Author Archives: oddmanout215

Which side are you on, Dems?


Digby’s nicely distilled description of how Congressional Republicans continue to outmaneuver and cow Democrats — including world-class equivocator John Kerry — who are supposed to be protecting the social safety net: Note [Republican Sen. Jon] Kyl’s language: he never says … Continue reading →

Posted in Congress, economic collapse, Great Recession, Obama, Politics, taxes, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Fox News moron: Why the fuss about pepper spray?


Megyn Kelly is: A. Just another pretty face spouting misinformation on TV. B. A mouthpiece for corporatists. C. A and B The answer is C, of course. It seems Kelly is also an expert on police violence, no doubt because … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Sunday in the park with Lt. John Pike


The Photoshop meme “Casually Pepper Spray Everything Cop” features images of famous paintings and photos graced by the instantly classic figure of UC Davis Police Lt. John Pike as he was filmed spraying protesters at an Occupy rally last week. … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

At Berkeley, a literal meaning for ‘Beat Poets’


Robert Hass, former poet laureate of the U.S., describing how non-violent students and teachers were brutalized by UC Berkeley cops on the very site where the Free Speech Movement was born 50 years ago: … None of the police officers … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, economic collapse, Great Recession, New York Times, Politics, The New Depression | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Me and the devil and a Dallas church


Blues great Robert Johnson’s songs include “Me and the Devil Blues,” “Hellhound on My Trail” and “Cross Road Blues.” The latter explains how he sold his soul to Satan in return for guitar-playing prowess. It looks like some Christians in … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, economic collapse, food, Great Recession, health care, humor, livable cities, New York Times, pop music, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Robitussin and elderberry wine


Robo and wine sounds like a recipe for disaster, but add nostalgia to the mix and it becomes an elixir and a rallying cry for outlaws. Moby Grape was the epitome of outlaw energy and erratic creativity in 1960s rock … Continue reading →

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Indoor/outdoor Occupy strategies


Uh-oh, writes Henry Banta, it’s getting cold out there… Since the police have turned nasty and winter is coming it might be worth considering adding some indoor activities. Like going to public town hall meetings – the kind that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Recession, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Nature’s way of telling you


This won’t faze the current crop of Republicans, because they don’t believe in science. But it might be of interest to thinking people: Top international climate scientists and disaster experts meeting in Africa had a sharp message Friday for the … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, climate change, environmentalism, pop music | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

From dystopia to reality, via NYPD


At what point does the near-future depicted in a novel stop seeming dystopian and become more-or-less realistic? This is from Super Sad True Love Story, the bestseller by Gary Shteyngart, who read Wednesday at Rutgers-Camden: An armored personnel carrier bearing … Continue reading →

Posted in arts, Camden, economic collapse, fiction, globalization, Goldman Sachs, Great Recession, humor, mainstream media, Occupy Wall Street, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment, Wall Street | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Republicans love privatization…


… and high incarceration rates: Last year the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the nation’s largest private prison company, received $74 million of taxpayers’ money to run immigration detention centers. Their largest facility in Lumpkin, Georgia, receives $200 a night … Continue reading →

Posted in economic collapse, Great Recession, Politics, The New Depression, unemployment | Tagged , | 4 Comments