It’s Fourth of July week, and so it’s time for an extra-patriotic rendition of the Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup. Off the Kuff takes a look at the latest Lyceum poll on the Governor and Senate races in Texas. Neil at Texas Liberal suggests that instead of blowing of your fingers lighting fireworks–during a drought in Harris County no less—that maybe you would be better off reading a book instead. With 2010 spinning up, it’s funny to watch all the diffe... Read Full Story

Time for a sabbatical – no computers for a while.   BossKitty is taking a necessary break in routine.  In depth research has dominated my attention to the detriment of more urgent requirements.  Even though the news is especially disturbing,  there are too  many personal things demanding my attention. The shift in global circumstances may be influencing some if this attention. BossKitty is engaged in personal risk-management. Having decided to be a survivor, my personal life needs more... Read Full Story

Photos courtesy of LA Times photo slide show. Photos courtesy of LA Times photo slide show. The Ayatollah who thinks he’s Allah has visions of grandeur.  If Khamenei has received a “divine message”, one would wonder if he heard it right.  Khamenei behaves as though he is infallible, is he guilty of pride and arrogance? Hadith Qudsi, Allah says: “Greatness and Pride is my cloak (My qualities) whoever claims to have these, I will enter him into the fire of hell”.  ... Read Full Story

It’s Monday, the day after the first day of summer, and it’s time for another Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup. President Obama, Bill White, and John Sharp are all in the same sinking DOMA boat. The Texas Cloverleaf comes off of hiatus to tell you why. CouldBeTrue from South Texas Chisme cheers the impeachment of Judge Kent. 4 articles passed without a single nay. Lets hope the Senate is through with him by August. BossKitty at TruthHugger finally signed up for Twitter t... Read Full Story

Excerpt from a CNN interview with Fareed Zakaria:   ‘Fatal wound’ inflicted on Iranian regime’s ideology‘ “We are watching the fall of Islamic theocracy” in Iran, Fareed Zakaria tells CNN Zakaria: “Street and state are at odds again, but this time the clerics are divided” Obama’s overtures make it hard for regime to demonize U.S., Zakaria says Zakaria: … I don’t mean the Iranian regime will fall soon. It may — I cert... Read Full Story

Her Name Was Neda… Early today, a beautiful young woman was demonstrating in Tehran, along with her father. When friction between the Basiji – the brutal packs of militia that patrol the streets of Tehran, beating women and children and students — and the demonstrators broke out, it was her ill-fortune to become one of the first victims of Basiji homicide, though she was doing nothing more than standing by innocently, watching. It is said that a Basij sniper shot her through... Read Full Story

Suu Kyi turns 64 in Myanmar jail Myanmar’s opposition leader is spending her 64th birthday in Yangon’s Insein prison as supporters across the world continue to call for her release. Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial for violating her house arrest after an American man swam to her lakeside residence. A court decision is expected on Friday on her appeal to allow two previously barred witnesses to testify in her trial. Confined for nearly 14 of the past 20 years, the Nobel laureate’... Read Full Story

Oh, the contradiction of it all. Obama to grant benefits to same-sex partners of fed employees WASHINGTON (CNN) — President Barack Obama will sign a memorandum Wednesday granting health care and other benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, two senior administration officials said. The signing will take place in the Oval Office and follows sharp criticism [...] Read Full Story

If I had to choose between high priced arrogant profiteering insurance corporations and uninspired, underpaid, uninterested bureaucratic medical providers, I would hitchhike to Mexico or Canada. Read Full Story

CIA head suggests Cheney hoping for terrorist attack CNN) — Dick Cheney’s recent criticism of the Obama administration’s national security policies suggests the former vice president is almost “wishing” the United States gets hit with another terrorist attack, according to CIA Director Leon Panetta. … Panetta says Cheney’s wide range of recent criticisms of Obama — including the [...] Read Full Story