This story caught my eye and made me smile for the activists’ innovative way of protesting climate change.  Dan Glass actually had the opportunity to catch Prime Minister Brown's ear and sleeve.  Before shaking the Prime Ministers' hand, he squeezed super-glue into his hand.

A video published today by the B'Tselem human rights organisation shows an unarmed, handcuffed and blindfolded Palestinian being shot by an Israeli soldier at very close range with a rubber-coated steel bullet (not, as some would have it, a "rubber bullet").

Phone calls haven't worked.  Writing letters hasn't worked.  Electing "more" didn't work as those we elected merely turned on us.

I figure there is but one avenue left; we go to Washington DC and make ourselves heard.

So... who is for heading to DC with me?

After attending Tony Snow's funeral in DC and flying over California's wildfires, maybe with Arnold, maybe not, my best information says, the president's entourage ("package" according to the CHP) will be landing in St. Helena via Marine 1 and 2.  They'll be escorted by the CHP, probably up the Silverado Trail, to the GOP fundraiser at 6:10.  This is likely at Frank Family Vineyard on Larkmead Lane in Calistoga.  I can't be sure GWB will be attending, but they've confirmed they'll be hosting a political event on Thursday and they were having landscaping installed.  The president will be sleeping in Tucson, maybe with McCain, maybe not.

If you're in the neighborhood, drop by instructions follow.  Otherwise, please vote on the best, most concise message to accompany the 40 or so white crosses we'll display.

It is ironic that a new battle is taking place here in San Antonio at the Alamo, that legendary battlefront where so many gave their lives for freedom.  This time the battle is for the First Amendment and the freedom of speech.

UPDATE #3:  So it has been a crazy 24 hours.  But what is most outragous is that Col. Doherty of the State Police actually said yesterday:

Doherty said state police will not be conducting immigration raids or sweeps. But he added, "I’ve taken a position that this is not a sanctuary state, and if we find someone who is here illegally or unlawfully, we will notify ICE."

Yet, within minutes, that is exactly what happened.  

From The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor

It's the birthday of the singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie, born in Okemah, Oklahoma (1913). He was one of the only American artists whose reputation never really suffered, though he was openly affiliated with the Communist Party.

Guthrie never finished high school, but he spent his spare time reading books at the local public library. He took occasional jobs as a sign painter and started playing music on a guitar he found in the street.

Texas was hit by the same drought that created the Dust Bowl in the mid-1930s, and Guthrie followed workers who were moving to California, where he began to write songs about the people who'd lost their farms and their homes.

Go to the Woody Guthrie Website and be greeted with lots of good stuff.  Meanwhile look below the break and I'll tell you a story.

Australian protesters from the Camp for Climate Action-Australia shut down a coal-train line for about 6 hours yesterday as part of ongoing protests against the export of coal from Newcastle's Port Carrington Terminal.

According to the Daily Telegraph:

More than 1000 protesters shut down the Newcastle coal link yesterday before the police riot squad moved in to arrest 37 environmental activists who were fighting to stop climate change.

The protesters boarded a coal train, lay across railway tracks and chanted for the end of coal exports.

Camp for Climate Action is an international movement for direct action against global warming. This weeks protest in Newcastle are part of ongoing actions in Australia, where damage from Climaticide is already clearly visible. See the Garnaut report for more info.  [The first chapter is a summary of the very large report.]

I've discussed this on KOS in the past--my experience being caught up in the post 9/11 witch hunt being married to an Arab. This letter is one I am mailing to Senator Obama and his vote on FISA. It is really an extended comment on Motley Patriot's Diary.

So I see that someone missed the FISA protest. Well...shucks. You snooze, you lose. Not me, though. I was there, and it was AWESOME. 100,000 bloggers stormed the Capitol, dressed in preppie business suits, carrying pocket Constitutions, and wielding their laptops like deadly maces. People trampled each other to kick Harry Reid in the balls. The old coot put up a hell of a fight, but in the end the numbers were against him, and he submitted meekly, like we knew he would.

Breaking news from The Colorado Independent:

Protesters with ProgressNow outside today's John McCain town hall meeting in Denver were told to throw their signs away or risk being arrested for trespassing.

Protesters are seen outside of John McCain campaign event in Denver. McCain's secret service detail told the Denver Police that if the three protesters, one dressed in a pea costume with pictures of President Bush and McCain on it, were told to shut their protest down about an hour before the campaign event began.

We have a reporter on the scene who will also be covering the McCain speech.

Read more on the "two peas in a pod" protest.

How the Uprising can be most effective.

"Guests Of The Nation," by Mike Palecek

Illustrations by Michael Paul Miller, Russell Brutsche, Allison Healy.

Astounding, astonishing, and haunting, "Guests Of The Nation" offers an intriguing alternative to what the late George Carlin called the 9/11 "consensus reality."  Philip K. Dick would love how this deft American novel captures our imagination and never lets go.  Mike Palecek has graced us with a sparkling gem you'll read non-stop and more than once.
— Karen Kwiatkowski, Lt Col [ret.], USAF, Ph.D, working at the Pentagon on 9/11

Now that I've lured you in this is the reaction currently going around on DKos members and their support for Obama and his public statements on FISA...

Some of our support for our candidate "now" hinges on one issue, ONE FUCKING ISSUE.  

Okay you want to stop FISA, well I'm going to help you, I'm going to give you some advice to stop FISA and fan the outrage that has taken DKos by storm the last two weeks.  Learn the ways after the jump.

Sorry for the short diary...

Early this morning I found an unusual email from Medea Benjamin waiting for me in my inbox. It seems that last week when she was arrested in Florida, they confiscated her Global Exchange press pass, and could I make her another one?

Ever since I figured out how to duplicate Medea's press pass for other members of CodePink, I have been doing so with her blessing. Since Medea is the founding director and CEO of Global Exchange as well as one of the founders of CodePink, how I implemented it may be a bit of a hack; but it is quite legitimate insofar that yes, these are valid press passes for a news organization, created with the full knowledge and permission of the company director.

Now, ironically, I was going to have to whip out a copy of the document that served as the original.

So I've been getting inundated with fundraising emails from Obama, Donna Brazille and the DSCC, and the Democratic Party asking me to help show the Republicans we mean business, and break some fundraising records before the end of the quarter. To each of their generic email addresses, I've responded with

Behave like Democrats and kill FISA and I'll think about it.

I have no idea if people will read them, but I have a funny feeling that this fundraising quarter will not be as impressive as previous ones or ones to come.

I don't know what they're celebrating... The worst election year they've seen in years? The chance that reddish-purple Texas will tilt to a bluish-purple tint in 2008?

But there is a Republican Victory Rally scheduled for July 12 in Athens, Texas. It would be great if plenty of Democrats were there for the festivities, all holding up signs that point out the failings and hypocrisies of the GOP horde...

Soooo....

I've been kept pretty upset by the Obama campaign recently.  But that is to be expected in politics.  I'm particularly appalled at his campaigns staffers/volunteers/whomevers treatment of Muslim supporters and his views and stance regarding FISA.  BUT, I don't want to hurt the good Senator nor harm his chances this November.  I have long been a supporter of Obama.  Loooong before he mentioned a run for president.  (FWIW, it began at the 2006 Campus Progress National Student Conference in DC.  I was a fortunate intern at CAP that summer...  ahhh memories...)

Meet ya across the fold...