Conditt should resign. I'm getting sick of hearing his bull**** excuses for adultery. If he would just own up to it, it might be different, but given his shameful posturing in the ABC interview I've had enough.

(BTW, the Republicans shouldn't get off scot-free. There are quite a few of their ranks who are adulterers who should resign too. I don't understand how these folks can be trusted to keep their oaths of office, if they couldn't keep their marriage vows.)
posted by J.M. Branum at 9:54 PM | link

I'll be moving to San Marcos tomorrow. My new smail address there will be: 1008-B Columbia, San Marcos, TX 78666

BTW, did you see that zip code? Yep, you got it. It's the DEVIL'S zip code, 78666.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:49 AM | link

From the NY Times:

NY Times story on the marriage of the Norwegian Crown Prince to a commoner

From the Washington Post:

Chung on Condit: 'I Was Incredulous' at Evasive Answers - Thank God for Connie Chung being a real journalist and not letting Condit get away with just brushing things off.

posted by J.M. Branum at 11:46 AM | link

www.haysgreens.org - Hays County, TX Green Party
posted by J.M. Branum at 12:53 AM | link

For once, something right is happening in the Texas Criminal Justice system. This week's Austin Chronicle has an incredible story accounting a real-life journy of restorative justice. This is what we need more than anything, justice that restores both the victim and the offender.

Of course, this assumes that crimes have victims. Victimless crimes (I.e. drug offenses) would be hard to deal with, but maybe that should tell us something about whether such offenses are even crimes at all.

(Anyone interested in discussing this story, visit Vagrantcafe.com's Politics forum
posted by J.M. Branum at 12:40 AM | link

Jim Liberty is at it again.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:44 PM | link

Latest News!: Bush vows to wipe out prescription drug addiction among seniors
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:30 PM | link

An incredible interview from 1970 with Jimmy Pankow, the trumbone player for the band Chicago.: Reading this I am struck with how much and how little has changed. We still need that peaceful revolution Jimmy talked about.
posted by J.M. Branum at 3:28 PM | link

Confessionalism.com is one of the better blogs I've seen lately. Good design and his musical tastes are good.
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:11 PM | link

I found a story of free speech repression in the public schools concerning the Straight Pride shirt. on a discussion forum today. What I find disturbing is not the shirt, but rather the fact that public schools think that the way to teach student's to exercise their rights in a free society, is to take away their rights. Freedom is for everybody, even those who hold unpopular beliefs.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:33 AM | link

From today's New York Times:

Religous Arrests shake Afghan Aid - The situation in Afghanistan seems to be becoming more and more bleak.

Brazil's Rodeo Boom

A story on the Quentin Tarantino Festival in Austin ( happening this weekend at my favorite theatre in the world, The Alamo Drafthouse)
posted by J.M. Branum at 4:45 PM | link

Blogger is 2 years old today! If you're not utilizing this powerful tool, you need to. It's free speech on steroids.

A man using a motor-driven parachute to glide above New York Harbor was arrested today after he became snagged on the Statue of Liberty's torch.

posted by J.M. Branum at 12:23 PM | link

Kentucky patient adjusting to life with no heartbeat
posted by J.M. Branum at 4:44 PM | link

4 days until I move to San Marcos . . .woohoo! I am so looking foward to going tubing in the river as soon as I get there.
posted by J.M. Branum at 4:39 PM | link

Washington Post Editorial on Israel's use of torture -
posted by J.M. Branum at 4:36 PM | link

Well I finally was able to enroll at Southwest Texas State University today. I'll be taking a graduate journalism class, "Theories of Mass Communications." Hopefully I'll learn some stuff that will help me in this little endeavor.

Also, since I'll be getting student webspace at SWT, so I may be starting a seperate blog on that server for just Austin related links.
posted by J.M. Branum at 3:13 PM | link

Update on prior post - It looks like the City of Austin has found a good compromise concerning the Breckenridge hospital dispute. Also, I was mistaken on my previous post. Breckenridge has not, and will not be doing abortions. The dispute was over other reproductive services (family planning counseling, sterlizations, tubal ligations, etc.).
posted by J.M. Branum at 3:08 PM | link

[Recent news on human rights in China]

China Briefing of the CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists)

Workers' Rights Suffering as China Goes Capitalist from the NY Times - It sounds like to me that all of the folks who thought free trade would bring more freedom and opportunities to the people of China were wrong.

posted by J.M. Branum at 2:57 PM | link

Joe Pennant's Itinerant in NY blog is really neat. It brings back lots of memories of wandering around in NYC during my last trip up there.
posted by J.M. Branum at 12:00 PM | link

I Know Why the Jailbird Sings - an account of an Oklahoma death penalty protestor's civil disobedience arrest and incarceration.

Do I Have to Love my Enemies? by Clara Luper, one of the greatest women of Oklahoma history.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:40 PM | link

Be sure and check out my new list of commentary by my favorite columnists (check on the left menu bar of this page).
posted by J.M. Branum at 10:56 PM | link

Wow! Things are looking up in Oklahoma, as it looks like there may be some media diversity after all. (despite the attempts of ol' E.K. Gaylord to enforce homogenity on this fair state.) www.okprogressive.org has just published their first monthly issue of their independent, and non-commercial progressive online journal.

posted by J.M. Branum at 9:31 PM | link

I'm glad I don't live in a fascist country like Singapore.
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:51 PM | link

John Kelso, the pride of South Austin.
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:45 PM | link

As you can see I've been playing with the layout of this site some more today. Mostly for my own convenience (so that I can have my own start page of sorts) but also to allow my readers to have at their fingertips some of the better news and politics sites available. The links listed in the left sidebar are intended to be to permanant resources that are intended to be checked on a daily or weekly basis, while the links listed in my blog are of individual stories or interesting websites that are worth a quick mention.
posted by J.M. Branum at 2:17 PM | link

Siberia Diary is a special feature from the Washington Post that chronciles a 5,600 mile journey on the Trans-Siberia Railroad.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:38 AM | link

Austin Indymedia Center - good resource for what is going down in Austin

posted by J.M. Branum at 10:42 AM | link

Austindemocracycoalition.org - in many ways I support the general premise of this group, but object to their inclusion of the Breckenridge hospital debate as one of their issues. They are missing the boat. Many people, including myself are strongly anti-corporate AND strongly anti-violence. This includes all forms of violence, be they police brutality, acts of war, the death penalty, and elective abortion. It doesn't seem right to me to demand that the Catholic church (which runs Breckenridge hospital under a contract with the city of Austin) provide abortion services when that is against their beliefs. If they are opposed to their stand, then they should come up with an alternative arrangement for someone else provide those services, instead of trying to force the Catholics to engage in activity that they consider to be immoral.

(Besides they're shooting themselves in the foot. Many of the most ardent anti-corporate activitsts I know are pacifist Catholics.)
posted by J.M. Branum at 10:09 AM | link

Latona Unveiled Collective - "We are a collective based in Redding CA who are sick of Bureaucracy, Capitalism, and Hierarchy in all its forms. We are working to create an alternative community that encourages free thinking self expression, in whatever form that may take. We are currently involved with a number of projects and are always interested in becoming involved in more."
posted by J.M. Branum at 7:54 PM | link

Today, I'm on this wierd kick of digging these sites I found at www.makeoutclub.com. They're all made by these emo kids that both puzzle, intrique, and annoy me.

OK, here are few of my favs of the day. Why I like them I don't know...

http://www.envy.nu/numbness/ - This girl has her own band too. It's pretty decent if you like emo.

kinda wierd stuff

spellingproblems.org - Jeralyn's words are better than crack.

krizteen.com - not sure what to think of this girl's site, but since she's from Austin I'll link her.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:40 AM | link

Instapundit - a very interesting blog of political commentary.

ACLU Action alert on a newly proposed constitutional amendment - While I realize that many people may oppose homosexual marriage, this issue really comes down to a states rights issue. Laws concerning marriage are in the perogrative of the states and not the federal government.
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:23 AM | link

Website for the dirtiest little speed trap in Oklahoma
posted by J.M. Branum at 11:11 AM | link