WEE BIT OF NEWS NOW THAT THE WEEKEND IS OVER

VOICE OF AMERICA
Evan Derkacz, AlterNet
An interview with Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now! -- the only "daily, grassroots, un-embedded, international, independent news hour" in America today.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21250/

HOW TO TALK TO A CONSERVATIVE ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY
Think Progress
Enough facts to defend against the onslaught of misinformation about social security.http://www.alternet.org/story/21244/

AMERICA OFFLINE AND ONLINE
Zephyr Teachout, Personal Democracy
Creating communities based on online connections but rooted in public places could be the key to reviving civic life and it's an important lesson for groups like the DNC and the ACLU.
http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/21246/

THE REPUBLICAN DICTIONARY
Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation
While Republicans are busy remaking the nation, they're also remaking the English language.
http://www.alternet.org/story/21248/

QUOTE OF THE DAY ... Of liberty I would say that, in the whole plenitude of its extent, it is unobstructed action according to our will. But rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others. I do not add "within the limits of the law", because law is often but the tyrant's will, and always so when it violates the right of an individual. Thomas Jefferson

LORD OF THE RINGS - FILM FOOTAGE OF THE EXHIBIT DOWN IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA ... Soon to be coming to the USA ... click on link below: http://media.smh.com.au/?category=&rid=15440&sy=smh&source=int15442r&name=&t=445UG5&ie=1&player=wm7&rate=276&flash=1

TIME IS REAL CURRENCY
John de Graf [Co-authur of AFFLUENZA: THE ALL-CONSUMING EPIDEMIC]
(Duchess Note ... This tidbit was sent to me by fellow NYC Kucitizen Linda Z. Thanks!)

We've got the idea that more is always better. We fault Europeans for not having as high a gross domestic product (GDP), but that's because they've chosen to use a large portion of their productivity for leisure time, which isn't counted in GDP. We're working nearly nine weeks longer each year than Western Europeans. In terms of health rates, Europeans are doing much better than we are. We like to think of ourselves as a middle-class nation, but we have the smallest middle class (except Russia) of all industrialized countries. We have the most product, the widest choices, but is that what life is about? I think our priorities are out of whack.

We have the greatest gap among industrialized nations between rich and poor, and that seems to press everybody to compete to live like the people at the top. We focus on producing and consuming stuff, and we've forgotten that all of these other values are loosing out, friendships and family, health and civic participation, a future for our children. For me it all comes down to time. This is what you really want to give to others and what you want from them. We have to attack the mind-set that says spending a long time over dinner with your family, during which no money changes hands, is a waste.