With each passing day we get more and more evidence that today's Party (as David Frum and others have noted) is increasingly under the control of the Tea Party movement and their representatives in the House of Representatives and of talk show hosts whose attitudes and comments can be relied on to forshadow arguments or actions GOPers will use or do. And now we have the latest: … [Read more...] about Conservative House Republicans win again: GOP leaders move to keep government funded postponed
Our Biggest and Most Lasting Loss from 9/11
Until 12 years ago today, we lived in another country. They did things differently there. For one, they did not keep bringing death to people halfway around the world who posed no imminent threat to us. For another, they didn’t casually keep sending our own young men and women to be killed and maimed in such places. One Korea, one Vietnam and one Kuwait in half a century … [Read more...] about Our Biggest and Most Lasting Loss from 9/11
Obama’s Syria speech: OK I’ll read the transcript
Okay. I'll read the transcript. Can't watch or even listen to a president Address The Country. Beginning with Reagan. George W. Bush was the clincher. For people who are sensitive to body language and oily prevarication, presidential speeches are torture. Bush's face was one big lie even when he stumbled over the truth by mistake. He looked as though he felt guilty. I … [Read more...] about Obama’s Syria speech: OK I’ll read the transcript
Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture
Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture (via AFP) Media star Tina Brown announced Wednesday she was leaving the Daily Beast, the online news website she founded five years ago. Brown, who previously served as editor at the New Yorker, Vanity Fair and Tatler, said she was creating a new venture based… … [Read more...] about Tina Brown quits Daily Beast, launches new venture
Is the Republican Party Now the Party of Peace?
Does "GOP" now stand for the "Grand Old Peace" party? You'd think so if you listen to many Republican conservative talkers, pundits, and nervous politicians holding their fingers up to the wind, then holding up a certain finger to the White House. There has been a shift in the way the Republican Party traditionally conducts its foreign policy business. The question is … [Read more...] about Is the Republican Party Now the Party of Peace?
Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip
Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip (via AFP) More than 200,000 people from 140 countries have applied to go to Mars and never return, the group behind an ambitious venture to colonize the inhospitable red planet has said. Bas Lansdorp, a Dutch engineer and entrepreneur, plans to establish a permanent… … [Read more...] about Space cadets line up for one-way Mars trip
Support President Obama’s Moon War !
Pretty funny … [Read more...] about Support President Obama’s Moon War !
No Cheers for the President’s Pinprick Speech
Defensive, disappointing and demagogic are words that come to mind after Barack Obama’s appeal to a reluctant nation on Syria. Defensive, because the President lists all the reasons against his position and ineffectually tries to destroy them. Disappointing, because he seems unable to grasp how deep the opposition goes and that rejection of his arguments is not based on … [Read more...] about No Cheers for the President’s Pinprick Speech
The Crisis In Syria & The Bush Legacy: A Toxic Gift That Keeps On Poisoning
Many reasons have been offered for the near-paralysis among the U.S. and its allies in fashioning a response to the thuggery of the Assad regime in Syria. Does anyone really believe that relieving the strongman of a few canisters of nerve gas will make a difference? But the perhaps least discussed reason is by far the biggest: The Bush Legacy, a toxic gift that keeps on … [Read more...] about The Crisis In Syria & The Bush Legacy: A Toxic Gift That Keeps On Poisoning
President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage (Epoca, Brazil)
Brazil President Dilma Rouseff, after revelations emerged last week that the NSA had been spying on her and her senior aides, has now learned that in all likelihood, the agency has also been spying on Petrobras, the largest company in the Southern Hemisphere by market capitalization and powerhouse of the Brazilian corporate world. According to Brazil's Epoca, the charges, made … [Read more...] about President Rousseff: Snowden Documents Show U.S. Economic Espionage (Epoca, Brazil)
I Miss 9/12
(Originally posted at The Kudzu Files 9/11/2009) I miss 9/12/2001. Obviously, not the pain and suffering of that next day. But I miss the feeling that, in the midst of such fear and loss, we were united as Americans. All across this country, people instinctively reached out to help not just the people of New York City and Washington, but each other. We awoke … [Read more...] about I Miss 9/12
‘Memory’s Requiem: 12 Years after 9/11’ (UPDATED)
UPDATE: American Forces Press Service is marking the 12th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States in a special report available here. Visit the site for stories and photos about how the nation and the world are observing the anniversary. == Original Post: Memory can be a curious thing. It can break a man down to the point where … [Read more...] about ‘Memory’s Requiem: 12 Years after 9/11’ (UPDATED)
Headline of the Day (New York Daily News)
Remember
Remember... … [Read more...] about Remember
India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (Guest Voice)
India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (via GlobalPost) Enlarge NEW DELHI, India — As recently as 2010, India's economic rise was thought to be inevitable. Poverty? Call it a “low base.” Unemployed millions? Call that the “demographic dividend.” A runaway deficit? That's “inclusive growth.”… … [Read more...] about India: From breakout to breakdown nation. What went wrong? (Guest Voice)
Jimmy Kimmel reveals viral twerking video fake
US comic reveals viral twerking video fake (via AFP) US late-night comedy host Jimmy Kimmel triggered a wave of online debate Tuesday after revealing that a "Twerk Fail" video which went massively viral was actually a fake stunt for his show. The Hollywood Reporter posted a tongue-in-cheek opinion piece… … [Read more...] about Jimmy Kimmel reveals viral twerking video fake
De Blasio wins New York mayoral primary for Democrats
De Blasio wins New York mayoral primary for Democrats (via AFP) New York's public advocate Bill De Blasio has won the Democratic mayoral primary, unofficial results showed, a springboard to becoming the next mayor of the city. With 97 percent of ballots counted across the Big Apple, the 52-year-old stood at 40.2… … [Read more...] about De Blasio wins New York mayoral primary for Democrats
Weiner withers, Spitzer sputters in NYC Elections
First one of the Three Stooges of American political sex scandals -- San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, was out. He resigned after being accused of being a serial sex harrasser. And now the other two of the scandal team, former Rep. Anthony Weiner, and former New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer are out as well. Voters didn't seem too forgiving this year. Spitzer sputtered at the … [Read more...] about Weiner withers, Spitzer sputters in NYC Elections
Obama “scare”—madness is the only train wreck (Guest Voice)
Obama “scare”—madness is the only train wreck by Peter W. Johnson Hopefully most of us are aware by now that the propaganda designed to cast doubts on almost every aspect of the new ACA Health Care Bill, is almost completely manufactured. Yes, some of its foes point out believable exaggerations about the bill’s supposed flaws, but these are usually created by using a few … [Read more...] about Obama “scare”—madness is the only train wreck (Guest Voice)
Syria: Kerry on the Response to his ‘Rhetorical’
In an interview today at the “Google+ Hangout,” Secretary Kerry answered questions on the response to his so-called “rhetorical" remarks on Syria turning over “every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week – turn it over, all of it without delay and allow the full and total accounting (of it)…” Co-hosting the interview with Lara … [Read more...] about Syria: Kerry on the Response to his ‘Rhetorical’