Good morning, you no longer have overtime

Millions of American workers are due to lose their overtime pay based on new rules that go into effect today. That’s the Bush Administration for you. Friend of the middle class!

Prediction: These changes will be rolled into effect by employers very slowly. Once they reach you, the outrage will have been so dissipated that all you will see about it when you complain is a helpless shrug.

Something personal for once

The Sleeping Angels Foundation is holding it’s first ever music fest at Doc Watson’s next Saturday. If you recall, Sleeping Angels is the fund my brother’s family started up after the death of his son, Hunter James, from SIDS. The fund helps pay funeral expenses for children who have met similar circumstances and for families who are stretched to make ends meet.

My band – My Brother’s Keeper – will be among the eight playing that night. What? Didn’t know I had a band? The music you’ve heard on this site gets transformed radically when played in the context of a band and I prefer it that way. It’s been hard finding the right combination of people to get something going, but I know this group is building something. The name is more than a metaphor.

Last week we went in the studio for the first time and recorded a song that will be played on Loud and Local, 94 WYSP, between 10 and 11PM tonight. Dante and Steven, my brother and my best friend, will be there to talk about the band and the upcoming show.

I?d love to hear what you think, but more important, I?d love to see you at the Music Fest next week.

Keep your chin up

Rafe is concerned that the damage wrought by the Bush campaign connected Swift Boat Veterans for Slander will be too much to overcome for Kerry. He thinks that Kerry should not have responded so directly.

While I think Kerry is usually better off by staying above the slime being thrown, President Clinton thinks otherwise. His advice is for him to fight back hard. Kerry can’t let Bush’s flunkies define him the way they defined Gore. Who am I to argue with President Clinton? Along these lines, this new advertisement is very effective.

The truth is beginning to be outed, with newspapers leading the way.

I think, especially because of the times we are in, it’s our job as bloggers to help the cause of truth. Over at Daily Kos they are noting that a blowback is starting to grow. Hopefully bloggers can add some momentum to it. These tactics shouldn’t be tolerated.

One thing you can do is join me in signing a petition for Bush to publicly condemn these lies.

President Bush – call off your dogs. Get back to the issues. And explain why you are qualified to deal with them. If you can.