Saturday, February 14, 2009

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Greg Mitchell: With Stimulus Bill Passed, Will 'Antiwar' Pressure Now Build? Top
Today's headlines about a U.S. missile strike in Pakistan killing 20 or more -- after a bloody week in Iraq and Afghanistan -- all serve as a reminders that our wars continue, now on Obama's watch. Like the economic crisis, I'm sure he would rather not be saddled with all this from the Bush era but now it's on him. With the stimulus bill passed, attention is bound to turn, at least in part, to our foreign catastrophes. The economy will long remain issue #1 but it is time to include the foreign misadventures near the top of any list of pressure points -- especially since the billions spent in the wars continue to add to our economic disaster, with much more to come as the number of very needy vets increase. And let's recall that Obama has vowed to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, while seemingly deciding to extend the pullout plan for Iraq. Yes, it's early, and I'm willing to give the Obama team plenty of space. But I am also wondering, if things go as bad as many of us fear in Afghanistan (and we are still in Iraq), who might emerge as a bold antiwar Democrat to speak out against Obama? Or will anyone? As someone who lived through 1968, and ran my campus chapter of the Eugene McCarthy brigade, I know how antiwar protest can develop quickly. Remember that LBJ, who I am not really likening to Obama, won a great landslide in 1964 and drew much admiration from liberals, the young and blacks for his stands on civil rights and voting rights. But the war did him in. Now we are in two of them, and our economy is in far worse shape than it was back then. Guns and butters anyone? Here is a Spencer Ackerman report on a new poll showing Afghans turning against U.S. -- especially in area where we have done airstrikes. Already we see that liberals are not against sharply criticizing the new president on such issues as the stimulus bill, rendition and torture, appointments and so on. Expect criticism of his war policies once the economy gets more settled. We will never be lockstep like the Republicans. Nor should we be. Greg Mitchell's new book is "Why Obama Won." He is editor of Editor & Publisher. His previous book on Iraq and the media was called "So Wrong for So Long." More on Afghanistan
 
World Finance Chiefs: "Severe" Downturn Will Persist Top
Group of Seven finance chiefs vowed to tackle a "severe" economic downturn that will persist for most of 2009 without spelling out new steps to do so. The G-7's finance ministers and central bankers said in a statement released after talks in Rome today that they were working to restore confidence in markets and revive the world economy. They predicted the full effect of individual rescue packages will "build over time." More on Recession
 
Carolita Johnson: Valentine Rapture Top
More on valentine's day
 
Alfie Patten, 13-Year-Old Dad, Spends First Night At Home With Baby, Plays Playstation Top
Innocent-eyed Alfie Patten spent his first night acting as a 13-year-old dad and declared: "It was easier than I thought." The four-footer -- who looks no more than eight -- said: "I know I'm young, but I plan to be a good dad."
 
Time: Top 10 Disastrous Letterman Interviews Top
Joaquin Phoenix appears on Late Show with David Letterman under the guise of his new bearded hip-hop persona, puzzling everyone. Here are a few more crazy Letterman interviews More on David Letterman
 
Conan O'Brien Packing Up For Move West Top
NEW YORK — Nearly two dozen guitars are scattered on the floor and sofa in Conan O'Brien's office in Rockefeller Center, most of them gifts from musicians like Eddie Van Halen, Los Lobos, Les Paul and Brian Setzer. Moving day approaches. O'Brien is about to pack up the guitars _ and himself _ for the trip West, when he replaces Jay Leno as host of NBC's "Tonight" show in June. First things first, though, as a nostalgic O'Brien prepares for the last week of his 16-year run at "Late Night." Feb. 20 is his last show before turning it over to Jimmy Fallon. He usually enters his office from the Sixth Avenue side, where Rockefeller Plaza is indistinguishable from any other New York office building. Lately, though, he has looped around to the Fifth Avenue side, walking past the skating rink into the far more impressive eastern entrance. "For a while, I was in denial _ `Oh, we'll just stop doing this show and we'll move on to the next one,'" he says. "That's very me, very male. Men don't like to say goodbye. My wife told me about six months ago: 'I think you have to admit that you have mixed feelings about leaving this late-night show, it's very emotionally charged for you. That's OK.'" He's been sifting through show highlights from over the years, playing "greatest hits" clips during the last few weeks. Many are suggestions from viewers. The other night he watched his very first show for the first time in years. That was a pretty emotionally charged time, too. As an unknown chosen to replace David Letterman in 1993, he was brutally panned and nearly fired. Given the chance, he improved to the point where those bad days are a distant. From the very beginning, he says, it was the show he wanted to do. Even recent Conan converts would recognize some of the humor from that first show: He's depicted walking down a street where a talking horse calls out to him "Better be as good as Letterman." He sang "Edelweiss" hand-in-hand with Tony Randall as the camera cut to a crying Nazi in the audience. "I'm proud of the show's originality," he says. "Letterman's `Late Night' was obviously brilliant and groundbreaking and changed all of the rules and I'm very proud of the fact that our show, in its tone and its look and its approach had very little to do with the show that came before it or, I think, any other show that came before it." Unpredictability and a childlike silliness were its defining characteristics. His "clutch cargo," or fake interviews with pictures that had moving lips, also showed up during the very first week. He traveled to Finland to "take over" the country. He drove around Houston at 2:40 a.m. to see what was going on at that hour _ the time his show was carried by the local NBC affiliate. At the late hour of his telecast _ most NBC stations carried him at 12:35 a.m. _ a surreal sketch in which O'Brien stripped his shirt to impersonate Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, then morphed into a medieval sword fight with George Plimpton, made some kind of sense. NBC had committed to giving him the "Tonight" slot five years ago, although it was only recently that current host Jay Leno decided to stay with the network and do a nightly 10 p.m. show. Most of O'Brien's writers will head to California with him. Years ago, switching to that earlier time slot might have meant dramatically changing the tone of the show to appeal to an older audience. But the late-night habits of viewers are different now _ many watch the next day on digital video recorders _ and the need for such changes has lessened. "The shows are an extension of the host and, like it or not, this is my sense of humor," O'Brien says. "It would be a mistake to reinvent myself as a completely different person now." His biggest danger moving to Los Angeles, outside of sunburn, is overthinking things. And O'Brien will be facing more formidable competition with Letterman. Although O'Brien generally maintained the top ratings position in his time slot, CBS' Craig Ferguson has been catching up. After Leno's surprise announcement that he's staying with NBC, there was immediate speculation that it might be bad for O'Brien, that he'd lose out on booking wars and still be seen as a second banana to Leno. But O'Brien said one night on "Late Night" that he was looking forward to the new schedule. "You can talk to me in a year and I'll say `Well, there are some problems, there are some complications,'" he said. "But I don't know what they are. I don't know if there will be." Even as it became clearer that Leno wasn't eager to leave, O'Brien didn't waver in wanting to keep to the original deal. He never got a sense that NBC wanted to change, either. O'Brien is trying to maintain the element of surprise for his last week of shows, saying he wants to rely on old friends of "Late Night" instead of stunt casting. Don't be surprised if Andy Richter, O'Brien's on-air sidekick until he left in 2000, stops by. Same with Al Roker who, because he works in the same building, has been the show's most frequent guest. "The one thing that's worked consistently for me is just to use your common sense, just try to be funny," O'Brien says. "For 16 years, I've just been trying to think of funny stuff. We miss sometimes, we hit sometimes but I think our average is pretty good." ___ On the Net: http://www.nbc.com/Late_Night_with_Conan_O'Brien/ More on Conan O'Brien
 
Mark Green: 7 Days: Kirsten Gillibrand Talks Policy. Then Huffington & Vanden Heuvel Weigh in Top
She's called it her "baptism by fire" -- literally one day a little known upstate congresswomen, the next a national celebrity after her appointment by Gov. Paterson to succeed mentor Hillary Clinton. Her friends call her brilliant -- her critics expedient. 7 Days found a person thoroughly substantive and adaptable. INTERVIEW OF SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, FEBRUARY 13, 2009 MARK GREEN : When did you realize you had a real shot at being appointed to the Senate seat by Governor Paterson? SEN. KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND : During the process, I figured I had about a 5% chance. I thought there were so many qualified public servants that were offering their time and talents to the governor to take on Senator Clinton's seat. GREEN : You're apparently a better Senator than handicapper. GILLIBRAND : Well, yes. I think so. But you know, a lot of things came into play and I feel very grateful that I had the opportunity to do this. I really didn't have state-wide aspirations, I was looking to work very hard for my district for a very long time, and it's just a privilege to actually serve in Senator Clinton's seat. Our Secretary of State is someone I've admired for years and years, someone who's been a mentor and a friend. She's always been an adviser, you know. When I ran my first race for Congress, my husband and I paid for our own poll to see if it was possible to win, and I showed that poll to Senator Clinton. I said: "will you look at this and tell me your advice and guidance about whether I should run?" And so to try to follow in her footsteps is quite an extraordinary privilege because those are very large shoes to fill, and I hope I do my best to serve near state as well as she did. GREEN : In your view, is the Stimulus/Recovery bill good enough for New York -- or, if you were on the Conference Committee, what would you have tried to get back in good for NY? GILLIBRAND : Well, I would've been advocating for more funding for education. It's one of the areas that the senate took out. And those dollars would've been very, very valuable to New York state, because, obviously, education is the gateway for the American dream. And I think it's so important that we're investing in our kids by giving them, not only the resources to have the best education possible, but opportunities for early childhood education and for college tuition. So, having more of those dollars in education funding, I think, would've been a long term economic stimulative effect that really can't compare to anything else. Because when you educate a child, and you give them the opportunity to achieve their God given potential, that child will then excel and they will go on to high school and go on to college. And when you have a college education, you know, you can earn much more money. The average high school diploma earns you about $25K, but the average college diploma is closer to $45K. And that means you can provide more for your family and invest more in our economy. That's an effect that's long-term economic growth. GREEN : What do you think of Treasury Secretary Geithner's proposed bank bailout plan this week? GILLIBRAND : Well, what was hopeful is that he has three basic approaches that he's going to use in concert, which I think is a greater opportunity for success. One of his approaches includes buying equity. Significant portions of equity, getting preferred chairs, warrants, seats on boards, controlling shares, voting rights. So that you can actually have an impact on making sure we don't pay dividends, making sure we don't pay excessive CEO salaries and bonuses, making banks recapitalize, helping them to write down bad debt, take on new equity, become healthy again so they can lend. That's an approach that I thought Paulson should've pursued. He ultimately did do a buy-equity strategy, but then he didn't do it right because he didn't take any of the controlling interests. But, the bottom line with Geithner's approach right now is that he has the framework laid out. And the framework seems fine, but the details are so essential, and so many of us are waiting on those details because they will determine whether it has a chance for success. So, in the one prong that we're talking about, the buy-equity approach, how much control is he going to take? And how long? And how will he transfer that ownership interest back into the private sector over time? Because we don't want to own banks forever... GREEN : What are your colleagues saying could be a Plan B if this plan doesn't work? GILLIBRAND : Well, let's go to the recovery package, because that's different. What the recovery package is talking about is, how do you stop the rapid job loss that's happening? You know, in the last several months, we've lost 3.5 million jobs. More than half of them in the last three months. That is very sobering statistic that creates a great sense of urgency for solutions. So, the recovery package is basically three approaches. One is to invest in energy independence. The other is to invest in infrastructure, both old and new. And the third is to invest in targeted tax cuts and getting money immediately into the market through things like unemployment insurance increases, increases in food stamps. Having these separate approaches is very important because it has both long term and short term investment. On the long term, some of the new infrastructure, if you build a road or a bridge, traditional infrastructure, that creates a job of the worker that's actually working for that time that it's being constructed. But when you're building rural broadband, or high speed rail, or healthcare IT, what you're talking about is decades of economic generation. If you build a high speed rail from New York City, to Albany, to Montreal, and then from Albany straight to Buffalo, you are basically creating an opportunity to put jobs in upstate New York, and throughout New York State for decades to come. And that's exciting. Here's an example of what I would've put more in if I was in the conference committee: we put two billion dollars behind high speed rail. And it may be just because there aren't many "shovel-ready" projects, which is the point of this particular investment, but that's something I hope President Obama says: "A hallmark of my administration is going to be to put high speed rail across America." So, that's a Plan B, for example. [Another] area is energy. This package has about $40bn in energy tax cuts, research and development grants for the alternative markets, so people who are working on wind energy, or solar, or bio-fuels, or cellulosic ethanol, or fuel cell, or battery technology, can get the R&D grants and tax credits to make those business cost-efficient so that they can make money to stimulate the entrepreneurs and the businesses that are in this sector. GREEN : How do you answer your critics -- from the Village Voice to the New York Times editorial page, who've labeled your views as "expedient"? GILLIBRAND : Well, they don't know me well, so they don't know what I believe in. They don't know my core-beliefs. I've always fought for middle-class tax cuts, so that we educate our kids, to make sure that every child in America has the opportunity to achieve their God-given potential. My core values are about opportunity, education, and healthcare. So, when you hear criticisms, they're usually from political opponents, they're often political rhetoric, and they're often not accurate. On areas where I did not take a leading role in advocacy, or my district was focused on a different aspect of those issues, there's enormous opportunity for me to travel across the whole state and spend time in every community. And I'm going to do exactly what I did when I was a congresswoman in upstate New York. I'm going to listen to their views, I'm going to take their priorities and translate it into legislation, I'll create a legislative agenda that reflects all of New York and the priorities of every community, and work hard every day for our constituents... The proof will be in the pudding. It'll take time. You know, you have to remember, I represented 600,000 upstate residents. I now represent almost 20 million people all across New York state. So, there's a lot of different constituencies and a lot of different priorities where I will be a leading voice on the issues that they care about. GREEN : You spoke to Mayor Bloomberg this week about gun violence. You've previously focused on "hunters rights", with hunters caring essentially about long guns. What handgun controls might you now support? GILLIBRAND : Well, I think you're mixing apples and oranges, actually. What Mayor Bloomberg and I talked about was -- how do we end gun violence and how do we keep guns out of the hands of criminals? And those are core values I've always held. But we didn't have gang violence in upstate New York in my district. We didn't have the sense of urgency because young people were getting killed because of gun violence, and getting in the crossfire of gangs. And we didn't have the problem of traffickers coming into our districts selling illegal guns on the street corners for criminals. So what I'm going to work on with Mayor Bloomberg is actually solving that problem. Because what we need to do is have a way to get guns out of the hands of criminals to keep our communities safe, to make sure our children can be safe. But, in my district, those weren't our issues. Our issues were more making sure Americans who are law-abiding citizens can go hunting if they want to go hunting. Or own guns because they're sportsmen, or because they want to have home protection. Those are fundamental Constitutional rights that can be protected. It's so different than the issues of ending gun violence. And so, I can be an advocate for ending gun violence. I can be an advocate for keeping our community safe and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals. I'm actually going to work on legislation to address two things. One is, get the guns off the streets. The guns that are in New York today are from other states -- they are 85% from out of New York state, and they are sold illegally directly to criminals. We need to end that influx of guns and weapons and this illegal sale. I'm actually going to write legislation on trafficking, because there is no federal legislation on cracking down on gun trafficking and trying to keep these guns out of the hands of criminals. The second thing that the students asked for -- "what we really need is an answer to the gangs." Gangs for many people is very attractive, because it's a community, it's something to do after school, it's something they see other people in their community doing. And if they had something to do, like going to a club, having some after school programming where they can do sports or job training, or develop their interest in professional areas. That, and have a community of its own, they said that would make a difference. So I'm going to work on legislation to figure out how to do this, whether we do it through a funding mechanism, through a pilot program, whether we empower local communities to do this, but actually create a legislative agenda around that problem. That's something that Mayor Bloomberg appreciated, and he thinks it's going to be very helpful. GREEN : If a version of the Kennedy/McCain bill came up on the Senate floor -- creating a "pathway to citizenship" by the payment of fines, learning English, waiting 12 years -- could you support a version of that, or would you continue to view it as "amnesty"? GILLIBRAND : Well, the Senate bill had a lot of flaws. So, we need a lot of work on a comprehensive immigration strategy. One of the biggest flaws of the bill was that it accepted that, for family reunification, an eight year backlog was acceptable. To me, that's outrageous. Why would you say you're doing immigration reform and not solve that issue? What you should have is to hire the right number of lawyers and caseworkers, have infrastructure in place so you can get that backlog done within six months. Immigration is part of our nation's heritage. Our country was built on immigrants. We have so much richness in our culture and in our traditions because of our immigrant populations. Family reunification is a core value of America, and it's something that we should solve. The second issue that I felt was very problematic was if we're going to have a guest worker program, then you need to have one that is going to work. Immigrant communities are very vibrant and essential for our economy and for many, many industries. I happen to know a lot about farming. So, in that regard, we need to right-size immigration. We need to know how many visas we need in this country and have the right number and have a system that actually allows for an immigration system that works, and works for everyone. So, I will work with the President on a comprehensive immigration plan... Whether it's similar to what the Senate bill had, whether it's learning English, paying back fines, paying back taxes, having a job training opportunity, whatever the President wants to do, I will work with him in that regard. I think we do need t o solve the problem in a comprehensive way so that we can have a system that works and works for everyone. Interview audio can be found at airamerica.com Panel with Arianna Huffington & Katrina vanden Heuvel MARK GREEN : Katrina, you heard Sen. Gillibrand in our opening two segments and previously when she spoke privately to leading progressives in NYC. Your view of her? KATRINA VANDEN HEUVEL : Well, I was in a small group and Senator Gillibrand talked about her listening tours with different constituencies. Immigrant rights, gun control, but this was with an exotic group of birds called New York progressives. I have to say, before I went into that meeting, I was in touch with one of the leading progressives in New York and he said she had called him the day before and said: "I know I have to keep the left happy." After that she had been talking about Swedish bank nationalizations. But still she was very eloquent. Very long- winded, but eloquent about "green jobs" in upstate New York. About economic recovery, about investment in infrastructure, such as light rail and high speed rail. And she gave one of the best explanations about the original Bush-Paulson bailout, which is why I'm confused that she's more supportive of Geithner's plan, which I think is sort of "Son of Paulson", because she gave an analysis of why she voted against that original bailout bill. Which sounded like a combination of Bill Greider and David Sirota. It was really quite striking... Mark, you know, I think it was 39 years ago, another upstater -- Republican Charles Goodell -- was appointed to the Senate to fill a vacancy. He too was pretty conservative and became one of the more progressive members of the senate. He was voted out. So, we'll see what happens with Gillibrand. GREEN : You mentioned Goodell's appointment and then loss [to Conservative Party nominee James Buckley in 1970]. Do you think Gillibrand -- who actually gets 95% to 100% ratings from the ACLU, NARAL, NAACP, League of Conservation Voters -- is vulnerable to a challenge from the left
 
Obama Admin Begins Review Of Guantanamo Detainees Top
The Obama administration has begun the process of reviewing files of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay to determine who can be prosecuted and who can be transferred to other countries, officials said Friday, a crucial first step toward closing the prison. The review, begun this week, is also key to a decision on whether the administration can turn the page completely on the Bush administration's detention policies More on Guantánamo Bay
 
Stephen Schlesinger: Obama -- It's Time to Visit the UN Top
President Obama has just won a major victory to help solve America's financial mess -- the passage of the stimulus bill. While the president is properly preoccupied these days by domestic matters, I hope that he may soon give some more direct attention to foreign affairs -- and I think that the best forum for that would be a major speech before the United Nations General Assembly sometime in the next few months. Obviously Obama today has the complete sympathy and admiration of the world, and, given this unparalleled global support, he could take full advantage of that wonderful spirit of comity with a visit to the planet's pre-eminent security organization. There would be an apt moment for him to remind the states of the globe that, under his presidency, we as a country are finally back to being the leading multilateralist nation on earth. Given the world-wide incipient depression, too, his doing this would also assure that the US will be better able to rally our friends behind a global-wide plan for economic recovery. In addition, I think his appearance at the UN would be the appropriate occasion to publicize Obama's interest in nuclear disarmament. There have been some published reports about his desire to start talking with the Russians very soon about the task of cutting back on nuclear weapons, especially with the expiration of the START treaty looming at the end of 2009 and the UN's five-year Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review taking place in 2010 and the issue of submitting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to the Senate for ratification still up in the air -- so this would also be a time to push forward on that agenda. In all, a trip to the UN would be a win-win achievement for the new president.
 
Jill Sobule: A Valentine's Song and Small Story Top
Valentine's Day in grade school was basically stressful, a pain in the ass, and ultimately traumatic. You would have to give a valentine to everyone in class -- it was mandatory -- but the card's size or fanciness you'd give to each person was your decision. Neither my mom nor I were good at crafts, so I always had those sad store-bought ones that came in boxes of, I think, 20. The box usually consisted of ten shitty small cards, eight medium-sized ones, and two really big special ones. Those big ones would go to your best friends or maybe a secret crush -- if you had the nerve. I, being sort of a weirdo and not the most popular girl, had a really hard time choosing who would get what card. First of all, I didn't have one or two best friends for the really big ones. Secondly, the secret crush was an asshole, and I didn't want her to think that I cared. Most of all, I was worried that the classmates, whom I gave the small shitty cards to, would feel insulted and hurt. It was a no-win situation. But what was worse was the anticipation of not receiving as many quality cards as most of the other girls. I didn't want to look like a loser. Let's say I gave Billy Bell (who I thought was the closest thing to a best friend) the big Cupid card, but in return, did not receive his prized card with the giant candied Valentine heart engraved with "Be Mine." What if my asshole crush, Shelly, got it? And you know what? It happened. As an adult, Valentine's Day has been more benign and less worrisome. However, there is always that awkward moment in the beginning of a relationship. Do you give a Valentine gift? How good or expensive should it be? Will your present be too overbearing -- scare someone away -- or not up to snuff? One time I gave a great mix tape (of love songs) to this sweet boy I was just starting to see casually -- so I thought. In return, he handed me this silk case with really expensive looking pearl earrings inside. We were in our early twenties. It kind of weirded me out. Now, the person who I am seeing presently and I have decided not to exchange gifts, and instead, just go to a really fancy-pants restaurant -- it's hard times for everyone. A dinner sounds great! But... what if all of a sudden a silk case or a giant candied heart is presented to me during dessert, as a surprise, and I have nothing? Maybe, I will have to have something wrapped in my purse just in case. What about a mix tape? It's the thought that counts. Here is the closest thing I have to a nice Valentine's love song. It's from my new record (fan- funded and coming out April 14th). It's called "Sweetheart". My pal John Doe (of X and Knitters fame) provides the sweet harmonies. Click the play button to listen and read the lyrics below. Sweetheart (Sobule/Eaton/Dickens) If I as your sweetheart and you were my darling I'ld always remember the way you look now Even here in this diner, your bright eyes shining You're always smiling when you're by my side And that man he's rude, he talks to you just like you were his wife, but I would be more kind My coffee cup has been filled up for the seventh time And you're so on my mind If I was your secrete and you were my keeper I think we'd be happy and rarely be blue. We'd run around laughing, maybe go out dancing If I as your sweetheart and you were my darling And all I'd ever want from you is that you would keep it true And I'd write songs for you And we'd go around the world to see all the disappearing things And then we'd vanish too If I was your sweetheart and you were my darling I'd take of your apron You've been a good waitress More on valentine's day
 
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Politico: Public Still Sky-High On Obama 'Brand' Top
With Barack Obama's victory in passing a massive stimulus package marred by days of bad press--as not a single House Republican backed the bill, his Health Czar went down in flames and his second pick for Commerce Secretary walked away--the administration has been cut down to size, and lost some of its bipartisan sheen. Such, at least, has been the beltway chatter, but so far the numbers don't back it up. More on Barack Obama
 
Will.i.am: Who Are the Colored People? Top
i am so proud to have received a NAACP award by my black community... because at one point in time i wasn't even considered "black enough"... yes... i am a black man... i was raised in an all mexican neighborhood... i attended great schools in white areas... so...growing up i was looked at as odd... black people didn't think i was "black enough" white people thought i was different than other blacks... and mexicans thought i was dominican... life was colorful... if it wasn't for that diversity i never would have known what life truly had to offer... people fought for me to attend brentwood sci mag, paul revere middle school, and palisades high... people fought for my freedoms... freedoms i didn't acknowledge when i was younger... i went to school with persians, koreans, native americans, french, nigerians, and indians... another translation would be: brown, yellow, red, white, black, and blue people... brave people fought for that... magnet schools... equal education... it was all fought for... and i reaped the benefits from it... the invisible freedom fighters fought... the visible fighters fought as well... in the 100 years of the existence of the NAACP and fighting for equality they are now victorious... because a black man is in the white house... built by slaves now run by a black president... the battle was won... and now i ask this question... what does the "C.P. " mean in the NAACP now? today's definition is... NAACP: the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People we have advanced to the highest seat in office... the president... we have advanced to oprah status... we have advanced... congratulations... and now... where do we go? i know we still have to fix mississippi, new orleans and our ghettos... but what about the other colors... filipino? brazilian? indian? cambodian? afghani? and chinese? if the NAACP fought so that a black man could be president in a country that practiced slavery... then the NAACP should now stand and represent all people of color... and fight to unite every version of "pigment"... and lack of it... the NAACP should now march and protect the most important colors of all... GREEN... "the planet"... and "GREY"... the mind... education... equal education... because no matter if you're black, white, blue or orange... we all live on green... and we all think with grey... and what good is a united people if there is no green to live on...??? and what good is a united people if our grey is filled with nothingness... i am so proud to have performed "take our planet back" at the NAACP image awards... i am so proud to have use my grey and sing about green in a black gathering... i am so proud to have performed that song on that night... during this time in american history... we have a new mission ahead of us... we all have to rethink the priorities... we all have to put our best foot forward and walk together... all colors... all the different versions of pigment... and lack of it... we all have to protect the important colors... "green, and grey" and i propose this new title to the NAACP... :) the National Association for the Advancement of Consciousness and People let's wake up... realize how we all contribute to the destruction of our planet and minds... let's continue to educate and push... and remind our government to make laws that protect our " grey " the mind ... and force our government to make laws that protect our "green, brown, and blue home" the earth ... let's take our planet black... please watch this video and pass it around like a baton and be apart of the new "C.P." conscious people... More on Celebs Talk Politics
 
Valentine's Day Around The World Top
Communities around the world are pausing today to celebrate love. We encourage you to do the same. More on Slideshows
 
Israel: No Truce Until Kidnapped Soldier Released Top
Israel will not agree to a truce with Hamas in the Gaza Strip without the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl. Gilad Schalit, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement released on Saturday. "Israel will not reach any understandings regarding the calm (cease-fire) before the release of Gilad Schalit," the statement read. More on Israel
 
WaPo: Stimulus Plan 'The Start Of A New Ideological Era' Top
With the final vote coming late in the night, Congress yesterday approved a $787 billion stimulus package that aims to spur millions of jobs through massive new investments in energy, transportation, education and health-care projects, while reviving social safety-net programs that have been shrinking for nearly three decades. The bill passed the House 246 to 183 and, in a vote held open for several hours, the Senate 60 to 38, both largely along party lines. President Obama is expected to sign it into law early next week. More on Barack Obama
 

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