ABC Refuses to Run "WE" Anti-Big Oil Ad

I've watched it, and I can't see what's so objectionable. Take a look, and see what you think. You can urge ABC to reconsider at the site, if you feel like it.



[Excerpt]

Tell ABC to Air Our Ad

ABC recently refused to run our Repower America ad, even though they run ads from oil companies that mislead the American people about the role fossil fuels play in the climate crisis. . .

Read more at: WE

Get Active! Save Swingtown!

Usually, when I post something under the banner "Get Active!" it's for something serious and/or dire. This time, I just want your help saving my favorite new show. I did this at the end of last season for Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, and this time it is for the CBS summer series, Swingtown.

I was interested in watching the first episode for the 70s time period, the early shots of the cast, and the naughty nature of the show. As it turns out, the naughtiness is just a sprinkling of spice onto a very well made drama. The acting is great, the attention to period detail is--for the most part--spot on, and the writing is engaging. It's sort of a family drama crossed with a bit of nighttime soap opera, and a dash of Desperate Housewives type comedy. In fact, the naughtiness--for all the attention it has gotten--rarely ever outpaces that show.

So, as I do far less frequently these days, I stayed with the program for its 13-episode run. CBS should get credit for running them all, even after a ratings plunge on Friday nights. Of course, that ratings plunge was CBS's fault for putting it onto Fridays in the first place.

All that said, petitions to save endangered shows rarely work. For every Jericho there is a Moonlight. The difference here is that there are rumblings that CBS is shopping Swingtown to other channels, including cable outlets where the storylines could get a little more spicy.

Read more here: Save Swingtown

Or, sign an online petition: Here.

And, I'm encouraged by this: Swingtown 1st Season on DVD

Get Active: Join Dennis Kucinich's Impeachment Drive

There isn't much time left, in fact if he's going by EDST, your name must be added by 1½ hours from the time I post this. So, if you happen by this post before 12:00am Wednesday night/Thursday morning, sign up! And if you find it later? Sign up anyway, it sure couldn't hurt!




Sign the petition here: Kucinich.us

Political Blogs' Traffic Way Up

Image from BusinessConsulting.com

This is the blog post I read a couple of days ago that got me bummed about this blog's traffic. My hits are up right now, but just slightly. I'm getting about 120 hits per day, give or take, and that has me pretty happy. But I've always gotten an average of 60-100 per day, pretty much since I started. Where is the love, people? Aren't I good enough, smart enough? And why don't people like me? Heh.

Seriously, good for these bloggers. And good for Americans in general, for showing an interest in politics for a change. Apathy is our biggest enemy.

[Excerpt]

Political blog traffic up an average of 48% for first of half of 2008

Major political blogs saw an average increase in page views of 48% during the first six months of 2008, compared to the last six months of 2007. Major liberal blogs saw the largest average increase with 63%, while conservative blogs experienced a 34% increase. Part of the reason the liberal blog average is higher is because two blogs had increases well above 100%, a fact that skewed results somewhat. . .

Read more at: Bloggasm

Get Active: Why are You a Democrat in 2008?

When I posted Why are You a Republican in 2008, I was unaware that there is a parallel video challenge on YouTube for Democrats. Here is that challenge. Yes, the spokesman, Howard Dean, is also an old white guy. But at least he doesn't have the evangelist/car salesman hairdo the Republican guy is rockin.' And excitement is actually a word that might describe the enthusiasm for the Democratic candidate this year.

Get Active: Add Your Name to ACLU Ad

I'm going to give an effort to make this my last post on the FISA vote for the day. I know that I'm a bit more passionate about it than some people are. But if you're like me, and you were angered by this decision, here's a way to vent, just a little bit:

[From Email]

Congress just compromised your rights by passing the FISA Amendments Act.

Today elected officials in Washington sold out the Constitution -- again.

Cowed by the Bush administration's pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed privacy-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights.

It's outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That's why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this law the moment George Bush signs it -- and you can rest assured, they'll be meeting our lawyers in court.

Our lawsuit will send a powerful message to those in Congress who played it safe when they had the opportunity to defend the Constitution. You can join the ACLU in sending that message by signing on to our ad letting Congress know that if they won't stand up for freedom, you and the ACLU will.

We'll be taking out a full-page ad in a major national newspaper announcing our lawsuit and expressing our outrage at this abandonment of Constitutional principles. Our goal is to run an ad that contains the names of tens of thousands of Americans who believe in the Constitution and want Congress to hear us loud and clear: next time, stand up for our rights.

Click here to include your name in the ACLU's FISA newspaper ad.

John McCain Broke the Law. Want to Do Something?

You know, when I found out it was definite that John McCain broke a campaign finance law, I rolled my eyes, and I dutifully reported it here. I commented, and believe, that nothing will come of this. Law or no law, it'll be a little blip, and go hardly noticed by anybody. Republicans who have broken far bigger laws have been skating left and right.

But after thinking about it, I realized that if this were Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, the shrieks from right-wing talk radio and FOX "News" would be deafening. And then I got this email, offering a place to make a bigger deal out of this if you want to. Want to?

[Excerpt from Email]

John McCain is breaking the law.

When McCain's presidential campaign was in trouble, he opted-in to public financing through the primary, limiting him to a $54 million spending cap.

But laws aren't for "mavericks"... McCain's latest spending report, filed by his own campaign, shows he has spent in excess of $58 million so far -- a public admission by his own hand that he has broken the law.We filed a formal complaint to Federal Election Commission yesterday, and we want you to sign-on for a second delivery of signatures later this week.

Please read and co-sign the letter to the FEC right now.

http://action.firedoglake.com/mccainfec

Stop Retroactive Immunity for Telecoms

If you've ever visited this blog before, you know this is one of my pet issues. Along with my strong desire to see contempt of Congress citations enforced against Bush administration scofflaws, I want retroactive immunity for telecom companies "off the table" as Nancy Pelosi is so fond of saying.

A group called FreePress.net sent me an email, with a link that makes it easy to get involved, and stop this travesty from coming to pass. Here's an excerpt from that email, and a link that will take you to an area to write to your Representative in Congress. It takes 90 seconds. Get active!

[Excerpt from email]

Take Action: Stop the Cover Up

This Thursday, the House of Representatives is expected to hand phone companies a get-out-of-jail-free card for illegally turning over your private phone records to the government. I don’t have to tell you how wrong this is.

We have 48 hours to stop them. Tell Rep. Jon Porter that you oppose any effort to cover-up illegal spying on Americans. We will deliver the letter before Thursday's vote.

This is vital to protecting your basic right to make a phone call, send an e-mail or search the Internet without the government monitoring your activity.

After intense lobbying by AT&T, Verizon and the Bush White House, the Senate has already signed off on immunity for these companies. If the House passes the FISA bill this week, more than 40 legitimate lawsuits currently pending against phone companies will disappear before they've begun.

Americans have had their rights violated, and now Congress may pass a bill that gives us no legal remedy. When you are accused of breaking the law, you should have your day in court. Neither the phone companies nor this White House is above the law.

By signing this letter you are calling upon both your representative and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to stand firmly beside the American public and against the destruction of the rule of law.

Click here to contact your Representative

Get Active: Tell the FCC "NO" to Media Consolidation

The FCC is once again attempting to loosen the rules to allow further media consolidation. Presently, a radio or television station owner is prohibited from owning a newspaper in the same metropolitan area. The FCC is set to change that.

I can see no benefit to the general public to further reduce the number of media voices heard and read in any given area. The media is already consolidated to the point where the vast majority of it is owned by five or six big corporations. Who is the FCC really working for here, the public, or big business?

You can make your voice heard by following the link in this excerpt. Please read the full story for more background. Get active!

[Excerpt]

Media Consolidation: A primer on making your opinion heard

. . .You can file a comment with the FCC online. Click on the circle next to "Media Ownership Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking - Docket 06-121," then click "Continue" at the bottom of the page. You can also send comments straight to each of the five commissioners – or the FCC as a whole – via email, phone, fax, or mail. If you choose one of those routes, make sure you mention that you're commenting on "Docket 06-121" - the bureaucracy's name for Martin's proposal. . .

Read it all at: Bill Moyers Journal

Freeway Blogger Gets Active!

Photo from source, freewayblogger.blogspot.com

We often think, as Americans, "what can I do?" When we find ourselves in a minority or have a seemingly unsung opinion, we often feel helpless. What can one person do? For some of us, joining some sort of committee or protest is the answer. But, as Gilda Radner (as Rhonda Weiss) once said, "I always felt protests kind of pushy and whiny." Good point, and they can be.

Others of us (like me) decide to spew our opinions out to the world. I do it by blogging, but there are other ways. Pamphleting, phone calls, letters to the editor, phone calls to radio shows and writing books (if you're very good, or well connected) are other ways. This guy found an innovative way of getting noticed. Well, really, I guess it's one of the oldest methods of getting your message out. It's akin to graffiti, without being destructive. And it grabs the attention of a large captive audience. I say bravo to this guy, and I hope he inspires others.

Check him out at: Tales of the Freeway Blogger

Sphere: Related Content

Join the Blog!

To those friends and family members (and anyone who has found my blog by happy accident, or on purpose), I thought I'd spell out a few things that may not be obvious to people new to blogs.

My site is generated by me, James L. Greenlee (Jamie), but I have invited several family members and friends to join me in posting. My personal viewpoint is that of a gay, liberal, agnostic heathen (I'm nothing if not honest). My invited guests have other viewpoints, and I heartily offer them to express their views! I'm all about diversity, and want the most well-rounded, interesting blog I can provide.

Any contributions by invited guests (or guest bloggers, if you send me an email with interesting ideas) will be posted intact. My intention is to act as only a style and layout editor. Content will be left as is. The only exception will be possible disclaimers attached to your post, with my comments added at the end. To readers, it will be made clear that contrary opinions, while tolerated, will be the opinion of the author, and not necessarily that of the blog editor (me!).

To readers (and contributors), I encourage you to leave comments, by clicking the comments link at the end of each blog. Sometimes the most interesting thoughts and ideas can be found in a blog's comments section. If you see something you like (or particularly disagree with), by all means, leave a comment!

If you have a opinion, rant, interesting site to link to, great YouTube video you like, or other assorted brain fart to share, let me know! The more the better!

Thanks for reading, and continue to share!

Get Active! - Vol. 1 (06-19-07)

A lot of news happens in a day, and with a full-time job, I don't always have a chance to sit down and analyze it. Especially when you factor in the time spent reading or listening to the news. So, from time to time, I'm going to give my readers (as Randi Rhodes is fond of saying) homework. I'll make an effort to link only to those stories that are of major interest, and will indicate otherwise if something is just fluff.

Here are links to some news stories that you probably haven't seen on the mainstream news (except for Keith Olbermann's show). Please read them, and spread the word.

The first three focus on the details of the White House email scandal. Don't know about it? Read on:

Bush Aides' Misuse of E-Mail Detailed by House Committee -
washingtonpost.com

The Raw Story Olbermann: 'Infinity minus 140,216 improper emails'

(And a repost of my earlier story by Greg Palast in case you missed it)

Palast Exclusive: The Tears of a Clone at BradBlog.com

Moving away from scandal news, I found this interesting interview with Rachel Maddow, host of the Rachel Maddow Show on Air America Radio (possible fluff warning!).

PageOneQ Rachel Maddow: Out on Air America, shaking up the airwaves

That's enough for a Tuesday night, kids! Study up!