Dear Bebop! It really tickles me that you love an author named “Berry”! I will have to take a look at his work. He wants food with Justice? That means that even we bugs, we nobodies that no one sees, have our fair share? I like that.

In this letter section, we have talked a bit about the problem of despair in the face of overwhelming greed, corruption, and lawlessness. I recently saw Bill Moyers’s discussion with Cahill and Tutu, whose words counteract this tendency. I think Moyers drew some spiritual lessons from these conversations, but I found his guests’ ideas to be truly pragmatic:

Cahill: "I don't think that real civilization ever occurs because of anything that a nation state does. It occurs because of movements within the nation state that are led by sometimes one individual or a series of individuals. Desmond Tutu is an excellent example of that."

Tutu: “I would hope that the world would realize that there is no situation that is not transfigurable, that there is no situation of which we can say, 'This is absolutely, totally devoid of hope,' because that is what people thought about South Africa. And that the star turns of this report [of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission] are those we wrongly call just ordinary people. There are no ordinary people in my theology, but it is the small people, the ones who used to be nonentities, they are the stars and for the world to know that those called-so-called ordinary people are incredible.”

Video and transcript are here: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/11092007/profile3.html

I saw that at Digby's site just a few minutes ago, RMP! Very inspiring.

And guess what, Barron is from Billerica, MA, right next to my home town of Bedford, MA. We pronounce it "Billrick-ah."

Well, I am glad I came here on the first day of the new year. I have been very worried because my grad assistantship was eliminated as part of a group layoff (by a callous authoritarian wingnut AVP, of course). I found another assistantship at the University Press, but it's a 45% cut in pay. Gadzooks. So I am sitting here with the heat on 60 degrees, wondering how I will pay the gas bill! Of course, I am not the only one whose situation has worsened during the Bush years. I know people who have lost jobs, insurance, and homes. So it is time to look outward and think about how I can do some good this year. I will start by getting my daily dose of Truth from Glenn and inspiration and information from the good people here. Presumptuous Insect will be buzzing loudly in 2008!

May we see the title choices you offered to your publisher?

I would be interested to see what they turned down--I bet they were something I would like!

Did anyone get this email from Harry Reid on Friday? I somehow am getting emails from the "Give 'em hell, Harry" listserv, and this is what he writes:

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Dear [Presumptuous Insect],

Republicans seem to have forgotten that national security is one of the most important issues we address in the Senate. Yesterday, they proved the only thing they care about is politics.

They spent the day filibustering on the Senate floor, preventing Democrats from introducing any amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill. This means they are blocking an important amendment, which I support, that would make sure phone companies don't receive retroactive immunity.

At the end of the day, Senator McConnell decided he would try and stop debate entirely by filing for cloture. That means if Republicans get 60 votes on Monday, debate on this vital issue will be shut down.

Normally I wouldn't go this deep into Senate procedure, but if you care about your civil liberties and our national security, it is vital you tell your Senators to vote no on cloture Monday by visiting:

http://giveemhellharry.com/fisa

Looking at this situation makes me think the President and Republicans want to fail so they can run and cry to the media that Democrats are weak on national security. That line didn't work in 2006 and it won't work in 2008.

Closing the debate on this bill now is wrong...

Thank you,

Harry Reid

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Whoa! I've seen rank cynicism and hypocrisy before, but this takes the cake, baby!

E-man writes: "If I lived in one of the places that many of you are from (New York City, the port of Long Beach, Washington, D.C., Chicago, London, etc.) I'd be one helluva lot more concerned about being blown up on a train, or an airliner, or in an office building, than I am concerned about any violation of my own (or anyone else's) genuine privacy."

Oh, OK. That makes everything alright, then. Why don't I just go take a nice nap and then wake up and watch American Idol?

Sorry if this has been mentioned before, but you can join everyone at the ACLU in contacting the House about the FISA issue at

www.aclu.org/factoverfear

"Anyone have a crown we can offer him?"

Yeah, I'd like to give that motherfucker the crown of George III, and that king's porphyria and the blue pee that goes along with it.

The two have a lot in common, in particular the fact that they are both madmen.

I hope he does run. Someone has to speak out against the corporate overlords. God knows none of these candidates is going to do it.

Wise choice. Let the trolls go a'trolling at some other web site. They really ruin the experience here. It was becoming intolerable to try and wade through a lot of garbage and ugliness and repetitive stupidity just to try and get to the thoughtful and rational comments. I will spend more time here now.