Finnish Terrorists and Drug Smugglers Have Arrived

J. Karjalainen and his companions were treated as shoe bombers or worse, at the Minneapolis airport.
J. Karjalainen, possibly the most popular and best known musician in Finland since the 80's, was traveling to the United States with fellow musicians, to play at various folk festivals in Minnesota. They were pulled aside, isolated, interrogated, yelled at and humiliated for over two hours by local immigration officials. No apologies or explanations were given after they were released.

The musicians said they felt ashamed for the behavior of the officials.
--- T

Keita ne on ne sankarit, sellaiset sankarimiehet, joita koko valtakunta arvostaa? Keita ne on ne sankarit, sellaiset sankarinaiset, jotka tosi tyosta palkintonsa saa? Me ollaan sankareita kaikki, kun oikein silmin katsotaan, me ollaan sankareita kaikki, elaman, ihan jokainen. (J. Karjalainen)

Minnesota's Finnish guests find a rude airport welcome

Paul Krugman on the Media Bias

Paul Krugman, a New York Times columnist and a respected economist and professor at Princeton, writes about the U.S. media's right-wing bias. Of course, this is not "news" anymore, but it's still upsetting to see how far the 'free press' has slid down the slippery slope in the United States.
--- T

AlterNet: MediaCulture: Where Does the Right-Wing End and the Media Begin?

Valerie Plame

I watched a brief interview of Valerie Plame on Countdown last night. She is one tough woman - but her toughness doesn't come out in fighting words or threats or flexing of muscles. Her toughness comes out in uprightness of character; in doing the right thing - even if the cost is almost too much to bear.
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Water and Fire

California is burning to the ground and Louisiana is sinking into the sea.

Soon we won't fight over access to oil but over access to clean drinking water. It is comforting to know that we will still have plenty of reason to wage war after all these years.
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Government BY the people

John Gastil is a professor at the University of Washington in the Department of Communication. I attended one of his classes recently and learned about deliberative democracy.

America has lots its way because of too much power, too much greed, and not enough contemplation. But change must come from deep within. People must want it, demand it, expect it. Citizen Congress or something like it could be a start.
Read below.
--- T

Opinion | Government BY the people | Seattle Times Newspaper

Three Sisters

The first sister loved the sweet wild strawberries,
the second sister loved the dark red roses,
the third sister loved the wreaths of the dead.

The first sister married,
they say she is happy.

The second sister loved with all her soul,
they say she became unhappy.

The third sister became a saint,
they say she will win the crown of everlasting life.

Edith Sodergran "Tre Systrar"

The Clinton Surprise

Why Hillary Clinton makes more and more sense - even though she is "so unelectable".
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The Clinton Surprise - Judith Warner - Domestic Disturbances - Opinion - New York Times Blog

Myrsky

Seattlessa oli myrskyinen saa eilen. Puita kaatui ja sahkot oli poikki tuhansille. Uhkarohkeimmat menivat kuitenkin vesille, kuten kuvasta nakyy. Yksi hukkui (ei kuvassa). Me kavimme katsomassa kuinka tuulu ulvoi ja autokin vapisi meren aarella. Upeaa ja pelottavaa.
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Iraq's Brutally Wounded (Photo Essay)

We don't see these images on TV here. It's too depressing.

AlterNet: War on Iraq: Iraq's Brutally Wounded (Photo Essay)

Lessons in Propaganda:

The 'best business practices': it's all about winning; except that it's a very short-term gain and it makes us all too cynical to trust anything. Is that what we want? Not me.
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The problem in business and politics is identical. Both have become all about competition and winning -- not about consumers and voters. Both have turned the legitimate concept of "customer focus" from a goal into a tactic, linking it tightly to quarterly earnings and the two-year election cycle, turning it into a codeword for tweak, massage and manipulate. (Charles H. Greene)

Charles H. Green: Lessons in Propaganda: What Our Politicians Learned from Business - Business on The Huffington Post

State Supreme Court Approves Lying

Local News | Split court says candidates can lie | Seattle Times Newspaper

I know I've been fighting a losing battle when I've been teaching my 10-year old to always tell the truth, be honest, don't lie. At some point children learn that it does not pay to be honest --- winning pays! We must win at all costs, our culture tells us. Now even the State Supreme Court has approve lying for politicians: it is not the government's business to practice censorship - we cannot infringe freedom of speech in any way, even if it means letting liars get away with their malicious deceit and falsehood.
--- T

Neljas lokakuuta

Onnea aidille syntymapaivan johdosta! Olet edelleen maailman paras!
--- T

Nokia In the World

Nokia's image continues to be strong in the world.

Business & Technology | Nokia navigates GPS coup with deal for Navteq | Seattle Times Newspaper