Catching up
While I love my computer and the ability to check out almost any newspaper in the world from my couch, sometimes, my favorites bin gets overrun. This morning, I realized that I still hadn't posted some stories I meant to. So, here is another post about clearing out my favorites bin.

Here is one hilarious story: ["Man: Flesh-eating aliens were chasing me when I caused fatal car crash"].

In three court-ordered evaluations, the defendant stated he was fleeing subterranean beings he called "hemadrones" when he carjacked a commercial vehicle near a Nevada City, Calif., gas station and then crashed into Reynolds' service vehicle. ...

The evidentiary burden will fall on the defense to prove that Krause, a known methamphetamine addict with a history of drug-related arrests, was suffering from a pre-existing mental condition that either prevented him from understanding the consequences of his actions or knowing the difference between right or wrong.

Or, maybe he really was running from flesh-eating aliens! Who actually knows?

Recently, I was in Las Vegas for a radio conference. I didn't watch any television while I was there ... but I probably should have. Check out this report: ["Area 51 Declassified"].

My buddy Ralph Lopez has a new book: ["The Elephant in the Room; A Combat Manual for Democrats"]. I love P.O.D. It is so cool that Ralph and others like him can put out their own books without having to get approval by a big publishing firm.

I've linked this on the side but I forgot to mention that Mark Jurkowitz has taken over Media Log for Dan Kennedy. The site is a bit different but still high quality. You can check out the new Media Log here: ["Media Log"].

Speaking of former President Carter, I was watching a television special on energy on PBS and they sent viewers to their site to look at what past officials had done to try and make the United States energy efficient. Here is one of Carter's speeches from 1977: ["Primary Sources: The President's Proposed Energy Policy "]

Our consumption of oil would keep going up every year. Our cars would continue to be too large and inefficient. Three-quarters of them would continue to carry only one person -- the driver -- while our public transportation system continues to decline. We can delay insulating our houses, and they will continue to lose about 50 percent of their heat in waste.

It is worth a read because of how bold it is. It is worth a second read for how visionary it is. For all that was bad about the Carter Administration - and there were some bad things; if he could have gotten some of these things approved, he would be a political saint right now. While I was only 11 at the time, I remember these days like they were yesterday. I remember when gas went from 30 cents to 60 cents and the world turned upside down. I remember my dad being out of work seasonally and trying to find construction work. In some ways, it isn't as harsh a life right now; in other ways, it is. And, in many other ways, it could become harsher again.