This article in the SF Chronicle, on the death of ex-CIA Agent Philip Agee, has a major piece of irony. Philip Agee was a former CIA agent who wrote a book called "Inside the Company: CIA Diary", and at the end of the book he names names of CIA agents. From the article:

Agee quit the CIA in 1969 after 12 years working mostly in Latin America at a time when leftist movements were gaining prominence and sympathizers. His 1975 book "Inside the Company: CIA Diary," cited alleged misdeeds against leftists in the region and included a 22-page list of purported agency operatives.

The list created an uproar around the world and helped prompt Congress to pass a law against naming clandestine U.S. agents abroad. It also led the State Department to strip Agee of his U.S. passport.

Pardon if this has been diaried before, but it's significant news. From the SF Chronicle, WorldViews article 10/25:

Iraqi Hearts and Minds

As opinion polls go, it's one of the most systematic studies yet to emerge from the bloody quagmire of Bush's war in Iraq. A secret survey, commissioned by Britain's defense ministry and obtained by the Telegraph, "shows that up to 65 percent of Iraqi citizens support attacks [against British troops in Iraq] and [that] fewer than one percent think [that U.S.-led] military involvement is helping to improve security in their country."

Jim Wallis is the author of God's Politics, which has been discussed here often. His criticisms of Pat Robertson are succinct and to the point:

Pat Robertson is an embarrassment to the church and a danger to American politics.

Robertson is known for his completely irresponsible statements - that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were due to American feminists and liberals, that true Christians could vote only for George W. Bush, that the federal judiciary is a greater threat to America than those who flew the planes into the World Trade Center Towers, and the list goes on. Robertson even took credit once for diverting a hurricane. But his latest outburst may take the cake.

LIVING WILL

I, __________ (fill in the blank), being of sound mind and body, do not wish to be kept alive indefinitely by artificial means.

Under no circumstances should my fate be put in the hands of peckerwood politicians who couldn't pass ninth-grade biology if their lives depended on it.

If a reasonable amount of time passes and I fail to sit up and ask for a cold beer, it should be presumed that I won't do so ever again. When such a determination is reached, I hereby instruct my loved ones and attending physicians to pull the plug, reel in the tubes and call it a day.

Like many of you, I have been compelled by recent events to prepare a more detailed advance directive dealing with end-of-life issues. Here's what mine says:

• In the event I lapse into a persistent vegetative state, I want medical authorities to resort to extraordinary means to prolong my hellish semiexistence. Fifteen years wouldn't be long enough for me.

• I want my wife and my parents to compound their misery by engaging in a bitter and protracted feud that depletes their emotions and their bank accounts.

I just spent some time sightseeing in downtown Philadelphia (here on business), and was told that the National Constitution Center was not to be missed.

I found it one of the most amazing and inspiring museums I've ever been to; it really captured the intent towards freedom, justice, the balance of power (between the branches of the fed, and between the fed and the states), empowerment of the people during the tumultous birth of the USA, while not avoiding the limitations, brutality and injustice that has occurred over the years (slavery, women's rights, Japanese internment camps, etc).

I was driving home in my car and listening to the news on NPR. Ivan Watson is a journalist in the Kurdistan northern part of Iraq and was reporting the experiences of the people voting in that area.

I live in Northern CA, and it doesn't get any bluer than where I live, so the Demo party has adopted sister battleground states for a phone GOTV effort. (FYI, Gore won this state in 2000 by less that 1 vote per ward, equivalent to a precinct).

I've been doing phone calling to Wisconsin for the past 2 days for 2-3 hours a shot, calling suburban and rural areas in the eastern and northeast portion of the state. Here's my findings and analysis after a 100-200 phone calls:

This is what it will feel like when Kerry wins. A great video!!!

I'm a Buddhist, and every morning, the first thing I say is: Om Mane Padme Hum. (the Buddhist mantra of compassion for everyone).

The second thing I say is: President Kerry.

After all the physical GOTV efforts, the final frontier is in the psychic realm, so say these words out loud:

"President Kerry"

Visualize John Kerry sitting in his Oval Office.
Visualize John Kerry being sworn in this January.
Visualize Blue OH, FL, MI, WI, HI, PA, AK, MO.

Do this often as possible. Remember, there will be bunches of right-wing Christians praying for Bush. Do the same and more for John Kerry!

Iraq is still paying war reparations to major corporations and countries for its Kuwait invasion, even though Saddam is out of power...and meanwhile, the Iraqi people get nothing for any reparations.