2010 has been the first calendar year for Occasional Planet’s eclectic, under-the-news-radar, occasionally-humorous-and-often-opinionated potpourri of mostly positive posts on progressive people, programs and ideas.
Health care reform: Is the President crazy like a fox?
I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t play one on TV (to paraphrase a commercial from several years ago). But it occurs to me
Tax-preparation scams, and how to avoid them
Ever wanted to borrow your own money and pay someone else an exorbitant fee to do so? If so, you’re in luck. With the
Interview: St. Louis activist Adam Shriver shares his philosophy
Adam Shriver is a next-generation leader among St. Louis-area progressive activists. His blog, St. Louis Activist Hub, plays a major role in alerting activists
A gift to the President from the north “poll”
[A CNN poll, released on Dec. 23, 2010, offers some encouraging news–and perhaps a word of caution– for President Obama.] Two nights before Christmas,
Lost-and-found news bits from 2010
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
Latina moms take on Chicago Public Schools—and win
On September 15 of this year, police surrounded a field house at Whittier Dual-Language Elementary School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Andy Donakowski of In
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
President Obama as teacher-in-chief
We’ve all heard the story about the emperor having no clothes. Now we’re hearing more from “the Great Communicator” who has trouble communicating his
Faith Advocates for Jobs Campaign helps unemployed people organize
The unemployed need support, and they need a voice in Washington. In response to these needs, the Rev. Paul Sherry of the Washington DC