Our political Quote of the Day comes from Doug Mataconis, who is part of a New York Times op-ed debte on New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's bridge scandal. Mataconis' short piece -- which needs to be read in full -- first points to Christie's press conference and concludes: The governor went a long way toward putting this matter behind him with his press … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: How Christie could survive
Christie, the bridge and the Republicans (Guest Cartoonist)
Christy, the bridge and the Republicans by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Why the Christie scandal is a major challenge for Republicans --Christie Traffic-Jam Crisis Poses Test of 2016 Prospects --WHY SOME REPUBLICANS ARE GLOATING OVER CHRISTIE'S TROUBLES --Republican Leaders Assess Scandal Damage to Christie --Republicans go after Christie on … [Read more...] about Christie, the bridge and the Republicans (Guest Cartoonist)
MoMa Plans a Massive Renovation, But Will Nix the American Folk Art Museum
There's big news for all of you art lovers out there — the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) in New York has revealed its plans for a huge renovation. Located in Midtown at 54th Street, the MoMa draws around 3 million annual visitors with its impressive collection of 20th century and new-age art. The museum announced it would undergo another massive overhaul just 9 years after the … [Read more...] about MoMa Plans a Massive Renovation, But Will Nix the American Folk Art Museum
House Intelligence Committee: “Snowden Leaks Helped Terrorists”
It is possible that U.S. House Intelligence Panel members are exaggerating, embellishing or fear-mongering, but this is what The Hill reports: Edward Snowden's leaks about National Security Agency programs have put U.S. troops at risk and prompted terrorists to change their tactics, according to a classified Pentagon report. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike … [Read more...] about House Intelligence Committee: “Snowden Leaks Helped Terrorists”
Christie Presser on bridge: “embarrassed…humiliated” and in the dark
Touched by a scandal that could throw a monkey wrench into his 2016 Republican Presidential hopes and possibly his political career, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie in a press conference declared he was "embarrassed...humiliated" and in as a manager in the dark about "some people on my team" seemingly slowing down traffic on the George Washington Bridge to get back at Fort Lee's … [Read more...] about Christie Presser on bridge: “embarrassed…humiliated” and in the dark
The Christie Fib-A-Thon, Er, News Conference
Being a trial lawyer causes a person to see the world in ways perhaps different from others. Having to judge the credibility of witnesses, discuss their testimony with jurors in closing argument and/or prepare for cross examination, I tend to see events like New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's press conference from that courtroom perspective. The signs of dishonesty … [Read more...] about The Christie Fib-A-Thon, Er, News Conference
When you divide by 15 minutes of fame what do you get?
When you divide by 15 minutes of fame what do you get? (The Call of the Wild is an ad revenue shell game by Duck, Duck Goose) The View from the Virgin Islands By John F. McCarthy TMV Guest Voice Columnist All the world's a stage, but the modern American media business is but a shill game. So Tina Dupuy is right to make a distinction between Free Speech and Free … [Read more...] about When you divide by 15 minutes of fame what do you get?
Avoid Conventional Wisdomitus: Don’t Count Christie Out (Yet)
It's raging. It's flaring. It's spreading. In light of emails linking his office closely to shutting down lanes of the George Washington Bridge in what looks like a hack partisan revenge move, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christy was t-h-e political story yesterday. And the conventional wisdom was spreading full blast. By the end of the day some written and broadcast pundits were … [Read more...] about Avoid Conventional Wisdomitus: Don’t Count Christie Out (Yet)
Dreher on Gates/Obama
Rod Dreher comments on Robert Gates' memoir in The American Conservative. On Afghanistan: Is it just me, or is this nuts? Obama’s judgment of the sleazy Karzai was correct, Obama knew the war was unwinnable, Gates thinks Obama made the right calls — but he faults the president for not being a True Believer? As if George W. Bush’s unwillingness to reassess American strategy … [Read more...] about Dreher on Gates/Obama
Rodman apologises for N. Korea outburst, blames drink
Rodman apologises for N. Korea outburst, blames drink (via AFP) Former NBA star Dennis Rodman apologised Thursday for his televised outburst about a US missionary detained in North Korea, explaining that he had been stressed and drinking at the time. Rodman was roundly criticised for his angry tirade in an interview… … [Read more...] about Rodman apologises for N. Korea outburst, blames drink
Chris Christie’s role in GWB bridge scandal questioned in wake of newly revealed e-mails
Chris Christie's role in GWB bridge scandal questioned in wake of newly revealed e-mails (via NJ.com) TRENTON — The release of a stunning series of e-mails implicating his administration in the controversial lane closures at the George Washington Bridge last September leave Republican Gov. Chris Christie weathering his first major political scandal… … [Read more...] about Chris Christie’s role in GWB bridge scandal questioned in wake of newly revealed e-mails
Invasion of the Political Entertainment Media Body Snatchers
(Sigh.) And so we see another example of a cable political personality's previous branding bite the dust. Another apology. Another brand altered. This time it was MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry, the writer and political science professor at Tulane University. When her weekend show debuted on MSNBC last spring some called it dull. She recently urged her panelists to be funnier … [Read more...] about Invasion of the Political Entertainment Media Body Snatchers
Sam’s Best Movies of 2013 (Guest Voice)
Sam’s Best Movies of 2013 (via SFBay) After 365 days of quasi-voracious moviegoing, I consumed 123 new releases in 2013. Naturally, when you experience anything that many times, one is bound to run into extreme highs and lows. While the general public had to endure yet another abhorrent… … [Read more...] about Sam’s Best Movies of 2013 (Guest Voice)
Defining the NSA’s role
WASHINGTON -- President Obama's anticipated reform of the National Security Agency's practices needs to go beyond ending the mass surveillance of innocent Americans' phone calls. He should force the agency to think less about the quantity of information it gathers and more about the quality. Obama should ignore the choir of apologists singing in lamentation over the … [Read more...] about Defining the NSA’s role
Chris Christie’s handling of George Washington Bridge scandal veers from his norm (Guest Voice)
Chris Christie's handling of George Washington Bridge scandal veers from his norm (via NJ.com) TRENTON — There’s a reason why Gov. Chris Christie is one of the nation’s most popular politicians. People believe he tells is like it is. But Christie’s response to the scandal over the closure of lanes to the George Washington Bridge draws… … [Read more...] about Chris Christie’s handling of George Washington Bridge scandal veers from his norm (Guest Voice)
Christie offers short statement saying was “mislead” by staff member on bridge scandal
Faced with new emails that suggest one of his closest aides called for closing some lanes on the George Washington Bridge in a political revenge move, New Jersey Chris Christie has issued a four line statement saying he was "mislead" by a member of his staff. Initial reaction -- on blogs, among radio and cable pundits -- suggest the rapidity of the statement, its brevity and … [Read more...] about Christie offers short statement saying was “mislead” by staff member on bridge scandal
Fournier Counters Woodward
Frequent Obama critic Ron Fournier compliments the President after his preliminary read of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates' book in The National Journal. In what Bob Woodward called a "harsh" judgment of President Obama, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates writes of the commander-in-chief adding troops to Afghanistan over the objections of his political team, … [Read more...] about Fournier Counters Woodward
BREAKING: Two Helicopters Down (Updated)
Update: The 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs, Lakenheath, England, has released the following information: Capt. Christopher S. Stover, Capt. Sean M. Ruane, Tech. Sgt. Dale E. Mathews, and Staff Sgt. Afton M. Ponce were the HH-60G Pave Hawk aircrew members killed in a crash on the Norfolk coast in England Jan. 7. An HH-60G helicopter carries a four-person aircrew: … [Read more...] about BREAKING: Two Helicopters Down (Updated)
Drunken 9 year old in New Zealand who smokes weed at skatepark (Video)
The old saying is you need a license to drive, you need a license to get married -- but no one needs a license to have kids. And some should. There's an uproar in New Zealand, with dismay spreading throughout the world due to the Internet, over a 9 year old shown in a video who's drunk and also smokes weed. No, it isn't funny. No it isn't cute. It's a kid at risk and posing … [Read more...] about Drunken 9 year old in New Zealand who smokes weed at skatepark (Video)
Gates Opening Up: Long-Hidden Ego Has Landed
The first question about the former Defense Secretary’s memoir is timing. For someone who prides himself on patriotism, why now? In a flurry of leaks, advance excerpts and reviews, Robert Gates has put the President and his White House on the kind of political griddle he professes to abhor. In his book, Gates says he “bristled at what's become of congressional hearings, … [Read more...] about Gates Opening Up: Long-Hidden Ego Has Landed