Madam Jane predicts the future: “No Country for Old Cows…”

I have gone to the grocery store and purchased a quart of milk so many times during the course of my life that it would take me quite a while to add all those times up. When I was around eight years old, my mother would give me a quarter and I would walk down to the Capuchino Food Mart, buy some milk and then walk back home. We lived on Park Blvd in Millbrae and the Food Mart was five blocks away. And my mother would always let me use the change to buy a piece of Fleer’s Double Bubble. Nowadays I just walk... Read article

“I’m a Good Person”

As Lauren Cleri found out on the Fox reality show, “Moment of Truth,” she said one short sentence and lost a possible $200,000 plus winnings. Hooked up to a polygraph before the show and asked a list of personal questions, the host asked these personal questions on the program. Confessing infidelity and a desire to be married to her x-boyfriend instead of her present husband, she then claimed as the saying goes, after everything is said and done, “I’m a good person.” The polygraph had earlier scratched the seismic... Read article

Stop Global Climate Change By Building An “Ark”

If neither governments, nor most businesses are taking effective measures to avoid global climate catastrophe, what can people do at a grass-roots level to help sustain life on earth? After heart-breaking research, I offer these four ideas: 1. Verify the accuracy of the information in this commentary. 2. If you decide it is valid, share it as widely and as quickly as possible. (If you can help with translating it into other languages, please write to: .) 3. Choose which of the four personal strategies... Read article

The Power Elite Playbook, Government by Gunpoint

Part Ten America’s long-term foreign policy, including passive and/or aggressive regime change, is driven by corporate greed. Trade agreements or “reciprocity treaties” (tariff-free trade akin to economic annexation or the creation of American protectorates) always favor business. These obligatory contracts generally include the exclusive right to extract resources, sell products, and maintain commercial properties and military bases despite the justifiable objections of the native populations. [1] Though... Read article

Crusade of Surge and Siege: Part Four: Into the Valley of Catastrophe

Barbarians At the Gates From the very beginning, the American crusade of surge and siege – with much of it predating the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq; think to early 20th century agreements with Saudi royalty of protection for petroleum, or the overthrow of Iran’s democratically elected nationalist leader, or CIA coups and installing of tyranny, or support for Saddam, or provocations of war, or fanning the flames of violence, or importation of billions worth of weapons – has been a catastrophe for the people of... Read article

Kosovo: A Threat to Israel’s Survival

There are many self-styled friends of Israel in the United States who have been enthusiastically supportive of Kosovo’s independence for years. People like Sen. Joe Lieberman, Rep. Elliot Engel, Morton Abramowitz, William Kristol, Douglas Feith and many others appear to be motivated by the hope that favors to a supposedly moderate Muslim group in the Balkans may buy some brownie points for America—and by extension for Israel—in the Islamic world. That delusion was stated brazenly yet eloquently by the late Rep. Tom... Read article

Grumbling Letters From Grumbling Americans

Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that chain-smoking Barack Obama cannot solve America’s deep-seated and systemic afflictions. Further evidence shows that John McCain cannot and will not save America from its claptrap Iraq War, but instead, will continue it indefinitely. Neither man will secure America’s borders, but instead, give everyone a free pass into this country—thus flooding it with endless millions from around the world. Both face unbelievable consequences set in place by the reprehensible... Read article

Crusade of Surge and Siege: Part Three: Inside the Fires of Imperialism

Through Middle East Eyes In order for the peoples of America and the West to understand what has been and is currently being done to the peoples of the Middle East we must envision ourselves as human beings living and going through life in that most troubled of regions. We must exercise a humanist form of empathy that places us squarely inside the lands of desert and sand, the lands of the people of the Bible, of terrain full of mirages and complexities, of alien and unfamiliar cultures and languages and religions, of a... Read article

Where Is The Outrage?

As a teacher, I sat dumbfounded when the Rocky Mountain News inked a story, “What Happened?” to a stunned Denver, Colorado audience. In a five year study starting in 1999 in Denver Public Schools, 5,663 students started the eighth grade. Five years later, only 1,884 graduated from high school. That’s a 67 percent drop out/flunk out rate! What caused it? First of all, 30,000 illegal aliens, speaking 40 different languages, attended Denver schools. Our classrooms suffered thousands of kids functionally illiterate... Read article

The Real Reason Congressional Democrats are Wimping out on Iraq

Rolling Stone writer Matt Taibbi has called Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid “one of the biggest pussies in U.S. political history.” Normally, I love Taibbi’s work, but this time I think he’s sunk his teeth into a half-truth. Democrats appear to be phobic about being called soft on anything by Republicans. This doesn’t make sense, because with a little effort Democrats could shove the charge of softness down the Republican’s throat. Sen. Bernie Sanders said that the reason Congress will never cut off funding... Read article

In politics, sex sells

Advertisers know that sex sells. So they use it liberally to push all kinds of products into our shopping carts. The media also know that sex sells. So they use it liberally in their coverage of U.S. politics. A case in point is the new John McCain lobbyist scandal. The New York Times reported recently that McCain’s aides became concerned during the 2000 presidential campaign because they thought McCain was spending too much seemingly cozy time with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. The mass media’s tabloid-like emphasis... Read article

I just got media credentials for the Ohio primary debates!

The 2008 presidential primaries have been interesting and exciting so far. It’s been like watching a horse race, where at first the field was all bunched up and no leading horses were clearly emerging until they entered the backstretch. But now, nearing the finish line, a few major candidates have obviously pulled ahead. John McCain is winning the Republican primary race. Can you believe it? John McCain! Don’t let me get started on that one! We’ll be here all night. McCain was involved in... Read article

Drug Free America: Yes We Can

After the first six interviews with my brother Police Officer and Detective Howard Wooldridge of Lansing, Michigan (retired) concerning the “War on Drugs”, more and more Americans understand the underpinnings of how the U.S. government protracts a national taxpayer fraud. How big a fraud? Taxpayers forked over $1 trillion in 36 years paying for the impotent “War on Drugs.” Results? More drugs available, major drug networks, cheaper drugs and more potent drugs. “The policy of drug prohibition... Read article

Spending more money, buying less stuff: The new “Stealth” recession

“What is the difference between a Recession and a Depression?” I asked an economist friend of mine recently. “Public relations,” she replied. “A recession doesn’t sound quite as fierce.” Okay. Next question. Why is everyone talking about America being in a recession right now? I look around me at my neighbors and friends and they all still have jobs. They all still have places to live. No one is living out on the streets. No one is unemployed. Then how come everyone... Read article

The FairTax, Here to Stay

More citizens are joining the millions already on the FairTax bandwagon — and should. We’ve all known for decades that the antiquated and overburdened U.S. tax system needs to be reformed. The FairTax is not a reform of the present 67,000 pages of tax code. It is a complete replacement tax system based totally on consumption. The first book by talk-radio show host Neal Boortz and House Rep. John Linder (GA.), “The FairTax Book,” was a solid attempt to spread the word across the nation that there is a concerted... Read article

Crusade of Surge and Siege: Part Two: Cages of Conquest

Hear No Evil, See No Evil Americans’ ever-enduring, catatonic sleepwalk through the Empire’s vast array of bread and circus, as always produced by the Ministry of Truth and the Department of Propaganda, better known as the corporatist media, has succeeded in the creation of an ignorant, incurious and dumbed down populace completely bereft of knowledge of what is done in its name. With no concern for or understanding of geography, cultures, history, alien societies, the outside world and of the imperial aspirations of... Read article

Next Page »