A pretty fun video but more importantly a solid message Yes we all have things in our lives we don't like. We have stress, worry, those unhappy moods that pop up. But most of us *can* choose to be happy. So make the choice... lighten up.... smile and laugh... do something silly with someone you care about or do something nice to a total stranger. It may not solve … [Read more...] about Be Happy
Friends, Allies and Enemies
This post is going to make some uncomfortable, make some angry but just perhaps a few will see some wisdom in it.[icopyright one button toolbar]' The socio-political world is in a constant state of flux. As conditions change we must reevaluate who our friends and allies are. One of the most disturbing recent events is the rather sudden rise of ISIS. There are … [Read more...] about Friends, Allies and Enemies
Islamic State: Obama needs friends
The main reason for the rise of Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi is that Washington is losing influence over events in the Middle East. So forces hostile to the US are entering the power vacuum. [icopyright one button toolbar] Regaining control requires wining more friends among neighboring nations and peoples. Giving primacy only to American military power produces fear or fawning, not … [Read more...] about Islamic State: Obama needs friends
Dinesh D’Souza Compares Ferguson Protesters to ISIS Extremists
Conservative windbag Dinesh D'Souza is comparing what's going on in Ferguson to ISIS extremists. Really? Can't recall hearing that any of the Ferguson protesters beheaded anyone, of even abducted women and children. [icopyright one button toolbar] Here's more from Buzzfeed: “The common thread between ISIS and what’s going in Ferguson is you have these people who basically … [Read more...] about Dinesh D’Souza Compares Ferguson Protesters to ISIS Extremists
Doctor Who Returns This Afternoon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emBJfPhJWXg Doctor Who first airs at 7:50 London time, so I'm about to make sure Hola unblocker is working fine, and then hooking it up via the HDMI port to my big screen television. For those who are more patient (or won't be out to dinner as I will be at the time) BBC America is showing it at 8 p.m.[icopyright one button toolbar] Using … [Read more...] about Doctor Who Returns This Afternoon
(Updates) U.S. Airstrikes Against ISIL Continue
Update II: Vice President Biden wrote an op-ed in the Washington Post yesterday expressing confidence that ISIS could be defeated without U.S. ground troops in Iraq. Here are some excerpts: These steps [to form a new Iraqi government] are meaningful because they show that Iraqis have begun to understand that they must rise above their differences. And that, when they … [Read more...] about (Updates) U.S. Airstrikes Against ISIL Continue
Weekend Photo
Well Dorian got tired of waiting for my weekend photo so he published some beautiful pictures of hummingbirds. I will continue with the bird theme . This is a lucky shot I got of a pileated woodpecker. Another one of those cases of being in the right place at the right time with the right lens. There was some minimal Photoshop to correct for really bad lighting. … [Read more...] about Weekend Photo
When to police political behavior
When to police political behavior by Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- The headlines bring the accidentally colliding tale of two governors and, with it, a valuable debate about the proper role -- and proper limits -- of criminal law in policing political behavior. Exhibit A is the questionable -- "sketchy" was the apt … [Read more...] about When to police political behavior
Cartoon: Back to School
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Back to School
A Colibrí Weekend
It is 8 AM where I live and I have not yet seen the beautiful weekend photo usually posted by Ron. I am sure it is yet to come. But in the meantime here are a couple. Since I am not a photographer, I asked my niece -- Dr. Claudia Krasnoff -- for one of her many Colibrí -- or Picaflores -- photos she took while we were traveling in Ecuador two or three years … [Read more...] about A Colibrí Weekend
The Multimillion-Dollar Private Investigation To Find James Foley
While the United States government has a policy against paying ransom to terrorists, the privately held GlobalPost and James Foley’s family were prepared to pay a ransom for the kidnapped freelance journalist’s release, according to GlobalPost co-founder and CEO Phil Balboni. “Jim was a special member of our family,” Balboni said of the longtime GlobalPost … [Read more...] about The Multimillion-Dollar Private Investigation To Find James Foley
Chait Responds to Frum
[one_fourth]Jonathan Chait responds to David Frum's comments on the Republican Party in New York magazine.[icopyright one button toolbar] The Republican Party constructed a geriatric trap for itself. Just how it will escape is hard to see. It is a small-government party whose base is wedded to the programs that constitute a large and growing share of government. The inability … [Read more...] about Chait Responds to Frum
This is Not the Jobs Program You’re Looking For
Or at least it isn't the one you should be looking for if you want something with waste approaching a rationally low level of waste. After all, no project undertaken by humans will be perfect. But using massive "defense" projects as job projects is more wasteful than usual. But there's wasteful and then there's two of the most disgraceful excuses for defense programs in … [Read more...] about This is Not the Jobs Program You’re Looking For
US Officials Rule That Monkey Selfies Cannot Be Copyrighted
redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports - Your Universe Online Bad news for the British photographer who allowed a curious monkey to take a selfie using his equipment – or, indeed, any of us looking to allow wild animals to borrow our smartphones or cameras to take self-portraits – US officials have issued new rules declaring that… US Officials Rule That Monkey Selfies Cannot Be … [Read more...] about US Officials Rule That Monkey Selfies Cannot Be Copyrighted
Frum on the GOP
Conservative gadfly David Frum analyzes his party in Foreign Affairs. Three big trends have decisively changed the Republican Party over the past decade, weakening its ability to win presidential elections and gravely inhibiting its ability to govern effectively if it nevertheless somehow were to win. [icopyright one button toolbar] First, Republicans have come to … [Read more...] about Frum on the GOP
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Ann Coulter and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Ann Coulter and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --7 Marketing Lessons From The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge -- Ice Bucket Challenge Raises Money ... and Criticism --A Message To Ann Coulter–Stop “Helping” Us --Ice Bucket Challenge ALS Donations Break $50 Million Mark Mike Peters is recognized as one of our nation’s most prominent … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Ann Coulter and the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Ferguson divides us less than we imagine
WASHINGTON -- African-Americans are not alone in being horrified by the killing of Michael Brown. They are not alone in their concern over the police's behavior. And there's evidence that a large number of white Americans have still not fully formed their views on this tragedy. This means that how we discuss and debate the events in Ferguson, Mo., in the coming weeks really … [Read more...] about Ferguson divides us less than we imagine
A Steep Hillary To Climb, or, Because She’s There …
Synchronicity: Peter Beinart / The Atlantic Online Clintonphobia: Why No Democrat Wants to Run Against Hillary — Strong frontrunners have drawn challengers before. But given the Clintons' reputation for retaliating for betrayals, it's just not worth it in 2016. — The mystery of the 2016 Democratic presidential race isn't why Hillary Clinton seems likely to run.... I had … [Read more...] about A Steep Hillary To Climb, or, Because She’s There …
It’s now personal between Obama and the ISIS
No more Mr. (relatively) Nice guy. It's now personal between President Barack Obama and the ISIS after the beheading of freelance journalist James Foley. That's the quite-plausible analyst of The Daily Beast's Eli Lake:[icopyright one button toolbar] When ISIS beheaded an American journalist, it meant to intimidate—and provoke—the United States. It should be careful what … [Read more...] about It’s now personal between Obama and the ISIS
Over-Covering Ferguson (Guest Voice)
Over-Covering Ferguson by Michael Reagan Why have the protests and riots lasted so long in Ferguson? Why have out-of-town agitators and opportunists like the Communist Revolutionary Party and the New Black Panthers flocked to a St. Louis suburb? Why, 12 days after Michael Brown was shot to death by a policeman, do the good people of Ferguson who want to see a fair … [Read more...] about Over-Covering Ferguson (Guest Voice)