Understanding and Accepting a Crisis
by Cody Lyon
The anonymous analyst said that Wall Street is all about leverage, going on to charge that leverage is like odds, you bet one, but if you lose, you lose a thousand.

During that same conversation at a downtown bar, the analyst said that Wall Streets assets are based on synthetic value, mere blips on a screen than actual assets.

by CODY LYON
On February 5, 2005, the New York City Department of Health in conjunction with the Aaron Diamond Aids Research Center called a press conference and issued an urgent health alert to the public. The event was especially targeted towards men who have sex with men. According to health officials, one individual had been infected with what appeared to be a never before seen particularly potent and apparently mutated strain of HIV that had rapidly progressed to full blown AIDS.

Doctors treating the patient said the man was resistant to three out of four classes of drugs available used to treat HIV/AIDS, a condition clinically called 3-DCR-HIV.

At the press conference, New York City Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden, warned "virtually no one is immune" saying the new super strain virus could quickly progress into full-blown AIDS, perhaps in as little as two to twenty months, a process that normally takes up to ten years.

By Cody Lyon
Politics was flowing from mouths faster than the sweat from brows at New York City's Crunch Gym on Lafayette this past Wednesday as a group of amateur pundits gathered within the downtown house of body worship engaging in more chit and chat than arms on curls.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. So I have bene doing this almost exactly three years. And boy are my arms tired! (sorry!) Having organized protests against the Republican Convention, I found I had a core of activists who needed some encouragement after Bush "won" re-"election". My carefully thought out suggestions as to where we could go from that defeat led to this more-or-less weekly newsletter.

This week I discuss Global Warming (mainly with references to Daily Kos diaries) and a neat little way you can help feed people while building vocabulary. I also do a roundup of local progressive events for places where I have the most readers over the last couple of weeks. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Having organized protests against the Republican Convention, I found I had a core of activists who were looking to me for support after Bush "won" re-"election". My carefully thought out suggestions as to where we could go from that defeat led to this more-or-less weekly newsletter. EVERYONE REMEMBER: TUESDAY IS ELECTION DAY IN MANY STATES. VOTE!

This week I discuss the declining Republican Party, Ann Coulter's Extremist Intolerance, Child Soldiers in Burma, Rudy Giuliani's screwing of New York's firefighters, and rape and women's rights in Indian Country. I also focus on local actions and events in New York State, New York City, New Jersey, Virginia, California, Iowa and Mississippi. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.

The Progressive Democrat Newsletter grew out of the frustration of the 2004 election. Having organized protests against the Republican Convention, I found I had a core of activists who were looking to me for support after Bush "won" re-"election". My carefully thought out suggestions as to where we could go from that defeat led to this more-or-less weekly newsletter.

This week I discuss fighting the Burmese dictators and making money by investing in alternative energy. I revisit from last week targeting one of the most horrible, corrupt, anti-science Republicans, Joe Barton, one of the Katrina 11. I also focus on local actions and events in New York State, New York City, Texas, Virginia, California and New Jersey. Don't forget to visit an advertiser or two and if you want more, please visit Culture Kitchen.

This week I discuss targeting ME Senator Collins as an enabler of the McCain/Bush/Lieberman escalation, call Rudy Giuliani to task for his Karl Rove like tactics, and discuss what it REALLY means to support the troops. If you visit my blog, don't forget to click on an advertiser or two since that helps me keep the blog going. As usual I also highlight local events and organizations for several states. And, if you want more political and social discussions, please check out our offerings on Culture Kitchen.

Dear Future New York State Senator, Brian Keeler (NYBri),

I want to take this opportunity to broadly, and without any authority whatsoever, speak on behalf of the entire blogosphere by asking you to... relax. Take it easy.

Okay, so you're running for NY State Senate against a punk-ass Republican incumbent and that might cause a little stress.

Sure, as a long time net-denizen you and your campaign have become a cause célèbre with the progressive political blogosphere and that might put a little pressure on some.

And, yeah... The results of your pioneering run will, in many ways, reflect upon the current state of the 'gate-crashing' movement... the degree of influence... and the motivation and ability to get 'one of our own' elected to office.

So what! We really don't expect that much of you. How could we? You're just a mild mannered guy who believes what he says and acts as he believes.

You are invited to a NYC Fundraiser to benefit the campaign of NY State Senate Candidate Brian Keeler!

Our Netroots candidate is ready to ROCK with his first Manhattan fundraiser, but we need your help to spread the word!!

If you could please communicate this important message to everyone you know -- and ask them to spread the word as well -- it would be infinitely appreciated!

This event MUST be a huge success as it will serve as a sort of symbolic measuring stick (in the eyes of DC and the media) of the Netroot's determination to walk the walk when it comes to putting our ideas and passion into a position of policy determination (i.e. getting our people elected).

Cross-posted from Talk to Action

Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians. Your mission is "to conduct physical and spiritual warfare"; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life.