Fear, disillusion and despair as peace slips away
Peter Beaumont (The Guardian)
In a brickmakers’ hut at the edge of Afghanistan’s capital Kabul, Samiullah, his only name, washes his face and hands. They are black from feeding the moori - the glowing openings in the kiln’s surface - with coal. The hut is a bare room shared by four men.
Musafer they are called: single men who live together. There is bedding and phone numbers are scratched into the wall. A blackened kettle has been cooked on one of the red-hot vents.­
Samiullah is 23. His family farm is in the village of Sohrabi, an hour’s drive, he says, from Kabul. Samiullah has not seen it or his family recently. They are living in Peshawar in Pakistan. ‘In Afghanistan everything is in chaos,’ says Samiullah. ‘Remember what happened in Kabul,’ he says, referring to an attempt to kill President Hamid Karzai. ‘So my home is in Peshawar. I come here and work for three or four months, then I go home again. I’ll go in two weeks to give them money. Then I’ll be back.’
Afghanistan’s problems spring from ‘lies and promises that were not kept. There is no security. Everything is in disorder. And the poor are no better off than they were before. They have to take out loans that they cannot return.­
In the seventh year after the fall of the first incarnation of the Taliban, two Afghanistans exist. The first is defined by international effort in the country - civil and military - whose story is told in battles won and reconstruction projects brought successfully to fruition. It is largely told through the prism of foreigners, diplomats and soldiers, British, Canadian and American. It emphasises good news, most recently a claim - that would surprise Afghans - that foreign forces were ‘routing’ the Taliban.­

khaleejtimes.com

Sunday I wrote an article on Faultline USA, It’s All About Gas Prices, posted below. In the article I asked the following question concerning the NOPEC (No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels)bill introducted by John Conyers of Michigan.
Here’s Sunday’s article with an update following:
Sticky note to McCain and Obama . . .
Unless the dollar rises quickly and gas prices come way down, the primary issue that will determine the presidential election in November WILL be the Economy/OIL Prices!!! And the solution won’t be more taxes. The candidate with the best economic recovery plan will get America’s votes. That is if most of us can still afford to drive to the polls on Election Day.
This past week the house passed the “feel good-do nothing but harm” NOPEC bill:
This from WSJ:
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers of Michigan, who introduced the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels (NOPEC) Act, argued that cartels like OPEC are partly to blame for today’s high gasoline prices. The bill sailed through 345-to-72a day after the Energy Department said the average pump price of regular gasoline was a record $3.218 a gallon. The bill would change certain laws, like the Sherman Act and Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, to block OPEC countries like Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela from invoking immunity from U.S. court action relating to concerns about oil production.
I have a question. Why should it be illegal for OPEC nations “to limit the distribution and production of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product,” while Congress continues to severely limit "the production of oil, natural gas, or any other petroleum product” in the US???
Must read reaction to NOPEC.
Here’s an excerpt:
. . .the Big Oil guy oozed as oleaginous as his product before the grand panjandrums of the House Subcommittee on Televised Posturing, and then they went off and passed 324-82 the so-called NOPEC bill. The NOPEC bill is, in effect, a suit against OPEC, which, if I recall correctly, stands for the Oil Price-Exploiting Club. "No War For Oil!," as the bumper stickers say. But a massive suit for oil – now that’s the American way.

wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com

GEORGE MICHAEL is set to surprise AMERICAN IDOL fans watching the show’s finale on Wednesday night (21May08) - he’ll reportedly perform live.
The British pop superstar is rumoured to be the big draw for the two-hour finale, when either David Cook or David Archuleta will be crowned the 2008 Idol.
Earlier this week (begs19May08), Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe revealed the “biggest star in the world” was coming to close out the current series of the talent show.
The finale will also feature a performance by Carrie Underwood, who was recently voted the best Idol winner ever.
George’s performance at the American Idol finale was exceptional. Even though the years have aged him, his voice is still as wonderful as it has ever been in the past.Did everyone notice that Paula was crying when George sang?

contactmusic.com

In the end, David vs. David wasn’t David vs. Goliath exactly.
But by the time it was over, it must have seemed as if 17-year-old David Archuleta — aka “Archie,” or “Gaspy” to his detractors at Votefortheworst.com — had just slain the twin dragons of nerves and an older, more experienced opponent in David “Raspy” Cook, the 25-year-old rocker with the pipes to match and the laid-back attitude of an old pro.
By the time, the two Idol contenders worked their way through three songs apiece, it was, in the words of that noted sage Simon Cowell, “a knockout.” For Archuleta.
American Idol’s final performance show of the talent competition’s seventh season may also have been one of the worst produced hours of television of the 2007-’08 season — and that’s saying something — but why dwell on the negatives? This was David A. and David C.’s night to shine, and shine they did — to the best of their abilities, in any event.
There’s nothing left now but David A.’s official coronation in Wednesday’s results program. That’s if — and it may be a big “if” — everyone didn’t make up their minds before the performance program began. For whatever reason, David A.  was in the zone, his mind focused like a laser on winning and his strategy set on staying within his limits: an Elton John ballad here, a slow-dancing number there and John Lennon’s Imagine — yes, Imagine again — to close out the show.
David C., on the other hand, chose to stretch his instrument, and his guitar, but came up a bit short. His raspy, old-soul take on U2’s I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For — one of my favourite songs, like, ever — was my favourite performance of the evening, but David C.’s no Bono.

communities.canada.com

The American Idol finale kicks off tonight in the battle of David vs. David. In the first season when contestants were allowed to use instruments, as well as one of the best contestant cores since the shows inception, the final two will state their respective cases tonight.
David Archuleta, seemingly a child prodigy, makes the final two in what was almost a no-brainer from the start. When he walked into the audition room in San Diego, he walked right into the hearts of the nation. Stepping up to the occasion countless times throughout the season, Archuleta has been the front-runner for a long time.
David Cook, on the other hand, did not distinguish himself from the crowd early. Yet, as the weeks past, Cook continued to move on as his confidence-level grew. Easily the contestant this season willing to take the most risks by making the songs his own, Cook earned his current standing and is a force to be reckoned with.
If the finale were determined by this evening’s performances, attempting to predict a winner at this point would be an effort in futility. As is well-known, American Idol is not always determined by week-to-week voting. Much more an overall popularity contest than selecting the contestant who actually earned the title, the writing seems to be on the wall already.
While the two left standing are the correct the final pairing, it should be considered the upset of a lifetime if Cook wins over Archuleta. The show’s coverboy from Day One, Archuleta is the epitome of pop music, which is what the show is looking for after all. Cook, although talented and ready for a great musical career, cannot compete with the younger David’s fanbase voting tonight. More than likely, it’s better that way for Cook anyway.
In the end, Cook will play the David to Archuleta’s Goliath.

associatedcontent.com

• Abducted ‘07. Sarah Wynter. The wife of a prison warden learns about the ulterior motives of her kidnapper. (NR) (2:00) LIFE: Sat. 3 P.M. (CC)
• Abel Gance: The Charm of Dynamite ‘68. The silent films of French director Abel Gance include the epic “Napoleon.” (NR) (1:00) TCM: Sun. 7 P.M.
‘06. Justin Long. After trying and failing to get into college, a high-school senior and his friends fool parents and peers by creating their own university. (PG-13) (1:45) HBO: Thu. 9:15 A.M., 7:15 P.M. (CC)
• The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland
‘99. Voices of Kevin Clash. After a game of tug-of-war causes him to lose his favorite blanket, Elmo must venture into Grouchland to get it back. (G) (1:15) HBO: Mon. 6 A.M. (CC)
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
‘38. Tommy Kelly. Mark Twain’s boy hero watches his own funeral with Huck Finn and enters a cave with Becky, chased by Injun Joe. (NR) (2:00) TCM: Wed. 6 A.M. (CC)
‘05. Charlize Theron. In the last city on Earth, underground rebels dispatch their top assassin to kill a government leader. (PG-13) (1:45) TMC: Tue. 1 A.M. (CC)
• After the Sunset
‘04. Pierce Brosnan. An FBI agent thinks a master thief and his girlfriend will try to steal a valuable diamond from a cruise ship. (PG-13) (2:00) TBS: Sat. 8:10 A.M. (CC)
• Airplane II: The Sequel
‘82. Robert Hays. The first commercial space shuttle has loony Ted and his former girlfriend bound for the moon. (PG) (1:30) MAX: Mon. 7:30 A.M. (CC)
• Akeelah and the Bee
‘06. Laurence Fishburne. Akeelah, an 11-year-old girl living in South Los Angeles, discovers she has a talent for spelling, which she hopes will take her to the National Spelling Bee. (PG) (2:00) SHO: Wed. 6 A.M., 3:30 P.M., TMC: Sat. 10:45 A.M., 7 P.M. (CC)

post-gazette.com

[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]
Quick Take for Tuesday, May 6, 2008 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)
Marking its Most Competitive Finish on the Evening Since the ReturnOf “Idol” in January, ABC Tallies its Top Tuesday Numbers in 6 Weeks
“DWTS Results” is the Most-Watched Show in its 9pm Slot for the 6th StraightWeek and Stands as Tuesday’s No. 2 Program to “Idol” for the 7th Week Running
ABC’s “DWTS Results” Hits Season Highs with Viewers and Young Adults,Producing ABC’s Top Numbers in the Time Period in More Than 5 Months
Moving Up to Second in its New Time Slot in Viewers and Young Adults,”Women’s Murder Club” Grows from its Week-Earlier Premiere in the Hour
Tuesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)
Posting its most competitive finish on the night since the return of “American Idol” in January, ABC took a strong second place to Fox on Tuesday evening in Total Viewers (12.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.0/8). ABC topped third-place CBS on the evening by 1.8 million viewers and by 30% in Adults 18-49 (CBS = 10.6 million and 2.3/6).
In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC turned in its highest Tuesday numbers in 6 weeks since 3/25/08. In addition, the Network was up from the same night last year by 1.9 million viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49 (10.5 million and 2.8/8 on 5/8/07).
“DWTS: Judges’ All-Time Favorite Dances” (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
Up against “American Idol,” the ABC special “DWTS: Judges’ All-Time Favorite Dances” generated the Net’s best non-sports numbers in the time period since November among Total Viewers (10.5 million-tie), and since December among Adults 18-49 (2.4/7) since 11/27/07 and 12/18/07, respectively.

thefutoncritic.com

May 5 (Bloomberg) — Barack Obama's former pastor has justified his inflammatory remarks as reflecting a tradition of prophetic preaching in the “invisible'' black church that is misunderstood by his white critics. Many of his fellow black clergymen disagree.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright's controversial statements were “careless, callous and almost calculating,'' said Reverend John J. Hunter, senior minister at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles.
The timing of his statements “shows a shallowness on his part that he would risk the success of a campaign that could be a blessing to the entire world,'' Hunter said.
Obama, 46, has split with his former pastor, denouncing Wright's comments, including his praise for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, and his contentions that the government may have had a role in spreading AIDS and that U.S. foreign policy was partly to blame for the Sept. 11 attacks. Still, the controversy is dogging Obama's campaign as he faces critical races in Indiana and North Carolina tomorrow.
Several black pastors said they were alarmed by Wright's comments and his claim that the uproar over them amounts to an attack on the black church. While Wright's style echoes the tradition of Martin Luther King Jr. — who also used harsh language in sermons, once calling America “the greatest purveyor of violence in the world'' — his comments in the past week were beyond the pale, the ministers said.
`No More Public Comments'
“I just don't agree with the specifics of his statements,'' said Reverend Wyatt Tee Walker, who was King's chief of staff from 1960 to 1964. “My hope is he will make no more public pronouncements and let the campaign go forward.''
Walker called Wright a “great pastor,'' though he added that the controversy isn't helping Obama, an Illinois senator.
“I think Dr. Wright ought to chill,'' said Walker, 80, who was a pastor in Harlem for 37 years and is now retired and living in Virginia.

bloomberg.com

For the second year in a row, “American Idol” transforms, for one night only, from trying to sell Coca-Cola, Apple computers and iTunes and Ford vehicles to raising money for underprivileged children. The results show, in which somebody goes home, gets moved to 8 pm Thursday night. “Idol Gives Back” is a star-studded affair, and kicks off with a group number by the Idolizers, doing “Please Don’t Stop the Music,” while “So You Think You Can Dance” hoofers hurl their bodies around the big stage of the Kodak Theater.
Why did the words “Exxon Mobil” just appear in red on the bottom of the screen? Is “Idol” selling simple word placement now? Not just commercials?
But more to the point, organizations that will benefit this year include Save the Children, Malaria No More, the Global Fund, Children’s Health Fund, Children’s Defense Fund and Make It Right, a campaign started by Brad Pitt for New Orleans recovery from Hurricane Katrina.
Last year, “Idol Gives Back” raised $76 million; this year, they’re shooting for $100 million.
Getting the taped fundraising pleas off to a bilingual start, George Lopez makes a plea in Spanish. Kylie Minogue makes a plea in an Australian accent. Maria Shriver, aka California’s first lady, comes onstage joined by what appears to be a small army. Ben Stiller appears in a spot in which he makes an unfunny joke about singing Whitney Houston songs, says we may be thinking he’s crazy, then adds the zinger: “Isn’t that what ‘American Idol’ is all about, convincing crazy people that they belong on television?”
What is that white thing on Kobe Bryant’s face? A bandage?
Paula and Randy appear in a taped segment in which they visit a school in California where the kids are forced to worry about things like drive-by shootings instead of their schoolwork. It’s touching, low-key and effective.

oregonlive.com

Whitesnake’s adaptation of “Day Tripper,” the curse of the upbeat song, cooliosis, and other highlights you may have missed.
posted March 25, 2008
Obsessive analysis of American Idol.
posted March 11, 2008
Emo mullets, girl-on-girl photos, and other news you may have missed.
posted March 11, 2008
How Idol insinuates itself into pop-music history.
posted May 24, 2007
Blogging the new season of American Idol.
That’s a lot of Beatles songs. Don’t get me wrong, I was psyched when I heard that American Idol finally acquired the performing rights from Sony/ATV. But four hours, 23 solos, two medleys, and a Katharine McPhee/David Foster collaboration later, I’m ready to let the singers get back to their regular Idol fare. It wasn’t all bad—though it’s maybe not their thing. The Top 12 worked the hard-won Lennon-McCartney songbook two weeks ago in some innovative and fairly satisfactory ways. And then the producers couldn’t just “Let It Be,” so there was a second Beatles night last week (this time including songs by the Other Beatles!). Has this ever happened before—two successive weeks of the same theme? The answer is no, and now we know why.
While it did provide a second chance to a few who faltered the first time, the reverse situation prevailed. Chikezie, who turned out my favorite performance during Lennon-McCartney night, tried unsuccessfully to replicate the success the following week. His bluegrass-cum-Little Richard rendition of “She’s a Woman” had been lively and so full of sh-sh-sh-showmanship that it drew rave reviews from the judges and sent Ryan running around the stage in a Beatlemaniacal frenzy. But his second attempt at the country vibe, an odd dual-tempo arrangement of “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” found Chikezie trying to board the instrument-playing bandwagon with an ill-advised harmonica solo—it was pretty much just that ingressive-egressive thing your toddler does with his Fisher Price model.

slate.com