Open Thread and Diary Rescue

This Valentine's Day's Rescue Rangers are vcmvo2, a synthetic cubist, HansScholl, mem from somerville, srkp23, and joyful, with watercarrier4diogenes scrounging around in the pockets of the Robes of Objectivity, looking for the Wand of 'Seriousness' (tm Glennzilla)

Tonight's diaries cover a variety of interesting issues rarely covered all that well by the 'traditional media' (tm Kos). It seems the Broders of the 'Beltway village' just don't put their s in their work like Kossacks do.

While Brandon Friedman discusses ways to move forward in Afghanistan: More Troops are Only One Part of the Solution, lexington1 shares some little-known history in Meet the Stans: Turkmenistan. (a synthetic cubist)

The Bagof Health and Politics reports locally from Maryland on Health Care in a Struggling Economy: From Bad to Worse. (srkp23)

shaysrebellion connects past and future corruption in Pirate Politics and Profit in Iraq w/poll. (a synthetic cubist)

danps argues for Changing the Terms of the Debate on the Obama Administration's use of extraordinary powers from "presuming the executive branch may not be checked to insisting that its activities be subject to truly independent review and made public as soon as possible." (HansScholl)

In Healthcare Insurance: Making it Work for You in These Hard Times, rfall takes us through the do's and don'ts of filing effective claims. (vcmvo2)

people power granny brings it all home and reminds us that Capitalism has corrupted the reason for which money was created! (a synthetic cubist)

rjones 2818 illustrates how and why the Gutter Press campaign aims to distort union demands. (vcmvo2)

FrankCornish explores a historical parallel of another precarious time in Remembering Alexander Kerensky-- A Cautionary Tale. (mem from somerville)

In Udall introduces RES into Senate, fbihop underlines how important environmentalism has always been to the Udall family. (vcmvo2)

mikecraud delineates what the Team of Rivals might need to do to make progress in Republicans Are on the Rival Team. (mem from somerville)

Justashotaway details how the Religious Right Hijacks Education Spending in "Godless" Stimulus. (srkp23)

For some bi-partisan PDA action, check out Silent Spring's Presidential Displays of Affection w/ Eye Candy. (mem from somerville)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: February 13, 2009.

carolita has Top Comments 2-14-09 -- Valentine's Day Edition.

Enjoy and please promote your own favorite diaries in this open thread (even if you're the author! Here's where that's actually appreciated). And, of course, since it's an open thread, PLAY NICE, OK? 8^))