sundance

Congress and Keystone XL: A national disgrace

Photo credit: tarsandaction

The Congress is ending the year much as it began — playing politics with our nation’s future and putting American families at risk to score partisan points.

In the closing act to a shameful year of paralysis and indecision on the issues that matter most, House Republicans held common-sense tax relief for American families hostage to a holiday gift to Big Oil.

After the GOP-led House welded the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline rider onto the tax-relief bill, the Democratic-led Senate went along for the ride, passing a bad piece of legislation rather than being accused of blocking a needed tax cut.

When the United State Congress intentionally ties these two things together, though, it’s not a joke: it’s a national disgrace.

Keystone XL and jobs: just more pipe dreams

Photo credit: EcoWatch

This week the GOP leadership, once again, has sided with Big Oil against the will of the American people. They are trying to circumvent President Obama’s decision to further investigate the impacts of the controversial Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. GOP leadership is instead advocating for granting the permit now, or else they will hold up important legislation meant to benefit real people’s real lives.

They want you to believe it’s about jobs, but that’s not what the facts bear out. Just take a look.

What President Obama’s signature looks like

Robert “the Doodler” Alicea at DeviantArt noticed something about President Obama’s signature and brought it to life with the above sketch. His signature is an adorable pup T-Rex playing with a ball of yarn. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it. [Via]

Vimeo of the Week: Arizona shooting: Memorial to Tucson victims

Arizona shooting: Memorial to Tucson victims from Dan Chung on Vimeo.

It’s been over a week now. Sarah Palin created a video to defend herself. Obama traveled to Tucson and delivered a poignant reading and moving tribute. And news channels and blogs continue to debate and cover the tone of political discourse in the US, gun control, and Giffords’ struggle for survival. But none of these news services or blogs have captured the Tucson tragedy as movingly as Dan Chung and Chris McGreal’s Arizona shooting: Memorial to Tucson victims.

Goodbye DADT

Politically this was an up and down year for gays and lesbians. We lost many allies’ seats in congress. And Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was defeated twice. But then something amazing happened. Harry Reid, Susan Collins, and Joe Lieberman pushed through DADT repeal in the Senate. Pelosi lead the house to the passage of a [...]

Why Hillary is not running for President

There have been many a whisper in many a Democratic circle about the possibility of Hillary Clinton challenging Obama in the primary. While I find it doubtful, Lady Bunny, the hilarious drag icon, is assured Clinton is most certainly NOT running. Bunny writes on Facebook: Hillary is definitely not running for President in 2012. She’s [...]

Bob Woodward’s Book “Obama’s Wars”

On Monday 9/27, Bob Woodward’s latest book Obama’s Wars (Simon & Schuster) will hit bookstores.  Woodward (played by Robert Redford in the film ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN) spent 18 months interviewing members of the administration (including President Obama) and poring over internal memos and classified documents to create a behind the scenes account chronicling infighting [...]

Mark Zuckerberg is a Wiener and the BP Oil Spill Sucks

A sign warns the public away from the beach on May 23, 2010 on Grand Isle, Louisiana. With oil covering many of the beaches, officials closed them to the public indefinitely on Saturday. Officials now say that it may be impossible to clean the coastal wetlands affected by the massive oil spill that continues gushing [...]

Robert Redford: “Mr. President, now is the time for clean energy.”

Thursday, May 20, 2010, marks one month since BP’s oil rig exploded in the Gulf Coast, killing 11 people and unleashing one of the worst environmental disasters our nation has ever seen.   Since then, millions of gallons of oil have gushed into the ocean, poisoning marine life and threatening hundreds of miles of coastal [...]

Obama’s 400-pound gingerbread house

As I posted earlier this week Simon Doonan did venture down to DC this week to assist and oversee the holiday decorating at the White House. The Washington Post has some photos of what Doonan and the Obamas did, and I must say, they’re pretty safe and traditional. Which I guess is appropriate for the [...]

The White House goes gay

Great gay news is being reported over at Towleroad today. The lovable Simon Doonan, legendary Barneys window dresser, celebrated author, and hubbie to Jonathan Adler, will be decorating the White House this Christmas. This could be really good for the gays. Or it could be utter disaster.  While, personally, I adore Doonan’s style it is a [...]

Designing Obama

Designing Obama from mas / menos on Vimeo. Barack Obama’s campaign, which led to his election last year, was groundbreaking for many of the obvious reasons. One element that is sometimes overlooked is the visual imagery crafted by the campaign. Obama created a movement among many designers and artists inspired by his message of hope. [...]

U.S., China Plan $1.5 Billion Utility-Scale Wind Farm in Texas

The U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Cielo Wind Power have entered into a joint venture agreement with China’s Shenyang Power Group to build a 600 megawatt wind farm across 36,000 acres in West Texas. This is the first time Chinese and U.S. entities have agreed to jointly develop a utility-scale wind power project.

Answering “who is Barack Obama?”

Yesterday I wrote about some of the absurd signs appearing at anti-Obama gatherings across the country. This week’s New York Magazine takes a more in-depth look at some of the movements, from Tea Parties to birthers, that are collectively forming a movement that is becoming more than just fringe. The writer, Philip Weiss, described the [...]

Protest signs: sad or funny?

As health care reform is debated in the Congress and the media, more and more protesters are taking to the streets. From town hall meetings to last week’s Tea Party march on Washington, anti-Obama protests are gaining in number and occurrence. While I am thankful that this country promotes free thought and encourages and protects [...]

How hetero?

Those sassy Swedes throwing Stockholm Pride have created a way to test just how heterosexual you are by scanning your Twitter posts for obvious gay terms. The results are quite funny. For example, if you search my Twitter account, youngbradford, the results come back pretty obvious: 1% hetero! Though I think I am even less. [...]

National fist bump day

Today marks the one year anniversary of Barack Obama greeting his wife Michelle with a gesture that rocked the traditional political establishment and the mainstream media. The Washington Post called it “the fist bump heard ’round the world” and to commemorate that occasion, today has been designated National Fist Bump Day. Oh yeah, then-Senator Barack [...]

President Obama, furniture mover

There are lots of great images in the just-posted Flickr set by White House photographer Pete Souza, but this is my favorite: In preparation for a meeting about the economic recovery plan, President Obama and Vermont governor Jim Douglas shift a couch in the Oval Office. The set is filled with lots of casual, revealing [...]

Obama’s Latest Choice for Commerce a Proven Conservationist

WASHINGTON, DC, February 26, 2009 (ENS) – “Gary knows the American Dream. He’s lived it. And that’s why he shares my commitment to do whatever it takes to keep it alive in our time,” President Barack Obama said Wednesday, announcing former Washington Governor Gary Locke as his choice to lead the Commerce Department. “It is [...]

Obama To Congress: Economic Recovery ‘Begins’ With Clean Energy

WASHINGTON, DC, February 25, 2009 (ENS) – In his first address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night, President Barack Obama earned repeated standing ovations from both Democrats and Republicans. He focused on three issues – clean energy, health care and education – and an overarching fourth issue – economic recovery. “The fact is, [...]

Obama and Harper Establish Clean Energy Dialogue

OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada, February 19, 2009 (ENS) – President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced plans to collaborate on a new clean energy economy as a key element of broader economic recovery and reinvestment efforts between the United States and Canada. “I value our strategic partnership with Canada and look forward to [...]

EPA Revisits Bush-Era Denial of California Tailpipe Emissions Waiver

WASHINGTON, DC, February 6, 2009 (ENS) – In accordance with President Barack Obama’s order in January, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will reconsider its decision denying California permission to set standards controlling greenhouse gases from motor vehicles. The waiver request was made by California on December 21, 2005, to allow the state the right to [...]

Obama’s Inaugural Address Shows Concern for the Planet

WASHINGTON, DC, January 20, 2009 (ENS) – In his inaugural address today, before some two million people on the National Mall and the assembled living past presidents and current legislators, President Barack Obama exhorted the nation to unite to surmount the present “crisis.” The new president gave attention not only to the social and economic [...]

High Ethical Standards Will Rule Interior Department, Salazar Vows

WASHINGTON, DC, January 23, 2009 (ENS) – The Obama administration’s new Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, has promised that high ethical standards will be the norm at the department that has been plagued with scandals under the Bush administration. In an address to thousands of Interior Department employees Thursday broadcast live by satellite to [...]

Obama Freezes Pending Federal Rules, Wolves May Benefit

WASHINGTON, DC, January 21, 2009 (ENS) – In one of his first presidential acts, President Barack Obama has ordered federal agencies to halt all pending regulations until his administration can review them. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel issued the memorandum Tuesday shortly after Obama took the oath of office at noon on the [...]