Half-term Alaska governor and failed vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is taking her sideshow to the web with a focus on American politics via her own network, The Sarah Palin Channel. Um, this is too funny. The Sarah Palin Channel is a Glenn Beck knock-off. Palin took to Twitter to peddle for prospective viewers. Only one problem....Netflix is cheaper. You know, I … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin Launches Web TV Network That’s Pricier Than Netflix
Congress sides with consumers on cellphone unlocking bill
Almost eight years ago, the U.S. Copyright Office gave cellphone owners the right to unlock their cellphones. It had been illegal since the 1998 Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), which banned the "circumvention" of any copy protection mechanisms (Section 1201). This did not, however, mean that carriers honored the ruling. AT&T, for example, has been a notable … [Read more...] about Congress sides with consumers on cellphone unlocking bill
Losing the high moral ground
WASHINGTON -- The civilian death toll in Gaza from Israel's latest incursion is appalling. The right to self-defense is inalienable, but it is not free from moral constraints. As of this writing, nearly 750 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli assault began, including dozens of children. On Thursday, a compound housing a United Nations school -- crowded with … [Read more...] about Losing the high moral ground
SciFi Weekend: Arrow; Constantine; SHIELD; Hannibal; Big Bang Theory; Community; Orphan Black; True Blood; Fargo; Sleepy Hollow
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4_BBDPTKv4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfgthhsuUb8 There's a lot of news coming out of San Diego Comic-Con. The Arrow panel is above, followed by the season three trailer. Ra's al Ghul will be the main villain next season. Flashbacks next season will include characters who died earlier on the show, and will deal with characters beyond … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Arrow; Constantine; SHIELD; Hannibal; Big Bang Theory; Community; Orphan Black; True Blood; Fargo; Sleepy Hollow
Flight MH 17: Emotional Words From a Dutch Man
[icopyright one button toolbar] While every family member, relative or friend lost in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 represents a horrific tragedy, and while every nation whose citizens died as a result of that criminal act is in deep mourning, the loss suffered by the Dutch nation and the Dutch people is especially heavy: 193 of its residents killed in a matter … [Read more...] about Flight MH 17: Emotional Words From a Dutch Man
Digital Photography
As you may have noticed I have grown tired of politics and current events and have been doing posts of a more personal and philosophical nature. I may be 68 but I tend to embrace new technology but one exception may be digital photography and the death of film. I have been a photographer for nearly 50 years. One of my early mentors was the late great Ansel Adams. In … [Read more...] about Digital Photography
Life Changing Events II
Yesterday I did a post on my life changing event of living in Munich, Germany for several years. Life changing events are ones that force you to reevaluate how you look at the world. Living abroad for an extended period of time, especially for someone like me who grew up in the backwoods of Oregon is certainly a life changing experience. In the late 80s I worked for the … [Read more...] about Life Changing Events II
Gaza and MH17: France Pays the Price for its Moribund Diplomacy (Le Figaro, France)
France is not only home to the largest Muslim and Jewish populations in Europe, but with the Kremlin in the global doghouse over MH17 and Ukraine, Paris is in the process of selling Russia two massive Mistral warships for $1.6 billion. For Le Figaro, columnist Pierre Rousselin writes that with pro-Palestinian protests erupting across the country, and allies losing patience with … [Read more...] about Gaza and MH17: France Pays the Price for its Moribund Diplomacy (Le Figaro, France)
Heading for a high court showdown?
Heading for a high court showdown? by Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers' Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Don't be so sure the Supreme Court is going to save Obamacare. Again. The question is enormously important: Are health care consumers entitled to subsidies if they buy coverage on insurance exchanges established by the federal government, as they are from state … [Read more...] about Heading for a high court showdown?
Norm Ornstein On The Republican Battle Between The Conservatives And Lunatic Radicals
Yesterday, just prior to this post at Liberal Values, I had a post quoting criticism of Hillary Clinton from Andrew Sullivan. While I am not thrilled by the prospect of Hillary Clinton being president, any Republican alternative would be far worse. With all her faults, Clinton isn’t bat-shit crazy. Norm Ornstein has written again about how extreme the Republican have become. He … [Read more...] about Norm Ornstein On The Republican Battle Between The Conservatives And Lunatic Radicals
This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Lithuania’s Karate Black Belt President Speaks Out
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. Politicos, move aside. We bring you . . . politicas. Dalia GrybauskaiteLithuania's president recently … [Read more...] about This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Lithuania’s Karate Black Belt President Speaks Out
Life Changing Events
We all have events and situations that change our lives forever. For this kid from the backwaters of the Pacific Northwest it was the 4 years I lived in Munich, Germany in my early 20s. I don't think I really appreciated western civilzation before my time in Munich. It truly changed the way I looked at everything. My friends noticed when I returned to the US and said I was … [Read more...] about Life Changing Events
The ‘Power’ of Satire and the Power of Poetry
[icopyright one button toolbar] A little less than two years ago, when we were getting ready to elect a new president, or re-elect Barack Obama, I wrote a little piece at the Huffington Post that created somewhat of a mini uproar. In the article I explained why “I [Was] Voting for Mitt Romney on Nov. 7.” It was satire, of course. There were two clues I thought would … [Read more...] about The ‘Power’ of Satire and the Power of Poetry
MH17: Dutch Should Avoid America’s Post-911 Reaction (de Volkskrant, The Netherlands)
How should people in the Netherlands handle the incredible anger and sorrow that has suddenly struck after the downing of Flight MH17, in which more than 189 innocent Dutch civilians, many of them children, were killed? Continuing with our focus on the Netherlands this week, for de Volkskrant, columnist Lodewijk Pessers advises people to stay calm, and above all, not to react … [Read more...] about MH17: Dutch Should Avoid America’s Post-911 Reaction (de Volkskrant, The Netherlands)
Sullivan on Moving Left
Andrew Sullivan responds to Tom Ricks on moving left on The Daily Dish. [icopyright one button toolbar] But I am now regarded as a leftist by much of the right and to some extent, they’re right. In today’s polarized political climate, I have few qualms in backing president Obama over almost anyone in the opposition, and am genuinely insulted these days when some people call … [Read more...] about Sullivan on Moving Left
Surviving With Perspective
Perspective One of my favorite stories my dad told, he who could not read or write and was filled with hundreds of old tales: [icopyright one button toolbar] Once upon a time, an old watchmaker, the wise man of the village, drew a line in the dirt outside his cottage, and asked the children all around to make that line in the dirt shorter -- but without erasing any … [Read more...] about Surviving With Perspective
VIDEO: Snowden and Elsberg at the HOPE X Summit (Hope X, New York)
This is an extraordinary video of an exchange between Edward Snowden and the man who leaked the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Elsberg. The encounter took place on Monday at the HOPE X Hacker's summit in New York City. Snowden recieves a hero's welcome with long ovations and unmitigated praise from Elsberg, who says Snowden's emergence gave him 'hope' for the first time in many years. … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Snowden and Elsberg at the HOPE X Summit (Hope X, New York)
Cartoon: Sarah Palin
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed by Cagle Cartoons to run on TMV. Reproduction without licensing is strictly prohibited. … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Sarah Palin
West’s Sliding Scale of Human Suffering is a Gift to Putin (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
The basis of the Buddhist religion is that 'life is suffering.' In that spirit, pointing to situations as diverse at the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and MH17, philosopher Jaroslaw Makowski writes in Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza that when we forget that suffering binds us all, and when we value the suffering of our own people over others, it diminishes our humanity and drives … [Read more...] about West’s Sliding Scale of Human Suffering is a Gift to Putin (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
As Russia’s Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle (Guest Voice)
As Russia's Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle By Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com The confrontation between Russia and the West took a turn for the worse with the downing of a Malaysian airliner on July 17, and that could spell trouble for several major oil companies operating in Russia. [icopyright one button toolbar] Just one day earlier, U.S. … [Read more...] about As Russia’s Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle (Guest Voice)