In the deluge of news, even the most dedicated junkie can miss a few intriguing items now and then. Occasional Planet’s sidebar feature, “Occasional
Author: Gloria Shur Bilchik
Gloria Shur Bilchik is a freelance writer and community volunteer in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the editor of Occasional Planet. She views the preservation of democratic values and progressive programs as vital to making the US a humane, livable place for her children and grandchildren.
The five best-paying government jobs
Are government workers overpaid? According to many observers, the notion that government workers are living high on the hog is a myth [as reported
Of human rights, water rights and the rights of Mother Earth
When Eleanor Roosevelt helped draft and gain acceptance for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [UDHR], she started something big. Adopted by the fledgling
St. Louis progressives pull together to improve on-line and on-the-street presence
A diverse group of more than 65 progressive bloggers and activists gathered on Saturday, Dec. 11 to pool their ideas for more effective ways
Tax us more, say some of America’s super-rich
Millionaires back higher taxes! It sounds like another April Fool’s joke or a story concocted by The Onion, but it’s not. Earlier this year,
Busting the filibuster
Everybody [at least everybody who wants an effective democracy] talks about ending “filibuster abuse,” but who’s doing something about it? At least one US
Thanks, President Obama: Acting against wage discrimination
If you’re looking for an example of the good work that can be done-and has been done—by a president, Democrats and a US Congress
The DREAM is alive in some cities and states
Some states and municipalities aren’t waiting around for Congress to pass the DREAM Act. “Despite the anti-immigration rhetoric of the 2010 mid-term elections, states
Thanks, President Obama: Credit-card holders get a better deal
Don’t believe ‘em when they say the progressive agenda is unloved by American citizens. Much has been accomplished in the first two years of
Who bought the 2010 elections? We may never know.
Even before the last dollar has been tallied, we already know one thing: We’re not going to be able to identify a lot of