Senator John Kerry has been named to head a  new Communications and Technology Subcommittee of Senate Commerce Committee by Commerce Committee Chairman Senator Jay Rockefeller. Broadcasting & Cable News notes that Kerry “would likely not be the media’s top pick for oversight of their industry.” “There’s a huge agenda on our plates, from the digital television transition, expanding access to broadband, promoting greater diversity in media ownership, and following through on the 9/11 Commission recommendation to build a nationwide interoperable public...

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The Houston Chronicle reported on Wednesday that almost “six years after American troops were exposed to a toxic chemical at an Iraqi water treatment plant, two U.S. senators say the Army has yet to give a full accounting of a defense contractor’s apparent failure to protect troops from the chemical.” Democratic Sens. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Evan Bayh of Indiana also said there’s evidence soldiers who helped guard the plant in the months after the 2003 American invasion...

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50 killed as plane slams into home near Buffalo: Story is tragic and comes at a time just celebrating a great aviation feat just weeks ago. If they were just puddle jumping home most of your victims will be local which will make this crash that much more heartfelt. Talked to a guy who has listened to Air Traffic Control tape before the crash & the initial thought is no doubt it was weather – induced by icing on...

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Via Josh Marshall at TPM: The Times has a piece in tomorrow’s paper coalescing the growing number of experts who believe that many of the big banks are insolvent and that — whatever you want to call it — the government is going to have to step in and really resolve the crisis, through some process of seizing the failed banks, cleaning them up and selling them back into private hands. Not good… not good at all. Count me...

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Last night I was having a little discussion on Facebook about politics and I said that I thought the Republicans “will not sit back quietly and Obama have his way, we have already seen the warning signs in the fight over the stimulus.” Apparently I am not the only one who saw this coming. Via Andrew Sullivan: This much is now clear. Their clear and open intent is to do all they can, however they can, to sabotage the...

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Senator Judd Gregg withdrew as nominee of the Commerce Department earlier today. The withdrawal came abruptly as Gregg cited “irresolvable conflicts” between the himself and the Obama administration. “It has become apparent during this process that this will not work for me as I have found that on issues such as the stimulus package and the Census, there are irresolvable conflicts for me,” Mr. Gregg said in a statement. “Prior to accepting this post, we had discussed these and...

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In the news: Gates orders review of ban on photos of coffins. How do feel about coverage of your Wars? Does it even effect you the least bit? Are you aware when one of your local service men/women has passed through to his or her family? Do you think this media coverage could help improve this Nation’s awareness on what is really happening? Your answers are HUGE & answers KEY. If you...

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A new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds a majority “in favor of investigating some of the thorniest unfinished business from the Bush administration: Whether its tactics in the “war on terror” broke the law.” Close to two-thirds of those surveyed said there should be investigations into allegations that the Bush team used torture to interrogate terrorism suspects and its program of wiretapping U.S. citizens without getting warrants. Almost four in 10 favor criminal investigations and about a quarter want investigations without criminal...

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