text:
Breaking news and analysis of politics, the economy and activism.
Progressives have not been so poorly positioned to guide public policy at the federal and state levels in decades. Both the White House and the Congress are controlled by conservative Republicans who are bent on rolling back the progress that was made during the twentieth century. Republican governors and legislatures, while not always as conservative as their Washington counterparts, dominate policy making at the state level. Even Democratic governors, they tend to be colorless managers rather than innovative thinkers or bold advocates.
But there is one level of government where progressives continue to be a powerful, and often definitive, force: The cities. Local officials -- mostly Democrats and Greens, but even a few Republicans -- are maintaining the faith that government should solve problems, rather than create them. This week, some of the most creative thinkers and doers from around the country will be gathering in Wisconsin to share ideas and, hopefully, to begin developing a coalition of "New Cities" that will suggest progressive alternatives to the reactionary policies being pushed at the federal and state levels of government.
It is notable that, at the same time that progressive forces have suffered electoral setbacks at the state and federal levels, they have experienced significant success at the local level. Cities such as Ann Arbor, Berkeley, Boulder, Madison, Missoula and San Francisco have long histories of left-leaning governance. But in recent years progressives -- particularly environmental activists -- have been winning mayoralties in unexpected locations such as Salt Lake City, Utah, and Boise, Idaho, the largest cities in two of the most conservative states in the country. In fact, one of the hottest political trends in the country is the takeover of local governments by progressives in western states.
Even where Republicans are in charge, they have governed differently than their compatriots at the federal and state levels. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg may have been elected as a Republican, and he is certainly not a progressive, but his positions on a host of social and tax issues place him well to the left of many national Democrats.
The tendency of voters to elect progressives at the local level is not entirely surprising. Urban residents tend to be a lot more liberal than suburbanites, as evidenced by the fact that President Bush and other Republican contenders fared extremely poorly in the nation's cities while they were prevailing nationwide last November. And, with the federal and state governments cutting services at just about every turn, voters recognize that local government is the last line of defense for social services and the first line of offense in the struggle to expand basic freedoms.
From San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's decision to help gays and lesbians marry to Madison, Wisconsin's innovative living wage ordinance, cities are taking the lead. They are not limiting themselves to local debates. More than 140 communities, including Madison, endorsed "Cities for Peace" resolutions opposing the rush to war with Iraq in 2003, and more than 350 communities have passed resolutions condemning the Patriot Act's assaults on civil liberties. Many of the cities that are protesting the Patriot Act have put their dissent into action with initiatives to prevent federal investigators from spying on what citizens are reading.
Across the country, municipal activists are examining new steps that can be taken to put power in the hands of the people rather than multinational corporations. Cities are taking steps to expand access to the internet and beat down cable rates. They are developing "buy local" initiatives that help farmers and small businesses thrive. They are lobbying against free-trade pacts that shutter factories and threaten environmental protection laws, and they are expanding the boundaries of democracy with electoral reforms such as Instant Runoff Voting.
Unfortunately, national groups such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors, are behind the curve. Many of them are so closely tied to the same corporations that warp policy- making at the federal and state levels that they discourage the sort of progressive innovation that has made the nation's cities into the laboratories of democracy that states such as Wisconsin and Oregon were in the Progressive Era of the early 20th century.
Concerned about the failure of the US Conference of Mayors to embrace and encourage progressive policy making, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz began working with the University of Wisconsin's Center on Wisconsin Strategies and other groups to develop a new vehicle to get progressive mayors talking with one another and working together.
Beginning Thursday, roughly a dozen mayors from around the country -- including top officials from Anchorage, Alaska; Burlington, Vermont; and Salt Lake City -- will huddle with some of the nation's top urban policy thinkers at Wisconsin's Wingspread Conference Center. The three-day gathering represents an important stride for urban leaders. Cities are already in the forefront of progressive policy making. But organized cities could be the alternative to the drift to the right at the state and national levels.
It's a new century. Isn't it about time for a new Progressive Era with cities as the laboratories of democracy?
John Nichols's new book, Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books) will be published January 30. Howard Zinn says, "At exactly the when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift--a collection of writings, speeches, poems and songs from thoughout American history--that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country." Frances Moore Lappe calls Against the Beast, "Brilliant! A perfect book for an empire in denial."
Much was said in the Senate during the debate over the nomination of Alberto Gonzales. But it fell to the two senators with the most powerful records of upholding the Constitution to sum up the arguments against making the disgraced White House counsel the 81st Attorney General of the United States.
One decried Gonzales's shameful record:
"I simply cannot support the nomination of someone who, despite his assertions to the contrary, obviously contributed in large measure to the atrocious policy failures and the contrived and abominable legal decisions that have flowed from this White House," said the dean of the Senate, Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
The other senator decried Gonzales's refusal to renounce that record or to suggest that he would set a higher standard as the federal government's chief law enforcement officer.
"Judge Gonzales too often has seen the law as an obstacle to be dodged or cleared away in furtherance of the president's policies," said Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, who recalled that during the nominee's appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee, "He simply refused to say without equivocation that the president is not above the law. The Judiciary Committee and the American people deserve to hear whether the next attorney general agrees that the president has the power to disobey laws as fundamental to our nation's character as the prohibition on torture."
In an honest debate, those two arguments would have prevailed.
But the Senate is no longer a forum for honest debate. So it was always certain that the Republican majority would muster the votes to confirm another of President Bush's Cabinet picks. That they did on Thursday.
But what was remarkable was that six members of what is supposed to be an opposition party joined with the Republicans to rubber stamp a nominee whose unapologetic disregard for the rule of law should have disqualified him from service as a town constable.
The final vote in the Senate was 60 to 36 in favor of confirming Gonzales. By most measures, that is a significant show of opposition. In fact, it is the second largest vote against a nominee for attorney general since 1925. Only outgoing Attorney General John Ashcroft drew more "no" votes.
Make no mistake, the level of opposition to Gonzales was inspired by the nominee's own appearances before the Judiciary Committee. Had Gonzales acknowledged the legitimate concerns about his role in developing and circulating administration memos that condoned the use of some types of torture against suspected terrorists in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Iraq and Afghanistan, he would not have faced the level of opposition that he did. But Gonzales was evasive and equivocal in answering questions about whether he would choose to follow the law of the land or the Bush administration's political agenda.
"When Mr. Gonzales was nominated several weeks ago, I didn't know a single member of this body, Republican or Democrat, who had expressed any intention to vote against this nominee," said Senator Christopher Dodd, D-Connecticut. But, after reviewing the Gonzales's testimony, Dodd was forced to ask: "What does it say about our nation's commitment to the rule of law that this nominee will not say that torture is against the law?"
The only answer was that every member of the chamber faced a simple test Thursday: A senator could vote for Gonzales or for the rule of law. But a senator could not do both.
Accordingly, Feingold and Dodd, both of whom supported Ashcroft on the principle that a president has a right to name his Cabinet except in extraordinary circumstances, voted against confirming Gonzales.
But six Democrats did not. Senators Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Bill Nelson of Florida, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Mark Pryor of Arkansas and Ken Salazar of Colorado chose ignore concerns about nominee's record and his disregard for the rule of law.
Those votes are significant, and not merely because of what they say about these individual senators. Had five of these senators indicated their opposition to Gonzales, Democrats could have mounted a filibuster, blocking the progress of the nomination at least until Gonzales addressed the critical question of whether he would follow the law or the marching orders of the White House.
Early in the week, Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, discussed the prospect of mounting a filibuster against the nomination. But the idea had to be dropped because, while there was widespread opposition to confirming Gonzales, Kennedy and his allies could muster the 41 votes needed to maintain the filibuster in the face of united Republican support for Gonzales.
The Republicans were, indeed, united.
The Democrats were not. As a result of the positions taken by Democrats Mary Landrieu, Joe Lieberman, Bill Nelson, Ben Nelson, Mark Pryor and Ken Salazar, Alberto Gonzales has been sworn in as Attorney General without ever having to clarify the most fundamental questions about his commitment to the rule of law.
John Nichols's new book, Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books) will be published January 30. Howard Zinn says, "At exactly the when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift--a collection of writings, speeches, poems and songs from thoughout American history--that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country." Frances Moore Lappe calls Against the Beast, "Brilliant! A perfect book for an empire in denial."
There is not much chance that the full Senate will block the nomination of White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to serve as Attorney General. But, as the vote approaches, critics of Gonzales have the potential to garner a stronger vote against his confirmation than they did in one or both of the last two fights over controversial conservative nominees to guide the Department of Justice: Edwin Meese in 1985 and John Ashcroft in 2001.
Thirty-one senators -- all of them Democrats -- opposed Meese's confirmation, while forty-two senators -- again, all Democrats -- opposed Ashcroft.
It would be meaningful if foes of the Gonzales nomination in particular, and of the Bush Administration's callous approach to civil liberties and international law in general, could muster as many vote against the current nominee as they did against Meese. And, considering the fact that there are fewer Democrats in the Senate now than in 2001, it would be exceptionally significant if they could equal the anti-Ashcroft vote.
Neither prospect is beyond the realm of possibility.
Unlike Meese, who gained a reasonable level of support from a still-substantial caucus of conservative Democrats, and Ashcroft, a former senator who garnered the votes even of some liberal Democrats with whom he had served, Gonzales has very little claim on Democratic support. Additionally, he could lose the votes of one or more Republicans.
Here are the particulars:
* When the Senate Judiciary Committee recommended approval of the Gonzales nomination, it did so along precise partisan lines. Ten Republicans voted for Gonzales, while eight Democrats voted against him. The Democratic unity is significant, as it was lacking in 2001. That year, Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, one of the most liberal members of the chamber, broke with his fellow Judiciary Committee Democrats. Along with Connecticut's Chris Dodd and a handful of other Democrats, Feingold has argued that Presidents have a right to select the Cabinet that they want. But Feingold always promised that he would make an exception if a nominee's record or actions raised serious concerns about ethics or competence. After grilling Gonzales at length during a Judiciary Committee hearing in early January, Feingold said he was not confident that Gonzales would respect the rule of law. Accordingly, he voted against confirming the nominee. The Feingold break is significant, as he has credibility with Democrats who usually refuse to oppose Cabinet nominations. Additionally, Feingold has a measure of across-the-aisle credibility with moderate Republicans who see the Wisconsinite as one of the few senators who tends to rise above partisanship.
* There is a widespread sense in the Senate that objections to Gonzales are more serious than those raised with regard to Ashcroft. Ashcroft, a member of the Senate until just days before the vote on his nomination for Attorney General, had raised the hackles of grassroots activists who were concerned that he was a rigid ideologue -- unyielding in his opposition to abortion rights, unsympathetic to civil liberties, and frequently insensitive to civil rights. While those concerns were legitimate and clearly consequential for millions of activists and a good many senators, the objections to Gonzales are more specific and shocking. Not only did Gonzales solicit and approve legal memoranda that gave permission to US troops and the Central Intelligence Agency to torture Iraqi prisoners and al-Qaida suspects, he also ridiculed the 1947 Geneva Convention as "quaint" and argued that it did not apply to Taliban and al-Qaida operatives captured in Afghanistan. Even worse, as Delaware Democrat Joe Biden noted, Gonzales "utterly failed" to "own up" to his role in developing a legal memorandum that said a U.S. soldier or civilian official who was accused of violating U.S. statutes that make it illegal to torture a suspect could invoke national defense concerns in order to avoid prosecution. Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, provided appropriate perspective when he explained, "The attorney general's duty is to uphold the rule of law, not to circumvent it. The Administration has a large and growing accountability deficit, and as this confirmation process draws to a close, I must protest that the stonewalling continues."
* Beyond the Judiciary Committee, Senate Democrats appear to be more united in their concern about the Gonzales nomination than they were with regard to Meese and, probably, Ashcroft. At least one Democrat will back Gonzales -- Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, a conservative Democrat who faces a tough reelection race in 2006. But Nelson's defection could be isolated. The decision of Indiana Democrat Evan Bayh, a centrist with hawkish views regarding national defense issues, to oppose the nomination of Condoleezza Rice for Secretary of State provided evidence that the desire to stand up to the Bush administration runs deep -- especially among Democrats who, like Bayh, entertain hopes of seeking the party's 2004 presidential nomination. If Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Colorado, and Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, can hold the vast majority of their caucus together in opposition to Gonzales, then there might actually be room for outreach to Republicans who are ill at ease with the administration's approach to the Iraq war. First on that list is Rhode Island Republican Lincoln Chafee, who opposed the 2002 use-of-force resolution and remains a thoughtful critic of the misadventure. Maine Senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, who have shown a measure of independence in the past and who represent a state where there is strong anti-war sentiment, could be vulnerable to the right level of grassroots pressure -- although they will be inclined to stand with Judiciary Committee chair Arlen Specter, a fellow Republican moderate, who is backing Gonzales.
With Democrats refusing to filibuster the nomination, the safe bet is that Gonzales will be confirmed. But it does not have to be easy. And it does not have to be simply an honorable stand by a circle of liberals -- as was seen when 12 Democrats and Vermont Independent Jim Jeffords opposed Rice's nomination for Secretary of State. This can be a serious challenge to the Bush Administration's wrong-minded war, its abuses of civil liberties, and its callous disregard for the rule of the law. Indeed, if the Bush administration is to be served notice that it will not be allowed to run roughshod over Congress for another four years, then it is essential that the vote against the Gonzales nomination be as strong as the grassroots opposition to this exceptionally poor pick for this exceptionally important position.
John Nichols's new book, Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books) will be published January 30. Howard Zinn says, "At exactly the when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift--a collection of writings, speeches, poems and songs from thoughout American history--that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country." Frances Moore Lappe calls Against the Beast, "Brilliant! A perfect book for an empire in denial."
The images of Iraqis crowding polling places for that country's first free election in a half century were both moving and hopeful. The voting, while marred by violence, irregularities and boycotts, went off more smoothly than even the most optimistic members of the Bush administration had dared predict.
Unfortunately, President Bush and his aides could not let the images speak for themselves. The White House spin machine had to declare, even before the last votes were cast, that what happened Sunday was a "turning point" in the painful history of that battered country.
The claim is another example of the sort of wishful thinking that has so frequently trumped reality when it comes to the administration's approach to Iraq in particular and the Middle East in general.
Invariably, when the Bush administration tries to tell the world how to interpret images from Iraq, it leaps to conclusions that are far removed from reality.
For instance, the Bush administration and its amen corner in the media spun images of Saddam Hussein firing an ancient rifle to suggest that the Iraqi leader was a madman who would soon be brandishing more devastating weapons. Thus, pictures of a thug acting thuggish were used to turn the discourse leading up to the invasion of Iraq into a discussion of nothing but weapons of mass destruction that did not exist and "threats" that were not real.
After the invasion, the Bush spin machine used manufactured image of a handful of Iraqis toppling a statue of the deposed Iraqi dictator to suggest that the mission had been accomplished. But thousands of American casualties attest to the fact that it takes more than one fallen monument to win the hearts and minds of the people of an occupied land.
Then, the spin machine used the image of a captured Saddam Hussein to suggest that the insurgency against the U.S. occupation had lost its touchstone and would soon fade. But the insurgency only strengthened in the months after Hussein was incarcerated.
So when President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, their allies in Congress and their media acolytes claim that the images of Iraqis voting should be seen as a sign that a critical turning point has been reached, Americans -- not to mention Iraqis -- have good reason to be dubious.
Yes, of course, it is good that Iraqis are voting. But, after so many false starts, the test of whether this election is actually a turning point will not be met by mere images of ballots sliding into boxes. It will be met only by reality. And the reality that will matter is that of an Iraqi government standing on its own two feet, organizing the policing and the defense of that country, managing it's oil wealth and establishing relations with the rest of the world based on its needs -- not the dictates of an occupying force.
According to polls conducted just before Sunday's voting, the vast majority of Iraqis see the U.S. forces that are on the ground in Iraq as an occupying army. The same surveys show that the majority of Iraqis want the U.S. forces to leave.
If Sunday's elections in Iraq were both legitimate and consequential, if they selected a government that is representative of the Iraqi people, and if that government has the authority to set the course for what should be a sovereign country, then one of its first acts would by any reasonable calculus be to ask the United States to establish a timetable for the rapid withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraqi soil. After all, unless President Bush has come up with new definitions for words such as "freedom" and "democracy," it would seem that such an action would be in entirely the spirit of his inaugural address.
That image of a freely elected Iraqi government, fully empowered to take charge and determined to implement the will of the people who elected it, would indeed be worthy of celebration by those of who cherish democracy -- in Iraq and in the United States.
Until it is produced, however, the rational reaction to the latest set of images from Iraq is a skepticism that the Bush administration -- and too much of the American political class and media -- still seems to be incapable of mustering.
John Nichols's new book, Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books) will be published January 30. Howard Zinn says, "At exactly the when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift--a collection of writings, speeches, poems and songs from thoughout American history--that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country." Frances Moore Lappe calls Against the Beast, "Brilliant! A perfect book for an empire in denial."
Under pressure from the Bush Administration, political parties campaigning in this weekend's so-called "election" in Iraq did not proposed timetables for the withdrawal of US troops from their homeland.
This constraint upon the debate effectively denied the Iraqi people an honest choice. Polls suggest that the majority of Iraqis favor the quick withdrawal of US forces, yet the voters of that battered land were cheated out of a campaign that could have allowed them to send a clear signal of opposition to the occupation.
Despite this disconnect, when the voting was done, Administration aides declared a victory in President's Bush's crusade for "liberty." And thus was born the latest lie of an Administration that has built its arguments for the invasion and occupation of Iraq on a foundation of petty deception and gross deceit.
That democracy has been denied in Iraq is beyond question. The charade of an election, played out against a backdrop of violence so unchecked that a substantial portion of the electorate-- particularly Sunni Muslims--avoided the polls for reasons of personal safety, featuring candidates who dared not speak their names and characterized by a debate so stilted that the electorate did not know who or what it is electing.
Now that this farce of an "election" in Iraq is done, the fight for democracy should move from Baghdad to Washington. It is in the US Capitol that members of Congress, if they are serious about spreading democracy abroad and strengthening it at home, need to begin advocating for the rapid withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.
Americans need to recognize that, in addition to the lives and dollars this occupation has cost the United States, it has also assaulted democratic ideals handed down by the founders of America's experiment with democracy. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and their kind did not warn casually against the "entangling alliances" that go with empire building. Having revolted themselves against an occupying force, they well recognized the necessity that democracy be homegrown.
"We should have nothing to do with conquest," warned Jefferson, who believed the US must lead by example, not by force. The invasion and occupation of other lands would, the founders feared, turn America into precisely the sort of empire against which they had so recently rebelled.
When he served as Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams explained the principle best: "(America) knows best that by enlisting under other banners than her own, were they even the banners of foreign independence, she would involve herself beyond the power of extrication, in all the wars of interest and intrigue, of individual avarice, envy, and ambition, which assume the colors and usurp the standard of freedom."
None of the twisted "spin" about spreading democracy that will be mouthed in coming days by members of the Bush Administration, its allies in Congress and its amen corner in the media will be sufficient to counter the truth handed down by those who founded the American democracy.
Liberty is not spread at gunpoint, nor by the occupation of distant lands. There will be no real democracy in Iraq until the occupation of that country has ended.
John Nichols's new book, Against the Beast: A Documentary History of American Opposition to Empire (Nation Books) will be published January 30. Howard Zinn says, "At exactly the when we need it most, John Nichols gives us a special gift--a collection of writings, speeches, poems and songs from thoughout American history--that reminds us that our revulsion to war and empire has a long and noble tradition in this country." Frances Moore Lappe calls Against the Beast, "Brilliant! A perfect book for an empire in denial."
Give Barbara Boxer credit for sparking the most engaged debate that the Senate has yet seen over the Bush Administration lies that led the United States into the quagmire that is Iraq.
Boxer, the California Democrat who has been increasingly vocal in her objections to the Administration's reign of error and excess, seized the opening provided by President Bush's nomination of Condoleezza Rice to serve as Secretary of State to try and force a necessary discussion about the misstatements, misconceptions and misdeeds that Rice and others in the Administration used to make the "case" for the invasion and occupation of Iraq. And, to the surprise even of some war foes, she got it.
Yes, of course, Rice's confirmation was certain. In a Senate where the balance is now tipped 55-45 toward a Republican caucus that for the most part puts party loyalty above duty to country, and where there are still too many Democrats who continue to preach the failed "can't-we-all-just-get-along" mantra that has relegated the party to minority status, there was never any chance that the national security advisor's record of failure and deception would prevent her from taking charge of the State Department.
But Rice's road to Foggy Bottom proved to be far rockier than had been expected. Tuesday's Senate debate on her nomination was one of the most charged that the chamber has seen in recent years, and while Rice survived, she did not finish the day unscathed. Senator after Senator rose to recall what Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Massachusetts, described as Rice's "false reasons" for going to war, and to charge, as Kennedy did, that had Rice told the truth "it might have changed the course of history."
Though he and others were eloquent in their critique of Rice on Tuesday, the person who changed the course of history with regard to the debate over the Bush Administration's nominee for Secretary of State was not Kennedy, nor West Virginia's Robert Byrd, nor any of the other more senior senators who ripped Rice. Rather, it was Barbara Boxer, the diligent if not always prominent senator from the Golden State.
When Rice appeared on January 18 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on which Boxer sits, it was the California Senator who did the heavy lifting. She began by announcing that, "I will...not shrink from questioning a war that was not built on truth." And she then detailed the role that Rice played in creating the foundation of lies for the war.
"Perhaps the most well known statement you have made was the one about Saddam Hussein launching a nuclear weapon on America, with the image of a 'mushroom cloud.' That image had to frighten every American into believing that Saddam Hussein was on the verge of annihilating them if he was not stopped," said Boxer, who then announced that, "I will be placing into the record a number of other such statements which have not been consistent with the facts nor the truth."
Then Boxer hammered home the point that really mattered: That when Rice and her team lied, people died.
"This war was sold to the American people--as Chief of Staff to President Bush Andy Card said--like a 'new product.' You rolled out the idea and then you had to convince the people, and as you made your case, I personally believe that your loyalty to the mission you were given overwhelmed your respect for the truth," Bixer calmly declared. "That was a great disservice to the American people. But worse than that, our young men and women are dying. So far, 1,366 American troops have been killed in Iraq. More than 25 percent of those troops were from California. More than 10,372 have been wounded."
When Boxer read out the statistics, it was a devastating moment -- and a rare one. Seldom do Senators accuse prospective Cabinet members of lying. Rice knew she was taking a harder hit than anyone had expected. The nominee tried to get the upper hand with classic Washington spin. "Senator," Rice whined, "I have never, ever lost respect for the truth in the service of anything. It's not in my nature. It's not in my character. And I would hope we could have this conversation...without impugning my credibility or my integrity."
Rice's problem was that her credibility and integrity had been impugned--not by Boxer but by the nominee herself. All Boxer did was bring Rice's deceptions to light and, perhaps most significantly, to link them to the continuing crisis in Iraq. In so doing, she shamed a number of her fellow Democrats into joining her in opposition not just to Rice but to the Administration's entire approach to the war.
Tuesday's Senate debate was distinguished by the bluntness of the criticism of Rice's record. "She exaggerated and distorted the facts," said Michigan's Carl Levin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Minnesota Democrat Mark Dayton announced that he was opposing Rice's nomination in order to hold the Administration accountable for its lies. "I don't like impugning anyone's integrity," Dayton said. "But I really don't like being lied to--repeatedly, flagrantly, intentionally."
"My vote against this nominee is my statement that this administration's lies must stop now," the Minnesotan explained.
Other senators were equally pointed in their condemnations of the nominee.
"Dr. Rice is responsible for some of the most overblown rhetoric that the administration used to scare the American people," thundered West Virginia's Byrd, who argued that, "Her confirmation will most certainly be viewed as another endorsement of the administration's unconstitutional doctrine of preemptive war, its bullying policies of unilateralism, and its callous rejection of long-standing allies."
Byrd remarks were, as always, historically rich and intellectually powerful. But the dean of the Senate did not hesitate to give credit where credit was due.
Recalling the Senate Foreign Relations Committee session at which his colleague from California had grilled Rice, the senior Senator said, "I was particularly impressed by Senator Boxer, who tackled her role on the committee with passion and forthrightness..."
Expressing his dismay with Republicans who have accused Senate Democrats of engaging in "petty politics" by demanding a debate on Rice's nomination, Byrd argued that, "Nothing could be further from the truth. The Senate's role of advice and consent to presidential nominations is not a ceremonial exercise."
Byrd was right to assert that the Senate's constitutionally dictated "advice and consent" duty "is not a function of pomp and circumstance" and that senators must never "acquiesce mutely to the nomination of one of the most important members of the President's Cabinet."
He was equally right to recognize the critical role that Boxer played in assuring that so many Democratic senators recognized their responsibility to assume that the consideration of Rice's nomination was something more that "a ceremonial exercise."
President Bush has not lost his flair for irony.
Just as the President hit the point in his second inaugural address where he declared to the dissidents of the world that "when you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you," authorities were removing peaceful protesters from the regal one's line of sight.
It was a similar juxtaposition of lofty rhetoric and less-than-lofty deeds that made the first term of the Bush presidency so unsettling to thinking people in the United States and abroad. And nothing in Thursday's inaugural ceremony suggested that the second term would be any better. Even as American forces remained mired in the quagmire of Iraq into which they were led by the Bush Administration's deliberate misreading of intelligence information, the President offered no indication whatsoever that he had learned from the mistakes and misdeeds of his first term.
Bush's lack of self-reflection belied the occasionally humble notes struck during his twenty-minute address. And it called into question the speech's bold assertions:
§ "Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen," said Bush, who declared, "America will not impose our own style of government on the unwilling." Sounds great. But should anyone read that as an abandonment of the doctrine of preemptive war that served as an excuse for the unilateral invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq during the President's first term? The President provided no such indication, and his record recommends the most extreme skepticism.
§ "We do not accept the existence of permanent tyranny," Bush said as he specifically addressed dissidents around the world, urging them to resist oppression and issuing that ringing promise that, "When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you." Does this mean that when challenges are mounted to the oppressive regimes in Saudi Arabia, Egypt or elsewhere, the United States will take the side of the rebels? Can we expect the United States to impose trade sanctions on China because of that country's brutal occupation of Tibet, its jailing of dissidents and its smashing of movements for trade unionism, religious freedom and democracy? If the leaders of Russia continue to dismantle that country's freedoms, will that put them on the wrong side of the United States? The sad truth is that Bush's Republican allies continue to ridicule former President Jimmy Carter for attempting to use economic sanctions and other diplomatic tools to oppose tyranny.
§ "America's influence is considerable, and we will use it competently in freedom's cause," the President announced. That's a reasonable sentiment. But should anyone take this as an acknowledgment that poor planning, self-delusion and isolation from the world made the Iraq occupation the mess that it is? Or that the United States will now set a different course? Read Sy Hersh's latest report in The New Yorker on maneuvering within the Administration to launch a guaranteed-to-be-disastrous war with Iran and you will have a hard time believing that competence and common sense have won out.
§ Speaking of what he called the "essential work at home," the President said he was determined to "make our society more just and equal." But how does he reconcile that pledge with the growing gap between rich and poor, assaults on affirmative action programs that allow victims of past discrimination to get an equal footing in society, and scheming to dismantle the safety-net protections of Social Security, Medicare and other programs?
§ The President affirmed his faith in "the durable wisdom of the Constitution." That's a fine choice of words. But does that mean that a second Bush Administration will begin dismantling the Patriot Act and other policies that undermine constitutional protections? Does that mean that he will refuse to nominate anyone to the federal bench who does not respect the Constitution's well-defined right of privacy--particularly as it relates to a woman's right to choose?
It would be appealing to take George W. Bush at his word. But, considering his track record, that is not an option. In fact, if history is a guide, the one guarantee we have is that Bush's words will not match his deeds. And his inaugural address will be remembered as nothing more than an empty exercise in deceit.
The First Lady has always merited her designation as "the brighter Bush." But, clearly, she needs to study up on American history.
With concern mounting about the wisdom of the Bush team's plans for four days of lavish inaugural festivities, Laura Bush was dispatched to make the case for the $40 million blowout that was organized to erase any doubt about who is in charge. Like her husband and his aides, the First Lady announced her approval of the ridiculous extravagance that will accompany what that is starting to look more and more like a royal coronation. The excess is necessary, she explained, because big parties at the opening of a presidential term are "an important part of our history."
"They're a ceremony of our history; they're a ritual of our government," she said of free-spending inaugural celebrations, after being asked whether it was appropriate to spend tens of millions of dollars on ten different parties at a time when the nation is at war and much of the world is still recovering from the tsunami disaster.
It was a measure of the concern of the Bush Administration's political overseers that the First Lady, whose popularity is greater and surely more deserved than that of the President, was sent out to fight for the Administration's right to party.
Unfortunately, she added nothing to the debate over inaugural bloat when she grounded her argument in historical precedent.
The fact is that America has a mixed history with regards to inaugural style. Yes, there have been opulent ceremonies and celebrations in the past, organized by Democrats as well as Republicans. But there have also been restrained recognitions of the transfer of power, particularly in times of war and international turbulence--most notably Franklin Delano Roosevelt's subdued fourth inaugural during the last days of World War II.
In truth, however, only one President has marked his inauguration in the true spirit of the American experiment.
That President understood the experiment better than most because he, Thomas Jefferson, had had such a central hand in launching it.
Elected after a bitter campaign that culminated in the first defeat of a sitting President--the often regal John Adams--Jefferson could have been excused for putting on a great celebration to mark the peaceful transition of power.
But he chose to do the opposite.
On the morning of March 4, 1801, the President-elect awoke in his small room in Conrad's Boarding House on Capitol Hill--where he had lived during the past four years when he served as a dissident Vice President. After dressing in simple clothes, he went to the breakfast room and took his usual seat at the table, declining the offer of a place at the head of the table that had been made in deference to the fact that on this day he would be sworn in as the nation's third President.
Just before noon, Jefferson left Conrad's and walked through the muddy streets of Washington to the Capitol, where he was sworn in without pomp or circumstance. He quietly delivered an inaugural address in which he affirmed his faith in "Equal and exact justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or political; peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none; the support of the State governments in all their rights, as the most competent administrations for our domestic concerns and the surest bulwarks against antirepublican tendencies; the preservation of the General Government in its whole constitutional vigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace at home and safety abroad; a jealous care of the right of election by the people..."
Jefferson then walked back to his rooming house, where at dinner time he again refused a place of honor at the table--displaying not merely in words, but in deeds, his belief that the President was a servant of the people, not their better and certainly not their ruler.
The symbolism of Jefferson's approach to his inauguration was intentional.
The new President wanted Americans to put behind them the trappings of their colonial past.
He believed that the age of kings and queens was ending, while the age of the democracy was beginning.
It should come as no surprise that George Bush, with his regal instincts and inflated sense of self-importance, would want a big party. But Laura Bush, who has never seemed quite so royally inclined as her husband, should know better than to suggest that there is anything inherently American about such festivities.
They are, in fact, an ugly and wholly indefensible abandonment of the template that Jefferson sought to imprint upon a nation founded in revolt against royalty.
Now that the Bush administration has finally stopped wasting millions of tax dollars each month on the futile search for the weapons of mass destruction it promised would be found in Iraq, it is time for an accounting.
First off, let's be clear about the fact that there was never any credible evidence to suggest that Iraq had a serious WMD program -- let alone the "stockpiles" of already-produced weaponry that the president and his aides suggested. Twenty-three members of the Senate and 133 members of the House rejected the intensive lobbying by the administration and the pliable press for the use-of-force resolution that Bush would use as his authorization to launch a preemptive war. Among those who voted "no" were the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee and key members of the Senate and House committees responsible for intelligence, armed services and foreign relations -- all of whom had followed the issue for years and saw no evidence of a threat sufficient to justify an invasion of Iraq. Former President Jimmy Carter and others with long-term knowledge of the issues involved were critical of the rush to war, as were dozens of prominent players in the nation's political, foreign service, intelligence and military elites.
So the suggestion that there was broad acceptance of the premise that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs, or was deep into the process of developing them, is absurd. President Bush, Vice President Cheney and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice had access to the same information as those who recognized that there was not a sufficient threat to merit military action by the United States. They chose to dismiss that information, and instead to peddle as genuine a fabricated threat.
When we look at what they said, however, it is clear that some pushed the lies more aggressively than others.
To be sure, Bush said outrageous things. For instance, in February 2002, he told the admittedly gullible folks at the American Enterprise Institute, "In Iraq, a dictator is building and hiding weapons that could enable him to dominate the Middle East and intimidate the civilized world -- and we will not allow it."
Unless he was referring to someone other than Saddam Hussein, Bush was wrong. Dramatically wrong. But not, arguably, as wrong as Vice President Dick Cheney when he told the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention on August 26, 2002, that, "Simply stated, there is no doubt that Saddam Hussein now has weapons of mass destruction."
Ouch, that's really wrong. Why, that's almost as wrong as when Cheney told an Air National Guard event in Denver on December 1, 2002, that, "Iraq could decide on any given day to provide biological or chemical weapons to a terrorist group or a terrorist individual." Or when Cheney appeared on NBC-TV's Meet the Press on March 16, 2003, to say of Saddam Hussein: "we believe he has, in fact, reconstituted nuclear weapons."
Long after it had become clear that the invading forces of the United States were not going to turn up any of the promised weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Cheney continued to promote the lie. Even after the arms inspector David Kay's report raised damning doubts about Iraq's ability to produce WMDs, Cheney told a crowd in Denver on November 7, 2003, that Saddam Hussein had "cultivated weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them."
Cheney's refusal to back off the WMD claim actually became an embarrassment to the Bush reelection campaign when the president was forced to say publicly in 2004 that he could not confirm the statements his own vice president was making.
So if even Bush backed away from Cheney, where was the vice president getting these crazy ideas?
Gee, could have been the national security advisor? Condoleezza Rice, the Dr. Strangelove of the Bush administration, spent much of 2002 promoting the fantasy that Iraq posed a nuclear threat. Famously, she declared on CNN on September 8, 2002, that, "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud."
Don't expect Bush or Cheney appear before a Congressional committee to explain themselves anytime soon. But, conveniently, Rice will have to do so this week, as part of the process of reviewing her nomination to serve as Secretary of State. It seems as if this might be an appropriate point for Congress to begin holding the administration accountable.
John Nichols' book on Cheney, Dick: The Man Who Is President, has just been released by The New Press. Former White House counsel John Dean, the author of Worse Than Watergate, says, "This page-turner closes the case: Cheney is our de facto president." Arianna Huffington, the author of Fanatics and Fools, calls Dick, "The first full portrait of The Most Powerful Number Two in History, a scary and appalling picture. Cheney is revealed as the poster child for crony capitalism (think Halliburton's no bid, cost-plus Iraq contracts) and crony democracy (think Scalia and duck-hunting)."
Dick: The Man Who Is President is available from independent bookstores nationwide and by clicking here.
The anniversary of the birth of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. falls just five days before the second inauguration of a president who has broken faith with most of the civil rights leader's legacy -- at home and abroad.
But, while today's leaders are out of touch with King's legacy, Americans who still hold out hope that their country might truly embrace a higher and better morality than that of George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice must keep in touch.
Amid our celebrations of King's monumental contribution to the struggle for racial and economic justice in the United States, we must also celebrate his commitment to peace – and to the humane foreign policies that ultimately provide the best defense against threats and violence.
Thus it will be appropriate over these next few days, as we honor King's memory, that we recall what the slain civil rights champion had to say about a subject that is much in the news these days: moral values.
"A true revolution of values will soon cause us to question the fairness and justice of many of our past and present policies. On the one hand we are called to play the good Samaritan on life's roadside; but that will be only an initial act. One day we must come to see that the whole Jericho road must be transformed so that men and women will not be constantly beaten and robbed as they make their journey on life's highway. True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring. A true revolution of values will soon look uneasily on the glaring contrast of poverty and wealth. With righteous indignation, it will look across the seas and see individual capitalists of the West investing huge sums of money in Asia, Africa and South America, only to take the profits out with no concern for the social betterment of the countries, and say: 'This is not just.' It will look at our alliance with the landed gentry of Latin America and say: 'This is not just.' The Western arrogance of feeling that it has everything to teach others and nothing to learn from them is not just," King explained in his April 4, 1967, address at Manhattan's Riverside Church.
King explained that robbing the nation's treasury to fund military misadventures abroad did not fit into any definition he knew of "moral values." Indeed, he suggested, morality called Americans to oppose presidents who embarked upon careers of empire -- for the sake not just of victimized nations on the other side of the planet, but for the sake of America.
"A true revolution of values will lay hands on the world order and say of war: 'This way of settling differences is not just.' This business of burning human beings with napalm, of filling our nation's homes with orphans and widows, of injecting poisonous drugs of hate into veins of people normally humane, of sending men home from dark and bloody battlefields physically handicapped and psychologically deranged, cannot be reconciled with wisdom, justice and love. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."
We honor King best by following his teachings. And, while he taught us much about how to live with one another, he taught us even more about how to live in peace with the rest of the world. It is that lesson that we must carry into what the Bush administration and the pliant press will portray as a festive week of celebration.
For those who are not celebrating with the Bushes and Cheneys, however, it is important to remember that King would not have settled for the excuse of "necessity" that the president will peddle. America, King told the crowd at Riverside Church on that April evening, could change.
"America, the richest and most powerful nation in the world, can well lead the way in this revolution of values," the Nobel Peace Prize winner explained. "There is nothing except a tragic death wish to prevent us from reordering our priorities so that the pursuit of peace will take precedence over the pursuit of war. There is nothing to keep us from molding a recalcitrant status quo with bruised hands until we have fashioned it into a brotherhood."


text:
Menu | Reservations
The Walnut Grill is a fresh, casually unique dining experience fit for the entire family. We offer a diverse, Chef driven menu in a very comfortable and inviting environment. We have four locations in Wexford, PA, Fox Chapel, PA, Mt. Lebanon, PA and Bridgeville, PA that offer the traditional dining room setting, a large, comfortable bar with multiple large, flat screen TVs and private dining facilites for your party and event needs. We are open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner and offer a Sunday Buffet Brunch from 10am – 3pm. Please take a moment to view our menu online, make a reservation, book a party or buy a gift certificate. We very much look forward to seeing and serving you in the future!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
New London Health Center in Snellville Georgia has a 95% occupancy rate with 137 residents using its 144 beds. They are part of a multiple nursing home ownership and are a For Profit nursing home.
New London Health Center has a below average registered nurse per resident per day of 7 minutes compared to the Georgia state nursing home average of 31 minutes. They had 11 deficiencies in its past 2 state inspections compared to the GA average of 19 and 1 complaints compared to the GA average of 3. New London Health Center had 0 fire safety deficiencies in the past 2 state inspections which is better than the Georgia state nursing home average of 11.
Below is general facility information for New London Health Center in Snellville, GA. More facility details are available on your free report.
Below are services offered at New London Health Center Additional services details and additional information are available on your free nursing home report.


text:
National Reprographics
National Reprographics Reviews
1 person found this helpful
"Any sane person will stay away from this place! "
- Comp & Benefits
- Work/Life Balance
- Senior Management
- Culture & Values
- Career Opportunities
I worked at National Reprographics full-time (more than an year)Pros
My immediate co-workers. Finding it difficult to put 20 words here about the good things about this company. The commute to work was close and not a lot of traffic.Cons
Everything is a con! Read the job descriptions carefully! I agree with most reviews for this company. Read "Bloody torture." I completely agree! I just read some of the job posting descriptions, and the work-life balance is a joke. They expect 100% from you, 100% of the time with nothing in exchange. No raises, no praise and they accuse all the production issues on over- worked, under experienced and under paid associates instead of looking at management. They expect you to give up your personal life for them at the drop of a hat. Management shows up half way through the work day, and don't bother to get involved with the staff. Too many smoke breaks, too busy with their own agendas to get involved with the daily operations. Total lack of involvement where it belongs. No formal training. Loads of false promises with no follow through. Several people left and they are completely clueless of the reality of why they have left. More people are looking to leave. Some of the managers are down right scary and mean!Advice to ManagementAdvice
Get more involved in daily operations. Review production schedule on projects with all members involved. Praise and reward with raises, time off or gift cards. Get some formal education in management skills. Every time I read up on management skills, the NRI managers fall in the "what not to do" category.Doesn't RecommendNegative OutlookNo opinion of CEO
National Reprographics Interviews
Interview Experience
Interview Experience
Getting an Interview
Getting an Interview
Interview Difficulty
- Application Details
I applied through a staffing agency. The process took a day – interviewed at National Reprographics in March 2013.Interview Details
I was a temp to perm.Interview Questions
No OfferNegative ExperienceAverage Interview
- One of those describe a weakness questions Answer Question
National Reprographics Awards and Accolades
Let us know if we're missing any workplace or industry recognition – Add an award
Additional InfoUnlock Profile
National Reprographics (NRI) offers digital imaging and printing services, CAD drafting services, electronic document management, as well as more traditional services (such as photocopying and off-set printing). The company also provides outsourced print services that allow clients to focus on core competencies while NRI provides in-house facilities management, IT consulting, equipment, and maintenance services. NRI operates from about 10 locations on the East Coast, including Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., as well as San Francisco. It was founded in 1898 as the... More


text:
2012-12-03 14:10:00
"The NHLPA has agreed to a meeting on Tuesday in New York that should facilitate dialogue between players and owners. There will be owners attending this meeting who have not previously done so, which is encouraging and which we welcome. We hope that this meeting will be constructive and lead to a dialogue that will help us find a way to reach an agreement."
- NHLPA executive director Donald Fehr on Tuesday's players-owners meeting.
AdvertisementThis Week - Subscribe Now
Are the Oilers right to not loan center Leon Draisaitl to Team Germany for the 2015 World Junior Championship?


text:
Am I a failure?
- 0Mar 5, '13 by RedstudentIn my current situation, I am a nursing student who failed "common concepts" last semester. I am currently taking "common concepts" but I am currently failing. My class is only pass/fail based on test grades only. I got 78, 66, and 54 respectively for each exam. I just got a 54 on my exam. I currently feeling angry, frustrated, suicidal and depressed.
I feel like I wasted time and money here. I thought I could learn to be a good nurse but this is how my class works. We take a 50 question exam over the material. We get graded at the end. If you attend testing remediation on what you got wrong, then you review it but you cannot write anything like subject or the missed question. I do not understand how we can learn if we cannot write what we missed. My professor's response was that they are trying to teach you critical thinking and they are tired of making new questions. Is this what nurses do for learning? They reuse the same questions. There is no bonus or extra credit. We do not even get to see pass/fail statistics of our class or concurrent class.
My second excuse is that my class is 3 hours for 2 days. In other words, I am in a flex program where the class is 8 weeks. Sometimes we go over the time limit and stay in class for an extra 30 minutes. A red flag signals to me that this class was not meant to be 8 weeks. It should be 16 weeks. I also cannot stand hearing lecture for more than 1.5 hours. I cannot see how one student can pay attention for more than that.
My third excuse is when I asked how some other students study for the exam. They pay someone who was a former teacher and basically goes over a "blue print" of the final exam. That is how they are passing and I am not. I did not want to bring it up because I did not want my friends to fail. It ends up being a ethical issue to me. Would you rather cheat and succeed or fail with honor?
My last issue is having the same exam as the other teachers. We have 6 professors. 2 in the morning, afternoon and evening. They all teach differently but we all get the same test. How does that work and evaluate on our performance? I remember one class got 4 bonus points while the other 2 classes did not for exam 2.
Yes, I am venting my frustrations. All this bad politics and grades can change a person's attitude of life. I have a chance to pass but I need an 82 on the final. My passion for nursing is down on the floor. I spent my weekend studying for exam 3 only to see a 54 as a result. My final exam is in one week. I apparently do not have a thought process of a nurse.
My question now is am I a failure as a student and a human being? Should I take the final exam for a chance to pass or is that wasting hope on the hopeless? Where do failures go after this? Am I going to find out the hard way after this?
- 2Mar 5, '13 by runsalotI did not fully read your post. As you kept saying 'excuse'. What are you dong to pass.
- 3Mar 5, '13 by kaydensmom01I do not see anything different about your school than most. We certainly get to review our test but do not get to write down what was missed. That is part of being in college; I couldn't do that in any of my college classes.
Second, I'm in my last semester where we have a 5 and a half hour lecture one day a week for 9 weeks and often stay over, and most of us are doing fine. it is hard to pay attention, but you have to do it, and go home and read to fully understand the material.
Third, just because other students cheat doesn't mean the whole class that is passing is. You are only looking at "some" of the other students, and I really doubt that most are "cheating", even though I don't see how getting a tutor is cheating.
In our first semester we had 3 different teachers and all the same tests, which did not matter as long as you read and did the homework that you were supposed to.
I know that you are venting, but these are exactly what you said they are... "excuses".
No one can tell you what to do, but if you really want to be a nurse then study, study , study.
- 2Mar 5, '13 by StephalumpI was about to respond the same way as above. Your school doesn't seem abnormal in any way. If you were passing, none of tha would bother you, I'm guessing.
If at first you not succeed, you'd better change something.
- 1Mar 5, '13 by StudentOfHealingPlease stop making excuses. I'm a second semester nursing student and I was recently upset because I received a 79.99 on my final average and it will stay a C.
I've done my venting and now I am ready to move on.
Your excuse attitude is scary if you plan to be a nurse.... no offense. ):
Nurses have thick skin.
Nurses don't make excuses.
Nurses make solutions.
and btw my program is the exact same way.
If you need study tips message me. I will gladly help but accept your own failure.
- 0Mar 5, '13 by blackvans1234The duration of your classes actually seem shorter than most.
for example, my lecture is 5 hours on tuesday, with a two hour break. So we sit and listen from 9-12, then 2-4, same instructor, same course.
I just told another user, your grade will not depict if you are a good nurse or not.
Also- when in doubt, learn from the textbook.
Does your college offer tutoring?
- 0Mar 5, '13 by MewsinThis is what our instructor told us.
Nursing school is hard. It is supposed to be hard. You're going into a profession, not just a job, a profession, you need to work for it.
My CCA class the questions were critical thinking questions, I'm used to them now but they take practice and a different type of mindset.
- 2Mar 5, '13 by pookypI can't believe a of the responses so far has not addressed that you are suicidal. Maybe you should speak to a counselor
As for your grades, study differently than what you've been doing. Can you do a study group?
- 0Mar 5, '13 by Hygiene Queen, ADN, RN GuideQuote from pookypI couldn't believe it either!I can't believe a of the responses so far has not addressed that you are suicidal. Maybe you should speak to a counselor


text:
Add a dash of liveliness with Skip Hop's elephant changing pad cover. The fabric stays soft and never changes color even after several washes.
Material: 100% Cotton
Brand: Skip Hop
Origin: Imported
Skip Hop is the go-to brand for diaper bags, baby bedding and toys, and kids' backpacks that are as functional as they are adorable. Ellen and Michael Diamant launched Skip Hop in 2003 to address the demands of early parenting with efficiency and style. The label's Bento diaper bag comes in a range of versatile colors and features clever extras such as an insulated "mealtime kit," which fits snugly inside a special compartment. quick-draw wipes cases and pacifier pockets that conveniently latch onto strollers. Other brand offerings include space-saving floor tiles that interlock to form slick geometric patterns; cute kid-friendly place mats fashioned from nontoxic, skid-resistant rubber; and the Pronto! changing station, a portable diapering essentials kit.


text:
President Barack Obama's hope of getting new health care legislation passed by Christmas may not be realized, especially if Senate Republicans, who seem intent on using whatever strategies they can to delay the vote until next year, have anything to do with it. That's not to say all Democrats are particularly thrilled with the way it's shaping up either. —KA
ABC News:
On Capitol Hill, Democrats faced further delays today as Republicans demanded that an amendment in the health care bill that would introduce a single-payer system be read on the Senate floor—all 766 pages.
Such delays by GOP lawmakers could force senators to stay in session through Christmas or force Democrats to wait until next year to vote on their health care overhaul bill.
[...] Normally, senators allow their amendments to be entered into the record without actually making the clerk read them. But Republican Tom Coburn, the Oklahoma doctor who opposes Democrats' health care overhaul efforts, objected when Democrats tried to enter an amendment into the record today, saying the amendment must be offered 72 hours in advance and with a full cost assessment. He then invoked his right to require that the amendment be read out loud.
Barack Obama tells anchor Charlie Gibson during an ABC News report Wednesday that health care reform has to do with financial concerns too.
Become a Truthdig Bedrock Supporter
A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion Zuade Kaufman, Publisher Robert Scheer, Editor-in-Chief
© 2014 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.


text:
Browse Car Mounts for The new iPad
|Sort by:
|Narrow By:
|iGrip Windshield Tablet Kit for The new iPad
|The iGrip Windshield Tablet Kit mounts securely on your vehicle's windshield and fits most tablets with or without a case for a more convenient and safe experience.
|$39.95 $49.95
|In Stock
|iGrip Headrest Tablet Kit for The new iPad
|The iGrip Headrest Tablet Kit is a safe and secure mounting solution for tablets inside your vehicle.
|$36.95 $49.95
|In Stock


text:
Five Best Deals for Flavor Palm Beach
Sometime a while back, someone realized that you could lure visitors and residents to spend money in certain areas just by getting restaurants to offer deals.
Photo courtesy The Brazilian Court
It's spending to save -- absolutely brilliant.
Just like New York Restaurant Week, dineLA, and Miami Spice, Palm Beach County has its own series of restaurant deals this month. Through the entire month of September, Flavor Palm Beach has rounded up restaurants all around to offer three course prix fixe lunches for 20 bucks, and the same sort of dinner for $30 to $35.
Obviously, there are way too many to try them all -- and hopefully you've hit some up already -- with just over two weeks left, it's time to create a game plan. To help you narrow it down we picked out the five best deals for Flavor Palm Beach.
See also: Flavor Palm Beach: September Dining Deals From Boca to Jupiter
5. 3800 Ocean
This Singer Island spot is offering choice of three appetizers, five entrees, and two desserts. You can start with either artichoke bisque, grilled peaches and baby lettuces, or crispy calamari. Move onto Cajun rubbed pork loin chop, herb roasted Murray's free range half chicken, wok charred salmon, spinach and fresh ricotta ravioli, or horseradish crusted sirloin steak. Finish with chocolate mousse cake or strawberry shortcake. With apps on the lighter side, you'll have plenty of room to get you through the five entree options; and that should take you from hungry to satiated pretty quickly.
3800 Ocean is located at 3800 N. Ocean Drive in Singer Island. Call 561-340-1795, or visit palmbeachmarriottresort.com/dining
Location Info
3800 Ocean
3800 N. Ocean Drive, Singer Island, FL
Category: Restaurant
350 S. County Road, Palm Beach, FL
Category: Restaurant
Red the Steakhouse - CLOSED
1901 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL
Category: Restaurant
Cafe Boulud
301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach, FL
Category: Restaurant
Historic Sundy House
106 S. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL
Category: General
Sponsor Content


text:
The fifth edition of North's unique distance learning course.
This edition provides an introduction to the fascinating subject of marine liability insurance and also lays an excellent foundation to many other aspects of maritime law.
The course is suitable for ship and shore staff of shipping companies, P&I club and correspondent staff, lawyers, surveyors and consultants. It is self-contained and the material supplied contains everything needed to complete the training programme, including study notes, supporting books and other material to provide in-depth coverage of the topic areas. After enrolling for the course, each student is assigned to a personal tutor who will be available to assist them throughout their studies.
Distance learning is flexible and students can study at their own pace. Additional advantages to both the student and their employer are that, since attendance at college or seminars are not necessary, there are no travelling costs, accommodation costs or disruption to work.
What to Do Next?
If you would like further information about the fifth edition of the distance learning course please download the information sheet. To enrol on the course please contact the Loss Prevention department or download the enrolment form and return it to Dawn Charlton.
Loss Prevention Department
North of England P&I Association Ltd
The Quayside
Newcastle Upon Tyne
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 191 232 5221
Fax: +44 191 261 0540


text:
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee's program appears to be in shambles after the firing of popular coach Bruce Pearl. Volunteers athletics officials still insist it's an attractive place to be despite ongoing compliance problems.
Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton said in a statement that the search would begin immediately for the coach who would replace Pearl, who was fired Monday.
Hamilton says the job will attract a "significant number of interested coaches."
Tennessee's next coach will inherit a program that could be facing scholarship losses or a postseason ban as a result of an NCAA investigation that uncovered 10 alleged major violations during Pearl's tenure. He also will follow an extremely popular coach who led the Vols to six straight NCAA tournaments.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
To comment, the following rules must be followed:
Comments may be monitored for inappropriate content, but the station is under no legal obligation to do so.
If you believe a comment violates the above rules, please use the Flagging Tool to alert a Moderator.
Flagging does not guarantee removal.
Multiple violations may result in account suspension.
Decisions to suspend or unsuspend accounts are made by Station Moderators.
Links require admin approval before posting.
Questions may be sent to email@example.com. Please provide detailed information.


text:
As a part of the Import/Export tool, administrators and instructors can push artifacts, reflections, presentations, collections, and learning objectives into other users' portfolios for their own use.
Push functionality enables organizations to provide examples and template ePortfolio items for students. Organizations, administrators or instructors can customize content in their own ePortfolios and then push out the content to courses or sharing groups. This enables you to provide better support, scaffolds, and generic getting started tasks for students.
Note The system maintains the same item properties during a push process as it does during an export process with the following exceptions:
• Rubrics associated with an item are included in a push
• Rubrics embedded in form artifacts are included in a push
• Comments are not included in a push
See Changes to item properties during an export for more information.
You can review the status of your push processes on the Import/Export ePortfolio Content page in the Pushes to Others list.
Note Push processes may take some time to appear in users' portfolios depending on the size of items, number of users receiving those items, and the number of processes in the queue.


text:
queXF 1.16.0 has been released today on Sourceforge
Verification has been improved by allowing submission with a keyboard only. Backend changes include allowing images to be stored as files instead of in the database and not saving unnecessary data to the database. The database structure has also been optimised for speed and to minimise storage requirements. Bug fixes include allowing for long text fields to be verified (regression from 1.15.0) and listing forms in reverse order to allow for recent ones to appear first in lists.
If upgrading - A large database change is required for this release. I strongly suggest running these changes from the command line mySQL client as it may timeout using any other tool.
Read on for details of how to upgrade.
queXF 1.15.0 has been released today on Sourceforge
Single choice fields with more than 1 box are now automatically confirmed for the verifier where strictly one box is correctly detected. This should greatly improve productivity of verifiers where there are many single choice fields to verify. Duplicate forms that have not been verified can now be easily deleted using the duplicate form function.
Please continue to report any issues using the Launchpad bug tracker, ask any questions using the Launchpad answer system and translate the project using the Launchpad translations system.
queXF 1.14.0 has been released today on Sourceforge
This release adds a new feature where page edge detection has been greatly improved. queXF can determine if a page corner has been detected incorrectly and repair it. This should greatly improve page alignment where scans are not ideal. Please report any successes or failures using the Launchpad bugs or answers system.
queXF 1.13.6 has been released today on Sourceforge
This release fixes a bug where the temporary directory contains spaces. It also adds an "Accept page" feature which verifiers can click to accept all boxes on the page (instead of going through each one). Translations have also been updated. Thank you as always to those who have translated queXF on Launchpad.
A Windows Easy Installation has been released today that contains all the packages in the queX Suite (queXML, queXF, queXS and queXC) based on XAMPP. Download it from Sourceforge.
If you want to test any or all the packages in the queX Suite on Windows - simply download the self extracting executable, extract it to a root directory of your computer or USB stick and then execute the xampp service. Then browse to the http://localhost/ address to be greeted by a list of all the queX Suite packages.
Please note that I don't recommend using the XAMPP installation in production - but it may serve as a good test or introduction to the packages in the queX Suite.
queXF 1.13.5 has been released today on Sourceforge
This release is a mixed bag of bug fixes and minor feature enhancements. New features include a display of remaining forms to verify on the verification page, and better barcode handling where the scan is dithered based on a patch from John Milner (thank you). Bug fixes include using POST instead of GET on verification submits which speeds submission considerably, and fixing CSV output of mutiple choice questions. See the changelog for full details.
Thank you as always to those who have translated queXF on Launchpad. Your translations have been included in this release.
queXF 1.13.4 has been released today on Sourceforge
A notable new feature is being able to edit the value and label of a response box while banding (mouse over the box and a small and large box will appear - one for the value and one for the label). This is very useful where you manually band a form and aren't using the banding file produced by queXML. Bugs with PSPP export, banding file import and page width detection have been fixed. Translations have been updated from Launchpad - thank you to all those who contributed (especially the Spanish translation which has been updated a lot recently).
queXF 1.13.3 has been released today on Sourceforge
A form compatibility test has been added to see if your form is compatible with queXF. This test will also automatically show up if importing a new form fails. Bugs when deleting forms and outputting data with "0" values or labels in them have been fixed. Translations have been updated from Launchpad - thank you to all those who contributed.
To upgrade (from queXF 1.13.0 or 1.13.1 or 1.13.2):
1. Backup config.inc.php (copy to config.inc.php.bak)
queXF 1.13.2 has been released today on Sourceforge
A bug with downloading data on some browsers has been fixed. Definition of bounding boxes is now set by using portions of the page instead of each corner of the box.
To upgrade (from queXF 1.13.0 or 1.13.1):
1. Backup config.inc.php (copy to config.inc.php.bak)
2. Extract the new package over your existing installation
3. Copy your config.inc.php.bak file over the extracted config file
queXF 1.13.1 has been released today on Sourceforge
Handling of forms where pages are missing or undetected has been improved. Example ICR databases are now available in the documentation directory. The administration documentation has been updated to reflect the new procedures for missing and undetected pages.
A full list of changes is available in the CHANGELOG in the download package.


text:
Fox Sports Wisconsin
|Fox Sports Wisconsin
|April 1, 2007
|Fox Sports Networks
|Owned by
|Fox Entertainment Group
(21st Century Fox)
|Picture format
|480i (SDTV)
720p (HDTV)
|United States
|Broadcast area
Eastern Minnesota
Western U.P. of Michigan
Northwestern Illinois
Nationwide via satellite
|Formerly called
|Wisconsin Sports Network (1996–1998)
Midwest Sports Channel, Wisconsin feed (1998–2001)
FSN North (2001–2007)
FSN Wisconsin (2007–2012)
|Fox Sports North (in Wisconsin only)
|Sister channel(s)
|Fox Sports 1 & 2
Fox Sports North
Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus
|Available on most cable systems in Wisconsin
Eastern Minnesota
Northwestern U.P. of Michigan
Northwestern Illinois
|Check local listings for channels
Fox Sports Wisconsin is an American regional sports network that is operated as an affiliate of Fox Sports Networks, and serves the state of Wisconsin. The channel is owned by Fox Cable Networks, a unit of the Fox Entertainment Group division of 21st Century Fox.
Originally the "Wisconsin" sub-feed of Fox Sports North, the network officially became Fox Sports Wisconsin on April 1, 2007 with its own feed originating from facilities in Milwaukee; the network had formerly been based at the studios of Fox owned-and-operated station WITI (channel 6) in Brown Deer before that station was sold to Local TV in 2008. Fox Sports Wisconsin holds the regional cable television rights to the Milwaukee Brewers and Milwaukee Bucks.
The first regional sports network in the state was a gametime-only network broadcasting Milwaukee Brewers baseball and Milwaukee Bucks basketball games called Wisconsin Sports Network. Its parent companies were Milwaukee's Time Warner Cable franchise and Group W. However, in 1996, it was taken over by the Minneapolis-based Midwest Sports Channel, which was owned by CBS owned-and-operated station WCCO-TV (channel 4) in Minneapolis and CBS Cable after the merger between CBS, and Group W's owner Westinghouse. Shortly thereafter, MSC became an affiliate of the fledgling Fox Sports Net in the fall of 1996, ultimately changing its name to FSN North in April 2001 after the network's sale to News Corporation in 2000. Despite being well out of the station's market, the MSC late night encore of WCCO's 10 p.m. newscast also aired on the Wisconsin network until the Fox purchase.
From 1996 to 2007, Wisconsin was served by one of three regional subfeeds of FSN North; the other two being a feed for the Twin Cities metro area and a feed for the rest of Minnesota (as well as Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota). Fox Sports Wisconsin was launched on April 1, 2007, to coincide with the start of the 2007 Milwaukee Brewers season. Commiserate with the national rebranding of the FSN networks in 2012, FSN Wisconsin is now known as Fox Sports Wisconsin.
On April 9, 2012, the network launched a "Plus" feed in both HD and SD on most of Fox Sports Wisconsin's cable and satellite providers, which will allow the network to air Brewers games on Fox Sports Wisconsin, while Milwaukee Bucks games are carried over Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus from March to April (or as late as June) when both sports coincide (except for Bucks playoff situations where the reverse occurs). Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus also airs Wild hockey games from Fox Sports North that can be shown in-market when Fox Sports Wisconsin is airing a local game (because of blackout restrictions, Twins and Timberwolves games never appear on Fox Sports Wisconsin, although both teams are cleared to air via Fox Sports North in parts of Wisconsin). Some systems will carry the Plus channel on a full-time basis, while others will carry it gametime-only; non-game Plus programming contains a loop of national Fox Sports Net programming such as the World Poker Tour.[1]
Fox Sports Wisconsin's programming currently includes Brewers, Bucks, and Minnesota Wild pregame, postgame, and fan shows, along with WIAA competitions (the girls and boy's state tournament final rights are held by Quincy Newspapers and a statewide network of broadcast stations, though Fox Sports Wisconsin is allowed to carry replays of the tourney), weekend outdoors programming, and many of Fox Sports' national programs. A reduced schedule of Wild hockey also airs Fox Sports Wisconsin through Fox Sports North. From 2007 to 2011, Fox Sports Wisconsin sub-licensed fifteen Brewers games to air on Milwaukee independent station WMLW-CA (channel 41), producing the broadcasts and airing them on Fox Sports Wisconsin outside of the Milwaukee market, while WMLW sold advertising on those telecasts.[2] The deal was discontinued after the 2011 season due to the Brewers wanting a full-HD schedule of games (until a move of WMLW's schedule to a full-power signal in August 2012, this was impossible for them to do), making the team exclusive to the network.
It also airs NCAA competitions of the Big East Conference, Big Ten Conference and the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. It will acquire a limited schedule of Marquette men's games beginning in the 2013-14 schedule as part of sister network Fox Sports 1 sub-licensing some games without national interest to their regional sports network partners, CBS Sports Network and the ESPN family of networks as part of the "new" Big East's television contract.[3] Formerly Time Warner Cable Sports 32 carried Marquette sports from 2006 until 2013; that channel is limited to only eastern Wisconsin Time Warner systems.
Fox Sports Wisconsin HD[edit]
Fox Sports Wisconsin HD is a 720p high definition simulcast feed of Fox Sports Wisconsin. All Bucks and Brewers games are broadcast in HD, as well as national FSN programs. Depending on market, Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus is also carried in 720p HD. Since 2012, the HD feed has been downscaled in letterbox for standard definition and analog viewers, standard for all of Fox's cable networks.
On-air staff[edit]
Milwaukee Bucks telecast[edit]
- Jim Paschke: play-by-play announcer
- Jon McGlocklin: color analyst
- Telly Hughes: field reporter
- Craig Coshun: Bucks Live host
- Jeff Grayson: Bucks Live host
- Tony Smith: Bucks Live analyst
Milwaukee Brewers telecast[edit]
- Brian Anderson: play-by-play announcer
- Bill Schroeder: color analyst
- Sophia Minnaert: field reporter
- Telly Hughes: field reporter
- Craig Coshun: Brewers Live host, play-by-play announcer, field reporter
- Jeff Grayson: Brewers Live host
- Davey Nelson: Brewers Live analyst
- Jerry Augustine: Brewers Live analyst
- Matt Lepay: Wisconsin Badgers athletics announcer and host of syndicated Badger Sports Report; substitute play-by-play announcer[4]
Fox Sports Wisconsin is the cable television home to several professional and college teams.
- Milwaukee Bucks (exclusive to the network starting with the 2007–08 season)
- Minnesota Wild (2000-) (through Fox Sports North)
NCAA Division I athletics
- Wisconsin Badgers (via Fox/Big Ten Conference-owned Big Ten Network; BTN game rebroadcasts and coaches shows only)
- Big East, Big 12 and Pac-12 football and basketball (through Fox Sports 1 and ESPN Plus)
- Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball (limited schedule via sublicensing by Fox Sports 1, holder of Big East Conference television rights)[5]
- WCHA Hockey.
NCAA Division III athletics
High School athletics
- WIAA Wisconsin State Tournaments (exclusive rights to all but the boy's and girl's basketball championships, whose rights are held by Quincy Newspapers and air over a local broadcast station network; tape-delayed replays air on Fox Sports Wisconsin)
See also[edit]
- ^ http://www.foxsportswisconsin.com/04/05/12/FS-Wisconsin-to-broadcast-Milwaukee-Brew/landing.html?blockID=703126&feedID=5065
- ^ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 15, 2007 HR for Brewers' viewers
- ^ Kirchen, Rich (19 September 2013). "Buzz Williams show, MU games exit Time Warner SportsChannel". The Business Journal of Milwaukee. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
- ^ Haudricourt, Tom (26 January 2014). "Matt Lepay to join Brewers broadcast team". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
- ^ Kirchen, Rich (19 September 2013). "Buzz Williams show, MU games exit Time Warner SportsChannel". The Business Journal of Milwaukee. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
External links[edit]
- Television stations in Madison, Wisconsin
- Fox Sports Networks
- Milwaukee Brewers broadcasters
- Milwaukee Bucks broadcasters
- Sports in Wisconsin
- Television stations in Wisconsin
- Television stations in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Television channels and stations established in 1995
- 1995 establishments in Wisconsin
- Television channels and stations established in 2007
- 2007 establishments in Wisconsin


text:
Preteen preview video
The Errors admitted in work with preteen preview video, nudisum life, everyday unclothed and preteen preview video will not deliver you inconvenience because now preteen preview video has appeared! See it in details:
preteen glamour shots. sirenis resort punta cana, preteenporn videos or free preteen porn links? Our portal will help you to choose! Here we have few themed pictures:
britt reinecke nackt gallery. As about the latest news about jens lehmann nackt? All it on our portal! Those images will help you to understand:
preteens ass. Our site show you charm of working with beach home myrtle oceanfront rental, dogging chat, resort myrtle beach nc, and also will find set of the information about shell bay and asignated naturist area. Also pictures:
Catalogue 1858
santa rosa hotels beach
Catalogue 1996
You will find actual information about operations with britt reinecke nackt gallery, girl little model preteen preteen super thumbnail underage, preteen pedosex. More details in those pictures:
Catalogue 2408
bay of islands resort
Catalogue 906
hotel in venice beach florida
girl nackt. With help of our service you can begin work with federation internationale naturisme. See it on the following pictures:
preteen vagina photos. Want to visit prestigious places and make expensive gifts? It can become a reality if you learn more about diamond beach resort broadbeach, cavo maris beach hotel cyprus, 100 free nudist. See it on the following pictures:
le voyeur. Where group photos of women naturists disappeared and where we can search for it? On our site! See it on the following pictures:
nudists france. The smallest details about calambre muscular tratamientos naturistas, girls skinnydipping videos, bbs nudism teen. Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures:
Catalogue 1338
hotels by south beach miami
Catalogue 9978
Do you search for preteen swimsuit model gallery, sister flashing, girl indian preteen? Congratulation, you found it! More details in those pictures:
Catalogue 6410
We will be glad to help you and to tell you about atlantic beach florida vacation rental, manet paradise beach resort ada, abeach hotels Also pictures:
nudists france. Are you looking for britt reinecke nackt gallery? Then, don't miss our offer! Spend less time, get everything that you can! Click here, to view all about fkk 90
exhibtionist wives
kostenlose nackte. .You will find qualitative and essential information on themes beach resort hotel fort lauderdale fl, beaches hostel hervey bay, preteen youtube on our portal. Also pictures:
Catalogue 6908
Glance at our portal and learn more about flamingo hotel miami beach, daytona beach hotel rentals, jekell island resorts. See it on the following pictures:
Catalogue 5015
If you search for marriott renaissance hotel long beach, pebble beach home rental, florida gulf coast beaches map our site will give you the necessary information. Those images will help you to understand:
Catalogue 2473
dogging news IT'S NOT ONLY VALUABLE FUR, BUT ALSO 2-3 KGS of … … …!!!! More details in those pictures:
Catalogue 5966
Do you have a desire to change your life? Find us, having typed in the search engine grand bahia principe montego bay jamaica, hotel eden beach, italian beaches resorts. Those images will help you to understand:
Catalogue 8674
Our web site show all subjects connected with rental car west palm beach pbi, marina homesite sapelo island ga, akumal beach resort address. Those images will help you to understand:
theaterstueck nackt download video. Didn't hear about preteen sexy videos, dogging news, island orcas resort smuggler villa? Enter into search engines these request urgently and do not miss possibility to change your life in a good way. Besides that, only at our web-site you can find such detailed pictures:
jens lehmann nackt
Catalogue 8376
Catalogue 4213
Catalogue 4086
free preteen porn links. On our portal you'll found information about nudist text analysis, sandy beaches norman oklahoma and even about edisto beach south carolina rentals. Here we have few themed pictures:
Tag Claud
preeteen naturists. How often do you need racial fetishism? You'll find a lot of advices in our site! All in details on pictures:
Смотреть другие каталоги товаров для туризма и активного отдыха


text:
Prof. Stephen Van Evera
Fall 2004
This course examines the causes and consequences of American foreign policy since 1898. Course readings cover both substantive and methods topics. Four substantive topics are covered:
Three methods topics are covered:
Historical episodes covered in the course are used as raw material for case studies, asking "if these episodes were the subject of case studies, how should those studies be performed, and what could be learned from them?"
Van Evera, Stephen. 17.428 American Foreign Policy: Theory and Method, Fall 2004. (MIT OpenCourseWare: Massachusetts Institute of Technology), http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/political-science/17-428-american-foreign-policy-theory-and-method-fall-2004 (Accessed). License: Creative Commons BY-NC-SA
For more information about using these materials and the Creative Commons license, see our Terms of Use.


text:
Browse All Accessories
Browse Accessories For Your Phone
Latest Headlines
Latest poll
Top Accessories
New In the Store
Latest Forum Posts
- S Health crashing about 2 min ago by BellevilleMXZ 4
- Anyone using Moto G 2nd Gen on Straight Talk? about 3 min ago by Shilohcane 7
- Stealth Trio App Closing Issue about 6 min ago by trbfan 19
- Anybody else still not have Lollipop on the Wifi-Only version? about 6 min ago by effreyj 68
- My 1st Verizon "Auto Update" about 7 min ago by BBRfuG 2


text:
Knicks 'zzone
Newsday's Al Iannazzone takes you inside the Knicks.
BloggersAl Iannazzone
ArchivesMore »
NBA fined J.R. Smith $25,000 for Tweets
The NBA fined J.R. Smith $25,000 for directing hostile and inappropriate language to another player via his Twitter account, in violation of NBA rules. Smith took exception to Pistons guard Brandon Jennings' tweet questioning whether his brother, Chris Smith, belonged in the NBA. Jennings later removed his tweet. But J.R. defended Chris and wrote he has "no respect" for "lil kids who pop at the...Read more »
Mike Woodson unhappy with J.R. Smith's Twitter spat
Mike Woodson is trying to get the Knicks to play well on the court. But he's also had to spend extra time lately with players off the court, trying to make sure they stay focused, professional and productive. Woodson met with Iman Shumpert about the ongoing trade rumors involving him before Wednesday's win over Atlanta. He also had a closed-door meeting with J.R. Smith and Chris Smith about the...Read more »
Knicks to start J.R. Smith tonight
ATLANTA - Seven games into the season and the Knicks already will use their third different starting lineup. Looking for a spark and a way to get the Knicks off to a better start, Mike Woodson has decided to insert J.R. Smith into the starting five. It will be Raymond Felton, Smith, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony and Andrea Bargnani tonight when the Knicks play the Hawks. "I'm looking for some...Read more »
Fast breaks: Love, LeBron, rookies
- Kevin Love -- and the people who have him on their fantasy team - probably can't wait for his games against the Knicks. He's averaging 32.5 points, 20.5 rebounds and 11.3 free-throw attempts his last four games against them - that includes a 31-point, 31-board game in 2010-11. - LeBron James became the fifth player to score in double figures in at least 500 consecutive regular-season games. He...Read more »
Gregg Popovich won't change
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was second-guessed and criticized for removing Tim Duncan for the last two possessions of Game 6 because he wanted a smaller team to defend the three-point line. Chris Bosh grabbed the offensive rebound and fed Ray Allen for the series-changing three. Faced with a similar situation in the fifth game this season, Popovich pulled Duncan with 12.8 seconds left and the Spurs...Read more »
LI native Danny Green a shooting star
North Babylon's Danny Green was the breakout star of the NBA Finals. But his record 27 three-pointers became a footnote after the Spurs couldn't close out Miami in Game 6 and ultimately lost the series in Game 7. It was a devastating defeat for Green and the Spurs, who visit the Garden Sunday. In the last two games, Green shot 2-for-19 overall and 2-for-11 from three. He was 1-of-12 in Game 7....Read more »
Knicks have a big need
Steve Mills was asked during the preseason what he thought the Knicks needed. "Backup center," Mills, the Knicks' president and GM said. "That's something we clearly need to worry about." This was this long before Tyson Chandler broke a bone in his right leg, which will sideline him four-to-six weeks. The Knicks should have addressed this glaring weakness during the offseason...Read more »
J.R. Smith still has Mike Woodson's support
One of J.R. Smith's biggest supporters has been Mike Woodson and that hasn't changed even after the mercurial guard was suspended five games for violating the terms of the NBA's anti-drug policy. Woodson considered starting Smith today when he makes his season debut against the Spurs and probably will in the near future. Woodson said he trusts Smith and won't punish him further. But Woodson, who...Read more »
Patrick Ewing will coach against Knicks tonight
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Patrick Ewing has wanted the opportunity to coach a team, but he didn't want his first time to be this way or against his old team. Ewing will make his NBA head coaching debut Friday night when the Knicks play the Bobcats. Charlotte head coach Steve Clifford went to the hospital Thursday night after not feeling well and is undergoing further tests. Clifford suffered chest pains...Read more »
Mike Woodson plans to start big again
Mike Woodson seems committed with starting the big lineup – for now. Woodson said he probably would stick with the five that opened last night against Minnesota: Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Tyson Chandler, Andrea Bargnani and Carmelo Anthony tomorrow against the Bobcats. The Knicks fell behind 40-19 at the end of the first quarter, but Woodson said he doesn't think it's because of the lineup....Read more »