Ava's Videos

On the heels of Tony Snow saying the troops that have died are "just a number" comes this video made by Ava Lowery, the fifteeen year old girl from Alabama whose first video promoting peace caused death threats and the desire to see her raped or tortured.

This video is beautifully done.

Her What Would Jesus Do piece is chilling.

More of her videos here. She was interviewed on CNN, and she attended the YearlyKos Convention in Las Vegas recently. More here.

Bush Sure Likes The Taste of His Own Foot

Today, President Bush held a press conference in Vienna, Austria as part of a diplomatic visit to Europe. He was asked by a member of the press why approval for his policies, particularly on national security issues, was so low in Europe. Bush explained that Europeans didn’t take the 9/11 attacks seriously. “For Europe, September 11th was a moment. For us, it was a change of thinking.”

85 Europeans died in the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Bush added that “some people,” presumably Europeans who disagree with his policies, believe it’s “OK to condemn people to tyranny.”

Video and transcript

R.I.P. Billy Preston

Billy Preston, who played keyboards for the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and many others, died today in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Watch his phenomenal performance from 1971 on this video.

"Concert For Bangladesh" presented by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar for relief and aid to the starving people of Bangladesh. A list of people on stage for this concert is remarkable. George Harrison, Ringo Star (former Beatles), Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Leon Russell, Billy Preston, Klaus Voorman, Carl Radle, Don Preston, Jim Keltner, Jesse Ed Davis, Bad Finger...and none of them took a penny. Madison Square Garden 1971 - Billy Preston - "That's The Way God Planned It". Preston's performance, energy and love of the reason he was there, made this perhaps one of his best Live performances ever.

Al Gore Video

This video was made by Spike Jonze in 2000, but never aired. I wonder if it would have changed the outcome, although I'm sure they would have managed to steal the election from him no matter how many votes he got.

It shows Al at home with his family, showing off the pictures and mementos on the walls and joking around with his wife and kids. He's very soft-spoken and sincere, and comes across as very honest, with a great sense of humor.

There's a movement afoot to elect Al Gore in 2008. See here and here.

Update: There's an interesting article about Al Gore on Huffpo.

Patriotic Posters

Check out the whole insanely creative collection at
The White House.