CHARTER FOR COMPASSION TRAILER from TED Prize on Vimeo.

CLEAR BLUE TUESDAY trailer from Elizabeth Lucas on Vimeo.

We don't always agree on what we liked and didn't like, but we always have fun discussing our favorite reality program.

We would also like for everybody to give us feedback and comments.

Please post on the blog at http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com or call 206-984-0329 or email the show at thatbluejeansguy@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening!

Souter Plans to Leave Supreme Court

WASHINGTON â Justice David H. Souter has indicated that he plans to retire at the end of the term in June, giving President Obama his first appointment to the Supreme Court, three people informed about the decision said Thursday night.

Justice Souter, who was appointed by a Republican president, George H. W. Bush, but became one of the most reliable members of the court's liberal wing, has grown increasingly sour on Washington and intends to return to his home state, New Hampshire, according to the people briefed on his plans. His decision was first reported by National Public Radio.

The decision opens the first seat for a Democratic president to fill in 15 years and could prove a test of Mr. Obama's plans for reshaping the nation's judiciary. Confirmation battles for the Supreme Court in recent years have proved to be intensely partisan and divisive moments in Washington, but Mr. Obama has more leeway than his predecessors because his party holds such a strong majority in the Senate.

Two friends of Justice Souter, 69, said Thursday night that he had often spoken privately of his intentions to be the court's first retirement if Mr. Obama won the election last fall. He has told friends that he looked forward to returning to his native New Hampshire while he was still able to enjoy climbing mountains and other outdoor activities.

Replacing Justice Souter with a liberal would not change the basic breakdown on the court, where he and three other justices hold down the left wing against a conservative caucus of four justices. Justice Anthony Kennedy, a moderate Republican appointee, often provides the swing vote that controls important decisions.

White House officials contacted Thursday night declined to comment. But Democratic strategists have been thinking for a long time about who Mr. Obama might put on the court. Among the names that have been floated in recent months are Elena Kagan, whom Mr. Obama named as his solicitor general.

A spokeswoman for the court said Thursday night that Justice Souter, 69, "has no comment on these reports that he is planning to resign."

Justice Souter was nominated to the court by the first President George Bush and confirmed as the 105th justice on Oct. 2, 1990. He replaced Justice William J. Brennan Jr., the court's liberal leader, who abruptly retired on July 20, 1990, at age 84 after suffering a stroke.

The nominee was little known even in Washington legal circles when the president introduced him to the country. He was a 50-year-old Harvard Law School graduate and former Rhodes scholar who had been confirmed to a federal judgeship only two months earlier and had barely moved into his chambers at the federal appeals court in Boston. For 12 years before that, he had been a state judge in New Hampshire.

As the Supreme Court became more conservative and polarized in the 1990's, Justice Souter provided an important vote that helped liberals eke out some important victories, most in 5-to-4 decisions that would not have been possible had he turned out to be the justice many conservatives assumed he would at the time of his nomination.

During his confirmation hearing, Judge Souter said he had no agenda on abortion and had not made a decision on how he would vote if the issue of Roe v. Wade was put before him. A major abortion case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, arrived at the court in his second term and was argued on April 22, 1992. It was widely expected that Roe v. Wade would be formally or functionally overturned because by then another abortion rights supporter, Justice Thurgood Marshall, had retired, and he was replaced by Justice Clarence Thomas.

But the result was just the opposite. Justice Souter, joined by two other Republican-appointed justices, Sandra Day O'Connor and Anthony M. Kennedy, who had earlier both expressed strong doubts about Roe v. Wade, collaborated to produce a highly unusual joint opinion that reaffirmed the constitutional right to abortion. With Justices Harry A. Blackmun and John Paul Stevens joining the central parts of the joint opinion, the vote was 5 to 4.

Justice Souter was in the minority, and a bitter dissenter, in the case of Bush v. Gore, the 5-to-4 decision that ended the disputed Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election and effectively declared George W. Bush the winner.

SC wildfire biggest in more than 3 decades

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. â South Carolina's biggest wildfire in more than three decades â a blaze four miles wide â destroyed dozens of homes Thursday and threatened some of the area's world-famous golf courses at the height of the spring tourist season.

The flames, fed by tinder-dry scrubland, forced hundreds of people to flee, and some took shelter in the House of Blues honkytonk.

The fire got within 1 1/2 miles of Route 17, the main coastal road that links beachfront towns and is lined with fast-food restaurants, beachwear stores and trinket shops. By Thursday evening, the flames were about 3 miles west of the highway.

The blaze scorched about 19,600 acres, or about 31 square miles, over the past two days and then veered north, heading away from the high-rise hotels that line Myrtle Beach. There were no reports of injuries, and authorities said they had not determined what sparked the flames.

Fueled by dry underbrush and highly combustible swamp peat, the blaze leveled about 70 homes and damaged 100 others early Thursday as the fire jumped a four-lane highway. The flames also forced authorities to evacuate 2,500 people. Some returned home Thursday evening while, at the same time, a couple of miles north, police told people to leave 30 other homes, an order that was lifted after a few hours.

Horry County officials said in a statement Thursday night the fire was 40 percent contained. Holly Welch, a spokeswoman for the South Carolina Forestry Commission, said crews had successfully used plows to hold off a portion of the blaze but noted that the situation could worsen if winds were to start blowing Friday in an unexpected direction.

"While we think we have things secured, that could all go out the window tomorrow," she said.

Much of the damage was concentrated at Barefoot Resort, a sprawling complex of houses, condominiums and golf courses separated from the main route through Myrtle Beach by the Intracoastal Waterway.

"The house is completely gone," said Rachel Plaga, a 38-year-old nurse, who later began sobbing. "It was like Armageddon back there. There was nothing. Everything was gone. My whole life. My kid's whole life. It was horrific."

Another woman who broke down in tears had to be helped to a seat by a Red Cross worker.

Garry Alderman, Horry County's fire chief, described some homes as left with only "skeletal remains."

The fire appeared to hopscotch through the neighborhood, which was draped in a thick haze, and some of the rubble still smoldered hours later.

One home was burned to its slab, while the brick house next door appeared undamaged, an American flag still flying.

At another home, the car in the driveway was charred, but the only damage to the house was melted vinyl siding. At one address, everything burned except the garage door, which remained standing.

After they were evacuated, some 200 residents spent the rest of the day in and around the nearby House of Blues, where officials gave them updates. Hours later, they were ushered inside to watch a video of the fire damage because they were not yet allowed to return to their homes. In all, some 450 people sought help at area shelters.

Officials said the blaze appeared to die out at Barefoot Resort by midmorning, only to move parallel to the waterway and away from the area's major golf courses. Authorities worried it could jump the channel, a canal as wide as a football field that separates the city's main drag from the homes of retirees and people who help run the area's golf courses, hotels and other businesses.

Just a few miles south along the coast, people were unaffected. Golfers kept their tee times and tourists spread out on the beaches. Hotel managers, who offered vouchers to the evacuees, said they could not even smell the smoke.

As ash fell, the governor issued a state of emergency, and schools closed early. But North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley managed to promote the area while announcing the number of homes destroyed.

"Certainly come on to the Grand Strand area and enjoy yourself," Hatley said.

But along Route 17 near the fire, businesses lost customers, and the thick smoke chased mini-golf customers from Gail Taylor's Hawaiian Village Golf. She had only had two customers all day â both evacuees who were trying to kill time.

"I knew it was going to be like this when I opened up this morning," Taylor said. "People aren't going to come out and play golf when they're scared."

The fire started several miles inland Wednesday, near subdivisions and golf courses that have been carved from forest and swamps over decades. On Thursday, state forestry officials said they issued two citations to someone for starting a fire that got out of control, but it was unclear whether that person had started the massive blaze.

The area remains prone to wildfires that spring up in the woods and scrub. Horry County Fire Rescue spokesman Todd Cartner said this week's fire was the worst blaze since some 47 square miles burned in 1976.

Dense vegetation made the fire hard to fight, Cartner said. Crews used plows and tractors to cut firebreaks through heavily grown patches called Carolina Bays.

The shallow, egg-shaped depressions pockmark the coast and range in size from a few acres to thousands of acres. They are densely filled with plant life and often have boggy bottoms where peat, if it catches fire, can burn for days or weeks.

Tropical downpours are often the only thing that can extinguish such fires, said state Forestry Commission spokesman Scott Hawkins.

About 100 firefighters joined backhoes and six airplanes fighting the fire. "We have the resources. We need to get a weather break," said William Bailey, public safety director for North Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach and the surrounding area is the anchor of the state's $16 billion annual tourist industry, drawing college students looking for a cheap spring break destination and families who fill miles of budget hotels in the summer.

Tens of thousands of golfers visit each year, and some of the region's courses are among the best in the nation.

Maureen Hodge and her 79-year-old husband spent the past five weeks enjoying a golf vacation at Barefoot Landing until early Thursday. Hodge, 62, said they left with only what they were wearing and their medications.

The Bangor, Maine, resident said she would like to get back for her golf clubs.

"I don't know if we'll ever come back," she said, laughing. "But this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing."

___

Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard in North Myrtle Beach, and Katrina A. Goggins, Jeffrey Collins and Jack Jones in Columbia contributed to this report.

1. The judges get one chance to override a vote-off and save one contestant.
2. The decision to override the vote-off must be unanimous.
3. Using the "Save" will mean that the next week's show will be a double-elimination.
4. The "Save" will only be available until the Top 5.

Megan Joy Corkrey




Jasmine Murray




Anoop Desai




Jorge NuÃez

1. The finals will last for an extra week.
2. There will be a week with a double elimination.

Jobless hit with bank fees on benefits

For hundreds of thousands of workers losing their jobs during the recession, there's a new twist to their financial pain: Even as they're collecting unemployment benefits, they're paying bank fees just to get access to their money.

Thirty states have struck such deals with banks that include Citigroup Inc., Bank of America Corp., JP Morgan Chase and US Bancorp, an Associated Press review of the agreements found. All the programs carry fees, and in several states the unemployed have no choice but to use the debit cards. Some banks even charge overdraft fees of up to $20 â even though they could decline charges for more than what's on the card.

"It's a racket. It's a scam," said Rachel Davis, a 38-year-old dental technician from St. Louis who was laid off in October. Davis was given a MasterCard issued through Central Bank of Jefferson City and recently paid $6 to make two $40 withdrawals.

The banks say their programs offer convenience. They also provide at least one way to tap the money at no charge, such as using a single free withdrawal to get all the cash at once from a bank teller. But the banks benefit from human nature, as people end up treating the cards like all the other plastic in their wallets.

The fees are raising questions from lawmakers who just recently voted to infuse banks with taxpayer money to keep them afloat.

Steven Adamske, spokesman for the U.S. House Financial Services Committee, said he wasn't aware of the debit card programs before he was contacted by the AP, but was concerned about card holder fees.

"Our hope ... would be that banks who are getting federal assistance would forgo these kinds of fees as we're trying to help everyone in society deal with this recession," Adamske said.

Some banks, depending on the agreement negotiated with each state, also make money on the interest they earn after the state deposits the money and before it's spent. The banks and credit card companies also get roughly 1 percent to 3 percent off the top of each transaction made with the cards.

Neither banks nor credit card companies will say how much money they are making off the programs, or what proportion of the revenue comes from user versus merchant fees or interest. It's difficult to estimate the profits because they depend on how often recipients use their cards and where they use them.

But the potential is clear.

In Missouri, for instance, 94,883 people claimed unemployment benefits through debit cards from Central Bank. Analysts say a recipient uses a card an average of six to 10 times a month. If each cardholder makes three withdrawals at an out-of-network ATM, at a fee of $1.75, the bank would collect nearly $500,000. If half of the cardholders also dial customer service three times in any given week (the first time is free; after that, it's 25 cents a call), the bank's revenue would jump to more than $521,000. That would yield $6.3 million a year.

Rachel Storch, a Democratic state representative, received a wave of complaints about the fees from autoworkers laid off from a suburban St. Louis Chrysler plant. She recently urged Gov. Jay Nixon to review the state's contract with Central Bank with an eye toward reducing the fees.

"I think the contract is unfair and potentially illegal to unemployment recipients," she said.

Central Bank did not return two messages seeking comment.

Glenn Campbell, a spokesman for Rep. Russ Carnahan, D-Mo., said the congressman would support a review of the debit card programs nationwide.

Another 10 states â including the unemployment hot spots of California, Florida and South Carolina â are considering such programs or have signed contracts. The remainder still use traditional checks or direct deposit.

With the national unemployment rate now at 7.6 percent, the market for bank-issued unemployment cards is booming. In 2003, states paid only $4 million of unemployment insurance through debit cards. By 2007, it had ballooned to $2.8 billion, and by 2010 it will likely rise to $10.5 billion, according to a study conducted by Mercator Advisory Group, a financial industry consulting firm.

The economic stimulus plan signed by President Barack Obama this week will increase federal unemployment benefits by $40 billion this year. Subsequently, there will be more money from which banks can collect fees. The U.S. Department of Labor allows the fees as long as states create a way for recipients to get their money for free, spokeswoman Suzy Bohnert said.

"Beyond that, the individual decides how to manage his drawdowns using the debit card," she said in an e-mail.

A typical contract looks like the agreement between Citigroup and the state of Kansas, which took effect in November. The state expects to save $300,000 a year by wiring payments to Citigroup instead of printing and mailing checks.

Citigroup's bill to the state: zero. The bank collects its revenue from fees paid by merchants and the unemployed.

"If you use your card the right way, you're not going to pay fees at all," said Paul Simpson, Citigroup's global head of public sector, health care and wholesale cards.

But that's not always practical.

Arthur Santa-Maria, a laid-off engineer who lives just outside Albuquerque, N.M., said he didn't pay any fees the first time he was laid off, for several months in 2007. His unemployment benefits were paid by paper checks. He found a new job last year but was laid off again last fall.

This time, he was issued a Bank of America debit card â a "prepaid" card in industry lingo â but he was surprised to learn he had to pay fees to get his money. He asked the bank to waive them. It said no. That's when Santa-Maria called back to ask how to check his account online. He logged on and saw that the call cost him a half dollar. To avoid more fees, Santa-Maria found a Bank of America ATM at a strip mall and withdrew $80 at no charge. When he got back to his car, he decided to take out the rest of his money â $250 â and deposit it in his bank account.

Afterward, Santa-Maria logged on to his account and saw a charge of $1.50 for two withdrawals in one day.

"They're trying to use my money to make money," Stanta-Maria said. "I just see banks trying to make that 50 cents or a buck and a half when I should be given the service for free."

New Mexico authorities bargained with Bank of America to get lower fees for unemployment recipients, said Carrie Moritomo, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Workforce Solutions. The state saves up to $1.5 million annually by switching from checks to debit cards.

Bank of America spokeswoman Britney Sheehan pointed out that the fees charged in New Mexico are similar to those charged in the 29 other states with unemployment debit cards. The bank believes "the fee schedule is reasonable and consistent with similar programs," she said.

Banks could issue unemployment debit cards with no fees for cardholders, but that would likely mean that states would have to pay more of the administrative costs, said Mark Harrington, director of marketing for Citigroup's prepaid card services. If a state demanded no cardholder fees and could pay the difference, Citigroup might enter such a contract.

"We would be open to that," Harrington said. "We're not looking to structure any programs where we would lose money, but we're definitely flexible."

Simpson noted that the cards can save money for jobless workers who have no bank accounts. In the past, these people had to use corner check-cashing shops that charged fees as high as 2 percent, or $6 for a $300 check. Now, they can swipe their cards at McDonald's, Wal-Mart or elsewhere for free.

Kenna Gortler, a laid-off paper mill worker in Oregon, said her union is advising members to avoid the debit cards and sign up to get their benefits through direct deposit. More than 300 of her fellow workers have lost their jobs at the mill in the last three months, and horror stories about ATM fees and overdraft charges are starting to filter back to others who are just now signing up for their benefits.

"It's discouraging," Gortler said. "People have limited funds and they don't need to be giving money to the banks. They need to be keeping that money to feed their families and pay bills."

Male Whales Prefer Enormous Females

Feb. 13, 2009 -- While svelte, petite women may attract multiple suitors, bigger is definitely better in the whale world, according to a new study that found male humpback whales favor the largest females.

Big in terms of humpback whales means gigantic, since females are usually larger than males to begin with, measuring up to around 50 feet long and weighing approximately 79,000 pounds.

"While obesity is understandably a serious problem in humans, it is interesting to find that in some of the largest animals ever to exist, bigger is indeed better. Thus size does matter!" said lead author Adam Pack, an assistant professor of psychology and biology at the University of Hawaii at Hilo.

Pack, who is also the co-founder and vice president of The Dolphin Institute, and his research team made the determination after studying courting humpback whales for five consecutive years in the waters of the Auau, Kalohi and Pailolo channels off West Maui. The findings have been accepted for publication in the journal Animal Behavior.

Related Content:

• Baby Whales Talk to Mom
• HowStuffWorks.com: Whale Language
• Animal Planet: Valentine's Day Hub
• More Discovery News

In winter and spring months, the whales assemble on shallow banks and along coastal areas for breeding and calving. Since females produce a single calf every two to three years on average, and not all females migrate to breeding grounds, males usually far outnumber females at the sites.

Interested males serve as "escorts" for their female of choice, swimming in close proximity to her and, if present, her calf. The males all gravitated to the largest females, sometimes engaging in dangerous fights to win and maintain the coveted escort position.

"The principal escort's defensive behaviors include visual displays, such as lunging through the water with ventral throat grooves expanded, making the whale look visually larger, to screens of bubbles expelled from the blowhole or mouth, to chases and physical strikes, sometimes drawing blood from a rival," Pack explained.

In order to identify individual whales, he and his colleagues gave temporary names to the whales corresponding to the shape and markings on their dorsal fins. The study therefore included the whales "Scar," "Hook," "Tall" and more.

The researchers next measured each whale using both a hand-held sonar device and mathematical calculations based on angle of view and distance. The scientists even donned snorkeler gear and swam around, and underneath, the courting whales.

"Everyone who climbed back aboard after such an encounter was breathless from exertion, but more so from excitement," Pack said.

"Often, we could see their large eye rotating in its socket watching us, benignly it seemed, as they glided slowly by," he added. "As you can imagine, it's sometimes 'heart-stopping' being in the midst of these huge leviathans, the males charging at each other with great acceleration, the lone female untouched, yet appearing to take in all the action and likely assessing the fitness of her potential suitors."

Fitness appears to be behind the whales' fondness for fat and long bodies, since the researchers also discovered that the largest females also produced the biggest calves. Since whales depend upon stored body fat to support their metabolic requirements, particularly during the winter, the extra heft is necessary for their survival, promoting greater reproductive success and aiding females in the nursing of their offspring.

Big may also be valued in killer whale pods. Another new study, led by Eric Ward from the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, found that killer whale females nearing menopause -- which tend to be larger since they're fully grown adults -- make the best mothers.

"Older females may be more successful in raising young because of maternal experience, or they may allocate more effort to their offspring relative to younger females," Ward explained.

Proving that there is life over 50, at least among giant marine mammals, female killer whales can live to be more than 90 years old, long after their courting and calf-rearing days are over.

Freezing death of Mich. man in house sparks anger

AP â People stand in front of Marvin Schur's home in Bay City, Mich., Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009. Schur, 93, froze â

BAY CITY, Mich. â When neighbors went inside Marvin Schur's house, the windows were frosted over, icicles hung from a faucet, and the 93-year-old World War II veteran lay dead on the bedroom floor in a winter jacket over four layers of clothing.

He froze to death â slowly and painfully, authorities say â days after the electric company installed a power-limiting device because of more than $1,000 in unpaid bills.

The old man's sad end two weeks ago has led to outrage, soul-searching and a resolve never to let something like this happen again.

"There's got to be a way in today's computer age they can find out if someone's over a certain age," said Chad Sepos, 37, a copy machine installer who lives a block away in this Lake Huron city of 34,000 people, about 90 miles from Detroit. "It's just sad."

One of the saddest things of all was that Schur appeared to have plenty of money, and, in fact, one of the neighbors who entered the home reported seeing cash clipped to a pile of bills on the kitchen table. Schur's nephew suggested the old man's mind may have been slipping.

Schur, or "Mutts," was a retired foundry worker who lived alone, his wife having died a couple of years ago. The couple had no children. He could often be seen through the big front window of his comfortably furnished home of 50 or 60 years, watching TV or keeping an eye on his neighborhood.

On Jan. 13, a worker with the city-owned utility installed a "limiter" on Schur's electric meter after four months of unpaid bills. The device restricts power and blows like a fuse if usage rises past a set level. Electricity is not restored until the device is flipped back on by the homeowner, who must walk outside to the meter.

City Electric Light & Power did not contact Schur face-to-face to notify him of the device and explain how it works, instead following its usual policy by leaving a note on the door. But neighbors said Schur rarely, if ever, left the house in the cold.

At some point, the device evidently tripped and was not reset, authorities said. Schur's home was heated by a gas furnace, not electricity, but some gas furnaces do not work properly if the power is out.

Neighbors discovered Schur's body on Jan. 17 in his home, a yellow house with peeling paint. The outside temperature ranged from a high of 12 degrees to a low of minus 9 on Jan. 15, the day he was believed to have died. A heating pad was on his favorite armchair by the window. The oven door was open, perhaps to heat the place.

"The body has a tremendous fighting power for survival. He died a slow, painful death," said Dr. Kanu Virani, who found frostbite on Schur's foot when performing the autopsy. Investigators are trying to establish how long he was without electricity.

City officials are reviewing their procedures and in the meantime have suspended shutoffs and removed all limiters from homes after using the devices for 18 years.

The medical examiner is looking into whether Schur suffered from dementia, particularly after police found enough cash lying around in the home to cover his bills. His nephew William Walworth said Schur told him two years ago he had $600,000 in savings.

"It's definitely not a situation where money is an issue. The issue has to do with the mental faculties you have and your ability to make good decisions," said Walworth, 67, who lives in Ormond Beach, Fla.

"I think the utility's policies are horrible and insane," he added. "For 50 years he paid the bill on a regular basis and never had problems. If people would know who their customers are and take concern for their customers, maybe they'd go knock on the door and see if everything is OK."

Neighbors and others have posted messages on the Internet, complaining it was a shabby way to treat a veteran and demanding city employees be fired or prosecuted for not taking a few minutes to check on Schur, who was a medic in the South Pacific and earned a Purple Heart.

One blogger noted that even a pet owner who leaves his dog outside to freeze can face charges.

Sharon Gire, director of the Michigan Office of Services to the Aging, said Schur's death was preventable. "He was one of Michigan's most vulnerable citizens in need," she said. "It is a tragedy that he had to suffer such a painful death."

Michigan's big, state-regulated utilities are not allowed to shut off power to senior citizens in the winter and must offer payment plans to the poor. State regulators also discourage the use of limiters. But Michigan's 41 smaller municipal utilities â Bay City's included â are not overseen by the state.

Schur's death has prompted Michigan lawmakers to start writing legislation that could ban the use of limiters by municipal utilities.

"The concern was particularly with elderly customers; they can be frail or confused," Public Service Commission spokeswoman July Palnau said. "Anything that can require some sort of mechanical intervention can be overwhelming."

Bay City Manager Robert Belleman said that he was "deeply saddened" by Schur's death and that State Police will investigate. But he also said neighbors have a responsibility to each other.

"I've said this before and some of my colleagues have said this: Neighbors need to keep an eye on neighbors," Belleman said. "When they think there's something wrong, they should contact the appropriate agency or city department."

The St. Paul City Attorneyâs office announced Friday it will not prosecute Democracy Now! journalists Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman also issued a statement Friday that âthe city will decline to prosecute misdemeanor charges for presence at an unlawful assembly for journalists arrested during the Republican National Convention.â

Both announcements come two weeks after the conclusion of the Republican National Convention where over 40 journalists were arrested while reporting on protests taking place outside the convention center.

Upon learning of the news, Democracy Now! Host, Amy Goodman said, âItâs good that these false charges have finally been dropped, but we never should have been arrested to begin with. These violent and unlawful arrests disrupted our work and had a chilling effect on the reporting of dissent. Freedom of the press is also about the publicâs right to know what is happening on their streets. There needs to be a full investigation of law enforcement activities during the convention.â

Goodman was arrested while asking police to release Kouddous and Salazar who had been violently arrested while reporting on street demonstrations. After being handcuffed and pushed to the ground, Goodman reiterated that she was was a credentialed reporter. Secret Service then ripped the credential from around her neck.

During demonstrations on the first day of the convention police used pepper spray, rubber bullets, concussion grenades and force against protesters and journalists. Several dozen demonstrators were arrested, as was a photographer for the Associated Press.

John Lundquist, attorney for the Democracy Now! journalists, said, âThe most notable lapse by law enforcement during the RNC was the record-breaking number of journalists indiscriminately arrested and detained for doing nothing more than performing in the best tradition of reporters who gather the news.â

In the weeks after the journalist arrests, tens of thousands of members of the public contacted St. Paul officials to protest the unlawful arrests of working journalists. Goodman said, âWe were deeply moved by the outpouring of support. We thank everyone who called and wrote first to have us freed and then to have the charges dropped. We thank everyone who stood up for press freedom and the First Amendment.â

The YouTube video of Goodmanâs arrest was the most watched YouTube video during the convention week. It has now been viewed over 830,000 times. Salazarâs video of her own violent arrest is also available on YouTube.

CONTACT:
media@democracynow.org
212-431-9090 x806

RELATED

Donate

Media coverage of RNC arrests]]> Extras Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:42:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=383514# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=381988#
]]> Extras Fri, 19 Sep 2008 01:13:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=381988# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=381869#
A listener letter asks a good question, and I give my best attempt at an answer.

I'm joining the book club bandwagon with Drew Ferguson's hilarious new book *The Screwed Up Life of Charlie the Second." Stay subscribed to find out how you can take part in my newly-formed book club!

Music Today:



"Change the World" by Podsafe Music Network group Sunspot



"Create Your Fate" by Podsafe Music Network group Steadman

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:43:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=381869# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=377026#
Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm will be the stand-in for Sarah Palin.

While US auto makers fail to get their heads out of...you know, Honda has announced a new, more affordable, and stylish hybrid car.

Comments from previous episodes.

Music Today:



"Common Ground" by Podsafe Music Network artist David Ippolito



"Peace" by Podsafe Music Network group Spirit of Lennon (Freedom People)



"Camp Walk" clip by Podsafe Music Network artist Derek K. Miller

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Fri, 12 Sep 2008 02:15:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=377026# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=376463#
While it is argued that the winner of American Idol is an inspiration to budding artists, bloggers and content creators Rhett and Link found inspiration from an American Idol loser and dared to exercise their own creativity in honor of the show. Who inspired them? Was it William Hung? Was it Scooter Girl? Heck, was it Sanjaya? No! Rhett and Link found their creative muse in the form of Season 7 audition reject Alexis Cohen. Her impassioned speech about not giving up and succeeding inspired the guys to write what they termed a "Theme for a Generation." Here's the YouTube video of the fruit of their creative minds...



And if you want to get this song for free (although something this profound should not be), visit their blog at: http://www.rhettandlink.com/blog/2008/01/18/americanidol7theme

Truly inspirational... ]]> Extras Wed, 10 Sep 2008 04:52:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=376463# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=375137#
This is an episode of That Blue Jeans Guy you must not miss!

Also, please watch the YouTube videos of the violence committed against members of Democracy Now!

Nicole Salazaar's Violent Arrest:



Amy Goodman's Violent Arrest:



Music Today:



"Our Truth" by Podsafe Music Network group Lacuna Coil

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Fri, 5 Sep 2008 23:00:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=375137# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374843# du jour. This time, he takes on Sarah Palin and playing the "gender card." Plenty funny!



And here's another gem in which he quizzes former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich on similar matters. All I can say is Jon's good...



Oh, and this one just can't be missed as John's crack team of investigative reporters explain exactly why the Republican Party chose Minneapolis for their convention. How could we have forgotten this one?



And finally, Jon brings it home by revealing the shocking similarities Fred Thompson and Joe Lieberman share with two cartoon characters:

That's All, Folks!]]> Extras Fri, 5 Sep 2008 01:54:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374843# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374602# really believe that?

Listen to what happens when Peggy Noonan, former speechwriter for President Reagan and former McCain campaign manager Mike Murphy don't realize that their microphones are still on and recording their true feelings about Palin.

Thanks to MoveOn.org for the link to the YouTube video and the transcript of the dialog between Noonan and Murphy.

By the way, MoveOn.org has asked that we make this video as viral as we can by forwarding it to everybody we know, blogging it, podcasting it, or whatever we can do to get the message out.



TRANSCRIPT:

Mike Murphy, former McCain advisor: You know, because I come out of the blue swing state governor work. Engler, Whitman, Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush. And these guys, this is all like how you want to (inaudible) this race. You know, just run it up. And it's not gonna work.

Peggy Noonan, former Reagan speechwriter: It's over.

Murphy: Still, McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech to do himself some good.

NBC's Chuck Todd: Don't you think the Palin pick was insulting to Kay Bailey Hutchinson, too (inaudible)

Noonan: I saw Kay this morning.

Murphy: They're all bummed out.

Todd: I mean, is she really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?

Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives and (inaudible) the picture.

Murphy: I totally agree.

Noonan: Every time the Republicans do that because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at and they blow it.

Murphy: You know what's really the worst thing about it? The greatness of McCain is no cynicism and this is cynical.

Todd: And as you called it, gimmicky. ]]> Extras Thu, 4 Sep 2008 03:12:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=374602# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=373193#
Like many of you, I was somewhat surprised about John McCain's choice for his vice-presidential running mate. The more I thought about it, the less surprised I was. And then, I received this email from MoveOn.org, and things began to make a lot of sense. Frankly, this choice may be the ultimate albatross around McCain's neck--and she may be the albatross around America's neck in the unthinkable event he wins on November 4. Read, check the facts, and decide for yourself. Oh yeah, and if you agree with this, pass on the link to this post to a friend...

Talk to you later,
David-That Blue Jeans Guy

---

Dear MoveOn member,

Yesterday was John McCain's 72nd birthday. If elected, he'd be the oldest president ever inaugurated. And after months of slamming Barack Obama for "inexperience," here's who John McCain has chosen to be one heartbeat away from the presidency: a right-wing religious conservative with no foreign policy experience, who until recently was mayor of a town of 9,000 people.

Huh?

Who is Sarah Palin? Here's some basic background:

• She was elected Alaska's governor a little over a year and a half ago. Her previous office was mayor of Wasilla, a small town outside Anchorage. She has no foreign policy experience.¹
  
• Palin is strongly anti-choice, opposing abortion even in the case of rape or incest.²
  
• She supported right-wing extremist Pat Buchanan for president in 2000. ³
  
• Palin thinks creationism should be taught in public schools.⁴
  
• She's doesn't think humans are the cause of climate change.⁵
  
• She's solidly in line with John McCain's "Big Oil first" energy policy. She's pushed hard for more oil drilling and says renewables won't be ready for years. She also sued the Bush administration for listing polar bears as an endangered speciesâshe was worried it would interfere with more oil drilling in Alaska.⁶
• How closely did John McCain vet this choice? He met Sarah Palin once at a meeting. They spoke a second time, last Sunday, when he called her about being vice-president. Then he offered her the position.⁷

This is information the American people need to see. Please take a moment to forward this email to your friends and family.

We also asked Alaska MoveOn members what the rest of us should know about their governor. The response was striking. Here's a sample:

She is really just a mayor from a small town outside Anchorage who has been a governor for only 1.5 years, and has ZERO national and international experience. I shudder to think that she could be the person taking that 3AM call on the White House hotline, and the one who could potentially be charged with leading the US in the volatile international scene that exists today. âRose M., Fairbanks, AK

She is VERY, VERY conservative, and far from perfect. She's a hunter and fisherwoman, but votes against the environment again and again. She ran on ethics reform, but is currently under investigation for several charges involving hiring and firing of state officials. She has NO experience beyond Alaska. âChristine B., Denali Park, AK

As an Alaskan and a feminist, I am beyond words at this announcement. Palin is not a feminist, and she is not the reformer she claims to be. âKaren L., Anchorage, AK

Alaskans, collectively, are just as stunned as the rest of the nation. She is doing well running our State, but is totally inexperienced on the national level, and very much unequipped to run the nation, if it came to that. She is as far right as one can get, which has already been communicated on the news. In our office of thirty employees (dems, republicans, and nonpartisans), not one person feels she is ready for the V.P. position.âSherry C., Anchorage, AK

She's vehemently anti-choice and doesn't care about protecting our natural resources, even though she has worked as a fisherman. McCain chose her to pick up the Hillary voters, but Palin is no Hillary. âMarina L., Juneau, AK

I think she's far too inexperienced to be in this position. I'm all for a woman in the White House, but not one who hasn't done anything to deserve it. There are far many other women who have worked their way up and have much more experience that would have been better choices. This is a patronizing decision on John McCain's part- and insulting to females everywhere that he would assume he'll get our vote by putting "A Woman" in that position.âJennifer M., Anchorage, AK

So Governor Palin is a staunch anti-choice religious conservative. She's a global warming denier who shares John McCain's commitment to Big Oil. And she's dramatically inexperienced.

In picking Sarah Palin, John McCain has made the religious right very happy. And he's made a very dangerous decision for our country.

In the next few days, many Americans will be wondering what McCain's vice-presidential choice means. Please pass this information along to your friends and family.

Thanks for all you do.

âIlyse, Noah, Justin, Karin and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. "Sarah Palin," Wikipedia, Accessed August 29, 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

2. "McCain Selects Anti-Choice Sarah Palin as Running Mate," NARAL Pro-Choice America, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17515&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=1

3. "Sarah Palin, Buchananite," The Nation, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17736&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=2

4. "'Creation science' enters the race," Anchorage Daily News, October 27, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17737&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=3

5. "Palin buys climate denial PR spinâignores science," Huffington Post, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17517&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=4

6. "McCain VP Pick Completes Shift to Bush Energy Policy," Sierra Club, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17518&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=5

"Choice of Palin Promises Failed Energy Policies of the Past," League of Conservation Voters, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17519&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=6

"Protecting polar bears gets in way of drilling for oil, says governor," The Times of London, May 23, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=17520&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=7

7 "McCain met Palin once before yesterday," MSNBC, August 29, 2008
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=21119&id=13661-7831238-_zSaS6x&t=8

]]> Extras Sat, 30 Aug 2008 22:36:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=373193# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=372803#
Music Today:



"Preacherman" by Podsafe Music Network group o---Yeah! (No site listed)



"Love Revolution" by Podsafe Music Network group All Mighty Whispers

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:42:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=372803# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=371145#


Check out the "My American Prayer" site by pointing your browser to www.myamericanprayer.com]]> Extras Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:16:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=371145# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=370702#
Lots of stuff has been said about me this week, and I feature some of the comments and my reactions to them. No drama here!

Please go to CKubinski.com and wish podsafe musician a happy 25th birthday!

Music Today:



"Hiding Underneath" by Podsafe Music Network artist Cassandra Kubinski



"Don't Stop Talking" by Podsafe Music Network artist Sandy Zio

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:07:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=370702# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=370044#
I'm hoping this actually shows up in my RSS feed, so bear with me if it doesn't.

]]> podcasts Tue, 19 Aug 2008 20:17:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=370044# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=368943#

---

Some sweet (and Fat) revenge.

An explosive new book, *The Way of the World: A Story of Truth and Hope in an Age of Extremism,* by investigative reporter Ron Suskind may be the smoking gun that finally brings impeachment to the table.

Comments and emails.

Music Today:



"Explain" by Podsafe Music Network artist North American Royalty



"Tired of Being Lied To" by Podsafe Music Network artist David Ippolito

Intro Music:



"Deep Cycle Discharge" by Podsafe Music Network artists Simon James and Derek K. Miller

Outro Music:



"Power Inside" by Podsafe Music Network and PodsafeAudio.com group EL84

Thanks for listening, and stay powerful!]]> podcasts Sat, 16 Aug 2008 02:18:00 GMT http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=368943# David, That Blue Jeans Guy No http://thatbluejeansguy.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=367903#