It's hot out there! So why don't you swing by to discuss politics and policies with your fellow NY DKossers. It can be our little pre-convention meetup. So come one. Come all!

AND Hekebolos is coming to town, and wants to see YOU!

Saturday, May 19
7:00 - 10:00 at Prey, 4 West 22nd Street (our reservation is only till 10.)
and 10:00 - ? we can stay or go somewhere else

All are welcome--we especially like to meet lurkers, newbie and oldies.

The decision by Ortho-McNeil was made public two weeks ago and was effective immediately in many states. To offset the costs, these clinics have had no choice but to pass on the rise in cost to their patients who can least afford it. Many health clinics receive over 70% of their contraceptive pill supply from Ortho, which is a major supplier of contraceptive in the industry.

Tia Hansuld, director of a Wyoming clinic

80 percent of the department's family planning patients fall below poverty, while the other 20 percent pay for contraceptives on a sliding-scale rate based on their income. As of Tuesday, this 20 percent of patients will pay no less than $10 for their birth control.

Currently we are entangled in Afghanistan and have a quagmire in Iraq. We have a little war going on in the Middle East, Iran and North Korea nuclear crises, genocide in Africa. On the domestic front, we've had 6 years and still Bush has done nothing to address our healthcare crisis,  the growing number of Americans living in poverty, our rising dependency on oil. Not to mention our broken election process, education, and social security. The problems are endless and daunting.

In the past week or so, Israel has gone on the offensive against Hezbollah and has taken Lebanon and its people hostage. The Lebanese infrastructure is in shambles. Just today, bombs hit the transmission towers for telephone and television, including Hezbollah's Al-Manar and the privately run New TV. Thousands of Israeli bombs have fallen on Lebanese homes, roads, bridges, ports, broadcasting towers and even a lighthouse. Nearly 300 people, mainly civilians, have been killed, and many more have been displaced.

Follow me below the fold...

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is on course to win a majority of seats in the country's upper house following a general election, according to exit polls.

AP is just reporting that the Bush White House and the Dubai government had a deal which involved information cooperation in exchange for the approval of the takeover of our port operations.

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Bill Maher now. And perhaps Jon Stewart next. I just get the feeling that the media suppression of Newsweek and others might even move to suppressing fake news, comedy shows, and cable tv. I read this transcript last week and was rolling. I can't imagine that this is "treasonous."

From the AP.

See below the fold.

Read on.