It's now a cliche to say "this movie couldn't be made today," or "this cartoon couldn't be made today," but usually it entails something such as a racial stereotype. But the 1936 Betty Boop theatrical cartoon short "Be Human" would be an unlikely candidate to be produced as a theatrical short today.[icopyright one button toolbar] To be sure, its message of animal cruelty … [Read more...] about Animated cartoon classic that couldn’t be made today: Be Human with Betty Boop
HAPPY LABOR DAY
Happy Labor Day to you and yours. graphic via shutterstock.com … [Read more...] about HAPPY LABOR DAY
Obama: Defeating the Islamic State
The Islamic State’s military victories are part of a war among Sunni Muslims of the Arabian Peninsula and Levant. They are not yet a direct threat to the US, Israel, Europe or even Shia Muslims in Iraq and Iran. [icopyright one button toolbar] Therefore, its military defeat must be led by Sunnis, whether tribal militias or a coalition bringing Saudi Arabia and the Gulf … [Read more...] about Obama: Defeating the Islamic State
US Trained Alaskans As ‘Stay-Behind Agents’ In Case Of Russian Invasion
This is interesting: WASHINGTON (AP) — Fearing a Russian invasion and occupation of Alaska, the U.S. government in the early Cold War years recruited and trained fishermen, bush pilots, trappers and other private citizens across Alaska for a covert network to feed wartime intelligence to the military, newly declassified Air Force and FBI documents show. Invasion of Alaska? … [Read more...] about US Trained Alaskans As ‘Stay-Behind Agents’ In Case Of Russian Invasion
Federal Court Throws Out Abortion Restrictions In Texas
Republicans in control of state governments have been trying to restrict access to both abortion and contraception but on Friday a federal judge rule against new restrictions on abortions in Texas: A federal judge in Austin, Tex., blocked a stringent new rule on Friday that would have forced more than half of the state’s remaining abortion clinics to close, the latest in a … [Read more...] about Federal Court Throws Out Abortion Restrictions In Texas
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Kids and Uzis
Kids and Uzis by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Leonard Pitts: A 9-year-old with Uzi? Only in US --Kin of dead Uzi instructor: We feel sorry for girl --OPINION: Why do we allow a child to handle an Uzi? --AZ Talk: Uzi shooting says what about our culture? --Letting Kids Shoot Guns Is Good for Them --After Uzi death, gun ranges debate safest way to teach kids … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Kids and Uzis
Things you can do that you couldn’t before digital photography and Photoshop!
As a photographer for nearly 50 years I have been known to miss the "good old days" of film. Below is a scanned 2 1/4 negative. A good picture except for one serious flaw - the dreaded white sky. In an attempt to salvage the photo I used Photoshop to turn it into a color night scene and replaced the white sky with a partly cloudy full moon sky. If you look … [Read more...] about Things you can do that you couldn’t before digital photography and Photoshop!
Breaking: U.S. Airstrikes and Humanitarian Airdrops Break ISIS Siege of Amerli
[icopyright one button toolbar] Chalk one up for the good guys. Over the weekend, the U.S. military conducted airstrikes in support of an operation to deliver humanitarian assistance and protect civilians who had been trapped in Amerli for months by ISIS terrorists and who were threatened with a possible massacre. DoD: Two months ago, hundreds of ISIL terrorists … [Read more...] about Breaking: U.S. Airstrikes and Humanitarian Airdrops Break ISIS Siege of Amerli
Report: Groupon selling Uzi target practice same week girl shoots Uzi instructor dead
As the son of a World War II Greatest Generation veteran who believed showing a teenager how to shoot a gun was a way to instruct him or her on concentration and target practice and not a game or flippant political statement, I'm still sorting out my complex feelings on the case of the 9 year old girl who mistakenly killed her gun instructor who was teaching her how to use an … [Read more...] about Report: Groupon selling Uzi target practice same week girl shoots Uzi instructor dead
Review: The case against binge-watching TV
LAKE CITY, Pa. (AP) - It's no secret technology is changing our television-viewing habits. Americans are increasingly engaging in a practice known as television binge-watching - going through several episodes of a TV show in a single stretch. In the old days, of course, people watched one episode a week. That changed with digital video recorders… graphic (not part of … [Read more...] about Review: The case against binge-watching TV
Putin: ‘I want to remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers’
Russian President Vladimir Putin had a message for the international community on Friday: "It's best not to mess with us." While speaking at a pro-Kremlin youth camp on Friday, Mr. Putin downplayed the Kremlin's involvement in destabilizing eastern Ukraine while sending a message to Western nations that he isn't afraid to use force to forward Russian… Putin: 'I want to … [Read more...] about Putin: ‘I want to remind you that Russia is one of the leading nuclear powers’
Labor Day 2014: Our Military Are ‘Workers,’ Too
[icopyright one button toolbar] Tank Mechanic, Army Spc. Samantha Brumley, with Company F, 145th Brigade Support Battalion, Oregon National Guard, Aug. 20, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Maj. Wayne (Chris) Clyne, 115th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, Oregon Army National Guard Labor Day was originally a day to give tribute to the men and women who, through hard, physical … [Read more...] about Labor Day 2014: Our Military Are ‘Workers,’ Too
Not just in danger but being the danger
Jelani Cobb, a New Yorker writer who has been spending some time in Ferguson, writes:[icopyright one button toolbar] Linda Chavez wondered on Fox News whether “the ‘unarmed teen’ mantra” really fit Brown, who was six feet four and nearly three hundred pounds and had been caught on video shoplifting—and, it perhaps bears repeating, was a teen, and was unarmed. Chavez was … [Read more...] about Not just in danger but being the danger
SAS and US special forces forming hunter killer unit to ‘smash Islamic State’
Now I'll admit the London Daily Mirror is far from the most reliable source in the world but this wouldn't surprise me at all. Elite British and US special forces troops are forming a hunter killer unit called Task Force Black – its orders: “Smash the Islamic State.” The undercover warriors will aim to “cut the head off the snake” by hitting the command structure of the … [Read more...] about SAS and US special forces forming hunter killer unit to ‘smash Islamic State’
Ukraine: A ‘Hopeless Struggle’ for the Lost East (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)
Should Ukrainians brace themselves to lose yet another chunk of their country to Russia, this time the most densely populated part of east Ukraine - Dunbas? In the aftermath of the first meeting since June between Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Sueddeutsche Zeitung columnist Cathrin Kahlweit writes that Putin's stubborn pretense … [Read more...] about Ukraine: A ‘Hopeless Struggle’ for the Lost East (Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany)
From Syria to Ukraine, crises fill the Obama-NATO agenda
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama heads to Europe next week, looking to assure nervous allies of the United States' commitment to the region, as NATO prepares to beef up forces amid fears that Russia will step up its provocations beyond Ukraine. Obama arrives in Estonia late Tuesday, where he'll meet with the presidents of the three… photo used on TMV: Frederic … [Read more...] about From Syria to Ukraine, crises fill the Obama-NATO agenda
This Week In Pantsuit Politics: Meet Serbia’s 23-Year-Old Bodybuilding Cardiologist Political Star
One need only look at the Oval Office to see that when it comes to politics, we've got a bit of a gender discrepancy. In this weekly roundup, Ravishly.com focuses on powerful political women in the news who are helping to break the proverbial glass ceiling of policy-making around the world. Politicos, move aside. We bring you . . . politicas. [icopyright one button … [Read more...] about This Week In Pantsuit Politics: Meet Serbia’s 23-Year-Old Bodybuilding Cardiologist Political Star
(Breaking Update) One Thousand Reasons to Let Others Deal with ISIS
[icopyright one button toolbar] Update: Here is one ally who is not subscribing to the one thousand reasons to let others deal with ISIS. The Guardian reports today (Sunday in Australia) that Australia will help deliver military equipment, including arms and ammunition to Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq in an effort to counter the threat posed by Islamic State … [Read more...] about (Breaking Update) One Thousand Reasons to Let Others Deal with ISIS
Republicans Prefer Out of Context Quotes Over Serious Middle East Discussion
Republicans, lacking any actual coherent policy arguments, love to dwell on taking comments from Democrats out of context, often distorting what was said. They made such an distorted quote the centerpiece of their last national convention. We are bound to hear another out of context quote over and over from Republicans. In response to a question from Chuck Todd, Obama explained … [Read more...] about Republicans Prefer Out of Context Quotes Over Serious Middle East Discussion
Labor Day Assignment: Educating the Uninformed
It’s Labor Day weekend, the schools have been in session about a week, and the disgruntled voices of a minority drone on. Their screeching refrain, often in letters to the editor and talk show call-ins, is familiar: [icopyright one button toolbar] --Teachers only work half a year. --Teachers are overpaid. --Local school districts and their taxpayers shouldn’t have to … [Read more...] about Labor Day Assignment: Educating the Uninformed