Tonight's Rescue Rangers are Elise, HansScholl, ItsJessMe, jennyjem, jlms qkw, and taylormattd, with srkp23 editing.

• Valtin explains how McCain betrayed prisoners of war in McCain, POWs, & the Stab in the Back. (taylormattd)
• wmstudentveteran asks and answers in an Open Letter to Senator John McCain: What about Floyd James Thompson and the other POW's? (jlms qkw)
• In Cherease Cross, Kind, Beautiful, Caring: She Deserved a Better Chance, noemie maxwell adds to her series on the victims of Washington State's three strike law, and offers yet another example of meat grinder justice--a 45 year old woman whose death gives her the freedom a life sentence denied her. (HansScholl)
• lao hong han and napolitana piemontese use compelling real world examples to demonstrate positive changes in how high school students view sexuality, in HS Educator Sees Teen Progress on Gender & Sexuality. (ItsJessMe)
• faithfull sees the lovely Coal River Valley reach a fork in the energy road between the dead end of coal and the future of wind power, in The Life or Death of a Mountain. (jennyjem)
• shirah tells us that while the Bush Administration is on its way out, they're not quite finished undermining OSHA in Proposed New Stealth Horrorshow "Health and Safety" Regulations. (jennyjem)
• FleetAdmiralJ--with charts, graphs, and insight--continues his Bill James-like analysis of the polls and electoral map in Status of the Electoral College: August 26. (HansScholl)
• noweasels urges us to reject Republican attempts to divide us economically in We are all "working class" Americans. (taylormattd)
• NYPopulist shares a personal story about his stepfather in this eloquent tribute to Ted Kennedy: Senator Kennedy Is A National Hero. (taylormattd)
• lukery alerts the community to yet another crap-tastic piece of journalism from the traditional media in NY Times does it again: More 'Judy Miller' tapdancing. (jennyjem)
• countrycat reminds us that the traditional media is literally refusing to do its job in Stuart Rothenberg: "Journalists willing to give McCain a Free Pass". (Elise)
• Policybusters reframes the traditional media's approach to The Burden of Michelle Obama on the First Night of the Convention (according to a racialized media). (jlms qkw)
• Jeffrey Feldman provides some historical context to Michelle Obama's message in Frameshop: The 'Great Society' in Michelle Obama's Speech. (Elise)
• zenbowl tells us about The Amazing Joe Lieberman, and makes it crystal clear why Joe and two-faced John McCain get along so well. (Elise)

jotter serves up High Impact Diaries: August 25,2008.

Elise brings Top Comments: Stand Up.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are Louisiana 1976, Yashua, BentLiberal, dopper0189, shayera, jlms qkw and grog.

Non-Convention Diaries, First Edition.

• YellerDog tells how young people who are imitating the style of the 60's "hippies" haven't adopted their activist politics in White Peaches and Rain for Breakfast. (Louisiana 1976)
• thereisnospoon is at the Big Tent in Denver and reminds Kossacks that Our Movement's Barely Getting Started. (shayera)
• It's worth pondering if the pundits who were quiet during the banking crisis bail out will be outraged at Detroit's Big Three asking for help? Johnny Venom just wants to make it an investment not a bailout: Manufacturing Monday: The so-called Big Three, and the taxpayers' money. (dopper0189)
• RogerShuler explores the implications of a McCain statement about the draft and offers an alternative in McCain, Reality, and the Military Draft. (jlms qkw)
• Myrrhis pushes back against convention week and asks if conventions really reach the average voter in Am I just a curmudgeon? You decide. Check out the comments for some respectful answers, pro and con. (BentLiberal)
• DemocraticLuntz brings us a very thorough piece on the history and current state of voting in Alabama in Voter Registration Trends: Alabama. (Yashua)
• Bendygirl tells some of the story of Maud Younger in Labor History: The Millionaire Waitress. (shayera)
• fedupcitizen writes of kicking down doors, opening windows and yes, hope - the hope the Obama nomination brings, in Dreaming while Black...It is a sin not to dream. (BentLiberal)

jotter gives us the day's High Impact Diaries - August 24, 2008, while taylormattd has Top Comments: Nothin' But Comments, Yet Again.

Shamelessly self promote your diary or pimp for a friend Open Thread.

Tonight's hard riding Ranger Posse is Yashua, taylormattd, ezdidit, Larsstephens, YatPundit, srkp23 and claude.

Defying easy categorization, this assorted baker's dozen of literary bon-bons caught the Ranging Eyes...

• Mehitabel9 shares what it's like to volunteer in a public place in In Which I Go Out Among the Good Citizens of My City. (YatPundit)
• Stranded Wind offers video of the oldest U.S. rail line in PTA #7: Back to the Future. (ezdidit)
• Examining the electoral toll of emotionally driven political decisions while urging to Let's stop whining about how voters make their minds up, firenz provides workable evidence towards a possible way through this election's maze of smoke and mirrors. (Larsstephens)
• juliewolf offers a beautiful pictorial of recent adventures Birding Coastal Maine. (ezdidit)
• Starkly forewarning all net and grassroots activists, cberlet reminds everyone concerned that Convention Protesters To Be Treated As Terrorists is not just a rightwing talking point. (Larsstephens)
• Oli offers background and detail about The complicated situation in Caucasus that you won't get from the traditional media. (ezdidit)
• two roads pens a thoroughly-researched history of flying saucer legends in Saturday Night Uforia: The tale of the Nazi saucers. (taylormattd)
• American Zapatista presents an excellent news round-up with The Week in Indigenous Peoples Rights 8/24/08. (srkp23)
• A Siegel discusses developing for incoming Congresspeople a set of legislative initiatives designed to spark a sensible energy future in Energizing America: Setting a Freshmen Agenda for Progress. (taylormattd)
• Jimdotz tells us more than we ever wanted to know about group theory in Math Mania: Groups. (YatPundit)
• dkmich reports on the North Pole Stand-off over what could be "25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas." (srkp23)
• By trying the orthopedic sneakers on the other feet, Granny Doc flip-flops the narrative and something else towards the legions of trolls, concern and otherwise, here and everywhere with Hucksters United For Crazy. (Larsstephens)
• Proclaiming that Stephanie Tubbs Jones Lives On!, MA Liberal shows how we too can all leave a real and true legacy to future generations of fellow humans after our demise. (Larsstephens)

taylormattd has Top Comments: Nothin' But Comments Edition.

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 23, 2008 AND the Week's High Impact Diaries: August 16-22.

This is an Open Thread. Feel free to promote your own or other's fine work you may feel that we have overlooked. The Diary Rescue "Day" runs from 3pm yesterday to 3pm today (west coast time). Play nice, there are children watching.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are yashua, jlms qkw, HansScholl, a synthetic cubist, Larsstephens, and srkp23, with watercarrier4diogenes wearing the flowing Robes of Objectivity on a glorious sunny afternoon in Oregon, where Jeff Merkley's in the ascendancy and "Salmonkiller" Smith is a fading ghost.

The Rangers have sifted and sorted through 436 diaries to bring you these 14 great examples of the excellent writing and breadth of subjects that Teh Orange has become known for.

• Els shares personal and national narrative in The Unsettling Role of Zeitgeist. (jlms qkw)
• With "The American West's canary in the coal mine", JohnnyRook introduces us to the quietly vanishing tipping point bio-indicators of encroaching global climate change, and its old "friends," official government obfuscation and denial. (Larsstephens)
• teacherken is one of the dedicated educators heading back to the classroom this fall and lays out what it takes, day in and day out, to be the kind of teacher everyone wants in On Monday the students report. (HansScholl)
• TomP plants the seeds for social and economic awareness by giving us an overview of California's Harvest of Shame (and Good News on Gaining Justice). (Larsstephens)
• Killer of Sacred Cows brings us a thought-provoking essay on the use of humor against the privileged by the oppressed in How To Handle Justified Anger. (Yashua)
• In Rehashing the Gate? Part II - News Values & DK, wide aperture places the context of our shifting media narratives and frames into a sharper perspective. (Larsstephens)
• Bill Prendergast updates a classic in The Grapes of McCain (a screenplay). (jlms qkw)
• Jan Barry calls attention to Democratic plans for doubling the size of the Peace Corps as an alternative to endless spending on military solutions to international problems in Support Our Peacemakers. (HansScholl)
• nightowl1724 pens a harrowing personal story of being sick in America without health insurance in Health Care Series: Uninsured and Lucky to be Alive Part 2. (Yashua)
• The allmost liberal european explains how our nation's decades-old embargo does nothing to stop it, and why Cuba getting fast Internet access...via Venezuela, may, or may not, be a good thing. (Larsstephens)
• BobboSphere uses a plethora of links to answer Why does the Rightwing Hate Small Business? (jlms qkw)
• sheddhead shares Chicago Treasures: Urban Adventures Tours and gives us a small peek at some neglected views of the gems hiding in the windy city. (Larsstephens)
• TheWurz shares an expert's wrap-up of the premiere sporting event in The Olympics from an Olympics Obsessive (with Poll Vault). (jlms qkw)
• Taking a hands on approach in Reiki for Veterans? Military and VA Testing, Already Using Ancient Touch Therapy, ilona explores alternative healthcare strategies from long ago and modern day evaluations of their effectiveness for our warriors, and us. (Larsstephens)

jotter has High Impact Diaries - August 22, 2008.

carolita has Top Comments 8-23-08 -- Go Joe!! Edition.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread (even if you're the author! Here's where that's actually appreciated). And, of course, since it's an open thread, PLAY NICE, OK? 8^)

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are vcmvo2, ybruti, HansScholl, jlms qkw, PaintyKat and dadanation, with shayera editing.

• Stranded Wind documents their visit to a corner of Iowa with words and pictures in PTA #6: Iowa's Ghost Train. (jlms qkw)
• Lady Goodman expertly delves into Springsteen song lyrics, pointing out his power, essence, and the endurance of his message in Springsteen Tears A Hole In The Heartland. (PaintyKat)
• Johnny Venom provides detailed, well-researched documentation to corroborate the fact that Despite recent grain crash, long term food $$ is on the rise. (dadanation)
• Jeff Huber looks behind the bluster and gives some geopolitical perspective on the crisis in Georgia in Warm Beer and Cold War. (HansScholl)
• Land of Enchantment asks and answers "Will We Always Have England?" in Abandoning Land to the Sea - England!!!. (jlms qkw)
• murraywv details a summary in a very reputable medical journal on the real problems with our health care system, and compares the differences between McCain and Obama's plans. An added bonus, one of the NEMJ's panelists takes down Dr. Frist! : Obama vs McCain on Health Care from New England Journal of Medicine. (vcmvo2)
• Two diaries that describe how in neighborhoods history unfolds at a personal level: In Strolling through working class America in the 21st century, BobboSphere takes us along for a visit to the post-WWII DC suburb of his youth, shares his memories, and paints a portrait of changes, both good and bad, over the past 50 years. Then futurebird shows how the construction of the new Yankee stadium is destroying South Bronx neighborhood culture and green space in From parks to parking lots. (HansScholl)
• eparrot reports on, and thus reminds us that Another day, another 76 civilians killed by the United States in Afghanistan. (vcmvo2)
• Clem Yeobright comments on recent news from Iraq in Terr'rists for sale or rent, Sunnis to let, 50 cents. (ybruti)
• First-time diarist EGNY writes a heartfelt plea to Obama,about the need to investigate the Bush administration's abuse of power in order to restore justice and America's moral standing in Open Letter to Obama Campaign: Why Holding the Bush Admin. Accountable For Crimes is Necessary. (vcmvo2)
• wide aperture analyzes the dailykos.com front page and reports results in Rehashing the Gate? News Values & Daily Kos. (jlms qkw)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 21, 2008.

monkeybiz brings Top Comments 8.22.08: Summer's End, Summer's Fun.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are jlms qkw, ItsJessMe, jennyjem, YatPundit, and drbcladd, with taylormattd as editor.

Please enjoy reading these outstanding, ranger-selected diaries:

• In a thoroughly researched and detailed diary, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse delivers sobering news about our water supply from a new study: Trace Inorganic Arsenic In Drinking Water Linked with Diabetes. (ItsJessMe)
• An excellent choice for the run-up to the conventions, grumpynerd brings us "narcissism" as The Word Sommelier's Word of the Week, 8/21/2008. (YatPundit)
• Valtin describes the dark history of human rights violations, as well as United States complicity therein, in Fox Censors Story on Torture Death of Kim Soo-im. (jlms qkw)
• Liberal Youth delves deeply into the Obama campaign's ground strategy, explaining to us The Impact of Obama's GOTV. (ItsJessMe)
• Chris Rodda updates the story of wingnut attempts to promote fundagelical Christianity in the military in Removal of Petraeus Endorsement from "Spiritual Handbook" Not Enough. (YatPundit)
• Silent Spring paints a stunning portrait of Central Washington in Summer at my Place (with Photos). (ItsJessMe)
• Jay Elias initiates a conversation about the war in Iraq, the HBO television show Generation Kill, fractals, and physics in Infinite In All Directions: An Essay On "Generation Kill." (jennyjem)
• twigg ruminates on the Olympics, medal counts, and U.S. foreign policy in Citius, Altius, Fortius. (ItsJessMe)
• Shaviv discusses communication methods, both online and face-to-face, in the era of technological advances: Mad Science Project of the Week 21: wherein virtual worlds may be more interesting than the real one. (drbcladd)
• dreaminonempty analyzes the polls and makes some predictions in House Projection: 21 More Democrats. (jennyjem)
• Analyzing a recent Washington Post story, diarist Vinlander reaches the disturbing conclusion that we're sitting on an oil bubble because of a collusion among an array of business and political power brokers, in CFTC Says 81% of NYMEX Oil is Financial Speculation. (ItsJessMe)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 20, 2008.

emeraldmaiden has Top Comments 8-21-08 - Zombie Velociraptor Edition.

Please feel free to promote your favorite diaries in this open thread.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are Louisiana 1976, jlms qkw, HansScholl, dopper0189, BentLiberal and ItsJessMe, with jennyjem spinning around in the editor's chair. Wheeeee!

The diaries up for rescue tonight are:

• While the warmongers beat their chests over Georgia, ignatz uk writes about a brewing humanitarian crisis in a forgotten corner of the world in 160,000 refugees at risk as Tamil Tigers face defeat. (HansScholl)
• ClimateLurker writes on the importance of satellites in saving the environment in Global Warming and the Next Administration: Save Our Satellites! (BentLiberal)
• The Ghost of Bobby Kennedy poignantly reminds us there is a war happening in The War Hits Home For This Liberal Elitist. (jlms qkw)
• What happens when former prisoners of war play soccer against the forces occupying their country? Read all about it in gjohnsit's Games of Life and Death. (BentLiberal)
• strobusguy provides a disturbing anecdote showing how this Olympics represents the ultimate marriage of global corporate power and the Chinese totalitarian-capitalist regime in "Elderly Chinese Women Sentenced to Labor Re-education" An Olympic moment. (ItsJessMe)
• Gary In Los Angeles shares this great community project in Twenty-Two Children Write & Sing for Obama in Venice. (jlms qkw)
• tarheelian51 reminds us of how disaster relief is closely connected to politics in How Republicans Use Hurricanes in Florida. (Louisiana 1976)
• dinazina shares her cool art work for Obama in My Obama art submitted to MoveOn contest. (BentLiberal)
• abrauer provides us with some comic relief and priceless photos in Memo to St. Paul RNC protesters: break out the tiaras! (ItsJessMe)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 19, 2008.

Carnacki has Top comments - Taking On the System review.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

Tonight's Rescue Ranger streetcar riders are yashua, vcmvo2, jennyjem, dopper0189, dadanation, and jlms qkw, with YatPundit at the motorman's controls of the 1923-vintage Perley A. Thomas Editmobile.

• wecouldbefamous ominously notes how the education reconstruction plan for New Orleans ends up permanently "shrinking" the footprint of the city itself in Neoliberalism Amok In Plan For New Orleans Schools. (vcmvo2)
• ThatPoshGirl analyzes how the crashing economy is affecting college financial aid in Student loan system in crisis: Can we save it? (vcmvo2)
• kameraDSM discusses the implications of some rather grim statistics in If moral greatness were a medal count, America would not be No. 1. (jlms qkw)
• In a victory for equality, Dirk McQuigley writes about a recent court decision ruling that a doctor has to treat gay people the same way as straight people.Cal Supreme Ct rules MD violated rights of gay patient. Nondiscrimination--what a novel concept! (dopper0189)
• webuyitgreen concludes this five-part series on the difference between buying, and thus supporting, Fair Trade, Direct Trade, and Starbucks coffee in Fair Trade, Direct Trade, and Starbucks: Who Serves the Best Cup of Clear Conscience? (vcmvo2)
• Look no further -- Justin Alexander's Why Voodoo Economics Don't Work - The Quick and Dirty Version lays bare the truth behind the myth of "supply side economics." (dadanation)
• fbihop shares on-the-ground reporting and photography in New Mexico: My weekend with the Dem candidates. (jlms qkw)
• Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse illustrates that McCain is not telling the truth about his "support" for renewable energy sources in McCain's Wind Energy Double-Talk Express. (vcmvo2)
• Avenging Angel spells out step-by-step how the republican candidate is not like you and me in The Haves, the Have Mores and John McCain. (jlms qkw)
• Paul Anderson details a more appropriate (and frightening) frame of reference for the Republican Party's presumptive presidential candidate in McBush? What about McNixon?. (dadanation)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 18, 2008.

brillig has Top Comments: 8/19/08 Spare Change Edition.

As always, please feel free to join the Diary Rescue team by posting your picks in this Open Thread.

Tonight's Diary Rescue crew was claude, ItsJessMe, ezdidit, Larsstephens, PaintyKat, vcmvo2, dadanation and pico.

The rescued diaries

• Daisy Cutter details the travails of the many US citizens detained and/or deported by immigration enforcement. (claude)
• By sharing racial educational experiences, BobboSphere helps us all to navigate the depths of The Souls of White Folk. (Larsstephens)
• What Are Progressive Values's reports on his interview of the Mayor of San Francisco inFailed Conservative Values: Gavin Newsom on Division & Tasmanian Devils. (PaintyKat)
• In Strategery '08: The Neocons' Caucusus Project, daveinchi analyzes the extent to which the "Rove" effect is governing the McCain campaign's response to the Georgian/Russian international crisis. (vcmvo2)
• In a thoroughly researched and fascinatingly detailed diary, JohnnyRook explains why Spain is last among developed countries in meeting its Kyoto targets to cut its emissions of greenhouse gases, and what it can do about it, in Spanish wind looks sexy, but California efficiency is really hot. (ItsJessMe)
• webuyitgreen continues a series on the distinctions between various coffee industry efforts to make coffee production more humane, this time examining Starbucks' C.A.F.E. Practices (claude)
• max stirner explores subtle distinctions in categorical thought and beliefs with Moral Philosophy: Relativism and Objectivism (not about Rand!). (Larsstephens)
• prouddemocrat discusses how the facts demonstrate that America can achieve energy independence from the Middle East without additional drilling sites, despite what the President and the presumptive Republican presidential nominee have told us, in Bush and McCain Aim Low on Energy. (PaintyKat)
• I have to say that this IS poetry, though disturbing, as poetry should be. Yosef 52 once again bares his soul and ventures beyond the comfort zone. Perhaps you will agree: I Don't Know About YOU, But I Could Use Some Poetry! (claude)
• leftist vegetarian patriot suggests earlier concerns about the insolvency of American banks may have been misplaced since the downward spiral in the non-borrowed money reserves finally may have come to a halt in Huzzah! Our banking troubles are over. (PaintyKat)

The regular extras

High Impact Diaries - August 16, 2008 as well as Week's High Impact Diaries: August 9-15, 2008 are brought to us as always by jotter.

brillig has tonight's Top Comments- 8/17/08 We Are Stardust... Edition

The reminder

Please use this as an Open Thread as well as your chance to promote your favorite diaries of the day. Respectful engagement is most welcome here. Please keep in mind that each Diary Rescue's daily purview extends from 3pm PST yesterday to 3pm PST today.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are ybruti, a synthetic cubist, HansScholl, YatPundit, jlms qkw, and drbcladd, with watercarrier4diogenes at the Editor's desk, wondering why his traditional media counterparts have so much trouble with the concept of 'truth'.

The Rangers have sifted and sorted through 260 diaries to bring you these 10 great examples of the excellent writing and breadth of subjects that Teh Orange has become known for.

• Was an innocent person executed? JR presents the case in Historic: Texas Re-Examining a Wrongful Execution. (ybruti)
• danps traces the genealogy of Bush II to the surviving creatures and critters from Nixon uber alles, and offers a surprise denouement in The Hippie White House. (HansScholl)
• RobLewis deflates some myths in Deconstructing the "small government" trope: do the math. (jlms qkw)
• In Psychologists on the Dark Side, Jennifer Turner of ACLU presents chilling testimony from pre-trial hearings in Guantanamo. (ybruti)
• Did he "betray us" this time? Chris Rodda thinks so in Petraeus Endorses "Spiritual Handbook," Betrays 21% of Our Troops. (YatPundit)
• Kodiak54 illustrates life along the (East-West) border in No New Cold War...from an Old Cold Warrior... (jlms qkw)
• With stunning photos and accompanying essay, tgypsy shares a float down the Aniakchak River in Alaska, and reminds us that Alaska's birds, bears, mountains and rivers offer us more in the long run than gold, copper and other elements to be extracted from this wilderness in Dawn Chorus: Grizzly Bears Galore. (HansScholl)
• After a tragic summer, TomP lays out the plan for United Farm Workers in California in Yesterday we mourned, Today we act, Tomorrow we will gain justice. Sí se puede! (jlms qkw)
• Today is the anniversary of when Ringo joined the Beatles, and iampunha, in a continuing series of musical reflections, describes how the Beatles' music became part of one family's life and captured the spirit of the times in August 16, 1962: with a little help from my friends. (HansScholl)
• JackieandFritz brings us a heartwarming story of a chance meeting, a shared passion, and one man's incredible journey From Near Death To Near Gold. (a synthetic cubist)

jotter has High Impact Diaries - August 15, 2008 and carolita has Top Comments 8-16-08 -- Know Your McCain Edition.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread (even if you're the author! Here's where that's actually appreciated). And, of course, since it's an open thread, PLAY NICE, OK? 8^)

Tonight's Ranger Krewe is shayera, jennyjem, ItsJessMe, jlms qkw, and dadanation, with YatPundit driving the Editmobile, top-down on a very-humid night in the French Quarter.

• In a first diary, New Deal democrat details a few nascent signs that the economy may enter a better period by the end of this year in The first hints of a year-end economic Respite? (ItsJessMe)
• jamess describes The Escalator Effect: impacting an Ecosystem near you. (shayera)
• JohnnyRook shares some environmental news from around the world in EcoNoticiario # 8: Protesting Offshore Wind Farms in Spain; Growing Biofuels in Costa Rica. (shayera)
• KayDrah's diary about the death of veteran James Hoyt details more than just how this Holocaust Liberator's PTSD Haunted Him For Remainder of Life- Which Ended Monday. The diary also highlights the issue of PTSD and the need to pass The Veterans' Mental Health Extension Act of 2007. (dadanation)
• NeverStopTheProgress tells Kossacks that First Rule of SAPRO Is...Don't Talk About SAPRO. And encourages us to go sign the petition to Dr. Kaye Whitley. (shayera)
• Janusdog tells of how the economic bad times are becoming personal for her, and despairs at her Dad's unhelpful reaction to her news, in That planet must be a nice place. (ItsJessMe)
• dyrrachium brings us the welcome international news that after 60 years of rule by the often brutal Colorado Party, Paraguay has a new center-left president, in Fine Moments in American Democracy: Colorados Out in Paraguay. (ItsJessMe)
• karmsy reviews A 1961 Classic Book for Our Time, Jane Jacobs' city planning guide The Death and Life of Great American Cities, and discusses the role of cities in growing the middle class. (ItsJessMe)
• Redstateresident says goodbye to a loved 4-legged friend in Love and Loss redux: A dog's Tale. (YatPundit)
• By far one of the wonkiest non-economic diaries to appear on dKos, barath presents Closed captioning on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC: what it tells us. (YatPundit)
• With a cast that includes such luminaries as Christopher Hitchens, Richard Nixon, John Mitchell, LBJ, Dean Rusk, Ronald Reagan, John McCain and Dick Cheney, Grand Moff Texan uses the Nixonian ploy to sabotage the 1968 Vietnam Peace Negotiations as a lens to update the recent actions by Russia in Georgia. This remake, Starring Randy Scheuneman as the Dragon Lady, guarantees us more of the same old same old. (dadanation)
• grumpynerd improves our vocabularies with The Word Sommelier's Word of the Week, 8/15/2008, and it is indeed a "travesty." (jlms qkw)

jotter brings us High Impact Diaries: August 14, 2008.

monkeybiz has Top Comments 8.15.08: Wilbur's Web.

Please join the Diary Rescue krewe by suggesting your own picks in this Open Thread.

::

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are a synthetic cubist, drbcladd, grog, HansScholl, PaintyKat, and ybruti, with srkp23 editing.

• Influenced by the effect of war on a father and grandfather, professorfate explains How I Judge Obama's and McCain's Patriotism. (ybruti)
• Ammo Hauler mourns the loss of a tree in Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you've got til it's gone. (grog)
• Redstateresident writes a touching diary In Honor of My Departed Friend. A Brief Tale of Love and Loss ; and I'm not even a dog person. (drbcladd)
• Who is responsible for China's reckless pollution? The answer may surprise you. SolveClimate reveals that US Consumption Driving Growth in China's Emissions: Now What? (a synthetic cubist)
• BoxerDave summarizes the most recent in a long line of attacks on the Constitution and wonders, What's so funny about Peace, Love & the Fourth Amendment? (a synthetic cubist)
• Alec82 asks whether the changes to the 2008 Democratic platform concerning abortion are more semantic than substantial in The Politics of Abortion: Reports from the Front Lines. (PaintyKat)
• jillles provides an eye-witness account on What went wrong with election protection in 2004; more importantly, the diarist provides a long check-list to avoid making the same mistakes again. (drbcladd)
• With graphs, colors, and a steely-eyed look at the country's bottom line, aurabass explains why We Can't Afford Another Republican. (drbcladd)
• Dave Kamper discusses the relationship between fundraising by top of the ticket and downticket candidates in The National Netroots and Local Politics: some thoughts. (HansScholl)

jotter serves up High Impact Diaries: August 13, 2008.

noweasels brings Top Comments (and some other Top Stuff).

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are Louisiana 1976, Got a Grip, BentLiberal, srkp23, Larsstephens and sunspark says, with jennyjem doing the 'editor thing.'

The diaries up for rescue tonight are:

• American Zapatista proves that the middle east is not the only place where resources are being fought over in Indigenous Peoples, Biodiversity, Oil in the Western Amazon. (Larsstephens)
• dengre lays out the case that McCain is a bought man in Corrupt Sleazebags in bed: Ralph Reed hosts McCain Fundraiser... (BentLiberal)
• Valtin illustrates that prisoner abuses under this administration are not limited to Gitmo or even to terrorists in APA Referendum & the Prisons Issue: Vignettes from Hell. (sunspark says)
• Jim Esch, candidate for congress, offers a first-hand report from Kabul, in My Trip To Afghanistan. (srkp23)
• A Siegel reminds us all of the important environmental diaries that slip through the cracks with Eco-Diary Rescue: 8.13 (user's edition ...). (Larsstephens)
• On The Bus takes a hike to see Mother Nature's splendor and shares her journey in Glacier Natl Park Photo Essay: Animals. (Got a Grip)
• noweasels explains why it's not just sticks and stones that can wound in Her name is Christine and she is not "retarded." (Got a Grip)
• Nuisance Industry diaries on how Republicans for Obama are framing the Democratic candidate in Obama: The Traditional American Values candidate. (BentLiberal)
• A Siegel examines a new program that should garner some much needed publicity at both national conventions in Bike for Free: RNC and DNC opportunity. (Got a Grip)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: August 12, 2008.

emeraldmaiden has Top Comments 8-13-08 - Who Knew Turds Floated?

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are yashua, shayera, srkp23, dopper0189, sunspark says, jlms qkw and grog.

• Ivan Carter brings us a this critique of the Washington Post's Howard Kurtz and his bias against Senator Obama in Media Makes McCain's Case for Him in "Objective" Ad Watch Piece. (Yashua)
• John Terzano The Justice Project drops in to remind us that wrongly convicted people are still incarcerated throughout this country and that Post-Conviction DNA Testing Shouldn't Depend on Miracles. (sunspark says)
• True Independent takes a look at the Voter Registration Numbers --- Florida and surmises what they might mean for the elections. (shayera)
• TheBlaz highlights a great article by Rolling Stone magazine regarding the financing of both campaigns in Matt Taibbi: Candidates for Sale. (Yashua)
• Bryfry explores the latest advances preventing future Three Mile Islands in How has nuclear reactor safety improved? (sunspark says)
• angry liberaltarian gives us an update on the ABA's recent conference in Why I'm Proud to be a Member of the ABA. (dopper0189)
• Edubabbler highlights yet another money wasting Bush program in Over $50 million to certify 200 teachers. (shayera)
• shirah presents a report from the GAO concerning Privatization at the US Postal Service - What Follows is NOT an April Fools Joke. (srkp23)
• gjohnsit brings us another worrying financial story courtesy of the Bush/McCain financial philosophy in Selling our independence one dollar at a time. (dopper0189)
• If you want to read a thorough account of how we became entwined in the Middle East morass, kick back with your favorite beverage and settle in for this outstanding diary by tommybones: The State of the Union (a.k.a. - How did we get into this mess, anyway?) (sunspark says)

jotter gives us the day's High Impact Diaries - August 11, 2008, while brillig has Top Comments- 8/12/08 M-I-C...K- E-dition.

Shamelessly self promote your diary or pimp for a friend in this Open Thread!

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are Louisiana 1976, PaintyKat, a synthetic cubist, dopper0189, Larsstephens and drbcladd, with Got a Grip as editor du jour.

Illumination

• Johnny Venom brings us another installment of his excellent economic series, complete with charts: Manufacturing Monday: Numbers, Tesla, world trade reversal, and China overtakes US. (a synthetic cubist)
• 8ackgr0und N015e exposes criminal security weaknesses by juxtaposing complex technological systems during the Infowars: Free subway rides AND stealing elections!!!. (Larsstephens)
• Boxer7 explains the shifting geopolitical emphasis due to global warming by telling us What the Coast Guard knows: Battleground Arctic. (Larsstephens)
• gmoke attempts to productivly reframe our vociferous progressive discourse with Attitude Advertising Versus Practical Solutions. (Larsstephens)

Contemplation

• Seneca Doane ponders just how many sins modern politicians ought to confess if planning to run for public office in Secrets and Lies (and Sanctimonious Columnists). (PaintyKat)
• ScottyUrb writes a very personal 100^th diary about his Values. Why are you progressive? (drbcladd)
• Tula Connell perfectly captures the essense of the corporate elite's belief system in Chamber of Commerce Staff Gets Drunk, Blames Workers. (dopper0189)

Inspiration

• In McCain buzzkill antidote: Cullen Jones shatters stereotypes, saves lives, davidkc muses on the unique significance of one of our gold medalists. (a synthetic cubist)

jotter shares the High Impact Diaries.

asimbagirlhasTop Comments - Favorite Summer Vacation Edition.

Rescue Rangers:

Yashua, watercarrier4diogenes, ezdidit, srkp23, jlms qkw, drbcladd and claude

Rescued Diaries:

• In Fox: "drifting away from the standards of straight news", wardeo informs that there is now absolutely nothing left that Faux News won't sell out. (watercarrier4diogenes)
• In the first what promises to be several diaries on the topic, Mebe says "Hello, they will lose Billions if Obama is president!" when asked why the media has the agenda they do. (drbcladd)
• Interceptor7's Ground report: canvassing in Wisconsin reinforces just how powerful an effect 'participatory politics' can have on each of us, whether participant or recipient. (watercarrier4diogenes)
• The Cranes are Falling, and BobboSphere points out that Secretary Elaine Chao of the "Bush Labor Department has sat on a set of tougher crane standards for 4 years." (ezdidit)
• iampunha gives us a thoughtful and loving tribute to a unique American institution and the man who endowed it in August 10, 1846: Thank you, James Smithson. (jlms qkw)
• Crashing Vor pays tribute to one of the brave men who leaked the Pentagon Papers: Anthony Russo, American Hero. (srkp23)
• Brown Man ATL ponders Recarving Our Cultural Totem Pole. (srkp23)
• American Zapatista inaugurates a valuable series with This week in Indigenous Peoples' Rights. (srkp23)
• alpolitics explains a dire consequence of poor decisions and uncontrollable circumstances in Country's Largest Municipal Bankruptcy. (jlms qkw)
• Indian tribal relations with San Jacinto police have taken a turn for the worse since the tribe's lawful cancellation of a police contract, and Urtica dioica gracilis asks, The Soboba: sovereign or subject? (ezdidit)

(Editor's note) You be the judges: artful spoof or forgotten history? The Rescue Rangers make no claim of veracity for this diary, but it is a good read anyway...

• Who KNEW!?!? two roads highlight's the origins of a popular band's name, in Saturday Night Uforia: The 'Foo Fighters' of World War II and spooks the heck out of all of us. (watercarrier4diogenes)

va dare has Top Comments 8.10.08 TC Memories

jotter's High Impact Diaries:

DAILY

WEEKLY

Open Thread. Speak up. Play nice.

This evening's Rescue Rangers are ybruti, jlms qkw (pulling double duty), HansScholl, dadanation and srkp23, with watercarrier4diogenes at the wheel of the Editmobile, the Robes of Objectivity flapping wildly behind him.

Tonight's diaries cover a variety of interesting issues not covered by the 'traditional media' (tm Kos) and definitely not with the same dismal 'truthiness' that the Broders of that notorious 'village' inside 'The Beltway' are known for.

• For dmhlt 66, the 34th anniversary of the resignation of Richard Nixon is a day to lament the loss of a leader in his impeachment in We Need a Barbara Jordan: Nixon's Resignation Anniversary, while the same day leads Shocko from Seattle to compare the hope following Nixon's resignation with the disappointment of Nixon's continuing legacy in Here's to the state of Richard Nixon. (HansScholl)
• Watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony with her daughter is the catalyst for classico's very touching Beijing and My Daughter. (dadanation)
• Barcelona offers provocative thoughts on the meaning of the Olympic opening ceremonies, the legend of China's origins, and the prospects for a better world in A different kind of Shock and Awe (or the answer to "why do they hate us?"). (HansScholl)
• Indonesian Ajipon uses his rare vantage point to comment on democracy in Authoritarian China? It May Be Best - My POV. (jlms qkw)
• iampunha looks back at the Berlin Olympics, in August 9, 1936: What could have happened. (srkp23)
• Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse grounds her discussion in solid history and legal opinions in Remembering Spiritual Death: In Honor of World's Indigenous People Day. (jlms qkw)
• With many scholarly references, daw13 explores What Racism does to White People. (ybruti)
• True Independent provides thoughtful analysis of Voter Registration Numbers ---- Iowa and their potential impact. (jlms qkw)
• Poor John McCain. Trouble abounds in his very own home state. Quite a bit of it. Gramarye lays it out in Neo-Nazis, Battered Wives, and the Arizona Republican Party. (dadanation)
• Bcgntn laments our nuclear history and future, highlighting that America is One of Three nations that refuses to support the abolition of the manufacture and use of nuclear weapons. (srkp23)
• Christy1947 reveals a new tactic for prosecution and punishment in No longer independent judiciary. (jlms qkw)
• zoniedude analyzes the role of journalism in Fraud is more poisonous than Anthrax. (ybruti)
• Since you can't tell a player without a program, for the upcoming Democratic and Republican gatherings, juliewolf has your snark-filled guide as to What to expect at the conventions. (dadanation)
• jlang57 illustrates strong belief in family, tradition and fun by way of a game of pinochle in "Whole lotta blacks..." (dadanation)

jotter has High Impact Diaries - August 8, 2008 and sardonyx has Top Comments: Clogged Tubes Edition.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread (even if you're the author! Here's where that's actually appreciated). And, of course, since it's an open thread, PLAY NICE, OK? 8^)

Tonight's Rescue Rangers are Got a Grip, PaintyKat, BentLiberal, Larsstephens, sunspark says, and drbcladd with vcmvo2 as editor.

~ Maria Montessori ~

Establishing lasting peace is the work of education; all politics can do is keep us out of war.

Here are the diaries up for rescue:

Health, Education & Welfare

• eugene explains why we must fight for universal health coverage in Growing Support for Medicare For All (vcmvo2) while DrSteveB urges us all to scrub up and Ask Platform Committee To Call For Real Universal Health Care. (Larsstephens)
• gmoke shares news of ingenious designs for tools that will provide practical solutions to the poor throughout the world in International Development Design Summit. (Got a Grip)
• In NWTerriD's "Is Obama Tough Enough?", the diarist challenges readers to define "tough" and gives her own interpretation of the candidate's toughness. (BentLiberal)
• Inspired by McCain's "The One" ad, grumpynerd has decided that The Word Sommelier's Word of the Week is "blasphemy." (sunspark says)

Politics & War

• Frustrated by the inaction of those in command, NeverStopTheProgress reported the statistic that 1 in 3 women in the military had complained of being raped on a military blog. Today she shares some of the attitudes that she encountered there in Comments Made on My Rape in the Military Blog: Rape Stats are "Pure Propaganda.". (sunspark says)
• Crashing Vor chronicles Republican crimes in Jefferson Parish, LA in Every Last Damn Dirty Trick. (BentLiberal)
• Cordelia Lear takes a lunch break and demonstrates how to walk the walk of personal activism in Annoying Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11). (Got a Grip)
• sunspark says shines a little light on an issue that keeps poll-addicted handwringers up at night in What we don't always understand: 5-point lead = electoral landslide. (Got a Grip)
• Examining the state of the art of the panopticon, Leslie in CA reports what is soon to be our most traded commodity - our privacy, along with the very latest from Naomi Klein: Police State 2.0, from China with Love. (Larsstephens)
• Drawing on "ruskie yazik" skills, Marcion provides an Update on Russian-Georgian conflict in S. Ossetia direct from the Russian horse's ... mouth. (drbcladd)

The Environment

• MsGrin humorously poses questions concerning whether we should open more land for drilling to reduce fuel costs for Americans in Drill Here! Drill Now! (where exactly?) (PaintyKat)
• mataliandy examines the insanely buggy new weather "software" our energy consumption has foist upon us in Weather 2.0 - Turn Around, Don't Drown!. (sunspark says)
• Wishing your old car was more efficient? snackdoodle compares gas mileage in US-made cars sold in America and in Europe and finds the American versions seriously wanting in We've Been Played By US Auto Manufacturers On CAFE Standards. (sunspark says)

Establishing peace

• etenglish was reminded by fellow church members at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist church, following the recent violence there, that it takes the strongest kind of people to love by choice, instead of hating by default in Meditation on Bravery. (PaintyKat)
• teacherken weaves life, death and spirituality into a personal piece on loss and continuing on in Greg: 1/28/92-7/31/08. (BentLiberal)

jotter has High Impact Diaries - August 7, 2008.

emeraldmaiden brings Top Comments 8-08-08 - Lazy Crazy Days of Summer.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread.

::