Suburban Guerrilla

Why spend all that money for a new TV? Remember what I learned last year: If you’re in the market for an LCD TV, check Craigslist the day after Christmas – when everyone upgrades, and they have to get rid of the “old” one.

A little Thanksgiving standup from the late, great Mitch Hedberg:

It’s just not Thanksgiving without it!

Today, I give thanks for my kids, my family, my friends, for an apartment with heat and electric included, for a car that runs, readers who always give me something to think about, music, books, the occasional medical provider who knows what he or she is doing, compassionate people, people in need who allow us to help and even people who are real pains in the ass (because they’re our greatest teachers).

For sunrises, sunsets, Vitamin D, Claritin, massage, guitars, pianos and the sound of percussion; anything artfully made; guinea pigs, kittens and puppies (but not yet squirrels or deer); for hard times that bring us closer together and remind us what’s important and what isn’t, and for common causes (because we’re also here to learn the power of the collective, for good or evil).

Oh, and thanks for the Addams Family Thanksgiving, to remind us of the bloody massacres that were the original inspiration for this holiday.

What is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

(h/t Heather)

You absolutely shouldn’t go out and get the newest Rolling Stone, because you’d read the new Matt Taibbi story about how Obama handed economic policy over to Wall Street and the RS editorial about what serious doubts they have about Obama, and then you’d be really depressed.

Taibbi ends with:

There’s no other way to say it: Barack Obama, a once-in-a-generation political talent whose graceful conquest of America’s racial dragons en route to the White House inspired the entire world, has for some reason allowed his presidency to be hijacked by sniveling, low-rent shithead. Instead of reining in Wall Street, Obama has allowed himself to be seduced by it, leaving even his erstwhile campaign adviser, ex-Fed chief Paul Volcker, concerned about a “moral hazard” creeping over the administration.

“The obvious danger is that with the passage of time, risk-taking will be encouraged and efforts at prudential restraint will be resisted,” Volcker told Congress in September, expressing concerns about all the regulatory loopholes in [Barney] Frank’s bill. “Ultimately, the possibility of further crises – even greater crises – will increase.”

What’s troubling is that we don’t know if Obama has changed, or if the influence of Wall Street is simply a fundamental and ineradicable element of our electoral system. What we do know is that Barack Obama pulles a bait-and-switch on us. If it was any other politician, we wouldn’t be surprised. Maybe’s it’s our fault for thinking he was different.

No, Matt. It’s not your fault for thinking that. It’s your fault for using your erroneous beliefs as the basis for your acts: attacking the other, more viable candidate in the primary and painting her as a sleazebag.

Because if there’s one thing I know about Hillary Clinton, it’s that she’s a lot more liberal than Barack Obama about most things – and she knows how to fight. Looks like you backed the wrong horse!

Too bad everyone at RS missed the other clues – you know, like the massive amounts of early money pumped into Obama’s long shot campaign by Wall Street? See, some of us were paying attention.

You remember AIG, right? The bottomless pit into which the government poured our money?

AIG had reason to be pleased with its purchase. Water utilities are one hell of a profitable business, with international corporations easily making a 20 to 30% profit margin, according to a 2007 report by Food and Water Watch. In the US, federal regulations limit profits to 10%, a pesky rule that companies easily subvert by shuffling their income around and “investing” it in side businesses. These kinds of returns would be the envy of the pharmaceutical and oil industries. How do water companies do it? According to Food and Water Watch, they charge 50% more for services than public utilities and pocket the difference, thereby unleashing the potential of the free market.

People who have been ripped off by bailed-out banks’ schemes to trick late fees out of their customers will recognize what Utilities Inc. did to the people of Middlesboro and Clinton. In the summer of 2008, as AIG was teetering and desperate for funds, it “upgraded” its billing system, and suddenly a slew of late fee charges hit the struggling locals.

Residents had been getting their water bills like clockwork for as long as anyone could remember, but confusion and disorder set in as soon as Utilities rolled out its new and improved billing system. Monthly statements started coming late or didn’t come in for months at a time. People were double-billed and double-penalized for bills that never arrived. One month, a bill would include sewer fees, the next month it wouldn’t—and you’d be charged if didn’t catch the omission. It’s obvious the new invoice system was designed for pure harassment, creating chaos and reaping the rewards of the late fees it generated.

[...] One million dollars may not seem like much these days, but it sure meant a lot to the poverty-stricken residents of Middlesbro and Clinton. There were quite a few bleak handwritten statements filed with Clinton’s city hall during a public hearing on the water rates increase. It makes sense to quote them to get a feel for the level of despair that exists in rural communities like this all over the United States.

Here’s one from August 8, 2009:

I get $675.00 a month, if they raise the water, or utilities, I can’t pay them. I would have to go without water, etc. or gas. I’m disabled and I can’t walk. Raising the utilities hurt a lot of people here in Clinton. Not just me but everyone. As it is I can’t pay the water bills because its high. But I pay what I can.

And here is another from August 12, 2009:

I feel that a rate increase of 50.8% will add a heavy burden on our small rural community. Our citizin [sic] that lives in our city are on Social Security, have full time jobs that pay barely minimum wage or are working as many as 3 part time jobs to make their monthly budget.

And another from May, 2009:

I always have a high bills [sic] to pay. I pay what I can. I am on disable. [sic] I try not to use too much water. But yet I have a high water bill. If the bill goes up, I will be lucky to pay them $10.00 instead of $80.00.

In the end, Kentucky’s regulatory commission reduced the water rate increase from 50.1% to 30%. How long before they try raise the rate again? Or until the energy company decides to follow suit? It’s hard to say. But one thing is for certain: AIG’s takeover shows again that the American people were screwed by the bailed-out billionaires, who, instead of showing gratitude or willingness to reciprocate, have been preying upon the most vulnerable Americans like they are 15th century barons soaking the peasants.

And as our cities and states start leasing out and selling public infrastructure to pay off their municipal debts, we can expect banks to gain more control of public wealth. Middlesbro and Clinton are a glimpse into the future of post-privatized America.

What this country needs are a few more Tyler Durdens.

Parts 1 and 2:

I totally stole this from Will. Gnarls Barkley:

Gnarls Barkley “Crazy”

Gnarls Barkley | MySpace Music Videos

My friend Natasha, who’s written about her past life inside an abusive relationship, points out “Every Breath You Take” isn’t a love song and reminds us why the movie “Twilight” sends a bad message:

i can certainly appreciate the schlock factor in enjoying a movie. hell, i still like labyrinth. it’s the worry that people whose self esteem isn’t what it could be might start finding controlling, violently impulsive people more attractive than they ought to, which is not at all.

a third of women will be abused in their lifetimes, and i don’t like the idea of further popularizing relationship dynamics that should instead be marked as bright, bright warning signs.

grown men taking care of toddler girls that they intend to raise to marry; partners that are hot, then cold, then hot, then push you away without explanation or choice; a woman staying with her violently abusive partner because they’re ‘destined’ for each other; stalking; a 100 year old guy that goes to high school to hit on an impressionable teen who then abandons all other plans besides romance for her future – i don’t know. …

i don’t think these are good stories for people to tell each other about how love and romance are supposed to be. especially not young people. i think they’re harmful, and i think so because stuff like that, minus all the supernatural window dressing, really happens and it isn’t entertaining.

it just seems like harmless fun to most people, i know. but not to me.

Speaking of extreme makeovers: I’m watching Rachel Ray, and her staff located a soup kitchen in Wilmington, Ohio that’s been overwhelmed by local job losses – and running out of food. Not only did Ray restock their pantry (enough for a year), she had her team do a complete makeover of the kitchen and dining room. She also hosted a Thanksgiving dinner for 2000 in the local convention center.

I’m not ashamed to say I cried. There’s so much bad news in the world, I just love it when people help each other.

This happened in the next neighborhood over, and it’s so very sad. It turns out that the cop who shot this kid has been the subject of seven civilian complaints – and apparently has a drinking problem.

He should have been booted off the force a long time ago, but you know how that goes. They should have stopped him before he killed someone. They didn’t.

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha! This should be good:

Former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs, pondering a future in politics, is trying to wipe away his image as an enemy of Latino immigrants by positioning himself as a champion of that fast-growing ethnic bloc.

Mr. Dobbs, who left the network last week, has said in recent days that he is considering a third-party run for a New Jersey Senate seat in 2012, or possibly for president. Polls show voters unhappy with both parties, and strategists believe Mr. Dobbs could tap populist anger over economy issues just as Ross Perot did in the 1990s.

First, though, Mr. Dobbs is working to repair what a spokesman conceded is a glaring flaw: His reputation for antipathy toward Latino immigrants. In a little-noticed interview Friday, Mr. Dobbs told Spanish-language network Telemundo he now supports a plan to legalize millions of undocumented workers, a stance he long lambasted as an unfair “amnesty.”

“Whatever you have thought of me in the past, I can tell you right now that I am one of your greatest friends and I mean for us to work together,” he said in a live interview with Telemundo’s Maria Celeste. “I hope that will begin with Maria and me and Telemundo and other media organizations and others in this national debate that we should turn into a solution rather than a continuing debate and factional contest.”

Mr. Dobbs twice mentioned a possible legalization plan for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S., saying at one point that “we need the ability to legalize illegal immigrants under certain conditions.”

Mr. Dobbs couldn’t be reached Tuesday. Spokesman Bob Dilenschneider said Mr. Dobbs draws a distinction between illegal immigrants who have committed crimes since arriving in the U.S. and those who are “living upright, positive and constructive lives” who should be “integrated” into society. He said Mr. Dobbs recognizes the political importance of Latinos and is “smoothing the water and clearing the air.”

Boy, some political consultants are really going to earn their pay on this one!

My landlady told me a few days ago how surprised she was to hear an interview on the local NPR station with two families from our neighborhood, part of the 100 local families using a local church’s food bank. When I saw her the next day, she said she’d mentioned the story to a friend who belongs to that church, and the friend told her the story was wrong: There are actually 200 families using the food bank.

I went through my cabinets and sent over a box of food. In the meantime, I thought I’d remind readers how many of our neighbors are struggling through these desperate times. If you can still afford to give anything, please go through your cupboards and donate this week to your local food bank.

If you don’t know of one, you can look for them here. You can also contact them if you need help for yourself or your family (in most states, you can also call 211 to find out what services are available):

Feeding America

Pantry Net

Angel Food Ministries

Foodpantries.org

The Harry Chapin Food Bank (Northwest Florida)

The Chester County Food Bank (PA)

New York State Regional Food Banks

Food Bank NYC

Northern Illinois Food Bank

North Texas Food Bank

There are, of course, thousands more food banks around the country. If you know of one you’d like to recommend, please leave a link in the comments.

I wonder what’s going on?

When a Washington Post columnist headlines his piece “Whose Side Is Obama On?” and the column is pretty much an all-out attack on Tim Geither, I’d say we’re already in the second stage of Geithner’s exit. The White House will deny it, of course – until the day it happens.

But since Obama is so locked into the Wall St. mindset, I can’t imagine that anyone he selects will be much different from Geithner.

It seems that Kent Conrad is holding the health care bill hostage – in exchange for a Social Security commission, of course. Read all the disgusting details here.

Oh, and Kent? How do we have an employer-based system when millions of people are out of work?

John Mayer:

What Ian said.

I sent $10 a few weeks ago to those high school kids from West Philly High who beat out MIT in a super-efficient car design competition. They’re raising money to fund their work in the next phase of the contest. (If only you knew how few advantages the kids at this school have, you’d understand how amazing they are.)

Anyway, I got a handwritten letter in return today and it really warmed my heart:

Dear Susan Madrak,
My name is Darmell Bailey and I am a sophomore on the West Philly Hybrid X Team. We were so excited to receive your donation to the team.

We thank you so much for your contribution to the team. Please visit us at our website, www.evxteam.org.

Sincerely,
Darmell Bailey

Go give them a few bucks if you can spare it. After all, they’re trying to make the world a greener place! (And check out their blogs, they’re a hoot!)

Never, ever, ever let your child go to one to the proprietary chain schools you see on TV. (Okay, there are a handful of good ones, but double-check everything they tell you – and talk to graduates about their job placement.) I worked at one briefly, and it was such a bad experience, I don’t even list it on my resume. Hell, I don’t even like to talk about it. The practices they encouraged us to use to sign up students made me sick.

The Washington Monthly tells you why they’re so bad.

From the Media Mobilizing Project, this infuriating news.

On Tuesday, we officially learned that Comcast has challenged the City of Philadelphia’s application to the federal government for stimulus funds to build broadband infrastructure for disenfranchised communities. This decision by Comcast exhibits the worst of corporate malfeasance and it must be challenged.

Comcast is making the legal argument that as long as they provide Internet service in a geographic area, they will attempt to legally block federal or state funding that aims to bridge the digital divide. Their argument is that in areas where they serve, there are no unserved or underserved communities (read: no digital divide). Of course this is bogus because Philadelphia, the city of Comcast’s home office, has one of the highest rates of digital exclusion, which is no surprise because digital exclusion co-occurs with poverty.

I don’t know how it is everywhere else, but in Philadelphia, you can’t buy Comcast high-speed internet without also buying cable TV. And it just ain’t cheap.

The point here is not that Comcast is wrong, which is obvious. The point is that they are a bad corporate citizen. They get tax breaks and untold benefits by the municipality and commonwealth and then they attempt to block federal money from coming to this city to solve a serious problem, which will have a great deal to do with how Philadelphia greets the 21st century. And while it is a bit of a stretch, the merger is a part of this equation because Comcast already wields far too much power in this city and the merger only promises to give them more power in setting the agenda of this region.

On this one last point. When we were putting together the City’s proposal for stimulus funding for digital inclusion, Comcast was there in the room. They were there when they were not in the room, and when decisions were made that they did not like, they were there in the room none of us get to be in, setting the terms of the debate. That is a fact.

Call your Congress critters. This can’t be allowed to stand.

Oh, and David Cohen? Fuck you.

Here, tell him yourself!

The Muppets! (I totally stole this from Karl M.):

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DEFICIT????

WASHINGTON (CBS News) ― President Obama vowed to “finish the job” in Afghanistan today, less than 24 hours after his final meeting on determining a new strategy going forward in the war.

At a brief press conference following a meeting with India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, Mr. Obama said that “after eight years, some of those years in which we did not have, I think, either the resources or the strategy to get the job done, it is my intention to finish the job.”

“And I feel very confident that when the American people hear a clear rationale for what we’re doing there, and how we intend to achieve our goals, that they will be supportive,” he continued.

The president was responding to a question from CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller, the only question he took at the appearance.

Looks like, as in everything else, President Obama is planning to split the difference by giving the general some of what he wants, but not everything. (Kind of like being a little bit pregnant!)

Since that strategy has worked so well with everything else, you can see why he’d be eager to repeat it.

First things first! Nancy’s right:

The deficit debate in Washington misses the fundamental point, said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Tuesday, arguing that the primary objective for policy makers should be job creation — without which, the deficit will explode as tax revenues collapse.

“What I’ve told the members is that we have a lot of good ideas [regarding job creation]. We have to prioritize them, get them out there and figure out how we will eventually pay for them, but not be bogged down in the next couple years by that,” Pelosi said on a conference call with a handful of economic reporters and economists who blog.

“The debate between deficit reduction and job creation is not a real choice, because we’ll never have deficit reduction unless we have job creation. Of course we have to be sensitive to how this is paid for, but that doesn’t mean we don’t do it.”

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who is often more hawkish on the deficit than Pelosi, spoke in similar terms in an interview with HuffPost last week, putting the Speaker and her top lieutenant on the same page.

“Obviously, the economy has to be regenerated before we can have any shot at getting the deficit under control, so you’ve got to get the economy moving first,” he said.

Pelosi said that the House is considering a variety of plans, including extending unemployment insurance (UI), subsidized health benefits (COBRA), assistance to state and local governments, improving small businesses’ access to credit, investing in green buildings and “targeted public service jobs.”

National Geographic International Photo Competition finalists. Go vote!

Editor & Publisher has a much-needed look at how the right wing worked to perpetuate their attacks on the group – and how readily the media accepted their framing – even worse, willingly amplified it.

UPDATE: Marcy points out that the beat reporters who were already familiar with ACORN were the only ones who didn’t swallow the bait.

What Ezra said.

In a system without the filibuster, the threat of repeal, as opposed to the impossibility of action, becomes the dominant player in legislative design, and it’s much to be preferred. The clear accountability of passing laws and being judged on their success is far superior to the confusing campaigns that result from promising the passage of laws and then failing to surmount a filibuster.

Well, the insurance company never paid the $60 in back co-pays they said they would, and the doctor’s office is saying I HAVE to pay them.

Back to the threats, I suppose. I really hate insurance companies. They’re liars and thieves.