The first photo below is an HDR photo I took of the Lincoln Memorial 3 nights ago. Walking around DC, I'm mostly repulsed by the thought of what this city has become: Blatant corruption and warmongering hypocrisy. But I draw strength and hope from the glorious monuments on the National Mall.
Bill Moyers, John Nichols and Robert McChesney are three of the people I admire most in the world. Here they are sitting at the same table discussing what to do about the massive corruption of our political system, specifically, the challenges faced by those who are trying to do responsible journalism to report on this travesty. These issues are discussed with precision in the latest book by Nichols and McChesney: "Dollarocracy," a stunningly sober look at the situation (I've almost finished reading it). Toward the end of this excellent video, McChesney and Nichols indicate that they are "optimists." They argue that we are at one of those acute crisis points periodically faced by Americans and thus positive change is in our grasp. The authors further argue that it is becoming apparent that we need to make the case for publicly funded journalism. This is an approach taken by many functional governments, and it was one of the cornerstones of early America, a topic discussed by Nichols and McChesney in one of their previous books.
I am in Washington DC for the national conference of the National Consumer Law Center. Our special guest today was Senator Elizabeth Warren. In a blistering plain-language talk, delivered to an audience of approximately 900 consumer lawyers, Warren took aim at lobbyists, courts and the campaign finance system. [more . . . ]
Lots of fun and serious maps here. My favorite: The only 22 countries that Britain has not invaded.
Read this quote prepared by Scotland Yard in consultation with the MI5 slowly and carefully: "Additionally the disclosure, or threat of disclosure, is designed to influence a government and is made for the purpose of promoting a political or ideological cause. This therefore falls within the definition of terrorism..." Glenn Greenwald's contention is proven true by the above words of the British Government. Greenwald is contending: "For all the lecturing it doles out to the world about press freedoms, the UK offers virtually none...They are absolutely and explicitly equating terrorism with journalism."