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News and Analysis

135,000 Will Die Due to Lack of Insurance Before Health Reform Takes Effect, Study Finds135,000 Will Die Due to Lack of Insurance Before Health Reform Takes Effect, Study Finds

By Brad Jacobson, Raw Story. December 16, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Death toll estimate exceeds the total number of Americans who died in the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the attacks of 9/11 combined.

Foreclosure Crisis Ceding American Communities to Rats, InsectsForeclosure Crisis Ceding American Communities to Rats, Insects

By Annette Fuentes, New America Media. December 16, 2009.
Health and Wellness: Abandoned swimming pools and garbage-strewn ghost towns have become ground zero for mosquito and rat infestations.

Game On for Immigration ReformGame On for Immigration Reform

By Seth Hoy, Immigration Impact. December 16, 2009.
Immigration: A new comprehensive immigration reform bill hit the House this week.

Time to Get Alarmed: Wal-Mart Hopes to Be the Future of Local FoodTime to Get Alarmed: Wal-Mart Hopes to Be the Future of Local Food

By Tom Laskawy, Grist.org. December 16, 2009.
Food: The retail giant is stepping into the local food business and that is going to be bad news for a number of reasons.

Right-Wingers' Much-Hyped Right-Wingers' Much-Hyped "Die-In" Health-Care Protest in Washington Never Materializes

By Adele M. Stan, AlterNet. December 16, 2009.
Politics: A promised protest on Capitol Hill by right-wingers opposed to health-care reform doesn't happen; Dick Armey's speech at National Press Club canceled.

Congress's Attempt at Financial Reform Is Very Weak BrothCongress's Attempt at Financial Reform Is Very Weak Broth

By Zach Carter, Media Consortium. December 16, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: The latest efforts to reform Wall Street don't away with too-big-to-fail banks, and that's a big problem -- here's what progressives are saying about it.

Krugman: It Seems Like Washington Wants Another Financial DisasterKrugman: It Seems Like Washington Wants Another Financial Disaster

By Paul Krugman, The New York Times. December 16, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Are the Dems willing to learn something from the disaster that has overtaken the U.S. economy, and get behind financial reform?

Meet the FBI Operative Who Threatened My Life, and the Gov.-Elect Who May Have Helped HimMeet the FBI Operative Who Threatened My Life, and the Gov.-Elect Who May Have Helped Him

By Max Blumenthal, AlterNet. December 16, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: Did NJ Republican Chris Christie grant legal protection to neo-nazi radio host Hal Turner for his undercover role in a federal program to "flush out" violent far-right plots?

The Brutal Dark Side of Obama's The Brutal Dark Side of Obama's "Softer" Immigration Enforcement

By David Bacon, The Progressive. December 16, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: 'Sanctions pretend to punish employers but in reality, they punish workers.'

Copenhagen Is Not Just About Climate Change -- It's About the What Kind of People We Want to BeCopenhagen Is Not Just About Climate Change -- It's About the What Kind of People We Want to Be

By George Monbiot, Monbiot.com. December 15, 2009.
Environment: Here, in the plastic corridors and crowded stalls, among impenetrable texts and withering procedures, humankind decides what it is and what it will become.

The Latest From Copenhagen: U.S. Undermining Effort to Curb DeforestationThe Latest From Copenhagen: U.S. Undermining Effort to Curb Deforestation

By Robert S. Eshelman, The Nation. December 15, 2009.
Environment: "Basically the trees that Barack Obama is talking about planting are meant to fuel U.S. cars."

To Fight Global Warming and Prevent Hunger, We Need to Change How We Grow Our FoodTo Fight Global Warming and Prevent Hunger, We Need to Change How We Grow Our Food

By Yifat Susskind, MADRE. December 15, 2009.
Food: Unless we control global climate change, caused in part by industrial farming, agricultural output across the world is likely to plummet.

Why Serious Immigration Reform Is InevitableWhy Serious Immigration Reform Is Inevitable

By Mary Giovagnoli, Immigration Impact. December 15, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: Hot-button issues like health reform and economic recovery will come and go. That U.S. immigration policy is fundamentally broken guarantees its eventual place in the conversation.

10 Percent Interest Is Plenty Enough! Why Usury Needs to Stop Now10 Percent Interest Is Plenty Enough! Why Usury Needs to Stop Now

By William Greider, TheNation.com. December 15, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: Usury is under scrutiny, thanks to an interfaith alliance that's planning to stage "face-to-face" interactions with bankers and politicians.

Will Copenhagen Lead to Radical Climate Experiments?Will Copenhagen Lead to Radical Climate Experiments?

By Chris Mooney, Mother Jones Online. December 15, 2009.
If the summit fails, controversial geo-engineering projects may get a boost.

Too Fat to Serve: How Our Unhealthy Food System Is Undermining the MilitaryToo Fat to Serve: How Our Unhealthy Food System Is Undermining the Military

By Jill Richardson, AlterNet. December 15, 2009.
Health and Wellness: Americans have become so overweight that a large percentage of young people no longer qualify for military service. How did we get here?

12 Hilarious Corporate Attempts to Look Green12 Hilarious Corporate Attempts to Look Green

By * Staff, WebEcoist. December 15, 2009.
Media and Technology: Don't be fooled. Hummers and McDonald's aren't "green." Neither are fossil fuels or Fox News, for that matter.

9 Holiday Gifts Every American Should Go Without9 Holiday Gifts Every American Should Go Without

By Luanne Bradley, EcoSalon. December 15, 2009.
Environment: Aren't we already up to our ears in calendars, cell phones and Ugg boots?

Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman's Invictus Film Release Kicks Off New Campaign For Universal Declaration of Human RightsMatt Damon and Morgan Freeman's Invictus Film Release Kicks Off New Campaign For Universal Declaration of Human Rights

By Linda Milazzo, AlterNet. December 14, 2009.
Take Action: The launch of Invictus will hopefully set of a wave of renewed interest in a proposal to recognize and protect the rights of humanity.

Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed Is an Eco-Rock Star, Brings Down the House in CopenhagenMaldives President Mohamed Nasheed Is an Eco-Rock Star, Brings Down the House in Copenhagen

By Matthew McDermott, TreeHugger. December 14, 2009.
Environment: "I am here to tell you that we refuse to give up hope. We refuse to be quiet. We refuse to believe that a better world isn't possible."

Al Gore: A Billion People's Water at Risk From Melting IceAl Gore: A Billion People's Water at Risk From Melting Ice

AFP. December 14, 2009.
Water: At UN climate talks Monday, he warned that record melting of Polar and Himalayan ice could deprive deprive more than a billion people of access to clean water.

Tiger Woods Syndrome: How the Golf Star's Affair Will Help Him Win Our Hearts and MindsTiger Woods Syndrome: How the Golf Star's Affair Will Help Him Win Our Hearts and Minds

By Dr. Susan Block, CounterPunch. December 14, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: The new Tiger Woods -- flawed philanderer, sex addict, bad boy -- is far more interesting than the scrubbed-down endorsement machine we're used to seeing.

"How Does Somebody Have a Baby in Jail Without Anybody Noticing?" The Awful Plight of Pregnant Prisoners

By Rachel Roth, The Nation. December 14, 2009.
Reproductive Justice and Gender: The lack of common sense and compassion with which imprisoned pregnant women are treated is chilling.

The Economic Crisis Comes to a State Near YouThe Economic Crisis Comes to a State Near You

Dollars and Sense. December 14, 2009.
Corporate Accountability and WorkPlace: States are feeling the grip of the Great Recession.

Fighting a Community's Fear with Hard InformationFighting a Community's Fear with Hard Information

By Valeria Fernandez, New America Media. December 14, 2009.
Immigration: A new Arizona law is causing fear and confusion among immigrant communities.

U.S. Business Interests Suspected in 'Fabricated' Climate ScandalU.S. Business Interests Suspected in 'Fabricated' Climate Scandal

By Staff, Agence France Presse. December 14, 2009.
Environment: The emails that have right-wingers frothing aren't scandalous. The issue is who hacked the scientists' computers, and what they had to gain from undermining their research.

25 Days In Federal Prison For Littering? Border Patrol Cracking Down on Human Rights Activists25 Days In Federal Prison For Littering? Border Patrol Cracking Down on Human Rights Activists

By Jessica Weisberg, AlterNet. December 14, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: Walt Staton was dropping off water jugs for people who attempt the often deadly trek into Arizona from Mexico when the Feds ticketed him for "knowingly littering."

Medical Marijuana Apartheid: Different Rules Apply for Rich and Poor Pot SmokersMedical Marijuana Apartheid: Different Rules Apply for Rich and Poor Pot Smokers

By Joshua Holland, AlterNet. December 13, 2009.
Rights and Liberties: A California hipster can hit the vaporizer without fear of harassment, but a lower-class person smoking a blunt may not be so lucky.

How a Few Private Health Insurers Are on the Way to Controlling Health CareHow a Few Private Health Insurers Are on the Way to Controlling Health Care

By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Blog. December 12, 2009.
Politics: If you think an expanded Medicare makes up for the lack of a public option in the Senate bill, you're smoking medical marijuana.

Big News from Copenhagen: Radical Cuts Urged, Deal In JeopardyBig News from Copenhagen: Radical Cuts Urged, Deal In Jeopardy

By Mark Hertsgaard, TheNation.com. December 12, 2009.
Environment: The divide between big emitters and at-risk nations deepened, threatening the prospects of reaching a climate deal.

Meet Joe Bageant: One of America's Best Redneck Populist WritersMeet Joe Bageant: One of America's Best Redneck Populist Writers

AlterNet. December 12, 2009.
Media and Technology: Have you been missing out on one of AlterNet's most popular authors? Here are 10 of Bageant's best works from the year.

Afghanistan: How the War Hawks Caged ObamaAfghanistan: How the War Hawks Caged Obama

By Robert Parry, Consortium News. December 12, 2009.
World: How a desire for bipartisanship and peace within his own party led Obama to appoint a hawkish cabal that pushed him to a renewed war in Afghanistan.

The Religious Right's Potty ParanoiaThe Religious Right's Potty Paranoia

By Stephanie Mencimer, Mother Jones Online. December 12, 2009.
Sex and Relationships: Public restrooms: The final frontier of the right's war on queer folk?

Bill Moyers: We Have a Nobel Peace President Who Won't Ban Land MinesBill Moyers: We Have a Nobel Peace President Who Won't Ban Land Mines

By Bill Moyers, Michael Winship, Bill Moyers Journal. December 11, 2009.
Politics: The Nobel Committee said Obama won the prize for his respect of international law and his efforts at disarmament, yet he won't even sign on to end a barbaric weapon.

L.A. City Council Votes to Reduce Pot Dispensaries by 90%L.A. City Council Votes to Reduce Pot Dispensaries by 90%

By Phillip S. Smith, Drug War Chronicle. December 11, 2009.
DrugReporter: The vote to cap dispensaries is the latest in a twisted four-year effort to regulate the city's booming medical marijuana retail industry.

Explosions and Fraught Negotiations Show Iraq Struggling to Emerge From U.S. ShadowExplosions and Fraught Negotiations Show Iraq Struggling to Emerge From U.S. Shadow

By Abeer Mohammed, Neil Arun, Institute for War and Peace Reporting. December 11, 2009.
World: This week, five car bombs near killed more than 120 people in Baghdad, one day after Iraqi lawmakers finally finished a convoluted debate over upcoming elections.

High Unemployment Rates Frame the Immigration DebateHigh Unemployment Rates Frame the Immigration Debate

By Marcelo Balive, New America Media. December 11, 2009.
Immigration: Will a treacherous economic landscape ruin the Obama administration's chances of delivering on immigration reform?

Why Do Airstrikes in Afghanistan Keep Killing Exactly 30 People?Why Do Airstrikes in Afghanistan Keep Killing Exactly 30 People?

By Megan Carpentier, Air America. December 11, 2009.
World: Pentagon policy from the Rumsfeld days on acceptable kill rates still seems to be the guiding logic for what field commanders are telling the news media.

Can Boob Jobs Serve the Public Good?Can Boob Jobs Serve the Public Good?

By Alexandra Suich, The Nation. December 11, 2009.
Reproductive Justice and Gender: A tax on plastic surgery may generate $6 billion in ten years. But feminist groups oppose it. Why?

11 Ways to Make Your Holiday Economically and Environmentally Friendly11 Ways to Make Your Holiday Economically and Environmentally Friendly

By Sarah Sloane, AlterNet. December 11, 2009.
Environment: The holidays can mean big expenses and lots of waste (not to mention the emotional costs). Here's how to avoid all that mess.