizabeth Berkley, Jessica Biel, Brandy, Linda Blair, James Cromwell, Daryl Hannah, Woody Harrelson, Samuel L. Jackson, Congressman Dennis Kucinch, Carl Lewis, Natalie Merchant, Moby, Joaquin Phoenix, Pink, Prince, Alicia Silverstone, Grace Slick, Lindsay Wagner and many, many others.

Have a happy and meatless Thanksgiving, and give the turkeys a break today. There's plenty of other healthy things to eat. Your food doesn't need to have a face and feelings to be healthy for you. Plenty of healthy vegan food alternatives exist. The very best to you and all animals today! God bless.

Weird Al Discusses Michael Richards' "Zone".

In a quick little on-street interview, Weird Al Yankovic discussed how Michael Richards used to go "into a zone" during the UHF film they worked together on a few years ago, a spout out outrageous comedy without even thinking. In reality, probably many comics such as Robin William also get "into this zone" as well. Off the top of their head, a creative process of telling jokes just flows. But in the case of Michael Richards, the jokes just were not funny and bombed terribly, and he is no doubt heartbroken at the results. The public needs to be understanding of Richards, that he has missed some major opportunities since SEINFELD, such as the lead character in MONK, and now has ruined his opportunity at stand-up comedy, which is hardly setting the world on fire. Mr. Richards is a very good comic, who has been the victim of many unfortunate bad career decisions since SEINFELD and deserves some level of pity and forgiveness. Don Rickles and others have handled insult comedy far better than Richards did a few nights ago. Rickles, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Carlos Mencia and Jay Leno would use racial, ethnic and other comedy insults, but in a far funnier matter than the horriby failed effort of Richards which came across as simply insulting and mean, and much of the audience simply got up and left. It's hard to pick up the pieces after such a bad act, but that's about all that Richards can do. Some would like Richards to stop performing after this, but that's too cruel for someone whose jokes horriby failed when he went "into a zone" a few nights ago, and the "zone" simply was not funny like usual.

Actor Kevin Nealon And Others Donating Time To Feed Less Fortunate Today

One great thing about today is that some well known persons are offering their time today to help feed the less fortunate such as actor Kevin Nealon. And many others will drop in at missions and other locations before the day is over to offer help to the poor or less fortunate. It's very impressive how many wonderful persons such as Kevin Nealon take time out for charity work and offer their time to make the lives of others better. God bless them for their good works to the poor.

A Wasted "Black Friday" Opportunity?

Some stores are running huge ads in print or electronic media for fantastic deals on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving big sales event known as "Black Friday". But Kroger Corporation which acquired Fred Meyer stores a few years back is using the opportunity to promote an ad that is a TWILGHT ZONE parody about missing socks and a half price sock sale with little else promoted in the ad. A clever bit of advertising, or a grand wasted opportunity? Black Friday morning sales will only tell. My best guess is that few customers will be knocking down the doors at 5 in morning for a half price pair of socks when they could be scooping up far better specials elsewhere.

SEINFELD Star, Michael Richards, Hits A Rough Personal Patch

Former beloved SEINFELD star, Michael Richards hit a really rough personal patch this week when his Los Angeles standup comedy performance didn't go very well and he went into a racist tirade after he was heckled by some disappointed club customers who felt that Richards simply was not funny. Last night, in a obvious state of dispair, Richards gave a rambling apology on a satellite feed on DAVID LETTERMAN that almost raised more questions than it really resolved.

Michael Richards is a serious actor who puts up his very best effort in anything that he does. He is also an avid reader as well. But since SEINFELD, success just hasn't come as easy.

One of the big breaks for Richards after SEINFELD was a new comedy program for NBC. But the pilot was a very disappointing mystery/sitcom that test audiences simply did not like at all, and after being rewritten as a more typical sitcom, the larger NBC viewing public also did not like THE MICHAEL RICHARDS SHOW either. In another sad twist, some debate exist whether Michael Richards opted out of the opportunity to play MONK, as even the character was written for him, and Tony Shaloub went on to win Emmy awards in this big cable hit comedy detective show.

Michael Richards simply has not had that had that big break since SEINFELD that has gone his way. Before SEINFELD, Richards was first known as the lovable big loaf who was childlike in ABC's s answer to SNL, FRIDAYS, who played with army men in a sandbox with an army helmut and his t-shirt, setting fire to his toys. A few years later in Weird Al's UHF, Richards was excellent as janitor Standley Spadowski, and one of his very best roles ever.

Richards is actually a sensitive man who cares very much about his work. He is no doubt frustrated that success is simply not coming very easy like during the SEINFELD years. But for most of the cast, lightning has not struck twice either. About all Richards can do is to hope for a new big break, but his latest outburst only pulls him further from that goal. Life after a major sitcom success can indeed be very frustrating. We only wish Richards the very best.

Russian Steel Giant, Evraz, To Buy Oregon Steel For $2.3 Billion Dollars

Russian steel giant, Evraz Group, has made an offer to buy Portland, Oregon based Oregon Steel for $2.3 in stock value, or about 22% higher than the current value of Oregon Steel stock to gain an important Russian entry into the U.S. market. Given the massive financial strength of Evraz group which is also a major producer of coal, ore and vanadium, which was thought to be valued at around a $5.15 billion equity after floating some 8% of London stock issues in 2005, it proves an agressive plan for this Russian steel giant to gain an important foothold in the weakened U.S. steel industry, where most of the Pennsylvania based American steel mills are either in bankruptcy or in very soft financial condition.

As the American steel industry, like other American manufacturing continues to erode, foreign companies from Japan, China and now even Russia, find these companies to be prime take-over targets. This only furthers the trend of the decline of American industry and the piece by piece take-over of the American economy by powerful foreign industries.

Not Is All Smiles Among Nations That Attended Conference In Vietnam

A recent Pew Global Attitudes Survey has well proved that not all is really smiles among many of the nations that attended the Asian summit in Vietnam this weekend. While 95% of Chinese feel that both their economic and military buildups are a positive thing, half of those in India don't feel that the economic boom in China is a positive thing, and three out of five are fearful of the military buildup. Back in 1962, India and China were involved in a border war, and bad feelings still run deep.

Even worse are the relations between China and Japan. While 8 out of ten in China feel that the Japanse apology for WWII has not been adequate, current conservative JapanesePrime Minister Shinzo Abe endorses a revisionist view of Japanese WWII history that supports Japanese student pride in their nation, ignoring the horrible war crimes such as the Rape Of Nanking that continues to create conflict between China and Japan.

India and Pakistan continue to hold unfavorable views of each other as a whole. And among Russians, China is still viewed somewhat unfavorably due to some border tensions along the Amur River during the Cold War era.

The conference in Vietnam, including what looked like an "all smiles" class picture was little more than a posed event for the cameras, masking some deep divisions in Asia.

The Doors Release Their Greatest Ever Boxed Set

The surviving members of The Doors have set aside their differences long enough to work together to release their greatest ever boxed set and a new book. The feuding betwern former drummer John Densmore and Ray Manzerek and Robbie Kreiger started a few years ago when Densmore led the families of Jim Morrison and his common law wife, Pamela Courson, into a lawsuit which prevented Manzerek and Kreiger from licensing Doors songs such as BREAK ON THROUGH to Cadillac for TV advertising purposes. About all this did was to cut some people out of sharing some royalty money that they could probably benefit from. The Who and others had no problem licensing their songs to TV such as CSI, and it keeps their name out there.

Densmore's lawsuit made no real sense, and only led to a feud with Manzerek and Kreiger, whose attempt at creating a new Doors revival band was quickly ruined by Densmore's lawsuit. But now it seems like all is set aside for the release of a great new boxed set release.

PERCEPTION is a 12 disc boxed set that sells for over $100, that features 6 cds of the original six Doors studio albums with extra unreleased tracks that have all been beautifully remastered by longtime Doors engineer, Bruce Botnick. Some of these items are very interesting, although nearly all fall far below the excellent quality of the final released Doors classics. The Doors would often kick around a song for many years before it was finely crafted into an experted done rock classic. Some Doors songs existed for nearly as long as 1967 before making it onto the final 1971 LA WOMAN album for example. Many of the songs seem a little more blues oriented than many of the final Doors classic from their studio albums as well. The Doors certainly were not a blues outfit like Canned Heat, but certainly had a very tradition steeped in the blues as the bonus tracks more than indicate.

But what really makes PERCEPTION really stand out is the six DVDs that come with each studio cd, with each album remastered into Dolby 5.1 surround sound, an great video footage from concerts and other Doors historic landmarks. It is these six DVDs in the beautiful Dolby 5.1 surround sound and the video footage that is a real prize and really makes this box set far away the best Doors box set ever released. This is must have for Doors fans and the definitive collection of their fantastic and haunting classics which only seem to grow better and better with age. Jim Morrison was only a backing vocalist in the early version of The Doors before the release of their 1967 album, but is now seen as one of the greatest rock performers ever. PERCEPTION is a powerful statement to prove the greatness of The Doors.

Become A Progressive Values Feature Writer

I like to avoid personal items here and be able to stick to vital commentary on issues, culture and entertainment features, but I've been having some serious health issues for about six weeks now. Without any established team of co-writers, it makes it very hard to post features when I'm simply too ill and tied down with medical appointments. I'm certainly very open to anyone who shares the progressive ideology of this website, and certainly does not to have to agree with me on every item to also post features here.

This is your opportunity to offer more posts on this website without all the work of having to build your own website, and help to grow the viewership.

Email me at radiotvpartz@juno.com if you're interested in joining Progressive Values. Even some guest with opinions far different than my own will be welcome as well. Writers with interests in politics, religion, culture, books, movies, TV, etc. are needed. This can become a great community with more writers. Give it a try.

U.S. May Seek Some Way To Get Dr. Ayad Allawi Back Into Power In Iraq

There appears to be a widespread view held in Washington that there is little way that Iraqi Prime Minister's Nouri al-Maliki's government can ever succeed in Iraq. This government is increasingly seen as ineffective at home in Iraq, and is seen by Washington as too deeply involved with corruption and dominated by Shia militia groups. More and more the name of Ayad Allawi is coming up as a viable and capable alternative. The only problem is how to corcumvent the failed experiment at Iraqi democracy and get Dr. Allawi into power. A short time aho I discusssed the possibility of a coup in Iraq. From behind the scenes, no doubt Washington is rethinking some scenarios by which Dr. Allawi can be brought into power, with or without the benefit of an election.

America's key to an exit of troops from Iraq is a stable government. A stable government can mean some relative peace to this sectarian strife torn state created by Winston Churchill shortly after WWI from three Muslim ethnic groups with nothing in common after oil was discovered in Iraq. With up to 220 billion barrels of undiscovered oil in Iraq, Iraq remains the most oil rich state in the world if peace and stability can be achieved there. The British effort after WWI and the latest American/British efforts are little more than old fashioned examples of colonialism, based on a search for oil assets in a backward part of the world. It would still serve every major purpose for someone who is seen as generally reliable and trustworthy such as former Baathist, Dr. Ayad Allawi to take up the leadership role in Iraq.

Allawi would have been the very best choice for Iraqi citizens to make in their first election, but with no tradition in democracy ever, and a widespread lack of literacy and education, it was the religious groups and militias that quickly were able to gain wide winning political strength over the far more capable and secular oriented Allawi. There is likely that a consensus is starting to build that in Washington as well as London that Allawi is the best way out for the military mess in Iraq, and the best shot at relative stability, reconstruction and the eventual oil industry of the U.S. and Britain to gain some control over Iraqi oil development. The oil industry would love to get back on this track by someone like Allawi providing stability to Ira, which means that democracy in Iraq may soon be pushed aside for at least some time to achieve this goal. This would mean that Iraq was simply not ready yet for democracy, with the failed election one prime reason why the Iraq situation has failed so badly.

Iraqi Prime Minister Hopes To Arrange The Deck Chairs On The Titantic

Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri Al-Maliki, now claims that adjusting some cabinet positions is somehow the key to improved security in Iraq. This is hardly the answer to the declining security situation in Iraq.

Just last week, Maliki made statements that accused both Jews and Israel for the sectarian violence problems in Iraq, although not a single shred of evidence supports this outrageous and absurd view. The Iraqi parliament is dominated by many Shiite militia groups such as the one associated with radical antiAmerican cleric al-Sadr, and Nouri Al-Maliki draws his political power from these radical militia groups. Al-Maliki steadfastly refuses to clamp down on these milita groups or their death squad supporters. As much as 70% of the Iraqi police mat be aligned with Shiite militias that routinely abduct and kill Sunni citizans who hold only weak power in the Iraqi parliament.

Al Qaeda is simply too weak to ever control Iraq, as only about 500 Iraqi and 500 foreign fighters belong to this terrorist organization, but the total of Shiite, Sunni and Kurdish militia members run into the hundreds of thousands, and far all intents have established a terrorist government, mainly of Shiite militia groups. American soliers have even been put under restrictions by the current Iraqi government, and told which militia groups they are even allowed to fight or attempt to disarm.

There is really no way for American soldiers to secure such a situation because of the problems the current government in Iraq causes and how this government actively promotes sectarian violence. Al-Maliki may think that blaming Jews for the violence or some minor cabinet post changes are what is needed in Iraq. But a whole new government, free of militia groups and massive corruption and inclusive of Sunni, Kurdish as well as Shiite members to promote a geniune peace and a real commitment to Iraqi security is really what's needed, not just some meaningless deck chair change on the Titantic.

60 MINUTES Will Celebrate The Life Of The Great Ed Bradley Tonight

Tonight, 60 MINUTES will be mostly a tribute to their great friend, Ed Bradley. Bradley was a very great man and will be greatly missed from the series. Despite losing his hair to chemotherapy from his cancer, Bradley continued to offer some great late interviews including one with Howard Stern that was a lot of fun. But it was his many years of work that really defined the greatness of Bradley.

Starting out as a teacher, who also spun jazz records as a disc jockey, Bradley evolved into a reporter covering the Vietnam War and was wounded in a mortar attack. Later while reporting on the Vietnamese boat people, Bradley helped to rescue these people rather than merely report the story, and won a journalism award and quickly became a beloved journalist to many Americans. Bradley added a great deal to the reporting on 60 MINUTES, known for being a cool guy when interviewing musicians or singers like Mick Jagger, or being tough with business weasels who cheat the poor.

Bradley was a real class act, a very great man, and of great character and ability. 60 MINUTES just will not be he same without him. I strongly recommend that you set your VCRs or DVD recorders to record tonight's tribute to Bradley. You'll want to save this program .

CASINO ROYALE Drawing Excellent Reviews In The U.K.

The new James Bond franchise film, CASINO ROYALE, is drawing excellent reviews from reviewers. mainly from the U.K. so far despite many reports of production related problems during the filming. Daniel Craig at first drew great concern among many loyal fans of the franchise after some reports that seemed to indicate that he was ill-suited to the role of James Bond. Instead, reviewers are now praising Craig as bringing an intensity to role, and being perhaps the most serious actor ever chosen for the role. Most reviewers now claim that Craig is either the best James Bond since Sean Connery or even better suited to the role than even Sean Connery. That's a very high regard.

In the past few years, despite good box office sales, Pierce Brosnan just hasn't seemed able to carry the role as well as one would have hoped. Brosnan certainly looked like James Bond, but something in his acting seemed to just miss with audiences. Brosnan certainly had the ability to carry the role with a little self-parody and humor, much like Rodger Moore had succeeded in doing, but even that seemed to miss with audiences. Instead, Bronan appeared to be barely adequate for the role, and the series began to grow tired. The last film seemed to be especially lacking in many areas, and was almost enough to end the flagging franchise. But actor Daniel Craig has taken an excellent script based loosely on the Ian Fleming novel, CASINO ROYALE, and produced a stripped down, prequel style of a James Bond film that critics are saying really works.

Craig has once again redefined the James Bond character with the no nonsense toughness of Sean Connery, but with more edge yet. With a basic storyline that avoids many of the gadgets of the later films, this prequel now stands as one of the best of the Bond franchise films and a real jolt to reinvent the franchise for the coming years. There will be great temptation to grow the franchise back into the overblown classics of absurdly outrageous villans, huge sets, silly gadgets and a parade of Bond girls. But with this new basic re-invention of the series working so well, any tinkering with this new formula must be carefully done. The film seems a little like the basicness of the early FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, but achieved with far better skill and yielding great results. Overall a very good addition to the series, breathing new life into the franchise with a film that really works on many levels, including the excellent acting of Daniel Craig, a surprisingly good choice as the new James Bond.

Tower Records & The Decline Of The Record Store

Tower Records is much like other record stores, caught in a declining demand market for brick and mortar record stores that sell CDs where in 1992 roughly 5,000 record stores existed in the U.S., but now less than 1,700 remain in business today. Too much competition from online music sources such as downloads or low cost retailers such as Half.com have really taken the wind out of the sales of the traditional record store.

Tower Records will now close all retail stores in the U.S., but is keeping it's online website open. Part of the problem is that by keeping a massive catalog of slow selling back copy CDs, in high rent locations. It has always been a financial recipe for financial disaster, as most large retailers look for a good return per square foot of retail space as the rent is usually determined by square foot. Large big inventory record stores never do well in a declining market for records, where the large and slow selling back catalog becomes a prime reason for financial strangulation and tight cash flow problems. Smaller stores that deal with a specialty market or carry an inventory closer to the top sellers can sometimes better insulate itself against market contractions. For larger stores, the big inventory is impressive to browers, but makes little good financial sense.

It is deeply sad that Tower Records is disappearing from the scene. I bought some of my Doors albums from the Sunset Strip Tower Records, and many of my T.Rex import albums from another Portland location. A large inventory of imports and back copies of older records was always a Tower Records plus. For years, their collection of 45's was very impressive as well. It is deeply sad as a record fan to see such a great 1960's business like Tower Records fade into the Sunset. However, the www.towerrecords.com website remains one of the most fun websites to spend time checking out and listening to the short music samples. Some retailers of records in Portland, Oregon are now edging into buying used merchandise to sell along side their new merchandise to offer better prices. Retailers are having to find new ways to compete in a market where CDs are selling for about $16, with only two or three great songs, and buyers looking elsewhere like the internet to purchase single songs for ipods, etc.

Democrats Gained Some Vital Leverage In Ohio For 2008

Of all the states in the union, Ohio has become the kingmaker in all modern presidential elections. No modern president has been elected without winning Ohio. Democrats like Carter and Clinton won Ohio and the White House, as have all modern Republicans who have won the presidency. As Ohio goes, then so goes the nation. It is the best political barometer of all.

After 16 years of Republican governors, Democrat Ted Strickland was elected governor. Some analysts believe that a governor can move about three points of voters to their party during a presidential election. Democrat Sherrod Brown also defeated two term Republican Senator Mike Dewine. Democrats gained in the congressional delegation as well. And Democrats gained in statewide offices such as attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer, and while gaining seats in both the statew House and Senate, did fall short of taking over these chambers of government.

Ohio is unlike other big industrial states which are pretty much "blue" states. It is a swing state. But if Democrats can rule effectively in Congress and achieve goals that benefit the average citizen, then their chances in 2008 look pretty good in Ohio based on the 2006 election returns. In the grand scheme of things, Ohio is indeed the kingmaker of all the 49 states. So goes Ohio, so goes the nation.

Al Qaeda Offers Another Video That Speaks Volumes About Their Weakness

Al Qaeda in Iraq offered up another video today that speaks far more about the weakness of the organization that it's strengths. There was an absurd claim that of 12,000 members, when all of the best intelligence estimates believe that no more than 500 Iraqi members and 500 foreign fighters are aligned with Al Qaeda in Iraq. That puts the Al Qaeda claim pretty far from accepted reality. It is the Shiite and Suuni militia groups that have members that can run into the tens of thousands per organization that are the real cause of most Iraqi violence, mainly of a sectarian nature in Iraq. Al Qaeda in Iraq now seems down to accepting responsibility for violence it has no part in. That's pretty pathetic.

And as another sign of weakness, senior Al Qaeda members are leaving Afghanistan for their native lands. While NATO has their hands tied up with a serious struggle, likely Al Qaeda is losing enough senior members with some real skills so they are better needed in other areas to recruit, rather than face eventual death at the hands of NATO forces. This also doesn't speak well for this organization.

But at the same time American and European intelligence should be concerned that this organization could attempt to pull off something dramatic to prove that they are still relevant as far as terrorist organizations go. There is little doubt that as many as 800 million of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims are antiU.S. or antiwestern to some degree, but there is great doubt that Al Qaeda represents very many of these Muslims.

Al Qaeda seems stuck in supporting low budget attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan, sometimes using the same old weapons caputured from the Soviets in the war with them in Afghanistan in the 1980's, using old fighters from this war. Sending out a VHS to the media is a really low budget way to prove that they are still around, when Shiite and Sunni miltia organization violence is getting all the attention in Iraq, and Al Qaeda in Iraq is increasingly only a very minor player in Iraqi violence. When Al Qaeda hits the skids, VHS videos always seem to follow. It's down to that for this organization, which certainly proves that some progress has been made against this ruthless organization of cold blooded killers and disregard for life.