Chances are you’re here at Kos because you have an itchy curiosity about the world, a nagging social conscience, and a wonkiness bent.  Or maybe you’ve heard the voices-- and you’re on a mission.  

Whatever the case, you probably bang away relentlessly at your keyboard, sign the petitions, and call out the perps at every opportunity you get. In between holding down those "uniquely American" multiple jobs in order to maintain health care, a roof, and that vexing habit of eating meals a few times a day. It’s grueling, I know. And you don’t want to be chided into doing anything else, I know.

But like it or not, you’re already enlisted, informally, in the Army of Counter Propagandists-- spontaneously hatched to tackle the criminally negligent, fraudulent American press corps. The "lying sacks of crap" - per Stephanie Miller.  And although it’s likely no one has officially informed you... you are now fighting on the front lines of a major battle. In the Global War on Propaganda.  Yeah, the GWOP.  But it is a noble cause.

A perfectly clear, 68 degree L.A. winter day presented itself for the General at UCLA Law School last Monday (1/22/07). I arrived early and was politely ushered to the taped off Media section in the first few rows of the lecture hall. A young writer for the L.A.Times plopped down to my right— Francisco Vara-Orta; long, straight black hair, note book and pen poised for action.

The UCLA Media Relations representative, Claudia Luther, graciously asked if we needed anything— I imagined for a brief moment that I was the ‘legitimate press’. (Should I ask for lunch?)  Being this was a lecture on legitimacy, I decided to blend in and act legitimate.

Crack your notebooks students.  The General is on campus to deliver a lesson well worth learning. There will be a pop quiz afterwards...

I don't believe anyone has picked this up yet, but it could cost the Mark Warner campaign a whole lotta time and moolah in rebranding, reprinting and reconfiguring.

Those of us in Vegas remember the Warner slogans on all our t-shirts and various other paraphernalia floating around the Riv and the Stratosphere.

"Forward Together"

SOME SIMPLE MATHEMATICS

Magic numbers:  

270  =  Number of Electoral votes needed to win the Presidency
55   =  Number of Electoral votes in the state of California
20 ½ =  Percentage of required Electoral votes California represents
55   =  Number or Electoral votes of Wisconsin, Virginia, Kansas, Nevada, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado--all combined
21   =  Number of days until California Primary elections
1    =  Number of Secretary of State candidates who will fiercely protect CA's 55    Electoral votes--Senator Debra Bowen

Crisp verses laced with ideals so high-pitched you can hear Grandma's crystal break.
A booming, hooky chorus blares out Leadership themes.... or more specifically--the lack of...

The Leadership Void background vocals chime in with unusual gusto.

"I love your voice", she cooed.  

"You're a great voice for reason--", he rang out.

B: I love your voice out there, General.  I want you to keep going.  I love what you're doing and I'm just proud to know you.

C: You're a great United States Senator and a great voice for reason in this country.

Two world class leaders; Senator Barbara Boxer and General Wes Clark had a meeting of the minds on Capitol Hill this week, and they are letting us in on it via Clark Cast.

I need to remind you that if you haven't already -- please get on the phone, the fax or the keyboards and make those five little calls or messages to the Rules Committee urging them to subpoena the voting industry insiders and testing labs to come forth and testify UNDER OATH ... to perhaps shed some light on why they have been lying to us for oh-so long.

Please see http://www.dailykos.com/...  My weekend Diary for more background information if you need it and McPherson's recent reinstatement of Diebold.

Everything is at stake.  

I am putting some very important phone numbers and emails here along with simple instructions for what we all need to do, Californian or not.  We have 55 electoral votes, 7 Fighting Dems, and equal protection of all our votes at risk.

Bonfire of the Vanities begins at 7:30 PM EST; 4:30 PM PST.

But first, select your favorite Admin/ GOP/ Media traitors, liars, criminal and crooks, the ones you'd most like to rid the world of-- Only one per person, don't be greedy!  Then later this evening as the sun sets, we will stage a smoke-free virtual burning of effigies, to celebrate and commemorate Guy Fawkes' capture in 1605 -- treason-and-traitors-go-down day.  Hurry, because the top ten traitors are going fast...  See below.

If the spirit moves you--  compose a chant or poem to accompany your figurative effigy burning ritual.  The manner of celebration in England, New Zealand, and other locales-- singing songs, reciting verses while the effigies are burned in public bonfires.  Regretfully, I cannot provide the warm mulled wine.  BYO.

Grassroots are planted in and sprouted from the soil of election integrity.  

The heartbeat of any election, or any election integrity issue, is vote tabulation - THE COUNTING--and yet, it is curiously the most disregarded topic, virtually absent from today's legislative and public conversation on election reform.  On the other hand, the CASTING of the vote has been addressed ad infinitum, and is covered in the study below as well.  But it is the COUNTING that all Americans need to be better informed about-- electronic vote tabulation is but one of the perpetrators quietly placing America's representative democracy on the endangered species list...in peril of extinction.