[Update at end] Tomorrow your Army, the U.S. Army, will be 238 years young, Young because compared to the ages of armies of other nations, our Army is still a child. But there is nothing childish about our Army’s capabilities -- by far the best Army in the world. Army birthday celebrations started a little early today with a wreath laying at the tomb of the … [Read more...] about Happy Birthday, Army (Updated)
Milliken and Ray GOP Governors 14 Years — And Flaming Moderates
Historic Tidbit: In 1978, bombastic freshman California Congressman Bob Dornan was challenged by Cary Peck, son of the prominent actor. The district had given Gerald Ford 60% in 1976 and Dornan was not the man of obvious vitriol that would define his later career. But Peck actually outspent the incumbent slightly and came within 3,500 votes of unseating him (51-49%). Peck tried … [Read more...] about Milliken and Ray GOP Governors 14 Years — And Flaming Moderates
Turkey’s Protests and Erdogan’s Authoritarianism: The View from the Southeast
Guest post by Ali Ezzatyar The dust does not seem to be settling at all on protests in Turkey this week. All the while, talk of an "increasingly authoritarian government" and the erosion of democracy has had a particularly ironic resonance for one portion of Turkey’s population: the Kurds. Making up 25 percent of the country and historically estranged from Turkish society, … [Read more...] about Turkey’s Protests and Erdogan’s Authoritarianism: The View from the Southeast
Study finds speech-to-text risks behind the wheel
Study finds speech-to-text risks behind the wheel (via AFP) Speech-to-text devices in new cars fail to overcome the well-known perils of hands-on texting while driving, a US study published Wednesday suggests. Developing standards for measuring cognitive distraction behind the wheel, University of Utah researchers wired the heads of 32 drivers with sensors,… … [Read more...] about Study finds speech-to-text risks behind the wheel
Turtled (Cartoon)
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 Turtled (Cartoon)
Bill Clinton Warns that Obama May Look Like a “Wuss” Over Syria
Former President Bill Clinton warns that President Barack Obama could look like a "wuss" -- and even worse -- on Syria if he doesn't do more on the crisis. John Avlon: In sharp remarks directed against his Democratic successor and his wife’s former boss, President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that President Barack Obama risks looking like a “wuss,” a “fool,” and “lame” for … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton Warns that Obama May Look Like a “Wuss” Over Syria
Wounded Warriors Inspire Boston Marathon Bombing Victim
Many here at TMV -- yours truly certainly included -- have been engaged in a pretty heated debate over the NSA Surveillance programs and the young man who disclosed them. Whatever our differences, whatever our opinions about this issue, I know that we will all admire the men and women from our Armed Forces who, themselves Wounded Warriors, themselves double, triple, … [Read more...] about Wounded Warriors Inspire Boston Marathon Bombing Victim
The Public is Smarter Than Its Politicians
In the velocity of 24/7 news, the Eric Snowden story has been aborted in the media’s womb, a viable fetus of scandal for only days. The underlying issue of privacy vs. security lives on, but politicians Left, Right and Center are backing away from bashing one another over it. The electorate, in primal wisdom, has told them to cool it, as a new poll shows 57 percent believe … [Read more...] about The Public is Smarter Than Its Politicians
NSA Surveillance Coverage from Germany, France, Switzerland, Brazil and Colombia
Like the WikiLeaks story before it, given the fact that the NSA surveillance saga uniquely affects people of every other nation, there is a global reaction that we are working to capture and translate on behalf of the American people and English-speaking world. So far, from the non-English-language press, we have posted content from Germany's Handelsblatt and Frankfurter … [Read more...] about NSA Surveillance Coverage from Germany, France, Switzerland, Brazil and Colombia
Arizona’s Trent Franks Doesn’t Get To Make Up Facts As Though We Were Living Orwell’s 1984
News Flash: And 20 weeks isn't six months "[Y]ou know, the incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low," according to Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ). Franks was speaking at a House Judiciary Committee markup that was considering his proposal, substitute H.B. 1797, to ban all abortions after 20 weeks. What is not rare is getting pregnant after being raped. What is … [Read more...] about Arizona’s Trent Franks Doesn’t Get To Make Up Facts As Though We Were Living Orwell’s 1984
Take a Peek: The Fool Report (which vets Matt Drudge)
Take a Peek at...The Fool Report, which criticizes Matt Drudge. Drudge is the success story for aspiring news website entrepreneurs: he has created a site that gets him millions of hits and has made him very rich. He also sets the news cycle since many conservative blogs and news organizations will do stories and posts based on his links and headlines. But Drudge also has a … [Read more...] about Take a Peek: The Fool Report (which vets Matt Drudge)
Reconciling the left and right wing of politics is the only way forward
Reconciling the left and right wing of politics is the only way forward by Tony Miall The adversarial ‘left and right wing’ approach to politics is fast approaching its used-by date. The problem is that it is being revealed as impotent when it comes to finding solutions for the real problems confronting humanity. Indeed it could be argued that having left and right … [Read more...] about Reconciling the left and right wing of politics is the only way forward
The New Urban Hermit
For centuries there have been hermits among mankind. And we still have them -- but they may look a bit different in the 21st century. Jack El-Hai in The Saturday Evening Post: During the years he was a hermit, Roger Cunningham followed a rigid and self-imposed daily schedule. He began the morning by walking to the nearby general store for coffee. “I had promised my mother … [Read more...] about The New Urban Hermit
History Teaches Students How To Be Vigilant in the 21st Century (Guest Voice)
History Teaches Students How To Be Vigilant in the 21st Century (Using the Study of U.S. History to Educate Young Adults on Every Aspect of Life) By Dale Schlundt, M.A. How does credit as well as loans work, both in personal and professional contexts? Should I borrow to buy a car? Why do educators wait until young adults go into debt, to teach them how to stay out … [Read more...] about History Teaches Students How To Be Vigilant in the 21st Century (Guest Voice)
For Republicans, it’s diversify or die
For Republicans, it's diversify or die (via NewsWorks) National Interest Dick [email protected] June 12, 2013 By Dick Polman It's decision time for the GOP. Does the party want to be competitive in future presidential elections, or does it prefer to doom itself to perpetual defeat? This is about basic math. The party can't win if it… … [Read more...] about For Republicans, it’s diversify or die
NSA surveillance: How does “classified information” become classified in the first place
NSA surveillance: How does “classified information” become classified in the first place? (via Pando Daily) By David Holmes On June 12, 2013We’ve heard a lot this week about “classified” documents, state secrets, and how the spreading of this information either makes you a hero or a traitor, if you’re into simple dichotomies. We’ll leave the … [Read more...] about NSA surveillance: How does “classified information” become classified in the first place
Bob McClory Authored Article III of Impeachment
"I realize that there is no nice way to impeach a President of the United States." Robert McClory to his colleagues. Ever wonder why Memorial Day and Labor Day fall on a Monday? Robert McClory had a lot to do with it. He sponsored legislation to make the observed holiday on that day. But McClory's claim to fame go well beyond that. During Watergate, he became one of the most … [Read more...] about Bob McClory Authored Article III of Impeachment
Jacobs and Keys First Congressional Couple To Marry
Historic Tidbit: It's a long way from Texas to Washington State but Vice-President John Nance Garner had a nephew, who bore his name, who twice very nearly won a seat in Congress -- as a Republican. In 1976, he nearly took advantage of backlash that Congreessman Lloyd Meeds suffered as a result of support of an Alpine Treaty that pitted Indians against non-Indian, thereby … [Read more...] about Jacobs and Keys First Congressional Couple To Marry
Fixing FISA: A Moderate Proposal
Even though Edward Snowden's disclosures of NSA data-gathering programs was unquestionably dishonest, disloyal, and self-aggrandizing and even though major elements of Snowden's stories are implausible enough to be fairly called lies. But Ron Fournier at the National Journal reraises a question that is worth answering: Why does a secret federal court almost always side with … [Read more...] about Fixing FISA: A Moderate Proposal
Trayvon Martin Case: Fox News Guest Says Martin’s “Street Attitude” Killed Him
I don't use the word "racism" lightly, so heaven forbid it'd break my rule. But you're free to use it all you want when you look at the clip below. And I would not blame you. Let's say in advance I'd agree with you. On Fox News (where else?) a former former NYPD detective said that Florida teen Trayvon Martin was responsible for his own death because he had a "street … [Read more...] about Trayvon Martin Case: Fox News Guest Says Martin’s “Street Attitude” Killed Him