Brooklyn Loses One Of It's Own

As the casualty figures rise faster and faster for our troops in Iraq, it is easy for many of us to only see the figures. Yet, behind each number there is a name, a family and a community that knew each and every soldier that went to fight for this godforsaken war. One of those soldiers was Sgt. Kimel Watt. This twenty-one year old joined the Army for a better life, yet he was blown up by a roadside bomb instead.

His family is devastated, their son is taken from them with so much more life to live. One of the hardest things to do in life is to lose a child and now the Watt family has to take on that task as do hundreds of parents every month that hear the grim news from Iraq.

From The Daily News:

His heartbroken dad, Clifton Watt, 63, said Kimel was "a wonderful son" who joined the Army right out of Automotive High School in Brooklyn, hoping to get computer training for a civilian career.

"He was really good with computers," the father said, but added sadly his son never got the training he sought.

"He just wanted to get a good job and help the family," the father said, sitting in the living room of the family home on Hemlock St. in East New York, his eyes welling.

"Now, he's gone, and I don't know if we can live without him."

Kimel leaves behind his mother, father and five siblings. Mr. President, how much more of this do we have to take?

Camp Casey Has A New Owner

When Cindy Sheehan announced she would no longer be the figurehead of the anti-war movement, she put Camp Casey up for sale as well. The five acre patch outside of Crawford, Texas served as a base camp to protest the President and his awful war. Cindy was initially going to put the land up for auction on EBay, but threats from certain GoOPers made her hesitate. Instead, former newscaster and current progressive talk show host Bree Walker has decided to buy the plot.

From the Brad Blog:

A former Los Angles newscaster turned progressive talk radio host, Bree Walker, will be purchasing Cindy Sheehan's 5-acre property near the Bush ranch in Crawford, Texas, The BRAD BLOG has learned.

Walker, currently a resident of San Diego, was previously a television news anchor in Los Angles and New York. She confirmed the news to us moments ago, in an exclusive interview, that she intends to keep the property "as a ground for freedom and peace" and is considering erecting a memorial there for troops killed in Iraq. She hopes to create a meditation garden on the grounds and to keep it open to the public.

"I'm cashing out my capitalist corporate stocks and buying into a legacy of peace," she told The BRAD BLOG moments ago. Sheehan will be selling the property for the same price she purchased it for so as not to be seen as profiting from the sale, Walker explained.

I remember Bree when I lived in L.A., she was a local news anchor for CBS at the time, but I had no idea she was a devoted liberal. It is great to see someone who cares for the anti-war movement, exemplified by this purchase as well as contributing to the progressive talk community. Kudos!

You can catch Bree on KTLK 1150 AM in Los Angeles from 2-4 Pacific time on Saturdays and on the web at www.ktlk.com

Darfur: It's Enough!

The Enough Project made this little PSA to remind us what is going on over in the turbulent region of Africa known as Darfur. Take a moment to see their website and help out.

George Washington Comes Back To Scold Bush On The War

Things are getting so bad in Iraq that our first President, George Washington had to come back and go on Meet The Press to chastise Bush on his handling on the war. Bush said he trusted his Generals, but many of them have opined only to have their ideas fall on the deaf ears of the White House. Well one of our very first Generals that helped win the Revolutionary War had to make an appearance to get the message through to President #43.

From The Onion:

WASHINGTON, DC—Breaking a 211-year media silence, retired Army Gen. George Washington appeared on NBC's Meet the Press Sunday to speak out against many aspects of the way the Iraq war has been waged.

Washington, whose appearance marked the first time the military leader and statesman had spoken publicly since his 1796 farewell address in Philadelphia, is the latest in a string of retired generals stepping forward to criticize the Iraq war.

"This entire military venture has been foolhardy and of ill design," said Washington, dressed in his customary breeches and frilly cravat. "The manifold mistakes committed by this president in Iraq carry grave consequences, and he who holds the position of commander in chief has the responsibility to right those wrongs."

I couldn't have said it better myself. Mr. Washington may want to make his next appearance in attire that is more befitting the 21st century, but showing up is good enough. If Bush won't listen to the American people of today, perhaps he's more willing to listen to one of the founding fathers.

Another Lesson In Conservative Hypocrisy

In case you haven't gotten it that conservative tend to be massive hypocrites when it comes to preaching one thing and doing another, we the example of Robert Bork today. If you remember, he was a Supreme Court Justice nominee that didn't make it to the bench during the Reagan years. He is also a big proponent of tort reform to rid the nation of so-called frivolous lawsuits.

From The American Constitution Society:

Judge Robert Bork, one of the fathers of the modern judicial conservative movement whose nomination to the Supreme Court was rejected by the Senate, is seeking $1,000,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, after he slipped and fell at the Yale Club of New York City. Judge Bork was scheduled to give a speech at the club, but he fell when mounting the dais, and injured his head and left leg. He alleges that the Yale Club is liable for the $1m plus punitive damages because they "wantonly, willfully, and recklessly" failed to provide staging which he could climb safely.

I hope he recovers from his injuries but a repudiation of his entire ethos might be in order here. Suing for a million dollars because there wasn't a rail to hold going up a small set of stairs? Come on, that is frivolity at its best. His friends in the tort reform community didn't take too kindly to the lawsuit either.

From Overlawyered:

Before someone accuses us of playing this down, let me be out front and say that I find Judge Bork's slip and fall suit against the Yale Club embarrassingly silly. The Wall Street Journal has the complaint. Judge Bork, speaking at the Yale Club, attempted to climb a raised dais that had no stairs or handrail; the 79-year-old failed to do so, and fell back, and hurt himself severely. I sympathize with Judge Bork's serious injuries, but it's beyond me what his lawyers are thinking in asking for punitive damages. And if any danger is open and obvious such that there is an assumption of the risk, surely the absence of stairs to reach a lectern on a dais is—especially if the dais is of the "unreasonable" height that the complaint alleges it to be.

He's right, this is embarrassingly silly. A million dollar suit for having no handrails is a little nuts. If he needed some assistance to get up the stairs in his old age, he could have just asked. That would be taking personal responsibility. But no, he has to go and file a frivolous lawsuit.

Taking a step back from the incident, Bork fought against all lawsuits that went after large corporations that were not complying with the law or treating their employees fairly. It wasn't just about slipping on some stairs and wanting a million dollars. What he fought against was the average American making claims against people that did them wrong.

PoliticsTV Top Ten Of The Week

Just like clockwork, PoliticsTV puts together another set of web videos that made their top ten of the week:

Norman Siegel, Public Advocate Running For The Job He Already Does

In this 24/7, 365 days a year world of campaigning, the candidates are already shaping up for the city's next election in 2009. One of those offices that will be looked at besides the Mayor's race is for Public Advocate. For far too long, no one in that office has really looked out for the citizens of New York City. Norman Siegel has done a fantastic job of it, despite not having the official title. So in addition to mole333 at Daily Gotham, I would like to advocate for Norm's bid to take the seat two years from now. Here's what mole333 had to say.

From The Daily Gotham:

Many people are speculating who is going to be running. Names I have heard kicked around include Chris Owens (now eyeing Brooklyn BP), David Yassky (who really should run for Marty Connor's senate seat, many believe), and Marty Markowitz (who some people say should just give up the facade and go on Bruce Ratner's payroll).

But the name that most who really care about civil liberties are waiting to hear is Norm Siegel. Norm has run twice in the past. I have met him both times and found him to be the ideal man for the job. In fact, he has been our real public advocate for decades. He was Executive Director of the NY Civil Liberties union for 15 years. Since then, according to Democracy for NYC, he has done the following for New Yorkers:

Norman has advocated for and represented myriad groups including:

* the newly created Association of New York City Education Councils
* the Williamsburg community's right to keep its local firehouse open
* Prospect Heights, Brooklyn and Harlem communities working to stop the government from using eminent domain to take their homes for the enrichment of private developers
* firefighters and non-profits seeking the implementation of a skyscraper safety program and provisions for our firefighters to guarantee they have proper working communication equipment
* families who lost a loved one on September 11th, 2001, as they seek the public release of materials from that day, including 911 emergency tapes and transcripts (Norman argued this case in the New York Court of Appeals on February 9th).

Siegel already has a great record protecting citizens from big business, so there is no reason for him not to take the job for real. There are other great candidates that are positioning themselves to run, but Norman takes the cake.

I was able to see him live and in person at Democracy for New York City's Spring Bash last week and I was extremely impressed with his short speech. The crowd there obviously adored him, making for a nice little base to build support on. He placed second to that Betsy Who? character in 2005 and should easily beat should she run again.

Bush's "Stomach Virus"

George Bush skipped out on part of the G8 conference this week due to what was announced as a stomach virus. However a certain photograph seen here might raise some suspicions about what made George so sick. As an admitted alcoholic (who found God so he doesn't drink says the President) George has/had a fondness for the drink. Seeing him drink what officials insist is a non-alcoholic beer can certainly raise a few red flags.

Even non-alcoholic beer has minute amounts of alcohol in it. It is never a wise decision for one of George's kind to partake in it. Tasting it might make George want the real thing (if it isn't a real one already). I wonder what people say in his AA meetings...oh wait, he doesn't go to them.

Rudy The Megalomaniac, Ferrets Prove It

David Goodhearts was attacked by Giuliani back when he was mayor because he was in favor of keeping ferrets as pets in NYC. Giuliani banned the furry creatures in spite of the New York state laws that allowed them. He even screamed at the City Council for approving the animals for the city before vetoing the measure. Now Goodhearts is on Tucker Carlson's show for a little payback.

Glenn Beck Is Getting Another Job???

The deal isn't official yet, but Washington Post Radio is considering adding Glenn Beck to their list of shows. Why on Earth they would do this, you got me. The Post would take another step backward in their journalistic endeavors with his addition. Beck is infamously known for attacking Muslims, women and other minorities in order to get laughs from his conservative brethren.

From Media Matters:

In a June 7 Washington Post article, staff writer Paul Farhi wrote: "Faced with continuing financial losses and stubbornly low ratings for Washington Post Radio," WTWP owner Bonneville International Corp. is "considering" picking up "a show hosted by conservative Glenn Beck." Farhi added: "However, both Bonneville and The Post must agree on all programming decisions." As Media Matters for America has repeatedly noted, Beck -- who hosts a nationally syndicated radio show and a nightly program on CNN Headline News, and joined ABC's Good Morning America as a regular contributor in January 2007 -- has repeatedly spouted inflammatory comments about Muslims, Arabs, Mexicans, and female guests on his radio and television programs, a tendency that went unmentioned by Farhi.

The Post cites that the decision hedges on their low ratings and financial difficulties. Yet Glenn Beck has proven that he is a loser when it comes to ratings. CNN desperately tries to prop his show with promos and gets nothing out of them. The media in general adores Beck despite his incendiary comments. What's worse, Beck tries to spin himself off as a nice, average guy that just happens to interject right-wing talking points into everything he does. This would be a bad move for Washington Post radio and another demerit for the media in general. Beck needs to lose jobs, not gain more.

Comedy Central's Lil' Bush

A writer from The Simpson created a cartoon series on Comedy Central to mock the President. George and his pals are featured in miniature form, looking idiotic as many people see them. But as RawStory states, don't look for a big overall message here. Donick Cary wasn't going for that message either, just to get a 'laugh'.

So if you want to laugh and be informed at the same time, stick to The Colbert Report and The Daily Show. If you want to see an animated Dick Cheney tear off the heads of three birds and drink their blood, then this is the show for you. It starts Wed. June 13th at 10:30 Eastern.

Gretchen Carlson Needs To Grow Up

For a woman that can report on the deaths of our soldiers and the rest of the violence in Iraq, this scene is beyond pathetic. I guess an amputation of a logger troubles her more than the thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of injuries that our soldiers have endured. That doesn't even count all of the Iraqis that have suffered under our occupation.

Again, truly pathetic.