"Cries From The Gulf" by Lea Morris

Anyone who has ever chanted "Drill Baby Drill" should watch this five minute video, a heart-breaking open letter written and narrated by Gulf Coast native Lea Morris, who poignantly discusses the millions impacted by the Deepwater Horizon disaster. (Produced by ROF Productions who really care about our future.)

Papantonio: BP - The Manslaughter Felon

Mike Papantonio of Ring of Fire Radio discusses the history of BP and Halliburton, including their past as convicted felons. These two felons are responsible for the oil spill that is dumping millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, and we're supposed to expect them to tell us the truth about what happened? Given their histories, that seems highly unlikely.

Can we also talk eco-terrorism here? When are we going to properly penalize for corporate crimes? To be sure, folks are in US jails for a long time for a lot less. I'm happy to add my voice to Shannyn Moore's chorus, "Jail, Baby, Jail!"

To Read: Righteous Porkchop

I've just been listening to a great Ring of Fire podcast segment featuring an interview by Bobby Kennedy Jr. of vegetarian attorney activist Nicolette Hahn Niman, author of Righteous Porkchop, Finding a Life -- and Good Food -- Beyond Factory Farms. Did you know a chicken is not an animal, and therefore not entitled to laws about animal cruelty? Egg laying hens are cramped 6-9 hens per cage, live a gruesome life and when they are spent at 1 year of age they are vacuumed into a chopper while they are totally alive -- there is no attempt to make this painless or fearless.

Niman is now married to a humane cattle rancher where animals are treated relatively well. (Okay, I'm a vegetarian so I use the term relative) The disappearance of the family farmer by these large soulless corporate system should be a concern of all of us since our food supply is suffering as a result. There are hopeful signs of it shifting -- including CSAs and green markets -- but there is much to be done. Read the book or at least check out the podcast.

Senator Bernie Sanders for Single Payer

Senator Bernie Sanders: "How does it happen that after we spend twice as much per capita on healthcare as any other nation we end up being the only major country in the world that does not guarantee healthcare to every man woman and child in a comprehensive way? ...

"The way that we [should] move is to say:

• Every American is entitled to healthcare
  
• It has got to be comprehensive healthcare
  
• The function of healthcare is not to make money for private health insurance company but to provide cost effective healthcare to all Americans....

"The only conclusion that you reach is that a Single Payer system is where we need to go as a nation....The function of health insurance companies is not to provide healthcare, it is to deny healthcare because every dollar they don't spend on healthcare is another dollar that they are making in profits."

-- [As heard on Ring of Fire Radio, May 30 and 31st, Air America Radio, available by podcast via iTunes, but current show playable here.]

Don't Blame Unions For Detroit's Ills

Mike Papantonio does another great Pap Attack, this time explaining who is really behind the failure of the Big 3 (and it isn't the workers!!). Love Pap, Ring of Fire, and Bobby -- catch the full audio on AirAmerica.com but this four minute visual says much.