Under the “no American boots” plan, a very stable, cohesive and inclusive regime is required in Baghdad to fight like a military juggernaut on the ground under leadership consensual enough to dismantle the Islamic State. [icopyright one button toolbar] If this is the plan’s long haul backbone, the Islamic State is unlikely to be crushed definitively. At best, it may be … [Read more...] about Iraqi ambitions could upend Obama’s plans
SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Interstellar; Star Trek 3; Star Wars VII; Sex in Game of Thrones, Outlander, and Batman; Robin Williams; 24; Cristin Milioti; The Amy Pond Show; Community; James Corden; Craig Ferguson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7Fhr-HapZE Doctor Who returns next week. Here is the official trailer for the first episode, Deep Breath, the first episode staring Peter Capaldi. A spoiler-free review can be read here (but avoid if you want to be totally surprised while viewing). [icopyright one button toolbar] There is also an official synopsis for the second episode, … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Doctor Who; Interstellar; Star Trek 3; Star Wars VII; Sex in Game of Thrones, Outlander, and Batman; Robin Williams; 24; Cristin Milioti; The Amy Pond Show; Community; James Corden; Craig Ferguson
Remembering Robin Williams
[icopyright one button toolbar] I am still reeling from the loss of Robin Williams. Just came across one of the shortest, yet most touching tributes to “my friend." … [Read more...] about Remembering Robin Williams
Brain Disease and or Depression
"The Morrígan" My good friend recently wrote “most personally, it strikes me that if I decide to kill myself then I deny my community the opportunity to learn from the end of my life. As a society, we can learn to live better by taking care of people on their way out.” [icopyright one button toolbar] My mother had two devastating strokes in 2010. Years earlier, in … [Read more...] about Brain Disease and or Depression
Ferguson Protests Reignite
Protesters clashed with riot police in Missouri overnight after police reports released earlier on Friday said a black teen was a suspect in the theft of cigars from a store minutes before an officer shot him dead. While Ferguson, Missouri had been calmer over the last 24 hours after local law enforcement was replaced by state… … [Read more...] about Ferguson Protests Reignite
Left and Right Join Together To Oppose Militarization Of Police
The militarization of the police force seen with the shooting in Ferguson, Missouri has led to another case of portions of the left and right joining together. This includes a push for legislation in Congress with the backing of both the American Civil Liberties Union and Gun Owners of America.: Groups on the left and right are uniting behind calls to end what they say is the … [Read more...] about Left and Right Join Together To Oppose Militarization Of Police
This Week in Pantsuit Politics: The Woman Who Could Change the Course of Malaysian History
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. [icopyright one button toolbar] In this weekly roundup, Ravishly.com—a women's news+culture+politics website—focuses on powerful political women in the news who are helping to break the proverbial glass ceiling of policy-making around the world. Politicos, … [Read more...] about This Week in Pantsuit Politics: The Woman Who Could Change the Course of Malaysian History
Putting up a shield: Guardian blocks Dershowitz ad on Hamas tactics
Putting up a shield: Guardian blocks Dershowitz ad on Hamas tactics By Alina Dain Sharon/JNS.org The British newspaper The Guardian rejected an advertorial piece penned by famed Har-vard Law School professor Alan Dershowitz, JNS.org has learned. In the ad, Dershowitz refutes statements by many media outlets that all of the Gaza Strip is densely populated, a claim that has … [Read more...] about Putting up a shield: Guardian blocks Dershowitz ad on Hamas tactics
Rage, Rage Against The Editing of the Songs
Rage, Rage Against The Editing of the Songs Tyrades! By Danny Tyree If you're frustrated by the skimpiness of "fun-size" candy, wait until you hear some "fun-size" songs. On August 1, Calgary Top 40 station AMP Radio became the first station in the world to switch to the new QuickHitz format. Developed by Vancouver-based SpakNet Communications, QuickHitz (without having … [Read more...] about Rage, Rage Against The Editing of the Songs
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: MLK and Michael Brown
MLK and Michael Brown by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --Cops: Michael Brown Was Robbery Suspect --Ferguson Police Chief: Darren Wilson Did Not Know Michael Brown Was Suspect In 'Strong-Armed' Robbery --Statement from Michael Brown’s family and attorneys: ‘Beyond outraged’ --Robbery matters little in shooting death of Michael Brown, experts say Mike Peters is … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: MLK and Michael Brown
How Michael Brown’s Story Made the News
When 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman on the evening of February 26, 2012, at the Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, the story was not national news. Local news outlets heard of Martin’s death, had an inkling that something (the strange phone calls, the fact that Martin was unarmed except for groceries)… … [Read more...] about How Michael Brown’s Story Made the News
Re-thinking Military Involvement
Re-thinking Military Involvement By Dale Schlundt, M.A. With the growing concern over the ISIS in Iraq, it brings relatively recent and prolonged combat in the Middle East into the hearts and minds of the U.S. citizen. Not to mention the bill we footed for it, and continue to do so. More importantly the human loss of life over the span of these numerous conflicts. One … [Read more...] about Re-thinking Military Involvement
Weekend Photo
This is a beautiful photo by TMV commentor dduck, … [Read more...] about Weekend Photo
Cartoon: Ferguson RFD
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: Ferguson RFD
Police shootings: What black parents tell their sons (Guest Voice)
graphic (not part of original story) via shutterstock.com … [Read more...] about Police shootings: What black parents tell their sons (Guest Voice)
What Women Want
I don't know anyone of any political stripe in the United States who doesn't believe that for exactly the same job, a woman should be paid the same as a man, or that a woman should have the same standing as a man in law; that she should have the same political representation and equal social influence. If these more-or-less ubiquitous truisms are the fruits of feminism, then we … [Read more...] about What Women Want
Islamic State: the primal war
With "Yes, we can" optimism, the Obama White House now expects Kurd, Sunni and Shia Iraqis to forget their centuries-old distrust to become its frontline soldiers in a primal war to restore the order of State entities imposed by the West over the Middle East a century ago. [icopyright one button toolbar] The self-proclaimed Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s Islamic State has … [Read more...] about Islamic State: the primal war
France and the West Must Help Middle East ‘Choose Life Over Death’ (Le Monde, France)
In 2002, he and his country opposed U.N. Security Council authorization for the war in Iraq. Today, he is insisting on it. In Le Monde, Former French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin writes that this time, the mistakes of the past must not be repeated, and a legal framework for war in Iraq must be created with the support and material assistance of countries around the … [Read more...] about France and the West Must Help Middle East ‘Choose Life Over Death’ (Le Monde, France)
Foreign Policy Is Not The Only Area Where Clinton Is Vulnerable
While I believe there should be a challenge to Hillary Clinton based upon her hawkish foreign policy views, it is questionable whether this will happen. [icopyright one button toolbar] Once again, I'll take the unusual step of quoting from The American Conservative: As yet, amazingly, Hillary has no real opponent to the nomination. Centrist inside politics watchers have … [Read more...] about Foreign Policy Is Not The Only Area Where Clinton Is Vulnerable
Hillary and Obama Hug It Out, Whatever That Means
Hillary and Obama Hug It Out, Whatever That Means By Dick Polman Like a boulder dropped in a lake, Hillary Clinton's dissing of President Obama is still creating serious ripples. So let's stay with this story a bit longer. Hillary is trying to move away from Obama's orbit with 2016 in mind, signaling in a lengthy Atlantic magazine interview posted on Saturday night that … [Read more...] about Hillary and Obama Hug It Out, Whatever That Means