Eight years after the invasion of Iraq, which was prompted at least in part by Bush Administration claims that Saddam Hussein was somehow involved in the 9-11 terrorist attacks, how do Iraqis feel about al-Qaeda - and about America? For the Iraqi newspaper Sotal Iraq, columnist Rageb Al-Rakabi writes that Iraqis firmly reject the terror group and its plots to attack the United … [Read more...] about Iraqis Reject the Terrorist Message of September 11 (Sotal Iraq, Iraq)
Low Lowdown on Palin
For decades, Joe McGinniss has been to journalism what Sarah Palin has become to politics--a relentless self-promoter who rarely lets facts get in the way of a good story-—and now they come together with the former’s book about the latter as she is on the brink of possibly becoming a presidential candidate. The next media scandals du jour will emanate from that 320-page … [Read more...] about Low Lowdown on Palin
I Could Care Less . . . But
I could care less if Sarah Palin had a one-night stand with a basketball player when she was a sports broadcaster back in 1987. I could care less that the player was future Miami Heat star Glen Rice, who was playing for Michigan and was in Anchorage for a tournament. I could care less that 6-foot-7 Rice is an African-American. I could care less that Rice is … [Read more...] about I Could Care Less . . . But
Solyndra and Bush
Type in "Solyndra" and "Bush" at Google and you'll get pages of media references (Fox, too, but not exclusively) to "Obama trying to blame Bush for Solyndra." In the page I looked at, there was only one "Bush role in Solyndra..." From CNN to ABC to dozens more, the story is Obama Blaming. Facts? What emerges is that a bunch of Republican donors and allies had invested … [Read more...] about Solyndra and Bush
Gulf War Syndrome Is Physical Brain Damage, Not Psychological
According to a study published this week in the journal Radiology, "abnormal hippocampal blood flow" can be measured in the brains of some ill Gulf War vets. Brantley Hargrove writes: The findings mark a significant advancement in our understanding of the syndrome, which was for years written off by the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs as a form … [Read more...] about Gulf War Syndrome Is Physical Brain Damage, Not Psychological
Buy American
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Buy American
Inside the Death Cult of the GOP (part ii.)
"Your morgauge is not my problum!" There is a point to painstakingly tracing the lie that masked Speaker Boehner's unprecedented bit of scheduling nastiness on the President's speech before Congress last week. It throws a harsh light onto the problem that pulls it into sharp relief. Rather than governing, the GOP strategy is to go on strike, knowing that it will tank the … [Read more...] about Inside the Death Cult of the GOP (part ii.)
GA Parole Board Swamped With Petitions
Following up on my earlier post, this afternoon the Georgia Board of Pardons and Paroles received petitions with over 663,000 names seeking clemency for Troy Anthony Davis: Davis' supporters, led by Amnesty International and the Georgia chapter of the NAACP, appeared at the board's offices and handed over 15 boxes filled with petitions, Amnesty Laura Moye said. The board, … [Read more...] about GA Parole Board Swamped With Petitions
The Cost of Everything and the Value of Nothing
What is truly remarkable about the politics of the early 21st century is how the difference between a cost and an investment has been undermined. This week, the Institute on Research for Public Policy released a report which estimated that it would take $200 billion to repair Canada's crumbling infrastructure. And, in Newsweek, Michael Tomasky reports that -- in the United … [Read more...] about The Cost of Everything and the Value of Nothing
Sue Happy America (Guest Voice)
From the eLocalLawyer blog, here's a Guest Voice in the form of a graphic: (Click to enlarge) Source: eLocalLawyers.com … [Read more...] about Sue Happy America (Guest Voice)
Verbal Child Abuse
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Verbal Child Abuse
An Exclusive Look at Politicians’ and Media Types’ Voice Mail
The other day I got lost in my health plan’s voice mail. By the time the call was over my nails grew an inch and my kitten became a cat. But it isn’t only corporations that are mired in voice mail mania: so are politicians and media types. How do I know? I checked. I called the White House office of President Barack Obama and got this: “This is your moment! You have … [Read more...] about An Exclusive Look at Politicians’ and Media Types’ Voice Mail
Troy Anthony Davis: Probably Innocent; About To Be Executed
Troy Anthony Davis: Troy Davis is set to be executed by the state of Georgia on September 21st for a crime he may not have committed. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear his final appeal earlier this year. But the story remains the same – Troy Davis could very well be innocent. Davis was convicted on the basis of witness testimony – seven of the nine original witnesses … [Read more...] about Troy Anthony Davis: Probably Innocent; About To Be Executed
Dakota Meyer’s Medal of Honor Award Ceremony (UPDATED)
I hope that many of our readers had the opportunity to watch the moving White House ceremony for the presentation of the Medal of Honor to Marine Sergeant Dakota Meyer. According to one reader, the view here at TMV was "[b]etter than TV by a ton." Above a White House photo of Dakota Meyer having a beer with the President yesterday at a White House patio. The Marine hero … [Read more...] about Dakota Meyer’s Medal of Honor Award Ceremony (UPDATED)
Obamacare: A Reason To Believe
Jonathan Cohn at TNR finds one: Need a reason to believe the Affordable Care Act is starting to work? The Census Bureau just gave you a half million of them. That’s how many young adults had health insurance in 2010, as compared to 2009, according to the official estimates. Or, to put it another way, the proportion of 18- to 24-year olds without health insurance fell, by … [Read more...] about Obamacare: A Reason To Believe
Obama Under Pressure on Entitlement Cuts
WASHINGTON - Yesterday, the Financial Times laid out what has been talked about for months and months, with Pres. Obama set to deliver a speech on deficit reduction on Monday. The FT begins with the argument of how the U.S. government measures inflation, which would deliver "a less generous chained-consumer price index," to quote FT. Today the White House pushed back, … [Read more...] about Obama Under Pressure on Entitlement Cuts
Oh Those Wild & Crazy Italians: Kind Of Like The French Without The Fries
If you need a break from the serial hijinks and buffoonery of the American political scene, look no further than Italy. What's going on there is hilarious if you overlook the fact that Prime Minister Silvio "Bunga Bunga" Berlusconi could well destroy what is left of the economic stability of Europe, which makes our own economic difficulties discreto (not so bad). A couple of … [Read more...] about Oh Those Wild & Crazy Italians: Kind Of Like The French Without The Fries
Stevie Wonder Applauds Steve Jobs
For making iOS accessible to all. At a nightclub appearance in LA last weekend, said Stevie: There is nothing that you can do on the iPhone or iPad that I can’t do. Watch: Via. … [Read more...] about Stevie Wonder Applauds Steve Jobs
Are We Still Capable Of Outrage? Are You?
WikiLeaks document dumps over the last year or so on the quagmires in Afghanistan and Iraq, Guantanamo Bay and State Department diplomatic cables, among others, begs an important question: Are we still capable of outrage? The past decade has been a carnival of disasters beginning with the 9/11 attacks and followed by the fool's mission in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the … [Read more...] about Are We Still Capable Of Outrage? Are You?
Marine To Be Awarded Medal Of Honor
Today a former US Marine will join a rare group of living Medal of Honor winners. I don't think I could do a better job than the Marine Corps Times did in spelling out his heroism so I'll let it stand on its own. (note that the article was written before the award became official, which is why he is refered to as nominee) He may not think he deserves the award but as … [Read more...] about Marine To Be Awarded Medal Of Honor