THE GREATEST GIFT

McCAIN FLUNKS PRESIDENTIAL TEST

What McCain's Rove-designed campaign doesn't understand is that Obama is not a superstar, he is a symbol of America's hunger for hope and change. He is not an ego-driven celebrity, but a selfless public servant. The shameful shock-jocks of right-wing radio — whom I believe are responsible for the shootings of liberals in the Unitarian Church in Tennessee this past week — are full of ego and desperation. They have no interest in the common good or in helping people, only furthering their own corrupt agenda. Obama is attracting crowds because of his principles and his selfless message, not his personality.

OBAMA IN BERLIN!! His speech blew me away. Open thread, please comment.

ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE... in the words of the Beatles. Next to physical survival, the greatest need of a human being is psychological survival — to be understood, to be affirmed, to be validated, to be appreciated. When you listen with empathy to another person, you give that person "psychological air." And after that vital need is met, you can then focus on problem solving.

Imagine waking up each day with fresh eyes — without any of the baggage of your lousy opinions and judgements of yesterday. Imagine looking at your spouse, boss, friend or enemy with new eyes each day — expecting the best from them.

'Seek first to understand.' If you really seek to understand (rather than be understood), without hypocrisy or guile, you will be literally stunned with the pure knowledge and understanding that will flow to you from another human being.

Much of the above (except for the "new eyes part") is from the most brilliant business book I've ever read, Stephen R. Covey's The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. He has transformed bankrupt companies into Fortune 500 Companies based on his spiritual paradigm of "Win-Win", the Golden Rule, empathetic listening, really caring about others and realizing we are all ONE. Go deep within and find your true calling. Be proactive, not reactive. And see every problem through the eyes of the other guy. "Seek first to understand, than to be understood" - The St. Francis Prayer

The open door to helpful answers is communication based on love. Such communication depends on awareness of and respect for each other's well-being and willingness to accept in another what may not measure up to our own standards and expectations."
- The Dilemma of the Alcoholic Marriage

Lately my favorite quote is from Einstein: "No problem can be solved on the same level that it was created on." Suddenly I am seeing this quote everywhere of course. There is an underlying principle in the universe called harmony. It is the invisible structure of all things. Music and mathematics are evidence of one aspect of this principle. Write down the number "3" on a piece of paper. Now burn the paper. Have you destroyed the number "3?" Of course not. You cannot break the laws of truth, goodness, harmony, or right action. One unequivocal truth: you reap what you sow. When you plant seeds of kindness and generosity, you get back the same tenfold. When you go against the basic laws of treating others with dignity, kindness and honesty — you create havoc. The sub-prime mortgage business goes against these basic laws. In every major religion, usury (charging interest for borrowed money) is a sin.

When the student is ready, the teacher appears.

"I will keep an open mind toward each person I encounter today. If I am ready to learn, anyone can be my teacher."


My stepson is at scuba camp on a sailboat in St. Bart's - a gift from his grandad and several friends who love him. This is the perfect sport for him as he has to have surgery on his leg in September. God Bless him.. and God Bless my other son Jack for all this trials and tribulations with his friends. You'll get through this Jack and be a better person for it. My heart goes out to you.

We will be going down to St. Bart's to pick Kevin up and be back in a week. Keep your spirits up — our world is on the verge of an amazing transformation!
Love,
Lydia

BELIZE, Yucatan
Last summer we went to Belize. Here are a few photos of our amazing trip. By the way, you can get great deals on travel. We always have frequent flyer miles which result in free airline tickets and hotels. You just have to know how to find these gems. That's Kevin at the top of a Mayan temple. Look how tiny his dad is down below. That's me looking like a dork wearing a hard hat in the jungle getting ready to zip-line. There's my father-in-law zipping through the trees like Tarzan with his drop leg. We had lunch at a bar in the middle of the jungle that was surreal — straight out of The African Queen or some other Humphrey Bogart movie. See the skeleton having a Martini? He's been there since the early cannibals got him. Always the optimist, his motto is: "So the barn burned down — now I can see the moon." There's a photo of the kids cave-tubing with bats above their heads. The water was so crystal clean and pure it was unbelievable.


AN IMPORTANT NOTE AND NEW MISSION

I am so sick of politics, this should be refreshing. All of us need to stop reacting to all the bad news and insanity - and instead see how we can alter our own Circle of Influence in profound ways. If each of us were to go out in the world and help one of our fellow human beings -- spread happiness to one other person, lighten someone's load -- and really give from out hearts - we'd see a better world immediately.

There are so many depressed lonely people, shut-ins, homeless children, abused children, rape camps, hungry people -- there is really only one way to solve all the worlds' problems.

And the way is? To raise your own consciousness. To help whomever you can. To do all you can in the time you have in the place that you are... in the words of Nicosi Jones: all these things mean the same thing: to find God. God is simply LOVE IN ACTION.

There is no religion attached to God, and in fact, religion gets in the way of "god's" simple purpose: to love one another.

Thanks for listening. I am sick of being too scared to tell my own truth which is this: I AM NOT IN FEAR. I don't buy into the "bad stuff." As an optimist, it has made all the difference in my life. I constantly strive to turn around any negative thoughts about others — even my worst enemies — and miracles never cease. Everything continually changes for the better because I choose my thoughts carefully.

This is the essence of prayer: not buying into the human race belief of sickness, terror, fear or disease. I don't even believe in aging. I don't believe in any of the garbage they keep trying to sell us. There is no opposing force to good. There is no power in "evil." When I choose to see the good even in a jerk, his behavior changes. I can't stay on a lower level and continue to bitch and moan and groan anymore. It's not productive and I think many of us are ready to step into the light.

Nevertheless, we need to ARREST KARL ROVE!

BEAUTIFUL MUSIC... to listen to while we're gone.

This first one is David Gray "Please Forgive Me" which we played at my wedding. Close your eyes and listen to the song:


I'm not gay, but I think Kristin Kreuk is the most beautiful woman in the world. Here is Coldplay "Green Eyes" from Smallville:




See You Soon

PROOF OF DIEBOLD ELECTION FRAUD

GOP cyber-security expert suggests Diebold tampered with 2002 election
By Larisa Alexandrovna and Muriel Kane
CyberSecurity Expert Raw Story.com

A leading cyber-security expert and former delegate for Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says he has fresh evidence regarding election fraud on Diebold electronic voting machines during the 2002 Georgia gubernatorial and senatorial elections.

Steven Spoonamore is the founder and until recently the CEO of Cybrinth LLC, an information technology policy and security firm that serves Fortune 100 companies. At a little noticed press conference in Columbus, Ohio Thursday, he discussed his investigation of a computer patch that was applied to Diebold Election Systems voting machines in Georgia right before that state's November 2002 election.

Spoonamore is one of the most prominent cyber-security experts in the country. He has security clearances from his work with the intelligence community and other government agencies, as well as the Department of Defense, and is one of the world’s leading authorities on hacking and cyber-espionage.

In 1995, Spoonamore received a civilian citation for his work with the Department of Defense. He was again recognized for his contributions in 2004 by the Department of Homeland Security. Spoonamore is also a registered Republican and a John McCain delegate who until recently was advising the McCain campaign.

Spoonamore received the Diebold patch from a whistleblower close to the office of Cathy Cox, Georgia’s then-Secretary of State. In discussions with RAW STORY, the whistleblower -- who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation -- said that he became suspicious of Diebold's actions in Georgia for two reasons. The first red flag went up when the computer patch was installed in person by Diebold's Chief Executive Officer, Bob Urosevich, who flew in from Texas and applied it in just two counties, DeKalb and Fulton, both Democratic strongholds. The source states that Cox was not privy to these changes until after the election and that she became particularly concerned over the patch being installed in just those two counties.

The whistleblower said another flag went up when it became apparent that the patch installed by Urosevich had failed to fix a problem with the computer clock, which employees from Diebold and the Georgia Secretary of State’s office had been told the patch was designed specifically to address.

Some critics of electronic voting raised questions about the 2002 Georgia race even at the time. Incumbent Democratic Sen. Max Cleland, who was five percentage points ahead of Republican challenger Saxby Chambliss in polls taken a week before the vote, lost 53% to 46%. Incumbent Democratic Governor Roy Barnes, who led challenger Sonny Perdue in the polls by eleven points, lost 51% to 46%. However, because the Diebold machines used throughout the state provided no paper trail, it was impossible to ask for a recount in either case.
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Read the rest of the story:
Raw Story.com

THE END OF CHAOS

Real change, hope and good news is just around the corner. Read at bottom of article...

Congressman Dennis Kucinich just introduced another Article of Impeachment. It is imperative that we get this process started for the sake of our children -- to reveal the stunning betrayal of our Constitution.

In the Audio Archives: Don't miss our interviews with Congressman Robert Wexler (twice!) whose new book FIRE BREATHING LIBERAL is astonishing and funny! He has hilarious stories about his appearances on The Colbert Report. We also had a great time with award-winning journalist Naomi Klein, author of SHOCK DOCTRINE on the Basham and Cornell Radio heard weekday mornings at 8 a.m. on 1230 AM KLAV in Las Vegas and worldwide on the web.





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American ingenuity can create new industry, rebuild our infrastructure, (my idea is to build water pipelines to funnel flood water to Nevada, California and al the states suffering from severe drought. We could also start desalination of ocean water. Could this possibly bring down the levels of rising oceans due to global warming of polar ice caps? Either way, we should be doing mass desalination. We can also attract capital with American-made products, transform our banking system..

Clif on the Blog says: Lydia one of your comments on the post if unscientific.

There is no way humanly possible way we could affect the ocean levels by desalinations efforts because we could never use enough water and KEEP it out of the Oceans to make any difference.

All most all of our water usage returns to the oceans with in a couple of months, a year at best.

What we could draw out would either be used for human consumption .... and we aren't good at retaining water, or agriculture which sends the majority of their water usage right back into the enviroment and in the end the ocean.

Add to that the requirements of the energy needed for mass desalination, and we are sort of caught in a bind.

We haven't enough spare electrical capacity (it is what would be used for energy) in the places where the desalination could reasonably be attempted.

It won't work, and would be a nightmare if tried.

RUMORS OF OUR PROGRESS HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED...

On Monday July 7, 2008, the Democratic Congresswoman from New York Carolyn Maloney will be the guest on the Basham and Cornell Radio Show at 8 am Pacific Time on AM 1230 KLAV in Las Vegas.

As a young woman, Democratic Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney asked her grandmother for career advice. She was shocked by the reply: "Get married."

Though much has changed for women since then, more has remained the same. On a January night in 2008, Maloney and her daughter attended a Hillary Clinton rally in New Hampshire. Some men in the audience held "Iron My Shirt" posters aloft. This small incident provoked outrage, but it provided an important peephole onto larger problems that women face today.

In her groundbreaking book, Rumors of Our Progress Have Been Greatly Exaggerated: Why Women's Lives Aren't Getting Any Easier... and How we can make Real Progress, Congresswoman Maloney shatters the myths about how far we've come, highlighting how women’s issues permeate every realm of society, and how political change has provided only a fraction of a solution.

The former co-chair of the Women’s Caucus, Maloney has access to a wealth of cutting-edge research that helps her illuminate how far behind we still fall on gender equality in issues from health care to educational opportunities, from poverty to reproductive freedom. It’s a fact that women are working harder than ever, but they're still only paid three-quarters the salary of their male counterparts. She weaves this vital information with gripping stories of real women, making clear that she’s not taking some abstract political position. She’s talking about real people, real lives.

Maloney also points the way forward, sharing inspiring tales of female activists who have managed to make a difference and presenting readers with "take action" guides that show all women practical ways they can help bring about change in their lives and the lives of others.
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If the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them. - Adlai E. Stevenson

Now it's time to defeat the "Regressive movement." In light of the unsettling news that Karl Rove is taking over McCain's campaign — and in light of the bizarre news that Rush Limbaugh got a salary raise of $30 million a year — making his total take $400 million until the year 2016 — we need to focus on our Progressive values more than ever. America is a Progressive nation at heart. We can't allow thugs to continue to take over our country. More below on Rove...

MIMI KENNEDY

There are so many good people doing good things, the American experiment cannot fail. I had the honor of co-hosting an event for Progressive Democrats of America and C-SPAN with the amazing Mimi Kennedy last night. Mimi is a tireless advocate of all good causes and I am so proud to call her a fellow Progressive activist and actor. You may remember her as Dharma's mom on the hit series "Dharma and Greg." She is someone who actually does the work we all talk about. She's passionate about social justice, nonviolent conflict resolution, and a healthy environment. Check out her inspiring site at: Mimi Kennedy.org and Progressive Democrats of America.org

C-SPAN BOOK TV

Great Interviews: Please listen in the archives at Basham and Cornell Radio to our shocking interview with Diebold whistleblower Steve Heller.





At the C-Span event last night, July 2, 2008 our guest was author, composer-lyricist, record and television producer Christopher Cerf — who was also our guest on the Basham and Cornell Radio Show at 8 am Pacific Time on AM 1230 KLAV in Las Vegas.

He is perhaps best known for his musical contributions to Sesame Street, for founding National Lampoon, for co-creating and co-producing the award-winning PBS literacy education television program Between the Lions, and for his humorous articles and books.

Photo: Christopher Cerf and Lydia Cornell

Christopher Cerf is also known to the general public for his work as an author and satirist. In 1970, he helped launch the National Lampoon, serving as a Contributing Editor from its first issue until the mid-1970s, and in 1978, he co-conceived and co-edited with Tony Hendra, George Plimpton and Rusty Unger the journalistic parody Not the New York Times.

In 2008, to commemorate the fifth anniversary of George W. Bush's historic (if premature) victory speech aboard the U.S.S. Lincoln, Cerf again collaborated with Victor Navasky to produce “Mission Accomplished! Or How We Won The War In Iraq,” a compendium of misstatements, failed predictions, and outright lies uttered in connection with America's military adventure in Iraq.

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RELAX...IT'S ALL GOING TO BE OKAY * AND STOP TEARING DOWN OBAMA

Despite the uproar from Progressive bloggers over Obama's move to the middle, I truly believe that good will prevail. I personally think Obama was wrong in backing the new FISA bill, and I have firsthand evidence of why this is wrong. But I am not ready to tell my whole story yet - about the death threats and illegal wiretapping that occurred in my home.

But regarding Obama's "Faith Based Initiatives" — please give this a chance. Imagine what good an organization like Union Rescue Mission can do with some government funds. They provide beds, food and clothing for ALL of Los Angeles' homeless men and women. They are a 'Good Samaritan" Christian organization that gives to all, regardless of race, creed, sexual preference or gender.

I think there are more enlightened and motivated faith based groups that need funds to help people in their communities. Many of these people devote all their time to doing "God's work" and are more motivated than those who do not feel a higher calling of service and love to mankind.

On the other hand, if one of these Churches EVER creates a "Creationist Museum" which is where the Bush Faith-based money was wasted, we should protest!!

At a time when Obama is under increasing fire from progressives for moving to the center and sounding like a traditional Democratic pandering pol, the McCain campaign is now morphing into yet another Karl Rove Presidential campaign operation, only this time it’s “unofficial” since Rove doesn’t have an official title or paycheck. But, the Times report confirms, it’s quite real — and those who were counting the days when America would close the chapter on Karl Rove and his style of national politics will have to count for quite a while.
- From The Moderate Voice.com Joe Gandleman

BIG OIL IS PRETTY SLIMY

Interesting: Did you know that the words 'Listen' and 'Silent' have the same letters?

In this Issue: Exxon only has to pay a half-day's earnings for the biggest oil spill in history! Also, a heartfelt (and scathing) letter to Big Oil from John Conley, 100% Disabled Marine Combat Vet — who sent me his Purple Heart for speaking out against Ann Coulter's "extermination speak."

Music can change your life... Before we get into the crimes of the oil giants, I'd like to express love and adoration for COLDPLAY!! Chris Martin: 'Obama As President Would Change America's Image'

He tells Rolling Stone magazine, "If Obama was to be president; it would immediately change the whole outside world's opinion of America overnight. America's public image at the moment is really bad... but over half of Americans are the coolest people on the planet. But they've been so misrepresented."

Here's a sliver lining to Obama's unpopular and I must say, quite un-Progressive acceptance of Bush's beloved FISA bill, which includes offering Telecom companies immunity for illegal spying on Americans (even prior to 9/11!) — not to mention rolling over our Constitutional rights and civil liberties. Maybe he's thinking ahead: he needs the phone companies in his back pocket when he becomes president -- and needs to catch the REAL crooks like Rove, Cheney and other neos.

HAS COLDPLAY TOPPLED U2?
Yes, I know, I went through a phase where my youngest son played Clocks too much on the piano — and I wasn't into them that much, but after watching all their hits on YouTube, my passion has been reignited. To all the haters out there, you have to go back and listen. “That’s the great thing about people who hate us,” he said. “We can suck out the energy and make it into something positive. It’s like in ‘Back to the Future,’ where you have this device that can turn garbage into a time traveler.”

Chris Martin, whose generosity is so inspiring, said they are 'giving it away for free!' They just gave free concerts at Madison Square Garden and on The Today Show this morning, playing Viva La Vida and hits like Speed of Sound, The Scientist, Clocks, Death and all his Friends.

My son and I are obsessed with their music (ever since "Yellow" for me, but he's a newcomer.) I love The Scientist and Talk. We sat down and watched Chris Martin on Charlie Rose and he spoke of how his music comes from a higher source and it's always better when he just waits for it to come through him, rather than forcing it or over-intellectualizing it.

Listen to Talk:


Speed of Sound:




BIG OIL IS PRETTY OILY... AND SLIMY!

Oil: Exxon Chairman's $400 Million Parachute - ABC News
Soaring gas prices are squeezing most Americans at the pump, but at least one man isn't complaining. Last year, Exxon made the biggest profit of any company ever, $36 billion, and its retiring chairman appears to be reaping the benefits. Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes.

Last November, when he was still chairman of Exxon, Raymond told Congress that gas prices were high because of global supply and demand.

"We're all in this together, everywhere in the world," he testified.

Raymond, however, was confronted with caustic complaints about his compensation.

"In 2004, Mr. Raymond, your bonus was over $3.6 million," Sen. Barbara Boxer said.

That was before new corporate documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission that revealed Raymond's retirement deal and his $51.1 million paycheck in 2005. That's equivalent to $141,000 a day, nearly $6,000 an hour. It's almost more than five times what the CEO of Chevron made.

"I think it will spark a lot of outrage," said Sarah Anderson, a fellow in the global economy program at the Institute for Policy Studies, an independent think tank. "Clearly much of his high-level pay is due to the high price of gas."

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Also below: Charlie Black's honest but horrific statements and the ugly news about BIG OIL.



Letter to the Editor by John Conley - New York Times
April 9, 2008

It’s tragic that Americans still don’t seem to understand what’s going on in Iraq and why the criminals in the White House consistently refuse to draw down our troops in that meat-grinder.

People need to realize that, at least under this Administration, the troops will never be brought home until Exxon-Mobile, Halliburton, and the other fascist-minded oil companies feel secure enough to begin moving the equipment they’ve staged in Kuwait across the border into Iraq to begin stealing Iraqi oil.

That’s the only reason we invaded Iraq, folks: oil. Anyone who thinks differently is fooling themselves. I remember neoconservatives absolutely ecstatic the day they staged their bogus ‘Mission Accomplished’ in 2003. In fact, some were so beside themselves with delusion they revealed their true intentions with: “Now, on to Iran and Syria!” Huh? Iran and Syria? Osama Bin Laden’s not in either of these countries, either.

Of course, that was hundreds of thousands of American and Iraqi lives ago, but no matter. Our delusional vice president is still trying to concoct a way to attack Iran with the nuclear bunker-buster bombs he’s been so excited about using, ignoring the fact that our military is already stretched to the breaking point, even with Bush’s recruiting waivers that now accept men and women with extensive rap sheets into our military. All we need is another unprovoked, preemptive war started by these psychopaths using Alice-in-Wonderland intelligence.

There’s little doubt in my mind that directing a war from a safe distance is probably the only thing these invertebrates have to make them feel manly and it’s a crime that America’s real men and women have to die as a result of the unbounded greed and insatiable lust for power these chicken hawks and their corporate sponsors are famous for.

If there is any justice in this world at all, then Bush, Cheney, and their criminal lackeys will eventually be tried, convicted, and spend the remainder of their lives in a federal prison pondering their bloody hands.

John M. Conley, US Marine veteran, recipient of two Purple Hearts

Here is the article that sparked Conley's outrage:

New York Times: A Peculiar Deal for Some of Iraq’s Oil

BAGHDAD — Four Western oil companies are in the final stages of negotiations this month on contracts that will return them to Iraq, 36 years after losing their oil concession to nationalization as Saddam Hussein rose to power.

Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP — the original partners in the Iraq Petroleum Company — along with Chevron and a number of smaller oil companies, are in talks with Iraq’s Oil Ministry for no-bid contracts to service Iraq’s largest fields, according to ministry officials, oil company officials and an American diplomat.

The deals, expected to be announced on June 30, will lay the foundation for the first commercial work for the major companies in Iraq since the American invasion, and open a new and potentially lucrative country for their operations.

The no-bid contracts are unusual for the industry, and the offers prevailed over others by more than 40 companies, including companies in Russia, China and India. The contracts, which would run for one to two years and are relatively small by industry standards, would nonetheless give the companies an advantage in bidding on future contracts in a country that many experts consider to be the best hope for a large-scale increase in oil production.

There was suspicion among many in the Arab world and among parts of the American public that the United States had gone to war in Iraq precisely to secure the oil wealth these contracts seek to extract. The Bush administration has said that the war was necessary to combat terrorism. It is not clear what role the United States played in awarding the contracts; there are still American advisers to Iraq’s Oil Ministry.

Sensitive to the appearance that they were profiting from the war and already under pressure because of record high oil prices, senior officials of two of the companies, speaking only on the condition that they not be identified, said they were helping Iraq rebuild its decrepit oil industry.

For an industry being frozen out of new ventures in the world’s dominant oil-producing countries, from Russia to Venezuela, Iraq offers a rare and prized opportunity.

While enriched by $140 per barrel oil, the oil majors are also struggling to replace their reserves as ever more of the world’s oil patch becomes off limits. Governments in countries like Bolivia and Venezuela are nationalizing their oil industries or seeking a larger share of the record profits for their national budgets. Russia and Kazakhstan have forced the major companies to renegotiate contracts.

The Iraqi government’s stated goal in inviting back the major companies is to increase oil production by half a million barrels per day by attracting modern technology and expertise to oil fields now desperately short of both. The revenue would be used for reconstruction, although the Iraqi government has had trouble spending the oil revenues it now has, in part because of bureaucratic inefficiency.

For the American government, increasing output in Iraq, as elsewhere, serves the foreign policy goal of increasing oil production globally to alleviate the exceptionally tight supply that is a cause of soaring prices.

The Iraqi Oil Ministry, through a spokesman, said the no-bid contracts were a stop-gap measure to bring modern skills into the fields while the oil law was pending in Parliament.

It said the companies had been chosen because they had been advising the ministry without charge for two years before being awarded the contracts, and because these companies had the needed technology.

A Shell spokeswoman hinted at the kind of work the companies might be engaged in. “We can confirm that we have submitted a conceptual proposal to the Iraqi authorities to minimize current and future gas flaring in the south through gas gathering and utilization,” said the spokeswoman, Marnie Funk. “The contents of the proposal are confidential.”

While small, the deals hold great promise for the companies.

“The bigger prize everybody is waiting for is development of the giant new fields,” Leila Benali, an authority on Middle East oil at Cambridge Energy Research Associates, said in a telephone interview from the firm’s Paris office. The current contracts, she said, are a “foothold” in Iraq for companies striving for these longer-term deals.

James Glanz and Jad Mouawad contributed reporting from New York. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

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Arianna Huffington: FearWatch '08: Keeping an Eye Out for GOP Fear-Mongering

After McCain's chief campaign advisor said that another terrorist attack on U.S. soil "certainly would be a big advantage" for his candidate, McCain claimed: "I cannot imagine why he would say it." Really, Senator, you cannot imagine why your top advisor would follow in the footsteps of Karl Rove, who made scaring the bejesus out of the American people the centerpiece of GOP strategy for the last six years? Let me break it down for you: fear is a frighteningly effective sales pitch -- one that has worked like a charm for Republicans since 9/11. But things are always less scary when the lights are on, so throughout the campaign HuffPost will be conducting a FearWatch, keeping our eyes peeled for attempts to scare the public into voting their fears. And we'd like your help....

YAHOO! NEWS Lydia Cornell Interviews World Leaders, Presidential Candidates & Pulitzer Prize Winners for New Radio Show

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YAHOO! NEWS Former star of the hit show Too Close for Comfort Lydia Cornell co-hosts new Las Vegas radio show about politics and celebrity, signs with renowned literary agency for upcoming books

The Basham and Cornell Show broadcasts weekday mornings at 8 am Pacific (11 a.m. Eastern) on KLAV 1230 AM Radio live in Las Vegas. Again, all shows are simulcast worldwide on the Internet (and archived) and can be listened to at Basham and Cornell Radio If you've missed our show, check out the audio archives. We have interviewed John & Elizabeth Edwards, Dennis & Elizabeth Kucinich, John Dean, Pat Buchanan, Bill Press, Vincent Bugliosi, NBC Bureau Chief in Tel Aviv Martin Fletcher, Pulitzer Prize winner Charlie Savage, Attorney David Iglesias, Congressman Charlie Rangel,Valerie Plame, Christine Pelosi, Dahr Jamail, Senator Mike Gravel; Senator Byron Dorgan; and bestselling authors Valerie Bertinelli, Greg Palast, Paul Krugman, etc.
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YAHOO NEWS: Lydia Cornell

YAHOO! NEWS Too Close for Comfort Actress Lydia Cornell Interviews World Leaders, Presidential Candidates, And Pulitzer Prize Winners for New Radio Show
Fri May 23, 3:01 AM ET

Former star of the hit show Too Close for Comfort Lydia Cornell co-hosts new Las Vegas radio show about politics and celebrity, signs with renowned literary agency for upcoming books.

Los Angeles (PRWEB) May 23, 2008 -- You may remember her as Sara Rush, the dazzlingly beautiful yet stereotypically dumb blonde on ABC's '80s hit sitcom, Too Close for Comfort. Performing alongside TV icon Ted Knight, Lydia Cornell (http://www.lydiacornell.com) quickly catapulted onto the Hollywood scene, co-starring on a top-rated show while still in her late teens. Since Too Close for Comfort ended with the death of Knight two decades ago, Cornell has become one of the Internet's most witty and outspoken bloggers - as well as being a novelist, a stand-up comedian, and a screenwriter.

Cornell is now the co-host of Basham & Cornell, a daily talk radio show broadcasting live from Las Vegas on KLAV 1230 AM Monday - Friday at 8 A.M. PST and simulcast worldwide on the web at http://www.klav1230am.com. Recent guests have included Valerie Bertinelli, John and Elizabeth Edwards, John Dean, Pat Buchanan, Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich, Valerie Plame-Wilson, Pulitzer Prize winner Charlie Savage, Ed Asner, Senator Charlie Rangel, Greg Palast, best-selling authors, and more. With a knife-sharp sense of humor, Cornell discusses politics and social issues from a heartfelt spiritual perspective. "This is the most important election of our time," Cornell said. "It's a thrilling time to be changing the world." Basham & Cornell has just been picked up by WXB 102, the No. 1 highest-rated online radio station in the dancepunk/80s/new wave genre at http://www.wxb102.tk, for its weekend talk programming.

Now signed to Ebeling Literary Agency, Cornell has also become a prolific author. Cornell's writing has been described as a cross between Dave Sedaris and Anne Lamott. In an upcoming book, Lydia chronicles her tragic-comic journey as a female in the 21st century and explores being an American in this bizarre new millennium where 'peace' seems to be a dirty word. A children's advocate and role model for young women, Cornell and her sons volunteer at Hope Gardens Residence for Homeless Women and Children, which is partnered with Union Rescue Mission. Profits from Cornell's ventures go to various children's charities, including Give Kids a Break, Girls Inc., and Feed the Children.

Although probably better known for her comedy work, which has included stand-up gigs at the Riviera and the Sahara in Las Vegas and opening up for Paul Rodriguez, Cornell has gradually developed a buzz for openly writing about her views of world events in her award-winning blog. And controversy as well. Her article, "Death is Sexier than Sex...to Ann Coulter," expressing outrage at Coulter's 'extermination speak,' caused an uproar when Coulter published Cornell's home phone number and private e-mail on the front page of her website in retaliation. Cornell was slapped with death threats and hate mail, but mainly she received hundreds of love letters in support of her statements. She was even given a Purple Heart, sent to her from disabled Marine combat veteran John Conley. The Cornell-Coulter feud was covered by MSNBC, CNN, Fox, and the Huffington Post. There is an ongoing investigation into Coulter fans hacking into Cornell's website and e-mail.

Best known for Too Close for Comfort, Cornell still hasn't stopped acting. She guest-starred opposite Larry David on a recent episode of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, garnered a Best Actress nomination at the Method Fest, and is currently in the new indie film Damage Done.

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Sutton Music Group, WXB102
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GORE BACKS OBAMA: "THIS ELECTION AFFECTS THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET"

IN THIS ISSUE: Boy Scout Heroes, Midwest Floods, Gore Backs Obama and Father's Day with Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army...

And if you missed our riveting interview this morning with U.S. Attorney David Iglesias who was fired by Alberto Gonzales' Justice Department (on orders from Karl Rove?) in the 'Attorney-Gate scandal' please go to Basham and Cornell Show and click on Audio Archives.



After seeing the above video, I've changed my mind. I'm voting Republican.

This the most important election of our time. Nobel Laureate, award-winning environmentalist, peacemaker and international statesman Al Gore gives an outstanding speech on the failures of the Bush Administration and shows us what could have been, and what will be. We will change the world with our new President. If McSame wins, it will be a McShame.

"I intend to do whatever I can to make sure Obama is elected." - Al Gore (HuffPo)

Could Justice finally catch up with criminal corruption and treason? House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, issued a subpoena Monday morning to the Attorney General Michael Mukasey demanding he turn over the FBI’s interview transcripts of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney who were questioned in 2004 about the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame.

And don't forget, on June 12, Cheney lied and his own party busted him! In a speech before the Chamber of Commerce yesterday, Vice President Dick Cheney – the former CEO of the oil services company Halliburton — called for a substantial increase in domestic drilling for oil and other natural resources. "Oil is being drilled right now 60 miles off the coast of Florida," the vice president said. "We're not doing it, the Chinese are, in cooperation with the Cuban government. Even the communists have figured out that a good answer to high prices is more supply."

Armed with maps and reports, Sen. Mel Martinez – a Florida Republican who served in Bush’s cabinet – took to the Senate floor to dispute Cheney’s claim: Despite what is cited as fact here in the Senate and in other places, China is not drilling off the coast of Cuba. … Reports to the contrary are simply false. … So any talk of using some fabricated China/Cuba connection as an argument to change U.S. policy, in my view, has no merit.

BOY SCOUT HEROES
A week of tragedy and heroism. Four young Boy Scouts lost their lives this week in a freak tornado that wrecked their camp. God Bless these poor families who are grieving. And Rest in Peace, Tim Russert. My heart goes out to Russert's widow, Maureen Orth and son Luke.

The Scouts lived up to their motto. “We were prepared.”
“All four of the young men who were killed are Scouts.“ These young men, these Scouts, were the most outstanding leaders in their communities. We’ve very proud of those young men. They responded as quickly as they could. Think lives were saved. They were the real heroes of this story.”

“We knew that shock could happen. We knew to put tourniquets on wounds that were bleeding too much. We knew we needed to apply pressure and gauze... We knew about this. We knew how to do it.”

NBC News and news services
updated 3:09 p.m. PT, Thurs., June. 12, 2008

BLENCOE, Iowa - Boy Scouts who survived a twister that killed four of their friends described the fear followed by the quick action to help the injured that followed the tragedy Wednesday night.

The National Weather Service said it was an EF3 on the 1-to-5 Enhanced Fujita scale of tornado intensity, with an estimated wind speed of 145 mph. Meteorologists said the twister cut a path about 14 miles long.

When the howling winds finally died down, the Boy Scouts — true to their motto, "Be Prepared" — sprang into action.

Putting their first-aid training to use, they applied tourniquets and gauze to the injured. Some began digging victims from the rubble of a collapsed fireplace. And others broke into an equipment shed, seized chainsaws and other tools, and began clearing fallen trees from a road.

Scouts were at leadership training
Dozens of the boys, ages 13 to 18, were hailed for their bravery and resourcefulness Thursday.

"There were some real heroes at this Scout camp," Culver said, adding that he believes the Scouts saved lives while they waited for paramedics to cut through the trees and reach the camp a mile into the woods.

The 93 boys, all elite Scouts attending a weeklong leadership training session, had taken part in a mock emergency drill with 25 staff members just a day before the twister hit.

"They knew what to do, they knew where to go, and they prepared well," said Lloyd Roitstein, an executive with the Mid-America Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Killed were Aaron Eilerts, 14, of Eagle Grove, Iowa; and Josh Fennen, 13, Sam Thomsen, 13, and Ben Petrzilka, 14, all of Omaha, Neb. Roitstein said the four were in one of three buildings where Scouts sought shelter.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff toured the camp and said it appeared that the Boy Scouts "didn't have a chance" and that the tornado came through the camp "like a bowling ball."
From Wisconsin to Missouri, officials in the flood-ravaged Midwest were frantically sandbagging, watching weakened dams and rescuing residents from water that in some places rose knee-high, while storms threatened more damage in the Upper Plains.



FLOODS IN THE MIDWEST

Officials in Wisconsin were monitoring dams and high water in Indiana burst a levee, flooding a vast stretch of farmland. In Minnesota and North Dakota, strong winds closed a highway and even sent a cow into the air, a witness said.

Tornadoes touched down in eastern Nebraska and southwestern Minnesota, but there were no immediate reports of major damage.

Along the Mississippi River in Missouri and Illinois, the National Weather Service was predicting the worst flooding in 15 years. Outlying areas could be inundated, but most of the towns are protected by levees and many low-lying property owners were bought out after massive flooding in 1993, officials said.
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On Father's Day we went to see the most amazing exhibition of Emperor Qin's Terracotta Army at the Bowers Museum. The life-size terracotta figures, dating from 210 BC, were discovered in 1974 by several local farmers near Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China near the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. Here's a photo of me on Sunday - with a "walking statue."


“China’s First Emperor, the boy king who united the country in 221 B.C. and began construction of the first Great Wall, was not only obsessed with building but also a fanatic about death. After experimenting with potions to prolong his life, the megalomaniac king resigned himself to death on his own terms. He would build a standing army of 7,000 soldiers to enforce his rule over the afterlife.”

Sound like anyone you know? Well, actually, these and other imperial traits sound like a bunch of people we know. - The OC Weekly, Ted B. Kissell


Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor*
UNESCO World Heritage Site