Hello all!

I've got a bit of a problem and hit a brick wall, so I thought I might see if anyone out there had any ideas of expertise on where to go from here.

See, I got enrolled in a 401k plan by my employment agency, without my knowledge, and now have about $600 taken from me that I cannot get back!

Back story and all below...

This is gonna be a short one. One of my heroes is gone and I'm just too stricken to really put much into this...

Comedian George Carlin dies at 71

Color me inspired by this diary.

I'm disappointed in Obama's stance on this.

I'm disappointed in the "chicken little" ism being derided on the rec list right now.

I'm disappointed in at least the appearance of blind loyalty to a party and/or a person I've been seeing here as well.

I'm disappointed in this country, politically, over the last decade and more.

But...

Just noticed that this section had been added to Barack Obama's site and thought it could use some exposure here on the Big Orange.

Video and link below...

Tonight I got an email from an old friend of mine living down in Los Angeles, about what she should do with the tax rebate coming in.

She's not totally politically unaware, rather fond of Obama herself and a pretty sharp cookie in her own particular style. But honestly, I really didn't expect the question she asked me about over email tonight.

The gist of it is on over the jump...

Just a quick throw away diary, but an interesting encounter that made me smile. Figured it might be nice to share.

With all the financial obligations I'm juggling between my own here in Seattle and family back in Michigan, I end up behind on one bill or another and end up on the phone, debit card in hand, when something catches up with me.

Tonight, it was Comcast and my internet connection...

I've a particular interest in the thoughts and motivations of human behavior. I suppose it would be referred to as "arm-chair psychology", as derisive as that's usually portrayed. But I don't mind being wrong, nor having the opporunity to learn from those more "classically educated" in the field.

But I'm a voracious reader and my bookshelves are lined with quite a bit of non-fiction devoted to psychology, neuro-biology, sociology, and so on, so I'm not a complete novice.

That being said, I'm sort of on a hot streak of insight recently. Mostly revoloving around the mental/emotional workings of my family, but...

It occured to me while reading this incredibly well done diary (above and beyond in my ohh so humble opinion), that the motivation behind the rather irrational aggressiveness of the Clinton campaign this time around, might, even if only partly, come down to one thing:

an axe to grind with the right.

Been hearing this for months now, YEARS even, and I swear to God, if I hear it one more time my head's gonna explode!

This is gonna be a short one, but I had to get this out there. For my own peace of mind, if nothing else.

and a friend of mine last night. Most likely, we'll be in Denver at the convention together, regardless of who gets the nomination, both doing volunteer work.

The whole discussion was civil, we didn't get nasty or bitter, just compared notes and bounced our opinions and thinking off each other. We got a little loud now and again, but not in any way hostile. I really enjoyed the conversation and it widened my perspective on Hillary.

Didn't change my mind, I'm still behind Obama, but it was constructive, without becoming... bitter.

What struck me about the eventual conclusion was, when all was said and done, the policy differences weren't what the split was. She came right out and said it...

Gonna be a quick diary as I haven't much time right now, but this report from the Asia Times Online is reporting a VERY serious development in the stand off with Iran.

Seems Russia has decided to step up the resistance for a direct attack upon Iran. Go below for excerpts and link...

(The following letter was sent out to my entire addressbook. Thought I should share it. So here we go)

On this fine, Aug 29th day, my sister’s birthday even, our nation finds itself considering its priorities...

In the headlines is the report that our president will be asking for an additional $50 billion, for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. From the Washington Post:

The request -- which would come on top of about $460 billion in the fiscal 2008 defense budget and $147 billion in a pending supplemental bill to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq -- is expected to be announced after congressional hearings scheduled for mid-September featuring the two top U.S. officials in Iraq. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker will assess the state of the war and the effect of the new strategy the U.S. military has pursued this year.

Quick note to all...

Gina just announced a few minutes ago, that this year, will be the last YearlyKos. Sorry to all those who were not able to attend. But keep faith...

Looks like we've got ourselves a little head-to-head going on here. This one's going to be brutal and probably more fiery than any we've been in yet.

Time to get down to work.

Know what I'd like to see...

Markos, O'Reilly, sitting down and having a little "discussion". Markos would take him apart, but as beautiful as it would be, I wouldn't be all that keen on what it would put him through. But someone needs to do it, someone from this community needs to step right up to him and take him on face to face.

A Kossack should be the one... go on the Factor to stand toe to toe with the premier right wing bully.

I sorely wish that I could be the one to do it...

Seems this is fodder for a diary instead of mile long comment responses, so here's the setup:

via NightProwlKitty's excellent diary concerning Cindy Sheehan

I've noticed this slight oddity concerning the terms "attack" and "criticize" as well as a certain amount of zealousness to party, as opposed to values and ideals. Here's what followed...

I am posting this diary on behalf of exmearden, poor soul who is still chained to her desk over in Redmond tonight. She will be in attendence soon however and I will be floating around as well. After of course, reading this very diary I'm posting!

-Erevann

"As for where your wife and child dwell, they are where you keep them."

The above is a quote from John Connelly’s latest book, The Unquiet, one of my favorite Irish crime novelists. One of his more terrifying characters, a creature who may be a man or may not be, who may be some type of righteous angel fallen to earth or a deluded psychopathic monster, The Collector, speaks those words in answer to a painful question asked by the protagonist of Connelly's series of books – Charlie Parker.

Those that frequent the diaries of OPOL, one of our most inspirational brothers, probably know for the most part, I've favored pragmatism and argued for it quite a bit since the '06 mid-terms, when it comes to the question of impeachment. Though I've also always, done my best to engender a sense of unity and combined effort to both pragmatic and passionate constituencies.

Long and through many a late night, the debate has raged across many, many a thread, inspiring quite a flood of meta, reaching almost every corner.

Through all of that, I maintained the advocacy of patience and strategic positioning. But something in me has changed profoundly.

It's become clear to me, that I must speak my mind and follow this intellectual evolution, to you personally OPOL and to our good friend the Major as well...

Imagine...

A place where some of the greatest, most inspired scientific minds, professors, researchers, and amateurs are giving lectures, presentations, and explaining all sorts of in depth scientific topics, all of it, at the tips of your fingers.

SciTalks is live!

I have to admit, I'm a bit biased. One of my best friends in the world, along with her fiancee, have been slaving away for months now on the site. The long hours of nose-in-code grind are coming to fruition and we've got a heartbeat!

I gotta tell ya, I'm glad it is, I've barely talked to her for almost a year now! That's right... I was ditched for a website. But who among us around here doesn't know a thing of two about that? hmmm? hehe

Keep going for a few tidbits...