September 16 is Mexican Independence Day

September 16, 2009 | No Comments

Father Miguel Hidalgo was a parish priest of Dolores, a small village in the state of Guanajuato. His famous “Grito de Dolores or Independencia,” or call for independence to the Amerindians and mestizos to retaliate against the hated native Spaniards, who had exploited and oppressed Mexicans for ten generations.

Posted in Culture

Power Plant Shell Game: San Franciscans Will Breathe Bad Air For Another Year, For Electricity That Isn’t Needed

Power Plant Shell Game:
San Franciscans Will Breathe Bad Air For Another Year,
For Electricity That Isn’t Needed

September 14, 2009 | No Comments

But last Friday, September 18, even though San Francisco’s energy demands have not increased, the ISO suddenly reversed itself and said the City now needs to keep a whopping 362 megawatts online for the next year to satisfy reliability. 206 of these megawatts will come from a dinosaur natural gas boiler at the Mirant power plant in Potrero Hill that is so old and obsolete it cannot be turned off, and must run 24/7 kicking massive amounts of air pollution into Potrero and nearby Bayview, and devastating our bay habitat with heat and toxic dispersions because of its antiquated ‘once-through cooling’ system.

Posted in Opinion, Politics

Healthcare Reform for All? Not Quite

Healthcare Reform for All? Not Quite

September 13, 2009 | 1 Comment

With Congress falling all over themselves trying to show compassion for the plight of us struggling taxpayers, it is downright diabolical how they can do so without a shred of embarrassment over their blatant hypocrisy.

Posted in Opinion, Politics

UnitedHealth Lobbyist Announces Pelosi Fundraiser As She Begins Backing Off Public Option

UnitedHealth Lobbyist Announces Pelosi Fundraiser
As She Begins Backing Off Public Option

September 12, 2009 | 2 Comments

According to CNN, Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid “said they would support any provision that increases competition and accessibility for health insurance – whether or not it is the public option favored by most Democrats.” This announcement came just hours before Steve Elmendorf, a registered UnitedHealth lobbyist and the head of UnitedHealth’s lobbying firm Elmendorf Strategies, blasted this email invitation throughout Washington, D.C. I just happened to get my hands on a copy of the invitation from a source.

Posted in News, Politics

A Progressive Call to Action

A Progressive Call to Action

September 09, 2009 | 41 Comments

But this is by no means the political eulogy for one of the few grassroots progressives in the Obama administration or the progressive movement that helped elect Obama. It is, however, a call to action.

Posted in Opinion, Politics

Son of Imprisoned Iranian Dissident Begins 14-Day Hunger Strike in San Francisco

Son of Imprisoned Iranian Dissident
Begins 14-Day Hunger Strike in San Francisco

September 09, 2009 | 1 Comment

Poet, musician and political activist, Turaj Zaim, 33, said he is undertaking his fast to help draw international attention to the plight of his father’s imprisonment and the ongoing persecution and human rights abuses inflicted on Iranian citizens who dare to speak out against Iran’s repressive theocratic regime.

Government 2.0: A Meme Moves Mainstream

Government 2.0: A Meme Moves Mainstream

September 08, 2009 | No Comments

Gov 2.0 Radio host Adriel Hampton answers the question ‘What does Gov 2.0 mean to you?’ By Adriel Hampton September 9, 2009 Re-imagining government got a little easier with the election of President Barack Obama…

Posted in Opinion, Politics