Tops and Reviews

Here are some “top ten”-ish and new years wish/resolution items I have found today.

Democracy Now! offers a 2005 in Review: Power, Politics and Resistance from its December 30th program. The review looks back at highlighted events in 2005,
including George W. Bush’s inaugeration and protests against election fraud, the occupation of Iraq, the conviction of attorney Lynne Stewart, the appointment of John Bolton to the UN, the revelation of Deep Throat, the conviction of Edgar Ray Killen for killing the three civil rights workers in 1964, and much more.

Common Dreams
Medea Benjamin writes a piece entitled 10 Good Things about Another Bad Year:
As we close this year, a year in which we were pummeled by the Iraq war, attacks on our civil rights and Mother Nature’s fury of hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis, there is no shortage of reasons to feel bruised and beaten. But to start the new year with a healthy determination to keep on fighting, we need to reflect on the good things that happened. And there are plenty.

Media also writes Imagine if in 2006…, a list of wishes for the world.

A Year of Sweet Victories by Katrina vanden Heuvel highlights the successes of progressive efforts in 2005.

Bud McClure writes an article entitled Auld Lang Syne for 9/11: A New Year’s Wish. He begins:
I want to start the New Year by proposing that we remove the term 9/11 from our vocabulary and let the people who were killed in that tragic event rest in peace. Since September 11, 2001, 9/11 has become the ubiquitous term for everything that has gone wrong in the 21st century.

Heroes and Goats of 2005 by Gary Alan Scott lists the top public figures for 2005.

Bob Burnett writes a piece entitled: A New Years’ Resolution – Resist Fascism in which he highlights all the ways the current U.S. regime has displayed the characteristics of fascism.

Phil Tajitsu Nash suggests in his article, 2006: A Call to Action, through his personal and historical account of the Japanese-American Concentration camps during WWII, strategies for Americans to reclaim democracy and raise their voices in objection when something is wrong with U.S. policies. He also reminds us that we must demand accountabilitiy from our representatives.

Truthout
Review of the Year: Iraq by Patrick Cockburn, of The Independent UK, offers his analysis of the failed “plans” for Iraq.

The Nation’s John Nichols highlights The Most Valuable Progressives of 2005, a list of the most valuable elected officials, activist groups and courageous citizens who bent the arc of history toward justice.

Cindy Sheehan writes about 2006: The Year the Chickenhawks Will Go Home to Roost, an account of what has happened since Camp Casey last summer and plans for 2006.

VHeadline.com
Alfredo Bremont has written 2006 determines the end of the empire and Bush’s imperialist dreams…. Bremont states From top to bottom, anti-American sentiment has grown to such a degree that the United States could realistically be committing suicide if it decides to mess around more with the South American continent … which in size population and resources is not to be compared as a push-over to Iraq or Haiti.

Be on the lookout for the omens of 2006 … we�re in for quite a year!, by Fred Cederholm, refers to 2005 events and what to expect for 2006.

Dr. Harold Mandel writes an article entitled With Chavez’ revolutionary zeal 2006 should be good year for Venezuela, in which he writes, among other things,
Children of Venezuela will be in the forefront of those who will benefit from developing wealth as the Chavez administration continues to move to bring homeless kids in off of the streets. All the children will benefit from generous investments in the country’s schools.

ZNet
It Wasn’t All Bad by Katha Pollitt for The Nation lists 14 good things that happened in 2005.

Mark Weisbrot writes Economy 2006 in which he makes predictions about the 2006 U.S. financial state.

Other sources
Anthony Gregory, writer for AntiWar.com, writes about War, scandals in 2005 boost case for liberty, peace in 2006, where he analyzes President Bush’s “historic” year.

Just for Fun ~ Horoscopes
If you are into astrology and want to know your 2006 horoscope, check out astrology.com.