Last night I realized one of my dreams, to see and hear Jonathan Kozol. It was a warm fall evening in the historic LoDo district of Denver. As the last light of day fell on the old brick warehouses, across from Union Station upwards of 200 people gathered at the Tattered Cover Bookstore to listen to the man who is perhaps America's best known advocate for the educational rights of children. Kozol, despite being visibly gaunt from his partial fast, did not disappoint. It was an evening to remember and hopefully a touchstone for greater awareness and activism on the part of Colorado teachers. [Crossposted at www.educatorroundtable.org and dailykos.]

A twelve year old boy from Maryland died Sunday from an abscessed tooth. Something is really wrong here! President Bush is asking for another 100 billion dollars to throw into the black hole that Iraq has become while a child in America without health insurance dies for want of a simple tooth extraction. Something is really wrong here!

Jacob Hacker writes an article in yesterday’s tompaine.com. about the impact of Saturday's Health Forum in Las Vegas. Roger Hickery also writes a critique. Seems the netroots, labor and grassroots are pushing the agenda.