Keith Thompson is Leaving the left because he can "no longer abide the simpering voices of self-styled progressives -- people who once championed solidarity."
Here's a part from his piece that explains why I have similar sympathies: "A certain misplaced loyalty kept me from grasping that a view of individuals as morally capable of and responsible for making the principle decisions that shape their lives is decisively at odds with the contemporary left's entrance-level view of people as passive and helpless victims of powerful external forces, hence political wards who require the continuous shepherding of caretaker elites. "

Oh, this is insane here, we are talking madatory snitching now... I can't believe it would pass the Supreme Court, but here's the word (long excerpt from alternet.org but there are other places to read about this):
Sensenbrenner, the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman, has introduced legislation that would essentially draft every American into the war on drugs. H.R. 1528, cynically named "Safe Access to Drug Treatment and Child Protection Act," would compel people to spy on their family members and neighbors, and even go undercover and wear a wire if needed. If a person resisted, he or she would face mandatory incarceration.

Here's how the "spy" section of the legislation works:
If you "witness" certain drug offenses taking place or "learn" about them, you must report the offenses to law enforcement within 24 hours and provide "full assistance in the investigation, apprehension and prosecution" of the people involved. Failure to do so would be a crime punishable by a mandatory minimum two-year prison sentence, and a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Here are some examples of offenses you would have to report to police within 24 hours:
You find out that your brother, who has children, recently bought a small amount of marijuana to share with his wife;
You discover that your son gave his college roommate a marijuana joint;
You learn that your daughter asked her boyfriend to find her some drugs, even though they're both in treatment.

In each of these cases you would have to report the relative to the police within 24 hours. Taking time to talk to your relative about treatment instead of calling the police immediately could land you in jail.

End excerpt. Yes, it's true. Don't like it? Wanna fight it? Fight here (just one place)!

No doubt this will be seen by conservatives as an ideological initiative. (NYTimes login: opensewer; password: iswatching) Screw the conservatives, go go go Ford Foundation!

Here's an article further enhancing my disdain for organized religion and especially the Baptist faith. Remember all you good Christians, thou shalt not judge!

The Tour de Sol is a Monte Carlo-style road rally where participants must achieve over 100 miles per gallon in their vehicles to have a chance at winning. The rally is surrounded by a number of other events promoting smart transportation energy use.

"Without realizing it, liberals and conservatives are working from opposite ends of the political spectrum, under opposing rationales, to reach the same end: expanded government power." William H. Mellor wites in The American Lawyer.