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(The Capsules - dispelling the stereotype Kansas is a flyover state)

Something domestic tonight - The Capsules, from Lawrence Kansas. A three piece band fronted by Julie Shields, whose vocals are mesmerizing (don't take my word for it). Together since 2002, with three albums and an ep to their credit, they aren't what you'd assume something from the midwest would be all about. But then, never judge books by their covers.

Don't Be So Sad is off their new album, Long Distance Dedication and it's available either as a download or (for those of you, like me who like those chunks of plastic) on CD. It is a haunting testimony to sadness and optimism - good stuff for these times.

Aside from their band website, they're also on MySpace (as most bands are these days . . which is a good thing) and their albums are available via CD Baby (the indie album online store that's been doing wonders for new talent).

I don't know what their touring/appearances thing is like. I would assume they are gigging around.

They are definitely worth a look-see and at least a listen.

I'd like to thank John for letting me spread the word about this cause, and I'd like to thank everyone here at Crooks and Liars for helping pitch in. It's important that we work to end the war in Afghanistan, and it's important that we support progressive voices who work to do so.

Six months ago, President Obama had ordered in tens of thousands of new troops to Afghanistan while admitting that there was no strategy. Support for the war in Afghanistan was at 50%. Today, 58% oppose the war in Afghanistan. And President Obama right now is engaged in the process of "rethinking Afghanistan."

For the last few months, too, progressive blogger Derrick Crowe has been writing on the Afghanistan war. And his posts have made a difference.

Derrick has brought to bear facts, video testimony, statistics, political insight, and thoughtful arguments to drive home the point that escalating the war in Afghanistan is the wrong policy. Derrick has been writing and researching so prolifically because he's been on a three month fellowship, using funds provided out-of-pocket by the good folks over at Brave New Foundation and the editors at The Seminal.

Yesterday, Derrick's three month fellowship came to an end. Now I'm asking for your help to keep it going, and to support a strong voice against the war in Afghanistan.

Can you pitch in $10 or $20 to help extend Derrick Crowe's blogging fellowship against the war in Afghanistan? Your contribution will go directly to Derrick, and if we can raise $5,000, we can keep the fellowship going for an entire year.

Click here to donate.

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Wendell Potter repeated to Ed Schultz what he said in his testimony before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, that Max Baucus' bill is a joke.

Wendell Potter warned that if Congress "fails to create a public insurance option to compete with private insurers, the bill it sends to the president might as well be called the Insurance Industry Profit Protection and Enhancement Act."

Here is some of the hearing today. Potter on the Baucus "Insurance Industry Profit Protection and Enhancement Act".

Potter on co-ops and why they won't work.

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(The Charlatans (UK) - still very much alive and kicking)

Since I mentioned them last night during my Catherine Wheel entry, I thought I should include the headliners from that 1995 gig, The Charlatans (UK) - or just The Charlatans if you're overseas.

As much as everyone talked nonstop at the time about Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and the rest of the Madchester scene in the early 1990s, The Charlatans have to be mentioned in the same breath. It's something of a misnomer to consider them Britpop, because they have many more layers than just one you could identify. Testimony to that fact, they are still recording and gigging around, and are just as popular as ever. Even though the band have gone through a number of personnel changes over the years, they are still fronted by Tim Burgess whose distinctive vocals are fresh as ever.

I thought I would refresh your memory with a cut off their second album, actually two cuts since they fade into one another. Weirdo and Chewing Gum Weekend.

And if you've never heard of them before . . . . . where have you been?

Counterpunch: A Muslim American Hero

Oliver Willis: "I Am an American Conservative Sh*theel"

PERRspectives: What's the matter with Oklahoma?

Rants From The Rookery: No wonder Republicans hate science

Welcome Back to Pottersville: Open letter to David B. Brown, "Attorney at Law"

The Brad Blog has done a great job covering FBI whistleblower, Sybil Edmond's, testimony

Many thanks to Blue Gal and Batocchio for filling in the past couple weeks

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(The Eternal Feeding Frenzy)

"I think that certainly there is an effort on the part of those in power to control what the press has to say about them."

- Brit Hume - February 22, 1973.

Oh, how times have changed. During several weeks in early 1973, the Senate staged hearings under the banner "Peoples Right To Be Informed". The question whether or not confidential sources were subject to subpoena was raised, certainly in light of Watergate, whose hearings would begin only a few months later. Senator Sam Ervin was Chairman and testifying during this session was none other than Brit Hume and Joel M. Gora of the ACLU. Hume was an investigative reporter working for print media at the time, and during the course of questioning was asked if the government was applying undo pressure on the media in presenting positive spin. Hume's response, as well as referring to it as propaganda, was rather interesting considering where he has gone in recent years.

And maybe how far the mighty have fallen. Or is there a checkbook involved in all this?

Gora and Hume's testimony as it was broadcast on February 22, 1973 - the morning session.

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(Richard Helms - What Didn't He Know and When Didn't He Know It)

Ever since the latest fiasco regarding the CIA surfaced, I kept thinking how adept the CIA has always been, historically in telling half-truths, no truths and "who me?" prevarications.

Beginning in 1975, a series of hearings took place in an attempt to investigate certain "illegal goings on" within the CIA, It ran the full gamut from wiretapping, domestic espionage, assassinations and mail tampering. Heading up the Senate Select Committee was Senator Frank Church (D-Idaho), and the hearings were dubbed The Church Committee. The hearings lasted several months and fortunately most all of them were recorded and broadcast by NPR, back when NPR actually stood for something in the way of integrity and solid reporting.

This particular clip, from the afternoon session of October 22, 1975, features former CIA Director Richard Helms (who would later serve as Ambassador to Iran) being questioned by Senator Church over his role in the matter of illegal mail tampering - a practice that had gone on since the days Allen Dulles ran the CIA in 1953.

Since there are numerous hours of testimony to sift through from many witnesses, I will try and offer as much as I can in small doses over the next few weeks. Bear with me - it'll be worth it.

Give me your thoughts on Eric Holder's testimony so far...

Uh, isn't this what Krugman and Stiglitz have been saying? It's why the two Nobel prize winners have been urging Obama to nationalize the banks:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Treasury secretary Timothy Geithner on Tuesday said difficulty in setting a value on banks' toxic assets was a continuing hindrance to their ability to lend and borrow.

In prepared testimony for delivery to the Congressional Oversight Panel that monitors Treasury's efforts to bail out troubled banks, Geithner said toxic assets were "congesting" the U.S. financial system and making it hard to get credit flowing normally again.

"Uncertainty about the value of legacy assets is constraining the ability of financial institutions to raise private capital," he said, adding that he hoped a public-private investment program will improve the ability to put a price on troubled mortgage and other assets.

Finally Karl Rove and Harriet Miers will testify, under oath, about their roles in the USA attorney firing scandal.

Here's Conyers' statement:

In an agreement reached today between the former Bush Administration and Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers will testify before the House Judiciary Committee in transcribed depositions under penalty of perjury. The Committee has also reserved the right to have public testimony from Rove and Miers. It was agreed that invocations of official privileges would be significantly limited.

In addition, if the Committee uncovers information necessitating his testimony, the Committee will also have the right to depose William Kelley, a former White House lawyer who played a role in the U.S. Attorney firings.

The Committee will also receive Bush White House documents relevant to this inquiry. Under the agreement, the landmark ruling by Judge John Bates rejecting key Bush White House claims of executive immunity and privilege will be preserved. If the agreement is breached, the Committee can resume the litigation.

Chairman Conyers issued the following statement:

"I have long said that I would see this matter through to the end and am encouraged that we have finally broken through the Bush Administration's claims of absolute immunity. This is a victory for the separation of powers and congressional oversight. It is also a vindication of the search for truth. I am determined to have it known whether U.S. Attorneys in the Department of Justice were fired for political reasons, and if so, by whom."