Conflicts of interest still matter to editors when it comes to their reporters. The public can point to even small ones that and say it compromises their reporters' and their news organizations' reporting. It turns out that Charlo Greene of Alaska's KTVA had a BIG one: during a report on the Alaska Cannibus Club in the context of November's vote on legalizing marijuana in the … [Read more...] about Alaska reporter on air reveals she has medical marijuana business and quits on air (Video)
American media should not aid Islamic State with its propaganda (Guest Voice)
I have borne witness to an execution — not that I wanted to, but because the condemned man whom I had gotten to know over a 10-year period asked me to be there. Henry Martinez Porter of San Antonio, who was found guilty of killing a Fort Worth police officer, didn't want any of his family… … [Read more...] about American media should not aid Islamic State with its propaganda (Guest Voice)
Does the GOP Give a S*** About the Debt?
Andrew Sullivan poses the eternal question on The Daily Dish. It’s been a remarkable aspect of the foreign policy “debate” over the last month that I haven’t heard a single leading Republican express misgivings about a new Iraq war’s impact on fiscal policy. And yet, for a few years now, we have been subjected to endless drama about the mounting debt when it comes to anything … [Read more...] about Does the GOP Give a S*** About the Debt?
Breaking News: U.S. Airstrikes Underway Against ISIL in Syria
Update" Reuters reports: Several Arab nations are involved in the ongoing U.S.-led operation, a defense official said. A diplomatic source identified the nations as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. . Another U.S. official said the Arab nations will be dropping bombs, not just providing support. Up to 20 locations have been … [Read more...] about Breaking News: U.S. Airstrikes Underway Against ISIL in Syria
The mystifying election
WASHINGTON -- There is something deeply satisfying about the troubles punditry is having in nailing down exactly what's happening in the 2014 elections. The careful statistical models keep gyrating on the question of whether Republicans will win control of the Senate this November. The prognosticators who rely on their reporting and their guts as well as the numbers are … [Read more...] about The mystifying election
Prosecutors: WH fence jumper had 800 rounds of ammo in car
The case of the man who jumped the White House fence last week and made it all the way up to the White House residence door is becoming more shocking by the minute as more details emerge. It's clear this wasn't just some nutcase who jumped the fence. It was a vet who had a knife on him and -- according to new reports -- 800 rounds of ammunition in his car.[icopyright one button … [Read more...] about Prosecutors: WH fence jumper had 800 rounds of ammo in car
Cartoon: Kent State Sweatshirt
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 Cartoon: Kent State Sweatshirt
(Updated) Will the Neocons Eat French Fries Once Again?
[icopyright one button toolbar] Update: More information on the French air strikes in Iraq, courtesy AP/Stars and Stripes: France is conducting the operations in Iraq from French Air Base 104 inside Al Dhafra base near Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. French jets began flying reconnaissance missions Monday over Iraq. . The base, with about … [Read more...] about (Updated) Will the Neocons Eat French Fries Once Again?
Joe Biden’s Gaffe’s: Someone In Media Gets It
Joe Biden has certainly made a number of gaffes lately, and of course these are far more likely to make the headlines than more important stories about Biden, such as the many times he countered Hillary Clinton's hawkish views in the Obama administration. I have also become more tolerant of Biden's verbal gaffes since he did such an excellent job when really needed, the Vice … [Read more...] about Joe Biden’s Gaffe’s: Someone In Media Gets It
Obama may have to send troops
WASHINGTON -- President Obama is adamant that the war against the Islamic State will not escalate to the use of U.S. ground troops. But the more I see and hear of his strategy, the more I fear that "mission creep" -- even if the president resists it -- is baked in from the start. Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was jarringly candid … [Read more...] about Obama may have to send troops
Why a UN Climate Agreement Cannot be Reached
This week the UN will convene a climate summit where Secretary General Ban Ki Moon will ask leaders to bring “bold announcements and actions that will reduce emissions, strengthen climate resilience, and mobilize political will for a meaningful legal agreement in 2015.” For those who have marched in cities around the world this weekend demanding change, the summit offers a … [Read more...] about Why a UN Climate Agreement Cannot be Reached
Pondering The Obamalypse, What Hummingbirds Tells Us & Other Musings On The Autumnal Equinox
The eve of the first day of autumn at the mountain retreat began with a stroll to the road and our mailbox under a sunlit canopy of leaves just beginning to turn to the sublime reds, oranges, yellows and browns of the season. The mailbox disgorged a phone bill, the new issue of Vanity Fair ("Hell in the Ebola Hot Zone!"), several advertising circulars and some dragon smoke. … [Read more...] about Pondering The Obamalypse, What Hummingbirds Tells Us & Other Musings On The Autumnal Equinox
Cartoon: White House Break In
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 Cartoon: White House Break In
Study finds people attracted to the smell of those with the same politics
Politics stink? Maybe. A new study reveals that people are attracted to the smell of others with similar political opinions - an idea that also helps explain why so many couples share political views. This is no random conclusion. Researchers from three major universities persuaded 125 participants to evaluate the body odor of 21 "strong" liberal… … [Read more...] about Study finds people attracted to the smell of those with the same politics
Chief Justice Roberts: Scalia, Ginsburg wouldn’t be confirmed today
Chief Justice John Roberts has now pretty much confirmed what many American independent, centrist and moderate voters have more than suspected: if Justice Anton Scalia or Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been nominated today, they wouldn't get confirmed: United States Chief Justice John Roberts told a Nebraska audience he worries the partisanship that grips Washington … [Read more...] about Chief Justice Roberts: Scalia, Ginsburg wouldn’t be confirmed today
Christie Not Off The Hook Yet On Bridgegate
I had previously predicted that Chris Christie has a better chance of winding up in a federal penitentiary than the White House. I thought my prediction had fallen apart yesterday when reports, stemming from an NBC News story, claimed that federal prosecutors had given up on connecting him to the closing of the bridges. This didn’t seem implausible. It is certainly possible … [Read more...] about Christie Not Off The Hook Yet On Bridgegate
SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Outlander; Extant and You’re The Worst Finales; Pineapple Mystery From How I Met Your Mother Solved; Gillian Jacobs Gets New Show; Supergirl; Suicide Squad; Star Trek
Saturday night featured The Wedding on Outlander while Doctor Who combined at least two old plot ideas. On the surface, Time Heist is a classic Ocean's Eleven bank robbery, plus throw in a little of The Bourne Identity. It was obvious something big would happen after the Doctor said, "It's just a phone Clara, nothing happens when you answer the phone." Suddenly there were four … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Outlander; Extant and You’re The Worst Finales; Pineapple Mystery From How I Met Your Mother Solved; Gillian Jacobs Gets New Show; Supergirl; Suicide Squad; Star Trek
On the Internet There’s No Such Thing as a True Science Denier
On the Internet There's No Such Thing as a True Science Denier By Tina Dupuy Science isn't like religion in that you can't just pick and choose the science you don't concur with. You can't, say, believe in evolution, but not for species you think are gross. Or think gravity is a sound theory but it only pertains to left-handed Oregonians. Or accept atomic theory but only … [Read more...] about On the Internet There’s No Such Thing as a True Science Denier
Packing Your Nose With Pork Strips Stops Nosebleeds: ‘Improbable Research’
Believe it or not, there are legitimate Nobel prizes out there for scientists who make bizarre and seemingly silly — but important — discoveries. They’re called Ig Nobel Prizes, and this year’s winners studied a wide array of fun topics from reindeers to the slippery-ness of banana peels. The Ig Nobel Prizes are also known for… … [Read more...] about Packing Your Nose With Pork Strips Stops Nosebleeds: ‘Improbable Research’
L. E. Modesitt, Jr. and Science Fiction Morality Plays
The morality play is as old as literature itself. One of my favorite Science Fiction authors is L. E. Modesitt, Jr. In his Parafaith Novels he asks the question when is OK to destroy a planet and kill billions of people to save billions of people in the rest of the universe. In his novel Gravity Dreams he asks how much freedom are we willing to give up for social stability. … [Read more...] about L. E. Modesitt, Jr. and Science Fiction Morality Plays