The REAL Brooklyn bad boy has Entered The Room

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday April 16, 2016 · 10:26 PM PDT

2016/04/16 · 22:26

Yo.

YouTube Video

'Feel The Burn Gov'nor Jindal!' Campaign slogan morphing into a Movement?

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday October 10, 2015 · 5:23 AM PDT

2015/10/10 · 05:23

It looks like one of Bernie Sanders' main campaign phrases from the intertubes - #feelthebern - is catching on as a mainstream idea - so much so that spin-meisters are using it in a political ad against Republicans now. This ad is from a (conservative!) Democratic candidate running for Louisiana's State Senate, Mickey Murphy

At 00:24 seconds in Mickey Murphy says : "Feel the Burn Gov'nor, we gonna clean up Your mess!"

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday August 25, 2015 · 7:12 AM PDT

2015/08/25 · 07:12

Well, time to get these old bones walking once more. I believe in Bernie's message, hold that - I believe in a progressive message - and want it to get heard by as many peeps as possible. (For those of you who, like me, are trying to shed a few pounds and get healthier it's also a great way to 'Bern' calories lol.) Click link for information and to register.

Bernie March through Squirrel Hill (Pittsburgh)

Let's show Bernie's flag and take it to the streets! Starting at Forbes at Forward (bottom of the hill) we will walk up Murray to Forbes and over to Shady with our signs and leaflets (make your own or just come!) and voter registration forms. Engage people who want to talk, share Bernie's message and recruit more volunteers. Some of us will go to the Commonplea Coffeehouse afterwards (5827 Forbes).

Just a small diary to let those who support Bernie in Western PA know this event is happening. There is also an organizing meeting in Oakland on Wednesday August 27 - you can get more details here: Pittsburgh Students for Bernie - Fall Organizing and Planning

(I am not an organizer for either of these events, just trying to help promote them - will not be at the organizing meeting but encourage fellow kosians to look me up at the march - will be the enthusiastic late middle aged bald guy 'limping' along with his enthusiastic wife.)

On Edit: Here is the time of the March: Saturday, August 29, 2015 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT

RIP Coach Dean Smith. A Legend Goes Home.

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Sunday February 08, 2015 · 9:22 AM PST

2015/02/08 · 09:22

Former University of North Carolina and Team USA Head Basketball coach, and Presidential Medal of Freedom winner, Dean Smith passed today.

Dean Smith dies at age of 83
Dean Smith, the coaching innovator who won two national championships at North Carolina, an Olympic gold medal in 1976 and induction into basketball's Hall of Fame more than a decade before he left the bench, has died. He was 83.

The retired coach died "peacefully" at his North Carolina home Saturday night, the school said in a statement Sunday from Smith's family. He was with his wife and five children.

Smith had health issues in recent years, with the family saying in 2010 he had a condition that was causing him to lose memory. He had kept a lower profile during that time. His wife, Linnea, accepted the Presidential Medal of Freedom on his behalf from President Barack Obama in November 2013.

My personal reflections of Coach Smith are below the fold.
Read More

Pittsburgh Police Chief: #End White Silence; A Good Cop Speaks Out

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday January 03, 2015 · 8:07 AM PST

2015/01/03 · 08:07

A picture is worth a thousand words.

A Pittsburgh group fighting for equality (@FightBackPGH) posted a photograph on Twitter of Pittsburgh Police Chief Cameron McLay holding one of the group’s banners, a poster that stated, “I resolve to challenge racism @ work #EndWhiteSilence.”

Now the Chief is under fire for threatening the Blue Wall of Silence.

Pittsburgh Police Chief Under Fire For Controversial Photo, Union Says Calls Department Racists
January 2, 2015 6:35 PM
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh’s Police Chief is under fire for a controversial photo that is making its rounds on Facebook, and some are saying the Chief called his entire department racist.

...

FOP President Howard McQuillan told KDKA’s Marty Griffin: “The chief is calling us racists. He believes the Pittsburgh Police Department is racist. This has angered a lot of officers.”

...

Police Chief Cameron McLay released the following statement about the allegations:
“I was hired to restore the legitimacy of the police department. I did not seek these young activists out. I was stopping for coffee at First Night. Their message is not anti-anybody. It is simply a call for awareness. The photo was a great, spontaneous moment in time. Please join dialogue for community healing.”

...

However Kevin Acklin, the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, tells Ralph Iannotti, the mayor continues to support Chief McLay unequivocally in his efforts to improve dialogue between police and the community at large.

One of the good cops is trying to stand up and do the Right Thing. Let's show the Chief some love. Contact Information for Pittsburgh's Mayor is below the Orange Cloud. Read More

Call to Action: 'National Anthem' Hands Up Day Friday 11/12

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday November 12, 2014 · 8:45 AM PST

2014/11/12 · 08:45

Show peaceful & non-violent support for Mike Brown's family and memory, and all other victims of hate crimes by putting your 'Hands Up' during the National Anthem at any sporting event, or at other appropriate times during plays, concerts, or other public assemblies.

This is a non-violent way to channel some of the anger and frustration many people will have if the St.Louis Grand Jury does not indict officer D. Wilson.

College hoops open the season that night. And there are plenty of local HS and college football games going on. Student sections can rally behind this peaceful event and really make an impact at these events. I will be at a college hoops game that night so will do my part.

At plays this could be done when the lights flash before it starts; at concerts between songs or movements. These events could also be done with song like the protestors did at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra protest.

If you support this effort then help make this go viral by posting to social media sites and pass the word anyway you can. I am not great at organizing so any help getting this spontaneous event attention would be great - thanks in advance.

Weiland Kicks "Chicken Little" DSCC out of SD Senate Race!

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Monday October 27, 2014 · 6:51 PM PDT

2014/10/27 · 18:51

Just got this email from the Rick Weiland for South Dakota Senator Campaign.

From: Rick Weiland
To: tommymac
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2014 6:17 PM
Subject: quick update from me
Rick Weiland

Thomas,

Two terrific things in one day. At 6 a.‌m., I learned our state's most important public poll shows my GOP opponent still stuck at 42% and me within single digits and closing fast.

At 3 p.‌m., I told the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee to take down the ugly negative ads they have been running in our state to help longtime Republican Senator turned Independent Larry Pressler and go home.

Even as I type, our phones and email are lit up with delighted Dakota Democrats saying it was about time.

So now, it's full speed ahead to Election Day. No holds barred by chicken little D.C. Democrats who start twitching the minute you take off the gloves on the big money interests that pay their bills.

Get the money the hell out of there, fight for the middle class, right up to November 4 -- and we're within 4% in our tracking polls with 58% up for grabs!
If you've saved your payment information with ActBlue Express, your donation will go through immediately:

Express Donate: $15 >>

Express Donate: $35 >>

Express Donate: $50 >>

Express Donate: $100 >>

Or donate another amount. >>

Please, send us the money the DSCC won't.

I'm pouring Wellstone-McGovern oil all over the prairie. Just send me the match!

-Rick

Evidently they have asked the DSCC to take down it's negative campaign ads attacking the Republican candidate, which in effect boost Independent Larry Pressler, and go home!

Wow.

From analysis I have read online, it seems DSCC didn't care if ex-Rethug, but independent corporate toady Pressler won, or true progressive Weiland did. Their ads were hatefully negative from all accounts.

Weiland is running a truly progressive campaign focusing on the issues, on what HE stands for.

Sounds like everyday South Dakotan Democrats are happy with this decision to Go Positive. I know I hate negative ads. I bet most everyday folks in SD will see this as a truly Populist move.

IMHO this decision took SPINE and shows that Rick Weiland is a man of Character and has True American Values.

Win or lose - Weiland wants to do it the right way - the Progressive Way, The People's Way. I salute him.

It's about time a Democratic candidate said no to Corporate ~~oil~~ blood money.

I've preserved the links to ActBlue that were included in the email above if anyone cares to donate directly to Rick to help make up for the loss of the DSCC's 'support'.

I gave. Again. For the 4th time. And I am unemployed. But Proud to support a TRUE Progressive.

Breaking: Official Michael Brown Autopsy Report Released; Can You Say Whitewash?

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday October 21, 2014 · 10:43 PM PDT

2014/10/21 · 22:43

Wow.

No mention of the various witness statements.

Official autopsy shows Michael Brown had close-range wound to his hand, marijuana in system

37 minutes ago • By Christine Byers cbyers@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8087 and Blythe Bernhard bbernhard@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8129

ST. LOUIS COUNTY • The official autopsy on Michael Brown shows that he was shot in the hand at close range, according to an analysis of the findings by two experts not involved directly in the case.

The accompanying toxicology report shows he had been using marijuana.

Those documents, prepared by the St. Louis County medical examiner and obtained by the Post-Dispatch, provide the most detailed description to date of the wounds Brown sustained in a confrontation Aug. 9 with Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson.

A source with knowledge of Wilson’s statements said the officer had told investigators that Brown had struggled for Wilson’s pistol inside a police SUV and that Wilson had fired the gun twice, hitting Brown once in the hand. Later, Wilson fired additional shots that killed Brown and ignited a national controversy.

The St. Louis medical examiner, Dr. Michael Graham, who is not part of the official investigation, reviewed the autopsy report for the newspaper. He said Tuesday that it “does support that there was a significant altercation at the car.”

And funny how the assistant medical examiner who wrote the report won't comment. IMO seems like his account is transcribed from the reports that RW media have released. Doesn't fit the reported testimonials of the many eyewitnesses. Wonder how it relates to the audio timeline that has been released.

Here is the link to the actual report in PDF form

Thanks to jpmassar who posted about the Anonymous leak earlier.

Huh? Cable Lobbyists Pretending To Be Cool Digital Hipsters To Convince Youth Net Neutrality Is Bad

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Friday October 10, 2014 · 7:50 AM PDT

2014/10/10 · 07:50

Dot connecting speculation can be fun. Or not.

Cable Lobbyists Pretending To Be Cool Digital Hipsters To Convince Youth That Net Neutrality Is Bad
Re: The Consumerist By Kate Cox October 9, 2014
The fight for net neutrality has players from all corners amped up and joining in. Millions of individuals, as well as consumer advocacy groups, internet businesses, internet business groups, cable and telecom businesses, and their trade groups, have all been pressing the FCC toward one decision or another. But now there are some new groups wading in to the morass. They look like millennial, digital-savvy, pro-internet hipsters — but their message is straight out of Comcast and AT&T’s playbook. So what’s going on?

Recently, as ProPublica describes it, “two bearded young men in skinny jeans” put up what looked like “an art installation” in a trendy neighborhood of San Francisco: a “bright blue, oversized ‘suggestion box’ for the Internet.”

Indeed, what is going on? Who are these mysterious "Men in Denim"?

Answers may lie beyond the orange whatizzit...

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday September 25, 2014 · 4:16 PM PDT

2014/09/25 · 16:16

I retrieved the mail today - and got a huge surprise. It was the newest issue of 'Rolling Stone' magazine - a glossy format mag my former host daughter had subscribed to. I almost threw it away - but a blurb on the front cover caught my eye at the last minute...well, to be honest,the cover guy John Oliver's expression caught my eye and kind of directed it towards the article on the Kochs; excellent placement of the info on the cover. I am really shocked a MS publication has printed this article, much less featured it on the cover!

And here I thought that Rolling Stone had become just another glossy hipster mag. Shame on me. This brings back memories of when it was a cheaply printed rag that held the feet of the powerful to the fire.

Anyway, Tim Dickinson has written a great article in a mainstream publication. It really introduces the Kochs to a wider audience...any light that is shone on these parasites is welcome. I have been searching for a 'primer' on these modern day creepy oligarchs - this fits the bill perfectly. I will be buying copies for my in-laws, relatives, friends, and teabag associates.

Link and excerpts from the RS article below the orange whattizit.

(The comments after the RS article are fun to read too - get out the popcorn as the koch-klones try and spin this away.)

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday August 27, 2014 · 4:55 PM PDT

2014/08/27 · 16:55

Just a short diary for now - wanted to get this out into the light of day. Looks like our favorite libertarian 1%'er Billionaires hate Net Neautrality. Hmmm, wonder why.

Net Neutrality Is 'Marxist,' According to This Koch-Backed Astroturf Group

A mysterious conservative group with strong ties to the Koch brothers has been bombarding inboxes with emails filled with disinformation and fearmongering in an attempt to start a "grassroots" campaign to kill net neutralityÃ¢ÂÂat one point suggesting that "Marxists" think that preserving net neutrality is a good idea.
The emails, which come with subject lines like "Stop Obama's federal Internet takeover," come from American Commitment, an organization that is nonprofit in name only and has been called out time and time again by journalists and transparency organizations for obscuring where it gets its funding.

Snapshot excerpt of opening section of the Emails sent out by American Commitment

One thing we do know: Kerpen used to work at Americans for Prosperity, which was founded by the Koch brothers. The Koch brothers' close ties with the organization have been noted for some time now. Perhaps unsurprisingly, American Commitment has also funded campaigns in support of Koch favorites, such as the Keystone XL pipeline, the coal industry, and against Obamacare.
The group also vehemently defends ALEC, a legislative group that has thoroughly destroyed telecom competition in the states that have passed its legislation.

Snapshot excerpt of part of the body of the Emails sent out by American Commitment

American Commitment president Phil Kerpen worked at Americans for Prosperity, which was founded by the Koch brothers. Per the article he refuses to disclose if his former employers support this new effort financially.

Snapshot excerpt of closing section of the Emails sent out by American Commitment

Much more at the link provided - a must read if You care about preserving We The People's Internet.

NY: Upset of The Century? Defining Moment for 'More and Better', or Just Another Windmill

Tommymac

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Tuesday August 26, 2014 · 6:26 PM PDT

2014/08/26 · 18:26

The Quest for 'More and Better' Democratic officeholders is facing a watershed moment in the next few weeks.

The meteoric rise of Zephyr Teachout's campaign to be New York's Governor could become a political legend. From neighborhood meet-ups, to national media outlets, to special interest endorsers, the interest in this genuinely progressive yet relatively unknown candidate seems to be growing in leaps and bounds.

Conversely, an ill wind seems to be blowing against the incumbent Governor Andrew Cuomo. Allegations of corruption amid a growing scandal (Andrew Cuomo hires criminal lawyer to represent governor's office as scandal over Moreland anti-corruption commission grows: sources) are anything but welcome news to a candidate right before an election.

The question is, does this modern day Doña Quixote have enough time in the few weeks remaining before the primary to get enough recognition among actual Democratic voters on the street and garner enough votes to have a realistic shot at upsetting the entrenched, center-right (many would argue all but Republican) establishment backed incumbent.

If not her challenge could become just another broken political dream, shattered on the blades of a powerful establishment windmill.

“Potential upset of the century”: Zephyr Teachout’s lesson for Andrew Cuomo

From Salon Tuesday, Aug 19, 2014:
Teachout’s run is as much a challenge to the fatalistic, anti-electoral politics left as to Cuomo. The Fordham Law professor says progressives shouldn’t merely complain about the corporate takeover of the Democratic Party; they should fight for its soul. Since working as Internet communications director for Gov. Howard Dean’s 2004 presidential run, she’s been an evangelist to a broad range of insurgencies, from the early Tea Party (very different than it is today) through Occupy Wall Street to North Carolina’s Moral Mondays, on the lookout for new populist energy that can be channeled into a challenge to corporate power – and to the Democratic Party’s Cuomo wing.

Teachout herself comes from the party’s Cuomo wing – as in Mario Cuomo, the governor’s father. A believer in FDR liberalism, she says, she loved Mario Cuomo, but thinks his son is the symbol of a party that lost its way. An electoral politics novice, as a candidate anyway, she famously challenged Cuomo for the Working Families Party nomination in May, a sign that the progressive party, independent from but usually allied with Democrats, was fed up with a governor who was great on social issues like gun control and gay marriage but bad on economic ones.
...

Still, Teachout and her lieutenant governor running mate Tim Wu, the Columbia law and former Federal Trade Commission official who gave us the term “net neutrality,” remain long shots in the September primary. Although former boss Howard Dean appeared at a fundraiser with Teachout last Tuesday night, he declined to officially endorse her. (The Dean-inspired group Democracy for New York City is still considering the question.) Teachout says she wasn’t disappointed.
...

This has the potential to be the upset of the century. But it also has the potential to encourage people all around the country to run against corporate Democrats. Even a month out I can tell you we have changed politics in New York, just by opening it up and letting people know you can run. It has empowered people and I hope that we encourage tens of thousands of these kinds of races.

More Windmill tilting below the fold. Read More

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The REAL Brooklyn bad boy has Entered The Room

'Feel The Burn Gov'nor Jindal!' Campaign slogan morphing into a Movement?

Aug 29th - "Bernie March through Squirrel Hill" (Pittsburgh)

RIP Coach Dean Smith. A Legend Goes Home.

Pittsburgh Police Chief: #End White Silence; A Good Cop Speaks Out

Call to Action: 'National Anthem' Hands Up Day Friday 11/12

Weiland Kicks "Chicken Little" DSCC out of SD Senate Race!

Breaking: Official Michael Brown Autopsy Report Released; Can You Say Whitewash?

Huh? Cable Lobbyists Pretending To Be Cool Digital Hipsters To Convince Youth Net Neutrality Is Bad

Awesome! Rolling Stone Outs the Kochs!

Net Neutrality Is Marxist Says Koch Astroturf Group

NY: Upset of The Century? Defining Moment for 'More and Better', or Just Another Windmill