I've seen this phrase a few times on the internets and can't figure it out ... I must've missed some cultural education somewhere. Is it anything like a "high five"? ugh ... (okay just kidding. ;) like I never ever make a typo. )

1. Governments (should) exist to improve the welfare of their citizens and protect the citizens from predictable and preventable threats while preserving individual rights. 2. The definition of "welfare of their citizens" and the right balance between protection and individual rights are debatable points that should be settled democratically, within the boundary of certain rules. 3. Boundary rules for #2: all people should be treated equally by the government, and not subject to punishment or r...

(Link) The van travels the same route every afternoon. It's important to keep a regular schedule, so that clients know where and when to show up. PreventionWorks executive director, Dr. Philip Terry, says it's an effective way to bring health care to people who wouldn't get it otherwise. "We take clean syringes, we take access to health care, we take access to treatment, access to detox, we take it to the people where they are, where it's needed most," he says. But these programs could effect...

(Link) The form is 10 pages long, starting on page 8 and going to page 17. Whatever you think of abortion or the merits of this law, I hope you will take a look at this form and consider the implications if a similar form were required for other medical interventions. Such as the prescription of Viagra? having a gallbladder operation? heart condition? (did the patient follow a recommended diet prior to the need for treatment?) ... and so forth... I initially found the report about this law rep...

(I know the Wired article this references was posted earlier. The news here is that this is in Federal Computer Week.) E-voting manufacturer says votes could be changed undetected * Mar 23, 2009 Critics of electronic voting systems have had their warnings vindicated by two recent announcements. An official with Premier Election Systems, formerly known as Diebold, admitted that its audit log system was flawed enough that it would be possible to delete votes undetected, and several election...

Source: Washington Post The Supreme Court today unanimously agreed that a little-known religious group does not have the right to erect the "Seven Aphorisms" of its beliefs in a Utah city park just because the Ten Commandments are displayed there. In their decision, the justices said the Ten Commandments monument in a Pleasant Grove City, Utah, park is a form of government speech, and the city's decision to turn down a request from the religious group Summum is not a violation of the group's F...

Pete started off saying the words but the lead singing was done by the guy on his right, who was introduced by Bruce as Pete's grandson. But I didn't catch his name (at the time). Anyway on the posts I've read here it seems like he's being ignored, and I just thought he should get some credit too! Edited to add his name, found in wikipedia. :)

Looks like McCain doesn't have much confidence in his technology platform, or else doesn't think it's important. (Link) There is apparently not a single prominent person who supports John McCain’s technology policies and is confident enough to go out there and debate in favor of them. As readers of this blog know, after publishing the Wired Scorecard a couple weeks ago, I’ve been wrangling with the McCain campaign, trying to get someone to defend his tech record and platform in a debate. Th...

If you, like me, are completely tired of the current disaster capitalism panic and only dreading what Paulson et al will cook up to let their cronies off the hook while further looting the Treasury and shafting the rest of us, may I recommend reading Robert Reich's blog? (Link)/ Of course, what he ... Whether you call it a reorganization under bankruptcy or just a hellova fire sale, the process should resemble chapter 11 under bankruptcy. Any big financial institution that wants to clear its...

I just saw this from a Yahoo alert in my Inbox, and had to share. It starts with a nice "round-up" piece in the Columbia Journalism Review, : John Kerry gave an effective speech at the DNC last night that skillfully bridged his friendship with McCain, with a critique of his policies. The speech has gotten many tablespoons of gooey praise—here, here, and here (and here and here and here). It’s one big blogospheric hug for Kerry. (All of which doesn’t negate the praise, but if you want just a t...

Just saw this loser on Lou Dobbs. (I'm not a regular Dobbs watcher but I do peek sometimes). This guy and this woman were ripping Obama and building up McCain, and some other guy was kinda weakly half-defending Obama. (They were each indicated only as "CNN Contributor" and I didn't really recognize any of them) So I thought I had it figured out who was the token Democrat until Lou Dobbs called the guy who was ripping Obama - Hank Scheinkopf - a "Democratic strategist". WTF? So I turned off the ...

This has already been posted at DU, but I think it bears posting again, plus I have a serious question that I hope someone can answer. (I also just posted at the Choice topic forum, for a longer-lived visibility, hopefully.) (Link) NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Bush administration plan to define several widely used contraception methods as abortion is a "gratuitous, unnecessary insult" to women and faces tough opposition, Sen. Hillary Clinton said on Friday. The former Democratic presidential candid...

(Link) Here's the sequence: Carly Fiorina says that McCain might raise taxes on rich folks as part of a Social Security deal. Grover Norquist, speaking as the Grand Inquisitioner of the anti-taxers, more or less replies: "Bullsh*t! I wear McCain's balls on my keyring!" Then comes the punchline: A McCain campaign spokesman told ABC News Monday that McCain continues to oppose any tax increase as part of Social Security reform, notwithstanding Fiorina's comments. "The lesson of histor...

If she thinks Iowa and Hew Hampshire were tough for her this year, what will it be like after the way she played them on MI/FL? I make the following assertions: 1) in 2012 Iowa and NH will still be the first caucus and primary states, and of huge importance; 2) the primary voters in those states like their "first in the nation" status and they will NOT forget how she behaved this year; 3) if there is not a Democratic incumbent and Hillary runs, she will be TROUNCED in Iowa and NH. So it is...

Source: MSNBC.com The Bush administration is on the verge of implementing new air quality rules that will make it easier to build power plants near national parks and wilderness areas, according to rank-and-file agency scientists and park managers who oppose the plan. The new regulations, which are likely to be finalized this summer, rewrite a provision of the Clean Air Act that applies to "Class 1 areas," federal lands that currently have the highest level of protection under the law. Opponen...

(Ed Rendell, PA governor, endorsed Hillary in the prez race) Monsanto wanted a stop to the practice of dairy products being labeled "no artificial growth hormones" (even though it was true) because people actually were paying more to buy milk that wasn't potentially poisoned with their product. The Rendell administration recently gave Monsanto what it wanted - a regulatory change (not even legislation that we can blame on our "representatives") by the Ag department to disallow labeling about a...

(Link) :) Edit to add: also Paul Volcker: (Link) Obama's racking them up.

I don't have the energy tonight to deal with GD-P but if someone else does, this is quite a good story for Obama, on many levels. (Link) On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton raised about half of her primary money from donors who gave in amounts of $2300 or more. Since these donors have given the legal maximum, the candidate could not go back to them again in January to help her primary campaign. Barack Obama raised only about one-third of his funds from these "maxed out" donors. For both c...

Well okay it was his representative. The Clinton camp apparently didn't send anyone. (Link) Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has issued a technology innovation plan embracing IT as an enabler for efficient government and for solving major challenges facing the nation, including health care, climate change, energy policy and the economy, said Obama campaign adviser Julius Genachowski. The senator also has called for establishing the position of national chief technology officer. “If we don’t get tec...

Current scorecard of pledged delegates: BO-63 HC-48 JE-26 How the states went: Iowa: Obama by 1 (O 16, C 15) New Hampshire: Tied (O 9, C 9) Nevada: Obama by 1 (O 13, C 12) South Carolina: Obama by 13 (O 25, C 12) Numbers are taken from CNN's scorecard candidate pages: (Link) (Obama) and (Link) (Clinton) I know Clinton expects to win some states on 2/5, but isn't this a bit of an under-reported story? She hasn't actually won ANY states yet?

Now are you going to flame me for that? But it's true. If you really are interested in where Obama is on GLBT issues and maybe making your presence felt: (Link) If you are like most of the vocal GLBT advocates at DU his positions won't satisfy you but at least they are steps in the right direction, aren't they?

Here's a cool map to watch the returns. (Link)/ It'll be working for the Democratic primary next weekend, too.

Friday night, Obama was scheduled to speak at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus. Even before he arrived, students were doing circus tricks, acrobatically spinning giant Obama placards like batons. One man drove a beat up pick up truck, on which was fastened a billboard with the name “Obama” spelled out in flashing Christmas lights. The welcome was raucous, and Obama didn’t miss a beat. “All across the country what you hear are stories of struggle and of hardship,” he said to crowd of 5...

Check out his Export Products Not Jobs act and all the work he's done over the years for small businesses (especially for minority and women owned businesses). His positions aren't as obvious as some might like but they do show an understanding of economics and how to make things better for those among us who aren't getting rich off corporate greed.

From last night's debate: (Link) BLITZER: Well, let me bring in Governor Richardson. Governor Richardson, you've suggested cutting off military aid to Pakistan, so long as the Pakistani leader doesn't take these steps to restore the constitution, take off his military uniform, end the national state of emergency and have free and fair elections. But some are worried, including the opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto -- I spoke with her earlier this week -- that cutting off military aid ...

If a vet joined as a volunteer, then s/he sacrificed for this country voluntarily, when many others couldn't be bothered. I support healthcare for all. But as long as we don't have that, veterans should be at the head of the line. (Along with similar sacrificers in alternative paths such as the Peace Corps, community firefighters, etc.)

(Link) Every schoolchild in America learns about Paul Revere's contribution to the birth of our nation. But only rarely do we hear about his success as an entrepreneur. In the years after his heroic and famous "midnight ride," Revere started a business in New Bedford. He saw potential in the large-scale manufacturing of metal products, and launched a trailblazing copper company that put residents of New Bedford to work for almost 150 years. Sadly, Revere Copper was forced to close its doors th...

and when you are sure you understand it, have your friend read it and make sure she understands it. (Link) Here is the core of why some veterans are unhappy with John Kerry. As Kerry was becoming a very effective leader of the anti-war movement in 1971, Richard Nixon set out to destroy him, and recruited John O'Neill and others. This spawn of Nixon have spent over 35 years trying not only to discredit John Kerry, but more importantly to them, the entire liberal, anti-war attitude that Kerry re...

And her partner can't be by her side. And this scenario will be repeated over and over until the law allows recognition of a same-sex partner that is treated as a spouse from the hospital's point of view. Which is compassionate: 1) passing a domestic partnership law within the next year, that requires hospitals to recognize and work with a domestic partner as if they are a spouse; 2) fighting for "full marriage equality" that may or may not become passed in the next decade, and may or may not...

There is an election in most parts of the US in a couple weeks. (Not that you could tell from DU). Unlike many Democrats, most Republicans who are at all involved in politics seem to recognize the importance of these little off-year elections when positions like county and municipal commissioners, mayors, state supreme court judges, etc. may be elected. There was a thread earlier about US troops "pretending" to patrol, rather than patrol. As a veteran, my suspicion is that TPTB know full well t...