I wanted to post this as a comment in Al Rodgers' Sunday Talk diary, but kept messing up, so that all I did was lost and I had to start over again.  Six times already. Figured I might have more luck saving it here. This has previously been published as a link  on Sunday Talk.  I will do my best to get it back on to Al's diary next time, since he started all this.

We have heard a lot the last few days about the upcoming somber day for remembering the destruction of the World Trade Center, and all of the people who perished that day.  We will hear much more in the next few days, and that is appropriate.

Much of the discussion lately has centered around ABC/Disney's planned broadcast of The Path To 9/11.

There is another documentary about this topic that is worth seeing before the ABC film, if only to put it in perspective.  Details below.

What does the FDA have to do with Black Box Voting? Strange bedfellows, no? Yet, to myself at least, there is a link between the two, in the system of rules that inform our drug and food manufacture system, and that should be informing the regulation of our voting systems in this country. It seems to me that these rules might help us set reasonable expectations for the way we vote and the way we count our votes. They are considered reasonable, and are mandated for anyone manufacturing pharmaceuticals. And all of that industry's well-known lobbying power does not do much to stay these rules.

Some details below. I respectfully invite anyone more familiar with these regulations than myself, to please comment on my assessment, whether right or wrong. Although I worked in the industry, I was never directly responsible for monitoring compliance with these rules, and may have interpreted some of them incorrectly.

They are saying that Israel will invade Lebanon tonight.

Yesterday, William Bennett was on Wolfie's Situation Room.  Boldface is mine.

BENNETT: Yes, exercise restraint, absolutely, but I think continue the military actions. Otherwise, the minute they stop, it will start again from the other side.

It's an amazing situation. And your last guest said, you know, here, people go for Israel's throat again. They take, kidnap two of its soldiers, two of its citizens. When Israel responds, we have to have an immediate cease-fire. Not to be flip, but give war a chance. Let the Israelis try to defense themselves, push back Hezbollah, so they won't be facing this constant threat.

On Friday, it was reported in the LA Times, that on Dec. 8, Governor Schwarzenegger will hold a private clemency hearing for Stanley "Tookie" Williams, co-founder of the Crips gang from Los Angeles.  Attending will be William's lawyers and the victims' family members.  Williams is scheduled for execution on December 13, 2005.  The story is being covered heavily by many of the news networks.  

There is another story that might inform the discussions of clemency for Tookie Williams, specifically as to crime, punishment and rehabilitation.  It is the story of Wilbert Rideau.  Perhaps when you hear the televised news stories about Stanley Williams, you might compare them to Mr. Rideau's story.

Ever hear of a Play Pump?  I haven't seen it mentioned here, nor had I heard of one until last week.   If only we could spend more of our time using our brains to come up with ideas like this.  Simple, inexpensive, elegant, and yet it could change people's lives.

It is one of those ideas that immediately grabs you.  You can tell intuitively that it is right, and if applied in the right situations, can go far to help people, and in a very organic way.

It involves using a readily available, and virtually untapped, energy resource, and putting it to work in the service of society.

More below...