Saving us from BIG media

one Blog post, and millions of petitioners, at a time...

Kevin Martin, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, has been keeping a secret from the American people. He wants to push through plans to remove decades-old media ownership protections. And he's trying to do it without public scrutiny.

Senators Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Trent Lott (R-Miss.) have introduced groundbreaking bipartisan legislation that would hold the FCC accountable and put the people ahead of Big Media.

Petitions from the public — millions of them — stopped media consolidation in 2003. Sign the petition and tell everyone you know:
http://stopbigmedia.com

You can also get involved on
Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr
and the Free Press Action Network.

We beat them once and I suspect that, much like saving the Internet, we will have to do this over and over again until Congress finally tells them their monopolistic ideals will never get a pass. The media conglomerates already have too much of a monopoly and deserve to be downsized for the good of the nation.

The media landscape is dominated by massive corporations that, through a history of mergers and acquisitions, have concentrated too much control in too few hands. This leads to a lack of diversity of voices, programming that is out of touch with local concerns and increasingly commercial and homogenized news and entertainment. Further consolidation will produce media in which only the powerful few will be heard.

The chart below maps out the control the six most concentrated giants exert over all forms of news, entertainment and information.

Click on these links to view information on conglomerates that control:

• Television
• Radio
• Publishing and Newspapers

Update: If you are feeling doubly activisty today, here is a really important fight on another communications battle front from Matt Browner Hamelin:

Second, if you're feeling discouraged by the increased chances of amnesty for telecoms making it out of the Judiciary Committee, remember that Senator Dodd has vowed to stop any such legislation from becoming law, either through a hold or by filibuster if necessary. Dodd will stand up for the rule of law. He will defend the Constitution.

Now is the time to take action, though. Chris Dodd won't wait until 2009 to lead and we shouldn't wait until 2009 to stand up for what we believe in.

Call the Senate Judiciary Committee today - we'll do the dialing for you through our Citizen Generated Whip Count calling tool: http://chrisdodd.com/immunity

The Citizen Generated Whip Count calling tool is free to use to make the phone call, but no guarantees it is free from spying unless we all take advantage of it to stop retro-immunity for the political and corporate criminals involved.

Neo-Weener Supports Joltin Joe for VP

If there were ever a point in time that the Liberul Media were to wake up and stop referring to the revoltin' joltin' Joe as some kind of Democrat, never mind an Independent of any kind, you would have to think that this neocon weener's (William "the bloody" Kristol) editorial would be the memorial to lay that GOP talking point to rest:

In a new Weekly Standard editorial, William Kristol, one of the most prominent and influential voices in the conservative movement, suggests that Sen. Joe Lieberman’s (I-CT) recent speech attacking war critics may be cause for the eventual Republican Presidential nominee to “offer him the vice presidency.” Peter Wehner, a former assistant to President Bush, endorses the “Joe for VP” meme at the Corner.

Joe Lieberman's consistent lies and propaganda in all things concerning illegal invasions and warmongering belie the fact that Joe is just another textbook definition of the insane neoconservative republicans. And Mr. Batshitcrazy over at the Weekly neoCON Standard proves this point.

Darien Veteran Group Fails the Charity Test

So says the Blotter:

Failing to Serve America's
Heroes on the Home Front

In the last two years, generous Americans answering appeals to help wounded and paralyzed veterans have given more than $464 million to charities that have been given an F in a new report card from a leading charity watchdog group.

Those failing charities include the National Veterans Services Fund, of Darien, Connecticut, which took in more than $6 million in contributions last year supposedly to help veterans' families.

It got a report grade of F from the American Institute of Philanthropy, which says the charity gave out only two percent of its money for charity.

I would like to hear the National Veterans Services Fund explanations for this... Same for the other 13 veterans groups that got an F. (h/t Buzzflash)

Meanwhile, in other veterans groups news, some veterans are labeled as not veteranny enough to march in veterans parades:

Iraq veteran Jason Lemieux might not be marching in the 11th annual Long Beach Veterans Day Parade on Saturday.

The Marine, who served three tours of duty in Iraq and is now against the war, was hoping to march as a member of Iraq Veterans Against the War, a national organization that calls for immediate withdrawal of troops in Iraq.

The group's application, however, was rejected last month because of its political views, parade coordinators said.

"I wanted to march like the rest of the Iraq veterans," said Lemieux, a 24-year-old Anaheim resident. "I served my country. I'm a veteran of a foreign war. I think I deserve that respect."

Iraq Veterans, along with the groups Veterans for Peace and Military Families Speak Out, applied to march together in the parade this year under the entry "Military Patriots."

While parade organizers claim "We're not allowed to take a political stance" that is exactly what they have just done. They should be ashamed.

Date Rape Toy Recall

Good lord! Who would of thought a ^^ title like that ^^ would ever have to be written?

Millions of Chinese-made toys have been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contain a chemical that converts into a powerful date rape drug when ingested. Two children in the United States and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the beads.

With only seven weeks until Christmas, the recall is yet another blow to the toy industry - already bruised by a slew of recalls this past summer.

In the United States, the toy goes by the name Aqua Dots, a highly popular holiday toy distributed by Toronto-based Spin Master Toys. They are called Bindeez in Australia, where they were named toy of the year at an industry function earlier this year.

I can only hope that the children that have ingested these things will be ok.

The two U.S. children who swallowed Aqua Dot beads went into nonresponsive comas, commission spokesman Scott Wolfson said Wednesday afternoon.

In Australia, the toys were ordered off store shelves on Tuesday when officials learned that a 2-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl were hospitalized after swallowing the beads. A 19-month-old toddler also was being treated.

Meanwhile, there is another long list of Chinese made toys that are also being recalled for their lead content and choking hazards.

I haven't seen any reports of these toys being pulled from Connecticut's store shelves, but just because it isn't being reported on doesn't mean it isn't happening. Toys "R" Us Inc. had issued a "stop sale" order on Tuesday for "the entire Spin Master Aqua Dots product line in its North American stores and on its Web site after it learned of the news."

It is highly likely that you better check your toy boxes again fellow Nutmeggers.

Buzz it if you want to?

Phone Conversations Overheard on a Blog

Brendan over at the Booman Tribune made a few phone calls to Congress after watching the spectacle of the IMPEACHMENT VOTE unfold on the floor of the house:

"Hello, Pete Sessions office", said a young man on the other end of the phone.

"Hi, my name's Brendan Skwire," I began. "And first of all, I have to tell you that I am about the most left-wing Democrat you could ever meet. If it was up to me, it would be abortion on demand, healthcare for everyone, and out of Iraq yesterday. Pete Sessions and I agree on absolutely nothing, and if we had a few beers together, we'd probably come to blows. So I just wanted to get that out there. I loathe the Republican Party and everything it stands for. No offense, just giving you an idea of where I'm coming from."

"And none taken," the guy said graciously. "So. What's up?"

"Well, as much as I despise the GOP, there is one thing I hate more: the liars and hacks that make up the Democratic Party leadership. I mean, my GOD: they have broken just about every single promise they made to people like me who voted for them in 2006. They took impeachment off the table, they keep sending you guys blank checks for war in Iraq, they let you get away with blocking all sorts of bills... I mean, just look at the Senate! They're about to confirm Mukasey as Attorney General, a guy who won't enforce Congressional subpoenas and believes George Bush is above the law. Later this week, they're probably going to legalize wiretapping our phones. It's absolutely disgraceful what the Democratic leadership has done. They're just as bad as you guys!

"And so while I never EVER thought I would say this, please pass a message to Pete Sessions for me: tell him I extend my heartiest congratulations for making Steny Hoyer, a douchebag of the highest order, look even more like the idiot fool he is. And on the House floor! Fantastic!! Tell Mr. Sessions I applaud his participation in this hilarious prank, which exposed my party's leadership for the clowns and cowards they are.

"Again, I don't support any of your boss's policies, but credit where credit is due. That was a job well done. Well-played, sir! I haven't laughed that hard in months!"

"Will do sir," the guy said chuckling. "I'm sure Congressman Sessions will be delighted to hear your message!"

The calls he made to the Democratic Congress critters were equally hilarious...

Blog Talk Radio Tonight

If you are around TONIGHT (Wednesday, November 7), please join us again for another edition of Don't Hijack My Thread! at 8PM Eastern/5PM Pacific.

This week's topics are as follows:

• What's up with our "best friend" Pakistan?
• Getting behind the decreasing violence in Iraq
• Big Dog making lame excuses for Hillary's recent missteps
• Election Day 2007 recap
• Rep. Kucinich and his "Cheney impeachment" bill
• The "Ron Paul" factor - is he for real or just a "fad"?

The link to tonight's show is: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/epradio/2007/11/08/Dont-Hijack-My-Thread

The link to past shows for podcast or streaming is here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/epradio and you can check out Blog Talk Radio's progressive radio lineup at Heading Left (www.headingleft.com).

Info about calling in can be found here: http://political-nexus.blogspot.com/2007/04/want-to-call-into-dont-hijack-my-thread.html

Tell us something we didn't already

know...

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is the president of Peru, Chavez “mocked” Cheney, saying the comment shows the United States is governed by a “bunch of ignorant fools”:

“The vice president of the United States was talking about us, but he made a mistake,” Chavez said, laughing. “Since those who govern the United States are a bunch of ignorant fools…he thinks I’m president of Peru.”

“They don’t know where Venezuela is, nor do they know where Peru is,” Chavez told the crowd.

Though, it did take a large chunk of America quite a while to figure this out.

Missing New Milford Teen Found in NJ

An update on Megan Roberts, a teen who went missing in New Milford, Connecticut, a few weeks ago and via the website set up by her family:

She went to Boston, Providence and Atlantic City. They were found because a police officer came up to them and she ran away. She was arrested for evading a police officer.

Megan was in bad shape when we found her.

snip

Thanks again to everyone who was so helpful. Please continue to keep Megan in your prayers so that she will regain control of her mind.

I am glad she was finally found and hope that she will be ok. Good luck to your family. I am certain that the other Connecticut Blogs that tried to help by writing on this, or hosting diaries on it, will feel the same relief that I do at the news that she was found.

Lou Rell Has Cancer

According to the Danbury NewsTimes Governor Jodi Rell's husband has cancer:

Lou Rell, husband of Gov. M. Jodi Rell, will undergo surgery Tuesday for removal of a small cancerous growht on his esophagus. He is expected to be hospitalized for a week to 10 days.

I wish him the best and good luck in his recovery because he will very likely have a battle on his hands. According to the American Cancer Society:

The American Cancer Society estimates during 2007, 13,940 deaths from esophageal cancer will occur. Because esophageal cancer is usually diagnosed at a late stage, most people with esophageal cancer eventually die of this disease. However, survival rates have been improving. During the early 1960s, only 4% of all white patients and 1% of all African-American patients survived at least 5 years after diagnosis. Now, 17% of white patients and 12% of African-American patients survive at least 5 years after diagnosis. These figures refer to patients with all stages of disease, so survival rates in earlier stage disease will be higher.

These survival rates are called relative survival rates. The 5-year survival rate refers to the percent of patients who live at least 5 years after their cancer is diagnosed. This includes people who die of other causes. Five-year relative survival rates assume that some people will die of other causes and compares the observed survival with that expected for people without the cancer. That means that relative survival only talks about deaths from the cancer in question. This is a more accurate way to describe the prognosis for patients with a particular type and stage of cancer. Five-year rates are used to produce a standard way to discuss prognosis, or outlook for survival.