(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.

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(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.

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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 Congressional five-day work week as anti-family! (dannyinla)
• A fantastic overview of issues and where the 2008 candidates stand on them comes from Sidof79: How to pick a President: All issues, all candidates...almost. (smokeymonkey) Similarly, Patrick Kennedy(a former EPA employee, not the Congressman) provides a very valuable resource in Democratic Presidential Candidate Websites, Issue Lists, and Global Warming. (ybruti)
• Bush Slams Dems For "Prejudging" Nuclear Strike On China is great snark by blueness. The moral of the story: would Democrats seek a non-binding resolution against an attack on China? (smokeymonkey)
• George Bush: Not Ready to Make Nice analyzes the "political usefulness" of the recent deal with North Korea. The author's screen name China Hand indicates the expertise shown in this diary. (ybruti)
• Dreaming of Better Days weaves keeping personal secrets and health care in Keeping Secrets and Trust (Shhh . . . Now I'm Trusting You To Not Tell). Comments on this diary have been very appreciative. (ybruti)
• The Care and Feeding of Love is a Valentine's Day ode to love and some good tips on maintaining it. Thanks, Ian MacLeod. (smokeymonkey)
• It's not just the title of eternal hope's diary that turned me on - who who wouldn't love a diary called Bill O'Donohue Can Kiss My Ass - but I also love the passion of the writing. (ericka)
• After watching the Dems fail to take the Florida governor's mansion in 2006, Florida Kossack gatordem shares some thoughts on the invaluable resources known as "committed volunteers" in What Every So Called Political Professional Needs to Know. (dannyinla)
• BentLiberal has fun with some colorful cartograms - and you will too! - in Ballooning US Trade Deficit: Cool Maps & Analysis. (dannyinla)
• Bill Glass, who is running for Congress, highlights how Republicans manipulate citizens such that they are Voting Against Their Own Best Interest. One tactic highlighted is to be pretenders of principle, by opposing or supporting the same principle to win different arguments. Filibuster anyone? (joshalot)
• In Lesbian's firing exposes tangled web of law, morality, Kentucky diarist dsjwriter reminds us of the double standard gays and lesbians are held to. OK with her being lesbian when hired, her employer fired her for (reasonable) apparel at an off-duty event. (joshalot)

 
Elise brings Top Comments.

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These past 24 hours have provided Dkos readers with topics on everything from Darfur, right-to-work, food banks, presidential candidates, 9/11 heroes, white collar crime, other threats to our economy, and more. The Rescue Rangers were afraid you might have missed some of these great diaries, so we thought we'd provide links for you.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are nyc in exile, my global conscious, jennyjem, msobel, Dump Terry McAuliffe, and srkp23, with Elise as editor.<</p>

• "Guerrilla vlogger," mbair, writes and records an information-packed diary on Food Banks - what they are and why they're needed now more than ever - in, Vlog: Hunger in America - Merrimack Valley Food Bank. (jennyjem)
• Alegre brings us a terribly important diary with an update on the situation in Darfur,  DARFUR ACTION: Natsios Says It's Not Genocide (Bull!) (Elise)
• Power clearly explains the issues in a new anti-labor campaign in Labor Tuesday: Iowa Fair Share & Right-to-Work (msobel)
• Jay Elias sorts through the complex world of private equity firms and their impact on our economy in Private Equity, Public Pensions, and the Threat to our Economy (nyc in exile)
• ohwillekea shows Bush's GOP SEC greasing the skids for Enron TNG (The Next Generation) AKA the White Collar Crime Protection Regulation in SEC Pushes To Gut Accounting Fraud Liability (msobel)
• ignatz uk rants Are we just a bunch of mugs? proposing some rules to make Left Blogistan more than an ATM. (msobel)
• In his post, Dumb and Dumber: House and Senate Democrats, diarist Tommy Blueseed thinks that the problem with your Legislative Representative may not be stupidity, it may be ignorance. (jennyjem)
• John Boy manages to write about Hillary and lessons from the war without invective or trolling in Hillary Has Painted Candidates Into A Corner (msobel)
• Blue Gal raises the critical issue for Progressive Campaign Staff of Mac/Linux in Kucinich replaces campaign staff with bloggers (satire) (msobel) and in what may be another satire, Lightning Rod addresses the major issues in the MSM and upends the 08 candidate field in An Announcement and a Confession (msobel)
• YouTube: Which Pres. Candidates get it?, by terminal3, identifies those presidential candidates who are taking advantage of viral video technology--and those who aren't even in the game. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• dday celebrates his shared birthday with Abraham Lincoln by derailing the latest Retardican fantasy of Bush as a reincarnation of Honest Abe in Abraham Lincoln - Feb. 12, 1809 (nyc in exile)
• A Siegel draws out what the potential economic crisis with peak oil means for us in THE Progressive Crisis: Global Warming and Peak Oil. (my global conscious)
• Thousands of unsung September 11 heroes face insult on top of injury. In Keeping Ground Zero in Perspective: The Problem With Heroes, cyrus dugger explains how right-wingers want to slam the courthouse door in the faces of workers who were sickened by contamination in the World Trade Center ruins. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• nyceve continues her crusade for universal healthcare as she details the prohibitive costs of for profit health insurance in For-profit healthcare: The ultimate triumph of insanity (nyc in exile)

emeraldmaiden has Top Comments.

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

Tonight's excellent round-up spans the globe from Colombia to Pakistan, from the mideast to Australia, and all around the U.S.A., including diaries on the Iraq war, terrorism, history, energy policy, insourcing, propaganda, and one razor sharp satire. Kudos to two first-time diarists tonight!

This evening's Rescue Rangers are dannyinla, joshalot, Patriot Daily, srkp23, Unitary Moonbat, and vcmvo2, with srkp23 as editor.

• New diarist Kyle Johnson informs us about the hundreds of thousands of war-displaced refugees in Colombia that the world ignores in #2 for Displaced in the World, and Who Knows? (Patriot Daily)
• Rush Limbaugh hates and fears Antonio Gramsci. Who was he and why is he a danger to hegemonic Right Wing? Cassiodorus explains in the inspiring and insightful Gramsci's War of Position and the 2006 Election. (dannyinla)
• If you like bonddad's economic diaries, check out BobOak's examination of how foreign offshore outsourcing companies are manipulating the US Visa system for a comparative advantage in trade: We are Trading People: How H-1B, Outsourcing and Trade are Connected. And make sure you get you Democratic representatives to read it too! (dannyinla)
• mpesce takes us on a tour downunder, so we can understand the political landscape of one of BushCo’s last defenders: Understanding Australia. (srkp23)
• First-time diarist W W Pi discusses how conservatives have taken the intellectual mantle of liberals only to spout lies and discredit those whose concern is for the people in Reminder to self: Conservatism is the domination of society by aristocracy. (vcmvo2)
• Jeff Huber writes about how two prominent newspapers are once again aiding the war drums in Iran: NYT Repeats History, WaPo Rewrites It. (Patriot Daily)
• smintheus provides a thorough analysis of how once again the MSM is just a stooge for Bush’s spin of the recently released summary of the Iraq NIE in A sucker's guide to unclassified reports. (Patriot Daily)
• Stagarite illuminates the concept of a great term from Robert Anton Wilson and examines propaganda in its light in I have seen the fnords. (srkp23)
• intrepidliberal offers up an excellent history of Pakistan, revealing how its internal tensions constitute a crucial challenge that should be on the hotlist of any serious presidential contenders: Pakistan: A Strategic Conundrum. (srkp23)
• Frank Cocozzelli writes about religious hypocrisy to achieve political goals that is ignored by the MSM in Smorgasbord Bill Donohue Strikes Again. (Patriot Daily)
• myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics analyzes America's wars and concludes that most conflicts have ended through negotiated peace deals; and not due to total victory in How to End a War, If History is Any Judge. (vcmvo2)
• Throughout American history, our "bad guys" have been known by a plethora of names - today we call them terrorists. Soj has posted an exhaustive list in The Terrorists Have Always Been Winning. (dannyinla)
• A Siegel lets fly with the first of several Re-Energizing...ENERGIZE AMERICA proposals that will be sent on for Congressional consideration. Get in on the ground floor of the conversation in ENERGIZE AMERICA: The Neighborhood Power Act. (Unitary Moonbat)
• Alex Terrieur brings us satire so finely cut, you’ll do a whiplash inducing double take: Bush: 'Every fallen soldier's family will get a new SUV'. (srkp23)

Cronesense has Top Comments.

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

The weekend brought us a nice balance of internationally and nationally focused diaries, with some energy policy for good measure. Don't forget to subscribe to diarists whose work you particularly like: one of the reasons we rescue them is so you'll continue reading their work in the future!

Tonight's rescue brought to you by claude, Rippen Kitten, my global conscious, msobel, smokeymonkey, and B12love - with pico spinning around in the editor's chair:

• In Forgetting Cambodia, darrelplant delves into the collective conscience that tries to deny atrocities experienced. Highly recommended. (Rippen Kitten)
• londonbear remarks on The Irish Field of Dreams after a historic occasion. (smokeymonkey)
• Diarist dengre continues a fascinating series on the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Let’s stop the cycle of abuse (CNMI Hearing Report #2). (Rippen Kitten)
• BlaiseP provides some history to explain "Shia! Safavi" The Insults of Children. (msobel)
• notanamerican demonstrates well how Iraq is an occupied nation in The Sham of Iraq Sovereignty. (my global conscious)
• Democrats have No Plan in Iraq ? Hey, land of the free says It's a simple thing to do (msobel)
• For a sarcastic slap at BushCo’s march to war with Iran read Time Saver for Warmongersby Crashing Vor (B12love)
• Of Oil, Utilities and Slavery is a great essay by joelado on the need to create a personal solar infrastructure in order to use plug-in electric vehicles. (smokeymonkey)
• Public transportation is an idea whose time has come, resulting in The Transit Space Race now being pursued by many cities looking ahead to meeting transit needs. The Overhead Wire explains why this is the Space Race of our times. (claude)
• In NYC: The Baggers Rebellion, proudprogressiveCA reports on the struggle of grocery baggers for equitable pay and fair workers rights. (Rippen Kitten)
• kindertotenlieder describes some of the tactics and deceit promulgated by faith-based "crisis pregnancy centers" funded with taxpayer dollars, in Faith-based ABC Gum(B12love)
• More info on the presidential contenders: JSCram3254 gives us a practical guide to simple research on politicians, their voting records and the moneyed interests that support them. Shameless greed research. (claude) Meanwhile, Eric Hopp provides an excellent overview of all the Presidential runners and their respective web sites in A cruise of the presidential candidates' websites! W/Poll. (my global conscious)

sardonyx brings us tonight's Top Comments.

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Diaries up for rescue tonight:

• Nightprowlkitty's Lagniappe: To Give More - Part 6 - Blogroll! provides a round-up of news from New Orleans, and gives tips about the great local blogs there.
• vernonlee's The US Government is My Supervisor relates an unnerving experience of being challenged by a security guard in a desert camo military uniform - in the parking violations division in Los Angeles - and reflects on the militarization of civil society since 9/11.
• Mash's How To Start A War points out the similarities of alarming news reports in the run-up to Iraq and the current statements being made about Iran, its military capabilities, its intentions and what we should do about it.
• Fiona West's HUD Plans to Raze Low-Income Housing In New Orleans: Barney Frank Hearing is a stellar entry by a first-time diarist that brings attention to hearings about HUD housing for New Orleans, with good background details on the situation and contact information for us.
• stlouis peacenik's How the Iran Evidence Works questions how our supposedly nefarious and cunning Iranian foes would have been so stupid as to leave identifying information on the IED's Defense Secretary Gates is claiming were supplied to Iraq.
• mkfox's Forgotten Founding Fathers: Frederick Muhlenberg provides a portrait of a founding father who was one of the first statesmen to have to wrestle with the "English only" language debate.
• Ciccina's What a Week to be a Woman offers a round-up of news affecting women, with special attention to the implications of the dust-up over the feminist Edwards bloggers.
• londonbear's The Romans in Washington compares strategies and assumptions of the Roman Empire to those exhibited by the Bush administration today.
• KAMuston's In God's Name looks at the Living Word Christian Center in Minnesota and the lavish lifestyle of its founders.
• zeus4prez's Dear Senators: End the War! (99 Personalized Letters) is a terrific linking and one-stop resource center - complete with text for a letter to personalize - to get senators on board with ending the war.
• tjlord's Privatization: A trading market examines in depth various technocratic structures and adaptations between the private and public sectors.
• profmatt's Hillary's First Presidential Fundraiser gives a first-hand account of a question-and-answer session with the presidential candidate.
• Two diarists offer thoughts and accounts of Obama's official announcement: JohnnyRook's Thoughts on Obama's Announcement in Springfield and onanyes' Road Trip to see Obama.
• Citizen Rat's They Hate us for Our Freedom looks at the dangers of standardized assessments for higher education.
• markthshark's Truth provides a round-up of news on what's going on in Iraq since the escalation began, using not just American mainstream media sources, but international ones as well.

noweasels brings Top Comments.

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

Our Rescue Rangers provide reaction to VRWC, persuasion, tools, dealing with a moderate Republican, (or a Unicorn ?) before going on to investigative reporting and a modest proposal that might give us another football team.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are  jennyjem, pico, dannyinla, paragraph, TruthofAngels, dannyinla, srkp23  with msobel as editor.

• Brave soul BrooklynRaider is reading the conservative press... so you don't have to. All the lies and distortions that are fit to print are chronicled at This Week in Conservative Organs: We Can Work It Out. (dannyinla)
• Self-professed "East Coast elitist," Lucius Vorenus, takes a trip to middle America, and gains some insight, in Dispatches From The Aventine. (jennyjem)
• The Republicans continually harp on the meme that public broadcasting has a liberal bias, especially at budget time. Rockridge explains how you might be supporting their assertions in "Spiral of Death": How the Right Uses You to Attack PBS & NPR. (jennyjem)
• VirginiaDem diaries on how we can bring moderate Republicans into the light, in the analytical piece How to spur the GOP conversions. (TruthOfAngels)
• The inventively named cos counsels against paranoia in What Does Random Panic Protect Us From?.  (TruthOfAngels)
• "We're beginning a great debate about the future of our country, and we can't let it be hijacked. It will take discipline, focus, and courage to build the America we believe in," said John Edwards.  "Damn straight," said BobcatJH.  Read why in Clenched-fist progressive politics. (TruthOfAngels)
• In The sky is falling! The sky is falling!, first-time diarist dwgelbman eloquently expresses the anger that began with the jingoism precipitated by 9/11, and chronicles how this anger has steadily progressed to rage and frustration. (srkp23)
• terminal3 brings to our attention a new Yahoo service, Pipes, that may help political bloggers, campaigns, and others who rely on steady diets of fresh information: Political Technology: Create your own information feed. (srkp23)
• tmservo433 does a bit of digging into the little-reported ChemCentral explosion to find a history of chemical negligence, both by the company and by law enforcement: ChemCentral Kansas City Explosion part of a Repeat Offender Habit. (pico)
• As if medical care for the mentally ill isn't bad enough in this country, Valtin reports on yet another set-back and asks, Feeling suicidal? Medicare cuts therapists pay 9% -- where's the outrage? (jennyjem)
• In A Pox upon Mr. Armstrong’s Wonderful World, the exceptionally literary diarist Jason Miller compares two of Britain's revolutionary children: the United States (the world's most popular Democracy) and India (the world's most populous democracy). (dannyinla)
• seeker carefully examines how insurance companies used their power to except themselves from regulatory oversight of marketing practices, and are now preying on the most indigent populations: Marketing Privatized Medicare or Why the Privatization of Government Services Hurts People. (srkp23)
• Why isn't public service in America held to the same standards as military and civil service? Texas Blue lends support to an institution along the lines of our superior military academies in Because America Deserves our Best: The Initiative to Create a U.S. Public Service Academy. (pico)

Ambrosius brings Top Comments.

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

If readers notice a glimpse-at-the-dark-side theme running through many of tonight's diaries, blame it on the date: Previous February 8ths have seen the beheading of Mary Queen of Scots (1587), the debut of Birth of a Nation (1915), and President Cleveland's signing of the infamous Dawes Act (1887).

(Tonight's Rescue Rangers are BentLiberal, Elise, jennyjem, joshalot, and vcmvo2, with Unitary Moonbat editing)

• gjohnsit carefully studies the difference between the most recent rally of protestors in D.C. on January 27th, and compares it to several protests that Jacob Coxey attempted to carry out during the Panic of 1893. Coxey was arrested and tried for making a list of demands with regards to decent housing and jobs in The First March on Washington. (vcmvo2)
• "What bloggergate says about the movement" is probably the best summary I've read on the Edwards blogger flap. BobcatJH pulls no punches and leaves no stone unturned. (BentLiberal)
• Diarist Steven D doesn't believe that hate speech is ever "Just an opinion".  (jennyjem)
• What do Dick Cheney and Shakespeare's "Dick the Butcher" have in common?  Caoimhin Laochdha gives us the answer in "First, Kill the U.S. Attorneys".  (jennyjem)
• First time diarst degnan gives a good summation of the Scooter Libby trial and the defendant's curious 29-day memory gap in Libby as Cheney's Cut-out. (BentLiberal)
• American River Canyon has all the details on the latest in Republican corruption with Doolittle Campaign Contributer Indicted and it's Not Even Friday, Guam nails Abramoff Buddy (Elise)
• Walt starr finds that there is danger in the continued reliance on the outsourcing of former military jobs to private companies or mercenaries. Their loyalty is thus to themselves and not the US Constitution; an unsettling occurrence in Blackwater is NOT loyal to the Constitution. (vcmvo2)
• "[L]iberals should not be against Jesus, a champion of liberalism and liberty, but against those who have perverted his life and teachings." So says diarist a gnostic in Gnosticism and Jesus' "Destroy this temple". An interesting read. (BentLiberal)
• Duke1676 brings us news of more Republican in-fighting, in his diary, Tancredo out as House immigration leader: A third party run? (Elise)
• In Iraq is over diarist dday urges the reader to note that high-stakes rhetoric is often matched with low-stakes courses of action by those doing the spouting. (BentLiberal)
• Drawing a connection between current events and history is usually an opportunity to be more informed about the current situation at hand. Dsjwriter does just that in US Attorney's jailing of blogger ignores history, by highlighting the similarities between Josh Wolf and a similar case that took place during the birth of our nation and influenced the definition of journalism as we know it today. If you are a Dkos reader, you can probably already guess if that case illustrates "what to do" or "what not do to" (joshalot)
• kay dub brings us a bleak but eloquent picture of the future of Iraq in How does the hard rain not fall? (Elise)

Elise brings Top Comments.

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

Another great range of diaries rescued by the faithful rangers.  From health care to peace bread, we have an issue for you. (smokeymonkey)

Tonight's rangers are claude, Got a Grip, paragraph, Erika, Dump Terry McAuliffe, and ybruti. (smokeymonkey)

• Bet'cha I Can Save Social Security And Have Universal Health Care in 5 Notes says seattlealex and I think you'll agree that his scheme has real merit, although it's not a new idea. (claude)
• Rewarding sustainable farming: The Conservation Security Program gives us a brief but thorough look, with many links to follow of a worthy gov't program progressives ought to get behind. From natasha (claude)
• Cassiodorus presents us with the intriguing concept "ecosocialism" in a well researched and linked book review of a work by one of the major proponents of this analysis of the situation we all face in Ecosocialism against cynicism: a review of Joel Kovel's The Enemy of Nature. (claude)
• In 2005, the AFL-CIO issued a report alleging that federal apprenticeship-training funds were misused. The Labor Department ignored it. PaulVA calls attention to that report in his diary, Did Elaine Chao Let An Influential Right Wing Group Steal Taxpayer Money? (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• You think dKos's diary wars have gotten nasty? According to BrooklynRaider's latest diary, Blogs: the Literature of Revolution?, the pamphleteers of Revolutionary times make us look like pikers. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• Crashing the gates isn't easy, as a group of Young Democrats discovered at last weekend's Democratic National Committee meeting. Diarist tedski has the details in Those Young Whippersnappers vs. the DNC. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• If there can be a hopeful thought about Iraq, Skulnickoffers one in Gates: Debate on Iraq won't hurt troop morale. (ybruti)
• Here’s a wonderfully illustrated diary combining bread-making, bitterly cold weather, and a union song. vassmeralso provides an inspiring recipe inPeace Bread for a COLD Day .... (ybruti)
• The 2nd diary by sirenoftitan shows that real people get real help from real Kossaks, and she's appreciative. Thank you! (claude)

kath25 has Top Comments.

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

The Rescue Rangers bring you a wide variety of selections this evening. We have wonderful poetry, advice, essays, and suggestions for activism, discussions on Labor Issues, news on the environment and agribusiness, anti-abortion propaganda, a debate on "mainstream", discussions on Iraq and Afghanistan, and a reminder of an important Civil Rights activist. And for a bit of fun before you dive into your reading, you can vote in this February Fantasy Straw Poll (w/Gore), by Eddie in ME.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are pico, jennyjem, vcmvo2, Patriot Daily, BentLiberal, Unitary Moonbat, with Elise as editor.

• Sometimes it takes a bit of poetry to distill our most complex thoughts, as these two diaries show: First, Aster brings us a W. H. Auden sonnet in ironic points of light, a reflection on the horrors of Nanking. Next, AaronBa resurrects the little-read John Barlow's anti-Napoleonic epic to find some important Advice to Americans on Iraq. (pico)
• Malacandra wonders where the progressive activists are - and says it's time for all you Grassroots ChickenHawks to show up or quit whining about the state of your country. (jennyjem)
• Here are two great diaries under the heading of 'Do-It-Yourself Government.' First, edgery has some excellent advice for speaking to your legislative official - or his/her staff - in Calling All Citizen Lobbyists! Then, greenreflex wants to use the netroots to bring accountability and citizens' input to an under reported part of the process, by Liveblogging Committee Hearings. (jennyjem)
• Here are two good diaries on a newly introduced bill in Congress: In the first, Tula Connell gives us a well written overview in Employee Free Choice Act Introduced. The second, "With Elections Like These, Who Needs A Democracy?," illuminates the need for reform in the NLRB procedures governing how workers vote on whether to join a Union, which is the subject of the new bill. A clever take by PaulVa.(BentLiberal)
• quaoar grudgingly admits that Bush (finally) does something right (sort of) in taking steps to reduce corporate welfare in agribusiness. (Unitary Moonbat)
• Inuit will get Global Warming-Human Rights Hearing is greendem's report contending that the loss of the Inuti's way of life and their culture due to global warming is a Human Rights violation.(BentLiberal)
• Drudge Misrepresents Poisoning Story to Convey Anti-abortion Propaganda: exposing a lie on Drudge turns into a longer essay by BKuhl on abortion, legality, and morality. (pico)
• slatsg defines a new dirty word to describe progressive candidates in "Mainstream" ... Is it really what we want? (jennyjem)
• sterno details why cutting off the money is the only way to end the Iraq debacle in Stopping Bush by the Numbers. (jennyjem)
• Jeff Huber writes about how Bush’s preemptive "escalation" may be used to blackmail Congress into supporting sending more troops in Groundhog Day in Iraq. (Patriot Daily)
• intrepidliberal thoroughly analyzes why little attention is paid to Afghanistan even though this is where the 9/11 plans were hatched, where the Taliban still thrives and where the drug business is booming. Surprisingly, the answer to this problem does not lie in an Iraq-type surge in Afghanistan: The Forgotten War. (vcmvo2)
• foxfire burns reminds us about a Black History Month Blind Spot w/poll that most of us have regarding an unsung activist of the Civil Rights Era. (Unitary Moonbat)

emeraldmaiden has Top Comments.

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

Today, the Rs tried to freeze out debate on Iraq as much of the U.S. found itself gripped by a bone-chilling Arctic blast. Tonight, the RRs invite you to cozy up with a warm beverage and this baker's dozen of terrific diaries.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are dannyinla, Dump Terry McAuliffe, Got a Grip, joshalot, msobel, and vcmvo2, with srkp23 as editor.

• Guest hosting in the Bat Cave, guyermo examines James Polk's success in the Mexican-American War against George Bush's Iraq War debacle, and the concept of Manifest Destiny in History for Kossacks: Westward Expansion Edition. (Got a Grip)
• gjohnsit writes an outstanding historical essay on William Walker, an American adventurer, who repeatedly invaded Central America with a private army; and eventually was executed by a Honduran firing squad in The Last American Warlord. (vcmvo2)
• GreyHawk takes an historical approach to a righteous rant in The Boxer Rebellion(s): A Call For Senator Boxer to Lead a New Charge on the Hill. (Got a Grip)
• And in more recent history, Patrick Kennedy takes a look at the week that was, as part of the Congressional Committees Project, in Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works: January 29 week in review (CCP). (Got a Grip)
• NNadir wraps up a four-part series on most problematic of all so called nuclear wastes in a Profile of a "Dangerous Nuclear Waste:" Cesium, Part 4 and it includes references to Buffalo Bill Cody, Mick Jagger, Yucca Mountain, and all sorts of cool scientific data! (dannyinla)
• Second-time diarist Readhead analyzes her generation through the eyes of columnist David Brooks. She finds that he classifies her generation as "moderate" yet she rejects that as a facile description in Children of Moderation. (vcmvo2)
• Ever think about how insurgents become insurgents? Curmudgiana articulates a view of how the youth are afflicted with The Curse of the Shabab. In the absence of good role models influenced by a positive governmental power structure, the youth are easily led towards AK-47s, rocks and other misfortune. (joshalot)
• A pair of diarists point out the steaming pile of... umm, stuff, that the administration is offering up on Iraq. skymutt wonders, is $481 billion not enough for "the strategic appetite"? And litigatormom offers up Today's Bush Translation: Give Surge A Chance. (dannyinla)
• duguyisheng splains that in Iraq, it's more than faith-based in The truth about "Sectarian Violence" (msobel)
• No, it's not about the New Hampshire Primary when NCJan argues that smart or not, Petraeus’ "counterinsurgency" doctrine will fail in Live Free or Die. (msobel)
• The security scare in Boston over a botched movie promo moved third-time diarist An American in Holland to reflect on our country's post-9/11 obsession with security in The Day the Music Died. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)
• Avenging Angel's latest diary, Dems Take on GOP's IRS Class War, exposes what amounts to an extra tax break for the rich: lax enforcement efforts against estate and gift tax cheats. (Dump Terry McAuliffe)

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

The US military now admits that four helicopters were shot down in the past two weeks while troops driving in traffic with Humvees are stressed out with defensive driving, yet Bush seeks escalation. If you need a small diversion from the bad war news, please enjoy some powerful diaries on other topics!

This evening's Rescue Rangers are claude, vcmvo2, my global conscious, TruthofAngels, smokeymonkey and nyc in exile, with Patriot Daily as editor.

• The impact of global warming on the life of bees is documented by new diarist Vince CA in Pollinator Sunday, Pt 2: Mason Bees.  (TruthOfAngels)
• New diarist jessical claims that tyranny is contagious in A Broken Windows Theory Of Tyranny (from hip). A concise and well-written piece, it reads like an adventure through society. (smokeymonkey)
• Troutfishing asks the reader to imagine What is it like to be a Bush?, but much like being a bat, we may never know. (vcmvo2)
• Eternal Hope explains why Bush is trying to moot appellate review of Judge Anna Diggs Taylor's order to shut down Bush's illegal wiretaps in ACLU Argues on Appeal against Illegal Wiretap. (claude)
• SemDem documents the systematised abuse of women's reproductive rights by the Religious Right in The Abortion Diary.  (TruthOfAngels)
• With snark worthy of the Onion, new diarist EricMaderLin riffs on the Boston Terror Scare last week in reporting on widespread brainlessness in Terror Panic Spreads through Heartland. (claude)
• Scientician explores the powers of Congress from an outsider's perspective and asks Who Really Wears the Pants in the US Government? (smokeymonkey)
• New York is an immigrant city of vast diversity that handles the multicultural cacophony with grace and style as native son Duke1676 demonstrates in the well-written and personal On immigration, multiculturalism and the threat to western civilization. (claude)

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Diaries up for rescue tonight:

• norabb's Candidates on Parade at DNC provides a round-up of impressions from the DNC winter meeting, which had Democratic presidential candidates making their case to Democratic activists.
• AdmiralNaismith has a two-fer: The most important races of 2008, one focusing on the South and one on the Northeast, both of which offer terrific early analysis of key races, with lots of excellent analysis provided in the comments by readers as well.
• Nightprowlkitty's Lagniappe: To Give More - Part 5 - Heroes! gives a round-up of articles and diaries pertaining to New Orleans and the aftermath of Katrina.
• Mark H's Marine Life Series: The Short Big-eye examines the life and habitat of a nocturnal species of fish.
• mkfox's Forgotten Founding Fathers: Benjamin Lincoln looks at the Massachusetts militia member who fought the 1780 British siege of Charleston.
• janinsanfran's California Dem bench looking frayed analyzes what Gavin Newsom's admission of infidelity could mean in the larger political picture as California Democrats struggle to build a deep bench.
• A Siegel's Gaming our way to a Cooler Globe? Climate Change games ... discusses the creative opportunity for educating through use of video games.
• TimetoGovern's The curious case of the blood/brain barrier is a quirky, well-written late-night riff on the human brain, chemicals, moods, ideas and toxicity.
• Brahman Colorado's The Reincarnation of Henry Kissinger examines the recent re-emergence of Henry Kissinger and looks anew at some of his political philosophies and assumptions.
• willep's the 8.5x11 paper, the baby, the dashboard: HERE YOU ARE muses on the big step of adopting an Ethiopian daughter.
• serrano's Doc:--A Remembrance of Leon H. Sullivan salutes one of America's under-sung heroes.
• aphra behn's The Wages of Satan are...Pre-Approved! Now at 13.5%M is a terrific, clever piece on what would happen if we took Biblical injunctions against lending - and credit cards - seriously.

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(Diaries are brought to you this evening courtesy of the Rescue Rangers. SusanG)

Tonight, on this first Friday in February '07, the intrepid Rescue Rangers bring you a compendium of overlooked diaries. So sit back, grab your preferred libation, and read on.

(Tonight's selections come courtesy of pico, Patriot Daily, paragraph, srkp23, TruthofAngels, and the pinch-hitting smokeymonkey. And since the Chicago-born dannyinla is your editor, he takes this opportunity to say "Go Bears!").

Tonight some Kossacks have thoughts about Iraq...

• Jeff Huber looks at the US's current war landscape and wonders if Adm. William J. Fallon, new head of CENTCOM, might possibly be the first to lose four wars, in CENTCOM Follies: Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Somalia. (srkp23)
• Funny how we treat our four-legged friends so much better than our men and women in uniform. In Cold Wet Puppy Noses - Sympathetic PTSD Victims, diarist Richard Cranium wishes our nation's heart-strings were tugged so strongly by the plight of our soldiers. (pico)
• Salo writes about historical parallels between invasions of Baghdad today and in 1258 in The road to Ain Jalut. (Patriot Daily)
• First-time diarist andgarden informs us how one Democrat plans legislation to end the Iraq War resolution in Robert Byrd controls the purse strings. (Patriot Daily)
• dday informs us how the long-suppressed NIE on Iraq shows the intelligence does not support Bush's claims in Iraq NIE out: "US has little control," IRAN NOT A FACTOR. (Patriot Daily)
• Magorn lays out exactly why the cost of the Iraq occupation will top $1 trillion: The Trillion Dollar War: the costs won't stop when the fighting does. (smokeymonkey)

... and some have thoughts about America...

• Guiding Principles is a list of the primary ways by which we must change our consumer habits. Kudos to xrepub. (smokeymonkey)
• Congress is now considering a bill to restore some fairness to the relationship between employers and employees. If you don't know How Employers Get Away With Highway Robbery, check out this diary by PaulVA, and learn why this bill is so important. (pico)
• While the President continues his non-action on energy issues, the state of Minnesota is taking the lead. User HongPong takes us through the specifics, as MN Senate committee passes 25% 2020 renewable electricity standard with GOP support. (pico)
• In Subjective Objectivity: On Death (and Recovery), GreyHawk discusses the evolving science of Blogometrics and its usefulness in evaluating world events as they unfold. (paragraph)
• Tula Connell urges us to shore up the rights of workers to unionize, before it's too late: Why U.S. Workers Need the Employee Free Choice Act. (srkp23)
• Working Californians writes about the positive meaning and impact on the labor movement and workers from the hotel workers' victory in LAX Living Wage Deal. (Patriot Daily)
• agent double o soul writes about the failures of current US economic and foreign policy in Where do you want to live?. (TruthOfAngels)
• seattlealex provides us with analysis on the specious claims of WorldNetDaily's Shane Connor regarding survival after a nuclear attack in You Can Survive A Nuclear Blast - Just Buy My Book!. (TruthOfAngels)

... and some just have thoughts they'd like to share.

• Beyond the Walls of Sanity - Weird Science by Chgo Jim is a useful and sharp-witted primer on direct communication with God, for those of us who aren't the Commander in Chief. (paragraph)
• Out of time and space: musing on post-9/11 New York by Marc in KS is a thoughtful and heartfelt reflection on the power - and danger - of hope. (paragraph)

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

We're going global tonight, from Iraq/Iran to China and all the way around to New Orleans, and then home to DKos-ia, our own special piece of the universe. Sit back, have some pie, and enjoy these well-traveled diaries.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are my global conscious, Got a Grip, joshalot, Elise, smokeymonkey and Erika, with jennyjem as editor.

• Steven D shines a light on yet another contradiction from the administration regarding Iran in US Gov't: Report Proving Iran's Evil Postponed. Basically, we should just trust them that Iran is evil and we must attack. Not. (joshalot)
• Ye Xiaowen, China's director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs, weighs-in on the war on terror, and zenbowl wonders if it's A potential offer from China on Iraq? (jennyjem)
• advisorjim has an interesting, and introspective, view of META in his post, My 2nd Dkos-versary - Former Dittohead Enters 3rd Year Meta Style. (jennyjem)
• scott jones takes an indepth look at an idea that has been on the minds of every adult, and on the agenda of every Congressman in Universal Health Care Watch: Federal Level. (Got a Grip)
• liberty76 provides credit card analysis and the pitfalls in SELLING YOUR SOUL. (my global conscious)
• Iraqi Refugees by R o o k highlights the complete lack of attention this country has paid to the issue of displaced Iraqis. By most accounts the number is in the millions now. (smokeymonkey)
• Ishmael brings us some insight into Nat'l Prayer Breakfast Politics. (Elise)
• NOLA is on the minds of two Kossacks tonight. First, Nightprowlkitty calls our attention to a worthy fundraising effort in Harry Connick, Jr.-"All These People" - Please Watch!. Then Crashing Vor eulogizes in RIP R. Neal Walker (jennyjem).
• Pen brings us a very bizarre story of one disgusting trophy of war from Iraq. They kept Iraqi brains in the fridge for trophies is a chilling story of testimony given in the trial of Lt. Watada. (smokeymonkey)

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