If there is an Honoris Causa degree in Assholishness, Arizona State University should be this year's recipient. I hope they do get an IgNoble Award in Education. From Obama won't receive ASU honorary degree :: ASU Web Devil - ASU's Online News Source:

University spokeswoman Sharon Keeler said Tuesday that the University awards honorary degrees to recognize individuals for their work and accomplishments spanning their lifetime.

:Because President Obama's body of work is yet to come, it's inappropriate to recognize him at this time," Keeler said.

[...]

Keeler said there are typically only one or two people each year who receive an honorary degree from ASU, though the University will not award one this spring.

"It's someone who's really outstanding, who has made outstanding contributions in their field," she said.

Really?

In the 1980's I participated in actions to try and stop the forced relocation of Native Americans (Dineh/Navajo tribe) to make way for the corrupt Peabody coal company to pretty much destroy an entire mountain to mine coal. The issue continues today.

The issue has many componants. There is the environmental impact of mining coal, something that became painfully obvious recently in Tennessee, but really is something that poisons people every single day in America. Then there is the impact on global warming of continuing to burn coal for energy, pretty much a 19th century idea whose time has long passed. There is the issue of native rights and the unfairness of the treaties that allow companies like Peabody Coal to pay pennies to Native Americans for the right to mine resources for millions of dollars in profits. Of course there is also the corruption behind companies like Peabody coal that buy off politicians so they can get away with violating environmental laws with abandon. And there is the injustice of forced relocations of people off land that their families have occupied for generations.

All of these problems come together at the place alternately called Black Mesa and Big Mountain (I knew it as Big Mountain when I visited it in the 1980's).
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Well, I think 21 states is about my limit. Was considering trying to put together West Virginia and Oklahoma pages, but I think the following are all I can do before election day rolls over us. Look for your state. I cover whatever caught my attention from school board and port authority up to Governor and Senate races. It is compiled from Progressive Majority, INDN List, Daily Kos efforts and my own research. The only controversial one I endorsed was in Washington State, and you can see the contrary comment in that section (from a Republican with a chip on his shoulder, but still with a valid point). So here they are, the 2008 Culture Kitchen Twenty-One State Endorsement Roundup:

NORTH CAROLINA ENDORSEMENTS

MINNESOTA ENDORSEMENTS

ALASKA ENDORSEMENTS

MONTANA ENDORSEMENTS

OREGON ENDORSEMENTS

COLORADO ENDORSEMENTS

WYOMING ENDORSEMENTS

VIRGINIA ENDORSEMENTS

NEVADA ENDORSEMENTS

OHIO ENDORSEMENTS

IOWA ENDORSEMENTS

PENNSYLVANIA ENDORSEMENTS

WISCONSIN ENDORSEMENTS

MICHIGAN ENDORSEMENTS

WASHINGTON STATE ENDORSEMENTS

MISSOURI ENDORSEMENTS

NEW JERSEY ENDORSEMENTS

CALIFORNIA ENDORSEMENTS

ILLINOIS ENDORSEMENTS

ARIZONA ENDORSEMENTS

TEXAS ENDORSEMENTS

Please forgive me if I skipped your state or skipped candidates in your state. I am just one person!

Arizona is my fourth state to focus on. Have a more extensive rundown here.

AZ-3 Congressional Race:

Democrat Bob Lord is running against the rather strange John Shadegg (who has had several scandals in recent weeks). Here is Bob Lord's most recent ad:

Bob Lord on Veterans:

"Our veterans have sacrificed for our freedom. We have a sacred duty to support them and their families in times of sacrifice. The first step in supporting our veterans is to provide them with the best healthcare possible by fully funding the Veterans' Administration. Also, our National Guard and reservists serving in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve full access to G.I. Bill benefits. And, of course, we need to end the tax on veterans disability benefits."

Bob Lord on Healthcare:
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Progressive Majority is one of the strongest and most successful progressive grassroots organizations out there. I have been pushing a few of their Arizona candidates in my own newsletter and two of them just won historic victories. I want to share those two victories with you and introduce you to some new Progressive Majority candidates in Arizona. Remember, this is John McCain's state, so our wins there are particularly sweet.

Corey Woods
Candidate for Tempe City Council - At Large (Challenger)
WE WON!!!

Progressive Majority candidate Corey Woods made history this May, when he became the first African-American elected to Corey Woodsthe Tempe, Arizona City Council in its 114-year history!

Corey's election, along with the election of fellow Democrat Joel Navarro, also power-shifts the Tempe City Council to a progressive majority!

Congratulations, Corey!
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12th Native American Youth Entrepreneur Camp
July 20-25, 2008
University of Arizona campus
Tucson, Arizona

Join us at the 12th Native American Youth Entrepreneur Camp July 20-25, 2008, on the campus of The University of Arizona in Tucson.

Learn to build private-sector enterprises in Indian Country. Visit Native-owned businesses. Enjoy extracurricular activities on and off the UA campus.

Like the real world, the camp is intensive and challenging, but rewarding and fun!

During the six-day camp, students will reside on campus, eat in the Student Memorial Union, and attend classes on the UA campus.

Register by July 1.

For more information, contact Monica Agar at cortes@u.arizona.edu or call (520) 626-0664.