Museum takes painful look into 9/11 attacks (via AFP) President Barack Obama inaugurates Thursday a museum commemorating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the culmination of three years of delays, controversy and financial woes as he opens a memorial to an event that changed America. On the eve… … [Read more...] about Inauguration today: 9/11 Museum which takes painful look into tragedy outrage
Josh Marshall on Obama and Race
Josh Marshall discusses the GOP freak-out over President Obama on Talking Points Memo. For years, we've had a running conversation about how much or whether the often vitriolic, seemingly gut level opposition to President Obama is tied to his race as opposed to simple partisanship, opposition to policies and more. It's a tangled question since supporters and opponents each … [Read more...] about Josh Marshall on Obama and Race
One Way Obamacare Is Lowering Insurance Premiums
While insurance policies purchased through the exchanges and Medicaid expansion (or blocking it in many red states) have obtained the bulk of the publicity regarding the Affordable Care Act, there are many other aspects to the law. (No, Sarah Palin, establishment of death panels is not one of these). In the last post I looked at the benefits of enabling students to remain on … [Read more...] about One Way Obamacare Is Lowering Insurance Premiums
Cartoon: Brain Damage
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: Brain Damage
Escape from video games to world of human interaction (Guest Voice)
Escape from video games to world of human interaction By Jonas Jacobs LA JOLLA, California — As I grew up, I discovered I loved the theater. I thought that theater was important to people of all ages. But for me, theater was more than entertainment; it became my dedicated hobby. I believe many children today don’t have a hobby and instead play video games alone … [Read more...] about Escape from video games to world of human interaction (Guest Voice)
On Rudeness and Incivility (Guest Voice)
On Rudeness and Incivility By Tom Purcell What do you mean Americans have gotten ruder?" "Poll after poll has been showing it in recent years. More than 70 percent of the respondents questioned in an Associated Press poll believe people are ruder than they were 20 or 30 years ago." "Why would that be?" "Life is moving faster these days. Companies are employing … [Read more...] about On Rudeness and Incivility (Guest Voice)
New Yorker: Abramson fired as New York Times editor because she demanded equal pay
The media world was rocked by two bombshells today. The first was the news story that New York Times editor Jill Abramson was abruptly fired by Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr., the publisher of the paper and the chairman of The New York Times Company. The Time's own story said he " told a stunned newsroom that had been quickly assembled that he had made the decision because of … [Read more...] about New Yorker: Abramson fired as New York Times editor because she demanded equal pay
Knox Trial Shows in Italy, Guilty Fare Better than Innocents (Altri Mondi, Italy)
It would appear that Italians are just as suspicious of the murder verdict against Amanda Knox as a majority of Americans seem to be. For Italy's Altri Mondi, columnist Giorgio Dell'Arti issued this indictment of the Italian justice system, writing that when going to trial in that country, defendants are better off being guilty than innocent. For Altri Mondi, Giorgio … [Read more...] about Knox Trial Shows in Italy, Guilty Fare Better than Innocents (Altri Mondi, Italy)
Young Earning More Due To Obamacare Thanks To Remaining On Parents’ Insurance Plan & Conservatives Distort Report On Narrow Networks
Two health care items today, one on a benefit of the Affordable Care Act and another on a news item which conservatives are distorting to attack Obamacare. First the positive news. I have discussed the benefit of the Affordable Care Act freeing people from the "insurance trap" in which they take jobs they otherwise would not want to work at purely to obtain health insurance. … [Read more...] about Young Earning More Due To Obamacare Thanks To Remaining On Parents’ Insurance Plan & Conservatives Distort Report On Narrow Networks
(Updates) #BringBackOurGirls with #SomeHelpFromOurTroops
Update II: Fox News and others are claiming that a “Leahy Law Makes It Harder To Bring Back Our Girls.” You see, they claim, “a 1997 law known as the Leahy Amendment is complicating the joint effort with Nigerian forces. The law, named for its sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., bars U.S. forces from working with militaries, or units within them, accused of chronic human … [Read more...] about (Updates) #BringBackOurGirls with #SomeHelpFromOurTroops
Now you can own Dracula’s castle
Now you can own Dracula’s castle (via GlobalPost) Count Dracula never lived in Bran Castle, in the Transylvania region of Romania, because he was a fictional character. But look, it’s a Gothic-looking castle in Transylvania — plus, Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure who inspired Bram Stoker… … [Read more...] about Now you can own Dracula’s castle
What UKIP Must Learn from the American Liberty Movement
Of all of their political parties that most Brits have heard of, only UKIP – the United Kingdom Independence Party – calls itself “libertarian”. Being only two decades old, UKIP - now polling 38% for the European elections this year and about 15% for the general election next year – has achieved a success on paper that the American Libertarian Party can only dream of. … [Read more...] about What UKIP Must Learn from the American Liberty Movement
A Second Chance for Donald Sterling?
Some 20 years ago, a 12-year-old boy on a trip to San Francisco was taken into a restaurant in Chinatown. He saw the menu, and in a loud voice said: "Chinese food? I hate Chinese food. I don't even like the Chinese!" Then he noticed all the Asians glaring at him. He was one of two non-Asians there. "Oops," he said, turning red. But the "Oops" didn't erase perceptions now … [Read more...] about A Second Chance for Donald Sterling?
Meet The Tweedledum, Tweedledee & Tweedledah Of Global Climate Change
The year was 1978. Rick Scott was a 26-year-old Navy veteran and up-and-coming entrepreneur who had bought and revived two Kansas City donut shops. Jeb Bush was a 25-year-old working in the international division of a Texas bank. Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban emigres, was a four-year-old attending kindergarten in Miami. It was the year that Jim Jones's followers committed … [Read more...] about Meet The Tweedledum, Tweedledee & Tweedledah Of Global Climate Change
Climate Change And “Conservatives”
The other day I had a post on Marco Rubio's climate change denial. Yesterday we found out that the West Antarctic ice sheet is collapsing which will result in a significant rise in sea level. For at least the last decade every prediction of sea level rise has been more dire than the previous one. As I noted earlier Miami is already experiencing flooding at high tide. Over … [Read more...] about Climate Change And “Conservatives”
Some Personal Notes on the Death of H.R. Giger
Or, when I was "Lee Quarnstrom." The Long Playing Record Album cover of Emerson, Lake and Palmer's "Brain Salad Surgery" (obscure slang for fellation, as it turns out. Note the airbrushed penis. ) Swiss "surrealist" artist H.R. Giger is dead, of a fall. H.R. Giger, Surrealist Artist and 'Alien' Designer, Dead at 74 Painter and sculptor, whose cover art graced albums by … [Read more...] about Some Personal Notes on the Death of H.R. Giger
Army SGT Kyle White, Our Newest Medal of Honor Recipient
President Barack Obama this morning awarded the Medal of Honor to former Army SGT Kyle White for conspicuous gallantry in Afghanistan when he was a platoon radio telephone operator. He is the seventh living recipient to receive the honor for actions in Iraq or Afghanistan. Former Army Sgt. Kyle J. White smiles as the audience applauds after President Barack Obama … [Read more...] about Army SGT Kyle White, Our Newest Medal of Honor Recipient
The Crime of Feeding the Homeless
I know that there must be law and order, public health, and other -- I am sure readers will come up with more -- reasons for stopping some good-hearted people from feeding the homeless, the hungry, in a public park, but I do find it sad and have to resort to the cliché, "don’t these law-and-order people have more urgent law-and-order work to do?" Chico and Debbie Jimenez, a … [Read more...] about The Crime of Feeding the Homeless
Kim Jong Putin Lives
The video alone is worth watching for a laugh It seems President Putin has learned to play hockey and in a game with a bunch of 20 year olds the 65 year old Putin managed 6 goals and 5 assists. Of course when your opponents want to avoid polonium in their morning coffee it is easier to score. … [Read more...] about Kim Jong Putin Lives
West Antarctic ice sheet collapse ‘unstoppable’, says NASA
West Antarctic ice sheet collapse 'unstoppable', says NASA (via AFP) Ice is melting in the western Antarctic at an "unstoppable" pace, scientists said Monday, warning that the discovery holds major consequences for global sea level rise in the coming decades. The speedy melting means that prior calculations of sea level… … [Read more...] about West Antarctic ice sheet collapse ‘unstoppable’, says NASA