(Tonight's selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it was long enough to claim the lives of 78 Americans serving in Iraq. Highlighting one of them at random - 21-year old Spc. Lorne Henry Jr. of Niagara Falls, New York. He graduated from high school in 2004, was dating his high school sweetheart, and left behind an 11-year-old brother who idolized him.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are BentLiberal, my global conscious, paragraph, jlynne, Rippen Kitten, and smokeymonkey, with dannyinla as editor.

• Painting This War with Tears is JeeniCriscenzo's moving story of Carlsbad's Bring Their Buddies Home Vigil. Read her well-written, first person account of a quiet but visible protest against the reality of what "casualty counts" represent: wasted lives. (BentLiberal)
• attytood contextualizes the deafening silence and how it is broken for some in America with Doorbells. (my global conscious)
• If you're a fan of the TV show 24, or even if you're not, don't miss Vyan's truth is stranger than fiction essay, Troops turn to TV for Torture Techniques. (Rippen Kitten)
• In BEAUTIFUL MINDS: The Bush Family Compassion Deficit, Avenging Angel examines the Bush family's claims of compassion versus evidence of the same. (Rippen Kitten)
• Xpatriated Texan returns, calling the culture of life to the carpet with "It is Finished" And We Must Not Let It End. (my global conscious)
• Ampersand writes a compelling diary on institutional racism in the court system. Well written and well thought out, this diary refutes some simplistic assertions by right wing bloggers. Please check out The Long Beach Beating Case And Race (BentLiberal)
• Want to stop the war? Follow the money. Stranger in a strange land explains that Money Makes the World - and the Iraq War - Go Around. (jlynne)
• Nonpartisan kicks it back to the real issue at hand-sound judgement-and the obscurity of wordiness in Rhetorical Nukes, and When to Use Them. (my global conscious)
• In Focus On The Family: Say One Thing, Say Nothing Else, Jim Burroway tells the story of Andrew Anthos, a 72-year-old gay man who was beaten to death two weeks ago, and ponders discrepancies in public reaction. (Rippen Kitten)
• OrangeClouds115 gives her personal take on habeas corpus and why we need to reclaim what she never dreamed we could lose. Restoring Our Constitution: Land of the Free... except for that little "habeas corpus" detail (BentLiberal)
• In Canada Goes Sane: Two "Anti-Terror" Laws Scrapped, diarist Wreck Smurfy tells us the news that Liberals, New Democrats, and the Bloc Quebecois have come together to defeat the extension of two controversial anti-terror laws favored by Canada's Conservative government.(BentLiberal)
• Alegre reminds us that the genocide in Darfur continues in Updated - Fitzmas At the Hague (w/ resource guide). Alegre has compiled recent news and resource links on Darfur, so please hotlist this diary and do what you can to help the victims of Darfur. (Rippen Kitten)

cskendrick has Top Comments.

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(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

This evening you'll find selections highlighting various positive grassroots activities, examples of government doublespeak on judicial and economic affairs, poverty, the mental health of our Veterans, judicial activism, and of course, no rescue would be complete without some healthy discourse on the war.

And now, from the Rescue Ranger Academy, presenting the nominations for the Koscar award for "Most Rescuable Diaries" on Monday, February 26, 2007, are: claude, my global conscious, buhdydharma, dannyinla, Dump Terry McAuliffe, and BentLiberal, with joshalot as editor.

• AmericanRiverCanyon presents a sterling example of local political event reporting with photos and links to background context as he follows his Representative to constituent meetings, Part II, It was Friday, Doolittle Does da 'Burbs in 37 minutes. (claude)
• In grass-roots impeachment news, NM Kossak barbwire has been closely following the progress of an Impeachment Bill moving through the NM Legislature and gives us this report of a well-attended Committee meeting. NM Impeachment Passes 2nd Committee. (claude)
• lowkell writes about Raising Kaine and ActBlue joining forces in Time to Act Blue in Virginia! Among those giving the Dems a chance to make some gains in the state are a former teacher, a firefighter and a Naval officer. (dannyinla)
• dsjwriter brings to light the decisiveness in capital punishment and how it brings out the flip-flop (who woulda thunk?) of Chief Justice Roberts in Roberts a judicial activist after all. (my global conscious)
• Winners and losers. DeanDemocrat does a very nice job of exposing the soft white underbelly of Bushco's "good economy" in his Report: Millions in SEVERE POVERTY. (buhdydharma)
• eteraz gives us a déjà vu moment, pondering, is history repeating itself? The Crusades & The War On Terror Become One. (my global conscious)
• Dont Tread on Me asks, If the consequences of this war are so great..., why aren't we seeing a mobilization on the scale of great wars of the past? (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• testvet6778, a veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder, has seen the quality of care deteriorate as the war has dragged on. So it's no surprise to him that the APA finds military mental health system is stressed beyond needs. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• What made five Western Governors Work Together to Address Global Warming? According to fbihop, it's a response to the inaction of an administration in the thrall of Big Oil. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• In Breaking the Box of the Bush Budget, NoMoreLies argues that this administration's obsession with war is starving the country, and calls for a dramatic reordering of priorities. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)

Cronesense has Top Comments.

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(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

No fancy dresses, no hype, no red carpet, and no little gold men, but in our opinion, the following diaries all deserve Oscars.

(Tonight's Rangers are vcmv02, nyc in exile, Unitary Moonbat, Got a Grip, and srkp23)

• With beautiful prose, Brahman Colorado explores the meaning of the word "vulgar" in Vanities and Vulgarities. (Got a Grip)
• First-time diaristsilent no more analyzes how important U.S. elections have become in this anecdotal diaryI Was Wrong. How many of our political leaders still take our elections and our political process for granted? (vcmvo2)
• In a scathing treatise, new diarist notanamerican educates us on how the left gets shut out of the information game in Then They Came For The Liberals. (Got a Grip)
• In Shining a new Light on the Subject: Pt 3 of series, Dcoronata illuminates the energy-saving potential of LED lighting. (srkp23)
• fortherecord235 traces $100mm in WWII loot through post war Japan to the current day GOP in What happened to $100 billion in WWII loot? Ask Rev Moon. (nyc in exile)
• skymutt puts a different kind of frame around Republican fairy tales: Enron and Global Warming. Leave it to the foe to make the dead guy the scapegoat/villain. (Unitary Moonbat)
• OhioNative reports on what happens when Republicans are allowed to run amuck in In Ohio: New Reports Reveal Republican Legacy of Destruction. (nyc in exile)
• OrangeClouds115 had a diamond get lost in the rough this morning – Cloudheads should be sure'n check out Lost in Translation 2: Liberating Iraq. (Unitary Moonbat)
• A young soldier dies in a mysterious fashion, and her death is ruled a suicide. Was justice done? The Angry Independent brings this question to our attention in ATTENTION KOS READERS:YOUR HELP IS NEEDED. (Got a Grip)
• Light on fluff and heavy on informative links, Newsie8200 brings us news we can use in Newsie's Media News Report: Tabloid editor to MSM: Where's the beef? Note: There are no links concerning Anna Nicole or Britney Spears here.... (Got a Grip)

Miss Laura has tonight's Top Comments.

Add your favorite diaries from the past 24 hours and use as an open thread.

Diaries up for rescue tonight:

• David Brin's More Suggestions To Congress - Restore Respect for Competence continues a series of suggesting straightforward, no-nonsense reforms that Congress should undertake, including restoring non-artisan advisory staff, eliminating pork and revamping procedures for awarding government contracts.
• das monde's Iraq and Yugoslavia is a thoughtful diary that examines the roots of sectarianism and violence in human nature, and the conditions necessary to help avoid civil war in Iraq, looking at the periods of peaceful coexistence in Yugoslavia as a possible model.
• Tally's What Can We Learn From the Florida State-Wide Races of 2006? provides a detailed analysis of Florida races and what the Democratic Party can learn from the statistics and trends.
• Three excellent specialized round-up diaries are on offer tonight: Nightprowlkitty's Lagniappe: To Give More - Part 8 - Memory, dopper0189's Black Kos, week in review and jillian's BREAKING!...the Earth (IV), which provides environmental news.
• The Angry Rakkasan's On Losing Louisiana lays out the argument that although the state is turning redder, demographics indicate that the national Democratic Party should not abandon efforts to stem the tide and turn it back.
• Mash's Bush and al-Hakim: Master Slave Dialectic provides some background on the father-son al-Hakims, their relationship with Bush and their role in the Iraqi power struggle.
• mkfox's Forgotten Founding Fathers: Richard Montgomery is the latest installment in this historical series, with this diary focusing on the general who captured the city of Montreal during the Revolutionary War.
• dhonig's The Ten Commandments You Don't Know digs through Holy Writ to reveal some interesting details about the infamous Ten Commandments.
• SteveG's Comedism: The New Religion snarkily proposes an entirely new, appealing denomination.
• markthshark's Attack the Messengers... Literally brings news about the latest attacks on journalists in Iraq.
• Citizen Rat's Heterodox Economics 101: Reclaiming Evolution discusses the places where the theories of Veblen and Marx intersect.
• Dcoronata's Power to the People: Pt. 2 of series on energy and lighting explores lighting efficiency and serves as a primer for electricity basics.

sardonyx brings Top Comments.

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(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

The British are going!!  The British are going!!  And as they pull out of Iraq, they're taking their own brand of revisionist history home with them and leaving the awful, bloody truth behind.  In a move worthy of our own beloved Decider, they are declaring victory as their reason for going, and we're buying it hook, line and sinker.  It begs the question, why doesn't George do the same, just claim victory and bring our soldiers home?  After all, it wouldn't be the first time.  Remember "Mission Accomplished?"

We are blessed with a fine crop of worthy diaries for rescue this evening. The grand band of rangers bringing them to you tonight are buhdydharma, pico, nyc in exile, Patriot Daily, Rippen Kitten, and srkp23 with editing by Got a Grip.

• Ok, it made me cry. Turning tragedy into beauty, illustrating once again the Phoenix-like power of art to raise humanity from the ashes and lift it to new heights, it's all here. Read and listen to new diarist composerMN in She Would Have Turned 8 Today: A 9/11 Aftermath Story. (buhdydharma)
• kmiddle’s Conversation with a Soldier Enroute to Iraq recounts the sadness, frustration, and anger of a national guardsman on his way to a third tour of duty in Iraq. (srkp23)
• TerranceDC pens a heartbreaking account of love and hypocrisy, compassion and cruelty in Breaking Hearts & Telling Lies at "Love Won Out", Pt. 1. (Rippen Kitten)
• Transplanted Texan brings us another chapter about life on the Gulf Coast as a post-Katrina volunteer: this installment, Dartmouth Involvement With The Ongoing Katrina Struggle, also includes links to photo-filled personal blogs from people helping southern communities rebuild. (pico)
• Grrrrrr, the RW's denial of humanity to preserve its ability to carry out the cruelty of its policies is highlighted by Rockridge in Reading Iraqi Bloggers (and Redstate). (buhdydharma)
• Begging for Healthcare--Today's Single Payer Update by California Nurses Shum rounds up all the news—the good, the bad, and the ugly—concerning the movement toward (or away from) single-payer healthcare. (srkp23)
• Ever wonder how food gets "officially" certified as organic? Brudaimonia takes us through the legal processes in a highly informative, link-filled essay called Recipe for America: Third Party Organic Certifiers. (pico)
• Daily Kos's own Congressional Committees Project, in the person of On The Bus, brings us our ration of House Oversight & Govt Reform: Week in Review (CCP). (buhdydharma)
• Translation from 'legalese' doesn't get much better than this gift from Categorically Imperative of his take on the latest habeas decision in The Boumediene Dissent: An Analysis. What a poorer place daily Kos would be without our fine legal analysts! (buhdydharma)
• Noor B provides context to the 800 years of habeas corpus wiped out by Decider in Common law, Magna Carta, and the Great Writ: a historical essay. (Patriot Daily)
• In Impeachment: "War is the continuation of policy (politics) by other means", weaving together Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and others, Erevann analyzes the mix of politics, pragmatism, and passion necessary for impeachment. (srkp23)
• New diarist Jesselyn Radack, who is a former Justice Dept. ethics attorney and whistleblower in the case of "American Taliban" John Walker Lindh, writes an outstanding diary about the difference between leakers and whistleblowers in Leakers: Me & Scooter Libby. Please also check out her earlier diaries! (Patriot Daily)
• quaoar informs us that Congress must pass legislation after Bush ignores or refuses to give A modicum of respect for fallen soldiers. (Patriot Daily)
• On Supporting The Iraqi Resistance is heathlander's sharp dissection through a web of lies and half-truths so convoluted that facts about Iran's alleged threat are impossible to assess accurately. (Rippen Kitten)
• You just can't get much deeper into the basic issues of why the world is as it is than this! From the root causes to how they manifest in today's continual climate of crisis, Conceptual Guerilla lays out What We're Up Against. (buhdydharma)

Ambrosius bring today's Top Comments.

Add your favorite diaries from the past 24 hours and use as an open thread.

(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. Lateness of posting is due to Susan’s screwed-up real-life schedule. Apologies. SusanG)

Once upon a time, February 22 was Washington's Birthday, and it wasn't unusual for local mom-and-pop stores (remember them?) to celebrate the day by offering deeply discounted merchandise to the first customers in the door. Those were innocent times, long before shoppers got into the habit of mauling one another to get the last Tickle Me Elmo! and rioting outside stores when there aren't enough PlayStation 3's to go around.

Fortunately, we've got an ample supply of rescue-worthy diaries tonight. They run the gamut from health care to higher education to Iraq. There's even a diary about Thorstein Veblen, who'd have something to say about our shopping habits.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are nyc in exile, my global conscious, Rippen Kitten, Unitary Moonbat, Elise, and Bent Liberal, with Dump Terry McAuliffe wearing The Editor's Green Eyeshade(tm).

• We begin with some economic theory. techno explains the difference between modern academic Economics and Political Economics and then gives us some background on Thorstein Veblen in Veblen--a political economist for today. (Elise). And infotrage discourses on Character and Capitalism, delivering a powerful (and well-footnoted) blow of righteous logic to the contradictions at the core of conservative philosophy. (Unitary Moonbat)
• Now we turn to applied economics. Bonddad gives his usual stellar analysis on all matters monetary. Today's subject: that the US is currently drowing in debt, is captured in the diary Third Way Project: A Pack of Economic Lies (BentLiberal).
• On the same subject, Xpatriated Texan sheds light on the true costs of college education in the US and why the grant system needs a boost in Comments from the Student Debt Community Forum. (my global conscious)
• Raven Brooks of Buy Blue is an innovative activist and progressive who gets results and inspires others. Check out his remarkable story, tips to help you become a more effective activist and what he has to say about Yearly Kos in john javna's new series, ORDINARY HEROES #1: Raven Brooks. (Rippen Kitten)
• IrishCatholicDemocrat adds to the first time diarist list by looking at Guiliani’s deflection of criticism and the inability to make policy changes in Defeating Guiliani and His National Security Myths. (my global conscious)
• downunder newt explores why banning evidence obtained in torture may not do a lick in stopping torture with It doesn’t matter if it’s illegal. (my global conscious)
• shanikka rages with powerful eloquence (and some occasional bare-knuckle brawling) about black churches, the religious left, and the Democratic Party in Oliver Gets it 1/2 Right. This is an author who doesn't pull punches. (Unitary Moonbat)
• Richard Cranium calls on Congress to address the nation's growing healthcare crisis in Healthcare in America: Doing Harm. (nyc in exile)
• Three diarists offer us their take on Iraq. DLup walks us through the evolving tactical and strategic situation in Iraq in Iraq Drang? On outposts and helicopters. (nyc in exile). Eternal Hope tells us about "free trade," corruption, and corporate welfare in Dahr Jamail: Iraq's food supply breaking down. (Elise)
• More on Iraq. We need all the heroes we can get in these troubled times. Here's a story of two brave individuals who took their stand against war in Iraq. In Mark Wilkerson, Whistleblowing, and Conscientious Objecting, Jesselyn Radack bears brave and eloquent witness. (Rippen Kitten)
• tbrucegodfrey gives an interesting take on the Washington insider's club and why they can't stand bloggers, in Plameology and Its Blogospheric Yield. (BentLiberal)
• Nawal Al Saadawi makes me proud, again is jakbeau's tribute to a physician, feminist, author and educator whose devotion to the Islamic women of Egypt continues at age 78. (Rippen Kitten)
• Finally, xanthe asks some thought-provoking questions about the ethics of the not-so-distant future and the "Neat" Robot Killers that will comprise its armies. (Unitary Moonbat)

Elise has Top Comments.

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(Tonight's selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Oh welcome! Oh welcome!
To our little list.
We are happy to rescue
Such great diarists!
We've the SCOTUS, environment
And one from DraftGore.
We've got cover-ups and screw-ups
And dust-ups galore!
We're discussing the state of our Nation, and so
Draw close to your monitor, and
On with the show!

This evening's Rescue Rangers are vcmvo2, joshalot, TruthofAngels, Rippen Kitten, Erika, and ybruti, with jennyjem as editor.

• strobusguy highlights the potential environmental dangers of ethanol as bio fuel in Ethanol vs. the Conservation Reserve Program. (TruthOfAngels)
• Jesselyn Radack asserts that the DOJ and the FBI are Eclipsing Government Failures in War on Terrorism by inflating stats on terrorism cases, and look for a link to goverup1's analysis of the DOJ IG audit report in the comments. (jennyjem)
• First-time diarist Amitai Etzioni debunks the myth of the Social Security crisis but highlights what may be future problems with Medicare in Crisis-mongering at Home. (TruthOfAngels)
• Gore Draft: Not for the Faint of Heart chides diarist, DraftGore, because if Al was already in the race, we wouldn't need the web site. (jennyjem)
• DebtorsPrison reports on the Argentine trial of strongman/torturer Miguel Etchecolatz who was on trial for the disappearance of 30,000 people in the 1970's. He was convicted, however key witnesses on his case have continued disappearing in New Political Disappearances in Argentina. (vcmvo2)
• Not long ago turnover attended a lecture by Wesley Clark at a college in New York and realized that none of the students were old enough to remember the Cold War. Hence the title Get yer Cold War Ya-Yas Out! and the diarist's memories of Alabama during that recent period in history. (ybruti)
• It's been said that those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. Bcgntn offers an excellent object lesson on selective memory, war profiteering and neoconservative double-talk in Iraq War. What Did Bush/Cheney Know. When Did Bush/Cheney Remember It? (Rippen Kitten)
• The Government Accountability Office is supposed to be impartial and objective, but their latest report seems to belie their reputation. BobOak asks Who Corrupted the GAO? (TruthOfAngels)
• lao hong han analyzes Bush's recent emergency appropriations bill that seeks to provide cover for elected leaders, who are facing the intensifying pressure to end this fiasco! This diary analyzes the Murtha plan and its expected effect on the more radical activists in Will Murtha's Plan damage the Anti-War Movement? (vcmvo2)
• Bill Glass describes some of the results of increasing conservative influence in places like the Supreme Court. Events like the reversal of the Tobacco settlement highlight the cost of not being more forceful in resisting conservative judicial appointments in The New Conservative U.S. Supreme Court (joshalot)
• wahoo lon plans 40 days of protest: Lent 2007 instead of giving up meat or chocolate. (ybruti)
• In the thought-provoking Perspective, diarist GTPinNJ evaluates Bush doctrine and how it might feel to be threatened at close range. (Rippen Kitten)
• hannah analyzes the recent MSM interest in liberating Anah in the Sunni Anbar desert seems to be concentrating on capturing the oil wells recently found there. The recent death toll rise in Anbar is beginning to look like coordinated action in Liberating Anah and Scooping the NYT. (vcmvo2)

kath25 has Top Comments.

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(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

A prominent whistleblower's first diary, a story of utility company greed leading to deaths, and that's just the warm-up.  And I always thought the rusty hinges on the lunchbox were the worst. (smokeymonkey)

Tonight's rangers are claude, joshalot, TruthofAngels, Patriot Daily, Dump Terry McAuliffe, and pico. (smokeymonkey)

• First time diarist, whistleblower Jesselyn Radack shares her revealing personal story of her experiences working at DOJ and how she was treated after daring to speak truth of her knowledge of irregularities in the John Walker Lindh ("the American Taliban") investigation and trial. Welcome her, a Department of Justice Exile. (claude)
• Grass roots impeachment activists met recently to figure out how to get the ball rolling without having to wait for Congress, reports LiberalWithBalls in the informative Impeachment Activity (claude)
• The customer relations policies of large utility companies have real and deadly effect on the lives of poor people trying to stay warm. Richard Cranium connects the dots in Dying in Fires is Po' Folks Problem (claude)
• Sixty-five years ago today, President Roosevelt ordered the internment of Japanese Americans. First-time diarist uberblee, whose grandparents were interned, reminds us in Day of Remembrance: Executive Order 9066. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• pkgoode puts forward a fresh vision of how the USA should seek to defend itself in Redefining national security.  (TruthOfAngels)
• corwin reveals how our government skewed testing protocol to hide the grave fact of Lunchboxes Laced with Lead. (Patriot Daily)
• Having trouble keeping track of all the Republican scandals? CaptStumpy obliges with an updated list of who's under investigation, who's been indicted, and who's been found guilty in the latest GOP List of Corruption Update 2/19/07. (pico)
• In a passionate diary entitled Clarifying The Issues in the MA Abortion Case,

  irishwitch blames poverty, religion, and traditional gender roles for unplanned pregnancies and their sometimes tragic consequences. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)

• WinSmith explains the powerful symbolism that drives the Fox News Channel in Answering Greenwald: Brit Hume's 'Credibility' And Visual Semiotics. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• IvyTodd needs some help in compiling a list of local and state level politicians who are worthy of support and asks for our suggestions in Running in 2007? (claude)
• In honor of President's Day, bhfrik analyzes all the ways Bush is like Washington, such as... never mind, Bush is no Washington. (pico)

ambrosius has Top Comments.

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(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Our Rescue Rangers tonight have a decidedly international flavor with focii on Africa, Cuba, Asia, Korea Du Nord, and that Stormy, husky, brawling country, Chicago. Also a few things about Murka.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are  vcmvo2,pico,srkp23,Rippen Kitten,nyc in exile,dannyinla    with msobel as editor.

• Shane Hensinger details the horrors inflicted by the tyrannical rule of Robert Mugabe as the government of Zimbabwe asks for donations for Mugabe’s 82nd birthday celebration. Help an 82 year-old man for his birthday. (nyc in exile)
• maracatu discusses the United States historical relationship with Cuba in Latinkos: Cuba – Tales of another Occupation. (nyc in exile)
• NNadir talks nucular recyling in Japan's Advanced Nuclear Fuel Recycling Plant Begins Operations. (vcmvo2)
• Mash discusses the Bush administration's recent "deal" with North Korea, noting the potentially disastrous precedent it sets on issues of nuclear proliferation, in Toward a More Unstable World. (pico)
• Misty Fowler brings us the play-by-play from another valuable but poorly attended attempt to get everyday people involved in government, Citizen's Day at the Legislature in Utah. (pico)
• Climate warming, toxins, pollution and much more environmental news, this time with focus on Asia, as jillian delivers Gung Hay Fat Choy! Fellow Earthlings. (Rippen Kitten)
• ANKOSS examines pop culture, politics and propaganda in the compelling Americas sacred soldiers: a pernicious myth. (Rippen Kitten)
• Back to the Windy City courtesy of sheddhead for a fascinating glimpse of Chicago Treasures - Viet Nam War Memorial. (Rippen Kitten)
• In Mocking Mitt, drawing on examples both personal and political, Kimberley reflects on religious tests, Thomas Paine, and the real meaning of freedom of religion. (srkp23)

gloriana has Top Comments.

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Diaries up for rescue tonight:

• Andre29BC’s Of "Journalists", Baseball and the Fear of a Blogger Planet is a first-class rumination from a sports blogger on the fear and misunderstandings that traditional journalists have about the medium.
• Ampersand’s Idaho Republican: Coercing Women Not To Have Abortions Shouldn't Be Penalized is a report from an Idaho Kossack on a disturbing exchange with her representative about a new law regarding pregnancy and coercion.
• gwojtowy’s The "Iraq Surge," and Seven Things Wrong with It discusses the problems with America's current strategy of increasing troops.
• DCCylone’s Nonbinding resolution is a GOOD approach on Iraq outlines reasons to support the current resolution.
• slivercedes’ IGTNT (2/16/2007): When The Doorbell Rings is a powerful first-person account from the "left behind" - a wife whose husband is in Iraq and who cringes every time the door bell rings.
• Mark H’s Marine Life Series: Smooth Dogfish Sharks introduces readers to the wonders of the gentle dogfish shark.
• Frederick Clarkson’s Rescued! Posts on the Religious Right from All Over brings a round-up of excellent research and analysis on the religious right in the past week.
• mkfox’s Forgotten Founding Fathers: John Carroll details the life of the founder of Georgetown University who traveled with Benjamin Franklin to Canada to try and get the Canadians enlisted in the cause on the side of American independence.
• Eternal Hope’s Why welfare? lays out how different ideologies look at the public policy of providing social welfare.
• Troutfishing’s Proving Geocentrism, lobbying for Apocalypse looks at the place geocentrism holds for many believers on the Christian right.
• Maccabee’s Pissed off? Confused? You're not alone. provides a roundup of foreign press commentary and news regarding the United States.
• Nameless Soldier’s On Iran and my multiple deployments is a diary from one of our most beloved Kossacks in service, reflecting on the effects of redeployment.
• jillian’s BREAKING!...the Earth (III) brings together environmental news from around the world.
• kilo50’s From Slavery to Freedom: Before "Glory" looks at the history of African-American soldiers during the Civil War.

cskendrick brings Top Comments.

Add your favorites from the past 24 hours and use as an open thread.

(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Today was another day of interesting diaries on subjects ranging from the Iraq war to domestic civil rights to action to censure Rep. Young, with no meta to be seen. Enjoy!

This evening's Rescue Rangers are vcmvo2, paragraph, BentLiberal, dannyinla and Rippen Kitten, with Patriot Daily as  editor.

• New diarist Ampersand discusses how the "Ryan White Early Diagnosis Grant Program" fails to detect HIV in new-born babies and is scheduled for defeat by Democrats; read why the right-wing Family Research Council is so upset in "Baby Aids," Mandatory Newborn Testing, And Preventing Mother-to-Baby Transmission of HIV. (vcmvo2)
• In Tribute to a fallen hero, slothlax describes a war hero who is different from those typically highlighted by the MSM. (paragraph)
• On the workers’ rights front, Limelite explains the unappetizing greed Burger King shows Florida migrant workers in Time for the King To Do the Right Thing. (Rippen Kitten)
• Tasini calls out 'Bullshit' on the New York Times and it's worth a listen especially if you're into Labor issues. How The NY Times Lies About The Economy (BentLiberal)
• War News From Right Blogistan is first-time diarist zashvil's brave reconnaissance mission for Iraq War propaganda in the murky shadows of the Right blogosphere. (Rippen Kitten)
• In What is "Non-Binding"? dailyrev asks for a precise definition of an elusive turn of phrase. (Rippen Kitten)
• New diarist frank cornbread (love the name, lol) definitively makes the case on why the US should get out of the lawn mowing business once and for all, in Mowing Iraq's Lawn. (BentLiberal)
• It's hard to resist the urge to make a joke about Bush's Iraq vacuum, but Jeffrey Feldman does in Frameshop: "Horror Vacui" on Iraq, a look at physics and the president's contradictory statements about the US presence in Iraq. (dannyinla)
• Hillary Clinton is a fire pig. Wes Clark is a wooden monkey. Dennis Kucinich is a Fire Dog. Find out why in Chinese horoscopes for candidates, a fun piece by zenbowl.(BentLiberal)
• In My dream shows for MSNBC. Yes, I have too much time on my hands, diarist Junglered1 proposes new TV shows like "Outside the Beltway" and "The Congressional Report." What shows would you like to see? (BentLiberal)
• Diarist sheddhead continues a series celebrating the best of the Windy City. Take a virtual tour of the fascinating Chicago Treasures - Freedom Museum. (Rippen Kitten)
• How "Ashley’s Treatment" is like Abortion Rights by RH Reality Check compares a difficult medical decision by parents with arguments raised against reproductive rights. (paragraph)

Ambrosius has the Top Comments.

Add your favorite diaries from the past 24 hours and use as an open thread.

(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Readers will be pleased to know that today marked a welcome return to lots of well-written, issue-oriented diaries. (!!!) Tonight's Rescue Rangers took delight in wading through a choice selection of posts and our only regret was that we couldn't rescue more.

Tonight's Diary Rescue is brought to you by Pico, Patriot Daly, jennyjem, Unitary Moonbat, Dump Terry McAuliffe and Elise with yours truly BentLiberal as ye olde editor.

• A Government of Men, Not Laws? Pulling together various pieces of recent legislation, Vox Libertas explains the Executive's power grab in more concrete terms. (pico)
• In Tolerance In America, Or The Lack Thereof, Stand Strong discusses the lack of an important value in our society, as a local controversy and an athlete's recent comments illustrate. (jennyjem) And LiberalLucy writes about how states are harming America in Why Republican Gay Discrimination Costs Us. (Patriot Daily)
• Vox Libertas (yes the same Vox!) tells us about S.B.576, the "Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007" in Habeas Corpus Redux. (Elise)
• In this excellent post by exmearden, she describes a new Executive Order and examines how we got to this despicable place. Are you the next to endure Trial by Fire? Executive Order on Alien Unlawful Enemy Combatants? (jennyjem)
• Frederick Clarkson talks about the possible role of Christian Nationalists in the 2008 election in John McCain's Personal Christian Nationalist text (Elise)
• It's in diaries like this that the core values of Democratic Libertarianism will be hashed out: gird yourself for an earnest discussion of the Second Amendment, followed by some emotion-laden comments, then click on BlueDotRedField's Exploitation of Utah Shooting: Rep. Carolyn McCarthy. (Unitary Moonbat)
• How do you become healthy, wealthy, and wise? AudreySchulman has an unusual suggestion: Shoot your Car. Car-free travel could help you lose weight and save money. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• meowmissy uses a meeting of Florida lawmakers to artfully illustrate how Getting Involved Locally Is Easy. (Unitary Moonbat)
• Nathan Hammersmith wonders if world unity against the US is a harbinger of a world war in Musings on World War. (Patriot Daily)
• NNadir asks us to confront Unalloyed Fear: Technetium, an Element of "Dangerous Nuclear Waste" (Pt.2), as well as Vonnegut and Moby Dick, in the latest installment in this excellent, pot-stirring series. (Unitary Moonbat)
• We all sense that life is moving faster and faster, but webranding helps put it in perspective by analyzing technology trends, in Did You Know? (pico)
• Diarist sandlapper has both good news and bad news to report in the battle against TABOR's kudzu-like spread across the country: Howie Rich's "Southern strategy" targets SC, GA. (pico)
• litigatormom deciphers Bush's Valentine's Day press conference for those of us who don't speak Bushit in Learn to Speak Bushit in 10 E-Z Lessons! (Patriot Daily)
• New diarist MichiganGirl deconstructs one lawmaker's spin about the Iraq war and the "global threat of the radical Islamist movement" in Help me - Pete Hoekstra is crazy!. (Patriot Daily)
• Cassiodorus's diary, Martin Murie/ Al Gore/ Inconvenient Truths, argues that Al Gore can do more good in his current role as advocate for the Earth than as President of the United States. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)

cskendrick has the Top Comments.

Add your favorite diaries from the past 24 hours and use as an open thread.

(Tonight’s selections are brought to you courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Long before Hallmark, it was Geoffrey Chaucer who made the first link between February 14th and lovers - "For this was sent Valentine's Day, When every bride cometh there to chose his mate." So, in the name of Chaucer, show some love to the writers of today's diaries.

Firing cupid's arrows tonight into these underappreciated diaries are claude, joshalot, erika, smokeymonkey and ybruti, with dannyinla as your editor.

• Daylight Savings Time will be early this year and our computers may not have gotten the memo. Richard Cranium warns us of the Law of Unintended Consequences in Y7KDST, GOP, GWB, WTF? (claude)
• dengre does us proud with the spectacularly researched Jack Kingston, GA-1: Goofy, corrupt, Abramoff stooge and 2008 target. Kossacks may remember Kingston as the Republican representative who decried the Dem's new