The news comes in today; we wait for verifications. Yet, we could go back five years, ten, twenty, seventy years and see the images of the innocent dead in most every country of the world. Today, yesterday, since forever, the death of one child, let alone many children is devastating to my soul. As it is a blowtorch to the minds and hearts and spirits and souls of many … [Read more...] about Damascus, Syria, Gassing of Innocents. Give Us Names of Perpetrators, Witnesses, the Murdered
Poll: Louisiana Republicans blame Katrina response on Obama
This is no joke. It is not from The Onion and not written by Andy Borowitz. And it shows you how hateful, illogical, and demonizing partisanship has gotten in this country. I can't even run the usual "Twight Zone" graphic here since its troubling for our democracy. A poll finds a good chunk of Louisiana GOPers blame the governments poor response to Hurricane Katrina on Barack … [Read more...] about Poll: Louisiana Republicans blame Katrina response on Obama
Phone Call from Coco Chanel, Fashion Icon
Nothing can make you feel more ancient than a celebration of the 130th birthday of someone you knew. So it is with fashion icon Coco Chanel, remembered not only for her elegant clothes and the scent Chanel No. 5 but her wisdom about women’s lives that I helped spread with a monthly column in an America magazine half a century ago. It started during the “youthquake” of the … [Read more...] about Phone Call from Coco Chanel, Fashion Icon
BREAKING: 1200 killed in Damascas chemical attack Syrian opposition charges (Video footage)
A new report coming out of Syria suggests an escalation in the method of brutality the Syrian government will use against it's citizens: according to CBS News, and other reports (including some graphic ones from eyewitnesses), the Syrian opposition says the governnment killed 12000 in a chemical attack in Damascas: The Syrian opposition said Wednesday that state security … [Read more...] about BREAKING: 1200 killed in Damascas chemical attack Syrian opposition charges (Video footage)
The Looming Pension Crisis
States, counties, cities, and other public entities face huge deficits in pensions and promised health care benefits that cumulatively add up to trillions of dollars. Detroit’s bankruptcy was fueled to a large degree by its pension and health care shortfalls, with billions owed to its workers and retirees that were not supported by adequate funding. All of the major cities in … [Read more...] about The Looming Pension Crisis
Three Oklahoma teens shot Australian baseball player because they could
Everybody has moments when they're bored. But according to police in Oklahoma, three teens in Duncan, Oklahoma, decided to shoot Australian baseballer Chris Lane who was jogginb nearby. Because, police said, they were bored. Because they could. When police asked why they murdered Lane, one of the teens said the motive was "We were going to kill somebody." And now … [Read more...] about Three Oklahoma teens shot Australian baseball player because they could
Lyme Disease: More Common Than Once Thought?
According to the US Centers for Disease Control, Lyme Disease may be 10 times more prevalent than once believed. Although according to their report, most of the cases are still to be found primarily in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Wisconsin. … [Read more...] about Lyme Disease: More Common Than Once Thought?
Enter the Real Racists, Masks Off
The news from Oklahoma isn't good. Three teenage thugs allegedly murder an Australian baseball player. But that is NOT what our Right Wing blogging klansmen see (highlighted in pink): (And, please note that I'll be proving that "klansmen" is not a slur, but an accurate usage below). click for original The one that really jumps out, of course is: "Greg Pollowitz … [Read more...] about Enter the Real Racists, Masks Off
Conservationists, Scientists Outraged by Japanese Dolphin Hunt
Conservationists, Scientists Outraged by Japanese Dolphin Hunt (via Environment News Service) Conservationists, Scientists Outraged by Japanese Dolphin Hunt WASHINGTON, DC, September 21, 2006 (ENS) – Conservationists, scientists and zoo and aquarium professionals have renewed efforts to stop Japan’s annual dolphin hunt, which began this… … [Read more...] about Conservationists, Scientists Outraged by Japanese Dolphin Hunt
GOP isn’t dying, but it will have to reach moderate voters to survive (Guest Voice)
GOP isn't dying, but it will have to reach moderate voters to survive (via The Christian Science Monitor) Sen. Rand Paul (R) of Kentucky addresses the 114th annual VFW National Convention in Louisville, Ky., July 22. Mr. Paul and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recently swapped insults on each other's view for the GOP. Op-ed contributor Amy E. Black writes… … [Read more...] about GOP isn’t dying, but it will have to reach moderate voters to survive (Guest Voice)
Are Republicans finally giving up their mission to kill ObamaCare?
Are Republicans finally giving up their mission to kill ObamaCare? Many in the party won't come out and flatly say it, but it sounds as if it's moving in that direction. … [Read more...] about Are Republicans finally giving up their mission to kill ObamaCare?
Maine’s Gov. LePage says Obama “hates white people’
If moderates, centrists and independent voters think that the huge growth of partisan political demonization, name-calling and exaggeration that has poisoned our political debate only comes from talk show hosts, the growth of the Internet and the big bucks the political entertainment media rakes in, think again. Here's an example of it -- and another sign that Republican … [Read more...] about Maine’s Gov. LePage says Obama “hates white people’
Amazon.com Sites 25-60 Minute “Outage”. Sabotage?
Amazon.com, the main retail page of the Seattle, Wash.-based company, suffered an outage that left millions of users unable to access the site. The retail giant’s main U.S. site went offline at approximately 3 p.m. ET on Monday. The cause of the outage remains unclear, but Amazon Web Services (AWS), including EC2, remained up and working on the most part unaffected, … [Read more...] about Amazon.com Sites 25-60 Minute “Outage”. Sabotage?
Egypt arrests Muslim Brotherhood chief in blow to Islamists
Egypt arrests Muslim Brotherhood chief in blow to Islamists (via AFP) Egypt's government on Tuesday pressed its relentless campaign against the Muslim Brotherhood of ousted president Mohamed Morsi, dealing a major new blow to the Islamist group by arresting its chief. Mohammed Badie's detention comes as the Brotherhood… … [Read more...] about Egypt arrests Muslim Brotherhood chief in blow to Islamists
Arbitrary, and uncalled for
WASHINGTON -- For all who believe in colorblind justice -- and want to see fewer African-American and Hispanic men caught up in the system -- there are two items of good news: a judge's ruling ordering changes in New York's "stop and frisk" policy and Attorney General Eric Holder's initiative to keep nonviolent drug offenders out of prison. First, "stop and frisk." … [Read more...] about Arbitrary, and uncalled for
India’s intellectual property failures demand Obama’s attention (Guest Voice)
India's intellectual property failures demand Obama's attention By Phil Kerpen On May 11, 2013, Indian President Pranab Mukherhee said "The future prosperity of India in the new knowledge economy will increasingly depend on its ability to generate new ideas, processes and solutions." He was right not just about India, but indeed about the whole world; we need strong … [Read more...] about India’s intellectual property failures demand Obama’s attention (Guest Voice)
UK forces the Guardian to destroy computers, detains partner of journalist for nine hours
All in the guise of fighting terrorism If you live outside of London and don't read a lot of "foreign" news, you'll probably not hear about the first half of this story. That's the bit about government officials demanding that a major newspaper destroy hard drives containing documents leaked by Edward Snowden. If you live outside of the NY-DC corridor and don't follow … [Read more...] about UK forces the Guardian to destroy computers, detains partner of journalist for nine hours
Deadly attack on police as Egypt escalates crackdown
Deadly attack on police as Egypt escalates crackdown (via AFP) Militants killed 25 policemen on Monday in the deadliest attack of its kind in years, as Egypt's army-installed rulers escalated a campaign to crush ousted president Mohamed Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood. The assailants fired rocket-propelled grenades… … [Read more...] about Deadly attack on police as Egypt escalates crackdown
A New Member of the First Family
I write this not only because of my extreme weakness for dogs of all kinds but as what I think of as a gentle reminder that in spite of all the hatred aimed at President Obama and how many people agree mildly, vehemently and all the adverbs in between with his policies at the end of the day the Obamas are a family that share some characteristics with their fellow Americans, … [Read more...] about A New Member of the First Family
Greenwald says Britain will be “sorry” for detaining partner: vows to publish UK secrets
As the controversy grows over the detention at London's Heathrow airport for 9 hours of the partner of Glenn Greenwald, the Guardian reporter who did the interviews in which now-Russia-resident Anthony Snowden leaked secrets about the extent of NSA surveillance, Greenwald has now vowed to publish more secrets about the UK and says the UK will be "sorry." I believe this latest … [Read more...] about Greenwald says Britain will be “sorry” for detaining partner: vows to publish UK secrets